Evington Valley Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Evington Valley Primary School Evington Valley Road, Leicester, Leicestershire LE5 5LL

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

Evington Valley Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They say teachers are kind and always available to help them. Staff and pupils really do demonstrate the ethos of the school, ‘caring and learning together’. Pupils feel safe and happy in the environment that teachers and leaders have created at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have the highest expectations of pupils. This is both for behaviour and what pupils can achieve academically. Pupils know that poor behaviour is not tolerated. This includes bullying. Pupils benefit from well-established and understood rules.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop an understanding for ‘what a good reader does’ and ‘what a good writer does’. They show these traits as they learn the curriculum. Pupils also develop strength of character and positive attitudes by exercising what the school calls ‘learning muscles’. Teachers encourage pupils to ask questions, reflect, never give up and to ‘go for it!’

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities for pupils to support the wider work of the school. Eco warriors ensure that the school community tries to minimise waste. Sports leaders make lunchtimes fun and active for younger pupils. The school council is actively involved in suggesting and making improvements that will benefit all pupils.

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

All pupils study a broad and ambitious curriculum that is rooted in the national curriculum. Leaders ensure that pupils build their knowledge towards defined learning intentions in each subject. These help them answer the ‘big questions’ and give them an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding. Subject leaders monitor how well pupils learn the curriculum. This is to check that the curriculum is having the intended impact on pupils knowing and remembering more. In many subjects, pupils produce high-quality work and gain a depth of knowledge. This is not the case for all subjects. Pupils’ work and depth of understanding is not of equally high quality across all areas of the curriculum. 24 and 25 January 2023 Teachers use their subject knowledge to present new information effectively. They choose activities to help pupils build on what they know. Teachers use questioning well to check that pupils learn the essential knowledge in the curriculum. Pupils can talk confidently

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

about their learning. For example, in history pupils can demonstrate accurately their chronological understanding of the British monarchy. In science, pupils talk confidently about their understanding of food chains, using key vocabulary. Some of the knowledge that leads to pupils gaining subject-specific skills is not precisely identified in some subjects. As a result, there are occasions when pupils do not develop subject-specific skills as well as they should.

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

Children start to learn the sounds that letters make as soon as they start the Reception Year. Teachers are well trained in using a consistent and structured method to teach reading. Leaders invite parents and carers into the school on a weekly basis so they can take part in ‘early bird’ sessions. This helps teachers model how parents can read with children at home. Teachers use assessment well to check that all pupils become better readers. Books that pupils read match closely to the sounds they know. Pupils become confident readers as a result. Teachers encourage pupils to read for pleasure. Pupils benefit from daily story time. They develop a love for reading.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to learn the curriculum. Leaders and teachers identify the small step targets for pupils with SEND. Teachers assess and help review these targets to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve.

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

Children in the early years are respectful to each other. They benefit from well-established routines and expectations. Adults ensure that they promote communication and language development through careful modelling. Adult-led play and child-initiated play have a focus on developing children for the next stage.

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

Behaviour is well managed. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils are polite and have positive relationships with their teachers.

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

The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils gain an understanding of a range of cultures and faiths that are different to their own. This was most recently exemplified by a visit to a local synagogue, where pupils were able to speak to a rabbi about Jewish beliefs and customs. Pupils develop their understanding of British values. They learn about different types of families. They also recall well the education they have had on staying safe when online.

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

Staff are nurturing and caring. They are proud to work at the school. Leaders ensure that they consider the workload and well-being of staff. Governors challenge and support school leaders effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 24 and 25 January 2023 Leaders ensure that staff are well trained and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff are vigilant and report all concerns no matter how small. Staff know that this helps build a bigger picture and helps reduce the risk that a pupil may suffer harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils and families. They understand the contextual safeguarding issues in the community. There is sufficient capacity to help pupils when risks become apparent.

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Safeguarding

Leaders keep detailed records of safeguarding concerns. The actions listed show that leaders are swift to respond to concerns.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not ensured that the knowledge that leads to pupils developing subject- specific skills is precisely identified in a few subjects. As a result, some teachers do not teach this knowledge well enough and pupils do not develop these skills as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that teachers know and teach the essential knowledge that leads pupils to develop subject-specific skills.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2012.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10241704 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.evingtonvalley.leicester.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  A new headteacher was appointed and took up her substantive role in September 2021.  The school has nursery provision for 3- to 4-year-olds.

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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.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in key stages 1 and 2 reading to a familiar adult. 24 and 25 January 2023  The lead inspector scrutinised plans for a range of other subjects. For these subjects, he checked the work that pupils had produced and spoke to pupils.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, the early years foundation stage, and the provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from key stages 1 and 2.

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Information about this inspection

 The lead inspector met with the safeguarding leaders to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. He reviewed a range of documents relating to safeguarding, including the school’s single central record.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan.  The lead inspector met with the local governing board.  The lead inspector spoke with representatives of the local authority.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted questionnaire for staff.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kelly Lee Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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