Ravenshead CofE Primary School

Inspection of Ravenshead Church of England Primary School Swinton Rise, Ravenshead, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG15 9FS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a nurturing school. Relationships are positive. Pupils get on well with each other. They enjoy working with the adults in school. One pupil said, ‘It’s a nice environment. There’s always someone to help you.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the school’s values. They understand the importance of taking care of their learning, their future, their community and the world. They are proud of the school’s woodland area. They enjoy learning outdoors, whatever the weather. Pupils talk enthusiastically about den-building, using the mud kitchen and exploring the area with their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour around school and in lessons is positive. Pupils enjoy the recognition they receive for positive conduct. They understand the school’s behaviour policy and say that it is rare for anyone to move below the green ‘traffic light’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils to do well. The pupil-run smart council ensures that all pupils have a voice. They make important decisions about their work. This is communicated in classes and through weekly newsletters. Pupils are very proud of their work, including the recent successful fundraising work for charity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying is extremely rare. Pupils know that bullying is something that is done ‘several times on purpose’. They know where to get help should they need it.

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better?

Pupils learn a broad and well-planned curriculum. It helps them to understand communication, conflict, culture and conservation over time. The vast majority of the curriculum is well sequenced. It makes clear what pupils should learn and remember at each point of their education. However, the implementation of the curriculum has been slowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, pupils are at a relatively early stage of learning and remembering content. More time is needed for the curriculum to embed and to be refined. Additionally, a very small number of subjects have recently been reviewed and improved. These are at the initial stage of being taught. Pupils have yet to learn and remember content in these.

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better?

Phonics is taught well. The phonics programme makes clear the sounds that children should know at each point in their education. Teachers use consistent resources and teaching methods that help pupils to remember the sounds that they have learned. Teachers regularly check to make sure that no pupil is falling behind. Those that need help to keep up are supported quickly.

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better?

Older pupils develop a love of reading. The weekly raffle tickets and online awards motivate them to read often and widely. They are familiar with a wide range of authors. However, the curriculum for reading beyond phonics is not well sequenced. The curriculum sets out what pupils should learn by the end of each year. It does 15 and 16 March 2022

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not set out what pupils should know and be able to do at each point in the school year. Leaders are in the process of addressing this.

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Children get off to a good start in early years. They work collaboratively. The early years curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It shows precisely what children are expected to know and do at each stage of their education. Leaders are skilled at delivering the curriculum based on children’s interests.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Adults provide well-tailored help. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) makes sure that the plans to support these pupils describe the progress and improvements that are expected over time.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They learn about a wide range of cultures, religions and beliefs. They are respectful of the views of others, even if these are different from their own. Older pupils develop a good understanding of some complex issues, including the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Pupils are proud of the roles that they play in school, including as worship leaders and well-being ambassadors.

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The headteacher took up post just as the COVID-19 pandemic began. Despite this, senior leaders have implemented a curriculum that is fit for purpose. They have galvanised the staff team, whose members share leaders’ ambitious vision for the school. Staff value the recent improvements that have been made. They say that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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The governing body has a wide skill set. Governors routinely provide leaders with effective challenge and support.

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The school is held in high regard by parents and carers. A typical comment was, ‘This is a fabulous school with fabulous teachers. My child is thriving in the lovely, nurturing, professional environment.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take the actions they need to in order to keep pupils safe. Staff are well trained and know the signs to look out for. Concerns are quickly recorded and passed to leaders. While records are detailed and fit for purpose, they are not stored as systematically as they could be. This means that leaders cannot retrieve information as quickly as they should.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know how to stay safe in the community and online. They know that they can turn to a trusted adult if they need help. They know that they can go to the school’s ‘nest’ if they are worried or upset. 15 and 16 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders take the actions that they need to in order to keep pupils safe. However, records are not stored as systematically as they could be. This means that leaders cannot retrieve some information as quickly as they should. Leaders should ensure that safeguarding records are stored systematically and can be easily accessed by relevant personnel.  Much of the school’s curriculum is relatively new. Pupils are beginning to learn and remember its content. However, more time is needed to embed the curriculum so that pupils consistently remember what they have learned across all subjects. Leaders should ensure that they embed and continue to refine the curriculum, so that pupils know and remember content over time.  Reading beyond phonics is not yet fully sequenced. This means that leaders cannot be sure that content is taught in the best order. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum for reading beyond phonics is well planned and sequenced.

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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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

22 June 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has taken up post since the previous inspection.  The school is part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham. The most recent section 48 inspection of this Church of England school, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place on 23 March 2017. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID 19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the previous section 48 inspection.  The school uses no 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 had 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 of the school. 15 and 16 March 2022

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the early years leader and the SENCo.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and religious education. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors discussed with leaders the curriculum for art, outdoor learning, and design and technology.  The lead inspector met with seven representatives of the governing body, including the chair.  Inspectors took account of the 125 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and 94 written comments from parents. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school. They also considered the 36 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders. They reviewed school documents

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relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. They visited the breakfast club and the school’s woodland area.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Slack Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 March 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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