St Matthew's CofE Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 28–29 February 2012 Inspection number 377006 St Matthew’s CofE Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 104000 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 377006 Inspection dates 28–29 February 2012 Lead inspector Doris Bell

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 244 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rev Nigel Mason Headteacher Fiona Deakin Date of previous school inspection 4 February 2009 School address Windmill Lane Smethwick B66 3LX Telephone number 0121 558 1651 Fax number 0121 558 2713 Email address fiona.deakin@st-matthews.sandwell.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. The inspection team observed members of staff during 12 lessons, covering approximately nine hours of teaching. As well as observing full or part lessons, inspectors visited a further 15 sessions, where pupils were learning letters and sounds or being taught in small groups or individually. They also heard pupils read, analysed their work, and discussed their learning and school life with them. Meetings were held with senior and middle managers, and representatives of the governing body. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaires (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of documentation, including information relating to the attainment and achievement of all groups of pupils, the school improvement plan, governing body minutes, and evidence of monitoring and evaluation. They also spoke to parents and carers, and analysed 116 parental

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Introduction

questionnaire responses, together with the responses to the questionnaires returned by staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

This average-sized school has a high proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is also high, as is the proportion at the early stages of learning to speak English. The school has an above average proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, mostly relating to speech, language and communication difficulties, or moderate learning difficulties. The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which determines the minimum expectations for attainment and progress. It has achieved Healthy Schools status and runs a breakfast club for its pupils each school day. The senior management team has changed since the previous inspection. The headteacher took up her post in May 2011, the deputy headteacher in July 2011.

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Key findings

 This is a good school. Good improvement since the previous inspection has led to a robust and ongoing upward trend in attainment. The school is not yet outstanding because teaching is not yet fully effective in ensuring that enough pupils reach the higher National Curriculum levels, or that writing is of a consistently high quality.

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Key findings

 Pupils achieve well. They join the Early Years Foundation Stage with limited skills and understanding, make good progress in all year groups, and leave school with average but rising standards in reading, writing and mathematics. All groups make good progress, although the more-able pupils do not always fulfil their potential.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is good. Teachers assess and track pupils’ progress well and use the information in planning. The quality of marking in literacy books is excellent, but it does not always extend to writing in different subjects in order to keep pupils focused on improving their writing at all times. The more-able pupils are not always pushed hard enough in lessons, and pupils’ ability to learn independently is not always sufficiently fostered.

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Key findings

 Pupils behave well and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, fit and healthy. They and their parents and carers report that behaviour is almost always good. The school is a harmonious community where those from different faiths, cultures and backgrounds learn to care for and respect each other, and to mix together well.

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Key findings

 Staff say they are ‘on a mission to provide our very best for the children’. Their work is facilitated by good leadership and management, excellent relationships and very strong teamwork. Teaching is led well and rigorously checked for its impact on learning, and performance managed well. Improvements are underpinned by the staff’s willingness to learn from and help each other.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend the excellent marking seen in literacy to writing that occurs in other subjects, so that pupils focus on their writing targets at all times.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that lesson activities are consistently challenging, especially for the more-able pupils, and provide more opportunities for all pupils to learn to work independently by pursuing some learning themselves.

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Achievement of pupils

Most parents, carers and pupils say progress is good. Inspection findings match their views. Children start school with skills six to 12 months behind the levels expected for their age. They catch up well by the time they start Year 1. The successful teaching of how to link letters and sounds contributes to this, and to the rapidly improving standards in Year 2, which are now broadly average overall. Standards are average in Year 6 but they are higher than in previous years, and represent good progress from the pupils’ starting points when they were in Year 2. Over time, they have improved strongly as pupils’ progress has accelerated. A strong upward trend is also evident in Year 2, and it is being systematically built upon in Years 3, 4 and 5. This bodes well for the future.

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Achievement of pupils

Attainment in reading is average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. Pupils talk enthusiastically about reading, and they become increasingly able to interpret the meaning behind the written word. Year 6 pupils were animated as they compiled questionnaires and conducted surveys of reading habits. Outstanding teaching helped them to see how using their data-handling skills effectively would help them to write more precise reports. Pupils often write at length in literacy, with an appropriate sense of purpose and audience. They use their writing skills in different subjects, but they do not always remember their targets when they do so. They respond well to the strong encouragement they get in marking to improve, for example, sentence construction, spelling or grammar, or to use a wider range of vocabulary.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils have satisfactory mathematical and scientific skills, gained through a variety of practical, investigative work. They rise well to time-limited challenges that increase their ability to calculate mentally, and readily use their mathematical skills to solve problems. This was particularly evident in a Year 2 lesson, where they worked out that division was the same as equal subtraction.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs make good progress. Their learning is broken down into small steps and they receive good support from well-briefed staff. By Year 6, the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils is narrower than the national gap. Pupils who speak English as an additional language, including those at the early stages of learning to speak English, also make good progress, thanks to the staff’s precise use of language in lessons, and the constant checks made on pupils’ understanding.

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Quality of teaching

Lessons most often foster enjoyment in learning because, as parents and carers commented, teachers ‘really engage and motivate’ the pupils, and have a ‘direct impact on (their) progress’. Parents, carers and pupils are right in saying that teaching is good. Some outstanding teaching was observed during the inspection. The well-planned curriculum supports teaching effectively, providing good guidance on how to ensure pupils acquire the key skills associated with different subjects progressively. Teaching and the curriculum make a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Quality of teaching

Learning is usually well matched to pupils’ different levels of ability, although there are still times when more-able pupils are not challenged enough by their work. Typically, skilled questioning, based on good subject knowledge, extends pupils’ language skills, including by asking them to talk with a partner before offering an answer. Different levels of questioning, directed at individual pupils, ensure all pupils are equally involved in the lesson. This good practice was particularly evident in an outstanding Year 3 lesson where pupils were also encouraged to ‘throw’ questions to one another as they explored the features of a play script. Steps to success are revisited regularly in lessons, keeping pupils on their toes and eager to succeed. Teachers are skilful at adapting lessons in response to the rate of pupils’ learning, and they make good use of what they know about each pupil’s progress to take their

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Quality of teaching

As they mark literacy and numeracy work and work in, for example, science and history, teachers focus pupils well on what they need to do to improve. Pupils know their levels and can explain how their targets will take them to the next level. They appreciate what they know to be ‘gap tasks’ and willingly come to school early to make sure they complete them. They are also given time to respond to marking at the start of lessons, and marking often becomes a dialogue between pupil and teacher that results in misconceptions being addressed and progress accelerated.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Almost all pupils say behaviour is typically good and the school keeps them safe. Their parents and carers agree, and inspection findings endorse these views. The pupils’ good behaviour, enthusiasm for school and enjoyment of learning all have a positive impact on their progress, as do their good attendance and their eagerness to do well. Pupils have a good understanding of the importance of healthy living, and those who attend the breakfast club are well prepared for the school day. They also know how to keep themselves safe in and out of school, as well as when using the internet or a mobile phone.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Throughout the school, there is a feeling of belonging to a community where everyone is valued and respected, and where pupils learn to respect themselves and others. The school refers to these as the ‘core values’ to which the whole school community subscribes. These values are fostered well from the time children start school, and pupils in Year 6 who have been with the school since Nursery say that this is what makes the school a ‘friendly, happy place to be’. Pupils report that harassment of any sort, including different forms of bullying, is not tolerated. This was found to be true when incident books were inspected and showed there had been a small amount of racist name-calling. The school recorded and reported this in line with local authority guidelines and dealt with it quickly.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils willingly help out around the school, for example as play leaders. They are justifiably proud of their school and have a strong voice in it, for example through the school council and in their involvement in determining some of what they will learn. School councillors represent the school at the Smethwick Pupils’ Council, gaining a deeper understanding of the workings of a democracy. Pupils readily reach out to others, for example by raising money for charities at home and abroad, and for those affected by international disasters. They have a well-developed understanding of their place in a global society, gained from projects such as ‘Who am I’, which involved them and their parents and carers in learning about different cultural backgrounds.

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Leadership and management

Leaders and managers, including the governing body, communicate high expectations in all aspects of school life. The school’s self-evaluation is accurate, well founded and well justified. The governing body knows the school well. It works closely with leaders at different levels, and uses its expertise effectively to hold the school to account. There is a high level of commitment to securing the best possible outcomes for pupils and their families. Professional development is used well to improve teaching and learning, and school leaders are meticulous in following up the impact it has on pupils’ progress. The various programmes set up to help pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs are carefully monitored to ensure they are assisting pupils’ progress. All of this has contributed to the good improvement since the previous inspection, and shows the school has good capacity for further sustained improvement.

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Leadership and management

All safeguarding requirements are met, and all training, including for child protection, is up to date. The school works effectively with pupils, the community, other schools and a wide range of external agencies to remove any barriers to learning. It promotes equality of opportunity well, and has rightly turned its attention to helping more of the more-able pupils to reach higher levels. It breaks down stereotypes, ensures that no-one is discriminated against, and successfully involves parents and carers in all that it does. This includes, for example, encouraging parents and carers to contribute to topic work, and involving them in the ‘Inspire’ workshops where they work alongside their children and learn how to help with their progress.

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Leadership and management

The restructured curriculum has made teaching and learning more exciting for staff and pupils. It gives them a say in topic work and ensures that key skills in different subjects are taught progressively. Subject leaders check that this happens, and that basic skills are promoted as much as possible. A good range of visits, visitors and extra-curricular activities enrich the curriculum and give pupils memorable experiences that they will carry into adult life. The curriculum promotes pupils’ learning and personal development, including their spiritual, moral social and cultural development, well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

Thank you very much for the very warm welcome you gave use when we visited your school. It was such a delight to talk to you about what you do there, and to see how much you enjoy learning. The questionnaires some of you completed also helped us in making our judgements.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

You go to a good school, where staff really care for you and work very hard to help you achieve well. You help in this with your good behaviour, the way you get on so well with each other and your hard work in lessons. You told us you feel very safe in school and know that any member of staff will help you if you have any concerns, in or out of school. Those responsible for leading and managing different aspects of your school’s work do a good job. They are determined to help you all make the best possible progress. We noted that your parents and carers acknowledge all of this too, and are very pleased with the school.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

The way your teachers mark most of your work really helps you see how to improve it. You certainly seem to enjoy those ‘gap tasks’ you told us about, and which we saw in your books, that require you to correct mistakes or challenge you to do even better. Within this positive picture, we noted a couple of things that the school could do even better to help you make faster progress.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

 Ensure your teachers mark the writing you do in different subjects as well as they do for literacy, to help you reach your writing targets faster.  Give all of you, and especially the more-able among you, more opportunities to work independently and pursue learning by yourselves.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

You can all help by heeding your writing targets at all times, and by taking more responsibility for finding things out for yourselves. This will stand you in good stead for the rest of your lives, and we hope you will continue to enjoy learning as much as you do now for a long time to come.

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Inspection of St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Smethwick B66 3LX

Doris Bell Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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