Ridgeway Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Ridgeway Primary School Grange Road, Chasetown, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 4TU

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 January 2022

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Outcome

Ridgeway Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ridgeway Primary School is a happy and inclusive school. Leaders and staff know families well. This means they can help pupils get the best out of their time at the school. Leaders put pupils at the heart of their decisions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work and play together well. The school is a place where pupils cooperate and value each other and respect each other’s differences. Pupils say they feel safe because the staff look after them. They say that bullying does sometimes happen, but adults will deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of opportunities that broaden pupils’ experiences. Pupils enjoy a range of clubs from sports and chess to cookery. The Pupil Parliament gives everyone an opportunity to debate issues. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in activities, such as theatre groups, business enterprise events and residential visits. Pupils find these experiences exciting and look forward to taking part.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take great care to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school makes sure that they include all pupils in everything that they do.

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

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the school. They have created a purposeful environment, where pupils and staff are keen to learn. Pupils get a good start to life in school. Curriculum plans in the early years are well sequenced and allow children 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?

Leaders have developed a rich and varied curriculum. Their plans set out the key knowledge and skills pupils should learn from early years to Year 6. They also detail the important vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. Leaders ensure that teachers receive regular training to develop their subject knowledge. Teachers have a 25 and 26 January 2022

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good understanding of the subjects they teach. This is especially evident in reading and mathematics. They provide precise explanations and break new information down into small steps. This ensures that pupils know the things they need to before completing tasks. For example, in mathematics, teachers use a wide range of practical resources which reinforce the learning. They also use songs, rhymes and acronyms to help pupils to remember more over time.

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Leaders aim to ensure that pupils are secure in their understanding of basic concepts. At the start of lessons, pupils respond to questions relating to relevant, previous learning. This helps staff to check if pupils can remember what they have learned. Assessment in English and mathematics is well established. Staff use it effectively to determine what pupils know and have remembered. However, assessment across the wider curriculum is not as well developed. Leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to refine the assessment systems further.

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Leaders have put reading at the forefront of the curriculum. The school’s phonics programme is well planned and gets pupils off to a good start in reading. Children begin to hear stories and rhymes as soon as they start in nursery. All staff have had training in the teaching of phonics, so that they can support pupils effectively with their reading. This approach is of a consistently high standard across the school.

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Teachers know their pupils well and set high expectations. Leaders and staff want all pupils at the school, including those with SEND, to become well-rounded learners. Staff think carefully about the resources they give to pupils with SEND in order to allow them to work alongside their class.

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Many aspects of pupils’ wider development are well established. Staff plan a wide range of opportunities for pupils to deepen their learning and to try new things. Leaders carefully plan trips, visitors and experiences that enrich pupils’ day-to-day experiences. Pupils enjoy having important responsibilities in school, such as membership of the eco committee, hall monitors and as playground buddies. However, pupils have less knowledge of some aspects of the fundamental British values.

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Leaders seek out effective ways to support pupils. They work closely with external agencies. Leaders are tenacious and skilled at getting appropriate support that makes a difference for pupils and families. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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The governing body has considerable expertise. They provide good support and effective challenge for leaders. Staff, including early career teachers, say that leaders support their development and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure pupils are safe. Staff receive regular and appropriate training that ensures they can identify any problems pupils may face. As a result, staff have a thorough 25 and 26 January 2022

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understanding of the role they play in keeping pupils safe. Adults know pupils well and are quick to identify and report any signs that may suggest a pupil is at risk of harm. Leaders work effectively with many pupils and families who need extra help and support. They work closely with the relevant agencies. Recruitment checks on the suitability of staff working in the school are robust.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment is not well developed in wider curriculum subjects. This means that leaders do not always have as detailed an understanding of the impact of the curriculum as they would want. Subject leaders need to strengthen assessment in these subjects, so they are confident that the curriculum is having the strong impact that leaders intend.  Pupils’ knowledge of some aspects of British values is limited. As a result, they may be less well prepared for life in modern Britain than they might be. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a better understanding of all aspects of British values.

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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 on 10-11 November 2011.

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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 . 25 and 26 January 2022

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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. 25 and 26 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10205154 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 16 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative providers.  The school has a breakfast club and after-school wraparound care.  There is provision on site for two- and three-year-olds.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The inspector met with representatives of the governing body and had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspection focused on reading, mathematics and geography. The inspector met subject leaders for these subjects and undertook joint visits to lessons. She also talked to pupils and teachers and looked at work.  The inspector scrutinised a wide range of documents, including those related to curriculum planning and development, safeguarding arrangements, behaviour and attendance. 25 and 26 January 2022

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 The inspector held informal and formal discussions with many pupils and observed lunchtime.  The inspector met with parents to gain their views of the school. She reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and additional free text comments. She also took account of responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Emma Gater, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector 25 and 26 January 2022

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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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