Rivelin Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rivelin Primary School Morley Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S6 2PL

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Outcome

Rivelin Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel well cared for. They enjoy coming to school. They say that bullying is rare, but sometimes pupils can be mean to each other. When this happens, staff deal with it effectively. Pupils behave well in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are very positive about their learning. They talk about using their ‘character muscles’ when they find things tough. Pupils see mistakes as an important part of learning. They relish the opportunity to talk about their work. Pupils want to do well and they try hard in lessons. They have excellent manners and treat the school environment with respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate all that school has to offer. This includes the rich variety of clubs, such as spinning, free running and art. They are keen to take on roles and responsibilities: some jobs even have a waiting list. They told inspectors that their school is special because staff care for them and make their lessons fun.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are very positive about the school. One parent said, ‘The staff at Rivelin has always been very supportive. I couldn’t ask for a better school for my children.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are passionate about ensuring that all pupils achieve well. Their motto of having ‘high expectations, not high hopes’ is clear to see across the school. The curriculum is broad and well sequenced. Teachers link new learning to pupils’ prior learning. This means pupils build their knowledge well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Curriculum leaders are enthusiastic about their subjects and lead them well. However, some subjects such as art, design and technology and geography are in the very early stages of development. Leaders have put books and reading at the heart of learning. Books are chosen to engage pupils in their topic. For example, Year 6 pupils are reading Percy Jackson because they are studying Ancient Greece. Pupils become very familiar with 2–3 October 2019

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the class text before starting their topic. This ensures that pupils understand related vocabulary and concepts.

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Across the curriculum, most lessons are well sequenced to develop pupils’ knowledge. For example, through history lessons pupils talk confidently about the concept of invasion. They compare similarities in the Anglo-Saxon and Roman invasions of Britain. The teaching of mathematics is also very strong. Pupils use what they already know to deepen their understanding. However, at times, some activities do not focus on important knowledge. This means that pupils sometimes remember the fun activity rather than the concept they were learning.

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Young children make a prompt start when learning to read. Trained staff have the skills to teach phonics well. Teachers build pupils’ knowledge in small steps. Where pupils fall behind, adults support them to catch up quickly. Pupils talk enthusiastically about stories they have listened to. They say that they value the class story time and that it inspires them to read more. The books pupils read are matched to their reading knowledge. This develops pupils’ confidence and motivation in reading.

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Children in the early years enjoy a motivating and stimulating environment. They become curious and independent learners. Staff make the most of the indoor and outdoor areas to develop children’s skills. Children enjoy the activities staff have planned for them. While playing, children develop their social skills as well as their ability to read and count.

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Teachers ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well in their classes. Time is spent with pupils who need additional support to ensure that they keep up. As a result, pupils with SEN and/or disabilities achieve well. Leaders make sure that all pupils can take part in all the activities on offer.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The culture of safeguarding is consistent with the caring ethos of the school. Staff receive regular training and are vigilant. They identify pupils who may be at risk and take appropriate action when required. Leaders follow up safeguarding issues appropriately. They work well with external agencies and families to support pupils who need help.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught to keep safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet or social media. Leaders are aware of the risks that are specific to the local area. They run many activities to inform pupils of those risks.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Most of the time, across the curriculum, teachers carefully plan activities that ensure that learning builds on what the pupils already know. However, this is not always consistent. In some foundation subjects, planning does not always consider exactly 2–3 October 2019

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what they want pupils to remember. Teachers need to apply the same consideration about prior knowledge in all subjects.  Leaders have taken action to revise the curriculum. However, in some subjects, such as art, design and technology and geography, subject leaders need more support to ensure that it is coherently planned and sequenced to build on pupils’ prior knowledge.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good or we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Rivelin Primary School to be good on 8–9 December 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 2–3 October 2019

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 December 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupil are White British.  The school is a two-form entry primary school. It serves an area with some socio- economic deprivation.  The school has a nursery.  The school runs a before and after school club.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other subject leaders. We also met with the chair of the governing body, an additional governor, and with a representative of the local authority.  We looked closely at the provision for reading, mathematics and history across the school. We visited a range of lessons and looked at curriculum plans. We spoke to pupils and staff about pupils’ learning and looked at pupils’ work.  We spoke to pupils, including on the playground, parents and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. Records and documentation were considered, along with the 2–3 October 2019

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Inspection team

Eve Morris, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 2–3 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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