Orchid Vale Primary School

Inspection of Orchid Vale Primary School Torun Way, Haydon End, Swindon, Wiltshire SN25 1UG

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 September 2023

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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 Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ruth Lee. This school is part of The Park Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Benedick Ashmore-Short, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Matthew Dixon. There is also a Director of Primary, Rachel Surch, who is responsible for this school and two others. 12 and 13 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Orchid Vale Primary School. The school is welcoming and inclusive. Pupils’ pride in their school shines through. There is a positive and respectful culture throughout the school. High expectations for behaviour are established right from the start. Pupils respond positively and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enthusiastically take on leadership roles. This includes as reading ambassadors, school councillors, bullying ambassadors and change leaders. As a result, pupils have a say in how to make their school even better. For example, reading ambassadors are proud to have helped to design the new library.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say adults in school are kind and care for them. They know that they can talk to staff if they have a worry. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of clubs. Pupils participate in cricket, dance, football, forest school and cheerleading. Pupils enjoy attending trips, for example to the theatre. These enrichment activities help pupils to discover and develop new talents and to pursue their interests.

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better?

The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. The school has worked closely with the trust to redesign the curriculum. Together, they have considered what they want pupils to know and remember. As a result, the curriculum in most subjects is well structured.

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better?

Reading is a priority. Children learn to read as soon as they start Reception Year. Pupils enjoy reading a wide variety of books. They talk animatedly about books they read, their favourite authors and genres. They especially enjoy reading books written by the author after whom their class is named. Pupils develop a love of reading. This starts in nursery, where children enjoy singing rhymes and listening to stories. Pupils read books that match the sounds they know. This helps them to read confidently, with fluency and accuracy.

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better?

Children in the early years learn knowledge that prepares them well for later learning. In most subjects, pupils use what they already know to help them to understand new knowledge. P upils enjoy learning and are keen to do well. Most teaching activities help pupils to learn and remember essential knowledge. Where the curriculum is implemented successfully, staff check what pupils know, remember and can do. This helps them to identify where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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better?

However, in some subjects, the curriculum is less well developed. It does not identify the precise content that pupils need to learn. This means pupils do not develop their knowledge as effectively. In a few subjects, the school has not yet considered how to check effectively and support pupils to remember knowledge in the longer term. 12 and 13 September 2023

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Staff know pupils well. The school promptly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND receive the support and resources they need. This starts in the early years, where children with SEND are well-supported to learn the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils are polite and well mannered. Children in the early years have a positive start to school life and quickly learn the rules and routines. They know how to share and to take turns.

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The curriculum for personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils’ learning goes beyond the academic subjects. Pupils learn about right and wrong. They understand how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally. Through the school’s values, pupils learn about individuality, honesty and perseverance. They understand that everyone is different and how to show kindness and respect.

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The school and the trust share a clear vision. Both understand the school’s strengths and know what it needs to do to improve. The trust challenges and supports leaders effectively. Staff are proud of the school and feel well supported. The school has prioritised staff development so that staff develop secure subject knowledge. The trust and the school provide an array of strategies to support staff well-being and workload.

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Most parents are positive about the school. They say that staff are welcoming and approachable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, the curriculum is not as well developed as the curriculum in core subjects. It does not identify the precise content pupils need to learn. Furthermore, in these subjects, the school does not check on how well pupils learn the curriculum. This means staff do not always know what pupils remember and can do. The school and trust need to ensure the curriculum is developed well in all subjects and checked for its impact on pupils’ learning.

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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. 12 and 13 September 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 12 and 13 September 2023

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School details

Website www.orchidvale-swindon.secure- dbprimary.com/swindon/primary/orchidv ale Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Orchid Vale Primary School is part of The Park Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 that into account in their evaluation of the school. 12 and 13 September 2023

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 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of the school’s senior leadership team. They held meetings with a trustee and a member of the local advisory board. Inspectors met with members of the trust’s executive team, including the chief executive, the director of learning and the director of inclusion.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, early reading, science and languages. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work. Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in history, geography and computing.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online survey.

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Inspection team

Nicky McMahon, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorna Buchanan Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 September 2023

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