Ian Ramsey Church of England Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 November 2022

Pupils and staff have positive relationships. There is an inclusive culture built on a Christian ethos. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils and have high expectations for what they would like pupils to achieve. Subject leaders have improved their curriculum planning and are clear on what they want pupils to know and remember. Many pupils respond well to the expectations that staff have, and behave well in school. Sometimes there is low-level disruption in lessons and pupils report that this can interrupt learning occasionally. Teachers do follow and apply the behaviour policy. This ensures that pupils get back on track quickly. If bullying happens, the majority of pupils report that it is dealt with effectively by staff. There is a wide ranging extra-curricular offer and many pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), attend clubs. A culture week is also part of experiences beyond the classroom and is popular with pupils. Collective worship brings pupils together and pupils speak positively about their enjoyment of this. Pupils are very proud to be prefects and value this leadership opportunity. There is a broad and balanced curriculum in place. Forty per cent of pupils study the English Baccalaureate subjects. Some pupils with SEND are taught in a nurture group. This allows them to access the full curriculum, while being given additional support.

What the school should improve

• The vast majority of pupils feel, if it happens, that bullying is dealt with effectively by staff. There are some pupils whose perceptions of bullying are not as well understood by leaders. This means that the perceptions of pupils and leaders do not always match. Leaders should ensure they have a full understanding of pupils' perceptions regarding bullying and behaviour. This will enable them to meet the needs of the minority of pupils whose perceptions of bullying need to be more fully understood.
• Leaders need to ensure that all teachers are effectively teaching the intended curriculum. Not all teachers use effective pedagogy to help pupils to know more and remember more. Leaders need to be more forensic in terms of their understanding of the effectiveness of the curriculum implementation. This will support teachers so that they consistently and effectively implement the curriculum across all subjects.
• Some parents who responded to the inspection questionnaire expressed concern relating to communication from and between the school. This means that some parents are not satisfied that the school communicates with them effectively. Leaders should consider ways to engage with more parents over time so that lines of communication are improved.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)