Orchard Vale Community School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this caring and inclusive school, which is at the centre of the community.

Pupils say their school welcomes everyone. One of the school's values is to create an honest and open environment. The positive relationship between pupils and staff, reflects this ambition.

Pupils trust staff and feel assured that staff listen to any concerns.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and achieve well.

They know it is important to do their best.

Pupils value the range of roles and responsibilities they have in the school. They are also enthusiastic about the many clubs an...d extra-curricular activities on offer.

Pupils are proud of the fundraising they do for a range of charities.

Pupils behave well in lessons and on the playground. They are polite and confident.

Pupils are respectful to each other. They know to take turns to listen and talk to each other. Pupils feel safe.

Many parents are proud that their children attend the school.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. Teachers know the individual needs of pupils and support them well.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is broad and well sequenced. The trust and school leaders provide support to staff across the school to develop the curriculum further. Where the curriculum is strongest, it helps pupils to increase their knowledge of subjects over time.

Pupils revisit prior learning that helps them to recall what they have learned. For example, pupils remember important historical and geographical facts. This helps them to understand new content and ideas.

Teachers use assessment well to check what pupils have learned.

In the early years, children sing rhymes and join in with traditional tales. This helps them to develop early letter recognition.

Children quickly progress to learn phonics sounds. Leaders provide extra support for pupils who need to catch up with their reading. However, sometimes pupils do not read books that precisely match their reading ability.

When this occurs, some pupils do not read well because this affects their confidence and hinders their fluency.

Pupils enjoy learning mathematics. When faced with new mathematical concepts, teachers support pupils well.

Teachers present new ideas with clarity. They do this in a variety of ways that deepen pupils' understanding. Teachers prompt pupils to recall and to practise prior learning.

Leaders accurately check what pupils know and can do in mathematics. This information is used well to provide personalised support when needed.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the full curriculum.

Pupils with SEND have plans that are ambitious, with precise targets. Staff know the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils work towards the best possible outcomes.

Pupils learn about the importance of being physically fit. The curriculum is designed so that pupils build teamwork from early years to Year 6. Pupils enjoy learning physical education (PE) and describe an 'amazing atmosphere' where they encourage one another to do their best.

Pupils further develop their talents and interests through participation in external sporting events, including cross country running competitions.

Pupils follow the school's routines and meet the expectations of staff. Teachers have a shared and consistent approach to managing behaviour.

As a result, the school has a calm and happy atmosphere. Low-level disruption is rare. When it does happen, pupils are quick to respond to the instructions of adults.

Pupils value the rewards they can earn and the celebration of their achievements in school assemblies.

Pupils learn about democracy through voting for representatives on the school council. They learn to stay safe online and how to ride their bicycles safely when on the road.

Pupils understand the importance of positive mental health. Some become mental health ambassadors to support other pupils. Pupils are respectful of views and beliefs that are different to their own.

Despite this, pupils do not have a secure knowledge of different cultures around the world. This means pupils do not understand cultural and religious differences.

Staff feel part of a strong team that works together to support pupils and the community.

Leaders provide teachers with the latest research-based training. This helps develop their skills further.

Governors and trustees are proud of the school.

They work together to support and challenge leaders. Leaders are mindful of staff well-being and workload. As a result, staff feel supported by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong safeguarding culture. Staff know pupils and families well.

Staff are trained well and they know how to keep pupils safe. Leaders use robust record-keeping systems to identify and respond to trends in the behaviour of pupils.

Pupils say they feel safe.

They learn how to stay safe in the community. Pupils know who to speak with if they have a concern.Governors and the local authority check that the school's safeguarding systems are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the books pupils read are not matched well enough to the sounds they know. When this occurs, pupils who are at the early stages of reading struggle to read fluently. Leaders need to ensure that the books pupils read are always matched precisely to the sounds they know so that that pupils develop their fluency and enjoyment of reading.

• Pupils do not have a secure knowledge of different cultures or religions. This means that pupils do not understand cultural differences as well as they should. Leaders need to ensure that pupils develop a greater understanding of different religions and cultures so that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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