Victoria Dock Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Victoria Dock Primary School South Bridge Road, Victoria Dock, Hull HU9 1TL

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Outcome

Victoria Dock Primary School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Antonia Saunders. This school is part of The Constellation Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Cathy Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Porteus.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love being a part of this vibrant and highly inclusive school. The school is incredibly diverse, with over 20 languages spoken. Pupils respect and care for each other regardless of their differences. They eagerly learn how to greet each other in a range of different languages. Adults know the pupils and their families extremely well. Pupils feel valued and cared for. One pupil summed up the ethos of inclusivity at the school perfectly when they said: ‘The school cares about every last child.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils achieve well across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils behave well in lessons and at social times. They are extremely polite and well mannered to visitors to the school. Pupils feel safe at school. They have class ‘worry boxes’ to share any concerns they might have.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They have a thorough understanding of fundamental British values. Pupils can link these to their school life. For example, they can link the rule of law to the school’s ‘green standard’ of behaviour. Pupils have access to a range of extra-curricular clubs, including arts and crafts, judo and rounders.

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

The school has put in place a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. The curriculum is planned in a logical order from early years up to Year 6. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this to deliver engaging lessons, which pupils enjoy. Teachers 10 and 11 July 2024

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choose good activities to deliver the curriculum. Pupils have the opportunity to work in groups, pairs and independently. They do this with maturity and enthusiasm.

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In core subjects, teachers check pupils’ learning within lessons effectively. This allows teachers to address misconceptions quickly. In some foundation subjects, this is not the case. As a result, sometimes, teachers do not identify and respond to misconceptions as fully as they do in other subjects. Leaders have planned a range of visits to enrich the curriculum. For example, pupils visit a Second World War museum and a wildlife park as part of their history and science curriculum. Pupils can clearly articulate how these visits have helped them to learn the curriculum in these subjects.

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Children in the early years are very well prepared for key stage 1. They follow the same routines as the rest of school, including aiming for the ‘green standard’ of behaviour. Children in Nursery and Reception are respectful to each other and to the adults they interact with. These interactions are extremely positive. Staff skilfully plan and deliver learning opportunities in the indoor and outdoor environment. This includes activities which improve children’s fine and gross motor skills.

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Reading is a priority at the school. Teachers have good subject knowledge of the school’s chosen phonics programme. As a result, phonics outcomes have been consistently above national averages for a number of years. The school identifies effectively pupils who are not keeping up with the phonics programme. Daily interventions ensure that these pupils catch up with their peers quickly. The school promotes a love of reading through a wide range of strategies. These include reading club, author of the month and a reading shed in the playground. Pupils at this school thoroughly enjoy reading.

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The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with SEND. The school identifies these pupils effectively. In response to this high level of need, the school has, this year, opened both a SEND resource base and a SEND unit. These provisions provide a nurturing and therapeutic environment. Highly trained staff deliver a bespoke academic curriculum for each pupil. The school is, rightly, proud of its work in this area. The provision for pupils with SEND at this school is highly effective.

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Pupils benefit from a carefully designed personal development programme. Pupils take on a variety of leadership roles across the school. These roles include the school council, lunchtime play leaders and pupil buddies. These leaders make meaningful contributions to the school and to the local community. For example, they visit a local care home and play games with the residents.

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Leaders take effective action to ensure that pupils attend school frequently. Trustees and the local academy board work closely with school leaders. They hold leaders to account effectively when necessary. School leaders support staff well-being with activities such as Feel Good Friday. Leaders’ decisions take staff workload into account. Staff feel valued and well supported by leaders. They enjoy working at Victoria Dock Primary School.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 July 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, assessment is not as developed as it is in core subjects. As a result, sometimes teachers do not identify and respond to misconceptions as fully as they do in other subjects. The school should continue to develop assessment in these subjects to ensure it is fully developed and implemented in all subjects.

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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 predecessor school, Victoria Dock Primary 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.

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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 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). 10 and 11 July 2024

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Victoria Dock Primary School is part of The Constellation Trust.  The school provides a breakfast club.  The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The school has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils with SEND.  The school has a SEND resource provision with space for 10 pupils.  The school has a SEND unit with space for six pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of the school’s education provision.  The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders.  The inspector spoke with the chair and other members of the local governing body. 10 and 11 July 2024

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 The inspector spoke with the CEO of the trust and members of the trust board, including the chair of the trust board.  The inspector carried out deep dives in the following 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. The inspector spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of personal development.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the views of pupils, staff, and parents and carers through discussions and looking at information collected from Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Chris Sergeant, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 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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