Vicarage Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Vicarage Primary School Vicarage Lane, East Ham, London E6 6AD

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Outcome

Vicarage Primary School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this welcoming and friendly school. Pupils, parents and carers said they like being greeted by staff as they arrive each morning. Pupils are interested in their learning. They like talking about their lessons. One parent said, ‘My child has come on leaps and bounds; they really love being here.’ This comment was typical of parents’ positive views on the school’s work.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils behave well. Disruption during lessons is uncommon. Pupils said that bullying rarely happens in their school. They know that if there are any issues, they can talk to their teachers and they would sort it out. Staff work hard to resolve any issues promptly and ensure that pupils are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have designed a curriculum with the school’s values of excellence, resilience and respect at its heart. Pupils develop and deepen their understanding very successfully. All are well supported by staff. Leaders also continually seek opportunities to enrich what pupils are learning. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the range of visiting speakers and educational trips that help to widen their experiences.

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

Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. Leaders are clear about the key knowledge that they want all pupils to learn and remember. Teachers link pupils’ new learning with what they have been taught before. Staff also help pupils to develop cultural awareness and understanding through their learning. For example, in music, pupils are taught about and learn to appreciate different styles of music from around the world. Pupils achieve well in the wide range of subjects they study. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Reading across the school, including phonics, is well planned. Children start learning about the sounds that letters make as soon as they join the school. They become fluent readers quickly. Pupils who struggle with learning to read get effective support to ensure that they do not fall behind. Staff match pupils’ reading books closely to the sounds that pupils know. This helps to develop pupils’ confidence in reading. Staff are positive role models for pupils and show a love of reading. For example, adults from across the school read to pupils at the end of each school day.

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Pupils read widely and show interest and enjoyment in books. The curriculum encourages pupils to think deeply about books and language, including, for instance, why authors choose to use particular words. Pupils like exploring and discussing themes and features in a wide range of writing. For example, Year 5 pupils confidently gave their different opinions about what might motivate a character in the text that they were reading. Increasing pupils’ readiness and enthusiasm for composing their own writing is a current curriculum priority. This is an area that leaders wish to develop further.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Leaders include all pupils in every aspect of the school. They identify individual needs accurately and put strategies in place to ensure these needs are met effectively. Staff break down the learning into manageable steps so that all pupils can follow what is being taught.

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Leaders ensure that staff follow a consistent approach to pupils’ learning. Teachers go back over what has been taught in previous lessons and check what pupils have remembered. This helps pupils to build on what they already know. In mathematics, for example, pupils in Year 2 applied their previous learning about measurement to solve mathematical problems. They liked explaining how they worked out the correct answers. Pupils persevere and help each other if they find their work difficult.

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Teachers use their expertise to support pupils’ learning. Knowledge is selected, revisited, and practised so that pupils acquire broad and secure foundations in each subject. In art, for example, pupils are taught about a wide range of artists and artistic traditions. They learn about artists from the past, such as Andre Derain and Henri Matisse. They also learn about and can explain how these artists’ influence can be seen in the work of contemporary artists from around the world. Pupils work as artists, using their sketchbooks to practise and develop their skills before creating final works.

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Leaders provide pupils with experiences designed to support their wider development. These include opportunities to contribute to their community and help others. For instance, pupils organise events for Remembrance Day and the anti-bullying week assembly. They also take part in raising money for national charities. Pupils are taught about different faiths and backgrounds. They enjoy visiting places of worship such as the local church and a Gurdwara.

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Staff said that their workload is manageable. They appreciate that leaders consider their workload and well-being. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know their safeguarding responsibilities. They make sure that all staff receive regular training. Staff are vigilant and are quick to report concerns. Leaders take prompt action to follow these up effectively.

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Safeguarding

Leaders use lessons and assemblies to help pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They teach pupils how to manage some of the risks they may encounter. Pupils talked about how to use the internet safely. They know to speak to an adult if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils also know that they can use the school’s online system to report anything that is troubling them.

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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 first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Vicarage Primary School, to be good in November 2014.

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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 .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 22 and 23 March 2022

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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. 22 and 23 March 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Vicarage Primary School converted to become an academy school in March 2018. When its predecessor school, Vicarage Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the New Vision Trust.  The headteacher has been in post since 2016. A new deputy headteacher was appointed in 2020. The structure of the leadership team changed in 2017, with the addition of four new assistant headteachers.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the chief executive officer of the academy trust, leaders and members of staff. The inspectors also met with other members of the academy trust and members of the local governing body. 22 and 23 March 2022

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 The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, art and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions with subject leaders, considered curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector also listened to some pupils read with an adult. Other subjects were also considered during this inspection.  The inspectors spoke with parents and considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses from parents and parents’ correspondence with the inspectors. The inspectors also considered the views of staff and pupils through the Ofsted online surveys.  The inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime. They spoke to a range of staff about their views of behaviour, their workload and well-being. The inspectors also spoke with pupils to consider their views.  The inspectors spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe.

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The inspectors also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the single central record of staff’s suitability checks.

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Robin Bosher Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 March 2022

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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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