Yeo Valley Primary School

Yeo Valley Primary School Derby Road, Barnstaple, Devon EX32 7HB

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors have not provided effective strategic leadership and standards have declined as a result.  Teachers have not been held to account for the progress that pupils make. Consequently, too often teaching is weak and pupils do not make adequate progress in their learning.  Expectations are too low. Too many of the most able pupils, particularly boys, are not challenged and stretched so they are not achieving higher standards.  Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are not supported effectively in their academic progress.  Children in the Reception class are not making good progress and are not prepared well for Year 1.  Information about pupils’ achievements is not always accurate and is not used well to improve pupils’ progress.  Leaders are not improving pupils’ work in literacy and numeracy successfully.  Too many pupils misbehave continually and disrupt the learning of others. Processes to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

manage poor behaviour are not effective.  Pupils are not provided with a curriculum that helps them to understand the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of living in the twenty first century. They have not been taught sufficiently well about British values.  The majority of pupils are disadvantaged. Extra funding for these pupils has not been spent wisely and, too often, their achievements are of a low standard.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The new leaders of the school have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses. It is too soon to measure the impact of new initiatives.  Pupils are safe because of the recent actions to make the site secure.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Governors must ensure that: – leadership capacity is improved as a matter of urgency – the impact of leaders’ plans, policies and practice is monitored relentlessly to ensure that the quality of education improves rapidly – they support and challenge school leaders to bring about improvements quickly – there is an effective system for managing the performance of teachers so that teachers are accountable for the progress that pupils make – information about pupils’ achievements is accurate and monitored and evaluated frequently so that every pupil succeeds – middle leaders have the capacity and skills to monitor the work of teachers so that progress is rapid and teaching is consistent – expectations are raised so that pupils’ progress by the end of each key stage, including the early years foundation stage, reflects their potential and is at least in line with national expectations – British values and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum are embedded

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

so that pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain – the root causes of misbehaviour are analysed and tackled so that pupils do not display poor behaviour.  Leaders must improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring that: – teachers provide opportunities for pupils to read and write extensively and at greater depth in literacy and additional subjects – pupils are given regular opportunities to practise their reasoning and problem- solving skills in mathematics – the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are provided with learning that is sufficiently challenging and deepens their thinking – pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress, with support that stretches their learning further so that they achieve their potential – pupils who have English as an additional language are assessed effectively so their communication skills improve rapidly – boys are motivated to do better in their learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 There has been a lack of realistic and accurate evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. Leaders’ plans to improve the school have been weak and have not led to improvements in standards.  Since January 2018, the new head of school and the executive headteacher have commissioned several local authority reviews. Leaders have evaluated pupils’ needs so that progress improves. Some new initiatives have started but it is too soon to measure the impact.  New leaders are on temporary contracts so the long-term future of the school is not secure yet. The current substantive leaders do not have the capacity to manage the improvements to raise standards to an acceptable level.  Systems for managing the performance of teachers were not used effectively. Teachers were not supported well when teaching was weak. They were not held to account for the progress that pupils made.  Expectations of pupils are too low. Pupils’ progress, by the end of each key stage,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

including the early years foundation stage, does not reflect their potential and is not in line with national expectations.  Information about pupils’ achievements is not used well to improve outcomes. Pupils are not provided with effective support when falling behind in their studies.  Leaders have not managed poor behaviour successfully over time. Pupils do not have a clear system of rewards and sanctions. Some changes to the management of behaviour have taken place recently. However, they are not fully established so disruptive behaviour still happens regularly.  Leaders have not spent funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. The impact of any actions taken was not evaluated. The majority of pupils are disadvantaged so this inefficiency has led to overall poor outcomes. Leaders have reviewed the spending of pupil premium funding since January. A new plan is being devised as a result, but it is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

too soon to see the impact of any actions.  The spending of sport premium has not been effective as it was not spent on equipment for pupils or on staff training. New leaders have ensured that pupils take physical education lessons more regularly but have yet to devise a plan for the spending of the premium.  Although leaders of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities have recognised pupils’ needs, use of funding has not improved pupils’ progress. Teachers and teaching assistants are not trained to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. As a result, these pupils’ needs are not met and they are not achieving well.  Some pupils experience a very poorly balanced curriculum because teaching assistants work with them separately for over-long periods of time.  The curriculum does not provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to have a good understanding of British values of democracy, the rule of law and equality of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

opportunity. Equally, there has been a limited focus on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects so pupils are not prepared well for life in modern Britain or the next stages of their education.

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Governance of the school

 The governing body is in the process of reconstitution. There was a disproportionate number of staff members on the governing body. This had the potential for conflicts of interest. Several new governors have been appointed. The governing body is now better placed to deal with the challenges the school faces, such as staff changes and declining pupil numbers.  A review of governance has been undertaken since January. Current governors are supported in their roles effectively by the local authority and the executive headteacher.  Governors have acted quickly to improve safeguarding. They carried out an audit of risks on the site in December 2017. They have made improvements to ensure that pupils are safe.  Governors have not overseen the spending of extra funding, such as pupil premium and sport premium, efficiently. Similarly, they have not paid sufficient attention to the spending of funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. This has led to low

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Governance of the school

standards of achievement for these pupils.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The head of school and the executive headteacher have made recent changes in security, such as identification badges for staff and visitors. Equally, visitors are escorted at all times and are required to sign in at reception.  Pupils have received training on fire safety practices. Pupils understand the dangers of the internet and social media.  The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo), who was appointed in January 2018, has ensured that child protection processes are thorough and that vulnerable pupils are safe. Systems are effective and have been over time.  Records of recruitment are of a high quality and detailed. Staff receive training on how to keep pupils safe from abuse, sexual exploitation and the influences of radicalisation and extremism.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teachers’ expectations are too low. They accept poorly presented and incomplete work from pupils on too many occasions without challenge. Consequently, pupils, especially boys, do not show pride in their achievements and lack motivation to do better. This has had a steady impact on the decline in achievement.  Teachers are not assessing what pupils know regularly. As a result, they are not planning effectively. This hampers pupils’ progress as work does not reflect their ability and levels of understanding.  Too often, in some of the mixed-age groups, teachers give pupils the same work. As a result, lower-ability pupils do not understand what to do and the most able pupils are not stretched and challenged in their learning.  Too few teachers are helping pupils to communicate well in writing and speaking. Teachers are not modelling well-formed sentences to aid pupils in their writing. Equally, teachers are not questioning pupils to think more deeply on a regular basis.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Older pupils, especially the most able, are not developing a rich vocabulary that supports their comprehension and inference in texts ready for the end of key stage 2 tests.  Teaching has not ensured that pupils have a secure understanding of grammar and punctuation. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their skills in extended writing tasks.  Teachers are not following the school’s marking policy consistently and do not identify basic errors in pupils’ work. As a result, pupils are compounding errors and not improving them.  In mathematics, teachers are not providing pupils with activities that develop fluency. There are too few opportunities for pupils to apply their understanding through problem-solving and reasoning activities.  Teachers are not considering the needs of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities so these pupils are not making good progress.  The leader of phonics knows the improvements needed, but has yet to have an impact

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils are not confident in themselves. This impedes their progress. New leaders are aware that pupils lack resilience and determination when challenged in their learning.  The school environment is cluttered and untidy in too many areas. Pupils are not taught in a good climate for learning.  Pupils are not taught helpful routines. Consequently, in some lessons, pupils wander about aimlessly when learning should be taking place.  Pupils struggle to articulate their learning. Pupils are too dependent on adults for explanations.  The new head of school is building good relationships with pupils. He is making them aware of respectful attitudes on a daily basis.  Similarly, the head of school has raised awareness of e-safety and fire safety through assemblies. He has taken the first steps in encouraging pupils to consider pride in their

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Personal development and welfare

school, ‘Yeo Valley pride’.  The newly appointed SENCo manages the welfare of pupils who have complex emotional needs well. This has been her priority and it has ensured the well-being of pupils with most need. However, capacity for supporting progress in learning for these pupils is poor.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Teachers do not apply consistently the school’s systems to manage behaviour. Pupils receive mixed messages about appropriate conduct.  Teachers do not analyse the root causes of misbehaviour, so many pupils display low- level disruption regularly. Sometimes, poor behaviour is not challenged by teachers or teachers’ warnings to pupils are haphazard. As a result, poor behaviour by a minority of pupils escalates.  Since January, the head of school has developed purposeful early-morning routines. Pupils enter school in an orderly fashion ready for their learning.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average and few pupils are persistently absent from school.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Standards in writing have been in the bottom 20% nationally for pupils in their end of key stage 2 tests for the past two years. Weak teaching continues in this subject. Pupils, especially the most able, are not producing work of greater depth.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics were in the bottom 10% for pupils in their end of key stage 1 tests in 2017. Standards were in the bottom 20% for at least the past two years. Children’s progress slows in Reception and some pupils enter key stage 1 without sufficient skills in reading, writing and number.  Pupils are not making rapid progress in the core subjects because teaching does not match pupils’ abilities. Consequently, their achievement remains below that of pupils nationally.  Current pupils’ achievement is in further decline in both key stages 1 and 2 in reading, writing and mathematics.  Boys’ poor attitudes, and lack of effective teaching in key stage 2, are restricting their

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

achievement. Much of their work is of a lower standard now than at the beginning of the academic year.  The difference between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and others in the school is diminishing, but this is because of low standards and not better progress.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are not making good progress because their needs are not being met.  The most able pupils, and the most able disadvantaged pupils, are not making good progress because they are not stretched and challenged effectively in their learning.  Pupils who have English as an additional language are not supported well. This limits their progress, especially in speaking and writing.  Pupils’ knowledge and understanding does not prepare them for the next stage of their education.  Outcomes in the wider curriculum are poor. Pupils are not learning useful facts in science or humanities.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Leadership in early years requires improvement because children are making slow progress in Reception. Children’s progress is assessed accurately but this information is not used to plan strategically. As a result, children’s progress is not improving.  Leadership is not engaging parents effectively in their children’s learning. There are too few opportunities for parents to share their children’s experiences. This restricts children’s progress.  Children arrive in Reception eager to build on their learning from the Nursery Year. However, weak teaching impedes their progress.  Children’s activities in writing do not provide enough opportunities to learn how to hold pencils properly. Children learn to count but are not recording numbers often, which limits their practice in writing.  Children do not apply their knowledge of letters and sounds regularly. Too often, children are often not provided with the challenge they need to make good progress.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

Children who have SEN and/or disabilities do not have the same opportunities for writing and recording number as other children.  Children in the Nursery Year are making good progress. Here, leaders prompt children to consider new initiatives that build on the progress that they make. Expectations are high and activities are well structured, so children develop learning quickly and enthusiastically.  Children respond well to adults. They are keen to learn. Activities are set up where children can integrate, learn to share and take turns without undue fuss and bother.  Teachers have created an indoor and outdoor learning environment that engages children. However, the environment is not used well to develop Reception children’s literacy and numeracy skills.  Children are safe and the safeguarding practices are robust.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.yeo-valley-primary.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Email address admin@yeo-valley-primary.devon.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15–16 October 2014

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Information about this school

 Yeo Valley Primary school is similar in size to the average primary school.  The head of school and the executive headteacher were appointed in January 2018.  The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above the national average.  The majority of pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. The reading results for the end of key stage 2 tests were annulled in 2017.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning across the school jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ current work in books across the curriculum.  Inspectors heard pupils read in Year 3, 4, 5 and 6 and spoke with them to find out about their attitudes to reading.  Meetings were held with governors, senior and middle leaders and pupils. The lead inspector met the local authority school improvement adviser.  Inspectors took account of 26 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, and informal discussions with parents when they brought their children to school. Inspectors took account of 24 comments by parents on the online survey, 26 responses to the staff questionnaire and one response to the pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors looked at school documents, including school policies and governors’ minutes of meetings.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding evidence, including the school’s single central record.

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Inspection team

Kathy Maddocks, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Wendy Hanrahan Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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