Ripley Endowed Church of England School

Inspection of Ripley Endowed Church of England School Ripley, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG3 3AY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 5–6 November 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small village school. They say it is great to be at a school where they know everyone, and everyone knows them. They always feel safe and know the adults in school really care about them.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Over time, expectations for what pupils can achieve have not been high enough. This means that many pupils in key stage 2 do not know as much as they should. They have gaps in their learning which teachers now need to fill.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

At breaktimes, pupils of different ages play happily together. Pupils say there is no bullying at their school. They know adults will listen and support them if they ever have any concerns. Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 are very keen to learn. They try hard and are not put off by challenging tasks. However, in key stage 2, many pupils do not have such positive attitudes. They are easily distracted and do not focus well enough on their learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunities they have to play a variety of musical instruments. The school is becoming increasingly involved with the local community. Pupils enjoy leading community church services and helping with pensioners’ lunches.

p.2

better?

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum includes a wide range of subjects. Plans are in place for each of these subjects. However, leaders have more work to do to make sure that these plans meet the needs of the pupils. Current plans do not show how pupils will build on their learning, year on year.

p.2

better?

Some teachers carefully check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons. They change their teaching approaches, when needed, to help pupils to learn well. They make sure the tasks they give to pupils are not too easy or too hard. They give pupils appropriate equipment to use which helps them to understand their learning. However, this is not done consistently in all classes and subjects.

p.2

better?

Pupils in the early years and key stage 1 achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics. Previous poor-quality teaching means that this is not the case in key stage 2. Improvements have been made. However, more work is needed to make sure that these pupils catch up quickly.

p.2

better?

Leaders have raised the profile of reading across the school. Pupils say that they like reading. They say that it helps them to learn in other subjects. A Year 6 girl said, ‘I love the way that reading creates television pictures in my mind.’ The teaching of reading begins as soon as pupils start at the school. Almost all pupils quickly gain the skills they need to become fluent readers. Teachers make sure any who begin to fall behind are given extra help so that they catch up. A lot of effective work in the early years and key stage 1 is helping pupils to understand new words and phrases. Work on this is not as strong in key stage 2. 5–6 November 2019

p.2

3

Children settle in quickly when they enter the early years. This is because of the support they get from the caring staff and key stage 1 pupils. Learning is well planned and sequenced. Staff are especially skilled in helping children to learn through their play.

p.3

3

Pupils are well behaved around school. Lessons are now very rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. However, some pupils in key stage 2 do not concentrate well enough in lessons. For example, they fiddle with equipment rather than trying to answer the questions the teacher asks.

p.3

3

Pupils have lots of opportunities to work with other pupils of different ages, from their own and other schools. This is helping them to develop their social skills. It helps them to understand why respect and tolerance are important. However, work on different cultures and religions does not have a high profile in the school.

p.3

3

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has improved since the last inspection. Their needs are now quickly identified. The SEND coordinator is helping staff to adapt their teaching to meet the needs of these pupils.

p.3

3

Leaders and governors know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They know which values they want to promote. However, these have not been clearly communicated to pupils, parents and carers and the wider community. For example, pupils know about the school’s Ripley Star but do not know or understand the values that it stands for.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff are well trained and receive regular updates. This means that they know what to look out for and how to report any worries. Leaders are quick to follow up any concerns. They make sure that vulnerable pupils get the support they need. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in different situations. For example, pupils understand how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. All the parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, say that they know that their children are safe in school.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not well sequenced. Current plans need to be expanded upon so that they give more detail. They need to include the skills and knowledge that pupils need to gain in each year group. They need to show teachers what to teach and when to teach it. Plans need to ensure that pupils build knowledge 5–6 November 2019

p.3

4

sequentially in all subjects.  The role of the subject leader in some subjects is at an early stage of development. All subject leaders need to have opportunities to develop their subject knowledge and to keep up to date with new developments. They need to have regular opportunities to identify strengths and weaknesses in their subjects. They then need to use this knowledge to offer appropriate challenge and support to their colleagues so that academic standards continue to rise.  Leaders need to make sure that more pupils reach and exceed the expected standards at key stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils are not always challenged well enough. Sometimes, their tasks are too easy. Leaders should support teachers to use information about what pupils already know and can do to plan activities. They should ensure that the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to work on demanding tasks, so they are able to learn

p.4

4

more.  Many pupils in key stage 2 do not try hard and do their best. They do not have positive attitudes to learning. They stop trying when tasks are hard. Teachers need to make sure that pupils know that only their best is good enough. They need to ensure that pupils engage well in their learning.  The vision and values that leaders and governors hold are not known by all stakeholders. Leaders need to share their vision and values with all stakeholders and why these have been chosen. They also need to make sure that all stakeholders understand the ethos they are intended to promote.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 5–6 November 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10110609 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Co-chairs of governing body Rose Gosling, Rachel O’Brien

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 September 2018

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school is part of a federation of three schools. The other two schools are Kettlesing Felliscliffe Community Primary School and Beckwithshaw Community Primary School.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the early years leader, the SEND coordinator and some subject leaders.  An inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority and met with a representative from the diocese.  The arrangements for safeguarding were checked. This included checks on the single central record, staff training and safeguarding records.  An inspector discussed the school’s records on attendance and behaviour with leaders.  An inspector analysed the school’s self-evaluation document and plans for 5–6 November 2019

p.5

6

improvement.  An inspector met with four members of the governing body and looked at the minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors talked informally with pupils in lessons and at breaktimes. An inspector also met formally with a group of pupils.  Inspectors talked to a number of parents as they dropped their children off at the start of the school day. They also took account of the 21 responses to Ofsted’s survey, Parent View.  Inspectors met with a group of staff.  The subjects considered as part of this inspection were early reading, mathematics, music and physical education. Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects. This involved meeting with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers, looking at curriculum plans, visiting lessons, speaking to pupils about their learning and scrutinising pupils’ work. An inspector also listened to pupils read and observed a teacher listening to pupils read.

p.6

Inspection team

Chris Cook, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lynda Florence Ofsted Inspector 5–6 November 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7