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INSPECTION REPORT ON |
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Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School |
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Full Name of the School |
Ravenscourt Park
Preparatory School |
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DfES Number |
205/6384 |
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Registered Charity Number |
n/a |
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Address |
16
Ravenscourt Avenue, London W6 0SL |
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Telephone Number |
020
8846 9153 |
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Fax Number |
020
8846 9413 |
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Email Address |
secretary@rpps.co.uk |
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Headteacher |
Robert
Relton |
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Principal |
Maria
Gardener |
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Chair of Governors |
Janet
Mayne |
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Proprietor |
London
Preparatory Schools Ltd |
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Age Range |
4
– 11 |
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Gender |
Mixed |
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Inspection Dates |
May
2nd – 5th 2006. |
This inspection report follows the framework laid down by the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The inspection was carried out under the arrangements of the Independent Schools Council (ISC) Associations for the maintenance and improvement of the quality of their membership. It was also carried out under Section 162A(1)(b) of the Education Act 2002, as amended by the Education Act 2005, under the provisions of which the Secretary of State for Education and Skills has accredited ISI as the body approved for the purpose of inspecting schools belonging to ISC Associations and reporting on compliance with the Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2003.
The inspection does not examine the financial viability of the school or investigate its accounting procedures. The inspectors check the school’s health and safety procedures and comment on any significant hazards they encounter: they do not carry out an exhaustive health and safety examination. Their inspection of the premises is from an educational perspective and does not include in-depth examination of the structural condition of the school, its services or other physical features.
1.1 Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School provides non-selective education for boys and girls of all abilities between the ages of 4 and 11. It stands adjacent to the extensive park whose name it bears, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The school is owned by London Preparatory Schools Ltd. and was opened in 1991. The founding headteacher and fellow director of the company handed over the headship to the present headteacher in September 2004, retaining the role of principal on behalf of the company.
1.2 The school has 260 pupils, 2 classes of about 18 in almost every year. Year 6 has a third class of pupils who entered in Year 4. In September 2006 an extra class will begin again, this time with Year 3, so that the total number of classes will remain at 15. The number of boys (135) and girls (125) is roughly equal, in line with the school’s policy. The school provides some care for pupils before and after school. The time involved is too small to require registration with Ofsted.
1.3 On the evidence of tests conducted by the school, the pupils cover a wide range of ability from the very able to those requiring significant support, although no pupil currently has a statement of special educational needs. The overall ability of pupils is above the national average. Just under a third of them have some support and about 1 in 12 receives significant help. Very few speak English as an additional language and these rapidly acquire sufficient fluency. Children come predominantly from professional families, strongly supportive of their children’s education. If pupils are performing in line with their abilities, their results in national tests will be above the average for all maintained primary schools. Pupils in Year 6 have been entered for national curriculum tests in mathematics and science but have ceased to be entered for English since 2004. The school has decided not to enter pupils for science from 2006.
1.4 The school aims to prepare pupils for entry, including, where relevant, examination entry, to independent senior schools suited to their potential in this highly competitive part of London and to do so without undue pressure or long term narrowing of the curriculum. It offers a distinctive ethos starting from the principles that: “each child should be happy - happy to attend school, engage in lessons, make friends, and learn; should also respect the happiness of others; should be supported and motivated to work towards becoming an independent learner – learning skills for life rather than the next exam/test; should grow in both confidence and self esteem… We encourage individuality but also want our children to be balanced in their outlook.” The school sets out to allow children a full say in what goes on in the school (“pupil voice”) and to welcome parents into every aspect of the life of the school (“open door”).
1.5 National Curriculum nomenclature is used throughout this report to refer to year groups in the school.
The Educational Experience Provided
2.1 The school fulfils its distinctive educational aims particularly well. It does so by blending a broad and well balanced formal curriculum, flexibly adjusted to accommodate the demands of preparation for examinations, with a rich variety of themed weeks, residential experiences, local visits and a remarkably well-attended range of extra-curricular activities. All the children enjoy a full, varied and integrated experience.
2.2 School days are packed with activity, from the time pupils assemble in the morning to the time they leave, often at 4:30 or later. Days begin busily and energetically. For example, pupils in Year 2 on one morning had a brisk registration at 8:40, followed by 15 minutes of intensive mental maths. Two minutes later, they had joined one of the Reception classes downstairs and were already in pairs, buddy reading with Reception pupils. During break times many pupils play a variety of games in the playground, often helped in the development of ball skills by staff on duty, while others are free to remain indoors, using the computer room or library. During one break, for example, in the library some children in Years 1 and 2 had chosen to use their break watching a cartoon on the computers, guided by the library assistant, while others were busily completing their own reviews on what they had just seen and one or two others were curled up with information and story books, selected from the shelves. A group of four older children were gathered round a display outside their classroom, considering their answers to a challenging question related to the class history project. The border between study and recreation in this school is faint.
2.3 Pupils entering in the Reception class receive a well-planned programme, covering all six early learning goals. Their work is oriented towards literacy and numeracy but in such a way as to provide a gentle preparation for the start of formal schooling they will receive in Year 1. From Year 1, the emphasis on reading and writing skills remains but within a balanced experience of language, number, humanities, the arts and physical education. Throughout the school, pupils have ample opportunity to develop speaking and listening skills. Information and communication technology (ICT) is more widely used by pupils than at the last inspection, as recommended. The school has recognised that it is not yet fully integrated across the curriculum and the newly appointed Head of ICT along with the Senior Leadership Team are working to effect this.
2.4 A wide range of extra-curricular activities offered before and after school, is available to all pupils. These greatly enrich pupils’ education and cater for a variety of physical, aesthetic and creative talents and interests. The provision observed was without exception thoroughly planned and of good quality. All pupils take part in at least one and most in several activities and value them highly. This high level of involvement is achieved because pupils are invited to opt each term and their attendance is systematically recorded and monitored.
2.5 The focus at the beginning of Year 6 shifts appropriately to preparation for entrance examinations, narrowing the curriculum slightly. The balance is redressed in the summer term, when a much greater emphasis is placed on imagination and creativity. These pupils have the opportunity to go on a residential visit to France at Easter with pupils from Year 5. They concentrate on investigations in mathematics, design and project work in science, and on novella writing in English. Visiting lecturers speak on careers, which encourages pupils to consider future option choices, among a variety of other topics.
2.6 Themed weeks, in which students across the school pursue a common topic, have a valuable role in developing co-operative working and study skills and in unifying the school and its programmes of study. The theme for the term before the inspection, for example, involved an international week. Each class chose a continent and studied every aspect of a country within it, including the geography, society and culture. The week culminated in a school assembly, attended by staff and several parents, in which representatives from each Year delivered a presentation using appropriate software. The pupils’ understanding of a range of topics was greatly enhanced by this experience.
2.7 Curricular planning is a strength of the school and is consistent throughout. Good continuity and progression is achieved from year to year, partly through systematic handover from teacher to teacher and partly through effective co-ordination. The heads of English and mathematics liaise with the co-ordinators in the Lower School and the other subject co-ordinator roles are shared between staff from the Upper and Lower Schools.
2.8 In almost every subject the schemes of work are clear and appropriate. The planning is particularly effective in ensuring that pupils of every ability are catered for. A typical example was seen in a Reception class literacy lesson where differentiated work for three ability groups was set: one less able pupil was given personal help by the teacher, who made sure that the instructions were fully understood; a very able pupil was provided open ended questioning to develop higher level thinking skills; all pupils had a clear task, challenging but manageable at their own levels.
2.9 The provision for pupils requiring learning enrichment is effective. The school has a special needs co-ordinator with a teacher assistant. Together they provide a screening service, support individuals and small groups of pupils withdrawn from class, and provide guidance and training for other teachers. They draw up individual education plans and communicate these to staff, with detailed guidance on the nature of the need and appropriate strategies, of which teachers are consistently aware. This is supported by training for all staff. The newly emergent gifted and talented policy, under its co-ordinator, is beginning to take shape with the support of all staff.
2.10 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the curriculum [Standard 1].
Pupils’ Learning and Achievements
2.11 No matter what their ability, pupils leave the school well educated and ready for the next stage in their schooling, having achieved good standards in their subjects and showing in their work a particularly broad and rounded personal and educational development. In this way, the school meets its aims. Pupils approach every aspect of the school’s life and work with enthusiasm and commitment. They enjoy their time at school, a fact that was clear from the survey of pupils in Years 3 to 6.
2.12 In Reception pupils make good progress towards the achievement of the six learning goals. The concentration on literacy and numeracy skills at that stage and in Years 1 and 2 stands them in very good stead for their studies further up the school. Occasionally pre-occupation with these core skills detract from other aspects of their work. The school has recognised this as an issue and has rightly been reviewing the balance between mastery of core skills and the broader curriculum at this stage.
2.13 In their lessons, in their books and in their conversations with inspectors, pupils display a good knowledge and conceptual understanding of their subjects and a sure command of the related skills. They learn the associated skills and apply their knowledge and understanding critically and creatively both in discussion and in well-researched and organised project work.
2.14 An example of good extended studies and investigations, well written up, was seen in a Year 6 project on pollution, in which pupils used a variety of sources for information, including the internet, and wrote them up in an organised and thoughtful way. Pupils showed a mature understanding of issues surrounding the Kyoto Protocol. Another example was the study of the Tudors in Year 5, covering history, geography and religious education. This also showed an ability to apply information and skills from a broad range of disciplines to a single topic and to write for a variety of purposes, explanatory and analytic as well as imaginative.
2.15 Pupils read and write fluently and with reasonable accuracy for a variety of different purposes. Because of the wide opportunities for discussion in lessons and beyond, they are particularly articulate and are outstandingly good listeners. Pupils apply their mathematical skills and concepts confidently.
2.16 The quality of creative and imaginative writing is often strikingly good. At the last inspection, English was criticised for concentrating excessively on “secretarial skills”. The quality and range of writing has since been transformed. As pupils grow older, their writing in poetry and prose is well presented and shows growing command of structure, width of vocabulary, vigour and imagination and includes both short and sustained pieces. For example, in Year 5 the stories about shrinking, based on Lewis Carroll, were often gripping and original, as in one case where a pupil placed herself in a world where everything was pink, her most hated colour. Much of the work pupils do in art is of a high standard and some is outstanding. Their work shows a very good command of line, colour and texture because they are given freedom and confidence to exercise their imagination within a clear framework of topic and technique.
2.17 In both Lower and Upper Schools, pupils are able to apply the skills they have learned to other subjects. In the projects from International Week, for example, pupils of all ages made sophisticated use of language and ICT. Given the good standards achieved in French by Year 3, pupils do not make enough progress towards speaking more continuous French by Year 6, even though the standard achieved is adequate for their age.
2.18 Pupils make effective use of ICT. For example, pupils in Year 4 could program and make effective use of a floor turtle to help them understand angles. Pupils in Year 6 word-processed their novellas. The computer-generated presentations compiled for the assembly at the end of international week by pupils of all ages showed a sure facility with a range of computer functions.
2.19 Pupils are well able to reason and argue cogently and think for themselves. In all years pupils have some opportunity to study independently in some subjects and work co-operatively in small groups or teams, and do so effectively. Year 5 pupils co-operated successfully to create an egg carrying container which, when dropped from a height, did not allow the egg to crack.
2.20 Pupils are competent and confident learners and their attitudes to work and study are exemplary in all areas of the school. Pupils respond positively, are friendly and helpful, and eager to describe what they are doing and how they are getting on. They settle down sensibly and quietly at the start of lessons and quickly apply themselves to whatever task is in hand. They willingly persevere and try hard.
2.21 No significant difference is apparent in the relative attainment of pupils in different classes or subjects. Pupils of all abilities achieve well because of good planning and individual attention from staff.
2.22 As a result of effective teaching and preparation, pupils are successful in their entry to a variety of secondary schools: the majority are accepted by their school of first choice; with the sole exception of 2005, about a quarter have obtained scholarships. In the absence of entries for National Curriculum tests for English or science in 2005, comment is only possible in relation to mathematics. In mathematics, the achievement is well above the national average for all maintained schools and so good in relation to the abilities of the pupils. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher expected level has improved significantly over three years and was very high in 2004.
2.23 Many pupils achieve success in competitive sports. Most teams win the majority of their matches against other schools. Many pupils succeed at the graded examinations in music, although some of the most talented are taught and entered for grades outside school. Pupils are entered for externally validated drama certificates, where all pupils were awarded merits and distinctions.
Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development of Pupils
2.24 The high quality of personal development of the pupils, praised in the last inspection report, remains a particularly strong feature of their education. It is an integral part of their school experience and reflects the school’s ethos and commitment to this aspect of education as expressed in its aims.
2.25 Pupils’ spiritual development is woven through the school day, through their lessons, through their assemblies and through relationships. For example, pupils in a Year 5 exercise on the representation of feelings in word and cartoon showed some very subtle representations, full of insight. The Upper School assembly on Mahatma Ghandi combined reflection about inequality in the world with a moment of informal non-denominational prayer to which the pupils responded thoughtfully.
2.26 Pupils have a strong moral sense and from an early age are able to distinguish right from wrong. This was clear from the assembly just mentioned, where one pupil gave a perceptive definition of discrimination as: “treating people differently without a proper reason.” Pupils of all ages know and respect the school code of behaviour and are able to explain why this is necessary. Pupils are noticeably courteous to each other, to their visitors and to staff. In doing so they are following the example set before them by the staff.
2.27 Social awareness is evident in the way the school operates as a community. Pupils of all ages are given many and various opportunities to exercise responsibility from the ‘star of the day’ in Reception to the prefects in Year 6. All pupils are proud of their responsibilities and take them seriously. Valuable experiences are provided by the residential trips, where pupils learn to interact with each other and show respect, tolerance and consideration for others. In the course of their studies they learn about public services and have specific lessons in citizenship. These could be enhanced by visits to local and national government.
2.28 Pupils have many opportunities to learn about and appreciate cultural traditions from their own and other’s backgrounds. The introduction of International Week, when many aspects of different cultures, including food, customs and politics were introduced; the study of artistic works from other cultures and the modern languages programme, provide many instances for the appreciation of other cultures. Throughout the school, the high quality of pupils’ work displayed, for example the Maori bark cloths, batiks depicting the creation stories from around the world and carved Mendi patterns demonstrate the pupils’ developing cultural awareness.
2.29 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils [Standard 2].
The Quality of Teaching (Including Assessment)
2.30 The quality of teaching is good and in some cases outstanding. The teachers, working effectively with support assistants and parent helpers, cater outstandingly well for the differing needs and personalities of individual children and instil in their pupils the confidence to learn and think for themselves. In doing so, they fulfil a key aim of the school and sustain a feature praised in the previous inspection report.
2.31 Teachers create a caring, supportive atmosphere. They plan their lessons meticulously, clearly communicating the objectives to their pupils and usually reviewing them at the end. They manage time and resources effectively, plan and organise their lessons efficiently, and conduct them at a consistently lively pace. Much of the teaching involves pupils in a range of activities, including discussion, investigation, theory and practical work.
2.32 Teachers foster enjoyment, interest and motivation in their pupils. In most cases they have high expectations of them. In reading, for example, a group of children in Year 2 were divided into two reading levels and given books to read that would be challenging at each level, so that the more advanced among them were reading at a level more commonly associated with Year 4. In some cases, expectations could be higher and progression in skills could be more prominent, as in the case of French. Teaching frequently encourages pupils to think for themselves, and extensive use is made of effective questioning and praise.
2.33 Teachers have a good and in some instances excellent knowledge of their subjects and are sensitive to the ability range within their classes. Pupils are well managed in lessons. Teachers and classroom assistants work efficiently together to provide support for pupils’ learning. They use a variety of teaching methods including discussion, exposition, practical and written activities. They use questioning effectively to draw out the pupils’ reasoning ability.
2.34 Resources to support learning are sufficient and of a good quality. Most subjects are well resourced. Since the last inspection the provision of a new, well-stocked library, ideally situated and well staffed, has become a focal point large numbers of pupils. The art room, well managed as it is and a source of good quality work, is restricted for space. Likewise the science room is more generally used as an effective resource centre rather than as a teaching room. Teachers make good use of ICT, when it is available, but, as the school recognises, the range and frequency of use is restricted by availability.
2.35 Teachers mark regularly and thoroughly, correcting errors and providing good evaluative comments as well as guidance for improvement. In many subjects, including English and science, very helpful comments challenge the more able and encourage the less able to improve. One striking example of effective provision for the more and less able was seen in a sample of science work in Year 5, where an able and a less able pupil had written up an experiment about plants and their root system. Both were very well drawn and labelled, according to their differing abilities and the approach of the teacher was entirely different, providing at the end for the less able pupil an encouraging comment and a reinforcing sentence for the pupil to complete: “So the plant draws its water through the _ _ e _”. The pupil had responded appropriately with the word stem. Frequently a topic or a problem is pursued individually after the lesson or at some other time.
2.36 The calm atmosphere and positive encouragement of good behaviour contributes importantly to the effectiveness of lessons. High expectations by teachers ensure pupils rise to the challenges they set enthusiastically and articulately. Relationships between staff and pupils are strong and based on mutual respect. Staff know pupils well, supporting them and encouraging them to express their opinions confidently whatever their ability.
2.37 The school has appropriate policies for assessment and manages the system effectively. It uses an appropriate range of standardised assessments for English, mathematics, verbal reasoning and non-verbal reasoning, along with reading and spelling tests and optional National Curriculum tests.
2.38 There are meetings between present and next class teachers to discuss the pupils’ moving up: a ‘move-up day’ is held in the last week of the summer term, when Year 6 are away; staff meet before term starts in September to review pupil records. Key staff hold a routine meeting every spring term to review the results of standardised tests. They create information for staff about action to be taken from the beginning of the summer term. The intranet allows easy access to the relevant data on pupils and assists the reporting system.
2.39 The school meets the regulatory requirements for teaching [Standard 1].
3. THE QUALITY OF CARE AND RELATIONSHIPS
The Quality of Pastoral Care, and the Welfare, Health and Safety of Pupils
3.1 The care and concern shown by all staff for every child is outstanding. The strengths noted at the last inspection have matured and developed, fulfilling the school’s aims. In most respects they take effective steps to secure their pupils’ welfare, health and safety. A few aspects of the regulations are not yet implemented even though there are now plans in place to remedy the deficiencies.
3.2 The care for pupils at Ravenscourt is carried out by teachers, their assistants and by all staff. Each child is well known to several members of staff. Staff show themselves dedicated to all pupils’ well-being and development, and are supported in this by an effective management and monitoring structure. Positive support and guidance for all pupils is readily available and is well understood by the pupils. Relationships between pupils, and between staff and pupils, are excellent.
3.3 Effective pastoral arrangements are clearly expressed in the Staff and Parents’ Handbooks. These include Behaviour Tracking, which enables all relevant staff to contribute to, and then act on, a plan to enable a pupil’s poor behaviour to be positively supported towards improvement. Pastoral arrangements are also supported by close liaison with parents.
3.4 Teachers give a diverse range of rewards for a wide range of individual personal, academic, sporting and social achievements, in line with the school’s preference for positive reinforcement. They scrupulously recognise different strengths in this way, and celebrate these, for example, in the Merit and Music Assemblies each week. This consistent practice contributes importantly to the pupils’ confidence and motivation. Pupils also pointed to the widely disseminated and clearly expressed code of conduct, which they understood and respected. Pupils trust staff to apply the code, making use of the behaviour policy and its associated sanctions. One Year 5 pupil argued cogently that this is why the behaviour is so good. There is no formal record of sanctions applied.
3.5 Policies and procedures to promote good discipline and behaviour are clear, thorough and effectively disseminated among pupils and staff. Pupils know that their form tutor is the point of contact for any problem, including bullying. Any episodes that do occur are effectively and sensitively dealt with. The expectations of good behaviour around the school, in lessons and on trips are well understood. The detailed policy on the prevention of bullying is also familiar and trusted. Playground supervision is thorough and staff also encourage and help pupils in their play.
3.6 The welfare, health and safety of the pupils are given thorough attention. A child protection policy has been published and its implementation is carried out by the child protection officer. However, the child protection officer has yet to attend the inter-agency course and many staff require specific training. Generally, the teaching staff are aware of the importance of the policy, and of the part they might be called on to play in the event of a pupil’s disclosure, but not all support staff are aware. However, training is planned for all staff. The directors have yet to develop their responsibility for oversight and review of the child protection policy and its implementation.
3.7 A Health and Safety Committee meets each term, inviting wide-ranging comments. Its decisions are carefully minuted and disseminated as policies evolve. A wide range of detailed risk assessments has been undertaken, including off-site visits, which are updated when the visit is repeated. On-site risk assessments are on-going and have included the audit of hazardous activities. This has led to some new policies, such as the widely published and understood “Safe Science” policy. An assessment of the most likely location of bullying has also been carried out. Further work is required when classrooms, such as in Reception during the buddy reading programmes, are exceptionally crowded. Fire drill procedures are well understood. Regular practices are held, evaluated carefully, and appropriately recorded. Accident records are kept by the secretary, but not all reported accidents are shown to reach a “case closed” status.
3.8 Health is promoted effectively through the curriculum, as in physical education and science, and with a lunch menu system that promotes healthy eating. Aspirin will be administered by teachers, in accordance with parents’ instructions. The Admissions Register and Attendance Registers are carefully maintained.
3.9 The school meets most of the regulatory requirements for the welfare, health and safety of pupils [Standard 3]. In order to meet all the requirements, the school must:
(a) ensure full compliance with the guidance Safeguarding Children in Education by establishing clear mechanisms on the Board for overseeing compliance, including the receipt of a rigorous annual review of the arrangements for child protection and of the effectiveness of their implementation [Regulation 3.(2)(b)];
(b) complete the planned training for the Child Protection Officer and for all teaching and non-teaching staff and helpers [Regulation 3.(2)(b)];
(c) maintain a formal record of sanctions for serious disciplinary offences [Regulation 3.(8)];
(d) complete risk assessments in relation to the buddy reading sessions [Regulation 3.(4)].
The Quality of Links with Parents and the Community
3.10 The school’s relationship with its parents is exceptional and illustrates how effective an ‘open door’ policy can be. The satisfaction of parents was evident from the high rate of response to the parental survey and from its strongly positive nature. This was evident also from discussion with parents gathered at the beginning and end of every school day. The school has some links with the local community, although this aspect is not as highly developed.
3.11 The school’s ‘open door’ policy, the foundation upon which the relationship with parents is built, is a reality which the parents themselves recognise. The headteacher’s office door is literally open whenever he is not actually engaged in a meeting.
3.12 Parents are involved in almost every area of school life. They have a powerful voice in the school, because mechanisms exist to ensure that it listens. The most powerful expression of this is the Friends of Ravenscourt (the parents’ association) and its relationship to the Governing Body. The Friends is made up of parent representatives of each year group. Each representative is expected to be regularly present on the playground and available to fellow parents, to receive suggestions and concerns. The chairman has a formal termly meeting with the head and meets him informally much more often. In addition, there is a parent governor, who regularly attends meetings of the Friends and acts as an effective channel of communication between parents and management and governance.
3.13 The school communicates with its parents in a variety of ways, including the range of emails and newsletters common to many schools, as well as more recent initiatives such as open evenings and tours for each year group to be informed about changes and plans for the school’s development. Areas of concern are handled effectively. Should parental complaints not be resolved through normal channels, a written complaints procedure is available, which is in line with requirements in all but the lack of a formal record, and that for the understandable reason that there has been no such complaint.
3.14 The school keeps parents well informed about the academic progress and personal development of their children at the school and the great majority of parents expressed approval of this in their responses to the survey. They have a parental consultation each term and receive one report each summer term, before the parents’ evening. A few wanted more frequent reports, although there is ample opportunity for parents to come in and discuss their children at other times. Moreover, for older pupils, the information is supplemented by a well-kept homework diary, in which comments can pass between parent and class teacher. The reports themselves are of good quality.
3.15 The involvement of parents to support reading and other activities, including the range of visits and residential experiences is also a notable feature. Throughout the school day they are to be seen in every part of the school helping pupils read. In this they keep careful records and show an awareness of the technical language of literacy, assisted by careful preparation and guidance. As a result, pupils come readily to their reading and make good progress.
3.16 Parents contribute to the life of the school in other ways. They take part in charitable fundraising and participate in social events. They contribute to school events such as the Book Week and the Year 6 lecture week after entrance examinations are over. They help pupils in Year 6 to organise the summer fête and run stalls at the Christmas bazaar. They have raised funds to support learning with a donation of books to the library.
3.17 The school has some links with the local community. Use is made of the public park, and the school takes part in a variety of competitive sports and in arts festivals. Parents, pupils and staff take part in a range of charitable fund-raising activities, for example, for the Rainbow Trust and the Heart Foundation. These links could usefully be extended to include other educationally beneficial contacts with local maintained schools and with aspects of local government.
3.18 The school meets almost all the regulatory requirements for the provision of information and for the manner in which complaints are to be handled [Standards 6 and 7]. In order to meet all the requirements the school must:
(a) maintain a formal record of any complaints from parents [Regulation 7.(j)].
4. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
4.1 The school is effectively and supportively governed in most respects. The dual governance, shared between the controlling Board of London Preparatory Schools Limited and the Governing Body, which the Board appoints as a sounding board and advisory panel, operates well. The relationship and responsibilities between the Board, the Governing Body and the Senior Leadership Team need to be further clarified, however, particularly in relation to aspects of regulatory compliance.
4.2 The division of roles is reasonably clear. The Board maintains business and financial oversight of the school and ensures that the distinctive aims and ethos of the school are upheld. The Governing Body has a clear remit to support the academic and pastoral provision within the school. It acts as a strong link between school, parents and Board with, among its members, a parent governor, a teacher governor and a chair, who is herself an ex-parent.
4.3 The headteacher reports orally to governors once a term, keeping them informed of the pupils’ progress and issues. Staff are invited on a rolling programme to report on their specific responsibilities and governors attend new parents’ evenings as well as school events. Governors are involved in staff recruitment so that they know the staff.
4.4 The presence of the former headteacher, now principal of Ravenscourt, on both the Board and the Governing Body has not been allowed to detract from the authority of the headteacher and Senior Leadership Team.
4.5 Both Board members and governors know and support the school very well and have been successful in maintaining positive links with both staff and parents. They are provided with regular and good educational and financial information by the Senior Leadership Team. However, there has been no systematic review and report to the Board or the governors on the implementation of the arrangements for safeguarding welfare and no member of the Board is formally identified as having a responsibility to oversee pupil welfare. In general it would be helpful to define more explicitly the division of roles between the two bodies. Steps to deal with this are already being planned.
The Quality of Leadership and Management
4.6 The leadership and management of the school are collegial and are the result, not only of the effectiveness of those with leadership roles, but of the whole staff working together and responding to the established ethos and principles. The change of headteacher has left the special qualities praised in the previous report and the confidence and enthusiasm of the parents undiminished.
4.7 The ethos and standards of the school are clear in every document and in every action. For example, all senior leaders and middle managers take the same close personal interest in pupils that is expected of all staff. Leadership is by example.
4.8 The school is also well managed. It has successfully recruited and retained skilful and dedicated teachers. Staff are clear about their responsibilities, guided by policy documents and by regular meetings, reviews, appraisal and monitoring. Due care is taken in selection of staff both to ensure their professional suitability and their fitness to work with children. Sound procedures of staff induction are in place. The arrangements for the induction of newly qualified teachers are in line with the statutory requirements. However, the school has been slow off the mark to secure training in child protection and needs to keep a sharper eye on emergent regulations.
4.9 Considerable time is provided for senior management roles, including for pastoral roles, where there are heads of upper and lower school, in addition to the deputy head and director of studies (teaching and learning), with a director of studies (continual professional development) appointed from September 2006. That time is very effectively used, as is the time provided for subject co-ordinators and co-ordinators for special needs and gifted and talented children. This has produced the excellent knowledge of and response to the children, set out earlier in the report.
4.10 The school has appropriate procedures for planning for future development and improvement, linked to the Board’s financial planning. Staff at all levels are consulted. The views of parents are also taken into account, as happened with the introduction of a Spanish club. The school has been successful in implementing the policies it has adopted and in reviewing existing policies as in the case of provision for English, where it is reviewing the balance between formal writing and other aspects in Reception and Years 1 and 2.
4.11 The Board and management secure sufficient resources and accommodation in good condition. The need for more computers and other information aids, such as electronic whiteboards has been recognised and improvements are planned. Budgeting is rigorous and transparent. Sums are allocated to class teachers as well as to co-ordinators and holders of responsibility. There are good communications between the bursar, operating from the sibling school in Kew, and the financial assistant in the school.
4.12 The premises, consisting of an adapted Victorian mansion and two more recent buildings, are large enough to accommodate the number of pupils and are supplemented by the use of outside sports facilities. They afford some specialist accommodation but have limited playground space, so that breaks and lunches have to be staggered. The proprietors keep the school in good repair and properly equipped. They recognise the limitations and constantly seek ways to improve and extend the facilities. Since the last inspection the science room has been improved and the upper library improved into an effective place of study and recreation. The quality of display both in classrooms and around the school is particularly good.
4.13 The school meets the regulatory requirements for the suitability of proprietors and staff and for premises and accommodation [Standards 4 and 5].
4.14 The school participates in the national scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers and meets its requirements.
5.1 Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School is the community of children, parents and teachers it sets out to be. Its pupils, of every ability and temperament, enjoy their education and thrive in their intellectual and personal development. Both very able children and those in need of learning support do well in their entrance examinations to independent secondary schools, the majority to schools of their first choice. The school lives up to the ambitious aims of its proprietors, governors and staff.
5.2 The school’s broad, flexible and bustling education is enhanced by themed weeks, residential experiences and an exceptionally effective programme of extra curricular activities, involving all pupils in some and many in several. Pupils of all abilities achieve good standards in most of their subjects, especially in the aesthetic and affective aspects of their curriculum, and a mature spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They have minds of their own and are able to study effectively both alone and in co-operation with others. They are hard-working, courteous and enthusiastic.
5.3 This is so because capable and dedicated staff, working together, concentrate on getting to know each pupil individually and communicate constantly with each other and with parents, so that they are able to bring out pupils’ individual strengths and to identify their needs and provide exceptionally good support. They provide an outstanding quality of pastoral care. They demonstrate professional concern for the welfare, health and safety of all pupils, although there are gaps in compliance with some important requirements in these areas, most of which the school has already taken steps to repair.
5.4 The school knows its strengths and weaknesses and plans for the future effectively. It has maintained and consolidated the strengths identified at the last inspection and made some improvements. In particular, the quality of English has been transformed and the upper school library has been improved. Some improvements have been made to the accommodation, and there are plans for further improvement to what remains a difficult building. The use of ICT has improved and there is still room for further improvement. Additional time is provided for humanities. Staffing levels have been increased and the introduction of well-managed and supported teaching assistants has made a major contribution to pupils’ experience and learning. Differentiation, often lacking before, is now a strength of the school’s provision.
5.5 The school complies with almost all of the regulatory requirements, but does not at present meet Standards 3 (welfare, health and safety) and 7 (the manner in which complaints are handled).
5.6 The school has many strengths and relatively few weaknesses. It is important that, as it develops, it guards those distinctive strengths. In addition, the school should:
1. review and clarify the respective roles of governance and management and ensure in particular that regulatory requirements are identified and acted upon at the earliest time;
2. investigate the development of further educational links with the local community;
3. as finances and permissions become available, seek ways to provide more space for specialist facilities and
4. maintain momentum in the extension in the use of ICT across the curriculum, supported by further provision of equipment.
5.7 In order to meet all the regulatory requirements, the school must:
(1) ensure full compliance with the guidance Safeguarding Children in Education by establishing clear mechanisms on the Board for overseeing compliance, including the receipt of a rigorous annual review of the arrangements for child protection and of the effectiveness of their implementation [Regulation 3.(2)(b)];
(2) complete the planned training for the Child Protection Officer and for all teaching and non-teaching staff and helpers [Regulation 3.(2)(b)];
(3) maintain formal records of sanctions for serious disciplinary offences [Regulation 3.(8)] and of any complaints from parents [Regulation 7.(j)];
(4) complete risk assessments in relation to the buddy reading sessions [Regulation 3.(4)].
6. summary of inspection evidence
6.1 The inspection was carried out from May 2nd to May 5th. The inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work, observed