Ranskill Primary School

Ranskill Primary School Cherry Tree Walk, Ranskill, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 8LH

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 After a period of change, the headteacher has brought much-needed stability and consistency to the school.  The headteacher and his staff are ambitious and work effectively together for the benefit of all pupils. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection.  Governors are committed to the school and regularly check that improvements are continuing.  Children get off to a good start in the Reception class, where they quickly settle in and become confident learners.  Teaching is effective. Teachers have good subject knowledge and this helps them plan interesting and engaging lessons. Pupils make good progress overall.  Effective support is provided by teaching assistants. Intervention groups are sharply focused on improving outcomes for all pupils, but particularly for those who are disadvantaged and who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The behaviour of pupils is good in lessons and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

at breaktimes. Most pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and follow teachers’ instructions well.  Pupils say that they enjoy school and are kept safe. Staff are well trained in safeguarding and report any concerns to senior leaders.  Outcomes are good but there are gaps in some lower-attaining pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding in mathematics in upper key stage 2 because they were not taught effectively enough in previous years. They have weaknesses in their recall of key facts. They do not always calculate accurately. They find it difficult to solve more complex problems.  Similarly, some lower-attaining pupils in upper key stage 2 are not precise enough with their spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Because leaders do not provide enough appropriate experiences, pupils do not have a good enough understanding of different faiths, cultures and lifestyles that are prevalent in modern Britain.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Build on the improved provision in mathematics in order to accelerate pupils’ progress further in upper key stage 2, particularly that of lower-attaining pupils, by: – providing more opportunities to apply their problem-solving and reasoning skills – increasing their confidence and accuracy of mental recall of key number facts – increasing their ability to solve problems that have two or more steps.  Raise pupils’ achievement in spelling, punctuation and grammar in upper key stage 2 by increasing accuracy in their written work.  Leaders should increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different faiths, cultures and alternative lifestyles.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school has entered a period of stability after some considerable turbulence immediately following the last inspection. There have been many changes in senior leaders and teaching staff over the past two years. Under the guidance of the dedicated and hardworking headteacher, supported by the local authority and a skilled and committed staff, the school has improved in leaps and bounds over the past 12 months.  Leaders and teachers have developed a school culture that is both caring and ambitious. Consequently, staff value pupils as individuals and challenge them to do their best. It is a culture that is grounded in a clearly expressed set of values.  Since the last inspection, leaders have improved their evaluation skills and the associated arrangements for checking out the school’s work. As a result, they have an accurate understanding of the overall performance of the school and of the standards

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

achieved by the pupils.  Leaders have identified the important areas for development and have a suitable plan in place to deliver the improvements. The subject leaders for English and mathematics lead their subjects well. They monitor the provision in their subjects and evaluate the outcomes achieved by pupils effectively. As a result, they recognise the strengths and build on them.  The focus on writing and presentation since the last inspection has paid dividends. Scrutiny of books shows that the quality, range and neatness of pupils’ writing have improved significantly. However, further work is required to increase the precision of some pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar in upper key stage 2.  Leaders have also identified areas for improvement and are dealing with them. For example, they know that the teaching of mathematics in the past has not been effective and there are gaps in pupils’ mathematical skills, knowledge and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

understanding, particularly among lower-attaining pupils. Leaders have acted swiftly to address this by providing training for teachers and teaching assistants and implementing a range of time-focused interventions to bring pupils up to the expected standard. These actions are beginning to have the desired impact, but weaknesses in learning are still evident in upper key stage 2 due to the legacy of previously poor teaching.  Leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is appropriately spent to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. These pupils receive effective support to ensure that their progress accelerates and that differences diminish between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally.  Leaders are developing an engaging curriculum by linking different subjects together into themes. Pupils say that they find the themes interesting and enjoyable. The school fulfils the requirements of the national curriculum and other subjects, including science,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

music and French, are given suitable attention.  Provision for moral and social development is strong. The social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme is delivered in school effectively. Pupils are provided with plentiful opportunities to work and play together and the messages of right and wrong are routinely reinforced. Opportunities are provided for pupils to explore values and beliefs, including those of other religions, but pupils’ understanding of different faiths, cultures and alternative lifestyles is weak.  Fundamental British values are taught effectively. Teaching is related to a range of opportunities to see them in practice, such as the recent visit to the Courts of Justice, the celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday and the election of school councillors.  Leaders use the physical education and sport premium well. The school purchases the services of a specialist provider to work with teachers to enhance their skills. They also

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

offer a range of extra-curricular activities such as football, netball and multi-skills. Because of the effective use of the extra funding, participation rates in sporting activities have increased.  Those parents who spoke with the inspector at the start of the school day were positive about most aspects of the school. This is confirmed by those who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. One parent wrote, ‘Both of my children love coming to school and we have been very pleased with the care and support shown to them from all staff. They are making good progress in their learning and also have lots of opportunities for development and enrichment.’  Arrangements for managing the performance of the teachers and for staff training are effective. Support staff have also received valuable training and support to help them increase their skills and knowledge. Together, these arrangements have contributed

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

positively to the improvements made since the last inspection. All those who responded to the staff questionnaire are proud to work at the school.  The policy for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is comprehensive and is reviewed annually. The special educational needs coordinator is relatively new to the post but already has a firm grasp of the issues, ensuring that funding is spent well and interventions are made early so that support can be targeted as quickly as possible to those who require it.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are committed to the school and its pupils, and understand their responsibilities well. They meet frequently with leaders to discuss the provision for pupils and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Governors know the school well, particularly the outcomes achieved by different groups such as disadvantaged pupils and the most able.  Governors understand their strategic role and their responsibilities well. The governing body manages the performance of the headteacher effectively and its members are clear about the governors’ role in managing the performance of teachers.  The governing body checks that the school building is safe for pupils and that risk assessments are correctly completed. They also ensure that the school budget is appropriately used, and that no excessive surplus or overspending is occurring. Governors keep a keen eye on how additional funding streams have been used, such

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Governance of the school

as the pupil premium, and as a result they know which activities have worked well, and which not so well.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The headteacher, who is also the designated lead for safeguarding, has led the development of a caring culture based on knowing pupils as individuals. Staff know the pupils well.  The school’s systems, including the vetting of adults who work with children, are thorough. Any concerns about a pupil’s welfare are followed through. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure in the school and parents agree.  The headteacher ensures that all staff are appropriately trained in safeguarding, including ways of raising awareness of radicalisation and extremism. Staff understand that they have a duty to be vigilant and know well the different forms of abuse.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers plan work effectively to ensure that the needs of most groups are met.  Teachers make learning fun. As a result, pupils want to learn. For example, in a Year 1/2 lesson, pupils enjoyed tasting different fruits to find out which one they like the best. They then voted for their favourite and used the outcomes to make tally and bar charts.  Pupils pay attention and work hard in class, although there are one or two occasions when activities go on for too long and a few pupils lose concentration. Pupils told the inspector that they enjoy their lessons.  Relationships between adults and pupils are positive. All adults and pupils listen to each other’s thoughts and views and as a result an atmosphere of mutual respect permeates the school.  Teachers and teaching assistants monitor the learning of pupils well during lessons and through pupil progress meetings. As a result, they are very clear about the needs of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

pupils. Where necessary, they step in to correct misconceptions, encourage and motivate pupils or provide specific support so that pupils can catch up. Most disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, make good progress from their starting points.  Teachers teach phonics consistently well. Pupils become capable and confident readers from a young age. Many are able to read with expression and understanding. Teachers successfully encourage in pupils a genuine enjoyment of reading. Many pupils are able to say who their favourite author is and why. Where pupils do not recognise a word, they use suitable strategies to try to read it. Teachers take care to ensure that they give extra practice to those pupils who do not read regularly at home.  The teaching of writing is particularly effective. As a result, the progress of most current pupils is strong and good improvement has been made since the previous inspection.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

Teachers provide good guidance on how to write effectively in different styles for different purposes. Teachers and teaching assistants model processes effectively.  Scrutiny of books, however, shows that some pupils do not take enough care with their spelling, punctuation and grammar in upper key stage 2. This is because pupils have been taught by several teachers with different approaches earlier in their educational career and previous mistakes have not been corrected. The current teacher is addressing these weaknesses and improvements are already evident in their work.  Pupils who have lower starting points, or those who find some ideas difficult to grasp, are provided with appropriate support by teachers and teaching assistants. Adults tackle pupils’ misconceptions well, explaining things in a different way or providing suitable resources to support their learning if pupils do not immediately understand.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers insist that pupils set out their work neatly. From the Reception class onwards, teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations that children will write neatly and carefully. This is sustained throughout all year groups. Pupils say that one of their main aspirations in school is to achieve a pen licence, which is only awarded for sustained neat handwriting.  Over time, the teaching of mathematics has not been as effective as in other subjects. Because of this there are gaps in pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding, particularly those of the lower-attaining pupils in upper key stage 2. For instance, some do not have swift recall of their tables and other number facts. Some pupils do not take sufficient care when working out their calculations and so make careless mistakes. Some pupils are able to solve one problem accurately, but find it difficult to use the information gathered to solve another problem. More problem-solving activities are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

being provided for pupils, but some still find it difficult to explain how they have arrived at their answer.  Teachers provide clear feedback to pupils about their learning and provide pupils with the opportunity to learn from misunderstandings and to build on their success. This contributes greatly to the progress that pupils make.  Work in pupils’ books shows that teachers develop pupils’ understanding and use of English and mathematics in different subjects, particularly in science, geography and history.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  All pupils, staff and parents who either spoke with the inspector or responded to the inspection questionnaires agree that children are safe in school. Pupils told the inspector that they feel safe in school because they know there is an adult in school who they can go to if something is bothering or upsetting them.  In addition, pupils say there is no bullying, just falling out. They are confident that should bullying occur, staff would deal with it well and promptly.  Pupils recognise that teachers teach them to be safe at school and in the wider community. They are aware of road and rail safety and pupils also explained how they are taught to stay safe online.  The work to promote pupils’ attendance and punctuality is having a positive impact. There has been year-on-year improvement since the previous inspection and pupils’

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Personal development and welfare

attendance is currently above that found nationally. High levels of attendance are celebrated. Newsletters to parents inform them why it is important for their child to attend school regularly and share the levels of attendance each month. Suitable systems and processes are in place to track and intervene quickly if any child is reported absent from school.  Although there is evidence in displays and books that pupils are provided with some opportunities to explore other faiths and cultures, such as Judaism, Hinduism and Sikhism, their knowledge of them is at a very basic level. Pupils cannot speak with confidence or with depth of understanding about different faiths. Some have a very limited experience of meeting people from different cultures or lifestyles beyond their own locality.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are confident and self-assured in lessons and at breaktimes. Pupils who spoke with the inspector, or responded to the online questionnaire, wanted to share their pride in the school and reported how much they enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in the improved attendance.  Pupils’ books, including those of the most able and disadvantaged pupils, show the increasing pride that pupils take in their learning and the high priority that staff place on presentation. This reflects the improvements in teaching handwriting introduced by leaders and teachers.  Most pupils have positive attitudes to their work. Almost all pupils take part fully in their learning. When they are not taking part, staff act promptly and effectively to make sure they do so quickly.  Pupils’ conduct and behaviour are good and reflect the school’s ethos. Most pupils treat each other with respect and listen to what others have to say in lessons and informally

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Behaviour

at breaktimes. The school council has introduced new rules at mealtimes because they felt it was too noisy in the dining hall. Pupils are responding to these rules well and say lunchtime is now much better.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils currently in the school are making good progress in all key stages.  The proportion of pupils who have reached a good level of development by the end of Reception has been above the national average for the past three years.  The proportion of pupils who have passed the phonics screening check in Year 1 has been above the national average for the past three years. In fact, for the last two years every pupil has reached the expected standard.  The 2016 unvalidated outcomes for pupils at the end of key stage 1 show that pupils’ attainment was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics for those working at and beyond the national standard.  According to the provisional information available for 2016, pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 in reading and writing, and in reading, writing and mathematics combined was above the national average. It was below the national average in

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Outcomes for pupils Good

mathematics and in grammar, punctuation and spelling.  In 2016, Year 6 pupils made similar progress to pupils nationally between key stage 1 and key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are suitably prepared for their next stage of education.  Evidence in pupils’ books and school performance information indicates that pupils currently in key stage 1 and key stage 2 are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported well and make good progress from lower starting points. Staff quickly identify their needs. Skilled teaching assistants then support them well, but they promote the independence of these pupils by not giving them more help than they need. As a result, these pupils improve quickly.  Disadvantaged pupils, including those who are most able, are making good progress. The numbers of disadvantaged pupils are too small to report on specific outcomes of

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Outcomes for pupils Good

different cohorts without the risk of identifying the pupils concerned. However, those who begin with lower starting points are given effective support to be able to catch up. The most able disadvantaged pupils are given additional or more challenging work, as are all the other most able pupils, to enable them to extend and deepen their skills. As a result, the overall differences in attainment between these pupils and other pupils nationally are diminishing.  A number of lower-attaining pupils in upper key stage 2 have gaps in their mathematical knowledge and understanding due to the variability of past teaching. These pupils are being provided with additional targeted support which is helping them to catch up and increase their confidence.

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Early years provision Good

 The Reception area is a friendly, welcoming place, and staff are kind to children. As a result, children quickly settle in and are keen to learn. The outside area is full of attractive resources which adults use well to help children learn.  Teaching is good in the early years. Lessons are interesting and exciting and make children want to join in. The Reception teacher plans learning effectively with teaching assistants to cover all areas of learning. The stimulus of ‘The Little Red Hen’ story was used well to provide a range of interesting and exciting activities for children. Making puppets of the characters, retelling the story into electronic devices, painting, baking bread and biscuits all generated a keen interest from children.  Often one activity will build a skill in many areas. For instance, the children combined ingredients to make bread, but also developed their dexterity by rolling and plaiting the

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Early years provision Good

dough to make different small loaves. This gives the children the opportunity to cooperate, discuss what they are doing with adults and build their resilience if they find a task challenging.  Staff regularly assess how much children have learned from the tasks they are given. Equipped with this information they adjust their next lesson accordingly. Routines are becoming established. It still takes some children, mainly boys, a little time to move from their activities to the carpet and settle for whole-group tasks.  Because teaching is good, children are keen to have a go and show what they can do. They also listen to adults, who take care to guide them to find the correct answer for themselves.  Staff teach children how to behave safely from a young age. For instance, they are shown how to hold and use scissors to help them cut out their puppets. Staff also model good behaviour, insisting that children communicate politely and correctly.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader works well with staff from the on-site Nursery and has developed positive links with parents. Parents are asked about their children’s abilities before they begin school and this knowledge is used by staff to help them quickly assess children’s skills.  The children’s work and associated assessments are displayed on a board and parents are encouraged to come in and see for themselves what their child has been doing in school. This work is then compiled into a learning log. Parents are also encouraged to add to this by sharing their child’s ‘wow’ moments that have occurred at home.  Children make good progress from their starting points and by the time they leave are well prepared to begin in Year 1. Because the numbers of pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs/and or disabilities are so small, it is not possible to report on their outcomes without risk of identifying those pupils.

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Early years provision Good

However, staff ensure that all funding is spent effectively as well as working well with outside agencies to ensure that pupils receive additional help where it is needed.  Leaders have ensured that arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address headteacher@ranskill.notts.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 – 3 July 2014

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average primary school.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. There are an extremely low number of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and with a statement of educational needs or education, health and care plan is below the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.  The school met the government’s floor standards in 2015, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching and learning in seven lessons or parts of lessons and attended a whole-school assembly. Five observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector made a number of short visits to observe learning and small-group activities at other times.  The inspector held meetings with governors, a representative of the local authority and school staff, including senior and subject leaders.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including teachers’ planning, the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, information on pupils’ attainment and progress, records of behaviour and safety, the monitoring of teaching and management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding documents.  A discussion was held with a group of pupils, as well as informal conversations with them during lessons and at breaktimes. The inspector listened to pupils read and

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Information about this inspection

talked to them about books they enjoy.  The inspector took account of 15 responses to the online parental questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke with parents informally at the end of the school day. The questionnaires completed by nine pupils and four staff were also considered.

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Inspection team

Paul Weston, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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