The Revel CofE (Aided) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

The Revel is a good school.

The children get off to an exceptional start in the outstanding Reception classes. In Years 1 to 6, good teaching overall and a well-focused curriculum ensure that pupils make the most of this accelerated start to their learning, so that attainment throughout the school is high. All groups of pupils, such as girls and boys, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress and achieve well.

Progress in the past has not been as swift in mathematics as in English because of a lack of challenge in some classes. Improvements in provision and initiatives employed by the school have successfully accelerated children's progress in the Early ...Years Foundation Stage, at Key Stage 1 and in writing. However, there are fewer opportunities to use numeracy skills across the curriculum than there are for literacy.

The majority of parents and carers are pleased with the education provided for their children and comment that, 'The school is friendly and welcoming and our children are happy and settled.' They are particularly positive about the Brinklow Reception annexe. The school promotes good community cohesion locally and internationally through many neighbourhood events and links overseas.

Trusting relationships between pupils and adults reflect the good care, guidance and support provided. As a consequence, pupils feel safe and develop personal skills well, including good spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. Behaviour throughout the school is good and well managed by 'Good to be Green' which encourages pupils to regulate their own behaviour.

Attendance is high. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to stay healthy and are happy to take on responsibilities within their school community. Pupils particularly enjoy the wide range of after-school activities and clubs, including the choir, instrument tuition and sports coaching.

Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils are robust. The large majority of teaching seen during the inspection was good or better. In some lessons that were satisfactory, activities were not tailored to individuals' learning needs and not enough use was made of assessment.

In the good lessons seen, activities were sharply focused on the pupils' next steps in learning and proceeded with pace. Pupils typically learn well, focusing on the given tasks and enjoying their activities. Marking is detailed but does not always identify what pupils need to do next to improve their work.

The well-planned and developing curriculum provides rich learning experiences for pupils which are greatly enhanced by a range of visits, visitors and partnerships with local schools, churches and organisations. Staff make sure that all pupils are equally valued and they work hard to promote the learning of boys to help them do as well as the girls. The most-able pupils do particularly well and attain high standards by the time they leave.

The headteacher provides a very clear sense of purpose and direction, linked to school improvement. She has focused on developing a senior leadership team who are fully involved in monitoring and driving improvements. Effective assessment and tracking systems have been introduced.

The governing body and leaders have a clear understanding of the school's strengths and the priorities to be addressed to maintain recent improvements. Based on these good aspects and its good track record of improvement, rising standards and strong leadership, the school has good capacity for sustained further improvement.

Information about the school

This school is larger than average.

Almost all of the pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average., as is the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

The school is on two sites; one in the village of Monks Kirby and one in Brinklow. Classes have been reorganised so that the Brinklow annexe is now exclusively for the two Reception Year classes that make up the Early Years Foundation Stage provision. The governing body also manage a before- and after-school club called Revellers Kids Club.