Vine Tree Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Vine Tree Primary School Dane Bank Avenue, Crewe, Cheshire CW2 8AD

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Outcome

Vine Tree Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged by staff to ‘reach for the stars’ at Vine Tree Primary. They are excited about going to school and they enjoy learning, having fun and making friends. Staff have established warm and caring relationships with pupils. They know pupils and their families well in this small school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils listen attentively in lessons and work well independently or with others. During the inspection, pupils and children worked together well to build snowmen at playtime. They follow school routines, try their best and achieve well. Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils take pride in their work and take heed of the advice given to them by their teachers. Pupils and children achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are assured that teachers will listen to their concerns. They are confident to act as advocates for each other. Bullying is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to participate in clubs and activities. For example, pupils in Year 5 are preparing for a music performance with a renowned local symphony orchestra. Pupils enjoy playing football and doing gymnastics. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are encouraged to participate in these activities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and well cared for in school. They know who to talk to if they have any concerns.

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

The curriculum covers the full range of subjects from the early years to Year 6. Leaders have constructed suitably ambitious curriculums that enable all pupils, including those with SEND, to build logically on the skills that they have learned already. In some subjects, leaders have also identified the important knowledge that pupils and children need to learn. Pupils learn well in these subjects. However, in a few subjects, leaders are 17 to 18 January 2023

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not as clear about the knowledge that they want pupils to know and remember. This hinders some teachers when designing learning for pupils and prevents some pupils from progressing well through the curriculum.

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Teachers use assessment strategies well to check what pupils have learned and understood. Staff provide extra help for those pupils who have not grasped what has been taught. Added to this, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit what they have learned before. This helps pupils to recall their learning over time.

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Children in the Reception class learn about phonics from the start of the academic year. They enjoy singing and listening to stories. They learn about the world around them through structured activities and through play. The curriculum in the early years helps to develop children’s language and communication skills effectively.

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Pupils value the stories that staff read to them each day. They eagerly retell the plots of their favourite books. Pupils take home books with words that are matched well to the sounds they are learning in school. This helps them to build confidence with their reading. Pupils who are behind with their reading are helped to catch up quickly. Pupils, including those with SEND, enjoy reading and learn to read well.

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Pupils behave well around school. Learning in lessons is not interrupted. Children in the early years learn to share and to cooperate with each other.

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Pupils relish the opportunities to take on additional responsibilities such as form captains and ‘book-shack’ monitors. They apply in writing for these responsibilities. This helps to prepare them for future employment. Leaders have designed an appropriate curriculum to support pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils learn about different religions and different families. Their learning is enriched by visits to local museums and libraries. This prepares them for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders identify pupils’ additional needs at the earliest opportunity. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure that these needs are met swiftly. Pupils and children with SEND learn alongside their peers and are fully included in school life. Staff receive information and training to allow them to provide the additional help that these pupils need to progress well through the curriculum.

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Members the governing body are suitably equipped to hold leaders to account for the quality of education for pupils. However, some staff do not feel that their workload and well-being are prioritised by leaders and governors.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and governors ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to recognise the signs of abuse and neglect. They report any concerns that they might have about a pupil’s welfare. Leaders ensure that pupils and their families who need help receive it quickly. 17 to 18 January 2023

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Through the curriculum, pupils learn about how to keep themselves and their friends safe. For example, they learn about how to stay safe online and the importance of not disclosing personal information. Pupils explained that they have learned about how to keep healthy and to be safe on the roads.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge that pupils need to know. This hinders teachers in designing learning for pupils. Leaders should ensure that staff are informed well about what curriculum content to deliver and when this knowledge should be taught. This will help to ensure that that pupils, including those with SEND, acquire all the important knowledge they need.  Some staff do not feel that those responsible for governance have given sufficient attention to their workload and well-being. This has had a negative impact on some teachers’ morale. Members of the governing body should ensure that they give enough consideration to the workload of staff when holding leaders to account for the quality of education.

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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. 17 to 18 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. 17 to 18 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10240773 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new chair of governors was appointed in November 2022.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This is the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons and looked at pupils’ work, spoke to teachers and spoke to some pupils about their learning.  The inspector also spoke to subject leaders and teachers about the curriculum in other subjects.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation document, and minutes of the governing board meetings. 17 to 18 January 2023

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 The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and the staff surveys. There were no responses to the pupil surveys. The inspector also spoke to some pupils about life in school.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation about safeguarding. They spoke with the designated safeguarding leader. They also spoke to staff about their understanding of how to keep pupils safe.  The inspector spoke to staff to discuss leaders’ support for their well-being and workload.

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Inspection team

Niamh Howlett, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17 to 18 January 2023

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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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