Yardley Primary School

Inspection of Yardley Primary School Hawkwood Crescent, London E4 7PH

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Chris Evans. This school is part of RAY Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matt Hanks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Caroline Edwards.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Yardley Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Yardley Primary School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 17 and 18 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are safe and happy, and they achieve very well. This combination of strengths has been achieved through a sustained culture of high expectations and a genuine sense of community that runs through the school. Pupils benefit from being taught by caring, experienced and knowledgeable teachers. They study an ambitious curriculum, which starts in the early years. Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same rich curriculum as their classmates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They take pride in their work. Very strong learning habits start in Nursery, ensuring that children are ready for the next stage in their education. Staff know the pupils in the school very well. This means that they can provide work that they know is just right for each pupil. It also helps pupils to feel safe and to know they can share any concerns that they may have with adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate that staff and leaders are approachable and accessible. They value the regular communication from the school. Staff are very proud to work in the school.

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better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum that is interesting, broad and balanced. Important subject content has been thoughtfully put together so that pupils learn more and remember more over time. Leaders make sure that pupils can see links within the subjects they are learning and across other subjects. For example, pupils apply their scientific knowledge when discussing healthy lifestyles in personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons. The revisiting of important knowledge starts very early on in the early years, where children benefit from a very strong start to their school life. The curriculum is further enriched through carefully considered trips. For example, when pupils are studying the Romans in history, they also visit Verulamium (the Roman name for St Albans).

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better?

Teachers are skilled at checking pupils’ understanding. This means that any pupils who need extra help are quickly identified. It also means that teachers can match the work carefully to pupils’ abilities. In mathematics and English lessons, pupils work at different paces and sometimes on different tasks. Teachers’ very strong subject knowledge ensures that pupils progress quickly through the curriculum. This in turn leads to exceptionally strong outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils with SEND are very well supported so that they benefit from the same curriculum and achieve well. This includes children in Nursery and Reception, where skilled adults help children to play and work together.

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better?

Reading is prioritised across the whole school. This starts in the early years. From the very start of Reception, pupils are taught letters and sounds in a structured way so that they can quickly decode words. Pupils who need extra help with their 17 and 18 October 2023

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reading are swiftly identified. These pupils benefit from regular and effective one-to- one support so that they can become more fluent with their reading.

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The school has very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. These expectations are consistently met. Pupils are polite, respectful and caring. They know that unkind language is not acceptable. They support each other and are kind to one another. For example, during the annual cross-country race, pupils cheer on and encourage those who are less strong runners. Pupils feel safe in the school because they know they can share any concerns they may have with adults. Pupils can put their thoughts into the ‘feelings box’, which they know will be checked and acted upon. Levels of attendance are consistently high.

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Pupils’ development extends beyond the academic curriculum. The PSHE programme teaches pupils about important life skills, such as staying healthy, in an age- appropriate way. Pupils read a diverse range of books by authors from a variety of backgrounds. In history and religious education lessons, they learn about important values such as tolerance of others and respect for the rule of law. Pupils all learn to sign using Makaton. The wide range of clubs on offer, including sketching, dance and a number of sports, helps pupils to develop new talents and interests. Leaders make sure pupils from all backgrounds can access these.

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Staff are very well supported. This includes early career teachers, who benefit from the expertise of established and dedicated colleagues. Trustees and governors know the school very well. They share the same ambition as leaders: to ensure that the school is a central part of the community it serves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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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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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 17 and 18 October 2023

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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). 17 and 18 October 2023

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Yardley Primary School converted to become an academy in January 2011. When its predecessor school, also called Yardley Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school is part of a small multi-academy trust consisting of two primary schools.  The school does not use any alternative education providers.

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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. 17 and 18 October 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science and physical education. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils. The inspectors talked to leaders, visited lessons and looked at curriculum information for a range of other subjects, including history and PSHE. The lead inspector listened to some pupils reading.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, and with members of staff, as well as a range of pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors spoke with parents and considered the survey responses from parents and staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with trustees, including the chair of the trust, and with the chief executive officer of the trust.

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matea Marcinko His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 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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