Ravenstone Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ravenstone Primary School Ravenstone Street, Balham, London SW12 9SS

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Outcome

Ravenstone Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They find learning interesting and say that everyone is happy and friendly. They are courteous and considerate and feel safe and cared for. Pupils are enthusiastic about books and talk with interest about their favourite authors. Leaders have high expectations of pupils that run through all aspects of school life. As a result, pupils are articulate and have ambitious plans. The school’s values – ‘Happy, Creative, Honest, Determined, Kind’ – are seen in action throughout the school. Pupils strive to do their very best. Referring to the school values, one parent confirmed that her son felt that ‘Kendrick Kind’ and ‘Dorothy Determined’ were his friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare and that, if friends fall out, staff are quick to help them resolve any problems. Pupils told me how important it is to be kind to other people and that we must always think about how it would feel to be in other people’s shoes. Leaders make sure that pupils are taught how to stay safe, both online and in the community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well in school, academically and personally. Pupils are well prepared for their next steps and to contribute positively to their school and the wider community.

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

The headteacher has established a strong leadership team. They work together well to improve the school. These leaders are passionate about ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), get the best possible education. They provide regular training for staff and ensure that teachers are confident in teaching their subjects and not overwhelmed by their work.

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

A few pupils struggle with their behaviour but are well supported. Staff follow the routines for behaviour management so that pupils know what is expected of them and lessons are not interrupted. Bullying is rare. Leaders have robust systems for dealing with this. Pupils have confidence in adults to sort any problems out. 26–27 November 2019

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Leaders have revised how subjects are planned and taught. Plans now show clearly what knowledge and skills pupils should know at each point in the year. For example, mathematics lessons have been designed to make sure that pupils’ learning builds on what they already know and can do. Pupils benefit from opportunities to solve mathematical problems. They are expected to justify their answers with reasons. Pupils do well in mathematics.

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Children get a solid start to school in the Nursery and Reception classes. Teachers and other staff in the early years make sure that children develop their early reading skills well. Teachers plan interesting activities that help children to learn and practise their phonics. In Year 1, pupils continue to build strong phonics knowledge. However, pupils who find phonics more difficult are sometimes confused by activities and they lose concentration.

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As pupils move into key stage 2, they further develop their reading skills. They become confident readers, with a love of reading. Leaders check regularly whether pupils have any gaps in their learning. As a result, they have changed the reading books to help a few pupils catch up rapidly. Books are now matched more closely to pupils’ phonic skills, including pupils with SEND.

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In most subjects, teachers check what pupils know and understand so that they can plan their teaching well. For example, in mathematics, teachers’ approach to reasoning is well established. This means that pupils identify, discuss and debate the merits of different methods of calculation with confidence. In science, this practice is not as firmly established. Teachers do not routinely consider what pupils need to know so that pupils can explain why things happen. This makes it harder for them to build on their learning in the following years.

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The school organises many trips and visitors to the school. The visit of two triathletes, the Brownlee brothers, to talk about resilience was a favourite of the older pupils. Pupils embrace the many clubs and sports teams that are available to them. They enjoy and value the many roles available to them, such as ambassador, pupil mentor or even chicken keeper.

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The headteacher and the governors fulfil their duties with great integrity. This is recognised by staff, parents and carers, who praise their school. Staff feel that they can discuss their views freely and that their well-being is considered carefully.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Regular training means staff know what to look for if pupils are at risk. They also know what to do if they have any concerns about a pupil. Leaders and staff know the pupils well. They teach the children how to stay safe throughout the school, when online and in the wider community.

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Safeguarding

All appropriate checks are completed before staff start to work with children. Leaders 26–27 November 2019

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have strong links with external agencies, for example social care, to make sure that pupils get timely help and support if needed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders and teachers have planned the key skills and knowledge that pupils will learn in each subject in each year. In most subjects, appropriate opportunities for pupils to recall and practise key knowledge are provided, especially in reading and mathematics. However, in a minority of subjects, such as science, planning does not make this as clear as it could be. Leaders should check that teachers’ planning in all subjects makes it clear what knowledge should be practised and revisited before moving on to the next concept.  In the early years and key stage 1, phonics is taught well. On occasion, a few pupils became confused as the letters and sounds being taught were not matched to what they knew. Leaders need to check that teachers are precise and consistent when matching activities to pupils’ needs.

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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 on 23–24 February 2016.

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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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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 26–27 November 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10110465 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23–24 February 2016

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Information about this school

 This school has designated additional resourced provision for 16 pupils with autism spectrum disorder. There are currently 10 pupils registered in this provision.

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Information about this inspection

 I had meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders and the special educational needs coordinator. I also met with governors and a representative of the local authority.  I met with the school’s designated safeguarding leads and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding records. This included a check on the single central record of recruitment checks on adults working with pupils. I also looked at the school’s attendance and behaviour records, including records of bullying and exclusions.  I observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtimes and spoke to them informally. I also met formally with groups of pupils.  I took into account the 189 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire, including 147 free-text comments. I also considered other feedback from parents, including meeting with parents at the beginning of the school day. 26–27 November 2019

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 I met with a range of staff during the inspection, including teachers and support staff.  I completed deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and personal, social, health and economic education. This included meeting with subject leaders for these subjects, visiting lessons, talking to pupils, listening to pupils read, speaking with teachers and looking at pupils’ work.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 26–27 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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