Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mr James Powell Headteacher Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School Wotton Road Rangeworthy Bristol BS37 7ND

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 10 January 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2013.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

Although you have only been in post for one term, you have formed positive relationships with parents and carers, pupils and staff, and quickly established yourself as a well-respected leader. Your high aspirations have raised expectations of what pupils can achieve. Increasing the frequency with which you monitor teaching has helped you to determine precisely what pupils can do. You use this information effectively to hold teachers to account for improving pupils’ progress. Staff feel that you support them well. As a result, morale is high and staff are proud to be part of the school. They are keen to play their part in school improvement.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

Pupils are very sociable, happy and well mannered. Teachers develop good relationships with pupils and have high expectations of their achievement. This helps pupils to develop positive attitudes to learning. The overwhelming majority of parents are pleased with the work of the school. Typical comments include ‘The new and enthusiastic headteacher is fantastic’, ‘This is a fabulous village school with a real family feel’ and ‘Teachers are approachable and engaging.’

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

At the previous inspection, school leaders were asked to improve the level of challenge for pupils and improve pupils’ writing. You are committed to ensuring that all pupils make stronger progress so that a greater proportion achieves higher standards. While there have been improvements, these aspects remain a priority. Safeguarding is effective.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

You know your families well and have pupils’ safety and well-being at the heart of everything you do. All staff have a good understanding of pupils’ specific needs, particularly the needs of those who are vulnerable. This means that staff are well placed to provide pupils with appropriate help. You provide relevant training for staff, which ensures that they understand their responsibilities for keeping pupils safe. Staff know how to recognise when pupils may be at risk and can explain what actions they need to take to refer concerns more widely, when necessary. You maintain confidential records of referrals and seek advice from external agencies when pupils need extra help. You routinely monitor concerns, which helps you to identify when to take further action. Parents and pupils typically comment that you deal with issues quickly, which helps you to resolve them. Some pupils have benefited from individual care to support their emotional and behavioural needs.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

This is making a striking difference to their self-esteem and promoting positive attitudes to learning.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

Leaders meticulously check the details of all adults working in the school and include detailed information on the school’s single central record. This ensures that all adults are safe to work with pupils.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

You undertake thorough risk assessments to ensure that all pupils are safe when they are on trips. Regular drills ensure that everyone in the school knows what to do in the event of an emergency. Governors are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and undertake relevant training. This helps to assure themselves that leaders are doing all they can to ensure that pupils are kept safe.

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Short inspection of Rangeworthy Church of England Primary School

All pupils I spoke to say they feel safe and happy at school and know who they can go to if they are worried or upset. Pupils understand what constitutes bullying and can explain how to stay safe when using the internet. The vast majority of pupils spoken to, or who responded to the online questionnaire, say that behaviour is generally good at school. Pupils and parents typically comment that staff sort out problems quickly. Pupils are very respectful of adults and know what the school expects of them. This ensures that they consistently focus hard on their learning and are determined to do well.

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Inspection findings

 We agreed that I would determine how effectively leaders are improving teaching so that pupils make better progress and achieve higher standards. Since the previous inspection, few pupils in key stages 1 or 2 have reached these standards. You have well-founded and detailed plans, which clearly outline how you will challenge pupils further to help them to achieve higher standards.  You have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and have set aspirational targets for them. You undertake a wide range of activities to check that teaching helps pupils to make the progress they are capable of. You are now beginning to track the degree to which pupils are acquiring greater depth in their learning. As a result, you are well placed to take action when teaching needs to improve.  Governors use their skills to undertake a range of activities to check the school’s work. As a result, they are able to support and challenge you and assure

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Inspection findings

themselves that your actions are making a difference.  Pupils’ work and your latest assessment information reveal all groups of pupils are making good progress towards reaching higher standards, particularly in mathematics. However, some pupils could be making even better progress. Many pupils confirm that their work usually challenges them but some pupils feel that it is too easy. When we reviewed pupils’ books we agreed with that view, particularly in writing. Consequently, pupils sometimes continue to practise skills they have already secured which means that they are limited in the extent to which they can deepen their learning.  The inspection determined the degree to which additional help improves progress for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Over time, weaker progress for these pupils has hindered them from attaining the standards expected for their age. You and other leaders

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Inspection findings

are aware that pupils with multiple vulnerabilities have required precisely targeted support and this has helped them to make better progress.  Rigorous monitoring of teaching helps you and other leaders to evaluate its effectiveness. This enables you to provide additional focused teaching when required which is accelerating pupils’ progress further. Your most recent assessment information and pupils’ learning show that improved teaching is having a positive impact and pupils are now catching up. You recognise that some pupils need to catch up further to reach the standards expected of them for their age.  I explored the reasons for the differences in progress between boys and girls at the end of key stage 2 over time. We established that specific issues, such as emotional and behavioural problems, have occasionally contributed to these differences. Staff have worked with commitment and determination to improve

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Inspection findings

progress for these pupils.  Your recent assessment information shows that overall girls are making slower progress in writing than boys. You are keen to investigate this further so that you can identify differences within each year group. This will help you to take action to adapt teaching where necessary so that boys and girls do equally well.  I checked attendance figures to see if it was improving for a minority of boys and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities who had previously had high absence. You communicate effectively with parents, which ensures that they understand the importance of good attendance. You reward pupils for good attendance, which motivates them to come to school regularly. When required, you provide individualised support for pupils, which has been a resounding success in terms of improving their behaviour and attitudes to learning. Overall attendance rates are above those found nationally and there are no notable differences for

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Inspection findings

particular groups of pupils. Persistent absence is falling and you have not excluded any pupils for a considerable time. Governors monitor attendance regularly as part of their safeguarding responsibilities.  The school provides high-quality pastoral provision for pupils and you create focused plans for pupils who need additional assistance. You routinely review your actions, which helps you to adapt provision when necessary. Highly effective support is improving pupils’ self-esteem and confidence so that they are better able to learn. This is having a positive impact on their progress.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 teaching further challenges pupils in both key stages, especially in writing, so that pupils reach the highest possible standards they are capable of  teaching continues to accelerate progress for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities who need to catch up  leaders and teachers act swiftly to adapt teaching, particularly writing, to diminish differences in progress so that girls and boys do equally well.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Gloucester, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for South Gloucestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the course of the inspection, I met with you and other leaders responsible for early years, special educational needs, English and mathematics. I also met with a group of governors and had a phone conversation with the local authority adviser. I scrutinised the school’s single central record and we discussed safeguarding procedures, training and pupils’ welfare. We discussed the school’s latest assessment information and I reviewed the school’s self-evaluation summary and development plan. Together we undertook a learning walk to review learning in all classes and discussed pupils’ progress. I spoke with pupils in lessons and during lunchtime, and also had a formal meeting with several pupils from different year groups. I also heard pupils read. We jointly carried out a focused scrutiny of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and other subjects in several year groups. I talked to several parents at the beginning of the school day and considered 24 responses to

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Information about the inspection

the online survey, Parent View. I reviewed seven responses to the online staff questionnaire and 20 responses to the online pupil survey.

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