Ravenbank Primary School

Inspection of Ravenbank Primary School Pepper Street, Lymm, Cheshire WA13 0JT

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 15 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 13 and 14 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Ravenbank Primary School. They feel well cared for by all staff. There is always someone to look after them, especially if they are feeling sad or worried. If there is any unkind behaviour or bullying, staff deal with this quickly. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe. Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff strive to ensure that pupils achieve their very best. Pupils live up to these expectations and achieve well. Most pupils behave well throughout the school day. They are polite and kind to each other. Playground ‘red hat’ leaders sort out any problems swiftly. Pupils enjoy receiving rewards for their hard work and efforts. Pupils relish the opportunity to work and play in the muddy school grounds. These outdoor experiences enrich the curriculum and support the personal development of

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What is it like to attend this school?

children in the Reception Year through to pupils in Year 6. Pupils also access a range of trips and visits, including outdoor pursuit days and adventure days. There are a range of after-school activities, including sports and arts clubs.

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better?

Leaders have designed a purposeful curriculum. Pupils learn the full range of the national curriculum subjects. Leaders have carefully chosen the content that they want pupils to learn and have decided the order in which this is to be taught.

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better?

Teachers have the subject knowledge that they need to teach the curriculum well. They have a secure knowledge of the subjects that they teach. In most year groups, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to build on what they have learned in previous lessons. However, in some year groups, the implementation of the curriculum is not as effective. At times, the activities that teachers design do not help pupils to learn the subject content in the curriculum. They are not matched well enough to what pupils need to know and understand, especially those pupils who find learning more difficult. When this happens, pupils find it difficult to recall their learning.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers use assessment strategies effectively in order to check pupils’ understanding. This helps them to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and to spot any misconceptions. However, this is not the case across the board. Sometimes, teachers do not check that pupils’ learning is secure before they introduce new learning.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading. This begins from children’s very first days in the Reception class. Leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading. All staff have been trained to teach the 13 and 14 March 2023

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phonics programme effectively. Books are well matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. If pupils struggle with their reading, leaders make sure support is put into place immediately. Pupils across the school are encouraged to read often. Older pupils enjoy selecting books to take home from the school library.

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Efficient systems are in place that help teachers to identify pupils with SEND early. Support for pupils with SEND is closely matched to their individual learning needs. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum and learn effectively.

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Most pupils behave well in school. Any slight disruption to learning is dealt with quickly. Pupils sometimes need reminding of how they should behave in and around the school building, but if this happens, they respond accordingly. Children in the early years settle quickly. They follow the established routines well.

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There is a range of activities for pupils to enjoy outside the classroom. For example, leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their leadership skills and take on roles such as head boy and head girl. Pupils across key stage 2 are especially excited about the upcoming residential trips. They are looking forward to activities that build their teamwork, allowing them to take risks and make new friends.

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Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. The local governing board and trustees know where the school’s strengths lie. They have a strong overview of the quality of education that pupils receive. They ensure that staff are able to share ideas and learn from the expertise of others through close collaboration between the schools in the multi-academy trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured a highly effective safeguarding culture. There is a strong, shared understanding of safeguarding across the school. Staff know pupils and their families very well. They are quick to identify any pupils who may be at risk of harm. Leaders respond to these concerns in a timely manner. Leaders work closely with external agencies and offer families the support they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of ways, including when working or playing online. In return, they know what to do and who to talk with, if they do not feel safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, across some year groups, pupils do not know and remember what they have been taught. This is because teachers’ activity choices do not help 13 and 14 March 2023

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pupils to learn the subject content of the curriculum. Leaders must ensure that teachers deliver the intended curriculum effectively.  In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to check pupils have understood what had been taught before new learning is introduced. This sometimes causes gaps in pupils’ understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils’ learning so that misconceptions are addressed before new subject content is introduced.

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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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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. 13 and 14 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10242321 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ravenbank Primary School converted to become an academy school in 2021. When the school was last inspected by Ofsted, in 2008, it was judged to be outstanding.  The school is part of the Beam Trust.  Leaders do not make use of 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with representatives of the local governing board and the chief executive officer from the Beam Trust.  The inspectors met with the leaders responsible for SEND and early years.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, science, geography and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the 13 and 14 March 2023

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curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers and teaching assistants, spoke to some pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspectors looked at the single central record of staff suitability checks. They met with the leaders responsible for safeguarding and sampled case studies and documentation.  The inspectors met with a group of pupils and spoke to pupils during breaktimes and lunchtimes.  The inspectors spoke with some parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspectors held meetings with members of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Butler, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Patrick Rayner Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 March 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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