Ravenor Primary School

Ravenor Primary School Greenway Gardens, Greenford, UB6 9TT

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Children make a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage and almost all pupils make good progress at all key stages.  The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection and it is now good. Senior leaders have put in place effective monitoring of, and accurate performance management for, their staff.  Leaders, teachers and parents and carers all have high expectations of pupils, and lessons enthuse and excite pupils, which makes them want to do their best.  The school’s leaders and managers work effectively in tandem to ensure that all pupils achieve well.  Pupils behave well and respect each other and adults around them. Bullying is rare and effectively managed. Pupils have a good knowledge of issues relating to health and safety, such as fire, road and internet safety.  This is a friendly and harmonious school community. The school has a clear understanding of the needs of its local

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

neighbourhood. It is fully inclusive, to all communities it represents.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The monitoring of teachers’ feedback in books is not always focused enough to ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of how to succeed in reaching their achievement targets.  Strategies for linking letters and sounds are not implemented effectively enough in some cases and as a result, progress in reading and writing is slower at Key Stage 1.  English, mathematics and information and communication technology are not sufficiently rooted in other subjects to improve pupils’ skills consistently.  The effectiveness of some middle managers is not fully developed.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 23 lessons, of which two were joint observations with senior leaders. In addition, the inspection team also made a number of shorter visits to different classrooms.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, a representative from the local authority, the Vice Chair of the Governing Body, and senior leaders and managers.  Inspectors looked at documents relating to self-evaluation, performance management, the tracking of pupils’ attainment and progress, assessment, school policies, records on behaviour and safety, attendance and monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, as well as safeguarding documents.  Inspectors scrutinised 16 questionnaires completed by staff.  Inspectors took account of 20 responses to the online Parent View survey and the school’s own survey. Other parental views were sought at the start of the school day and during school time for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, as well as a meeting requested by one parent.

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Inspection team

Zahid Aziz, Lead inspector Additional inspector Victoria Turner Additional inspector Patricia Underwood Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Ravenor Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is broadly similar to the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Most pupils are from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above average. There are a small number of pupils from White British heritage.  The school has a breakfast and an after-school club, which are not managed by the school.  The school provides support for Ealing’s Headteacher Mentor Programme and professional development for teachers in Ealing schools in Early Years Foundation Stage and transition into Year 1.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the effectiveness of the middle leaders to raise achievement by:  monitoring the feedback related to pupils’ achievement targets to ensure that all pupils know how to reach them  ensuring that pupils’ skills in English, mathematics and information and communication technology are developed in other subjects  implementing more effective strategies for linking letters and sounds to enable all pupils to make accelerated progress in their reading and writing skills, especially at Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Almost all pupils make good progress or exceed the expected progress, taking into account their different starting points, in Key Stage 2. The dip in last year’s results because of weaker teaching has been resolved through better quality teaching and support.  Pupils love coming to school because they want to do better. ‘I want to get Level 6 and my mum is helping me’ said one pupil in Year 6. Also, lessons are interactive and adults are mostly well used for extra help and guidance. Although early in the new academic year, a scrutiny of pupils’ books indicates that they are making good progress.  On entry to the Early Years Foundation Stage, children’s knowledge and experience are below those expected for their age, particularly in their speaking and listening skills. Children make good progress at this stage, especially in their social skills, and start Year 1 as broadly average. Pupils’ progress through all key stages, especially in Key Stage 2, is

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The achievement of pupils is good

good overall.  Occasionally, good use is made of English, mathematics and information and communication technology skills in other subjects such as history and mathematics. This helps to engage pupils, especially those with lower ability. However, these skills are not consistently developed in other subjects.  By the end of Year 6, pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is broadly average, with a much higher proportion of pupils than the national average making better than expected progress in Key Stage 2. Pupils’ sounding of letter skills is a relative weakness at Key Stage 1.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of early support that is personalised and effective. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress and those supported by the pupil premium make equally good, and some make excellent, progress. White British and Black Caribbean pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good with some that is outstanding in all key stages. Pupils are keen to learn and lessons are well planned.  Teachers use a range of strategies and practical resources effectively to engage the pupils. However, progress in reading at Key Stage 1 is not fast enough, because strategies for linking letters to the sounds they make are not firmly established.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children quickly acquire social skills and behave well. Children take an active role in team building activities, such as working together on a construction site.  In Key Stage 1, pupils have opportunities to use role play to express feelings, using vocabulary such as ‘shocked’, ‘frightened’, ‘anxious’. This helps to improve their speaking and listening skills and apply them in all subjects and in particular to improve writing. Similarly, in Key Stage 2, pupils undertake independent research work in teams and present

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The quality of teaching is good

their findings to the whole class.  Assessment is good. Pupils receive regular feedback in the classroom. Books are regularly marked with much praise and constructive comments on how to improve their work. They clearly show targets have been set for each pupil in each main subject.  The feedback, however, is not well enough linked to the next step in learning and with their achievement target. As a result, pupils do not always know how they will succeed.  Adult support in class is used well so that different groups of pupils receive help according to their individual needs, enabling them to make good progress.  Pupils regularly take homework to practise and extend their independent research skills and to improve their reading.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Teachers use various strategies effectively to manage pupils’ behaviour and their safety and there is a positive atmosphere in the school. Attitudes to learning are positive and pupils are keen to participate and contribute.  Pupils behave well in class and in the playground. They feel safe and have a good understanding of fire, road safety and safe use of the internet.  Pupils understand the different forms of bullying and know what to do in case they are worried. Bullying is rare and the school deals with this effectively. There is training for parents and carers, staff and pupils on how to recognise bullying and, as a result, pupils enjoy being in school.  Parents, carers and staff are positive about the school and behaviour generally, although a few expressed concerns about behaviour and bullying. However, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of documents indicate that behaviour has improved over time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 Incidents that take place are well recorded and strategies such as ‘Place2Be’ have decreased the level of unacceptable behaviour and fixed-term exclusions. Case studies indicate that, as a result of these strategies, academic results and behaviour have improved over time for these pupils.  The school has been effective in improving attendance. Measures such as praise, rewards, letters to parents and carers for 100% attendance, and invitations to meet the inclusion manager have helped to improve attendance and punctuality and to reduce persistent absence since the last inspection.  Pupils are happy to be in school because of the good range of clubs before and after school. They have opportunities to take responsibility, such as on the school council, collecting donations for a children’s hospice and cyber mentoring. Pupils in Year 6 improve their practical skills, such as independent learning and social interaction, through

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

educational visits which prepare them well for their future well-being.

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The leadership and management is good

 The headteacher and the senior leadership team have worked together coherently to improve the school since the last inspection. As a result, most pupils make good progress over time and the quality of teaching has improved rapidly. Behaviour and safety have also improved.  All leaders and managers have high expectations and ambition for pupils. The school makes effective use of assessment information. However, monitoring by some middle leaders is not detailed enough to see the improvement required linked to pupils’ achievement targets. As a result, pupils are not always sure if they achieve them.  Since the dip in the school’s results last year, senior leaders have made a concerted effort to remove the weakness in teaching and focused on interventions, strategies and support. The school’s most recent data indicate that it has been successful in doing that.  Strategies that have been used include adults to help those pupils who are supported by

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The leadership and management is good

the pupil premium, ‘Place2Be’, adults’ targeted support, and after-school clubs. Yet, pupils in Key Stage 1 are not making sufficient progress in reading and writing because letter sounding techniques are not sufficiently embedded. As a result, their progress in reading and writing is not as fast as in Key Stage 2.  Leaders are vigilant and have implemented an intense programme to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching. The evaluation is based on input from staff, middle managers, headteachers visiting from other schools and the local authority.  Monitoring is linked to teachers’ performance management review and results have improved through successful staff training which is linked with their individual needs. The recently appointed middle managers are now on a pay scale based on their performance management.  The school is inclusive. The curriculum meets the needs of pupils well, covering their

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The leadership and management is good

academic and their spiritual, moral, social, cultural and personal development. This includes work skills and learning of safety through social and emotional aspects of learning. Leaders promote understanding of different faiths and communities and have links with schools with pupils from different backgrounds.  The capacity for further improvement is good, as demonstrated by the improvements made since the last inspection. Self-evaluation is mostly accurate, and as a result, leaders and managers address suitable priorities to improve the school.  Safeguarding of pupils is effective and meets requirements. Staff, parents, carers and pupils receive training on how to recognise different forms of bullying.  Partnerships with parents and carers are effective, and much useful information for them is included on the school’s website.  The local authority has given effective support to the school to help to ensure pupils’ higher

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The leadership and management is good

attainment and better progress. As a result, the local authority now provides light touch support. However, the school has arranged, as a part of its development, to strengthen governance and additional training for recently appointed middle managers to enhance their roles in the school.  The governance of the school:  is effective  is well aware of its responsibilities. It sets challenging targets for the headteacher to enable the school to improve even further  ensures the efficient management of financial resources, such as the pupil premium.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school

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Grade Judgement Description

is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 3072121 Local authority Ealing Inspection number 404788

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 548 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr David Wise Headteacher Ms Rosalind E J Hancell Date of previous school inspection 1−2 December 2010 Telephone number 020 8578 1654 Fax number 020 8747 7968 Email address head@ravenor.ealing.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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