William Ransom Primary School

Inspection of William Ransom Primary School Stuart Drive, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG4 9QB

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

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since October 2014. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

William Ransom Primary is a caring and happy school. Pupils say they enjoy coming here. Staff greet pupils warmly each day. This contributes towards developing positive relationships with pupils and their families. As a result, pupils arrive calm, settled and ready to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is typically positive. This is because the school has clear expectations that are consistently upheld. Pupils understand and follow the school rules. Pupils are respectful and enjoy interacting with each other. When pupils struggle to manage their behaviour, staff provide effective support to help them to get back on track. Pupils know that everyone is unique. They said that every person should be treated respectfully even if they are different from them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is well structured. Many pupils achieve well. However, the identification of and subsequent support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not as strong as it could be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the wide range of clubs which are available to all. These include gardening, chess, film and choir. There are a range of sports clubs that are available. Pupils are encouraged to try clubs they have not attended before. This allows them to explore new experiences or further develop existing interests.

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

Teachers typically deliver the curriculum content confidently. Staff provide opportunities for pupils to recap their previous learning. Pupils then use their prior knowledge to access new learning. As a result, pupils build up their knowledge in each subject over time.

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

Published pupil outcomes are positive in most areas. However, the planned support programmes to address gaps in some pupils’ learning are not always effective. As a result, the appropriateness and quality of this support varies. Therefore, not all pupils receive the right support at the right time.

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

The school does not have sufficient oversight of pupils with SEND. Staff do not identify pupils’ individual needs precisely enough. Systems to check on the learning of pupils with SEND are not always robust. Some helpful physical adaptations are in place, such as the use of visual aids. However, adaptations to the curriculum are not as effective as they need to be to ensure all pupils with SEND can access learning successfully. As a result, pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they could.

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

Pupils have access to a wide range of high-quality books. This contributes towards them developing a love of reading. Children learn to read as soon as they join the school in early years. They quickly learn the sounds that letters make. In key stage 1, pupils continue to develop their reading skills. As they move through the school, most become 18 and 19 March 2025

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confident and fluent readers. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read receive extra support from staff.

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Children in the early years settle well into school life. Staff provide clear routines. The early years curriculum prepares children well for Year 1. Children develop confidence and independence through a range of well-planned activities. Staff check what children know and can do when they join the school. As a result, any gaps in learning are identified promptly. Staff provide a language-rich environment. This supports the development of children’s vocabulary and language skills effectively.

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Staff create a positive, supportive and nurturing learning environment. Disruption in lessons is rare. Pupils behave well. Staff follow the school’s agreed behaviour policy diligently. They help pupils to reflect on their feelings. This has helped to improve pupils’ behaviour. The school prioritises attendance. Leaders have secure systems to manage pupils’ attendance. They work closely with families when pupils’ attendance is a concern. Consequently, pupils attend well.

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The school’s personal, social, health and economic curriculum ensures pupils learn about healthy relationships. This curriculum is adapted well so that pupils learn about local risks. This helps them to spot signs of danger. For example, as the school is near a railway line, pupils learn about rail safety. Preparing pupils for their adult life is important to the school. A wide range of pupil leadership roles are available. These include peer mentors, peer mediators, and sports leaders. These opportunities help to develop the pupils’ leadership skills and develop their character.

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Governors are enthusiastic about their roles and work closely with leaders. Recent changes to workload and well-being have been positively received by staff. However, there is a lack of strategic oversight, clear systems and processes. For example, this means that the school does not have a secure enough understanding of how well the school is meeting the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders do not have a clear strategic oversight of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As a result, staff do not have the information they need to identify and support pupils with SEND effectively. Lessons are not always adapted well. Leaders should strengthen their oversight of the identification of pupils’ individual needs and how staff use this information effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve well. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 Where pupils have gaps in their knowledge, the support programme put in place is not always effective. Consequently, these gaps are not closed and pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that any extra pupil support is appropriate and effective so that pupils’ gaps in knowledge are closed.

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Andrew Fennemore

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 and 5 December 2014, Under Section 5 of the Education Act 2002

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Information about this school

 The school uses two unregistered and one registered alternative provision. The headteacher was appointed in September 2023.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  The lead inspector met with four governors, including the chair of governors, and a member of the local authority. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, physical education and history. 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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 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 the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys. They also

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considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Benjamin Axon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Fiona Webb Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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