Ravensthorpe Primary Academy

Inspection of Ravensthorpe Primary School Brigstock Court, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE3 7NB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement 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 Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Emma Ward. This school is part of Peterborough Keys Academies 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), Ian Young, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Claire Higgins. 11 and 12 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. They appreciate recent improvements and the renewed calm and purpose these have brought. The school rules to ‘be respectful, prepared and safe’ are typically lived out by pupils. Pupils benefit from the consistent approaches to managing behaviour during lessons now in place. Classrooms are calm and orderly. This means learning is typically free from disruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trained staff provide tailored approaches for pupils who need extra help. This includes those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Interventions support pupils well and make the school environment a welcoming place. This helps meet pupils’ social and emotional needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the range of trips, visitors and wider opportunities on offer. There is a particularly strong sporting provision. Pupils love the opportunity to attend clubs such as dodgeball, cricket, and football. They broaden their horizons through newly established chances to play musical instruments.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are starting to benefit from the new curriculums the school has introduced. They are starting to secure the important knowledge the school expects them to. However, much of the curriculum is new. Pupils do not have a secure understanding of the knowledge they need for their next stage of learning.

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better?

Ravensthorpe Primary School is an improving school. The new leadership team is working at pace to bring about the changes needed. This is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. However, there is more work to do to ensure pupils receive a good quality of education.

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better?

The school has developed a broad and balanced curriculum. They have identified the important knowledge pupils learn from early years to Year 6. In some subjects, such as reading and physical education, this is well established. Here, pupils learn content which builds upon previous learning. This helps pupils to secure their knowledge over time. In many subjects, the school has recently introduced new curriculums. These curriculums now identify the precise knowledge pupils will learn. Where these curriculums are new, pupils have gaps in their learning that prevent them from securing their knowledge as well as the school expects.

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better?

Staff are getting to grips with teaching the new curriculum. On occasion, staff do not present important information clearly enough. This means some pupils do not learn as successfully as they should. Leaders are aware of this. They are providing training and support for staff in how to deliver the content of the new curriculum.

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better?

A positive reading culture is developing across the school. Children start learning to read as soon as they start in Reception. Pupils read books that match the sounds 11 and 12 June 2024

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that they know. Should pupils fall behind with reading, well-trained staff provide effective support to help them catch up. This helps pupils to develop their fluency and confidence.

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Children make a strong start in early years. Routines and expectations are well established. Staff plan meaningful activities that help children to secure their understanding of important knowledge. They question children well to support and extend their learning. This helps children to be well prepared for future learning in Year 1.

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Clear systems to identify and support pupils with SEND are in place. For many pupils, teachers make suitable adaptations to planning. These help pupils with SEND to access learning in the classroom. Other pupils have individual curriculum plans. These are well considered and meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND are generally successful in their learning.

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The school has introduced strategies to ensure consistency in the way staff manage behaviour. Staff implement these approaches well. This has secured clear and consistent expectations across classes. While most pupils enjoy break and lunchtimes, behaviour at unstructured times is less consistent. Expectations are not as clear during these times. The school is addressing where this needs to improve.

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Improving attendance is a school priority. Strong relationships mean the school offers bespoke support and challenge where attendance is not as good as it should be. This is having a positive impact, although leaders recognise there is more work to do.

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Pupils know what makes a healthy relationship. They know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils understand the importance of respect and tolerance. They learn about different cultures and faiths. They enhance their knowledge through themed events such as safeguarding weeks and diversity day.

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School and trust leaders have balanced school improvement priorities with staff well- being. Staff feel valued and supported. Governors and trustees know the school. They understand where the school needs to work to ensure pupils benefit from an improved quality of education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In subjects where the curriculum is new, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This makes it hard for them to access new learning and build their knowledge 11 and 12 June 2024

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over time. The school should ensure staff address pupils’ gaps in knowledge, so pupils better secure their knowledge over time.  There are inconsistencies in how well staff teach the curriculum. Staff do not consistently present important information clearly enough to pupils. This prevents pupils from securing their understanding of important knowledge over time. The school should ensure staff have the support they need to develop their pedagogy. This is so they routinely present information clearly to 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 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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 June 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Peterborough Keys Academies Trust.  The headteacher took up her position in January 2024.  The school currently uses two registered alternative providers.

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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.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 June 2024

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, staff, a member of the academy committee, members of the central trust team, the CEO and the chair of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read with a familiar member of staff.  Inspectors also considered curriculum documentation and spoke to pupils about their learning in physical education.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 academy committee and trust meetings, school development plans and school self-evaluation documents.  The inspection team considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also spoke with parents as they arrived at school.  Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alison Hughes Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 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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