Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of a good school: Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School Chapel Street, Ryhill, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF4 2AD

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 November 2023

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Outcome

Ryhill Junior, Infant and Nursery School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto, ‘together we can achieve’, is at the heart of this school’s work. The motto sums up the school’s determination that every pupil will achieve well and see themselves as an important part of the community. This is the foundation of the school’s broad and aspirational ‘ACE’ curriculum. This inclusive school is equally ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff treat pupils with respect and kindness. Pupils are respectful and kind in return. One pupil remarked, ‘we feel like we are showered with kindness at this school’. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy lessons and the many enrichment activities that bring learning to life. Pupils’ behaviour at break and lunchtimes is excellent. They enjoy chatting and playing happily together. Pupils say that bullying or unkind name calling is very rare. School records confirm this. Pupils trust staff to sort things out and to keep them safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to learn important life skills. Pupils can apply for a range of leadership roles of which they are immensely proud. After-school clubs include gardening, choir, Spanish club, crafting, sports and art. Clubs change regularly. This ensures that there is something to interest everyone.

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

The school provides an interesting and carefully constructed curriculum that starts in the early years. At every stage, the curriculum prepares pupils well for future learning. The curriculum is coherently sequenced in all subjects. This helps pupils build their knowledge step by step. Chosen learning activities help pupils to understand the curriculum. For example, in a science lesson, pupils chose their own components to make a simple electrical circuit. They learned, by trial and error, how a simple circuit works. Lessons begin with a focus on prior learning. Teachers integrate assessments into lesson sequences. However, some pupils do not remember important knowledge, over time, as well as they could. The school has identified this as an area to develop further. For 21 and 22 November 2023

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example, in mathematics, leaders have recently introduced ‘key instant recall facts’ to help pupils to remember key number facts securely.

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Pupils with SEND achieve well. Teachers provide appropriate adaptations to lessons to help these pupils learn the curriculum alongside their peers. These include the use of ‘QR code’ links to provide simple explanations. The school ensures that physical resources and expert adult support help pupils to become more independent learners.

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The school is proud of its strong reading culture. Reading areas feature in every classroom, around the school and outdoors. The well-stocked library, managed by the Year 6 librarians, is vibrant and inviting. Pupils look forward to taking home the class reading suitcase. Each suitcase contains a book, a cuddly toy and a hot chocolate sachet. The school provides all staff with training and coaching in the phonics scheme. As a result, phonics teaching is precise and effective. Children in the early years and pupils in Year 1 get off to a flying start in reading. Older pupils who find reading more difficult get the support they need to develop confidence and fluency. They clearly enjoy reading and are proud of their achievements.

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Personal development is a strength of the school. It is at the heart of the curriculum and school life. Pupils learn about equality and diversity through the strong personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum. The school re-enforces this curriculum through events and assemblies. The school encourages pupils to be active citizens. They make a positive contribution to the local community. For example, some pupils make Christmas cards to send to older members of the community who may feel lonely. Pupils learn about business and enterprise. They sell items they have made at summer and Christmas fairs. Physical and mental health are important priorities for the school. The pupil ‘well-being champions’ lead assemblies on how activity can improve mood.

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Governors have a clear understanding of the strategic direction of the school. They provide appropriate challenge and support for leaders. Staff and leaders form a strong team who support each other. Staff enjoy working here. They appreciate the training they receive. They are confident that leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. Parents speak highly of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not remember what they have learned over time consistently well. This means they are not able to build on prior learning as well as they could. The school has implemented strategies to help improve pupils’ recall and should ensure that these strategies are embedded and effective for all pupils. 21 and 22 November 2023

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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 the school to be good in June 2018.

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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 ’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (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). 21 and 22 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 6 and 7 June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been some changes to the governing body since the previous inspection. The chair of governors is new to the role.  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 the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector had several meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders during the inspection and met with members of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. The inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits and at lunchtime. 21 and 22 November 2023

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 Pupils talked to the inspector, formally and informally, about their learning, their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school. The inspector also considered responses received through Ofsted’s pupil survey.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke with parents in the playground and reviewed the responses received through Ofsted’s survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.  The inspector considered responses received through Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Janet Keefe, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 November 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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