Ramsey Manor Lower School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at Ramsey Manor Lower School.

Staff and pupils told us that the school's 'Values' system helps everybody to get along.

Pupils know what is expected of them. One pupil told us that 'everyone is friends with everyone in this school. Even if they are different, we are all still friends.'



Teachers and pupils get on well. We saw lots of adults and pupils smiling and enjoying their lessons. We also saw good-humoured and respectful conversations between pupils and staff.

Staff and pupils recognise that the on-site forest school gives pupils exciting opportunities to learn outdoors. Pupils enjoy the clubs and activities that are a...vailable. These activities help them to become more confident.

Pupils look forward to taking on extra roles, such as being a 'Buddy', when they reach the top of the school.

Pupils are confident, welcoming and have excellent manners. The school is a calm and orderly learning space.

Pupils only lose concentration in lessons if work is not matched as well as it could be to their abilities.

Pupils told us that they are safe and that bullying is very rare. They are confident that staff will deal with any problems or worries that might arise.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders know that the school's values and forest school help pupils to grow and develop into confident learners. Topics are planned to engage pupils' interests, and these include visitors, theme days and trips. However, leaders have not clearly defined what the school curriculum provides for its pupils or how leaders intend to develop pupils' learning over time.

Subject leaders are enthusiastic about their roles, but senior leaders have not thought clearly about the training subject leaders need to fulfil them. This was the case in English and mathematics. Subject leaders have not been given the time, advice or resources to help them to check standards in their subject.

The school's curriculum does not currently provide a good quality of education.

In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers have little guidance about what to teach. Leaders' plans do not show what pupils should know at the end of the topic.

Nor do they show how each topic will build pupils' knowledge ready for future learning. For example, in a Year 3 art lesson, pupils were creating a Stone Age drawing, but it was unclear what art and history skills they were developing. This means that pupils do not gain a detailed understanding in these subjects.

This is similar in other subjects, such as geography.Staff help pupils learn to read well. Leaders and staff have made reading a high priority, and children read regularly to adults in school.

Teachers show their love of reading through the well-chosen texts they share with their classes. Pupils enjoy this part of the day and are enthusiastic about books and reading.

Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme, but this has not been thought through well enough.

For example, teachers have not yet thought about what pupils need to achieve at each stage in their learning. Teachers do not always help pupils to learn new sounds. Books are not always closely matched to the sounds pupils have learned.

Teachers adapt the curriculum well for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Well-trained staff support pupils with SEND. The leader of pupils with SEND oversees how pupils are supported in class and in the school's ASD (autism spectrum disorder) provision.

Children are safe and happy in the early years classes. They want to learn. Staff teach the children about the school's values, and this helps them to behave.

They learn the routines of school life and settle quickly. Children are supported well when learning to read.

The early years leader knows what improvements need to be made, but has not yet been able to make many changes.

She knows that the tasks children are set need to be planned more carefully. There is a range of activities for children to engage in. Not all activities appeal to or engage children successfully.

Pupils are relaxed and happy in lessons and keen to take part. Adults make their expectations clear and, in most lessons, pupils behave well. Classrooms, the dining room and playgrounds are happy and orderly.

Pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer to them at lunchtimes and through clubs. They get on well with each other and understand the importance of respecting others, including those who are different from themselves.

Staff in the school are positive and passionate about their work.

They are proud to work at the school. Leaders and the governing body are considerate about teachers' workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff make sure that pupils are kept safe and well cared for. Pupils trust staff and are comfortable to raise a concern with them. Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.

Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training to know the signs that might raise concerns about a pupil's welfare. Adults know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil's well-being. Leaders record these concerns carefully and work with other organisations when this is relevant.

Governors check that school safeguarding procedures are being applied. Leaders, including governors, need to have a clearer overview of safeguarding practices in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders are not able to explain the overarching plan for the school's curriculum.

They have not thought about how different parts of the curriculum are connected or how they should be sequenced. Plans are not ambitious enough and do not provide detail of the skills and knowledge that pupils need. Leaders need to define what their aims are and should ensure that all staff are aware of their role in achieving these goals.

. This academic year, the school has adopted a new phonics scheme of work. Leaders have begun to plan what the expectations should be at key points during the year.

Many staff have taken on new roles. Leaders need to ensure that all staff are confident at using the new scheme to ensure that phonics is taught consistently well. .

The content of some subjects is not as well chosen or as carefully sequenced as it could be. This is particularly true in the foundation subjects, such as geography and art. The plans in these subjects do not support teachers to build pupils' knowledge sequentially.

As a result, pupils do not learn the subject well enough. Leaders need to ensure that the content of all subject plans is well chosen, carefully sequenced and delivered as intended. .

Subject leaders are enthusiastic about their subjects and their role in the school. They can explain how they would like to see their subject develop and understand that plans need to be more detailed. However, they lack the training, time and support from senior leaders to be able to be highly effective in their roles.

Subject leaders need to be enabled to do their work. They need clearly defined roles and to establish what standards are expected in their subject. They also need to monitor these standards and to hold teachers to account.

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