Ryhall CofE Academy

Inspection of a good school: Ryhall C of E Academy Church Street, Ryhall, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 4HR

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

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Outcome

Ryhall C of E Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the core Christian values of the school, and conversations between pupils and staff reference them often. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong. Pupils are happy and say that they are proud of their school. Pupils say that they feel safe and fully involved in their school. One pupil commented, ‘My school is special because it makes me feel like my voice is heard and has worth.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have consistently high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils engage fully in lessons and demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They understand what it means to be resilient and actively help each other in lessons. Pupils can identify different types of bullying, including cyber-bullying. Leaders do not tolerate bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the opportunity to take on extra responsibilities and share their ideas. Ethos councillors have created an ‘A-Z of ways to engage with the local community’. For ‘U’, pupils arranged a ‘blue and yellow day’ fundraising initiative for the situation in Ukraine.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a wide range of experiences which enhance their learning. In Year 6, pupils prepared a three-course meal for their parents. Pupils took on the role of waiters and waitresses.

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

Children get off to a strong start in the Reception Year. The environment is well resourced. Children have access to a large, natural outdoor area. Staff encourage children to take safe risks and explore when learning through play. Adults support children’s language development through conversation. Children are independent and access activities with confidence. Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

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

Leaders have invested heavily in developing the school’s reading culture. Classrooms and the school library show that literature is highly valued. Pupils have access to a diverse 21 and 22 February 2023

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range of high-quality texts. Pupils enjoy reading and also enjoy listening to stories being read to them. Daily story time provides pupils with an opportunity to read for enjoyment.

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In phonics sessions, pupils learn the knowledge and skills they need to become confident, fluent readers. Pupils’ reading books have been well matched to the sounds that they learn in lessons. This helps pupils to practise these sounds and develop their decoding. Extra phonics sessions are in place to make sure that pupils ‘keep up’.

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In mathematics lessons, teachers use high-quality modelling to support pupils with their learning. One pupil commented, ‘It helps me to understand what it will look like in my head when I am working something out.’ Pupils use mathematical vocabulary in their oral responses with confidence.

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The wider curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to learn discrete subjects. Leaders have clearly identified the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils should know and remember. In some subjects, pupils complete ‘take away’ sheets at the start of every lesson. Pupils say that recording what they learned in previous lessons helps them to remember. However, assessments to check what pupils know and remember are not yet in place in all subject areas.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Teachers use a detailed bank of resources to support them in meeting the needs of all learners. Leaders engage well with a range of external agencies to secure the necessary support for pupils with SEND.

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The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum includes the statutory relationships and sex education content. Pupils show an age-appropriate understanding of different types of relationships, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Pupils can talk about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

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Pupils have access to a wide range of clubs and wider experiences. They value the opportunity to learn to play a selection of different musical instruments. Pupils enjoy representing their school in competitive sports and performing arts events.

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Leaders have clear aims for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Regular opportunities for reflection are built into all areas of the curriculum. Pupils understand what diversity is and are keen to celebrate difference. One pupil said, ‘It would just be boring if everyone was the same.’

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PSHE plans show when pupils learn about the fundamental British values. However, pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values is not clear. They therefore struggle to relate these values to their everyday lives and community.

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The school is well led and managed. Staff feel supported by leaders and say that they are united in their passion for the school to be the best it can be. The trust offers leaders regular school improvement support. Staff access a wealth of professional development opportunities. Staff value these opportunities. 21 and 22 February 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture of high vigilance. Staff receive regular training and updates. Staff know that ‘it could happen here’.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to share any concerns. The designated safeguarding leads meet regularly. Record-keeping and safer recruitment processes are robust. Leaders work with a range of external agencies to secure necessary support for families. Leaders work collaboratively with three different local authorities. Communication is regular and effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe in school and know that they have trusted adults who they can share their worries and concerns with. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

■ In a small number of foundation subjects, assessment processes are not fully developed. Teachers do not always check precisely what curriculum knowledge and skills pupils know and remember. Leaders should ensure that assessment processes are in place to enable teachers to check pupils’ learning in all of the foundation subjects. ■ Pupils’ understanding of the fundamental British values is not fully secure. Pupils struggle to relate these values to their everyday lives. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to reflect on the relevance of fundamental British values within their own lives, the local community and globally.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged school to be good in September 2017. 21 and 22 February 2023

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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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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. 21 and 22 February 2023

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School details

Headteacher Katy Walker Barbara O’Brien (Co headteacher (interim), Alan Reed (Co headteacher (interim) Website www.ryhallceacademy.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 September 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

■ Two co-headteachers are fulfilling the role of headteacher in the substantive headteacher’s absence. ■ The school does not use alternative provision.

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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 and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. ■ The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. ■ The inspector listened to a sample of children in the Reception Year and in key stages 1 and 2 read to a familiar adult. 21 and 22 February 2023

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■ The inspector looked at subject plans and spoke with the subject leader for art and design. ■ The inspector met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, and the provision for pupils with SEND. ■ The inspector spoke to representatives from the trust, including the chief executive of the trust. ■ The inspector met with groups of pupils from key stages 1 and 2. ■ The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. She reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s single central record. ■ The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan. ■ The inspector met with the chair of the governing body. ■ The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil questionnaires. ■ The inspector spoke with parents and carers at the start of the school day.

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Inspection team

Luella Manssen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023

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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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