Victoria Primary Academy

Inspection of Victoria Primary Academy Ivy Avenue, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS9 9ER

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 27 and 28 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Victoria Primary Academy are proud of their school. They recognise that their school has gone through a period of change and they can explain how this has made school better for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are committed to developing strong relationships with the wider school community. They understand that parents and families would like to get to know them better. Senior leaders and teachers are available, and easily identifiable in named jackets, at the start and end of the school day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have clear expectations for what all pupils can and should achieve. Pupils, including children in the early years, understand these expectations and they work hard to achieve them. Pupils are respectful of each other and of the adults in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The positive expectations of pupils’ behaviour are understood by all. Both pupils and staff recognise how these have changed and improved. Movement around the school is calm and orderly. There is little disruption in lessons. Bullying is rare, and staff are quick to deal with any incidents.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders acknowledge that they need to widen the experiences and opportunities offered to pupils. They have organised various learning experiences that pupils can access throughout the school year. There is also a wide range of after-school activities that pupils are encouraged to attend. These include coding, construction, cross country, biking, dance and many more.

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better?

There is a sharp focus on the quality of education in Victoria Primary Academy. Leaders have given careful thought to what they want pupils to know, remember and be able to do in each subject. Curriculum thinking is clear and well sequenced. English and mathematics are well embedded from Nursery through to Year 6. In these subjects, there are focused opportunities to check pupils’ understanding and identify misconceptions accurately. Teachers provide pupils with purposeful feedback to support their learning.

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better?

Reading is a priority throughout the school. Strong, systematic reading routines begin in the early years. Children take an active part in their phonics sessions. They learn to decode sounds and blend them into words. There is an emphasis on using pure sounds. Adults provide additional support to any pupil who may find learning to read more challenging. Leaders understand the importance of precise assessment procedures which support pupils in becoming accurate and fluent readers. However, the books that pupils take home are not always matched to the sounds that children know. This makes learning to read difficult. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Leaders are continuing to review and refine what is taught across the wider curriculum as they move into the second cycle of delivery for each subject. In all subjects, the curriculum has been carefully designed to help pupils to build on what they have learned before. However, in foundation subjects assessment processes are not yet used well enough to routinely identify gaps in knowledge or misconceptions in learning.

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There have been recent leadership changes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These changes have focused on improving contact with the parents of pupils with SEND. Many parents feel that the support available to pupils in school, and for their whole family, is both proactive and effective. The processes for identifying and supporting pupils with SEND are robust. Pupils with SEND access the curriculum alongside their peers. Their needs are met and they achieve well.

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Clear routines and expectations mean that children in the early years get off to a strong start in their learning. The calm and purposeful learning environment encourages children to develop their curiosity and independence as they learn. In lessons, children focus intently. They are respectful of adults and each other. Staff work closely with parents. They deliver parental workshops to show how children learn in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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Pupils in school take on various roles and responsibilities. Some have been elected to the school council and others have become reading ambassadors or have joined the eco council. Pupils take these responsibilities seriously. Leaders promote equality of opportunity effectively and pupils appreciate and respect diversity. However, pupils have a limited understanding of the distinctiveness of different faiths. Leaders have planned a series of events to build stronger links with the different faith communities in their local area. They recognise the importance of this.

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Staff workload, mental health and well-being are priorities for leaders. Staff feel well supported. They work hard because they want to offer the best experience for the pupils in their care. This commitment is recognised and appreciated by leaders. Trust leaders have developed a clear assurance structure. This informs them of what is going well and what needs further improvement. The local governing board uses this structure to support its work. Governors are knowledgeable about the school’s work. They hold leaders to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Staff receive regular training that allows them to identify and report safeguarding issues promptly. Regular safeguarding briefings ensure all staff are aware of concerns and there are clear processes in place to keep pupils safe. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Pupils learn how to stay safe in their ‘Monday Victoria promise’ assembly, as well as through the wider curriculum. Pupils can demonstrate how to stay safe online and they know how to report any concerns. Pupils feel confident about speaking with staff if they hear or see anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. They can explain what they would do in different circumstances that might place them at risk.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some of the books that pupils use to practise reading are not well matched to their phonics knowledge. This is hindering some pupils from learning to read with fluency. Pupils’ reading books should connect closely to the phonics sounds that each pupil is able to read with accuracy. This will allow them to practise their reading and develop fluency.  In the wider curriculum, teachers do not routinely check what pupils know and remember. This means that they may not identify gaps in knowledge or misconceptions in pupils’ learning. This limits how well pupils are able to build on what they already know. Leaders must ensure that purposeful assessment is used to support pupils to embed and use knowledge with confidence.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 27 and 28 September 2022

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Academy converter

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School details

Headteacher Sam Bailey (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 and 30 January 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive headteacher joined this school in September 2019.  The school has been a member of the Wellspring Academy Trust since November 2015.  Wellspring Academy Trust delegates responsibility for many aspects of governance to their local governing board.  The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The largest majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is above average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion with an education, health and care plan is below average.  The school operates a breakfast and after-school club.  The school uses the following alternative provider: Pivot Academy. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the associate principals and the chief executive officer of Wellspring Academy Trust. Inspectors also held meetings with subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, the safeguarding team, representatives of the local governing board, a representative of the trustees and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and listened to pupils reading to familiar adults in school. They also observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and during lunchtime.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history, computing and physical education. Inspectors looked at curriculum plans for a range of

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Information about this inspection

subjects.  Inspectors examined safeguarding records, including the single central record and recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the views of parents by reviewing responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke with parents as they brought their children to school and spoke to parents by telephone.  Alongside the responses to the online surveys for staff, inspectors also considered views by meeting with various groups of staff.  Inspectors also considered views of pupils, speaking with different groups of pupils from all age groups.

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Inspection team

Zoe Lightfoot, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jo Robinson Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 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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