Ravensfield Primary School

Ravensfield Primary School

Address: Clarendon Street, Dukinfield, Cheshire, SK16 4JG Unique reference number (URN): 151257

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Monitoring inspection: 23 June 2026

Urgent improvement This school had a full inspection on 4 February 2026 . We graded some areas as 'urgent improvement' and 'needs attention' from the full inspection. We carried out a monitoring inspection on 23 June 2026.

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Monitoring inspection: 23 June 2026

Inspectors only considered the areas marked as updated. Inspectors focused on the following areas: Attendance and behaviour, Curriculum and teaching, Inclusion, Leadership and governance. To find out more read our monitoring inspection guidance.

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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This school requires significant improvement

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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Early years Needs attention

Over time, the provision in the early years has not ensured that children are fully equipped to take on the demands of the Year 1 curriculum. Recent changes are beginning to have a positive impact. Some weaknesses are being eradicated successfully. Even so, this is not consistently true across all classes. This means that some children do not learn all that they should.

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Early years Needs attention

The early years curriculum ensures that staff know what should be taught and when this should happen. Partnerships with parents and carers help staff to understand some of the barriers to learning that children might face. This enables staff to shape activities to meet children's needs. Some aspects of the curriculum, such as early reading, are taught well. In contrast, the difficulties that some children have with early writing and mathematics, especially letter and number formation, are not tackled quickly enough.

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Early years Needs attention

Some children develop secure communication skills due to staff's deliberate use of questions and carefully shaped interactions. Elsewhere, children do not benefit from opportunities to extend their speaking and listening skills. A few children do not build their independence. Children in the early years have a more positive experience of school life than many older pupils. They follow well-established routines that are underpinned by warm and caring relationships with staff. Behavioural incidents are usually managed well so that children feel that they belong to the early years community.

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Leadership and governance Updated Needs attention

Leaders have started to put actions in place to improve the many significant areas of concern in the school. Relationships with many staff are fractured. However, leaders are working closely with staff to set out clear expectations and repair relationships. Parents and carers are concerned about their children's achievement, wellbeing and safety. There remains a long way to go to show that pupils' best interests are at the heart of school life.

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Leadership and governance Updated Needs attention

Recent changes in leadership are beginning to make a positive difference. Leaders are taking the right action, at the right time, to tackle the deep-rooted weaknesses. Essential systems to secure the smooth day-to-day running of the school are in place. With the support of the trust, some teachers and leaders are receiving the advice and guidance that they need to improve their practice. Collaboration with staff has led to an agreed approach to managing pupils' behaviour. Leaders are securing a stronger foundation on which to introduce much-needed change. Even so, this is just the start of the journey. No one is under any illusion that the road to recovery will be easy or swift.

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Leadership and governance Updated Needs attention

Trustees share leaders' honest and insightful understanding of the school's current situation. They keep a tight hold on its progress and offer support and challenge to aid leaders to bring about improvements on the ground. Trustees ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

The personal development offer is improving, but it remains variable in terms of its impact on pupils. This means that some pupils are not as well prepared as they should be for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Typically, pupils are taught content from an appropriate personal, social, health and economic education curriculum. This ensures that they gain a suitable grounding in how to keep themselves healthy and safe, including when they are online. They learn about relationships, and they understand that they have the right to say 'no' if they receive unwanted attention from their peers or adults. However, due to the way in which this curriculum is delivered, some pupils find it more difficult than others to remember their learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Pupils learn about fundamental British values and the differences that exist between people in a diverse world. Some pupils demonstrate respect for these differences. A small minority of pupils do not. Instead of valuing the uniqueness of their classmates, they use points of difference as a reason for hurtful name-calling.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There are some opportunities for pupils to find out about the wider world, to contribute to their community and to enhance their learning. For example, they visit places of worship,

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Urgent improvement

take part in the annual 'bunny hop' to raise money for charity, enjoy theatre and pantomime performances, and they can participate in after-school sports clubs. Some pupils develop their leadership skills through their role as a school councillor. However, this provision lacks depth and richness. It is not shaped closely to pupils' needs, nor is there enough analysis of participation rates to ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, benefit from these wider opportunities. Consequently, some pupils do not extend their interests or enhance their talents.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not achieve well. The 2025 published data shows that many Year 6 pupils left this school without reaching the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. They were catching up from the minute they entered their secondary schools. Pupils currently in school, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, fare no better. This is because teachers do not hold high enough expectations of what pupils should and could achieve. In turn, pupils exhibit little desire to learn, nor do they demonstrate the stamina and resilience that they need to complete tasks to the best of their ability.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Although pupils gain a secure foundation in early reading, many lack the basic knowledge in writing and mathematics that they need to succeed. Their gaps in knowledge go unchecked and unresolved. By the time that pupils reach Year 5 and Year 6, these deficits in learning are too wide to be overcome. This hinders their ability to learn across the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

The new behaviour policy is starting to positively impact pupils' behaviour across the school. Staff have a clearer understanding of the school's expectations. Staff are beginning to feel more supported by leaders when managing pupils' behaviour. The number of suspensions is starting to reduce.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

That said, low expectations of pupils' behaviour have become the norm at this school. A few pupils exhibit challenging behaviour, but many more hold lacklustre attitudes to learning. This is because their needs are not met. Pupils are allowed to opt out of learning, or they approach it with little enthusiasm. Many do not demonstrate a desire to succeed. This is reflected in the poor-quality work that they produce.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Some pupils are unkind to others. Pupils report that name-calling and bullying occur. While such incidents are typically dealt with appropriately, they spoil pupils' experience of school.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Routines are well established in some parts of the school. For example, pupils move safely and sensibly around the building during breaktimes and lunchtimes.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Pupils' attendance rates, including the attendance rates of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are close to the national average but are declining. Recent turbulence at the school has resulted in absence rates increasing. Leaders have started to raise the profile of attendance with parents and carers.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Leaders have started to ensure that teachers hold high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. However, while there is a suitable curriculum in place, in too many instances, its weak delivery means that pupils do not gain the knowledge and skills that they need to succeed.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Teaching lacks challenge. It is not adapted to meet pupils' different needs. Some pupils are not stretched. Elsewhere, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not receive the help that they need to overcome the barriers to their academic achievement. This has a direct impact on pupils' engagement in lessons and contributes to disruptive and low-level behavioural incidents.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Teachers do not select the best approaches, or provide clear enough explanations, to help pupils master new concepts. There is a lack of urgency because learning time is wasted. Gaps in pupils' knowledge, especially deficits in their basic skills, such as writing, are not identified. Mistakes persist over time because errors are not addressed swiftly or effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

In contrast, the teaching of phonics is successful. Leaders have made sure that teachers have the expertise to teach this aspect of the curriculum well.

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Curriculum and teaching Updated Urgent improvement

Leaders have an accurate insight into the shortcomings in teaching. Recent support from the trust is making a difference in some classrooms. However, this is not the case across the school.

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Inclusion Updated Urgent improvement

The systems to identify barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing are in their infancy. Pupils' needs are not identified quickly enough, nor are they reduced over time. This is especially true for pupils who have multiple obstacles to success and those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Inclusion Updated Urgent improvement

The information about pupils' needs is starting to help staff to understand the range of need within their classroom. The training that staff receive is beginning to help them to know how their teaching should be adapted to help pupils thrive and achieve well.

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Inclusion Updated Urgent improvement

The strategies to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils have been unsuccessful over time. Indeed, their academic gaps are widening when compared to other disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Inclusion Updated Urgent improvement

Some pupils who attend the 'thrive' provision and the recently introduced 'rainbow room' enjoy a more tailored approach to their emotional and academic needs. They settle well and engage in the carefully chosen activities, which they complete with success. Similarly, the school's work with external agencies ensures that some pupils and their families receive the support that they need. Leaders are beginning to check the impact of this work to ensure that it is successful.

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Monitoring inspection : 23 June 2026

Some pupils enjoy school. Others do not. Sometimes, pupils find it hard to learn when the behaviour of others distracts them. Although this is reducing, there is still a way to go. Pupils are starting to learn what it means to show respect for all types of difference. Leaders have started to set out clearer expectations for how pupils should conduct themselves both in lessons and at social times.

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Monitoring inspection : 23 June 2026

While most pupils do not cause serious disruption, they have poor attitudes to learning. Previously low expectations are starting to rise. That said, there remains inconsistency across the school about what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. This makes it difficult for pupils to succeed.

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Monitoring inspection : 23 June 2026

Pupils' needs are not known clearly or quickly enough. Their barriers to learning are not identified swiftly, and gaps in their learning go unnoticed and unresolved. This is especially true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have introduced new systems to identify pupils' needs. However, these are at the early stages of development and it is too soon to see the impact on pupils' education.

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Monitoring inspection : 23 June 2026

Pupils are kept safe and many say they feel safe. They know who to go to with any concerns that arise. This helps to protect them from bullying. Pupils are starting to benefit from clearer expectations about regular attendance. Leaders communicate regularly with parents and carers about the impact of pupils not being in school and missing important learning.

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Monitoring inspection : 23 June 2026

Leaders have taken positive steps to improve the offer for pupils. They have a realistic understanding of the significant concerns raised at the previous inspection. However, many of the positive steps taken are at too much of an early stage to have a positive impact on pupils' experience of education.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

Some pupils enjoy school. Others do not. Pupils dislike their learning being interrupted by the poor behaviour of others. They object to name-calling, which does not show respect for the differences between people. Pupils hold a common wish for greater fairness and equity in how they are treated by staff.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

While most pupils do not cause serious disruption, they have poor attitudes to learning. Many do not try to do their best. This is due to staff’s low expectations. Pupils do not gain a sense of pride or a determination to succeed. Attendance rates are close to average but declining over time.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

Pupils' achievement is weak. The curriculum is not taught well. Pupils' barriers to learning are not identified swiftly, and gaps in their learning go unnoticed and unresolved. This is especially true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils do not have the opportunity to thrive. Improvements in the early years are leading to some positive changes. Even so, children are not as well prepared as they should be to move into key stage 1.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

Pupils are kept safe and many say they feel safe. They have positive relationships with some adults, whom they trust to sort out their worries and take appropriate action if bullying occurs.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

Pupils have some opportunities to learn beyond the taught curriculum. However, this offer does not go far enough in making sure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, foster their interests and talents. Some pupils do not gain a secure understanding of what it means to be a positive citizen in modern Britain.

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Full inspection : 4 February 2026

Recent changes in leadership are beginning to tackle the considerable shortcomings at the school. Even so, it is early days. Over time, leaders and staff have lost sight of pupils' best interests. This means that many pupils do not leave Year 6 with the full, rich and positive experiences that should make their time in primary school memorable and special.

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Next steps

Leaders must ensure that they rebuild fractured relationships with staff so that pupils' best interests and their enjoyment of school sit at the heart of school life. Leaders should ensure that they implement the new behaviour policy fully and that staff follow it consistently well so that incidents of challenging behaviour are managed effectively and reduce over time. Leaders must ensure that they raise teachers' expectations of pupils' behaviour, wellbeing and academic success so that pupils' attitudes to learning improve and incidents of low- level behaviour reduce. This is so pupils can thrive, achieve well and regain a sense of belonging to their school community. Leaders must ensure that pupils' needs and barriers to learning are identified early and that teachers are suitably equipped to adapt their teaching in order to help these pupils flourish and succeed. Leaders must ensure that teachers have the knowledge and expertise to deliver the

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Next steps

curriculum and assess pupils' learning so that pupils are able to make the most of their time in school, raise their aspirations and achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that pupils' foundational knowledge in writing, communication and mathematics is secured early so that gaps in pupils' learning do not linger and hinder their next educational steps. Leaders should ensure that there is a whole-school approach to pupils' attendance, so that everyone plays their part in promoting the attendance of all pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should build on the emerging programme of wider opportunities to ensure that pupils are able to enhance their learning, expand their interests and foster their talents. Leaders should ensure that the recent improvements in the early years extend across the whole provision so that more children are ready to meet the demands of Year 1.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 4 February 2026

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Above average Trustees and members of the local governing body should work with school leaders and staff to rebuild trust and confidence so that parents and carers can be assured that their children are happy and safe in school.

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About this inspection

The school is part of the Changing Lives in Collaboration 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), Jo Ashcroft, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anthony Benedict.

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About this inspection

An executive headteacher and another trust leader are currently leading the school. The executive headteacher is also responsible for another school in the trust.

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About this inspection

The inspector conducted this monitoring inspection under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005. It was carried out to evaluate the progress leaders have made in improving the evaluation areas graded as 'Urgent improvement' and 'Needs attention' at the previous full inspection.

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About this inspection

This was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require significant improvement following the full inspection that took place in February 2026.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school uses one unregistered alternative provision for pupils.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.7% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 15.3% 13.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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