St Nicholas' Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Rawreth

Inspection of a good school: St Nicholas’ Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Rawreth Priory Chase, Rayleigh, Essex SS6 9NE

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Outcome

St Nicholas’ Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Rawreth continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at St Nicholas’. It is a friendly and welcoming school. Staff give pupils opportunities to contribute to the running of the school. For example, the school council works with school leaders. Leaders and the council promote the school values of responsibility, integrity and respect. Pupils show these values both in class and around the school. They are kind and supportive of each other. Pupils have positive attitudes towards learning and want to do well. They are, rightly, proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in and around school. They say that they feel safe and that staff care for them. They know what forms different types of bullying can take. This includes cyber bullying. Teachers plan ways for pupils to learn how to recognise and deal with bullying. Pupils say that bullying is not tolerated by staff or pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents and carers are positive about the school. A typical view was, ‘St Nicholas’ is a friendly, happy and fun place for children to start their journey in education.’ Parents appreciate the high standards and pastoral support at the school.

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

Leaders and governors have high expectations of staff and for pupils. They make sure the school keeps on improving. Staff feel valued. They are dedicated to their work. They help pupils to do well academically and personally.

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

The school continues to offer pupils a good quality of education. Leaders have carefully considered what they want pupils to learn. They have planned a curriculum that enables pupils to build on what they have learned before. For instance, in history, pupils follow a clear programme of learning. The majority of pupils understand and can remember key events, people and discoveries through the ages. This is because teachers use different, Rawreth 19 November 2019

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age-appropriate, teaching strategies. However, sometimes teachers do not check carefully enough that pupils have understood what they have been working on. This means teachers sometimes move pupils on before pupils have fully learned what teachers and leaders planned.

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Most pupils’ understanding of mathematical concepts develops well. Effective teaching is underpinned by appropriate resources which help pupils to learn. Teachers assess what pupils have learned. However, sometimes they do not use the information this gives them to set suitably challenging work. Some pupils, therefore, do not achieve as well as they could.

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Leaders promote reading well. Staff begin teaching children how to read as soon as they start the early years foundation stage. Staff are well trained and knowledgeable about phonics. They teach children what they need to know in a sensible order that gives children confidence.

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Pupils use their phonics knowledge well. They become fluent readers for their age by the end of key stage 1. Leaders provide extra help to pupils who fall behind. This ensures that they catch up. Most pupils learn to read with increasing confidence and understanding. Pupils in key stage 2 have a keen interest in reading. They enjoy interesting books provided by teachers to introduce a subject or topic. Pupils read to each other and talk with great enthusiasm about the books they like. A small number of pupils who are capable of developing their reading to an enhanced level do not do so. This is because leaders do not ensure that they have access to appropriately high level texts.

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Leaders firmly believe that all pupils must achieve to the best of their ability. Teachers support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Staff provide extra support for pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, when they are at risk of falling behind. As a result, these pupils progress well.

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Pupils’ personal development is a priority. Leaders carefully plan and provide purposeful and relevant activities. Pupils learn, for example, first aid skills. They take part in events such as ‘crucial crew’ to develop key life skills as they get older. Pupils choose from a range of additional opportunities provided through after-school clubs in physical education and sports.

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Pupils have many opportunities to take on positions of responsibility, such as by being eco warriors. They also know about a range of religions and cultures. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect for each other. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Leadership of early years is strong. Skilled staff help children settle as soon as they start Reception. Children listen and learn well. Staff make sure that children use suitable equipment to learn through play. Children are happy in the early years.

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Governance has strengthened since the previous inspection. Governors have developed their skills through a range of training. They meet on a regular basis and they offer a strong balance of challenge and support to the executive headteacher. Governors Rawreth 19 November 2019

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understand the importance of ensuring that staff workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Senior leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. They have effective systems in place to keep children safe. Staff have had relevant and up-to-date safeguarding training. This enables them to identify pupils at risk and to report concerns. Leaders are conscientious and ensure that they get the right help for pupils who need it. Leaders and governors ensure that appropriate checks are carried out on anyone who works at the school. Pupils say that they feel safe. They say that they have trusted adults to talk to, if they have any concerns. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in school, at home and online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Staff do not always check that pupils have learned what they have been taught. Some pupils do not develop as deep an understanding of subject content and skills as leaders and teachers intend. Leaders should ensure that assessment arrangements allow staff to effectively check pupils have understood before moving on to new work.  Teachers do not make sure that pupils who are capable of reaching the highest standards have suitably challenging work. This means that some pupils do not attain the high standards they are capable of. Leaders need to ensure that teachers use their assessment of pupils’ achievements to set work which helps pupils achieve as well as they could.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged St Nicholas’ Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Rawreth to be good on 8–9 November 2010. Rawreth 19 November 2019

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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. Rawreth 19 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110289 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Lorna Pigram (Executive headteacher)

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School details

Website www.canewdonstnicholasfederation.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 March 2016

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school.   There have been no significant changes since the last inspection.   The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who receive support for their SEND is above average.

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Information about this inspection

 We did deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics and history. We discussed the curriculum design of these subjects with senior leaders and visited lessons with the executive headteacher and deputy executive headteacher. We looked at pupils’ work and spoke with pupils. We met with teachers and teaching assistants from the lessons we visited.  We considered the views of staff through formal and informal discussion and through the 18 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. We met with staff to discuss the training they have accessed, the support they have received from leaders and how their workload is managed. Rawreth 19 November 2019

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 We looked at a wide range of documentation. This included the school improvement plan, self-evaluation document, curriculum plans and information available on the school’s website.  We listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read.  We checked documents relating to safeguarding. These included training records, safeguarding policies, and information relating to child protection, behaviour and attendance. We spoke with staff about their role in keeping pupils safe.  We observed playtime and lunchtime. We talked with pupils about what it is like to be a pupil in this school.  We considered the 46 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 44 free-text responses, received during the inspection. 103 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey and 18 staff survey responses were also considered.

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Inspection team

Joseph Figg, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Prue Rayner Ofsted Inspector Rawreth 19 November 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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