Rawmarsh Ryecroft Infant School

Overview

Rawmarsh Ryecroft Infant School continues to be a good school, described as a "welcoming and friendly" place where pupils are "happy and enjoy learning." The inspection confirms that the school’s ethos of being "secure, happy and successful" is a "lived experience" for its pupils, with strong community engagement and effective support for those with special educational needs.

Strengths

• The school has developed a "sequenced curriculum" that draws on local context, ensuring pupils "revisit and build on the knowledge that they have learned previously."
• Teaching reading is prioritised, with phonics starting in Reception; pupils "use their phonics well and learn to read fluently" through daily practice and matched books.
• Staff are "ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)," adapting the curriculum with "smaller steps and additional support" to help them achieve well.
• The school fosters character development through clubs and leadership roles, helping pupils understand "discrimination as being unfair" and preparing them for "life in modern Britain."
• Staff feel "valued and supported with their workload and well-being," while governors and the local authority provide "effective support and challenge."

Areas to improve

• In some foundation subjects, assessment is "underdeveloped," meaning teachers do not consistently check if pupils have learned key knowledge or address misconceptions.
• Teachers need to use assessment effectively to ensure pupils have "learned and remembered key knowledge about different religions," as current understanding is variable.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."