Alveley Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Alveley Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The head of school is Chris Marsh. This school is part of the TrustEd Schools' Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sarah Godden and overseen by a board of directors chaired by Mark Anderson.

There is also an executive headteacher Paul O'Malley, who is responsible for this school and one other.

What is it like to attend this school?

Alveley Primary School is a small school with a big heart. Pupils are surrounded by care and high expectations....r/>
Leaders, trustees, governors and staff all want the best for pupils. All are focused on making every moment count. Pupils rise to meet these expectations and are well prepared for their next steps.

This is a calm and welcoming community. Pupils feel safe and are safe. Most parents are positive about the support their child gets in school.

One parent, whose comments reflect the views of others, said that staff 'demonstrate a genuine commitment' to pupils and are 'constantly thinking of innovative ways to engage and inspire them'.

Pupils have the most positive attitudes towards their learning. On the rare occasions when behaviour is not positive, staff swiftly act to provide the most appropriate support.

Playtimes are well supported by caring and attentive staff, who provide pupils with various games and activities.

School and eco-councils help develop pupils' sense of responsibility. Bike and pedestrian training, as well as sports events, develop their personal safety and well-being skills.

Working with the local historical society and taking trips to local places of worship also develops pupils' understanding of, and pride in, their local community.

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

Since the last inspection, inspirational leaders, supported by a caring and skilled staff, have driven continued improvement at the school. Across all subjects, the school, supported by the multi-academy trust, has set a high expectation for what should be learnedand when.

Trustees and governors have a strong and detailed understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement and use this knowledge to challenge and support leaders appropriately.

Across all subjects, there is a clear expectation for what pupils will learn over time. Sequences of lessons are carefully structured to help pupils build skills and knowledge over time.

Recently, the school has worked hard to embed its approach to providing all pupils with opportunities to recall and discuss previous learning. In most cases, pupils can talk about what they have learned in the past and how this relates to what they are learning now. However, in some instances, some pupils have only limited opportunities to recall or talk about previous learning.

As a result, it can affect how well they retain and apply their learning.

Staff work hard to make sure that lessons are exciting and creative. Various innovative activities help pupils develop their understanding of the world around them.

Writing letters to the local council about traffic calming measures, taking part in reading challenges, or engaging in outdoor learning brings purpose and exploration to learning. However, while in most lessons staff regularly check in with the pupils to ensure they understand and can remember what they have learned in the lessons, in others, they do not. This means that the school cannot assure themselves that pupils get the most from each lesson or are learning the curriculum as intended.

This can lead to gaps in pupils' understanding and slow their progress.

From the early years upwards, there is a powerful drive to provide the right support at the right time for pupils with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND). Staff develop a strong understanding of the pupils' additional needs.

When needed, this includes working with a range of specialists, such as mental health support services. Consequently, the most appropriate provision is implemented to overcome learning barriers. This, in turn, means that pupils with SEND are successful in lessons alongside their peers.

Reading is rightly a priority. From the moment children start in the early years, they quickly begin to identify sounds in the environment and develop a love of reading and stories. From this, pupils quickly learn phonics to help them build words and read with increasing fluency and understanding.

A colourful and well-resourced library has been a positive development since the last inspection. 'Bookfest', community reading events and 'Open the Book' assemblies enrich a love of reading and books.

Pupils are eager to learn and are proud to share what they are learning with others.

From the first days in the nursery, children quickly develop communication and social skills, so they are ready for further learning. The school has high expectations that pupils attend school as often as possible. When attendance drops, staff work hard to understand why pupils are not attending so the right support and challenge can be provided.

Preparation for life beyond Alveley Primary is a real strength. Charity days and visits to the local community develop a sense of social responsibility. Assemblies from emergency services and work with local charities develop an awareness of society's risks and how to stay safe.

Partnerships with secondary schools through collaboration days help prepare pupils for the next steps. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern day Britain.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On some occasions, staff do not routinely check what pupils learn and understand from each lesson. This results in some pupils not being ready for the next steps in their learning as gaps in learning are not identified and addressed. The school should ensure that staff are confident in using the school's assessment approaches and implement them consistently across all lessons.

• On some occasions, some pupils are not routinely provided with opportunities to recall and discuss previous learning. As a result, these pupils are not consistently able to remember important knowledge over time or make connections with other subjects or earlier learning. The school should ensure that pupils are given regular opportunities to revisit prior learning and talk about how it links to different aspects of the curriculum, helping them to deepen and secure their understanding.

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.

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.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.