Chad Vale Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Chad Vale Primary School Nursery Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands B15 3JU

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Outcome

Chad Vale Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents are proud to belong to the ‘Chad Vale family’. The school works hard to promote this family ethos. The organisation of Chad and Vale houses is used to promote competition. It is also used to give pupils across the age ranges the opportunity to play and work together, so they get to know pupils from other age groups.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to be polite and caring to each other. Older pupils demonstrate this in their consideration of younger pupils. One parent described Chad Vale as having a ‘village feel in the middle of the city’. Pupils say that behaviour in this school is good and they feel safe. If any bullying did happen, they are sure that adults would deal with it. Relationships between adults and pupils are polite and respectful. Pupils value the strong pastoral support that they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff clearly want the best for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils respond well to the school’s high expectations for their academic studies. They work hard and achieve well. Pupils say they enjoy their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have meaningful opportunities to develop their leadership skills and take on different responsibilities. They enjoy the wide range of before- and after-school activities and successfully take part in a variety of competitions.

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

The school has worked hard to improve the teaching of phonics. Teachers regularly check to make sure that children in the Reception classes are keeping up. They act quickly if anyone starts to fall behind. This has resulted in very strong outcomes in reading. Older pupils who are still in the early stages of reading are also well supported. Pupils of all ages say that they enjoy reading. They also enjoy having books read to them. Teachers choose books that their pupils enjoy. However, the school does not ensure that the books that teachers read to pupils represent a wide variety of book types. 3 and 4 October 2023

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The school has created an ambitious curriculum which is being reviewed and improved further. However, some subject leaders have not explicitly identified the essential knowledge that all pupils should know and remember. This does not help pupils to build on what they know or to remember key ideas long term.

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The school identifies and meets the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Early identification means that support is provided promptly. Parents appreciate the work of leaders and how they meet the needs of their children.

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The school sets high expectations for behaviour. Pupils are polite to adults and each other. The school is a calm and welcoming environment. Pupils pay attention to instructions, work hard and seek help when they need it. However, some pupils do not use many strategies for self-help when needed.

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Staff are dedicated to the wider development of pupils. Pupils who need help to manage their emotions or behaviour are supported well. All pupils are encouraged to be aware of their mental and physical health. There are many opportunities for exercise beyond physical education lessons. Pupils appreciate opportunities to take responsibility for jobs around the school. This helps to develop their leadership skills, such as through council and ambassador opportunities, including the opportunity to become a pupil governor. This means that pupils can contribute to decisions that are being made about their school.

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Through consultation with parents, the school has created a personal development curriculum that has many strengths. That said, not all of the elements of the personal development curriculum are sufficiently developed. Previously, pupils used to participate in business challenges, but these stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The school does not currently offer opportunities for pupils to gain economic understanding.

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The school promotes an awareness and acceptance of different faiths and cultures through the curriculum and educational visits. Pupils demonstrate these values in their daily lives and treat each other with tolerance and respect. However, the curriculum does not help pupils to fully know and understand the other values which underpin life in modern Britain, such as democracy, the rule of law and individual liberty.

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The school is led and managed well. When changes are made, the impact on staff is considered. Staff feel well supported.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 October 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all of the elements of the personal development curriculum are sufficiently developed. This means that pupils are not fully prepared for life in modern Britain. The school should review the personal development curriculum and ensure that all the required elements are taught so that pupils gain a deeper understanding of their rights and responsibilities in the wider community and fundamental British values.  In some subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge that teachers should prioritise and that pupils need to learn and remember. This means that some pupils find it difficult to build on what they know and connect their learning together. The school should ensure that the key knowledge pupils need to learn is clearly set out so that pupils develop a deeper understanding of each subject.

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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 October 2014.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

You can search for published performance information about the school. 3 and 4 October 2023

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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). 3 and 4 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body.

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the last inspection, existing staff have been promoted to deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher posts.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher and representatives of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 pupils’ work. 3 and 4 October 2023

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector 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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector also spoke to staff about behaviour, attendance, workload and the work the school carries out to promote pupils’ wider development. This also involved speaking to pupils, reviewing policies and looking at information available on the website.

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Inspection team

Anne Potter, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 October 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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