Elston Hall Primary School

Inspection of Elston Hall Primary School Stafford Road, Fordhouses, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV10 6NN

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

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

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The headteacher of this school is Elizabeth Foster. This school is part of Elston Hall Learning 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), Kevin Grayson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gill Blaydon.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Elston Hall Primary School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Elston Hall Primary School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness before it opened as an academy . 1 and 2 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This well-led school serves children well. Staff are calm, friendly and encouraging. This puts pupils at ease and they respond well to the school’s positive ethos. Expectations for behaviour and achievement are high and pupils are supported to do their best. This shows in their conduct, regular attendance and high achievement in subjects such as English and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is an orderly place. Pupils are typically respectful to others and know how to behave well in different situations. There can be some poor behaviour but staff deal with it fairly and consistently. This helps everyone to feel safe and to make the most of lessons and playtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school life. They like the varied and interesting activities in lessons and benefit from a wide range of opportunities beyond the classroom. Learning outdoors through activities such as sport and residential visits to activity centres, for example, is a notable feature of school life. Pupils appreciate having a voice in school. Staff listen to their ideas and give them responsibilities that help them to develop character and leadership qualities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers express many positive views about the school. They value the friendly leadership and the quality of care and teaching provided.

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

From the start, the school shares high-quality information with parents. This clear communication between home and school means that parents and children know exactly what to expect in the early years and beyond. Parents appreciate this and it helps their children to settle in quickly when they first start. Furthermore, there are consistent early years routines and excellent attention to careful speaking and listening. This supports children to develop highly effective learning habits that endure. Indeed, top-quality provision across early years prepares children extremely well for later learning.

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

Importantly, the school provides top notch phonics teaching. Staff follow a consistent, well-resourced programme and keep a close check on progress. Any pupils who find it hard to keep up receive extra lessons each day. This informed, well-organised approach leads to strong achievement in phonics and reading. There is a similar picture in mathematics where the school’s ambitious practice enables pupils to succeed.

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

The rest of the curriculum also has strengths. In physical education, for example, pupils benefit from expert tuition and a well-sequenced curriculum. Lessons are enhanced by a huge range of extra-curricular activities and sporting events. These popular and well- attended activities boost healthy activity and develop pupils’ talents. In a few other foundation subjects, however, the curriculum is not as carefully sequenced or implemented as it could be. This limits opportunities for pupils to develop, practise and embed key knowledge. This, in turn, restricts their progress in subject expertise. 1 and 2 April 2025

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Staff identify any special educational needs and/or disabilities accurately. They work with a range of professional services to provide additional support when needed. There is an inclusive culture that enables all pupils to get involved in different aspects of school life and to achieve well.

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Typically, the school is a calm and orderly place. Lessons are rarely interrupted by poor behaviour. That said, a small proportion of pupils find it difficult to control their emotions and present challenging behaviour. In response, staff work hard to find constructive solutions and there are marked improvements for individuals. Even so, some challenges persist.

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The school’s exceptional attention to pupils’ personal development shines out in many ways. There is an extensive range of clubs and many school trips, including three residential visits each year. Participation rates are high and staff keep a watch on this to make sure that everyone can get involved. In school, pupils carry out lots of different leadership jobs. In these roles they help to sort out problems, make suggestions about school improvement and help the school day to run smoothly. Pupils take these roles seriously and provide excellent role models to their peers. Pupils learn what it means to take responsibility and uphold British values. Theye are proud to do so.

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The school’s many successes are the result of capable leadership that has built a united staff team. Senior leaders are reflective, evaluative and forward-thinking. Together with trust leaders they have created an inclusive school culture where pupils can learn and be happy. Arrangements for governance work well. Local governors and trustees are informed about the school’s performance. They make effective use of this information to set school strategy.

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Staff express very positive views about the school and its leadership. They like working here and support the school’s ambitions to do the very best for everyone.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum in a few foundation subjects is not as well sequenced and/or implemented as it could be. This limits opportunities for pupils to develop, practise and embed key knowledge, which restricts their progress in subject expertise. The school should adjust curriculum design and aspects of practice in order to strengthen pupils’ achievement in these subjects.  A small proportion of pupils find it difficult to control their emotions and present challenging behaviour. The school should continue to develop strategies to support these pupils so they can make the most of their education. 1 and 2 April 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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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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school provides before and after-school childcare on site.  The school uses one registered alternative provision and one unregistered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 April 2025

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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 considered published performance data about the school. Inspectors also looked at a range of school documents. These included information about pupils’ behaviour, attendance, the curriculum, extra-curricular activities, school improvement planning, governance, trust leadership and documents published on the school’s website.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, school staff, pupils, the chair of local governors, the chair of trustees and the CEO of Elston Hall Learning Trust.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, geography, and physical education. In these subjects, inspectors

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discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work. They also considered the curriculum in other subjects. An inspector observed some pupils reading to staff.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors talked with pupils, parents and staff to gather general information about school life. They took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupils’ survey and Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, at lunchtime, on the playground, at before and after-school clubs, and at other times during the school day.

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Inspection team

Martin Pye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Richards Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 2025

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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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