Ravensmere Infant School

Inspection of Ravensmere Infant School St Benedict’s Road, Beccles, Suffolk NR34 9DE

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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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 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this small and welcoming school. They describe the school as one big family. Pupils and staff have strong relationships and staff know pupils individually. Pupils thrive because of the high expectations and quality of care they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a broad and balanced curriculum that pupils benefit from. This is an inclusive school. All opportunities provided by the school are open to everyone, for example the ‘no outsiders’ theme starts from the very first moment children start in Reception. Pupils know about differences, for example race, disabilities, culture and families. As a result, pupils believe that they should treat everyone the same. They feel safe and included in the life of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils generally behave well and follow routines. They listen to their teachers and respond well to instructions. The calm atmosphere helps them learn. They know that if something worries them there is always an adult in school who can help. Pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy having extra roles and responsibilities, such as being music leaders, eco leaders or members of the school council. Pupils are proud of these roles and take them seriously. These roles help them to develop into responsible citizens.

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better?

The school has worked tirelessly to design a new curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. Curriculum leaders have strong subject knowledge and a passion for their subjects. Working across the federation, leaders have clearly defined the knowledge pupils need to know by the time pupils reach a key point in their education. The curriculum provides pupils with the core knowledge they need to go on to be successful in key stage 2.

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better?

The school has broken the knowledge down into manageable chunks. It has set the order in which the knowledge should be taught so that pupils’ learning builds gradually. In a very small number of subjects, the learning activities set out in the curriculum are not always precisely matched to the needs of pupils. The planned activities do not always enable pupils to achieve as well as they could.

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better?

The school has recently introduced a new scheme for early reading, which meets the needs of pupils. The school ensures that phonics is taught from beginning of Reception. Staff access high-quality training, which means that the teaching of phonics is consistent. Pupils read books which are well matched to the sounds they are learning. Staff identify pupils who are not keeping up and quickly put in effective support for them. Pupils enjoy the wide variety of texts that they have available to them in their class and school library. They are also excited by the stories staff read to them in class. This develops the pupils’ love of reading and ensures that they are developing their reading skills well. 28 and 29 November 2023

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The school has high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers and receive additional support. Activities are adapted to help them learn and make progress. At times, some of this support does not always have the desired effect. This is because leaders do not always ensure that teachers have specific guidance about what help some pupils need. Targets are too broad, and this means pupils’ needs are not specifically met. As a result, some of the support that some pupils receive is not precise enough to help them learn as well as they could.

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There is a strong curriculum for early years. The classroom is well resourced. Staff are knowledgeable. Adults plan activities that stimulate children’s interests and provide meaningful opportunities to learn. They skilfully break down learning into small steps. Staff use well-crafted questions to help children develop their language skills. This means children are ready for the more formally structured learning in key stage 1.

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There is a comprehensive programme for pupils’ personal development. This is taught in relationships, sex and health education lessons and through assemblies. This provides the knowledge and experiences pupils need to become well-rounded citizens. Pupils are positive about this aspect of school.

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All stakeholders value the small school and its family ethos. Parents are very positive about the school. They speak highly of the support and care their children receive.

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Trustees and members of the local governing body are passionate about improving the experience of pupils at Ravensmere. They understand the school and its priorities.

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Staff value the professional development that the school and trust provide. They appreciate the consideration of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The individual targets for some pupils with SEND are too broad. They do not precisely set out how teachers can support them to overcome their barriers to learning. This means some of the additional support that some pupils receive does not help them as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have the precise information they need to adapt their teaching effectively.  In a very small number of subjects, the curriculum does not fully meet the needs of pupils. Sometimes, pupils are engaged in activities that are not appropriate for 28 and 29 November 2023

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what they should be learning. The school should refine the curriculum in these subjects so that the activities and resources meet the needs of all pupils.

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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’ is used to mean pupils SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 28 and 29 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Ravensmere Infant School is part of the Albert Pye Primary School and Ravensmere Infant School Federation. There is one local governing body for both schools in the federation. The executive headteacher and interim head of school oversee both schools in the federation.  The executive headteacher and the interim head of school took up their posts in June 2023.

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 28 and 29 November 2023

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 Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, and trust leaders, including the CEO, a representative of the chair of trustees and a member of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work from science, humanities and art and design.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, attendance records, pupil records, records of trust meetings, school development plans and school self-evaluation documents.  Inspectors considered parent responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and parent texts. They were no responses to the staff and pupil Ofsted surveys. Inspectors spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views of the school.

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Inspection team

Ashley Best-White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Conor Heaven His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 November 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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