Ravenfield Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Ravenfield Primary Academy Moor Lane North, Ravenfield, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S65 4LZ

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Outcome

Ravenfield Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this school. They speak very highly of their varied and exciting experiences. Leaders have high expectations of every pupil and these expectations are realised. Staff have a strong commitment to the Maltby Learning Trust vision of ‘Exceptional experiences. Successful lives’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm and orderly place to learn. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school is excellent. Pupils insist that bullying does not happen and say that they know adults would help them if there was bullying. They say that everyone is treated fairly. Pupils describe the school as a kind and friendly place.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide an extensive range of activities for pupils to enjoy and the pupils value these. There are a number of after-school clubs and educational visits for pupils of all ages. Children in the Reception class enjoyed a recent visit to the woods to look for signs of spring. Older children spoke enthusiastically about their residential visit, where they had new and exciting experiences, such as canoeing and taking a ‘leap of faith’. These wider opportunities enhance the curriculum and provide pupils with chances to discover new interests.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum across many subjects that runs from Nursery to Year 6. In most areas of the curriculum, they have identified the important knowledge that they want pupils to remember. In mathematics, the curriculum is clearly sequenced and progressive. Mathematics lessons are structured to allow pupils to practise and apply their knowledge. Teachers make sure that pupils remember their mathematics learning by frequently revisiting important knowledge and checking that pupils are keeping up. In lessons, teachers make regular checks on pupils’ knowledge. They often revisit and remind pupils of previous learning, using questions and books which include records and photos of past work. 18 and 19 April 2023

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Leaders’ ambitions for the curriculum are not fully realised across all subjects. In some subjects, pupils’ learning is not as expansive as it is in other subjects. For example, in art, pupils sometimes repeat learning unnecessarily when they are ready to move on, while in music pupils do not have opportunities to compose their own music.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well. Where necessary, adaptations are made to support these pupils. For example, they may access additional mathematical apparatus or have the extra support of an adult. Plans for pupils with SEND identify the small steps these pupils need to take with their learning.

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Reading is given a very high priority. Leaders and teachers foster a love of books and reading. Adults read aloud to pupils every day. The phonics scheme is used well to support children at the earliest stages of learning to read. Children start to learn the sounds that letters make when in Nursery and have daily phonics sessions as soon as they start in the Reception Year. Their books are well matched to the sounds that they know. Teachers regularly check that pupils are keeping up with their reading and help them to catch up whenever they slip behind.

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Throughout school, pupils behave extremely well. In lessons, they are attentive and engaged. Children in Reception respond to well-established routines and the high expectations of staff. There are very strong and positive relationships evident in early years. Adults are constantly developing children’s language and vocabulary. They regularly sing songs and rhymes with the children.

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Pupils learn to be healthy and to have healthy lifestyles. They learn about fundamental British values and are well prepared to be positive citizens in society. For example, pupils have opportunities to identify issues that matter to them. They write to influential people and fundraise for important causes. Leaders want pupils to have a wide range of experiences beyond the classroom. These many opportunities are part of the school’s ‘curriculum guarantee’. For example, by the end of key stage 1, staff want every pupil to visit the seaside and build a sandcastle. Pupils in key stage 2 make a visit to London with pupils from another school.

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Governors share leaders’ ambitions for the pupils. They understand their roles well and make active and positive contributions to the life of the school. They know the school well and make visits to monitor the impact of policies that they have agreed.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and know the signs to look out for if pupils are at risk. Leaders ensure that staff are regularly updated on important safeguarding issues. Staff are vigilant and pass on any worries that they may have about a pupil’s welfare quickly. Leaders follow up on these concerns diligently. Thorough and detailed safeguarding records are kept to record the actions taken to keep pupils safe. Leaders work effectively with other agencies and support parents and carers when required. 18 and 19 April 2023

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Leaders ensure that the curriculum teaches pupils how to keep themselves safe. For example, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe when using technology.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is less well developed in some subjects than it is in others. Where this is the case, the knowledge and skills that pupils acquire is variable and can be limited. Leaders need to continue to develop the curriculum so that pupils learn well across all subjects.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Ravenfield Primary School, to be good in November 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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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. 18 and 19 April 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255853 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.ravenfieldprimaryacademy.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Ravenfield Primary Academy is a member of the Maltby Learning Trust.  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 with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the principal and other school leaders. The inspector also met with an officer of the trust and representatives of the governance of the trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector also discussed planning and documentation from a range of other subjects with leaders. 18 and 19 April 2023

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 The inspector reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising safeguarding records and interviewing staff, and through discussions with pupils.  The inspector spoke with parents during the inspection. He considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View online questionnaire. The responses to the staff questionnaire were also considered.  The inspector spoke to pupils and observed relationships between pupils and adults.

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Inspection team

Dughall McCormick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 18 and 19 April 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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