Ivybridge Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. They ensure that pupils are kept safe. Adults and pupils have respectful working relationships.

Pupils enjoy school and value the caring and nurturing staff. They are confident that adults would deal with any concerns immediately. Leaders take any incidents of bullying seriously and ensure any issues are dealt with swiftly.

Teachers encourage pupils to understand about differences in society and to challenge stereotypes. Pupils behave well across the school. This begins in early years, where children are taught to follow routines.

Children in Nursery work independently and enjoy using the different resources on o...ffer, such as dressing up as their favourite characters and reading books.

Staff encourage pupils to take on responsibilities, such as 'PE champions' and members of eco-committees. Leaders ensure that pupils take part in a range of extra-curricular experiences.

For example, pupils have many visits to the local area, including to museums and sporting competitions. Leaders help all pupils to take part in these activities, particularly pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Leaders' curricular thinking is well developed and ambitious.

They ensure that the content pupils learn is sequenced in a logical way. Leaders consider the important knowledge that pupils learn across different subjects. This helps teachers to develop pupils' subject-specific understanding.

For example, Year 4 pupils learned how to format cells in a spreadsheet when working out a budget. Typically, teachers check that pupils understand prior learning and address misconceptions. However, on occasion, teaching does not identify that pupils have fully understood previously taught content before new learning is introduced.

This leads to gaps in some pupils' understanding.

Pupils develop secure mathematical knowledge and skills. This starts in early years, where children are encouraged to use mathematical vocabulary.

For instance, teachers supported children in Reception class to predict how many cups of water would be needed to fill different-sized containers. Teachers revise pupils' mental mathematics strategies regularly. In early years, leaders ensure that all areas of learning are taught sequentially.

Leaders have given reading a high priority. Adults develop children's communication and language skills well, including in Nursery. For example, staff encouraged children to explore the feelings of characters during story time.

Leaders ensure that phonics teaching is consistent. Adults support pupils to segment and blend sounds. Books that pupils read are matched closely to the sounds they know.

Leaders identify pupils quickly who are at risk of falling behind in their reading. These pupils receive effective support to catch up and to read with fluency.

Leaders identify pupils with SEND accurately.

They work closely with external agencies to support pupils' specific needs. Leaders review pupils' needs regularly and ensure that support and training for staff are effective. Generally, teachers support pupils with SEND to access a similar curriculum to their peers.

Teachers ensure that behaviour is managed consistently. Pupils follow clear routines across the school. Lessons are not routinely interrupted through low-level disruption.

Teachers encourage pupils to get on with each other. Most pupils play together cooperatively. In early years, adults encourage children to develop their independence, including when using the different zones, such as the water tray and creative arts stations.

Leaders ensure that pupils' wider development is supported well. They provide opportunities for pupils to visit different places of worship. Pupils are encouraged to take part in sporting competitions.

They are taught to respect those with other beliefs and views. Leaders support pupils' mental and physical development. They ensure that pupils are taught about the importance of financial management.

Those responsible for governance have a clear and accurate overview of the strengths of the school. Leaders' oversight and actions to improve their areas of responsibility, including overseeing subjects, are not fully embedded. This limits the precision of leaders' work to further improve the school.

Leaders support staff in managing their workload and in maintaining a positive work-life balance efficiently.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe.

They fulfil their statutory duties in ensuring staff are well trained in identifying pupils at risk of harm. Leaders use school resources effectively to support the needs of pupils and families. They establish links with external agencies, where appropriate, to provide early social and emotional support.

Pupils are taught about unsafe contact and the risks of dangerous relationships. Teachers help pupils to understand how to stay safe online and in the local community. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to prioritise and promote pupils' well-being.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority) ? Leaders' oversight and actions to improve their areas of responsibility are not fully embedded. At times, this leads to a lack of sharpness and timeliness in their work to evaluate and build upon identified strengths and address weaknesses. Leaders should ensure that a systematic and robust oversight of all areas of responsibility, including in the development of subjects, is in place so that school improvement priorities are rigorously implemented.

• Sometimes, teaching does not check pupils' prior knowledge consistently well. This leads to gaps in pupils' understanding. Leaders should ensure that teaching consistently identifies and addresses any gaps in pupils' knowledge before introducing new content.