Ivy Bank Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 April 2023

Pupils are happy and enjoy learning at this school. They try hard in their lessons. Pupils, and children in the early years, are learning more and achieving more highly than in the past. One parent, typifying the views of many, described how nurture and support from staff had helped their child to 'excel' since starting school. Pupils know that staff treat them fairly and expect them to be kind to each other. If a pupil's behaviour slips below the high standard expected of them, staff help them to get back on track. Pupils feel safe at school. They know that if they are worried about anything they can tell an adult and it will be taken seriously. Leaders quickly deal with any incidents of bullying so that they do not continue. Pupils benefit from a wealth of sporting, creative and cultural opportunities that are accessible to all. For example, pupils told the inspector how inspiring it was to meet the author of a book they had enjoyed in class. Pupils are excited to contribute to school life. They enjoy raising money for charities and taking on responsibilities as junior librarians and 'healthy explorers'. They congratulate each other for their successes and nominate their classmates for the 'Heart of Gold' award.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have yet to finalise their curriculum thinking. This means that teachers are not sufficiently clear about the building blocks of knowledge in these subjects, or how best to teach them in a logical order. This makes it difficult for pupils to build their knowledge cumulatively. Leaders should ensure that they are clear about what they want pupils to know and in what order this learning should be delivered.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)