Ranworth Square Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress, particularly in writing, by ensuring that:
  • activities and adults’ questioning more consistently extend pupils’ learning
  • pupils have sufficient understanding to tackle more demanding work.
• Develop middle and subject leaders’ skills further to ensure that they more effectively monitor and promote progress in their subjects.
• Build on the improvements made to the leadership of special educational needs to ensure greater accuracy in the identification and monitoring of this group of pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The acting headteacher and deputy work well together to provide determined leadership. Leaders and governors have a clear and accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and have taken effective action to maintain standards and to bring about improvements.
• Since the last inspection, the leadership of the school has ensured that outcomes have recovered from the decline seen in 2016 results. Attendance has improved and there have been improvements to early years provision.
• The acting headteacher was previously a deputy at the school, and his appointment as acting headteacher in September 2017 necessitated other changes to leadership and staffing. The roles of special educational needs coordinator and safeguarding lead changed, a new staff member was appointed and some staff moved to teach in different year groups. Leaders and governors have managed these changes well to ensure that teaching and outcomes have remained strong.
• The leadership of teaching is effective. The acting headteacher has an accurate view of the quality of teaching and areas to develop further. Since the acting headteacher took up post, there have been further improvements to the teaching of writing which are beginning to show impact in improved progress.
• New subject leader roles are being developed. Leaders acknowledge that this is an area for further development, as some subject leaders have yet to fully establish effective systems to monitor and evaluate provision.
• Staff value the professional development they receive. They are keen to sustain and improve their skills further. Those new to leadership posts speak highly of the support they have received and the opportunities for training related to their new roles.
• The curriculum provides a broad range of interesting activities across subject areas. Pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular activities, such as multi-skill sports, computing and art. Pupils develop an understanding of democracy and learn about the importance of events such as Remembrance Day. Pupils know about the values of respect and tolerance and demonstrate these through their actions.
• The funding for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used appropriately to ensure that this group of pupils receive support and make good progress. Leaders recognise that until recently procedures for identifying and monitoring pupils were not fully in line with current guidance. The new special educational needs coordinator has undertaken training, and this aspect of provision is improving to ensure more accurate identification and monitoring of pupils.
• The local authority has provided effective support to the school. Due to the difficult circumstances and sudden nature of the appointment of the acting headteacher, it arranged the support of a national leader of education (NLE), who has provided helpful advice to the new acting headteacher. Both the local authority and the NLE express their confidence in the acting headteacher’s capabilities.

Governance of the school

• The well-established governing body provides both support and challenge to school leaders. Governors have been instrumental in ensuring stability in leadership for the school through the recent difficult time.
• Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They know the quality of teaching and visit regularly to check this for themselves.
• Governors make good use of their areas of expertise to provide support to the school. For example, the link governor for SEN and/or disabilities has an accurate understanding of the school’s provision and has provided support to the new coordinator in moving forward.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that all staff have appropriate training which is regularly updated in line with current guidance. Staff are vigilant in identifying pupils who may be at risk.
• Staff work well with parents, carers and outside agencies to ensure that pupils’ needs are effectively met where there is a concern.
• All the parents who spoke with inspectors and the large majority of those who responded to Parent View said that they felt that the school kept their child safe.
• Pupils show a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe, including online safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is characterised by clear expectations and the provision of interesting activities that pupils engage in well. As a result, pupils make good progress in their learning.
• Adults establish positive relationships with pupils. This promotes pupils’ confidence and creates an environment in which pupils have positive attitudes and are keen to learn.
• Adults often adapt activities and question pupils well to extend their learning. For example, pupils are encouraged to explain the meanings of new words and think when they might use a semicolon. On occasion, teaching does not provide sufficient challenge to develop learning to the full.
• Pupils show a growing love of reading. They talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors. Younger pupils describe the plot of the story and are learning to read with fluency and expression.
• Teachers provide a broad range of writing activities which ensure that pupils develop a range of skills for writing. For example, pupils in key stage 1 were excited and engaged as they looked for ‘mystery objects’ on their table and then thought of adjectives to describe them. Pupils have regular chances to apply their skills to longer pieces of writing.
• At times, adults do not focus enough on developing pupils’ ideas. Learning is sometimes moved on too quickly, without ensuring that pupils have developed their understanding in sufficient depth.
• Mathematics is well taught. Teaching builds on what pupils already know and can do. Pupils learn to apply their knowledge and explain their mathematical thinking. For example, pupils in key stage 2 confidently applied their knowledge of multiplication and explained their different methods for working out the missing edges of cuboids.
• Teaching assistants provide effective support to meet pupils’ needs. This makes a positive contribution to pupils’ good progress. For example, pupils in a key stage 1 science activity were effectively supported and questioned to predict the outcomes of their investigation, and to extend their vocabulary to use words such as ‘absorbent’, ‘transparent’ and ‘opaque’.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils show a keen sense of pride in their school. They say that the school is a friendly place and that they enjoy being part of the school community.
• Pupils are proud of their roles as school council members, buddies and monitors. They take their responsibilities seriously and recognise that they are making a contribution to the school.
• Staff work well to ensure pupils’ well-being. Pupils say that they feel safe and that staff listen to them and support them well when needed. The school learning mentor and counsellor provide additional support to pupils and their families.
• Pupils show a good understanding of how to keep safe, including online safety. They know about the different types of bullying and report that bullying is not common in school. They say that where problems occur, they are sorted out quickly by staff.
• Pupils in key stage 2 learn about other aspects of safety such as the dangers of illegal drugs. Pupils show a good awareness of these dangers as they design a poster highlighting the negative effects.
• Leaders make good use of the services of an external company to further develop pupils’ understanding of team building, relationships and healthy living. Pupils enthusiastically take part in circuit training and learn about the importance of sleep and healthy eating.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are polite and well behaved around school and in lessons. They happily welcome visitors and hold doors open.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They listen to adults’ instructions, work hard and engage well in their activities. This makes an important contribution to the good progress they make.
• Pupils who attend the breakfast club behave well in the calm and welcoming environment provided. Staff provide good role models and ensure that pupils have a positive start to the day.
• Leaders have worked well to improve attendance since the last inspection. The development of a reward system for good attendance and the employment of an attendance officer have contributed to a rise in attendance to just below the national average. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent has fallen. Leaders and staff are working determinedly to ensure that these improvements continue.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Work in pupils’ books and school information show that current pupils are making good progress across a range of subjects. Writing progress remains weaker than that in reading and mathematics but is improving.
• Following a dip in outcomes at the end of key stage 2 in 2016, leaders took action to ensure improvement. Provisional data for 2017 indicates that pupils made significantly above-average progress in reading and mathematics, and average progress in writing. Standards reached were above the national average in reading and mathematics, and slightly below in writing.
• The proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check has increased over the last three years to above the national average.
• By the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards that are broadly in line with national standards. This represents good progress from their starting points on joining school, which are often below those typical for their age.
• Disadvantaged pupils form the majority of pupils in the school. Published data for 2016 and 2017 indicates that at the end of key stage 2, the difference between disadvantaged and other pupils is diminishing. Inspection evidence found that disadvantaged pupils are making good progress and that funding is used well to ensure that those pupils requiring extra support catch up with their peers.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported and most make good progress from their starting points.
• Occasional lack of challenge means that, at times, the most able pupils are not progressing as quickly as they could.
• Pupils’ good achievement and their strong personal development mean that they are well prepared for their transfer to secondary school.

Early years provision Good

• A large proportion of children enter early years with skills and knowledge below those typical for their age. In recent years, a below-average proportion have attained a good level of development by the end of Reception Year. Recent improvements to the quality of teaching have accelerated progress, particularly in reading and writing skills. The current Nursery and Reception Year children are making good progress, and a much higher proportion are on track to attain a good level of development this year. This means that children are well prepared for the transition to Year 1.
• Children in Nursery and Reception class show a strong sense of security in their surroundings. Relationships are warm and positive. Children in Nursery thrive in the calm, settled environment. They show growing skills of concentration and listening as they follow instructions and persevere to finish a creative activity.
• Children develop confidence and engage well with their learning. Reception class children cooperate well together to build a castle from play bricks and shapes, and proudly show it when they have finished. Children engage happily in early writing activities and take part in applying their knowledge of ‘wh’ and ‘ch’ sounds to make words.
• Children show an interest in numbers. They say with confidence that ‘only two are allowed’ at the writing station and are actively engaged in completing a missing number line on the whiteboard table.
• Teachers know children’s skills and capabilities and plan activities which follow their interests and promote learning well. Adults often question children effectively to encourage them to think, for example ‘What will happen if you pull that?’
• On occasion, adults do not take chances to extend children’s learning though their engagement and questioning. On these occasions children do not make the progress they should.
• The early years leader is clear about strengths and areas to develop. She ensures that children’s learning is closely monitored, and that support is provided for children who may be lagging behind. Staff training in phonics and the teaching of writing skills has a positive impact on improving teaching and progress.
• The early years leader and staff establish a positive partnership with parents. Parents contribute to initial assessments of their child’s learning. Parents’ workshops on phonics help parents in supporting their children’s learning at home. These measures contribute to children’s good progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104571 Liverpool 10037769 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 4 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 205 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Acting headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Clive Jervis Robert Saunders 0151 226 1740 www.ranworthsquareprimary.co.uk/ ranworth-ao@ranworthsquare.liverpool.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 October 2012

Information about this school

• This is a smaller than average primary school.
• Nearly all pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is below the national average.
• In 2016, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The school operates a breakfast and after-school club.
• The acting headteacher took up post in September 2017, following the sudden death of the permanent headteacher. The acting headteacher had previously held the post of deputy headteacher at the school.
• The school receives support from a national leader of education.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors observed learning throughout the school. One observation was carried out jointly with the acting headteacher. In addition, inspectors scrutinised pupils’ workbooks and listened to pupils read.
• Meeting were held with pupils, staff, the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and separately with the vice-chair and a parent governor. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative from the local authority and a national leader of education currently supporting the school.
• Inspectors looked at a range of information produced by the school, including information on pupils’ progress and attainment, behaviour and attendance, procedures for safeguarding and the school’s own evaluation of its work. They considered reports to the governing body, minutes of governors’ meetings and the school’s plans for further improvement.
• Inspectors considered the 25 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the views of 25 parents who sent free-text messages to Ofsted.
• Inspectors also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to the online staff and pupil questionnaires to consider.

Inspection team

Elaine White, lead inspector Kathy Nichol Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector