Ivington CofE Primary and Pre-School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Ivington CofE Primary and Pre- School Ivington, Leominster, Herefordshire HR6 0JH

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Outcome

Ivington CofE Primary and Pre-School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This small, rural school is at the heart of the community. As such, all pupils learn about the importance of farming and pupils are involved in other community activities. Most pupils behave well and feel safe at school. Staff and pupils demonstrate resilience and cooperation. This is particularly notable following the significant disruption caused by recent flooding at the school. Pupils’ education continues to function effectively, regardless of these challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious and expectations for achievement are high. Pupils work hard and are successful. The well-organised curriculum and support provided enable most pupils to reach the standards expected for their age, particularly in reading and mathematics. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Carefully chosen visits, clubs and experiences help bring learning to life. Pupils enjoy the residential visits and fun sleepovers in school that staff organise. Extra-curricular clubs enable pupils to extend their interests and skills beyond the classroom, these include chess, cricket and football.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school. They readily take on additional roles and responsibilities, such as prefects, bus monitors or digital leaders. These opportunities build pupils’ leadership and organisational skills. Older pupils demonstrate high levels of maturity when supporting younger children. 4 February 2025

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

The curriculum is ambitious and well designed to meet pupils’ needs. The school ensures that staff have the training and skills needed to deliver all subjects confidently and competently. Staff check pupils’ understanding and grasp of new concepts in lessons effectively. They also assess pupils at regular intervals to gauge how well they are doing. The school analyses the results carefully and provides support to address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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

The school’s approach to teaching early reading and mathematics is systematic and effective. Staff are clear about what they want children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 to know and by when. Learning builds gradually and sequentially as pupils move through the school. Staff who teach phonics have strong subject knowledge. Pupils in key stage 2 who have not achieved fluency in their phonics, continue to have regular teaching. Younger pupils who struggle receive additional one-to-one support in the afternoon to help them catch up. This strong focus on intervention ensures that pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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

The school has identified that writing is an area for improvement. Some pupils do not develop a fluent handwriting style. This mars the presentation of their written work. Additionally, on occasion, staff expectations of pupils’ writing are too low. Some of the school’s approaches to teaching writing stifles pupils’ ability to write as well and as much as they should.

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

Staff adapt teaching appropriately to meet pupils’ needs, especially those with SEND. These pupils enjoy the same curriculum as their peers. Staff receive helpful guidance and training to identify pupils early and provide the right support, including those with complex needs. The range and quality of support provided helps pupils to succeed in school and attain well.

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

Provision in the early years is effective. Staff know when to interact and question, and when to step back and observe. Effective questioning and modelling by staff help children to build their communication and language skills. Activities are stimulating and engaging. Children relish the opportunities to role play, for example, using farm animal face masks to mimic animal sounds. They show great excitement when exploring hand painting and mixing colours. The early years curriculum prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond.

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

The school is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. Most enjoy school. There is a consistent upward trend in attendance due to the effective actions taken by the school.

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

Pupils treat staff and other pupils with respect. However, they have a limited understanding of some fundamental British values, such as democracy and tolerance. Pupils are also unsure about the different cultures and communities found in Britain and across the world. Their narrow experience, knowledge and understanding of life in modern Britain does not help to prepare them sufficiently well for life beyond primary school. 4 February 2025

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Governors are supportive of the school. They are well informed. They meet with staff to discuss the curriculum and volunteer their time to support pupils who are struggling.

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Leaders are proactive and keen to improve further. Staff enjoy working at the school. They feel valued and appreciate the consideration given to their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not developed some elements of writing transcription sufficiently well, particularly handwriting. Additionally, some pupils are unable to write independently or at length because expectations of them are too low. The school should ensure that the curriculum supports pupils to write with increasing accuracy and confidence over time.  The school has not ensured that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils have limited knowledge of fundamental British values, including the cultures and faiths of people living in Britain. The school should extend pupils’ knowledge of fundamental British values and understanding of those from different backgrounds and faiths.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in July 2015. 4 February 2025

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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?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 4 February 2025

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School details

Inspection number 10343831 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 June 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has an on-site, governor run pre-school for children aged two to four years.  Ivington Church of England Primary and Pre-School is part of the Diocese of Hereford. Its last section 48 inspection took place in February 2018. The next one is due in 2026.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and governors, including the chair of the governing body. They also had a telephone discussion with the director of children’s services for Herefordshire and a representative from the diocese. 4 February 2025

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 The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupil’s work.  The inspectors met with teaching staff to talk about curriculum, staff workload and the behaviour and personal development of pupils. They also met with groups of pupils to talk about their learning and well-being.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: checked the school’s single central record; spoke to senior leaders about safeguarding procedures; took account of the views of 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 inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and plans for improvement. Records of attendance and behaviour incidents were checked.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at playtime and talked to them about

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behaviour, bullying and welfare.  The inspectors talked to parents after school and considered their responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They gathered the views of pupils and staff through discussion and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Richards Ofsted Inspector 4 February 2025

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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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