Ranvilles Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Ranvilles Junior School

Following my visit to the school on 25 April 2019, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in June 2015.

This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Pupils like coming to school.

They benefit from the highly supportive, caring environment. As a result, pupils enjoy learning and are thoughtful, compassionate and respectful. Parents are very positive about the pastoral and academic support p...rovided for their children.

This was evident in the many responses to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, describing the school as, 'a welcoming and great place to learn' where 'staff are genuinely concerned'. Parents also value the close links between school and home. The leadership team, in collaboration with the governing body, has continued to work hard to improve the quality of education at the school.

You have acted with vision and commitment to support pupils in their transition from the feeder infant school. You have drawn on evidence-based research to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding and provide incisive support. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about improvements to the quality of education at the school since the last inspection.

Governance is strong at Ranvilles Junior School. Governors bring a breadth of expertise to their roles and ensure that their work complements school improvement priorities. Through visits, analysis of information about pupils and discussions with leadership and staff, they gather a breadth of information to inform their questioning and challenge.

Pupils behave very well both in the classroom and around the school. They are kind, welcoming and supportive of each other. One pupil's comment that, 'The school is one of the kindest ones I know' was echoed by many other pupils.

Throughout the curriculum, pupils develop a strong understanding of the importance of justice, free speech and equality. For example, pupils learn about the iniquities of apartheid in South Africa and the importance of healthy, equitable relationships. Pupils in Year 6 wrote with empathy and understanding about the Soweto uprising in South Africa.

You correctly judge writing to be a strength of the school. Pupils told me how much they love writing. High-quality texts such as 'The Jungle Book' by Rudyard Kipling underpin pupils' understanding of how language can be shaped to suit different audiences, purposes and text types.

As a result, pupils make consistently strong progress and attain well in writing at the end of key stage 2. You and your leadership team take effective action when you identify areas for improvement. For example, your focus on improving pupils' writing has resulted in sustained strong attainment at the end of key stage 2.

However, you are highly reflective and acutely aware of the importance of tackling underperformance in mathematics and reading. Your school development plan accurately outlines the need to increase pupils' progress in mathematics and reading, as the proportion of pupils who made good progress in 2018 declined. Safeguarding is effective.

All safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Checks on the suitability of staff are rigorous. Records are securely maintained and well kept.

Parents, pupils and staff agree that the school is a safe place. Leaders and staff keep a watchful eye over pupils, ensuring their physical and emotional well-being. Adults working at the school receive regular safeguarding training alongside updates.

Staff know how and when to refer any safeguarding concerns. Governors are also fully trained and briefed. Their use of external audits and spot checks help to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Pupils know how to keep safe when online and the importance of doing so. Leaders have effectively embedded e-safety in the computing curriculum. The curriculum has also provided pupils with many opportunities to consider safe, healthy relationships.

Pupils' polite, considerate behaviour reflects the ways in which they have been taught to care for one another. Inspection findings ? This inspection's first line of enquiry focused on how leaders ensure that pupils make strong progress and attain well in reading. This was because pupils' attainment and progress dipped below the national average in 2018.

Leaders and staff have worked hard to support pupils' understanding, knowledge and skills in the many different forms of reading required within the English curriculum. Through the creation of effective resources, staff training and links with parents, leaders have ensured the identification of gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding alongside effective teaching approaches. ? Pupils read high-quality texts at the beginning of every day to support their enjoyment of reading and their understanding of how authors structure stories.

As a result, pupils are currently making improved progress in reading. However, pupils do not make consistently strong progress. ? My second key line of enquiry was about the achievements of pupils in mathematics.

In 2018 and 2017, pupils' progress at the end of key stage 2 was below the national average. You have drawn on evidence-based research to identify the gaps in pupils' knowledge on entry to Year 3. As a result, you have strengthened staff training and addressed fundamental gaps in most pupils' understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division so that they can access the key stage 2 curriculum with confidence and success.

• Pupils have many opportunities to reflect on how they learn and to consider different approaches to solving mathematical problems. For example, pupils in Year 6 were able to consider different approaches to the concept of ratios. As a result, pupils are making better progress in mathematics in all year groups.

However, some pupils are not completely secure in their understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This hinders them from making the strong progress that they are capable of. ? My third key line of enquiry was about pupils' spelling knowledge and handwriting skills.

This was an area for improvement in the previous inspection report. Pupils consistently achieve well in the statutory spelling assessment at the end of Year 6. Staff support pupils' understanding of spelling rules.

For example, pupils learn how to add prefixes and suffixes correctly to words. As a result, pupils' spelling knowledge is strong, and they apply it correctly to their writing. ? Pupils' handwriting is generally neat and well presented in all year groups.

Pupils take pride in their work. Pupils work hard to ensure that their handwriting is joined and legible and are rewarded with the ability to write in pen instead of pencil. ? My final key line of enquiry focused on how well pupils are taught to keep safe both at school and in the world beyond.

The curriculum enables pupils to consider philosophical concepts such as the purpose of war. Pupils are able to discuss complex issues such as apartheid in South Africa. Pupils feel safe and well protected at school, and are well informed about potential dangers in the world beyond school.

Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? pupils develop their mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding so that they make stronger progress in mathematics ? pupils develop their knowledge of how writers use language to shape characters, settings and ideas so that they make stronger progress in reading. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Hampshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

Yours sincerely Susan Aykin Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection During this inspection I had meetings with you, other senior leaders and middle leaders. I had a meeting with three governors. I spoke with pupils informally in classrooms and when walking around the school's site.

I also met formally with a group of nine pupils to gather their views about the school. I visited a range of lessons to look at pupils' learning across all phases and carried out a separate scrutiny of pupils' work. Policies and procedures for the safeguarding of pupils were examined along with the record of recruitment checks carried out on all adults working at the school.

A range of documentation was looked at, including: the school's self-evaluation and improvement plans; information relating to pupils' achievement, attendance and behaviour; the minutes of governors' meetings; and curriculum plans. I considered the views of 43 parents who responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire, Parent View, including free-text comments. I also considered the views of 16 members of staff who responded to Ofsted's online survey alongside the views of 14 pupils who responded to the pupil survey.

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