Ranworth Square Primary School

Inspection Report Ranworth Square Primary School

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104571 Unique Reference Number Liverpool LEA 277183 Inspection number 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 Inspection dates Mr Mark Madeley CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Ranworth Square School address Primary Type of school Norris Green Community School category Liverpool, Merseyside L11 3DQ 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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0151 226 1740 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 256 5952 Fax number 171 Number on roll Mr C Jervis Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs E Owen Headteacher 13 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277183 22 May 2006 - 4 to 11 23 May 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by a team of two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a smaller than average sized school, which serves an area of exceptional social and economic deprivation. More than half the children are eligible for free school meals. Virtually all children are of White British heritage whose first language is English. The school has an exceptionally high percentage of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school is an active member of the local Learning Network and recently gained the national Healthy Schools Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 3

The inspection findings agree with the school's evaluation that it provides a satisfactory education for its children. The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection. Effective management has significantly improved provision and standards in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, but standards remain low partly because management does not use test information well to identify the progress of groups of children. Governance is good and the school has the ability to improve further. The school gives satisfactory value for money. Children feel safe because this is an exceptionally caring school that provides them with a calm and ordered learning environment. Children join the school with very low standards. They make good progress in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 because they learn effectively through practical activities. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 are broadly average. Children make satisfactory progress through

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Grade: 3

Key Stage 2. However, because tasks in lessons are not always challenging enough, standards in English and mathematics are below average. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Children's personal development is good. The children are keen to learn, help others in and out of school extremely well and have a good understanding of how to stay fit and healthy. Children know their learning targets but not always how to achieve them. Attendance is well below average but the school is successfully working to improve it. The school makes good use of outside agencies to improve the quality of education for its children, particularly those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Parents are delighted with all aspects of the school. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and children enjoy the good range of clubs and visits.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Provide more challenging tasks for children in English and mathematics lessons in Years 3 to 6. • Improve data systems so that management can easily evaluate children's progress through the school. • Share with the children the strategies which will help them achieve their learning targets.

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Grade: 3

Children in the Reception class make good progress from a very low starting point because teaching meets their needs well. However, few children achieve the standards for their age before joining Year 1. They continue to make good progress in Key Stage 1 because tasks are matched well to children's abilities. Test results have improved year on year and are currently broadly average in Year 2. 2 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 At the end of Key Stage 2, national test results have declined for the last three years because high numbers of children have joined or left the school. Many of those who have joined have significant additional learning needs. Also children lost some continuity of learning because of extended teacher absence. Children in the past did not make enough progress. According to school records, standards have improved markedly this year, though they remain below average, and children have made

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Grade: 3

satisfactory progress through Key Stage 2. Effective management and teaching have helped these children learn despite the vast barriers to learning which many of them face daily outside of the school. There is little difference in the achievement of groups of children. The governing body ensures that the school sets itself challenging targets each year and they are generally met. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. The number of children and the range of their learning difficulties sometimes make it difficult for teachers to consistently meet their needs.

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Grade: 2

A parent captured the view of the vast majority when she indicated that 'the school develops a genuine love for learning amongst children and instils a desire within them to do their best'. Children enjoy school, are polite and friendly and try to do their best. Behaviour is generally good and children feel safe because they know that bullying is not tolerated. Attendance is below average but is improving as a result of well planned initiatives, including a well attended breakfast club, reward certificates and the help of the education welfare officer. Discussions between school council members and their classmates successfully teach children about democracy. Older children proudly take responsibility in a mature manner. The children's outstanding work with an adult residential care provision has been nominated for an award by the local newspaper. Children respect beliefs and views that are different from their own, a good indication

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Grade: 2

of their effective spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children are well aware of the benefits of healthy eating and take part in a wide variety of physical activities and competitive sport. They are satisfactorily prepared for the next stage in their learning because they have positive attitudes to learning but, for many, basic skills are weak.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children feel safe and want to learn because teachers build positive relationships with them and present work attractively, for instance, by planning exciting visits prior to starting topic work. New 3 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 technology is used well to stimulate children's interest and promote learning. Children understand how to behave in class because adults use praise consistently well. Learning is good in the Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. Much of children's learning is very practical in nature, which meets their needs effectively. Activities are well planned, based on thorough assessment, and group tasks are pitched at the right level to challenge children's understanding. Teachers in Key Stage 2 work equally hard but some of their children are affected by influences outside the school, which sometimes

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Grade: 3

impact negatively on their attendance and attention span in class. Teachers know their children's abilities and generally set them tasks with an appropriate degree of challenge. However, in some English and mathematics lessons in Years 3 to 6, tasks do not challenge the children sufficiently and so they do not make enough progress. Some marking is good but there are inconsistencies across classes so children do not always know how to improve their work. Teachers use test information well to identify children who need additional help or those who would benefit from the gifted and talented programme.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall with good features. It meets both the needs of the children and statutory requirements. A strength of the curriculum is the priority given to the use of information and communication technology in all subjects. The 'theme weeks' also help make learning fun for all. The Foundation Stage curriculum covers all six areas of learning well, emphasising language and social development. Provision for gifted and talented children is good. Children's personal development is good because the school's programme for health and social education is taught effectively. Many children take part in the wide range of additional activities in arts, sports and music that enhance the formal curriculum.

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Grade: 2

This is a very caring school that places children's safety and well-being as its highest priority. For many children it is an oasis of calm in their lives. Child protection procedures are in place and all staff have received training to support vulnerable children. The school has thorough staff recruitment checks. Health and safety procedures are in place and management carries out regular health and safety audits. Systems to improve attendance are having a significant impact on attendance rates. The learning mentor works very effectively with the families, improving behaviour, attendance and raising self- esteem. Links with parents of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and with agencies who support their learning are good. Parents overwhelmingly say that they value their school very much. They feel reasonably well informed about events and their child's progress. Children know their learning

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Grade: 2

targets but are less aware of strategies that will help them to be achieved. 4 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher has a vision for the school and she receives the full support of the senior management team and the governing body. The school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis, values each child equally and the welfare and well-being of all children are at the heart of everything that the school does. The school's satisfactory self-evaluation and assessment systems identify the main strengths and weaknesses. However, the school does not do enough to ensure that planned improvements have had the intended impact. For instance, the school has many initiatives to attempt to improve standards but these are not yet prioritised in order to ensure maximum impact. Also, the school cannot easily evaluate the progress made by each year group because systems are cumbersome. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection. There have been good improvements

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Grade: 3

to the Foundation Stage, which is now a strength of provision, high quality care arrangements have been maintained and standards are rising. This demonstrates that the school has the ability to improve further. Governance is good. Governors know their school because they visit frequently. They fully support the school but also provide challenge, for example, over annual Key Stage 2 targets. Parents and children are consulted regularly. They are delighted with the school and appreciate the high quality of care provided. The school works hard to involve parents by providing information, both formally and informally, in addition to support and courses. The school deploys resources efficiently to achieve satisfactory value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Ranworth Square Primary School, 22 May 2006 to 23 May 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 4 The attendance of learners NA 3 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your help during our recent visit to your school. We liked the confident way that you talked to us, though we are sorry that we didn't see more of Year 6. We were pleased that you and your parents value the hard work of the headteacher and her staff who care for all of you very much. We feel that children make a good start to their schooling in the Reception class and also do well in Key Stage 1, where standards have improved for four years in a row. In Key Stage 2 children make satisfactory progress. You all try hard and because of this standards have improved this year but they remain below average. You are generally well behaved in school and most are keen to learn. You showed us you know how to stay fit and healthy by your healthy lunch choices and all that hula hooping, swimming and tennis. You all do a really great job of helping in school and helping others in the community. We, like you, thought your learning mentor was a very special person who does a very good

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

job with many different groups of children. The headteacher and governors are committed to providing the best education for you and recognise that there remains much work to be done. These are the things we have asked the school to do to make it a better place for you to learn. - Give children in Years 3 to 6 more challenging work in English and mathematics so as to raise standards. - Make better use of test results so that managers can see what progress groups of you have made. - Show you ways you can achieve your learning targets. You can help your school too by coming to school regularly, listening carefully to your teachers and always trying to do your best. Thank you once again for sharing your views of the school. We wish you and the school well in the future.

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