Orchard Vale Community School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 May 2023

Pupils enjoy attending this caring and inclusive school, which is at the centre of the community. Pupils say their school welcomes everyone. One of the school's values is to create an honest and open environment. The positive relationship between pupils and staff, reflects this ambition. Pupils trust staff and feel assured that staff listen to any concerns. Leaders have high expectations for pupils. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and achieve well. They know it is important to do their best. Pupils value the range of roles and responsibilities they have in the school. They are also enthusiastic about the many clubs and extra-curricular activities on offer. Pupils are proud of the fundraising they do for a range of charities. Pupils behave well in lessons and on the playground. They are polite and confident. Pupils are respectful to each other. They know to take turns to listen and talk to each other. Pupils feel safe. Many parents are proud that their children attend the school.

What the school should improve

• Sometimes, the books pupils read are not matched well enough to the sounds they know. When this occurs, pupils who are at the early stages of reading struggle to read fluently. Leaders need to ensure that the books pupils read are always matched precisely to the sounds they know so that that pupils develop their fluency and enjoyment of reading.
• Pupils do not have a secure knowledge of different cultures or religions. This means that pupils do not understand cultural differences as well as they should. Leaders need to ensure that pupils develop a greater understanding of different religions and cultures so that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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