Ramridge Primary School

P R O T E C T – I N S P E C T I O N School report

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Ramridge Primary School Turners Road North, Luton, LU2 9AH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Inadequate 4 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.  The issues from the last inspection have been tackled with determination by school leaders.  Teaching is predominantly good throughout the school with evidence of some outstanding teaching in several classes.  Improvements in teaching and learning ensure all pupils achieve well in lessons and over time. Achievement in literacy, mathematics and art is good.  Good provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage prepares these children well for the next stage in their education.  Teachers know their pupils well and use information about their learning effectively to match work to the needs of all pupils’ in their class.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. They enjoy coming to school and work hard in lessons. They respond very well to working with others in class and to the good guidance and support from the staff.  Teaching and learning are checked regularly by senior leaders. Effective use is made of the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

information collected to set targets for teachers and improve the quality of learning for all pupils further.  Senior leaders have created a positive and inclusive climate for learning where the efforts of pupils, staff, parents and carers are valued.  The promotion of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  School leaders demonstrate that the school has good capacity for further improvement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Despite significant improvements, some teaching still requires improvement.  Attainment in English and mathematics is not yet better than that found in most schools.  Pupils are not taught effectively to write in a neat joined style.  Marking is not used well by all teachers to further raise pupils’ achievement.  Some individual governors are yet to establish effective links with managers of subjects. This stops them gaining a deep understanding of what is working well and what can be further improved in each subject.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 21 lessons and several parts of lessons.  They spoke to a group of pupils about their views of the school, including some who have needed extra support with their behaviour. They also held discussions with the governors, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the senior leadership team and staff with middle management responsibilities, including leaders of subjects.  The inspectors reviewed the assessment information for all pupils, listened to pupils in Year 2 read, scrutinised pupils’ work and looked at displays around the school.  The inspectors also met a representative of the local authority, reviewed self-evaluation and school improvement documents, governing body minutes and documents related to safeguarding and the performance management of school staff.  Inspectors took into account the 26 questionnaires completed by staff. There were not enough responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for inspectors to be able to take parental

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Information about this inspection

views into account. Inspectors, therefore, held discussions with parents and carers before school and met with 25 parents and carers in a pre-arranged meeting during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Philip Mann, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Lesley Mackay Additional Inspector Rosemarie McCarthy Additional Inspector Christopher Moodie Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and other specific groups) is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average, as is the proportion of pupils who are believed to speak English as an additional language.  The number of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is well above average. The proportion of these pupils who are supported at school action or at school action plus is well above average. The proportion of these pupils with a statement of special educational need is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is a privately-run children’s centre on the site, which is subject to separate inspection

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further raise achievement in English and mathematics by:  ensuring all teaching is consistently good in all classes and increasing the proportion of outstanding teaching  ensuring that teachers make best use of tasks and resources to support good learning experiences in all lessons  making sure that teachers use questions well to deepen pupils’ understanding  improving the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation, and putting in place a whole school policy on the development of a neat joined-up style of handwriting  ensuring all marking models the best in the school and is used effectively by all teachers to raise pupils’ achievement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the role of governors further in checking on the school’s work by increasing the links between governors and middle managers, including those responsible for subjects, in monitoring their areas of responsibility.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards are gradually rising across all year groups. Accurate teacher assessments for pupils in Year 6 confirm that attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics this year. Progress measures now compare more favourably with those expected nationally representing a big improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. This positive trend of improvement is even more evident in the performance of pupils in Year 5.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Effective provision ensures that children in the Nursery and Reception classes make good progress in all areas of learning from starting points well below those expected for their age. This effective provision ensures that children make particularly good progress in developing their early literacy skills, in mathematics and in their personal and social development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil outcomes continue to improve across Key Stage 1 in literacy and numeracy. Consequently, attainment is now in line with that expected nationally for pupils at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as those who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups, make good progress. This is because of the effective support they receive in class and in small groups outside the classrooms.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There are no significant variations in the achievement of different groups. Girls and boys achieve equally well overall. Those pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (government funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) make equally good and often outstanding progress compared with that of their classmates. This is because of specifically targeted support that is narrowing gaps in their achievement. Additional provision effectively supports both their personal well-being and the development of their academic skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Analysis of pupils’ work on display in classrooms and around the school confirms the good achievement of all pupils in creative subjects such as art. This is evident, for instance, in paintings completed in the style of famous western artists such as Warhol and Lowry.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most of the teaching is good and sometimes outstanding. This is a significant improvement on the previous inspection. No inadequate teaching was observed but some still requires improvement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents and carers say they are pleased with the improvements made to teaching since the previous inspection. They say that their children are enthusiastic about coming to school because learning meets their needs and is fun. Parents of children in the Reception classes are impressed by the rate of progress their children are making in learning to read.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lesson plans consistently identify what is to be learnt in each lesson and what pupils need to do to show they have been successful. Tasks are carefully planned to match the needs of all pupils in the good or better lessons. Practical problem-solving activities are regularly used to develop pupils’ thinking and their ability to work with others. More-able pupils say that these tasks help them to think hard and learn new things.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the small number of lessons that require improvement, tasks and resources are not well chosen to ensure effective learning and good achievement. Consequently, the pace of learning slows and opportunities to deepen pupils’ understanding are missed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the two lessons graded outstanding, teaching was brisk and activities fully stimulated pupils’ interest through effective use of teaching aids. For example, in a Year 5 literacy lesson, the teacher used film clips and other visual aids to illustrate key teaching points and gather the opinions of pupils about the film they had seen.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All teachers create a positive climate for learning in their classrooms with vibrant displays that celebrate pupils’ work in art and history. Behaviour is managed well by teachers. Teaching assistants provide extra care and support to those pupils who find it more difficult to concentrate or work with other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught well through the effective teaching to younger pupils of the sounds that letters make and daily opportunities for older pupils to read. Good reference is made to key words in lessons to support the development of pupils’ vocabulary. These new words are displayed effectively in the classrooms to support the achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of handwriting is not as effective. Pupils are encouraged to write regularly. However, there is no whole school policy for the development of a neat joined up style that builds effectively on the letter shapes learnt in reading activities. This limits the ability of pupils to write fluently and accurately.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good use is made of teaching assistants to support disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs either in class or in small groups outside of lessons. These pupils make good and sometimes rapid progress as a result.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make good use of assessment information to group pupils and match learning tasks to the needs of the pupils. Marking appropriately informs pupils about what they need to do next to improve. In the best examples, it sets little extra tasks for pupils to do to overcome misconceptions and to speed up their learning. This high-quality marking is not evident in all the pupils’ books.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour in all classrooms and around the school is good. It is particularly good when teaching is outstanding and when pupils are given regular opportunities to work with other pupils to solve problems, as seen in a lesson in Year 5.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and courteous to visitors. They are keen to be in school. They say that learning is challenging and fun and that the school is a colourful place to be now.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is average and punctuality continues to improve. The small number of pupils who have been given a fixed-term exclusion for poor behaviour have responded well to the high levels of care and attention shown by the staff. For instance, one pupil who found learning difficult said, ‘I have been helped every step of the way, the staff really look out for me.’  Pupils say that there is some bullying but when it does happen, it is always dealt with firmly and promptly by teachers and leaders. Parents are very pleased with the way their concerns about behaviour are dealt with by school leaders and staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe at school. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet and mobile phones.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy being at school and are enthusiastic about their learning. They work well together in class and are proud of what they do in lessons and at home. However, work is not always well presented and handwriting is often not neat in their books.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils respond well to good assemblies and to the opportunities for personal development. They reflect carefully on a range of issues and show good levels of care and respect towards others as a result.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher demonstrate a clear vision for the school. Together, they have tackled poor performance while building a team of dedicated staff around them. Expectations are high in a school where pupils strive to do their best within a positive climate for learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Performance management is used well to focus on key improvements in teaching and raise levels of achievement. Teaching is checked regularly against the National Teachers’ Standards. Carefully targeted support is provided for teachers to address weaknesses in their teaching and develop their skills further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Regular checks ensure that leaders’ self-evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement are accurately identified. Middle managers, including those responsible for subjects, know what needs to be done next to sustain improvements in pupils’ achievement within their areas of responsibility. Detailed action plans clearly identify priorities for further improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The promotion of equal opportunity is given a high profile within the school. Positive relationships are encouraged, and any discrimination is tackled quickly and effectively. Teachers carefully monitor the progress of each pupil to ensure that their needs are being met and that their progress is recorded. Senior leaders use this information effectively to identify the underachievement of individuals in each class.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Assemblies provide good opportunities for pupils to consider important values such as respect and resilience. Personal and social skills are developed well though small-group work in class to solve problems.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subjects and topics are enriched by a growing number of visits to places of interest, such as local and national museums. There is also a growing level of competitive sport with other schools. Regular opportunities are provided for pupils to develop their creative talents through art and music.

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The leadership and management are good

 Partnership with parents and the wider community is a significant strength. The Inclusion Team Leader and Family Workers provide an extensive range of opportunities for parents and carers to be involved with their children’s education, for example, through improving their own literacy and numeracy skills. Parents spoken to are full of praise for what has been achieved by the school in such a short time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority continues to provide appropriate levels of support. The level of support has been reduced as the school’s capacity for further improvement has increased. The school continues to develop links with other schools to support its programme of professional development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body understands how data can be used to measure the school’s performance and measure how it is doing compared with other schools.  Regular but informal visits and links with some middle leaders provide individual governors with a growing understanding about the strengths and weaknesses of the school. However, some of these visits lack a specific focus and their contribution to self-evaluation and further school improvement is limited.  The governing body is kept fully informed about the strengths of teaching and where it can be improved through effective performance management.  The effective use of pupil premium funding by the governing body is reducing gaps in achievement between different groups of pupils.  There are secure safeguarding procedures in place to ensure the well-being of all pupils.

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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 is

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Grade Judgement Description

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 134155 Local authority Luton Inspection number 399745

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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 410 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Waller Headteacher Carolyn Doherty Date of previous school inspection 22 March 2012 Telephone number 01582 729970 Fax number 01582 729972 Email address ramridge.primary.office@luton.gov.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, please

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School details

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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