Vigo Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There is a warm and friendly feel to this school. Everyone is welcome and valued here. Staff greet pupils with ready smiles.

Pupils, in response, are polite and respectful. Inclusion and high expectations for all sit at the heart of the school's culture. These values allow pupils to be successful in their learning.

Pupils and their families appreciate this. As one parent said, 'The school has an amazing staff who go above and beyond to support individual children's needs.'

Pupils follow the 'Vigo Hi-Five' rules.

They work hard in their lessons and show kindness and empathy towards each other. When pupils need help to manage their feelings and emotio...ns, staff help them in a calm and nurturing way. This means that pupils behave well around the school.

Bullying is not something that worries them. They know that if it does occur, it is dealt with quickly by staff. Pupils feel safe and well cared for.

The Vigo school choir is an absolute joy to listen to. Pupils sing with pride and simultaneously use their Makaton signing skills. They are a fantastic advertisement for the school when they sing at community events.

Pupils are excited about performing their Christmas songs to an audience.

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

Leaders have been relentless in their actions to improve the school since the previous inspection. They have made sure that the school's curriculum is interesting and ambitious.

In most subjects, leaders have planned the key content for pupils to learn, and they check that it happens in lessons. Teachers carefully check what pupils know and what they can remember about their learning in previous years. They adjust their teaching when necessary.

However, in a few foundation subjects, where the curriculum is still being developed, this process is not as well established. As a result, pupils are not always learning quite as well as they could.

Pupils across the school read well.

Leaders make sure that staff are skilled at teaching pupils how to read. From the moment they start school, pupils read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they are learning. Older pupils receive extra support if they need it.

They work hard and know their reading routines well. Leaders use every opportunity to encourage pupils to enjoy reading by 'bumping into a book'. For example, at lunchtime, pupils visit the library where they share books with their friends.

Pupils have been further inspired by the current whole-school reading initiative linked to the number of days that Queen Elizabeth II reigned.

Support for pupils to develop their language and communication skills is effective. From the moment children start school in early years, staff encourage them to ask questions and then help them to discuss what they find out with their friends.

Children know that no subject is off limits. For example, they were keen to talk about the effect of gravity and what solar panels do. Pupils who need additional support with developing their vocabulary and language receive it.

Those who speak English as an additional language are well catered for. This includes support from external agencies when appropriate.

The special educational needs coordinator makes sure that teachers know how to identify pupils who need additional help with their learning or behaviour.

Many of these pupils are supported in their classes across the curriculum. Some pupils receive additional language support as part of the school's specially resourced provision. The nurture and 'ready to learn' staff help pupils who need support with developing a positive attitude towards their learning.

Pupils benefit from leaders' actions regarding their personal development. The school's 'mirror values' help pupils to take a look at themselves and then consider the decisions they make. These values mean that pupils embrace difference and demonstrate a clear understanding of right and wrong.

Pupils enjoy attending the school's clubs. They would, however, like to be consulted more about what clubs are made available.

Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.

Leaders know this and are well aware that this can have a negative impact on pupils' learning. Their strategies to improve attendance are under way. There is a focus on strengthening the relationships between staff and families so that information and support in terms of attendance can be provided.

Governors know the school well and its strengths and areas for development. They support leaders in their work to improve the school further. Some subject leaders are, however, new to their role and not yet fully equipped to develop their subject.

Staff feel well supported and valued, especially those teachers who are at the beginning of their career.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously.

They train staff well. Staff know how to identify and report any concerns about pupils' safety. Leaders refer these concerns to other agencies when appropriate.

They are persistent in checking that support is provided to families who need it. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. They know about ways to stay safe online and when building relationships.

Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding about what consent means. Governors routinely check leaders' safeguarding actions. This includes the monitoring of procedures carried out during the recruitment and induction of new staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very few foundation subjects, the curriculum is not fully developed. Pupils cannot always make links with previous learning. Leaders need to make sure that the curriculum is clearly sequenced and that staff are supported to deliver it well.

• Some subject leaders are not fully aware of how the intended curriculum in their subject is delivered. They do not know, therefore, in what ways it needs further work to improve pupils' learning. Senior leaders need to make sure that they develop subject leaders' skills and knowledge to be able to lead their subject's development effectively.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. Leaders have plans to address this, but some of these strategies are in their infancy. Leaders need to ensure that these plans are embedded and to keep a check on how successful the plans are.

Also at this postcode