Van Gogh Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Van Gogh Primary is a warm and nurturing school where pupils are happy and enjoy their learning. There is a growing sense of the school being at the heart of the community.

This was summed up by one pupil, who said, 'We are like a family at this school, with multiple adults and multiple children.'

Pupils and their families have regular opportunities to share their learning experiences. For example, leaders organise regular coffee mornings, and invite parents and carers to 'rock up and read' with their children in the early years.

All staff have high expectations of what pupils can do and achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabili...ties (SEND). Pupils are keen learners. They value the way the curriculum helps them to understand and remember more.

Pupils are polite, friendly and show respect to adults and each other. At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils have a range of activities and equipment to use. They get along happily, and enjoy the opportunity to play with pupils of different ages from across the whole school.

Pupils behave well. This is because leaders and staff have put in place clear and consistent routines. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils trust adults to sort out any issues when they arise. Bullying does not happen often. If it does, staff help pupils to deal with it.

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

Leaders, including trustees and governors, have a clear and aligned vision for pupils at this school. The commitment and decision-making from leaders at all levels have resulted in significant, positive change, including in the quality of education on offer.

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils.

Across subjects, leaders have created well-considered sequences of learning. The most important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn have been methodically identified. In planning and implementing the curriculum, leaders make sure that pupils' needs and starting points are at the forefront of their work.

In many subjects, leaders' expertise means that they provide staff with clear guidance on how to deliver the curriculum. As a result, in these subjects, pupils are remembering what they have been taught and are able to make connections across their learning.

Nevertheless, these strengths are not as well established in some subjects.

Leaders have already begun to refine the way in which the curriculum is taught and planned. They are providing greater clarity on how pupils should be supported to remember their learning and achieve ambitious end-points. Leaders have identified and are working on the right priorities.

For example, there is a current focus on mathematics. This is because leaders were disappointed with pupils' outcomes in mathematics in 2022.In English, mathematics and science, teaching checks how well pupils have understood key ideas in the subject.

Teachers use information from these checks to plan and adapt learning based on what pupils know. However, in some other subjects, checks on pupils' learning are not used as well. As a result, teachers do not have effective information about what pupils already know.

This can reduce how successfully teaching builds on pupils' existing learning.

Across the curriculum, teachers provide pupils with regular opportunities to recap what they have previously been taught. Support is put in place for any pupil who is falling behind.

This includes for pupils with SEND. Teachers adapt learning effectively, enabling these pupils to access and achieve the intended curriculum outcomes. Leaders ensure that the right support is put in place for pupils with SEND, working successfully with external agencies where needed to identify and plan for pupils' specific needs.

Leaders prioritise reading. They have ensured that all staff have been trained to deliver early reading consistently well. Phonics is taught systematically.

Leaders organise phonics teaching so that pupils receive support that is directly matched to their needs and existing knowledge. Pupils practise reading, using the sounds that they know, through carefully matched decodable books. Pupils who need extra practice are given additional sessions to help them to keep up.

This enables pupils to become confident and fluent readers. Pupils value the opportunities they have to read books for pleasure. Regular visits to the school library and the local community library provide them with a wide range of books to read and enjoy.

The curriculum for pupils' wider development has been well considered. The school's values are well embedded and are reflected in pupils' positive behaviour for learning and conduct. Pupils across the school relish the opportunities for responsibility, such as being part of the pupil parliament, an eco-warrior or a play leader.

To enrich the curriculum and promote pupils' understanding of equality, leaders organise a variety of carefully planned educational outings and visits from external speakers.

Trustees and governors maintain strong strategic oversight of the school. Collaborative working across the trust at all levels ensures that staff receive helpful and regular opportunities for professional development.

Staff feel valued by leaders. They appreciate the way that their workload and well-being are taken into account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders maintain robust systems for safeguarding. All staff have regular and up-to-date training. They know the signs of abuse and know how to report any concerns that they may have.

Leaders act on these concerns effectively, ensuring that pupils receive timely help and protection. Leaders have carried out all the required checks for those who work at or visit the school.

Pupils are taught how to keep safe.

In an age-appropriate way, pupils learn about how to keep safe online, and about healthy and unhealthy relationships. They are also taught about how to recognise and manage their emotions. Staff know how to identify pupils who may need additional help with their mental or emotional health.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leadership is new, and expertise is still developing. Subject leaders' curriculum thinking needs to continue to be developed so that they can ensure that pupils are being fully supported to remember their learning and achieve ambitious end-points. Senior leaders should support subject leaders and teachers to develop their expertise in delivering the curriculum, including in how they can help pupils to remember the knowledge necessary for achieving the identified curriculum end-points.

• In some foundation subjects, leaders are aware that checks on pupils' learning are not used as effectively as they are in other subjects. As a result, teachers do not have effective information about what pupils already know and, in turn, do not ensure that teaching builds up knowledge as successfully in these subjects. Leaders need to continue to support subject leaders and teachers to use purposeful checks on pupils' learning.