Rivelin Primary School

Inspection Report Rivelin Primary School

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107081 Unique Reference Number Sheffield LEA 277699 Inspection number 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 Inspection dates Mr John Young HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Morley Street School address Primary Type of school Sheffield Community School category South Yorkshire S6 2PL 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0114 2341304 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0114 2314079 Fax number 384 Number on roll Ms Roberta Taylor Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Dr Yvonne Twelvetree Headteacher 25 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277699 6 June 2006 - 3 to 11 7 June 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average school, and it is popular, with more requests for places than the school can accommodate. Pupils come from backgrounds that are neither advantaged nor deprived. The proportion entitled to free school meals is low. The vast majority of pupils are White British and speak English as their first language. The proportion of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is lower than that found nationally. There is 'wrap around' provision on site, with a playgroup, breakfast and after-school clubs. On entry into school, pupils' attainment is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school that gives satisfactory value for money. This judgment matches the school's own evaluation. During the past 18 months, the school has undergone significant changes designed to improve the quality of its provision and its overall effectiveness. These include both organisational and cultural changes to the way the school now operates. There is a sharper focus upon what the school needs to do to ensure that all pupils reach their potential. Issues from the last inspection been addressed, although writing remains the most important area for development. These improvements have been led by the headteacher and the deputy headteacher, who have brought clear educational direction to the school. Rivelin is working in partnership with a number of external agencies including the local authority to promote learners' well-being. Importantly, the school's self-evaluation is of good quality and

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Grade: 3

it recognises many of the issues outstanding. It has developed a credible action plan to address these. However, insufficient attention is paid to evaluating the impact of newly introduced improvement measures. The majority of parents/carers feel the school is changing for the better and believe their children are getting 'a good deal'. Some parents, though, are worried by the pace of change and some feel their concerns are not always acknowledged. The school needs to ensure that this is not the case. Teaching is satisfactory and is reflected in the pupils' progress. Typically, lessons are well planned with challenging activities that the children find interesting. As a result, the children respond with enthusiasm and work hard. In the Foundation Stage, pupils make sound progress and attain standards that are above expected levels. This is most pronounced in their personal, social and emotional development and least so in their reading and writing and literacy skills, which is an

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Grade: 3

area for development. Pupils in the Foundation Stage are very well socially and emotionally adjusted. During Key Stage 1, both the standards attained in the core subjects and the progress pupils make are satisfactory overall. The standards attained in mathematics are significantly above the national average, as are the number of pupils who attain the highest levels in all the core subjects. Within this, however, the proportion of pupils who reach expected levels is below average in writing, and there are a relatively high number of low attaining pupils in reading. By the end of Key Stage 2 pupils are exceeding national expectations in terms of the standards they attain, but their progress is only satisfactory overall. The progress pupils make in mathematics is inadequate, and there is some underachievement in writing. If pupils' progress is to improve then the inconsistencies which exist in teaching

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Grade: 3

will need to be eradicated. To the school's credit it has recently begun to use data on pupils' performance effectively to set targets and track the progress of individual pupils. 2 Inspection Report: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 The good relationships between staff and pupils are a major strength and key to the good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all pupils. As a result pupils are sensitive, tolerant and appreciative of each other's differences and needs. They enjoy school and are increasingly gaining an understanding of the benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle. They acquire skills which prepare them well for life beyond the school. The school provides satisfactory care and guidance arrangements for pupils, who value the support they receive. Inspectors judge that although satisfactory, the curriculum needs to evolve so that it is better matched to the needs of all pupils. This point is confirmed by the school's

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Grade: 3

own self-evaluation. The school has the necessary capacity to build on these improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Eliminate the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching so that pupils' learning is better. • Raise attainment and improve the progress pupils make in their knowledge of phonics and writing in the Foundation Stage, reading in Key Stage 1 and mathematics in Key Stage 2. • Make sure that initiatives to raise standards and improve progress are closely evaluated for their impact on pupils' learning. • Develop better communication between parents/carers and the school to ensure parents/carers feel the school takes account of their concerns.

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Grade: 3

The achievement of pupils is satisfactory. This is because pupils generally enter the school with above average standards and leave with above average standards. This represents expected, and therefore satisfactory, progress. However, some pupils do not do as well as they should in certain areas of their learning including: their knowledge of phonics and writing in the Foundation Stage; writing and reading in Key Stage 1; and writing and mathematics at Key Stage 2. Analysis of the provisional 2006 Key Stage 1 national test results show a big improvement in writing overall, and this was confirmed during the inspection. Scrutiny of lessons, samples of pupils' work and interrogation of the school's own data revealed that pupils with learning difficulties make at least satisfactory progress in all areas.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their fine attendance record. Relationships are good. 3 Inspection Report: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006 Consequently, pupils are well behaved, although they themselves think behaviour could be better at times. The school works hard to effectively promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the curriculum. Pupils know how important it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and they feel safe at the school. They enjoy sports, music and drama, and confidently make their views known. However, the school does not have a school council by which pupils' opinions have an official channel. Rivelin is recognised by parents as a community school where pupils are prepared well for their future well-being in the wider world. Pupils actively raise funds for those in

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Grade: 2

need and undertake a range of community duties. Pupils in the Foundation Stage are confident and are socially and emotionally very well adjusted.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school that the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teaching in the lessons inspected was generally satisfactory, with a significant minority of lessons considered good. All teachers have good relationships with pupils. Teachers make clear what they expect children to learn and they demonstrate appropriate subject knowledge. Pupils' work is well marked and teachers make helpful comments to guide future learning. However, the school needs to remove the inconsistencies that still exist in the quality of teaching. In particular, there needs to be greater coherence in the quality of assessment practice more broadly. The school should also ensure that work is matched closely to pupils' stages of understanding.

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Grade: 3

The school's curriculum is now satisfactory at all key stages, and this is a major improvement on the situation at the time of the last inspection. In particular, issues in design and technology and in science have been resolved. Similarly, the teaching of information and communications technology (ICT) now meets statutory requirements at Key Stage 2, and there is a new fully equipped computer suite. However, there was little use of computers observed during the inspection. More needs to be done to give pupils greater access to the facility and improve teachers' confidence in using ICT to enrich children's learning generally. The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities, including sport, music and drama in collaboration with private organisations and the School Sports Partnership Programme. 4 Inspection Report: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 2006

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Grade: 3

Inspectors confirm the school's view that care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Safety checks are rigorous, and policy and procedures for child protection are in place. Pupils, including the most vulnerable, receive good support and guidance as they progress through the school. Suitable links also exist to support their transfer to the local secondary school. Many pupils share trusting relationships with the adults who look after them. There are newly introduced systems in place to monitor progress and set the pupils targets which are reviewed each term. Pupils however, are not always clear about how well they are achieving their targets and what needs to be done to improve.

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Grade: 3

The quality of leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher, together with the deputy headteacher and senior staff, are providing a clear educational direction for the school. The current school self-evaluation is accurate. Staff are increasingly held to account and pupils' progress is now linked to performance management arrangements. Some improvements have been made in areas already identified by the school as needing development, including the curriculum and the use of data to improve pupils' progress. The governing body is much more effective in its work than at the time of the last inspection. Greater consideration is now given to monitoring the work of the school. Resources are deployed and used effectively and value for money is satisfactory. However, the impact of recent changes is yet to become fully evident in pupils' attainment and in some aspects of the running of the school.

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Grade: 3

5 Inspection Report: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 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: Rivelin Primary School, 6 June 2006 to 7 June 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 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 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 2 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 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 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 2 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 3 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 2 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 3 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 talking to us and making us so welcome on our recent visit. We saw your lessons, looked at your work and read the results of questionnaires completed by you and your parents/carers: they proved very helpful. Here is a summary of our main findings which I hope will be of interest to you. - The school provides you with a satisfactory education and is effectively run. - You are clever and have good attitudes to learning, but in some activities you do not do as well as you should. - The teaching you receive can be good but this is not always the case. - The curriculum is satisfactory but could be more exciting. It includes some extra curricular activities, which many of you are involved in. - The school cares about you, and does a good job of encouraging you to develop into kind and responsible children. You enjoy coming to school, and feel any concerns you have are dealt with. However, your parents/carers do not always feel the same way.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The adults in your school know what needs to be done to make things better. These things include: making sure all of the teaching in the school is good so that you improve and understand as much as you should checking regularly that the things done to improve things are working making certain all your parents/carers feel the school takes notice of them and any concerns they have. We ask you to do all you can to help make your school better.

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