Rufforth Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Rufforth Primary School Wetherby Road, Rufforth, York, North Yorkshire YO23 3QF

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Outcome

Rufforth Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ ambition for pupils at Rufforth Primary School is summed up in their vision of ‘excellence in a family atmosphere’. This ambition is realised through adults’ high expectations of pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations. Their behaviour is exemplary and they treat each other with the utmost respect. Bullying almost never happens, but if it does, adults make sure it stops.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established the values ‘inspire, care and grow’. These are at the heart of everything the school has to offer. Leaders ensure that pupils study an ambitious curriculum. Pupils know that the things they learn now will help them grow into the future. This inspires pupils to be resilient when learning something new or mastering a new skill. Pupils gain the knowledge they need and are well prepared for their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs, in areas such as singing, sports and arts. They also learn to be responsible citizens. For example, play leaders set up games at breaktimes and special buddies support children in the Reception class. Friendship ambassadors support all pupils by helping them to resolve any problems that they might have. The culture that leaders have established is harmonious. Pupils are happy in this very inclusive school.

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

Leaders have created a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum. They have established ‘five keys’ to highlight the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. Adults make sure that pupils learn this knowledge in an order that builds their understanding step by step. In physical education, for example, pupils practise simple rhythmic patterns before linking these together to create more complex dance routines. In some subjects, leaders’ ambitious plans are not fully realised in lessons. This is because, on some occasions, teachers do not provide pupils with the right opportunities to practise their learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) 24 May 2023

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learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders work to remove any barriers to learning that pupils might face. They do this by making sure that all staff have the expertise to help pupils with SEND. These pupils receive the right support to become confident learners.

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Leaders have made reading a priority. They make sure that staff have the training they need to help pupils to learn to read. Teachers are experts in teaching phonics. They help pupils to master phonics quickly and to become fluent readers. Pupils’ books are closely matched to the sounds that they know. In early years, adults help children to develop a love of reading. Children enjoy taking the ‘bedtime bear’ home and curling up with a book and a hot chocolate. Throughout the school, leaders invest in carefully chosen literature. Skilled staff share this literature with pupils. Pupils feel like they are ‘inside the story’ and this inspires them to read widely and often. When pupils fall behind with reading, adults help them to catch up. Sometimes, this support is not as precise as it could be. When pupils read their reading books to an adult, adults do not consistently encourage pupils to draw on their phonic knowledge to help them to read.

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Staff make sure children in early years get off to a flying start in mathematics. Adults provide many opportunities for children to make different numbers in lots of different ways. For example, children practise their knowledge of numbers to 10 by playing a ‘ten green bottles’ game outside. Throughout school, adults make sure that pupils become fluent mathematicians. Leaders have established a clear structure for each mathematics lesson. Teachers use this structure to address misconceptions and to help pupils to practise their learning. Pupils apply this learning to solve more complex mathematical problems.

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Leaders have established a bespoke ‘enrichment pledge’, with a range of carefully considered experiences for pupils. For example, pupils visit a local art gallery and enjoy a trip to the Houses of Parliament. Pupils develop a deep understanding of different faiths, relationships and diversity. Pupils talk about issues such as consent and healthy relationships with considerable maturity. Leaders deliberately broaden pupils’ experiences. For example, pupils learn about different jobs and careers. Pupils develop their character through the many leadership roles on offer. Some take part in the school council while others work as sports leaders and friendship ambassadors. All of this work informs the deep respect with which pupils treat everyone around them. One pupil summed this up by saying their school is a ‘unique place where you can be yourself. Everyone here has a voice’.

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Those responsible for governance know and understand their roles and their statutory responsibilities. They share leaders’ ambitions for pupils. Staff’s workload and well-being are priorities for leaders and governors. Staff appreciate the support and training that they receive. They are overwhelmingly positive about working at this school. 24 May 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of safeguarding. Pupils feel safe and learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Adults receive regular training, weekly briefings and frequent quizzes on safeguarding. Leaders use these quizzes to make sure staff’s knowledge is up to date. Adults know the risks that children may face. If they are concerned that a pupil may be at risk of harm, they are quick to follow agreed procedures to get the necessary help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep thorough records of the actions taken to keep pupils safe. Leaders are tenacious in following up on concerns, and work well with outside agencies when there are concerns about vulnerable pupils. Appropriate checks are made on the suitability of those appointed to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On some occasions, teachers do not enable pupils to practise what they have been taught in ways that help them to learn better over time. Leaders should further enhance staff’s knowledge and pedagogical expertise to help pupils to learn well across all subjects.  When pupils struggle to read, adults do not consistently enable them to draw on their phonic knowledge to help them to read better. Leaders should ensure that adults have further training so that they consistently help pupils to draw on their phonic knowledge to help them to read better.

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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, Rufforth Primary School, to be good in January 2012. 24 May 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. 24 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  There have been changes in staffing and leadership since the last inspection, including a new headteacher and assistant headteacher.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The lead inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator and early years leader.  The team inspector met with the chair of the local governing committee and one representative from the trust board. The lead inspector met separately with the trust’s chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject 24 May 2023

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leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work where appropriate. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to review a range of documents, including the school’s log of safeguarding incidents. The lead inspector reviewed the school’s single central record to check the suitability of staff working at the school. Inspectors also spoke to staff about how they keep pupils safe.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour, minutes of governors’ meetings and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the views of parents from Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including free-text comments.

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 To gather the views of staff, inspectors took account of the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Stephenson His Majesty’s Inspector 24 May 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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