Lea Valley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a very caring and happy place to learn. Leaders ensure that the school's values of kindness, respect, ambition, determination, courage and honesty are interwoven throughout school life. Pupils respond positively to the high expectations teachers have of them.

This includes children in the early years. Pupils are kind and respectful towards each other and adults.

There is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school that is built on positivity and respect.

Pupils behave well in class and during social times. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. They work hard and are motivated to do well.

Relationships between staff and pu...pils are warm and nurturing. Pupils have each identified five trusted adults who they can talk to if they have a worry. They know they will be listened to, and this means they feel happy and safe.

Leaders provide a rich range of experiences for pupils, including visits to the National Opera House and to the theatre to watch the Lion King and participation in three residential trips. Leaders provide a range of clubs, including gardening, football and dodgeball. Pupils enjoy looking after the school's gardening areas.

These activities help pupils to develop their talents and pursue their interests.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum here. Pupils are taught to read from the start of Reception.

Leaders are determined that pupils should develop a love for reading and be able to read fluently. Training is provided for staff and, as a result, they teach reading well. Adults check the sounds that pupils know regularly and systematically.

Pupils who are finding reading difficult are given the help they need to catch up. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. This develops pupils' confidence and fluency.

Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They regularly visit the well-resourced school library. Authors visit the school to inspire pupils to read widely.

These experiences develop pupils' love for reading. Children in the early years learn songs and rhymes, which they perform from memory with enthusiasm.

Leaders are ambitious for every pupil to achieve well.

Leaders have a curriculum in place that is logical and well sequenced. Teachers deliver curriculum content clearly. They address pupils' misconceptions and provide effective support when it is needed.

However, in a few subjects, pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and vocabulary and have gaps in their learning. This is because in these subjects, leaders and teachers do not have effective systems in place to check what pupils have been taught, know and remember over time.

In the early years, teachers provide frequent opportunities for children to practise early mathematical and writing skills independently.

For example, children are able to count accurately and write the number of objects in a set because they have previously been taught what each number represents. However, sometimes adults in the early years do not model language effectively and extend children's vocabulary and sentence structure across the curriculum. This means that children miss out on opportunities to hear and practise new language.

Leaders and teachers accurately identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They support pupils with SEND effectively so that they can access the curriculum, using approaches tailored to their needs. Teachers make adaptations to ensure that pupils with SEND learn well.

Leaders work closely with staff and other professionals to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, including children in the early years. Experts provide training and support for teachers and teaching assistants.

Pupils behave well in lessons and when moving around the school.

They are motivated and want to do well. This means that learning is not interrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils are taught how to manage their feelings.

This starts in the early years. Personal, social, health and economic education is well structured. Leaders aim for pupils to become responsible, respectful and kind citizens.

Pupils are taught that families may look different. Pupils said that the most important aspect of a family is that you are treated with respect. Pupils are taught about permission and consent in an age-appropriate manner.

They are taught that everyone has the right to equal and fair treatment.

Leaders have created a happy, caring and inclusive environment for staff and pupils. They prioritise staff well-being.

They implement effective strategies to ensure staff workload is manageable, which staff value.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is given priority here.

Staff are well trained. They understand and follow procedures for reporting any concerns. Leaders respond quickly to concerns raised.

They engage with outside safeguarding partners so that families and pupils receive the support they need.

Safer recruitment procedures are followed and all the required pre-employment checks are carried out.

Leaders invite visiting speakers to talk to pupils about the importance of keeping safe within and beyond school.

Pupils are encouraged to keep safe, including online. They know that they should not share personal information. This supports pupils' understanding of how to keep safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects that are in the early stages of implementation, leaders have not set out systems to check what pupils know and remember. This means that pupils have gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should make sure that staff check pupils' learning in these subjects so that any gaps can be identified and addressed.

• Sometimes in the early years, adults do not model language effectively, extending children's vocabulary and sentence structure. This means that sometimes children miss out on opportunities to hear and practise new language. Leaders need to ensure that children acquire the language they need for future learning across all curriculum areas.