Ramsgate Arts Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ramsgate Arts Primary School continues to be a good school.

The head of school of this school is Nick Budge. This school is part of Viking Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Michaela Lewis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Roby. There is also a director of education, Kate Law, who is responsible for this school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this popular and growing school are friendly, curious, happy and polite.

They are rightly proud of their school and appreciate the many opportunities they are given to devel...op their creativity and an understanding of where they live. Pupils visit local and national art galleries regularly, work with artists and musicians, and visit nearby castles and theatres. They support litter picking projects in their local community.

They also dance and perform with confidence and pride in front of different audiences, including their parents.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Adults model the school's values consistently, so that pupils know what they mean.

Everyone understands the school rules and pupils follow these well. Behaviour in lessons is good, meaning there is no lost learning time. Pupils say they feel safe and have trusted adults who would help them if they are worried.

The school's learning environment is well organised, welcoming and respected by pupils. The library runs through the spine of the school. Pupils' work is displayed and celebrated throughout the school.

Pupils are taught arts subjects in specialist classrooms. A purpose-built dance studio supports the school's vision to provide 'a creative, unique, high-quality education.'

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious, well planned and broad, with an extended arts curriculum offer.

This is something the school rightly takes great pride in. For most pupils in Years 3 to 6, this involves them attending a longer school day and being taught by specialist staff. The school identifies the key knowledge and skills pupils will learn in all areas of the curriculum.

Lessons are delivered in an agreed way and regular assessments are used to identify what pupils remember so future planning can build on what they know. The school is ambitious for all pupils, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is inclusive and all pupils have the same opportunities.

Appropriate adaptations are made, such as pre- and post-teaching or one-to-one work.

Children in the early years quickly settle. Phonics is taught to younger pupils daily, with books correctly matched to the sounds being taught.

Staff are trained in how to deliver phonics and do this well. Any pupil needing additional support receives this quickly. Pupils have access to high-quality texts and enjoy their daily story time.

In mathematics, older pupils apply the knowledge they have learned when problem-solving. Wider curriculum subjects are taught discretely through termly themes and, where appropriate, links are made across subjects to embed learning. Pupils enjoy learning and particularly value the arts curriculum.

The school rightly recognises that pupils' progress in the core subjects of reading, writing and mathematics currently varies across the school. Some pupils could achieve more highly. The school is investing in making sure its high expectations for pupils are realised consistently in practice.

Staff are working hard with parents to ensure that pupils attend on a regular basis so that they can benefit fully from the exciting curriculum offer.

Staff know pupils and the community well. They care deeply for them.

The personal development curriculum is a real strength of the school. The school has high aspirations for pupils and wants them to be well prepared for their next steps. Each term begins with a 'focus week' where pupils combine all the elements of personal development, including religious education, relationship education, emotional literacy, citizenship, and the school's core values and British values.

Excellent enrichment activities, such as debates, trips and visitors, are planned into these weeks.

Pupils explore and express their opinions, listen to others and formulate carefully considered views. Throughout the year, assemblies and themed weeks reinforce this learning.

As a result, pupils are confident, respectful, tolerant, kind and able to express their emotions in an appropriate way. The children in the early years quickly grasp the importance of sharing and listening to others. Positive and active playtimes support pupils' physical well-being.

Staff are dedicated and proud to work at the school and see themselves as a team. Leaders manage workload and well-being with care. Governors use their expertise well and are committed to provide effective support and challenge.

There is shared ambition across the trust leadership, local governance, leaders and staff to give every pupil the best chances in life. Parents appreciate the opportunities that their children have. One comment from a parent is representative of many, 'The arts curriculum offer is unique in Thanet and is interlaced into learning.

My daughter is thriving educationally and personally at RAPS.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The implementation of the well-designed and ambitious curriculum is not fully embedded in all areas.

This means that there is variability in pupils' progress in reading, writing and mathematics and pupils' outcomes are not yet what the school wants them to be. The school needs to continue its work to ensure that the curriculum is fully embedded from early years onwards so that pupils achieve highly.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.