Grove Vale Primary School

Inspection of Grove Vale Primary School Monksfield Avenue, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands B43 6AL

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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 Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2013. 16 and 17 July 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve exceptionally well at this inclusive school. Pupils are happy, well cared for and feel highly valued by their teachers. The whole school community demonstrates the school’s motto of ‘together we grow’. Respectful working relationships between staff and pupils lie at the heart of Grove Vale Primary School.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour across school is exemplary. Pupils are polite and courteous. They hold doors open for one another and wait politely while others speak. Pupils warmly welcome visitors to their school. They are proud to introduce themselves as the ‘Grove Valers’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school pays serious attention to pupils’ personal development. It offers a bespoke set of opportunities to pupils through the school’s life skills programme. Staff carefully consider what skills pupils need to help them in their future. For example, pupils learn how to wash a car, cook a basic meal and how to budget money. Pupils greatly appreciate the additional opportunities on offer here. They say they feel lucky and grateful to be part of this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school regularly considers the views of pupils, parents and carers and uses this information to further enhance the curriculum. This includes promoting pupils’ talents and interests such as in art and design and sports.

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better?

The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. These high expectations are set from the very start in early years. Pupils achieve very well here.

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better?

The ambitious curriculum provides pupils with the knowledge and skills they need across all subject areas. Leaders have thoughtfully designed a curriculum to provide pupils with a rich set of wider opportunities. Pupils’ knowledge builds over time in a clear and logical way. Many pupils join speaking English as an additional language. Developing pupils’ oracy and English language skills underpins the curriculum, starting in the early years. Consequently, pupils use subject-specific vocabulary well and construct accurate oral sentences.

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better?

Teachers deliver lessons clearly and effectively. They demonstrate strong subject knowledge. The needs of pupils with SEND are very well supported in lessons. Adults plan activities that are well matched to children’s individual learning needs. In addition, any gaps in learning and misconceptions are quickly identified and addressed by staff. Staff promote high-quality verbal interactions with pupils. In the early years, staff encourage children’s early language skills exceptionally well. All of this means pupils learn the intended curriculum effectively. 16 and 17 July 2024

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Reading is strongly encouraged throughout the school. Pupils take pleasure in reading. The school’s staff have thoughtfully chosen key texts and books to align with the curriculum, ensuring they are diverse and inclusive and cover a wide range of topics. Staff are experts at delivering the phonics programme. Pupils who are falling behind are quickly identified and effective support is put in place. As a result, these pupils catch up. Pupils learn how to read accurately and fluently.

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The processes for identifying the needs of pupils with SEND are effective. The school is committed to providing a high-quality and inclusive provision. Staff’s professional development to support SEND is prioritised. The school works closely with local specialist settings and external agencies. Consequently, pupils with SEND get the help they need to achieve well.

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Pupils’ attitude to learning is exemplary. They take pride in their work and strive to always improve their learning. Children in the early years are highly engaged and well-motivated. Pupils’ books are very well presented. Furthermore, the school has effective strategies in place to support pupils to attend well. Pupils enjoy and attend school regularly.

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The curriculum beyond the academic is excellent. Pupils know the protected characteristics and show great respect towards these. The school has created an ‘inspirational people’ programme. All pupils learn about a wide range of diverse and prominent figures who have made a positive difference to society. Pupils are highly inspired by this programme. Furthermore, older pupils are educated about future study and career opportunities, leading to high aspirations for their future lives.

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Governors fulfil their statutory duties very well. The school is held in high regard within the community. The school works collaboratively and offers support to other schools in the area.

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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. 16 and 17 July 2024

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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). 16 and 17 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Louise MacCarthy

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provision.  The school runs a before- and after-school provision on site.

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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.  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.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteachers, the chair of governors, governors, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked informally with parents and carers.  The lead inspector met with a local authority school improvement adviser. 16 and 17 July 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, English, mathematics, design and technology and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at additional subjects, including history and languages.  Inspectors looked at a sample of individual education plans for pupils with SEND.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils, formally and informally, about their learning and experiences at school.  Inspectors observed informal times to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  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 the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. This included free-text comments. Inspectors also looked at responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. ◼ Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, school policies, curriculum documents and SEND records.

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Inspection team

Anna Vrahimi, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Patrick Amieli Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 July 2024

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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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