East Ravendale CofE Primary School Academy

Inspection of a good school: East Ravendale C of E Primary School East Ravendale, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN37 0RX

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this initial (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a full inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a full (section 5) inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

East Ravendale Primary School is a happy and friendly school. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They speak fondly about the teachers and adults who work in the school. Most pupils behave well around school. Sometimes, pupils have to be reminded of how to behave well in lessons. Pupils say that bullying is rare because most pupils get on well together. When there have been incidents, teachers have helped pupils to sort out their problems and find ways to get on well together. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders know the school well. They have quickly identified what needs to be improved for pupils. Leaders have made changes to the curriculum to make learning more engaging and interesting. Pupils say that this means they are enjoying more practical science lessons. However, pupils’ learning across the curriculum varies. They learn and remember more in some subjects than they do in others. This is because in some subjects, such as science, the order of lessons is not well sequenced.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teaching pupils to read is a priority. Older pupils enjoy helping younger pupils to read at lunchtime. This helps pupils develop a love of reading at an early age. Pupils talk with confidence about different authors and genres. However, some pupils who struggle to become fluent readers do not get precise support. Some reading books do not support the sounds they have been learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they enjoy the school clubs they can attend. Trips and curriculum experiences enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about their recent science, technology, engineering and mathematics day. This excited their imaginations and their love of science. 30 November 2021

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

The headteacher and leaders have accurately evaluated the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. The leadership team has the full support of the staff team, governors and the trust. Together they have prioritised the curriculum for early reading and mathematics. These improvements are starting to have a positive impact. However, there is still more work to do so that pupils acquire the important knowledge they need. Staff appreciate leaders taking their workload into account when making changes.

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

The teaching of early reading is improving because the staff are following their chosen phonic programme more closely. However, not all adults have the expert knowledge to teach early reading. Some inconsistencies remain in the approaches used when teaching pupils handwriting and hearing them read. The handwriting element of the phonic programme is not implemented consistently. Pupils who struggle when learning to read do not always get the support and practice they need to help them catch up.

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

Pupils read a range of books that help them to develop a love of reading and to broaden their vocabulary. Children in Reception and Year 1 read books that are well matched to the sounds they are learning. In other year groups, pupils’ reading books are not as well matched to their phonic knowledge. This is hindering some pupils’ fluency and confidence in reading.

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

Leaders have improved the teaching of mathematics. Consequently, pupils learn and apply age-appropriate knowledge and skills. Teachers have introduced more reasoning and problem-solving opportunities. Sometimes, these are introduced too early as pupils do not have a secure understanding of the concepts they need to apply. In the Reception class, teachers use well-chosen resources to help children learn. For example, children used lollipop sticks to investigate and make four-sided shapes.

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

Pupils benefit from a well-organised personal, social and health education curriculum. Pupils learn about healthy eating and the importance of regular exercise. They learn about staying safe, and older pupils are able to talk about the importance of online safety. Older pupils benefit from taking part in the Church of England Young Leaders Programme.

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

Some subjects, such as English and mathematics, are well organised with clear curriculum content and learning plans. Leaders set out the exact knowledge they want pupils to learn and in the precise order. This is not the case in some subjects. In subjects such as science, the sequence of lessons does not help pupils to build on what they already know and can do.

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

Children settle well when they join the early years. They enjoy strong relationships with adults and teachers. They learn to take turns and share equipment. The planned activities are interesting and engaging. For example, children in the nursery used small-world equipment to re-tell the story of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. This led to some lively talk about what the characters had done to escape from the witch.

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

Most pupils behave well in the playground and around the school. Starting in the early years, children listen and concentrate well in lessons. Some adults give effective 30 November 2021

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reminders to help pupils make the right behaviour choices. However, teachers do not use a consistent approach to deal with any instances of pupils not focusing on their work.

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Teachers identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Within classes, pupils with SEND are mostly well supported. Support staff make a strong contribution to their learning. For example, when working with small groups and individuals they ensure that work is clearly explained, and pupils are encouraged to do their best.

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In discussion with the headteacher, the inspector agreed that curriculum planning and sequencing may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have strengthened the safeguarding culture. All required pre-employment checks are completed. The single central record of employment checks is kept up to date and shows all of the required information. Staff receive high-quality safeguarding training. They understand their safeguarding roles and responsibilities well. Risk assessments are in place to make the school as safe as possible.

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Safeguarding

Clear procedures for recording and acting on safeguarding concerns are in place. Leaders know families well and work effectively with parents and external agencies. This ensures that pupils and families get the help they need. Pupils learn about different aspects of safeguarding. Their understanding of online safety is a particular strength.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all staff have been trained to teach early reading effectively. Therefore, adults do not have the expertise to help pupils to apply their phonics knowledge when reading or to select reading books for pupils which closely match their reading ability. As a result, pupils in the earliest stages of reading are slow to catch up and to become fluent readers. Leaders should ensure that all staff get the training they need to teach the chosen phonics and handwriting programme with consistency. Leaders should also ensure that pupils access reading books which match their phonic knowledge precisely so that pupils become confident and fluent readers.  In some subjects, such as science, curriculum plans are not well sequenced. They do not set out the essential knowledge that leaders expect pupils to learn, and remember, over time. Leaders should ensure that curriculum plans in all subjects make clear the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

knowledge they want pupils to learn and the order in which they want pupils to learn it. This should include children in the early years to pupils in Year 6.  Teachers’ expectations of learning behaviour are not high enough. The behaviour policy, with its clear rewards and sanctions, is not applied consistently. This means that some pupils do not always show positive attitudes to their learning. Leaders should 30 November 2021

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make sure teachers apply the behaviour policy consistently to deal with low-level disruptive behaviour in classes.

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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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 30 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200389 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 East Ravendale Church of England Primary School is part of the Lincoln Anglican Academy Trust. It is part of the Diocese of Lincoln.  The last section 48 inspection took place in October 2017.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There have been three changes of headteacher since the school was last inspected. The new headteacher took up post in January 2021.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of staff.  The inspectors spoke with pupils about their work and their school.  The inspectors met with two members of the local governing body. The inspectors also met with two representatives of the academy trust. 30 November 2021

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 The inspectors reviewed a range of documents about safeguarding, including the employment checks undertaken when staff are appointed and training records.  The inspectors considered 17 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 11 free-text comments. The inspectors also considered eight responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and 31 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into early reading, science and mathematics. These involved discussions with curriculum leaders, teachers and pupils, visits to lessons, reviewing pupils’ work and listening to pupils read.  The inspectors also reviewed curriculum planning documents and pupils’ work in a range of subjects.

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Inspection team

Amraz Ali, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Darren Marks Ofsted Inspector 30 November 2021

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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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