Ryton Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Ryton Junior School Main Road, Ryton, Tyne and Wear NE40 3AF

p.1

Outcome

Ryton Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel well cared for and safe at school. Pupils are at the heart of this inclusive, friendly school community. They learn to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. This learning includes road safety, managing feelings and how to keep themselves safe online. They are able to discuss their ideas and they show respect for the views of others.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the opportunities provided to broaden their experiences. They go on many educational trips to learn new things. Pupils are given opportunities to help with the day-to-day running of the school. They say that there are many clubs, enough to meet everyone’s interests.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Through the curriculum, pupils develop an understanding of the importance of tolerance and fairness. As a result, pupils do not put up with any bullying. If any bullying occurs, adults make sure that it stops. This shows how well leaders put the school’s values of ‘Positive, Respectful, Safe’ into practice. Pupils are kind and supportive towards each other. Parents and carers are typically happy with the school and would recommend the school to other parents.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are at the heart of this inclusive, friendly school community. The school promotes pupils’ personal, social and emotional development very well. Pupils show high levels of respect for each other, their school and their local community.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers’ subject knowledge sometimes does not help them plan learning to build on what pupils know and can do well enough.

p.1

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

By the time pupils leave, governors and leaders want pupils to be ready for secondary school and able to contribute to society. The education on offer to pupils helps them to fulfil this vision. 28–29 January 2020

p.1

2

The school continues to provide a good quality of education. Leaders, following the example set by the executive headteacher, are ambitious for all pupils. They have considered carefully what pupils should learn in each subject, term by term. The result is a well-thought-out and imaginative curriculum. Teachers plan activities in a sensible order in most subjects.

p.2

2

Relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils themselves are very positive. Pupils across the school behave well. They try hard in lessons and work well with others. Pupils play happily together at playtimes. They understand the importance of respecting difference.

p.2

2

In all classes pupils are encouraged to read often. Classrooms are full of books for pupils to read at home. Any pupils who are not heard to read at home do so in school. Pupils enjoy listening to adults read aloud to them. They read books for pleasure and appreciate the opportunities to select books from the library. Reading helps them learn new vocabulary and gain lots of knowledge.

p.2

2

Mathematics is taught well. Teachers make sure that pupils understand the most important ideas and can use their knowledge to solve problems. Teachers use images and equipment well to help pupils understand mathematics.

p.2

2

Leaders and teachers have a good understanding of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They adjust teaching well to meet the personal, therapeutic and academic goals of pupils with SEND. Teaching assistants know pupils’ needs well. They help pupils to work independently.

p.2

2

In some subjects, such as science, teachers are still getting to grips with how to put the school’s curriculum plans into practice. Leaders are beginning to provide training to make teachers more confident in this subject.

p.2

2

Pupils are generally eager to learn. They have positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. They are keen to take part in all that the school has to offer. Pupils are rarely distracted in lessons. When necessary, teachers remind pupils of the need to behave and learning continues.

p.2

2

The school is well led and managed. Staff appreciate the efforts by the executive headteacher and her leadership team to consider their work-life balance and workload. Leaders place much importance on training staff for their work. New teachers and those new to the school feel part of the Ryton Junior School team. Subject leaders are determined to raise the quality of education in their subjects. They use their time wisely to check how well pupils are learning through the curriculum.

p.2

2

Leaders have continued to ensure that the school is a nurturing, welcoming and caring environment. The high-quality nurture provision supports pupils well. It is available when needed, for example when things are difficult at home. Pupils receive help to recognise and talk about their feelings as well as recognise different emotions in others. 28–29 January 2020

p.2

3

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. One parent stated that ‘Ryton Junior School has a great sense of community about it. It is a very nurturing school. The range of opportunities and experiences that my child takes part in is fantastic. He is acquiring lots of life skills as well as academic ones.’ This was typical of the many positive comments from parents.

p.3

3

Governors bring a wealth of experience to their roles and are ambitious for the school. They support leaders in their work and hold them to account when appropriate.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All records relating to safeguarding are well maintained. Leaders work together with other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils get the help that they need quickly. Staff are able to spot potential signs of abuse or neglect because of the effective training they receive. Staff are vigilant and know what to do if they think a pupil may be at risk. Checks are in place to ensure that adults in school are suitable to work with pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. For example, the community police officer works with pupils so that they know how to keep themselves safe when they are using the internet.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders should continue their work to develop the school’s curriculum. They should make sure that all leaders have clear oversight of the sequencing of different subjects, including science. This will help them to be sure that pupils are learning the right things in the right order and teachers will have more guidance on what to teach. This will also enable leaders to be better in checking that pupils’ knowledge builds more effectively over time.  In some subjects, teachers’ subject knowledge is not as broad as in others. Leaders should further improve teachers’ subject knowledge so that they are able to use this to help pupils to build on their prior learning and remember more in all subjects. Stronger subject knowledge will help teachers to respond better to pupils’ needs.

p.3

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 28–29 January 2020

p.3

4

the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

p.4

4

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Ryton Junior School to be good on 6–7 October 2015.

p.4

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.

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 are the school and you are 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. 28–29 January 2020

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 6–7 October 2015

p.5

Information about this school

 Ryton Junior School is smaller than the average-sized junior school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those eligible for support through pupil premium funding, is below average.  The overwhelming majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The school is federated with a Ryton Infant School. It shares the same executive headteacher and governing body.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with the executive headteacher and senior leaders, middle leaders and other staff. The inspector met with members of the governing body and spoke with a representative of the local authority. Discussions explored a wide range of subjects, including safeguarding arrangements.  Throughout the inspection, the inspectors looked at how well school leaders provide safeguarding training and updates for staff, and create a culture of vigilance. He talked to the designated lead for safeguarding, and reviewed the school’s documents and records relating to safeguarding. 28–29 January 2020

p.5

6

 The inspector carried out curriculum deep dives into reading, mathematics and science. The deep dives consisted of visits to lessons, review of documents, scrutiny of pupils’ work, and discussions with senior leaders, curriculum leaders, teachers and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Geoffrey Seagrove, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 28–29 January 2020

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