Vale View Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Vale View Primary is a nurturing, friendly school, where pupils embody their motto and 'strive for excellence'. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well cared for and valued.

Pupils have benefited from the positive changes that the school has made to the curriculum since the previous inspection. As a result, most pupils meet the school's high expectations for their academic success. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, produce work of high quality that demonstrates their understanding of what they have been taught.

Pupils are eager to talk to visitors about what they have learned.

Children in the ea...rly years, and pupils across the rest of the school, including those in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), benefit from the positive relationships that they form with staff. Pupils are attentive in lessons, and they work hard.

Pupils are kind and caring towards one another. They feel happy and safe in school.

Pupils have high aspirations for their future careers.

They carry out their roles of responsibility diligently. Pupils take part in democratic elections and interviews to become school councillors and well-being or sports ambassadors. This helps to prepare them well to be successful citizens of the future.

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

The school has successfully designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. It has identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn at each stage and in each subject.

Staff deliver the curriculum in a way that engages pupils and promotes their love of learning.

Staff reported that having high-quality training and readily available resources has reduced their workload. This has enabled them to focus on pupils' needs. Teachers check how well pupils are learning the curriculum.

However, in a few subjects, teachers do not use information that they gather from these checks to modify their future teaching. Consequently, in these subjects, some pupils have gaps in their learning.

Most pupils achieve well in a range of subjects.

By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. However, in 2023, pupils' attainment in writing and mathematics was significantly below the expected standard at the end of key stage 1. This was due to some weaknesses in the previous curriculum and a higher than usual number of pupils leaving and joining the school part way through the year.

Currently, most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects.

Reading is prioritised from the Nursery class to Year 6. The school makes sure that staff who deliver the phonics curriculum are well trained to do so successfully.

Typically, staff identify pupils who struggle to keep up with the reading curriculum quickly. Staff ensure that these pupils receive appropriate support to catch up with their peers.

Typically, most pupils become confident and fluent readers.

Older pupils spoke with enthusiasm about the diverse range of authors and texts that they enjoy reading. Occasionally, some pupils do not read regularly enough. As a result, they are not able to practise and consolidate what they learn in their reading sessions.

This sometimes hinders some their access to the wider curriculum.

Many children enter the early years with gaps in their knowledge. The school addresses these swiftly.

As a result, most children thrive. The school ensures that the early years curriculum is delivered well. For example, the school uses engaging activities to promote children's communication and early writing development.

Staff have the knowledge and skills to identify pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. The school ensures that these pupils are supported well to access the same curriculum as their peers. This enables pupils with SEND to learn successfully.

There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere across the school. Pupils are well-mannered and kind. They rarely experience any disruption to their learning.

Staff support pupils, including those in the specially resourced provision, well to manage their feelings and behaviour. The school has taken effective measures to prioritise pupils' rates of attendance. It takes prompt and effective action when required.

Most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

Trips and visits are thoughtfully designed to help pupils to develop a deep understanding of different cultures. For example, pupils visit various places of worship, celebrate a wide range of religious festivals and take part in termly language days.

Pupils spoke confidently about fundamental British values, such as democracy and the rule of law. Pupils learn how to stay safe, including how to manage the potential risks that they may face when playing or learning online. Pupils throughout the school have many opportunities to enhance their talents and interests through clubs such as cheerleading, gardening and football.

Governors have worked productively with the school to bring about considerable improvements since the previous inspection. As a result, pupils experience a good quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment information well enough to address gaps in pupils' learning. This makes it difficult for pupils to build new learning onto what they already know. The school should ensure that teachers use the information that they gather from their checks on learning to reshape their teaching to help pupils learn all that they should.

• Some pupils do not read regularly enough. This means that they do not consolidate their reading knowledge well enough. The school should ensure that pupils receive regular opportunities to practise their reading so that they become confident, fluent readers.

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