Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School Cherry Orchard, Codford, Warminster, Wiltshire BA12 0PN

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Outcome

Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Wylye Valley school is a caring and warm school. Staff know the pupils well. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils know staff are ambitious for them to do well. Pupils respond to this positively. They talk enthusiastically about the wider experiences they have, as well as their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show the values of ‘love, care and respect’ through their actions. For example, they raise money for charities through events, such as cake sales. Pupils are well informed about the work of the charities and the purpose of fundraising.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the house system. It gives them a sense of belonging. They take part in house competitions. Pupils keenly fulfil leadership roles, such as house captains, sports ambassadors and eco leaders. Through these roles older pupils care for younger pupils. They promote play and make sure equipment is ready for pupils to play with. During breaktime, older pupils help to look after the school environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff make sure pupils are well supported. This makes them feel happy and safe. Pupils speak confidently about friendship and kindness. They say bullying rarely happens. When it does, adults take appropriate action. Pupils say staff listen to them and treat them fairly.

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

Leaders have planned a well-sequenced and broad curriculum. Subject leaders have identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn. Leaders map it so that pupils build on their learning. However, in some foundation subjects, leaders have not planned effectively how to check how well pupils understand the curriculum. This work is in its infancy. Consequently, in some subjects, leaders do not fully understand where pupils have gaps in their knowledge. 2 February 2023 Teachers help pupils by demonstrating what they are learning. Pupils practise so they become better at what they are doing. As a result, pupils have good recall. For example, in mathematics, pupils use a ‘class passport’ to track their knowledge and understanding. When pupils need support, intervention helps them to catch up quickly.

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

In lessons, pupils focus on their learning most of the time. Pupils are keen to talk about what they can remember. When they start in Reception, children learn the routines and expectations of the classroom. This prepares them well for their learning.

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

Leaders prioritise reading throughout the curriculum. Children learn letter sounds as soon as they start school. Staff know the programme well. They track pupils’ understanding carefully and provide support to help pupils catch up. Pupils read books matched to the sounds they know. Teachers choose texts and read to their class every day. As pupils become fluent, they read daily and check their understanding through quizzes. Pupils are positive about the reading they do in school.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to have a wider experience of the curriculum. They plan for visitors and trips to support the pupils’ learning. For example, all pupils listened to a Welsh brass band visiting the school and learned about the instruments they were playing. When pupils learned about the water cycle, the water company visited and worked with pupils on science experiments. Through their outdoor learning, pupils continue to explore the curriculum. For example, they create outdoor art using natural resources. Leaders celebrate pupils’ work and achievements widely.

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

The personal, social and health education programme is well planned. Pupils learn about differences and healthy relationships. Pupils show care and respect through their understanding of what life is like for children around the world. Pupils learn to be aware of and manage their feelings. When they want to talk to a trusted adult about things that might concern them, they use the ‘bubble’ chart. Pupils like this and find it helpful. Every week visitors share spiritual and moral stories in assembly. Pupils take part and reflect on the stories.

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

Teachers know their pupils well. They check that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the support they need. Staff receive regular training to support pupils with different needs. This helps them to spot early when a pupil may need help. As a result, pupils with SEND are well supported.

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

Governors understand the priorities of the school. They effectively support and challenge leaders. Leaders and governors collaborate with other schools. This gives leaders access to additional resources. Subject leaders have been recently appointed. Nonetheless, they provide effective professional development to deepen staff’s subject knowledge. Staff recognise the work of leaders to manage workload. Many parents say staff are passionate and caring about the pupils, and their children thrive as a result.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 2 February 2023 Leaders make sure staff and governors receive regular training to keep children safe. The staff know the pupils well. Staff are vigilant. They report concerns following the school’s processes. Leaders follow these up promptly.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work closely with external agencies to make sure pupils and families receive the help they need. They allocate resources, such as a family support worker, to provide support and information.

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Safeguarding

Staff recruitment is managed safely. Leaders carry out appropriate checks on adults working with children.

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Safeguarding

Leaders recognise the need to strengthen pupils’ understanding of staying safe online. They continue to strongly promote online safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, leaders have not planned assessments in order to check the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. This means that precise information about gaps in pupils’ learning is not identified. Leaders need to make sure that assessment information is planned well so that subject leaders understand the progress pupils are making through the curriculum.

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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 February 2013.

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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. 2 February 2023 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. 2 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10269246 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 5 December 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Wylye Valley Church of England Voluntary-Aided Primary School is a church school. The school is in the Diocese of Salisbury. The school received its section 48 inspection in March 2020, when this aspect of the school’s work was graded good.  Some classes are mixed-age year groups.  The school uses no alternative providers.

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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 these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 2 February 2023  Inspectors met with the headteacher, school staff, members of the governing body and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. The lead inspector held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The lead inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding documentation, including

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding checks carried out on staff and volunteers working in the school. They met with the designated safeguarding leader and examined records.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils to talk about their wider development.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the view of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Rachel Hesketh, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Deborah Wring Ofsted Inspector 2 February 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

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