Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Abbots Ripton CofE Primary School Wennington Road, Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE28 2LT

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop charisma, confidence and curiosity. They use these qualities to offer ideas during discussions or to ask questions to check their understanding. Active participation in lessons helps staff identify and assist pupils who need extra help. As a result, many pupils excel, including in statutory assessment tests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kind and respectful behaviour is customary. A focus on teaching values helps to nurture empathy among pupils. Practical experiences also ground this learning in reality. For example, during the harvest festival, pupils gather and deliver non-perishable food items to a charity. Here, they meet people who teach them, in a way that is right for their age, about the challenges others face. Attending a school that promotes caring for others ensures pupils’ happiness and safety.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School-wide initiatives encourage responsibility and teamwork. They also promote a sense of community and shared achievement. For example, pupils earn tokens for good behaviour. It culminates in a collective vote on a school-wide reward. These rewards include building dens and themed dress-up days.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit greatly from the school’s community engagement. The parent-teacher association organises many memorable fundraising and extra-curricular experiences. The annual careers event, for example, broadens pupils’ aspirations. Participating parents and carers help pupils explore various professions.

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

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. This is because the school fosters a strong sense of 13 June 2024

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community. It proactively builds relationships and sets expectations from the start. The newsletter introduces new families, making everyone feel welcome and valued. This respect cultivates collaboration. Older pupils lead lunchtime games for younger ones. They also buddy with Reception children to welcome them into the school community. These positive relationships make school a happy place to learn and work in.

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There is a well-planned curriculum. It provides teachers with the clarity they need to teach different topics and concepts. Teachers focus on reviewing previous lessons to ensure pupils understand. They work to expand pupils’ vocabulary and show clear steps for completing activities. Diligent teaching assistants repeat instructions for pupils who need extra support. As a result, pupils concentrate on learning. They perform activities with success and receive recognition and reward for their efforts.

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The school is outward facing, using its links with other providers to further enhance the curriculum. This is particularly evident in the provision for reading. A rigorous phonics programme was recently introduced. The aim was to build on pupils’ consistently high achievement in reading. Leaders understand how to embed improvements. By providing effective staff training, coaching and tailored reading materials, a greater number of pupils are now excelling in reading. Also, the school invests in its book stock. Staff enthusiastically suggest books that introduce pupils to new people and places. This, along with the support many pupils receive at home, fosters a deeper love of reading.

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High-quality teaching meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities effectively. Staff are well prepared to offer pupils the support and tools necessary to aid their progress. For instance, during reading sessions, staff use customised flashcards. These help pupils review sounds and words they will encounter in their book. This approach sets pupils up for success. It shows in the way pupils read books at an appropriate pace, with fitting expressions. There is a further suite of in-school support. This includes support to overcome challenges with speech and language, concentration and motor skills regulation. When necessary, the school promptly seeks advice and services from external partners. Throughout this process, parents play a crucial role in shaping the support tailored to their child’s success.

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The school monitors pupils’ attendance daily and over time. This allows leaders to intervene without delay when a pupil’s attendance declines. The school’s care for pupils’ achievement drives its proactive approach to attendance issues. Additionally, governors compare the school’s attendance rates with local and national benchmarks. It provides assurance that the school’s actions are resulting in pupils’ pleasing attendance.

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This small school has a big personal development programme. There is a wide range of lunchtime and after-school clubs. These allow pupils to develop their talents. Clubs include athletics, dance and singing, to name but a few. Pupils compete in many intra- and inter-school events. These include an art exhibition and a mathematics tournament.

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Staff, parents and pupils agree that the school is well led and managed. There is effective communication, training and adherence to policies. This maintains relationships and high- quality teaching and minimises workload challenges. Governors are dedicated and skilled. There is rigour in how they conduct meetings and school visits. They use these to check, 13 June 2024

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assess and commend the school. This ensures the school runs like a well-oiled machine, serving its community well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 June 2015.

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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). 13 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a small school comprising four classes: a Reception class, a Year 1 and Year 2 class, a Year 3 and Year 4 class, and a Year 5 and Year 6 class.  The school is part of the Diocese of Ely. The school has a religious character, Church of England, and was last inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 on 6 October 2022. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within five school years of that date.  The school offers before-school childcare for pupils attending the school. It is run by school staff and managed by the governing body.  The school shares its site with a separately registered and inspected provider of early years education. In September 2024, this provider will offer after-school childcare for pupils attending this primary school.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 13 June 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 held meetings with leaders, including the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, five governors, a representative from the diocese and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also 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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors reviewed school documentation, including the school development plan, self-evaluation form and minutes from meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors considered the responses to surveys. These included 62 responses to the pupil survey, 13 responses to the staff survey and 70 responses, with 46 free-text responses, to Ofsted Parent View. An inspector also held separate discussions with pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Daniel Short, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Fordham Ofsted Inspector 13 June 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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