Ryders Hayes School

Inspection of a good school: Ryders Hayes School Gilpin Crescent, Pelsall, Walsall, West Midlands WS3 4HX

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Outcome

Ryders Hayes School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a superb school that pupils enjoy attending. Pupils get on well with one another and with staff. They talk to visitors in a mature and confident way. Behaviour around the school is excellent. Unkind behaviour is rare, but if it happens, adults are quick to stop it. Whether in lessons or playing in the school’s well-kept grounds, pupils say they feel safe and well-cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In reading, mathematics and many other subjects, pupils learn the right things in the right order and reach high standards. Even so, leaders and governors are always looking for ways to help them do even better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Lessons are interesting and supported by a wide range of trips and visitors to school. Pupils talk enthusiastically about visiting the Houses of Parliament. They spoke about experiencing life as an evacuee when they were on a visit to the Severn Valley Railway. Pupils also take part in community events and carry out important jobs around the school. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. The school is inclusive and provides excellent guidance and support for families who need it. Ambitious and thoughtful leadership means there is super teamwork between everyone.

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

There is expert oversight of the youngest children who are cared for well by a knowledgeable and dedicated team of staff. The early years classes are well organised, and children learn well inside and outside of the classroom. Reading areas are inviting and encourage children to take an interest in books. There are many opportunities to count and handle real-life objects and develop language skills. Consistent routines ensure children behave well. They are well prepared for learning in Year 1. 8–9 January 2020

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The school succeeds at teaching pupils to read well. Phonics lessons begin in pre-school and Nursery. Reading has a high priority throughout the school. Most pupils can read fluently by the time they are in Year 3. Pupils who need extra support get help from well- trained staff. Pupils take home books that are carefully matched to their age and stage of reading. Books are selected to ensure all pupils are exposed to a rich range of vocabulary. Trained volunteers support teachers by regularly hearing pupils read. This, alongside visits to a mobile library bus to select books, ensures that pupils have a real love of reading.

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In other subjects, such as mathematics and history, teachers know what pupils should learn and when. They match teaching and support to pupils’ different needs and abilities. More-able pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well catered for. Work makes pupils think, and they are not afraid to make mistakes and learn from them. They know the next steps in their learning.

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Lessons are interesting and relevant to pupils’ interests. For example, pupils are provided with watches in mathematics. This enables them to practise learning to tell the time throughout the day, building on work completed in mathematics. In history, pupils access a range of historical sources to learn about the past. This included a Jewish holocaust survivor who came in to talk to pupils about her experiences. However, an understanding of timelines is less secure. Pupils are not yet confidently linking significant events in different subjects.

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At the end of key stage 2, some pupils are not achieving as highly as they could in spelling, punctuation and grammar. This is something leaders are aware of and plan to address.

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Roles and responsibilities are carefully shared out between staff, who all play a part in the school’s success. Subject leaders have been key in driving a rich and varied curriculum. A focus on staff well-being and workload has strengthened the team. Staff are proud to work at the school. This school is very well led. The school has gone from strength to strength since the previous inspection.

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Most parents say good things about the school. They say they are particularly pleased with the care, guidance and support the school gives to both their children and their families. A nurturing ethos is a strength of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Before appointing staff to work in school, leaders check they are suitable to work with children. When new staff start, they are taught what to do if they are concerned, and they pass information on quickly. Leaders make sure that pupils receive the care they need. This is provided by the school’s own pastoral leader and other agencies as necessary. 8–9 January 2020

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Pupils feel safe in school. Staff teach them to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet. The pupils who spoke to the inspector were clear about the dangers of sharing personal information online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils are not achieving as highly as they could in spelling, punctuation and grammar (SPAG) by the end of key stage 2. The school needs to ensure that a greater proportion of pupils achieve both the expected and higher standards in SPAG so that at the end of key stage 2 outcomes continue to improve.  Pupils can talk about the key knowledge they know and remember from their history lessons. However, their understanding of chronology is less secure. Teachers need to further embed an understanding of timelines. This will enable pupils to understand the links between significant events at that time in other 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 Ryders Hayes School to be good on 19–20 April 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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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 8–9 January 2020

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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. 8–9 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122562 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 19–20 April 2016

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Information about this school

 Children can start school either full- or part-time in pre-school from the age of two. Children can start full- or part-time in the Nursery from age three. They then start full- time in the Reception classes. All of these classes form part of the school’s early years provision.  Ryders Hayes School is a teaching school, driving significant national, regional and local projects. This is led by an experienced team of senior leaders, including those drawn from the school itself, each with their own specialisms, which work directly with Ryders Hayes school as well as other schools within the region.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector focused on the following subjects during the inspection: reading, mathematics and history. The inspector visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, examined teachers’ plans. She talked with pupils and staff about the way these subjects are planned and taught. The inspector also looked at work from other subjects and spoke with pupils, staff and parents about the school.  The inspector examined the external performance data about the school and looked at the school’s website. 8–9 January 2020

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 Pupils, staff, including the office leader, leaders, parents and governors spoke to the inspector about safeguarding arrangements and routines at the school. The inspector examined the record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times of the day and spoke to parents, staff and pupils about behaviour.  The inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, the head of school, the deputy headteacher, who is also the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, the assistant headteachers, governors, teachers and pupils. The inspector also had a telephone conversation with a national leader in education who has worked closely with the school. The inspector also talked informally to pupils and parents to gather information about the school.  By the end of the inspection, there were 124 recent responses to Ofsted’s online

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questionnaire, Parent View. The inspector considered these, and the 38 responses to the pupils’ survey and the 62 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Heather Phillips, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8–9 January 2020

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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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