Ringstead Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Ringstead Church of England Primary School Church Street, Ringstead, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN14 4DH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Helen Roberts. This school is part of the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Ruth Walker-Green, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Margaret Holman. 26 and 27 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are known and valued as individuals at this school. One pupil captured the views of many staff and pupils saying, ‘the school is one big community’. Another talked about knowing they will miss the school when they leave. Parents and carers are similarly positive. They share their experiences of ‘smiley’ and ‘approachable’ staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Expectations are high for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well. Children in the early years get off to a strong start. Throughout their time at this school, pupils grow in confidence. They quickly understand and demonstrate the school values including honesty, compassion and perseverance. Pupils have positive relationships with staff. They are respectful to one another and to the school environment. They feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wealth of opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills and to see the relevance of their learning beyond the classroom. Pupils visit places of worship, the space centre in Leicester and Holdenby House. Pupils develop their leadership skills as house captains, worship leaders and members of the sports crew. Pupils learn about British values. Children in the early years accurately use terms such as ‘democracy’.

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better?

The curriculum is ambitious and designed to provide pupils with the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps. Pupils’ interests and identities are reflected in the curriculum they study. For example, the school listened to pupils’ views and introduced a history topic about warfare over time. The school ensures that making the curriculum engaging never comes at the expense of the important knowledge that pupils should learn. Pupils are committed to their learning and work well independently. The early years curriculum is similarly ambitious and prepares children well for key stage 1.

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better?

Staff know the subjects they teach well. They share important knowledge clearly. Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding. Pupils can often talk confidently about their learning. They share their understanding of deforestation and the hydrological cycle in geography. Pupils have secure knowledge of number facts in mathematics. They do not always have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the most sophisticated aspects of the subjects they study. For example, some pupils do not consistently develop their skills of problem solving and reasoning in mathematics. They cannot always explain how professionals such as historians understand the past or how views about art have changed over time.

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better?

Children in the early years build their knowledge as well as their language and communication skills. They recall a visit to Rockingham Castle and describe the features of castles, including crenelations. The indoor and outdoor environments in the early years provide children with opportunities to apply their learning 26 and 27 March 2024

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independently. Children see their achievements celebrated in the ‘wow work’ wall. Adults skilfully help children to develop their understanding of the world around them by asking questions and modelling how to talk about their learning.

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Reading is prioritised. Staff complete training and confidently teach pupils at the early stages of reading to identify sounds and to blend them to read words. Children quickly become accurate readers. Those who need extra help are promptly identified. They receive support tailored precisely to aspects of reading they are less confident about. Parents are welcomed into the school for ‘book and biscuit’ sessions where a love of reading is promoted.

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Pupils with SEND receive personalised support. They study the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers adapt lessons so these pupils are not overwhelmed by the new knowledge they are learning. The school ensures that all staff understand pupils’ needs and how to help them achieve their targets. Pupils with SEND build their knowledge alongside their peers.

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Pupils behave well. They value their education and take pride in their work. The school has worked hard to ensure that routines are understood and followed by staff and pupils.

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Pupils’ attendance has improved significantly. The school identifies the reasons that some pupils do not attend as well as they could and puts relevant and effective strategies in place. The school has strengthened relationships with parents and communicated effectively with the school community about the importance of attendance. Pupils now attend well.

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The school caters well for pupils’ personal development. Pupils enjoy discussing current affairs in assemblies. They are enthusiastic about the visitors to school who share their professions and cultures. Pupils learn about the major world faiths. They cannot always recall their learning about the religions they have studied.

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Staff enjoy working at the school. They talk about the collaborative environment in which they work. The school and the trust provide training so that staff can improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that pupils consistently benefit from opportunities to develop the sophistication of their thinking about the subjects they study. As a result, pupils do not always problem solve in mathematics or develop their understanding of how historians think about the past, for example. The school 26 and 27 March 2024

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should ensure that the opportunities the curriculum outlines for pupils to engage in complex thinking are consistently and deliberately taught in lessons so that pupils can deepen the sophistication of their understanding.

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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 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). 26 and 27 March 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17 and 18 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school converted to become an academy school in 2015. The school is part of the Peterborough Diocese Education Trust.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, most recently in November 2019.  The school makes use of one registered 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. 26 and 27 March 2024

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, subject leaders, staff, the CEO and the chair of the academy governance committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the subject lead and scrutinised curriculum documentation for geography. They looked at samples of pupils’ geography work and visited geography lessons.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for pupils’ behaviour and attendance, personal development and the provision for pupils with SEND.

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 Inspectors met with the leader responsible for the early years and visited the early years setting.  Inspectors met formally and informally with groups of pupils.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses received on Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Shaun Carter His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 March 2024

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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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