Testimonials

The school has a strong, passionate and creative leadership team that has devoted much time and effort to implementing innovative school improvement strategies that are having a significant impact on pupil progress. The school has a very strong and evident culture of ‘Values,’ which effectively underpins the school’s ethos from Reception to Year 6. This results in an extremely happy, caring, supportive, respectful and safe environment in which pupils flourish and thrive. The positive relationship between leaders, staff and pupils ensures every pupil has the best opportunities to achieve. Pupils are very happy and proud of their school. They think Lea Valley is “a fantastic place to learn,” providing them with a lot of exciting opportunities. They talk confidently about how teachers help them with their learning. One pupil remarked, “When teachers think you are struggling, they get you to go to clubs before or after school and it helps you with your learning.” Pupils are articulate in explaining how they are succeeding and in what precise ways they can improve.

— Highlights from LVS Quality Assurance Review Report Nov '16

I'm pretty wowed actually.

— Jane Blakey, Head of School Standards and Performance for Haringey Nov '16

Dear Maria I really was impressed with your school, the children are delightful and the staff, confident, knowledgeable and obviously passionate. I was keen to hear your approach to reading, as you know it is a focus for me and schools as a system - I really like your structure, it is progressive and gives children the tools to read, interpret and have a love of reading. The environment of the school is impressive, you provide that oasis for children who in some cases come from chaotic homes, they need structure, high expectations and nurturing-you give that to them in droves. Once again thank you for organising my visit, the highlight of my week for sure.

— Jon Abbey, Director of Children's Services for Haringey Oct '16

Dear Maria Such a pleasure to visit the school. Your aspirations will certainly change lives. Shine like a diamond!

— Anji Phillips, Interim Assistant Director for Schools and Learning, Haringey

Your results show that you have improved in terms of the progress and attainment achieved by your disadvantaged pupils since 2011, and that you are increasingly effective in educating your disadvantaged pupils. It is clear that your staff have provided your disadvantaged pupils with a good start in life and prepared them well for secondary school. I would like to congratulate your staff, governors, parents and pupils for their hard work and success, and thank you for your leadership in making such a difference to the future success of your pupils. Finally, I would encourage you to share your achievements with other schools so that they can learn from your strengths and experience.

— Rt Hon David Laws MP - Minister State for Schools

Dear Maria Wow - your letter from the Minister is amazing. You have made everyone an 'expert' in learning. Such a credit to you, the staff and children. Please send my congratulations to all involved. We look forward to further success.

— Anji Phillips, Interim Assistant Director for Schools and Learning, Haringey

I feel very privileged to work for an inspiring head teacher who is consistently ensuring that our school is having a positive impact; not only for the pupils but also their families and the wider school community. I have seen from her how outstanding leadership can transform the ethos of a school and how children and staff reach their full potential when lead well.

— Teacher, Lea Valley School

Thank you all so much for making my time at your school memorable and enjoyable. I cannot tell you how much I admire the culture of kindness that everyone here has worked so hard to build within the school. Maria, you are a fantastic headteacher, and the rest of the staff are nothing short of remarkable teachers. Certainly, the students at Lea Valley are fortunate to have such great people to look up to. I hope you all have safe holidays and I wish everyone the best for 2015.

— Nico, long term supply teacher

As a school at the heart of its community, we get many visitors through our doors from all sorts of different organisations and groups. They are always impressed by what they see at our school and some of the things that they say are written here. Thanks for showing us round your lovely school and for releasing your Maths leader to talk to us about Maths Makes Sense. The school, especially the children, who were so welcoming and able to discuss their learning so effortlessly, was lovely. You could really feel the high expectations for good practice in all the classrooms we visited and the consistency was impressive too.

— Simon Putman, Headteacher