Rawtenstall Balladen Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 October 2024

The school has high aspirations for all pupils. Caring staff are developing their expertise in providing additional support for pupils who need it. This includes pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils benefit from the school's focus on their wider development. Children in the early years develop confidence and independence. Older pupils are involved in making decisions about the school through its parliament system. Some pupils are trained to be play leaders and mental health champions. They look forward to carrying out these roles across the school. Pupils get on well together at social times. At breaktimes, most pupils are keen to access the outdoor space, where they take part in a range of physical activities. Pupils are polite and respectful as they move around the school. During lesson time, pupils' behaviour is more variable. At times, the school does not ensure that pupils maintain the highest standards of behaviour. It does not support pupils who struggle to manage their emotions consistently well. Most pupils enjoy school. Their achievement is improving slowly. However, some pupils continue to struggle because they have gaps in their knowledge, including in reading. This makes it harder for them to learn new information.

What the school should improve

• The school does not consider the gaps that pupils have in their knowledge carefully enough when designing the curriculum for each class. This is particularly true for some pupils with SEND. This means that, at times, pupils do not have the fluency in reading, writing and mathematics that they need to access the rest of the curriculum with ease. The school should ensure that teachers make effective use of what they know about pupils to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge quickly and well.
• There is inconsistency in the implementation of the school's agreed policy for managing pupils' behaviour. At times, the school does not provide the support that some pupils need to remain in control of their emotions. As a result, pupils' focus and attention varies during lessons. This impacts on how well they learn. The school should make sure that staff receive the support that they need to manage pupils' behaviour consistently well.
• In some areas of learning, the school has not defined what it expects children to know or be able to do by the end of the Reception Year. This impacts on how well children are prepared for key stage 1. The school should ensure that curriculum leaders receive the support that they need to understand how learning should build from the early years in their subject.

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