Vittoria Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Vittoria Primary School Half Moon Crescent, Islington, London N1 0TJ

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 October 2021

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Outcome

Vittoria Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Vittoria Primary School is a happy place. Pupils like the wide range of activities that school provides for them, such as learning about pondlife in the school’s pond. They enjoy visiting places of interest, the school’s overnight experiences, such as ‘Space Camp’, and other opportunities to collaborate with dance and art companies which are typically linked to what they learn in class. They enjoy breaktime, using the climbing wall and climbing frames, and running energetically with friends. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in school life. Pupils play and interact positively across the different year groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk confidently and positively about the school. They know what their teachers expect of them. They behave sensibly. Pupils said that bullying is rare and dealt with quickly. They said that if other pupils misbehave, adults quickly step in, helping everyone to make the right choices. Pupils feel safe at the school. They are confident that they can go to any of the adults in school if they have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for every pupil. They make sure pupils are well prepared and ready for secondary school.

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

Leaders have made sure a broad curriculum is in place across the school. They have written plans for all year groups in each subject from Year 1 onwards. Curriculum leaders have thought carefully about how particular subject knowledge and experiences build, year on year, in their individual subject progression maps and plans. But a few subjects do not provide enough clarity, within these plans, about how pupils will build their knowledge over time. For example, in geography, plans outline the skills required in each year group, such as using maps and compasses. Plans do not include what pupils need to know and remember in the long term when constructing and using maps of increasing complexity. In a very few subjects, it is not always clear how pupils’ knowledge in Year 1 builds on the early years planning. 12 and 13 October 2021

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Leaders are ambitious that every pupil develops a love of reading. Phonics lessons begin right from the start of Reception. In Nursery, staff have identified the books they will read to children and the rhymes they will learn. These encourage the youngest at the school to talk with others and join in with rhymes. Phonics lessons help pupils to learn the sounds they need to read successfully. Pupils who find reading difficult get the extra help that they need to catch up quickly.

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All pupils achieve well. Staff identify pupils with additional needs quickly. Pupils with SEND get the help they need. For example, pupils with SEND may receive extra adult support, resources or practical equipment to help them learn. Pupils who struggle with their feelings, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, have extra help. Leaders have ensured all staff are trained to provide trauma support. Caring relationships, between staff and pupils, support pupils to grow in confidence. Leaders have high expectations for good behaviour. These high expectations, shared by all, help lessons to progress smoothly.

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Teachers check that pupils are remembering what they have been taught. They follow a sequence that builds on pupils’ prior learning. They explain any new learning to pupils clearly. Teachers regularly engage in a range of training and coaching support. They benefit from the expertise of two highly experienced curriculum leaders in mathematics and science which is strengthening further teachers’ very good subject knowledge. They know where pupils may struggle and put support in place promptly so that pupils do not fall behind.

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Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities that support the curriculum. Leaders make sure that all pupils have equal opportunities to participate in these activities. Pupils talk about the outings they have been on, the range of after-school clubs and the opportunities they have to help others. They value the many roles of responsibility they can take, including school councillors, ‘lunch bunch’ ambassadors and eco councillors.

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Staff enjoy working in this school. They appreciate that governors and school leaders consider their well-being. Teachers said that leaders act on any concerns, including taking steps to reduce their workload. Governors are well informed about the school’s priorities. They have kept abreast of staff’s and leaders’ workload and well-being by reviewing staff questionnaires and talking to school leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff have a good understanding of the most recent changes to guidance on how to keep children safe. Leaders have reflected on making procedures even stronger in light of the new guidance. Staff receive effective safeguarding training. They know what to do if there are any concerns. They swiftly identify those who may need help. When appropriate, staff work closely with parents and families. They engage with a wide range of external agencies to provide the necessary support. 12 and 13 October 2021

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The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum supports pupils’ understanding of safety, including online, and where to get help if they need it.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, planning lacks details about what pupils need to know and remember in the long term to deepen their learning over time. In a very few subjects, planning does not consider what children learn in the early years. Leaders need to ensure sufficiently detailed curriculum planning which builds on the learning in the early years is in place in all subjects.  The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 12 and 13 October 2021

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 12 and 13 October 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.vittoria.islington.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 4 October 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 In September 2018, the deputy headteacher took on the role as headteacher at the school. At the same time, Vittoria Primary School became part of ‘Islington Futures’. It is in a hard federation with a local primary school and two other local secondary schools.  The school has provision for two-year-olds. However, the school is no longer taking requests for admissions of two-year-olds. The current provision will cease once the remaining two-year-olds turn three.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club on site for pupils of Reception age and above who attend the school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in her evaluation. 12 and 13 October 2021

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 The inspector met with senior leaders, including the headteacher. Meetings were held with two governors, including the chair of the federation governing body. A phone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  In considering the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding arrangements, the inspector scrutinised the single central record. Records relating to the safeguarding of children were also looked at. Discussions were held with a range of pupils, staff and the designated lead with responsibility for safeguarding. Playtimes and lunchtimes and

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their supervision were observed. The inspector also considered records of the training staff receive relating to safeguarding.  The inspector spoke with staff and discussed how well leaders consider their well- being, including steps to help them manage their workload. The inspector considered opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and how leaders promote high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. The inspector reviewed the school’s leavers register and met with the member of staff who oversees attendance.

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Inspection team

Jean Thwaites, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 12 and 13 October 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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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