Lipson Vale Primary School

Lipson Vale Primary is a larger-than-average primary school in an area of above-average deprivation. Inspectors found the school performing securely in most areas, with safeguarding standards met. Leaders have strengthened the curriculum so it is carefully sequenced from the early years to Year 6, and pupils generally learn and remember more. Early years has been a priority and children are well prepared for Year 1. Inclusion is a strength: pupils with SEND are identified early and supported well, and disadvantaged pupils benefit from a research-informed strategy. Personal development is broad and ambitious, with strong pastoral care, wide enrichment, and pupils who feel safe, happy and a sense of belonging. However, behaviour is the main weakness. Some staff have low expectations, do not apply the school's behaviour policy consistently, and some pupils do not follow school rules, so lessons are not always calm and orderly and learning is disrupted. Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of behaviour and its impact. There are also academic concerns: not enough pupils reach the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics, teaching does not always deepen knowledge across subjects, early years activities are sometimes too general, and SEND adaptations are not consistently precise. Attendance is generally in line with national averages and above average for pupils with SEND, and persistent absence is reducing, but the behaviour issues mean the school must improve consistency.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.
• Pupils feel safe, welcomed and a sense of belonging, describing the school as a family.
• The curriculum is carefully sequenced from early years to Year 6 so pupils build knowledge progressively.
• Teachers ensure pupils learn the right content at the right time, and pupils recall learning confidently.
• Early reading and phonics are well taught, with effective support for pupils who struggle to read.
• Pupils with SEND are identified early and supported well, including through bespoke nurture provision.
• A research-informed strategy effectively supports disadvantaged pupils and removes barriers.
• Personal development is coherent, broad and ambitious, including British values, RSE, online safety and enrichment.
• The pastoral team is highly effective and helps pupils have a positive start to the day.
• Pupils benefit from leadership roles, clubs, orchestra and choir, and participation is monitored.
• Attendance is in line with national averages and above average for pupils with SEND, with persistent absence reducing.
• Governors provide strategic challenge and support, and staff value professional development and wellbeing consideration.

Areas for Improvement

• Behaviour is inconsistent; some staff have low expectations and do not apply the behaviour policy accurately.
• Some pupils do not know or follow school rules in classrooms, disrupting learning.
• The lack of a consistently calm and orderly environment hinders pupils' learning.
• Leaders lack sufficient oversight of behaviour management and its impact on learning and wellbeing.
• Not enough pupils reach the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teaching does not consistently deepen pupils' knowledge across subjects.
• In early years, some learning activity aims are too general, limiting precise skill and knowledge development.
• SEND adaptations are not consistently precise, and some pupils struggle to regulate emotions when work is not adapted well.
• Combined reading, writing and maths outcomes remain below national average over the latest three-year period, though improving.
• Some parents feel behaviour is not managed consistently.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Lipson Vale Primary School attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.5% of pupils at Lipson Vale Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Lipson Vale Primary School had 22.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 21.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 14.2% of pupils at Lipson Vale Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Lipson Vale Primary School received £6,827 and spent £6,797 for each of its 393 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £186,000 (£474 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Plymouth · Plymouth local authority: places and applications

What is Lipson Vale Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Lipson Vale Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Lipson Vale Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Lipson Vale Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Lipson Vale Primary School have?

Lipson Vale Primary School has 393 pupils on roll.

What age range does Lipson Vale Primary School cover?

Lipson Vale Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are Lipson Vale Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Lipson Vale Primary School?

Lipson Vale Primary School is at Bernice Terrace, Lipson, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 7HW.