The Riverview Academy

Inspection of Riverview Infant School Cimba Wood, Gravesend, Kent DA12 4SD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 December 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this lively and vibrant infant school. Leaders make sure that pupils are at the heart of everything they do so that pupils achieve well and enjoy their time in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk enthusiastically about their learning. From the very start of their time in school, pupils build a love of reading. They experience lessons that build their interest, producing high-quality work in their books. Pupils learn from the school’s ‘curriculum creatures’, such as the ‘Riverview Yeti’, to develop positive learning habits, such as perseverance and resilience. They enjoy opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as election to be a school councillor or appointment as a ‘Riverview Ranger’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to understand the ‘golden rules’. In the early years, children are supported to learn the routines so they settle well. Older pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They show a determination to succeed. Pupils build positive relationships with their friends and enjoy their time in school. They are confident that if bullying takes place or they have any other worries, adults will resolve these quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak very positively about the school. They feel it is a welcoming place where their children make good progress.

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better?

Leaders have built an ambitious curriculum. They have identified what pupils need to learn and have prioritised developing pupils’ character. Subject leaders have drawn on the school’s own ‘curriculum capitals’ to help pupils to develop the qualities they need to be successful in life. Teachers guide pupils to build their knowledge and understanding in practical ways. For instance, in science, children in the early years visit a farm to learn where their food comes from. Leaders provide activities to broaden the experience of disadvantaged pupils. These activities enrich pupils’ learning because they link closely to the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders prioritise the teaching of reading. Phonics is taught accurately and with precision. Children in the early years swiftly build a reliable knowledge of the sounds that letters make. Teachers quickly identify pupils who need support to keep up with their reading. Well-trained adults help pupils who have fallen behind to catch up. Teachers read to pupils every day, building their exposure to, and familiarity with, a wide range of books. For example, younger children confidently act out stories, like the ‘Little Red Hen’. As pupils move through the school, they become fluent readers and build a love of reading.

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better?

Staff help pupils to build their knowledge across the curriculum. Teachers carefully check that pupils understand what they learn in lessons. They encourage pupils to see themselves as subject experts. For example, in art lessons, pupils believe they 7 and 8 December 2021

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are artists and teachers encourage them to think like an artist. They talk about how they have developed their understanding of techniques as they move through the school.

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Pupils sometimes struggle to recall important knowledge over time. This is because teachers do not always give pupils the essential vocabulary needed to knowledgeably talk about their learning. In addition, teachers do not always link new learning with what pupils have learned before. This results in pupils sometimes not remembering previous learning.

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Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. They have trained staff to adapt their teaching so that all pupils can access the curriculum. Adults help these pupils to build their social skills and manage their emotions with increasing confidence. As a result, pupils with SEND learn well.

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The values that pupils need to become a positive member of the community are at the heart of the school’s work. Leaders ensure that pupils have a wide range of experiences to nurture their moral, social and cultural awareness and leadership skills. As a result, pupils express a genuine care for one another and for adults and show an awareness of the importance of equality. They respect people from different backgrounds and know to treat everyone fairly.

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Teachers explicitly and imaginatively develop pupils’ character and their resilience and curiosity so that they can learn effectively. Leaders prioritise strong social and emotional support for pupils and encourage them to look after their physical and emotional health. Parents appreciate how well the school nurtures their children, particularly the support for their well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Governors visit the school and work with leaders to make sure that plans for improvement are followed through. Staff say that leaders work hard to help them manage their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ welfare and well-being are high priorities for every member of staff. Leaders have ensured that all staff receive high-quality training. This helps them to know what safeguarding concerns to be alert to. Staff know how to record a concern using the clear reporting system. Leaders respond quickly when a concern is shared. They ensure that pupils and families get the support and help they need. Leaders firmly insist that support is provided from external agencies when required.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about different risks and how to manage them. This includes an age- appropriate understanding of keeping safe when online. 7 and 8 December 2021

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always make sure that pupils have the key vocabulary they need in some subjects. This means that sometimes pupils are not able to articulate their learning. Leaders should ensure that they continue to develop and embed the use of important subject-specific vocabulary and that teachers check that pupils have learned and remembered it.  Teachers do not always make sure that pupils have the opportunity to recall prior learning. This means that, over time, learning is sometimes forgotten. Leaders should ensure that teachers are clear how they can help pupils to recall what they have learned before and make strong links with new learning.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 .

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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. 7 and 8 December 2021

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There are four classes in each year group.  This academy is in The Pathway Academy Trust.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator, other senior leaders, subject leaders and other staff.  The inspection team considered the views of staff through meetings with them and through the 15 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. 7 and 8 December 2021

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 Inspectors held meetings with the chair of governors and one other member of the local governing body, the trust chief executive officer and one director of the board of trustees, and the trust improvement lead.  The inspection team examined a range of documentation provided by the school, including the school’s own plan for improvement, the school’s own evaluation of impact, governance documents, monitoring records, curriculum plans and attendance and behaviour records.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leader, reviewed safeguarding records and checked other documents, including records of staff training.  Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day and considered the views of parents through the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  Inspectors considered pupils’ views through meeting with them and through discussions with pupils during lessons and at other times of the school day. They

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also met with a group of pupils from the school council.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, art and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also heard some pupils read.

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Inspection team

Graham Chisnell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Anne Allen Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 December 2021

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