Rivelin Primary School

Rivelin Primary School Morley Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S6 2PL

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Although improving, pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics is not good throughout the school. This is because the quality of teaching is variable and not consistently good.  The school’s plans to improve the quality of teaching and to raise pupils’ achievement do not always state clearly how their success will be measured.  Adult support is not always appropriately provided for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs.  Pupils are not always set work that is at the right level to allow those with disabilities, special educational needs, or the most able to make good progress.  In mathematics, pupils do not always have appropriate apparatus to support their learning.  The quality of teaching is variable across the school. It varies between classes and also between individual teachers in different subjects.

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The school has the following strengths

 Although pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching still require improvement overall, the good leadership and management of the headteacher, the leadership team and the governing body have secured effective improvements in the school’s performance since the last inspection.  Pupils enjoy school. They feel safe, help each other at playtimes and in lessons and are polite and well-behaved.  Pupils entitled to pupil premium funding now make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good.  Pupils enjoy their homework; it is linked to the topics they study and is open-ended. It requires different skills and has a choice of activities.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 23 lessons, or part-lessons, three of which were joint observations with the headteacher or assistant headteachers. Inspectors also observed break times, made short visits to small-group teaching sessions and listened to pupils reading.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, school staff, groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and four governors and a local authority school improvement adviser.  To ascertain parents’ opinions inspectors took account of 48 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). An inspector held brief discussions with parents at the beginning of the school day. Information from 21 staff questionnaires was also considered as part of the inspection.  A number of school documents were examined. These included information about pupils’ progress, school improvement plans and records of reports to the governing body. The work in pupils’ books and records relating to the quality of teaching, behaviour, attendance and

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Inspection team

Karen Foster, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kathleen McArthur Additional Inspector Baljinder Khela Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average size primary school.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding for children in local authority care, those from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than that found in most schools.  A below average proportion of pupils is supported at school action.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is similar to that found in most schools.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than that found in most schools.  Since the previous inspection there have been significant changes to the staff; almost 50% of the teachers are new to the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency in the quality of teaching throughout the school in order to raise attainment and accelerate progress by:  providing more consistent challenge for the most-able pupils throughout the school  accelerating pupils’ progress and improving provision, including adult support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs  measuring and evaluating the impact of the actions taken to improve the quality of teaching.

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Inspection judgements

 The achievement of pupils  requires improvement

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Inspection judgements

 School data and inspection evidence show average standards and expected progress over time. However, achievement has improved in recent years, particularly in Year 6, where teaching is good. Some pupils reached Level 6 in mathematics in 2013.  Not enough of the most-able pupils are reaching the standards they should throughout the school. This is improving in Year 6, as reflected in the national test results but not as rapidly in other year groups. This is because these pupils are not always given work that challenges them to do their best.  Children start in the Nursery or Reception classes with knowledge and skills that are typically expected for their age. They make the progress expected of them.  The progress of boys was considered by inspectors particularly carefully. Boys have previously been making less progress than girls. However, the school identified this and has closed the gaps in achievement and progress between girls and boys for all year groups other than in Year

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Inspection judgements

6, where, however, the gap is narrowing rapidly.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do not always make good progress because work is not always appropriately linked to their specific learning needs. School data show that their progress is variable. The school is using the pupil premium funding carefully and has closed the gaps in achievement since the previous inspection. There is no difference between the attainment and progress of pupils eligible for free school meals and that of other pupils in reading, writing and mathematics.  The teaching of letters and sounds is variable. In good lessons, pupils use their knowledge to help them read unfamiliar words in topic work.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics, in Key Stage 1, is similar to that of pupils across the country. However, recent improvements in the quality of teaching have been reflected in the improved results for national tests in 2013.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching varies across classes and lessons. Despite improvements made, not enough teaching is yet good enough to enable pupils to achieve well overall.  Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to question pupils in order to find out how much they know. In one class, a pupil had been rewarded for getting the right answer but when questioned, did not understand how he had done it.  Although pupils are attentive and keen to learn, their work does not always provide them with a suitable level of challenge. Sometimes it is too easy for some and too hard for others. Sometimes worksheets provided limit the amount of work that pupils produce.  In the teaching of mathematics, pupils’ progress sometimes slows because pupils only answer questions rather than think or solve problems for themselves, and sometimes they do not have the appropriate apparatus to support their learning.  In the best lessons, pupils achieve well as the work is challenging and engaging. It is set using

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

accurate assessment data. Teachers make clear to pupils what they are going to learn.  Teachers are aware of the need to ensure that all groups of pupils achieve well. They have revised plans in the last year to make sure that they get the best out of the boys and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. These groups of pupils now do as well as all other pupils. The plans this year are being changed to look at how adult support from teachers and additional adults can improve the achievement and progress of pupils with disabilities and special educational needs.  Marking is generally good but pupils do not always have the opportunity to respond to marking. Progress in books is as expected and sometimes good.  In good lessons, teachers plan their lessons to make sure that all pupils are given work that gets the best out of them. In other lessons, it was not always appropriate to the learning needs of all

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

groups of pupils.  Older pupils are reading buddies for pupils in Key Stage 1. This has improved the reading skills for both the younger pupils and their buddies.  The teaching of physical education is given adequate time in the curriculum. Pupils enjoy taking part but do not always get enough time during lessons to improve their skills.  A significant improvement in teaching has been in the quality and breadth of the homework tasks set, which pupils enjoy and which are having a positive impact on raising achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. In the vast majority of lessons, even when the teaching is not good, pupils behave well and show good attitudes to learning.  Cross-curricular links ensure that the pupils enjoy their learning, even when it is not challenging enough. The curriculum supports pupils’ good spiritual, social, cultural and moral development.  Parents of younger pupils are welcomed into school each day by staff and spend up to 20 minutes in class helping with activities, reading, talking and observing. This ensures that children feel settled and secure very quickly.  Pupils are aware of the importance of good manners and are polite and courteous with adults and other pupils. In one lesson, a younger pupil noticed another one struggling with a task and offered to help.  Pupils understand about different forms of bullying. Although some concerns were raised by a small minority of parents on Parent View, pupils say that they feel safe in school and know that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

if they have any concerns about falling out with their friends the learning mentor ‘will help them to sort it out.’  Older pupils enjoy being playground buddies and younger pupils appreciate their support and involvement.  Pupils enjoy taking part in physical education, which benefits their health and well-being and have good regard for their personal safety.  From the time they enter the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils are taught the importance of behaving safely and how to avoid dangers. Pupils know the potential dangers of using the Internet and its safe use. They feel well-supported by the school in this.  Attendance is similar to that nationally and is well-supported by additional education welfare support which has been used to help pupils who find it most difficult to attend regularly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, school leaders and the governing body have taken strong action to eliminate any inadequate teaching and there has been an improvement of the quality of teaching as a result. This has been more challenging as there have been some significant changes in staffing in the last two years. Recent actions, aided by a more settled staff, are now enabling improvements in the achievement of pupils and in the overall quality of teaching. The leadership team has high expectations of all staff and pupils, and are held in high regard.  All staff responded positively in the staff questionnaire and support the leadership team in their determination to improve achievement and progress for all pupils. The purposeful leadership of the headteacher has encouraged a good team spirit among the staff.  During the inspection, the headteacher and assistant headteachers were in full agreement about the quality of teaching they observed jointly. Performance management is robust and links

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The leadership and management are good

directly to the achievement of the pupils. Professional development of all staff is given a high priority and this has led to improvements in the quality of teaching, particularly in mathematics and in the quality of homework tasks, since the previous inspection.  Leaders know what the school does well and what is needed to do even better. They take appropriate action to drive improvement, for example, using senior leaders to support the development of teaching and learning. They are reviewing how adults support pupils with disabilities and special educational needs and have planned actions to support teaching and learning in the classroom.  Leaders carefully use data to check the progress of all groups although they do not always ensure that all actions are directly measureable on improvement plans.  Safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements.  Local authority support has been provided through improvement workshops. The support has

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The leadership and management are good

been targeted well to support the recent improvements.  Leaders arranged for all pupils in Year 6 to meet with staff and students from the local secondary school to give them the opportunity to ask questions and find out what it would be like to attend the secondary school. This prepares Year 6 pupils well for transfer to the next phase of their education.  Since the previous inspection, leaders and the governing body have improved links with parents and as a result of this the school has been given the Parent Partnership Award.  The governance of the school:  Governors support the school well. They understand about pupil premium funding and its positive impact. Although the exact focus of the Primary School Sport funding will not be determined until the first meeting of the governing body in the autumn term, governors have a good understanding of its overall purpose. The governing body is accurate in its assessment

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The leadership and management are good

of the school’s work. Governors know about performance management and its link to increases in salaries, and have brought in additional professionals to support them with the performance management process. The headteacher and local authority provide the governing body with regular data about pupils’ performance, based on national comparative data. Governors take part in regular training. This has provided them with good information to enable them to ask challenging questions of senior leaders.  Governors know what the school needs to do to improve and have high expectations of its performance. They visit the school during the working day for ‘Focus Days’ while pupils are in school. Last year they looked at pupils’ performance and provision in mathematics at the beginning of the year and again at the end to determine progress against identified actions.

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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 107081 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 425750

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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 413 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ruth Ward Headteacher Joanne Powell Date of previous school inspection 2 November 2011 Telephone number 0114 234 1304 Fax number 0114 231 4079 Email address enquiries@rivelin.sheffield.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, 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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