Ravenswood Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ravenswood Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Ravenswood Primary School is an inclusive, welcoming school. There is a strong sense of belonging. The school is rooted at the heart of the community.

Parents value the caring relationships they have with staff. One parent said: 'There is always a lovely atmosphere; staff are positive and supportive.'

Pupils are proud of their school.

Relationships between adults and children are respectful and trusting. Pupils say that they feel safe and happy because staff care for them.

The school has high expectations for pupils' behaviour, both inside and outside of the c...lassroom.

Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and throughout the school day. Pupils are aware of different types of bullying. They say that bullying is rare in their school.

The school is keen to support all pupils to thrive, both academically and socially. Pupils' personal development is central to the curriculum design. Pupils benefit from a wide range of cultural experiences.

The school also provides educational outings, visitors and clubs to enrich the curriculum. Pupils enjoy learning because it is interesting and relevant.

Pupils take pride in the leadership roles they can undertake, such as being young interpreters.

Pupils are keen to make a positive difference to the school and local community.

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

The school is determined to provide a relevant curriculum that inspires all, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A broad and ambitious curriculum is in place.

This precisely details the most important content pupils in key stages 1 and 2 need to learn.

In early years, children settle into school quickly. They are sociable and happy.

They follow clear routines and access a welcoming learning environment. However, the intended learning for these children is less clear. The school has not identified the most important knowledge that it wants children to learn.

Sometimes, the experiences provided do not help children to develop the most important knowledge necessary to support firm foundations for learning in Year 1.

The school has recently introduced a new curriculum for mathematics. This curriculum is clearly sequenced, with small steps of learning identified.

Staff have received some training to support them to implement these new plans. However, the school knows that further training is required to ensure there is a consistent approach to teaching mathematics across the school.

Reading is a high priority.

There is a clear structure for the teaching of phonics. Children who are at the early stages of reading have daily phonics lessons. Staff quickly spot children who are finding reading difficult.

If children struggle to read, they receive the precise support that they need to help them to catch up.

Staff inspire pupils to love reading. Teachers read to pupils every day.

Pupils enjoy their regular visits to the school library. High-quality books that interest and engage pupils are available around the school. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and authors.

Many pupils speak English as an additional language or have speech and language difficulties. The school works effectively to support these pupils. Staff place great emphasis on developing language and teaching vocabulary.

Within lessons, pupils are given regular opportunities to share ideas with their friends and extend their vocabulary.

Across the school, the support for pupils with SEND is of a high quality. Effective plans set out the precise support that pupils need.

Teachers use these plans well to successfully adapt learning. Consequently, pupils with SEND thrive at Ravenswood Primary School.

Behaviour is good.

Pupils are eager to learn. They work hard in lessons in response to their teachers' high expectations.

The school's strong provision for pupils' wider personal development is carefully constructed and thoughtfully planned to ensure it is broad and rich.

This curriculum celebrates the variety of cultural backgrounds represented in the school, as well as the heritage within the local area. Pupils understand the importance of treating everyone with respect, regardless of any differences. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and health education.

They receive many opportunities to debate and discuss a range of topics.

The school manages attendance effectively. The school closely tracks pupils' attendance.

Staff take swift and appropriate action with individual children and families to improve attendance. There are early indications that this is making a demonstrable improvement in supporting regular attendance.

Governors are highly committed.

They are determined to provide the best education for all.

Leaders care about staff well-being. Staff appreciate this.

There is a strong culture of teamwork among staff. All staff are proud to work at this nurturing school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In early years, the intended knowledge that the school wants children to learn is not clearly identified or carefully sequenced. This means that, sometimes, learning does not build securely over time. Consequently, some children in the early years are not as well prepared for key stage 1 as they should be.

The school should clearly identify the exact knowledge that it wants children to learn as part of the early years curriculum to ensure that children gain solid foundations for life in Year 1. ? The mathematics curriculum is not always delivered as the school intends. This means that some pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to build on prior learning.

This slows pupils' mathematical learning. The school should ensure that it provides training so that all staff, including those in early years, have the confidence and expertise to support pupils' mathematical skills effectively.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2014.

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