Ryarsh Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of compassion, determination, integrity, respect and unity are modelled magnificently by the proud pupils of this thriving school.

Behaviour is exemplary. Relationships are highly respectful, nurturing and courteous. The school's expectations are ambitious, striving for pupils to achieve excellence.

Pupils are highly motivated to learn and achieve well across the curriculum.

Playtimes reflect the joy that pupils feel every day. The school has enhanced pupils' experiences with a rich offer of outdoor activities.

Mixing happily across the classes, pupils love riding scooters and trikes, experimenting with musical instruments, climbing..., balancing, or playing football matches. Everyone is thrilled with the buddies system, where the oldest and youngest pupils spend time supporting each other. This embodies the high regard that this caring school places on well-being and togetherness.

Personal development is excellent. Pupils show impressive understanding of equality and diversity, and care deeply about their school and the wider community. Charity appeals and special guest speakers build pupils' empathy and care toward others.

Talents and skills are nurtured through a rich range of opportunities for sport, music and creativity. Pupils enjoy meaningful opportunities to tangibly improve school life, through roles such as reading ambassador and digital leader. The school prepares pupils impressively for their next steps.

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

Pupils learn to read and write brilliantly. They study and acquire precise skills, enabling them to construct extended pieces of writing across a range of genres. Walls are adorned with celebrations of pupils' high quality written work.

Phonics is taught well in early years and Year 1. Children read books which provide precise practice of the sounds they are learning. Effective catch-up sessions target any areas that pupils are struggling with.

This strong practice helps pupils to become fluent, motivated and confident readers who enjoy diverse and ambitious books.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are thriving and achieving well, accessing the full curriculum with meaningful adaptations and bespoke support. Leaders and staff frequently meet to identify help for pupils to help them shine from their starting points.

An effective blend of expertise and compassion ensures that all pupils can flourish. Leaders collaborate skilfully with specialist services to enhance the school's impressive inclusion work further.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge as a result of frequent training opportunities and teamwork across the school.

The curriculum is sequenced well across every subject. Pupils engage highly with recall activities to showcase what they have learned. This helps teachers to spot any gaps in learning.

Where the school has identified the knowledge and skills with precision, pupils achieve strongly. This is reflected in reading and writing achievements in 2023, which were above national averages. Progress in mathematics was less strong, with average outcomes at the end of key stage 2, so leaders are focussing on raising standards further.

Pupils are enthusiastic learners, and love being historians, scientists and artists, accessing engaging tasks across the broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils remember most of their learning, but occasionally knowledge has not been precisely identified in planning. This sometimes results in pupils' recall of knowledge over time being less secure.

The school has plans in place to sharpen curriculum implementation further, striving for excellence across every subject.

Children make a strong start in early years, where they learn to manage their feelings in a nurturing environment. Language is modelled and practised to help children communicate well.

Behaviour is brilliant in every class across the school. Pupils listen to the views of others and show respect and kindness. Learning is never disrupted.

Excellent pastoral care helps pupils to manage their emotions when needed. Attendance is better than national as a result of effective work by the school.

The school's curriculum and assembly programme ensures impressive personal development for pupils.

Pupils don't merely tolerate; they celebrate how everyone is unique. They embrace learning about different faiths, cultures and characteristics. Pastoral support is another strength.

Pupils benefit from excellent emotional and mental health help. One parent represented many when sharing that the school goes 'above and beyond our hopes and expectations'. Parents particularly appreciate the school's excellent communication, ensuring that they feel well informed about their children's learning and well-being.

Leaders are highly reflective, ambitious and dedicated, leading by example. Governors share a wealth of expertise to fulfil duties with diligence. Leaders at all levels have achieved the high standards they aim for in many areas.

Governors provide support and challenge, but not always precisely enough to recognise where curriculum impact could be strengthened. All staff feel well supported, happy, passionate and proud to work at the 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 some lessons, the important knowledge is not precisely identified and emphasised for pupils to learn. This means that pupils sometimes do not recall key content over time. The school must ensure that content is precisely defined and emphasised so that pupils learn and remember essential knowledge across the whole curriculum.