Rufford CofE School

Inspection of a good school: Rufford C of E School Flash Lane, Rufford, Ormskirk, Lancashire L40 1SN

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Outcome

Rufford C of E School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school. They described it to inspectors as an ‘extended family’. There are strong relationships between staff and pupils of all ages. Pupils are polite and well mannered. They speak confidently and articulately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well throughout the school. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. This allows pupils to try their best during lessons. They have positive attitudes to their learning. The school is highly ambitious for pupils’ achievement. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of trips and clubs that help to develop their individual talents and interests. For example, older pupils spoke excitedly about their residential trip. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is well promoted through work linked to different faiths and cultural aspects that is woven through the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their various responsibilities. These roles include representing their classmates as school councillors and as members of the eco-council. Pupils are proud of the positive contribution that they make to their school and to the wider community, through many community activities, such as donating food to a local food bank.

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

The school has implemented an ambitious curriculum from the beginning of the early years to Year 6. This meets the needs of pupils, including pupils with SEND. Governors have a sharp focus on supporting and challenging the school to continue to improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

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

The school has identified the important knowledge that pupils should acquire. This knowledge builds on what pupils already know in well-ordered steps. Teachers have been 26 March 2024

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suitably trained. They use their strong subject knowledge to make sure that pupils learn the content of most subject curriculums well. Teachers check that pupils have understood what has been taught before introducing new learning. Pupils achieve well in these subjects.

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In a few subjects, teachers do not design learning precisely enough in order to help some pupils to deepen their knowledge over time. The checks that the school makes to ensure the successful delivery of the curriculum in this small number of subjects are not sharp enough. This means that this variability in learning design is not addressed sufficiently well.

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The school prioritises reading. In the Nursery class, children have many opportunities to listen to stories and rhymes that help to develop their vocabulary. Staff have been trained to deliver the phonics programme successfully. They make sure that pupils read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned. Teachers are swift to spot pupils who need help to keep up with the programme. They provide further support to help them to catch up quickly. Older pupils develop effective reading habits. They spoke enthusiastically about the books that they have read.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff check carefully that the appropriate support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their classmates and participate in all aspects of school life.

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Pupils understand and follow well-established classroom routines. They are attentive during lessons. The positive behaviour of pupils and their positive levels of attendance support their learning. The school has created effective partnerships with families and has developed clear procedures to manage attendance.

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The school supports pupils’ wider development and welfare well. Pupils learn how to develop healthy relationships, including when online. They also benefit from the strong support that the school provides for their social and emotional needs. Pupils have a secure knowledge of the fundamental British values. For example, they have a strong understanding of democracy. However, they are not as confident in their understanding of equality and diversity issues, or how these are important for life in modern Britain.

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Staff are proud of the strong teamwork that exists in school. They are supported to fulfil their roles effectively. For example, the school has eased time pressures in its assessment strategy by providing greater clarity around its expectations of staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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 In a few subjects, the school is at the early stages of developing systems so that it can review the quality and impact of its curriculums. On occasion, the school does not act quickly enough to address variabilities in how some teachers support some pupils to deepen their knowledge in these subjects. The school should sharpen its monitoring of the delivery and impact of the curriculum so that it can swiftly address any issues that impact on how well these pupils learn.  Opportunities for pupils to develop and secure their knowledge about equality and diversity are underdeveloped. This means that pupils lack confidence when comparing and contrasting forms of diversity. The school should ensure that pupils are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.

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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 school to be good in November 2014.

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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 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 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The headteacher and several other staff have been appointed since the last inspection.  The chair of the governing body and several other governors have also been appointed since the last inspection.  This Church of England school is part of the Diocese of Blackburn. The last section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in November 2019. The school is awaiting confirmation from the diocese about its next section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 26 March 2024

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 The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, with other leaders and with members of staff. The lead inspector also spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority and of the diocese.  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.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and physical education. They talked with curriculum leaders of these subjects. The inspectors also visited lessons, looked at examples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils. The lead inspector observed some pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to

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staff.  The inspectors considered a range of documents and discussed the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during class and as they moved around the school. They also observed pupils during lunchtime and while they played outside.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also met with parents before and after school to find out their views of the school.  The inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils.

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Inspection team

Ian Shackleton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Cath Cooke Ofsted Inspector 26 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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