Ravensfield Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.

What the school should improve

• 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 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. • 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.

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