Ravensdale Primary School Review 2026: Music-led primary in Wyken with strong KS2 outcomes

A two-form entry primary in Wyken, east Coventry, Ravensdale combines a clear values framework with a noticeable emphasis on music. The current headteacher is Miss Jennie Nurse.

Academic performance at the end of Year 6 is a headline strength. In the most recent published results (2024), 83.33% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 22.33% reached greater depth, compared with 8% across England. Reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores are also above England averages (reading 107, maths 106, GPS 109).

Admissions are competitive. For primary entry, there were 127 applications for 55 offers in the latest admissions dataset, a 2.31 applications-per-place ratio, and the route is recorded as oversubscribed. (This does not include nursery, which is managed separately.)

What will matter most to families is fit. This is a school that expects pupils to live the values daily, and it organises a lot of school life, from behaviour to enrichment, around that shared language.

Ravensdale’s identity is unusually consistent across its public-facing information. The five values, curiosity, collaboration, respect, resilience and kindness, are used as practical anchors for behaviour, relationships and expectations, rather than as a poster-only slogan. Pupils are expected to talk about how they learn as well as what they learn, and staff promote a culture where mistakes are treated as part of progress, not something to hide.

The school serves a diverse local intake and presents itself as a community-facing school in the truest sense of the phrase, with a strong partnership approach with families. That matters because it shapes day-to-day routines. Clear communication, predictable standards and consistent language help children from a wide range of starting points settle quickly.

Early years is a meaningful part of the story here. The age range runs from 2 to 11 overall, and nursery provision is a visible gateway into the wider school. Importantly, families should treat nursery and Reception as separate admissions processes. Coventry’s guidance is explicit that nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place at the same school.

Leadership information is clear and consistent across official sources. Miss Jennie Nurse is named as headteacher on the school website and on the Get Information About Schools service. The school does not clearly publish her appointment date in the sources available, so it is best to treat tenure as undisclosed rather than assume.

Ravensdale’s 2024 KS2 outcomes are strong by England standards and sit comfortably in the top quarter. The school’s reading, writing and mathematics combined figure was 83.33% at the expected standard, versus 62% across England. At the higher standard, 22.33% reached greater depth, versus 8% across England.

Scaled scores support the same picture, with reading at 107, mathematics at 106 and GPS at 109 (England averages are typically set around 100). The combined total across reading, maths and GPS is 322.

Rankings in this review use proprietary FindMySchool rankings based on official data. Ravensdale is ranked 2,854th in England for primary performance, and 10th within Coventry.

A parent-friendly way to interpret that is consistency rather than perfection. These results suggest the school is doing two difficult things at once: getting a large majority of pupils to the expected standard, and also pushing a meaningful minority into higher-standard attainment. For families, that usually translates into a school where baseline literacy and numeracy are treated as non-negotiables, while high attainers are expected to keep stretching rather than coast.

Teaching is framed around a sequenced curriculum, with deliberate retrieval in core subjects so pupils revisit prior knowledge before moving on. That approach tends to suit pupils who benefit from predictable lesson structures, especially in mathematics and early reading.

Reading is presented as a school priority, with systematic phonics starting in Reception and targeted support for pupils who need to catch up. In practice, this is the kind of approach that can reduce gaps between pupils who arrive with very different early language experiences, because it does not rely on assumptions about what pupils have already had at home or in early years settings.

The most important nuance is breadth and consistency. External evaluation indicates that curriculum planning is stronger in some subjects than others, and that staff confidence varies across the full curriculum. The implication for families is not that standards are weak, but that some foundation subjects may feel less secure or less consistent between classes while the school continues to refine planning and develop staff expertise.

As a primary school, the key transition is into Year 7. Ravensdale is part of Coventry’s local secondary transfer system, so most pupils will progress to a Coventry secondary school depending on family preference and admissions criteria. The school does not publish a definitive destination list for Year 6 leavers in the sources reviewed.

What can be said confidently is that a strong KS2 profile generally supports access to a wider set of secondary options, including schools where demand for places is high. Families who are weighing up likely secondary pathways should look at Coventry’s published admissions information for Year 7 and, where relevant, visit prospective secondaries early.

If you are comparing primary schools primarily on outcomes, FindMySchool’s Local Hub pages and the Comparison Tool can be a practical way to view KS2 measures side-by-side without jumping between multiple sites.

Ravensdale is oversubscribed on the primary entry data available here. For the main primary entry route recorded there were 127 applications for 55 offers, with an applications-to-offers ratio of 2.31. In plain terms, there were a little over two applications for every place offered.

Reception entry is coordinated by Coventry City Council, and the school’s published admission number for Reception is 60, aligned to infant class size limits. For September 2026 entry, Coventry’s on-time application window opened on 1 September 2025 and closed on 15 January 2026, with offers released on 16 April 2026. The school also highlights the 15 January 2026 deadline in its own Reception messaging.

Nursery admissions are different. Coventry’s guidance explains that nursery places are applied for directly with the nursery or school, and that nursery does not operate as part of the council’s coordinated Reception admissions. For Ravensdale’s September 2026 nursery intake, the school asks families with children turning three by 31 August 2026 to contact the school to join a waiting list, then notes that application packs are expected towards the end of February 2026, with places confirmed by Easter 2026. The school also publishes nursery session times.

A practical point for families: because nursery attendance does not guarantee a Reception place, you should treat the Reception application as a separate, time-critical process even if your child already attends nursery at Ravensdale.

If your decision depends heavily on how realistic admission is for your address, FindMySchool’s Map Search can help you sense-check travel distance and compare multiple nearby options quickly. Ravensdale’s available data does not include a last distance offered figure, so it is worth using official criteria and recent patterns rather than relying on informal estimates.

Ravensdale’s wellbeing picture is grounded in routine and relationships, not gimmicks. Behaviour expectations are described as calm and orderly in classrooms, with staff modelling manners and positive conduct, and pupils mixing well across year groups at social times. That matters because it is often the simplest proxy for whether a school feels manageable for a child who is anxious, easily distracted, or still learning to self-regulate.

Attendance is treated as a priority, with persistent follow-up where attendance is poor and work with families and agencies where needed. For parents, that usually signals a school that is proactive rather than passive about barriers to attendance.

Safeguarding is an area where official assurance matters. The Ofsted inspection in March 2024 confirmed the school remains Good, and stated that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Music is not just an add-on at Ravensdale, it is one of the school’s defining pillars. External reporting describes music as a strength, with teaching that goes beyond national curriculum expectations, and indicates that nearly 100 pupils participate in the choir, alongside an orchestra and a school band formed by older pupils. For children who enjoy performing, or who benefit from structured rehearsal routines, that kind of scale can create a strong sense of belonging.

The school’s own extra-curricular information supports a practical, weekly rhythm. Recent club information includes football clubs led by a named member of staff, plus choir practice and band practice as ongoing music strands. It also lists activity sessions delivered through SH Active, including Laser sessions and Glow Dodge, which will appeal to children who prefer fast-moving, game-based activities rather than traditional team sports only.

Trips and special events are referenced as part of the wider offer, and leadership opportunities for older pupils are a recurring theme, including pupil parliament, house leadership, reading ambassadors and digital leaders. The implication is that pupils are encouraged to take responsibility progressively, not just in Year 6, which can be a good fit for children who like clear roles and recognition.

The school day starts with morning registration at 8.50am and finishes at 3.25pm, with the site open to children from 8.40am. Nursery sessions run 9.00am to 12.00pm and 12.00pm to 3.00pm.

Wraparound care is a concrete offer here rather than an informal arrangement. The school describes Raven Club as operating from 7.45am to 5.45pm, with capacity for up to 48 children depending on ages, and it names a club manager. The most important planning point is availability. Places are not unlimited, so families who depend on wraparound regularly should ask about space early.

For travel and drop-off patterns, the school references School Street Scheme restrictions operating at set times on weekdays, which is worth factoring into morning logistics.

• Competition for places. Primary entry demand is high on the available data, with 127 applications for 55 offers and an oversubscribed status. If you are set on Ravensdale, it is sensible to keep realistic alternatives on your list.

• Nursery does not equal Reception. Coventry’s admissions guidance is clear that attending a nursery class does not guarantee a Reception place at the same school, and Reception applications run on a separate timeline with a firm January deadline for on-time applications.

• Curriculum consistency is still being refined. External evaluation highlights that some foundation subjects and staff confidence across the full curriculum are areas for continued improvement. For families, this is worth exploring in conversation with the school if your child has particular strengths or needs in those subjects.

• Wraparound capacity is finite. Raven Club is clearly structured, but it has a stated capacity limit. Families who rely on early drop-off and late pick-up should confirm availability alongside their application planning.

Ravensdale Primary School looks best suited to families who want a values-led primary where behaviour, relationships and learning expectations are closely aligned, and where music is a genuine part of the school’s identity rather than an occasional enrichment. Results suggest a school that secures strong basics for most pupils while still stretching higher attainers. Admission is the obstacle, so the most successful approach is to plan early, understand Coventry’s timelines, and keep a shortlist of credible alternatives alongside Ravensdale.