Ranskill Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ranskill Primary School Cherry Tree Walk, Ranskill, Retford, Nottinghamshire DN22 8LH

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Outcome

Ranskill Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Joanne Throssell. This school is part of SHINE multi academy 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), Judi O’Leary, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sam Clulow.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school each day. They feel comfortable and confident in the supportive and caring school environment. Staff put pupils’ interests at the heart of everything they do. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the care and support they need so that they are able to make important contributions to school life. The school encourages pupils to see themselves as ‘take care’ pupils and this is reflected in their respectful and empathetic actions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations about what pupils can achieve. Pupils are known as individuals and receive the personalised guidance they need to be successful, in school and beyond. They achieve very well in national tests at the end of key stage 2. Pupils become knowledgeable and mature young people during their time at the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from opportunities to develop their resilience and independence. The school has developed characters or ‘pals’ to teach pupils about these qualities. Pupils talk enthusiastically about how ‘resilient rhino’ has helped them to see that they should never give up. This understanding is demonstrated in lessons as pupils continue to do their best even when they find work challenging. This helps to create a positive culture in which pupils can grow and succeed. 28 January 2025

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

The school has carefully designed the curriculum. Teachers know exactly what to teach and when, from the early years to year 6. Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They share clear explanations with pupils about important knowledge and how to complete tasks. Pupils develop their understanding and in some subjects use sophisticated, subject-specific vocabulary to share their knowledge. For example, pupils can talk about their knowledge of the parts of an egg using terms such as albumen. Pupils with SEND achieve well academically and socially. At times, teachers do not provide work for pupils which is focused clearly enough on the most complex aspects of the school’s curriculum, such as problem solving in mathematics. This means that pupils do not consistently deepen their understanding across the subjects they study.

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

Most of the time, teachers carefully check pupils’ understanding and ensure that any misconceptions are addressed. This means that pupils do not become confused and are able to build their knowledge. For instance, pupils share their learning about famous artists and designers that they have studied, including William Blake. Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND and work closely with their colleagues, pupils, and parents and carers, to ensure that these pupils get the right help. Sometimes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough to ensure that they move pupils learning on at the most appropriate point. On these occasions, some pupils need extra help or are ready to move their learning on but are not supported as well as they could be.

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

Pupils enjoy reading. From the early years, children receive advice from expert teachers so that they can identify letters and the sounds that they make before becoming fluent and confident readers. Any pupils at risk of falling behind their peers are quickly identified and receive support which means they keep up and can access their learning across the curriculum. Older pupils read a wide range of literature including classics and poetry.

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

As soon as they start in the Nursery, children learn about manners and respect. They enjoy making friends and looking after one another. Children in the early years develop strong, trusting relationships with staff which continue throughout the school.

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

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is very effective. Pupils are very well prepared for life beyond school. The school’s work, including the personal development award offer, helps pupils to become active citizens. Pupils can achieve bronze, silver or gold awards for looking after themselves, their school and their community respectively. They develop their leadership skills as librarians and members of the school council. Pupils discuss and debate important world issues and broaden their horizons by studying cultures and beliefs different from their own. They take part in trips including to the Peak District and the coast to help them develop their problem-solving skills and confidence.

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

Leaders are proactive and effective. They identify areas for improvement and ensure that changes are made which are sustainable and do not impact negatively on staff workload. There has been significant change to the curriculum in recent years. During this time, pupils have continued to achieve well and staff have remained committed and positive. 28 January 2025

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The school works closely with the trust to support staff as well as to develop staff practice through training.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, the work provided for pupils does not enable them to achieve the ambitious aims of the curriculum. On these occasions, this means that pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers provide work and activities which enable pupils to build their knowledge of the most ambitious aspects of the curriculum.  On occasion, teachers do not check well enough what pupils understand. As a result, there are times when pupils who need extra help or who are ready to move their learning on do not get the support they need. The school should ensure that teachers identify when pupils need extra help or are ready to engage with more demanding work and adjust their teaching accordingly.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 predecessor school, Ranskill Primary School, the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2016. 28 January 2025

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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). 28 January 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection 19 November 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the SHINE multi academy trust.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.  The school has provision for two-year-old children.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision.  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, other senior leaders, subject leaders, staff, the CEO, the chair of trustees and vice chair of trustees. 28 January 2025

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for pupils’ attendance and personal development. They also met with leaders responsible for the provision for pupils with SEND.  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. They also considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson His Majesty's Inspector 28 January 2025

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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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