Ranelagh Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ranelagh Primary School Corporation Street, Stratford, London E15 3DN

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Outcome

Ranelagh Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. Teachers make learning interesting. Pupils listen with care and respect the views of each other. They can get on with their learning because everyone behaves well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides opportunities for all pupils ‘to be the best that they can be’. Staff have high expectations for all pupils. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have positions of responsibility, for example as members of the school council and as inclusion ambassadors. They take these roles seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They say that bullying is rare. Pupils are confident that there is always someone to talk to if they have concerns. They said that staff sort things out when issues arise. They know how to stay safe while using the internet and social media. Pupils work with the community police, for example, as the Junior Police Cadets at school. This makes them aware of the potential dangers that they could face in the community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have lots of opportunities to take part in extra-curricular events and trips. Pupils like the opportunities to play a range of different sports. They enjoy regular visits to the local gym and the leisure centre.

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

Leaders have clear plans in each subject. This helps teachers build pupils’ knowledge and skills over time.

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

Adults know how to support pupils with SEND. They adapt plans to make the work accessible for these pupils. This helps them to learn well alongside their peers.

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

Leaders place a strong focus on English and mathematics. Pupils leave the school with 19–20 November 2019

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secure knowledge and skills in these subjects. However, the presentation of the work seen in English, mathematics and other subject books lacks care.

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Pupils learn to read well at this school. Leaders make sure that all staff see reading as the top priority. Children in the Reception class have daily phonics lessons from the start. Staff receive regular training in the teaching of early reading and phonics. Any children who fall behind get help quickly so that they catch up. Staff ensure that the books that pupils take home match the sounds that they know. The love of reading that staff model is infectious.

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Teachers’ training in mathematics helps staff to have good subject knowledge. Learning about numbers and shapes is a priority in the Reception class. Pupils across the school build on their prior learning. Teaching activities ensure that pupils develop their knowledge of mathematical concepts. Pupils told me that teachers explain new learning well. Teachers support pupils well if they need more help.

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In science, pupils can recall what they have learned this term. In Year 3, pupils told me some amazing facts about rocks. They used accurate vocabulary, such as ‘permeable’, ‘impermeable’ and ‘absorption’. However, pupils struggle to link their learning to the science enquiry that they do. This means that they do not always apply their learning to science investigation. Leaders have started to improve the curriculum in science so that teachers help pupils apply their scientific knowledge to science enquiry.

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In physical education (PE), teachers build on pupils’ skills learned previously. For example, in a Year 5 basketball lesson, pupils applied their control of the bouncing ball to more complex tasks. This encouraged the pupils to practise their skills further.

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Staff help pupils to manage their behaviour well. They identify pupils who need extra help. This helps to ensure that behaviour is usually quite calm. Leaders know that good attendance is important for pupils. They work hard to make sure that pupils come to school regularly. Attendance is above the national average.

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Both the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust and the governors have good oversight of the school. They keep a close check on leaders’ work.

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Pupils have plenty of experiences that help them to develop personally. For example, they raise funds for charity, and take part in sports activities after school. Pupils visit places such as museums, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Leaders ensure that pupils learn about a range of faiths and cultures. This helps pupils to better understand each other.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a high priority for leaders. They are diligent and proactive in keeping pupils safe. Well-trained staff know how to record and communicate safeguarding concerns. They share information with the right people when it is necessary to do so. The community police inform leaders about concerns from outside school. This helps leaders 19–20 November 2019

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support pupils better in school. Leaders provide pupils with counselling when needed. Pupils told me that teachers teach them how to keep safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders need to ensure that science is taught to the same high standard as the other subjects. They need to ensure that the science curriculum and its expectations are ambitious, and that staff have the strong subject knowledge to enable pupils to apply their scientific knowledge to scientific enquiry.  Pupils do not always present their work in books to a high standard. Teachers need to have higher expectations of how pupils record their work in all subjects.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2013.

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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 19–20 November 2019

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pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 19–20 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10124666 Type of school Primary

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School details

Chair of the local advisory board Mr Robert Sewell

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7–8 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Ranelagh Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Ranelagh Primary School is part of the Tapscott Learning Trust.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average of schools.

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Information about this inspection

 I reviewed the single central record, recruitment checks and documents relating to safeguarding and child protection, including the school’s safeguarding policy. Other policies relating to governance, pupil behaviour and attendance were scrutinised  I looked at safeguarding arrangements by speaking with leaders, staff and pupils, and reviewing documents, policies and the school’s systems for recording concerns. I reviewed the school’s system for carrying out checks on the suitability of staff to work with children.  I reviewed policies and documentation relating to governance. I also looked at records 19–20 November 2019

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of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  I did deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and PE. This involved visiting lessons, looking at work in pupils’ books and meeting with pupils, subject leaders and teachers. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  I met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, teachers, the chair of the local advisory body and three other governors.  I met with the CEO of the Tapscott Learning Trust.  I reviewed the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  I observed pupils in a range of situations, including at break- and at lunchtime.  I held conversations with groups of pupils, and spoke to pupils in lessons, in the playground and in the dining hall.  I met with leaders to discuss bullying, attendance and exclusions.

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Inspection team

Danvir Visvanathan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 19–20 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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