The Ryde School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Pupils attend a welcoming, caring and nurturing school. They feel a strong sense of belonging at The Ryde School. The school is ambitious for all pupils. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn well. One parent described the views of many when stating, 'Teachers are great at really understanding what makes each child tick and using their interests to progress learning.' Pupils and staff form warm relationships. The school is a calm and orderly place. Staff expect pupils to behave well. Pupils are safe and feel confident that staff can resolve their disagreements. Pupils understand and follow the school values to be 'respectful, ambitious, safe, creative and resilient'. They demonstrate these values in lessons and at social times. Pupils have many enrichment opportunities. They embrace outdoor learning. Visitors and trips, such as a whole-school trip to Walton-on-the-Naze, help pupils engage with their learning and bring the curriculum to life. For example, the trip helped Year 6 pupils to understand coastal erosion. Pupils learn about different cultures and traditions. They treat each other and adults with respect. Pupils are given opportunities to effect change through roles such as those of school councillor and eco-rep. They make good use of extra-curricular clubs.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum in some subjects is less well developed than in others. Where this is the case, pupils' learning does not build sufficiently well on their prior knowledge. This means that pupils do not know and remember all the key knowledge that has been identified in the curriculum plan. Leaders should continue to embed the newly introduced curriculum plans so that pupils build up the knowledge and skills they need.

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