Kings Hill Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 6–7 March 2012 Inspection number 377027 Kings Hill Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 104179 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 377027 Inspection dates 6–7 March 2012 Lead inspector Mandie Haywood

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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 Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 293 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Syrett Headteacher Malcolm Morrey Date of previous school inspection 9–10 October 2008 School address Old Park Road Walsall WS10 9JG Telephone number 0121 5686301 Fax number 0121 5267491 Email address postbox@kings-hill.walsall.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. Inspectors observed 21 lessons taught by 11 teachers. Meetings were held with the senior leadership team, the Chair of the Governing Body, pupils and parents and carers. Inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at data showing pupils’ progress, policies relating to child protection and safeguarding and minutes of meetings held by the governing body. The inspectors looked at 59 questionnaires returned by parents and carers, and those completed by staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school with pupils taught in ten classes, including the Nursery. Eighty-five per cent of pupils come from minority ethnic heritages. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average and a large proportion is at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above the national average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above the national average. The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets out the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress and has achieved the Eco-Schools Green Flag and the Healthy Schools awards.

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Information about the school

Following an unsettled period of leadership, a new executive headteacher started in January 2012. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. It is improving as a result of new leadership. It is not a good school because progress in some aspects of learning are satisfactory, the teaching of sounds and letters (phonics) is not secure and pupils’ attendance is low.  From a low start, pupils make satisfactory progress in reading and mathematics and good progress in writing. There is good support for pupils who do not speak English as their first language.  Teaching is satisfactory and mostly takes account of the needs of different groups. However, in mathematics some pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their basic skills in practical activities and the needs of less able pupils are not always met. In the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 phonics are not taught in a rigorous and systematic way and learning is not always maintained at a sufficiently brisk pace. Opportunities are missed to ensure pupils’ skills in phonics are reinforced in other lessons.

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Key findings

 A strength of the school is the good behaviour of pupils, their positive attitudes to learning and the way in which they work together and support each other. Pupils feel safe in school and there are good systems for them to report any concerns they may have. However, some parents take their children out of school for extended holidays during term time and, as a result, attendance is low.  The newly appointed executive headteacher, along with senior staff, has an accurate view of the school. Effective steps have been taken to improve the quality of teaching, and performance management has been successfully linked to pupil progress. The governing body has been proactive in securing stability in leadership and has formed a positive partnership with a local school with a view to federation.  Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged to be satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit before their next section 5 inspection.

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Key findings

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ standards in mathematics by the end of Year 6 by:  providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical knowledge in a range of practical situations  improving the match of work to support the learning of pupils who find mathematics most difficult.  Ensure that phonics (letters and sounds) skills are taught more consistently in order to improve standards in reading by:  ensuring that all teachers follow the same systematic approach  ensuring all sessions are taught at an appropriate pace to accelerate pupils’ understanding  reinforcing phonic skills across the curriculum.  Improve levels of attendance by:  liaising with parents of children who are persistent absentees to gain their support to improve their child’s attendance  liaising with the local community to clarify the importance of pupils’ education and the implications of taking them out of school.

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Achievement of pupils

Inspection findings support the views of most parents and carers that the school helps their children to develop skills in communication, reading, writing and mathematics. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels well below those expected for their age. The vast majority do not speak English as their first language and many are at a very early stage of learning English. The good support pupils receive from teachers and teaching assistants continues in Years 1 and 2 ensuring that, while their skills in reading, writing and mathematics remain well below average, they make satisfactory progress and good progress in terms of communication skills. For those pupils who miss school because of holidays, progress is slower and they do not always achieve as well as they should.

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Achievement of pupils

In English, progress from Years 3 to 6 is satisfactory overall. Progress in writing is good and by the end of Year 6 pupils attain standards which are broadly in line with national averages. Pupils enjoy the range of interesting texts used to inspire writing and they are clear about how to improve. Pupils in Year 6 talked about the level of their writing and knew what they needed to do in order to demonstrate that they have reached the next level. Pupils use a range of techniques to rehearse their ideas. This was evident in a literacy lesson when a group of Years 1 and 2 pupils used small voice recorders to develop sentences orally before writing them down. These strategies have a positive impact on improving their language and communication skills. Pupils enjoy books and are keen to read. Phonics are taught daily, but the pace of learning is sometimes slow and pupils do not always have enough opportunities to use their phonic skills in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils’

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Achievement of pupils

Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

attainment in reading at the end of Year 6 is below average. The large majority of pupils make satisfactory progress in mathematics, although a small number of lower- ability pupils achieve less well. This is because activities are not always tailored appropriately to their needs and pupils are not given enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills in practical situations.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make satisfactory progress They engage effectively with their tasks in whole-class and group activities. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress overall and good progress in communication.

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Quality of teaching

The quality of teaching is satisfactory with some that is good. Inspectors observed no inadequate teaching. Teaching is improving and this is resulting in better progress in English and mathematics. Teachers are generally well prepared and plan interesting activities. The vast majority of parents and carers who returned questionnaires felt that their children were taught well. Most children who completed questionnaires agreed that they learnt a lot in lessons, although the inspection team found that there could be more pace and challenge in some lessons.

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Quality of teaching

There are examples across the school of skilful teaching where the pace of learning is maintained and well thought-out activities promote pupils’ interest and skills, although this good practice is not consistent across the school. This was evident, in a mathematics lesson in which pupils responded enthusiastically to a problem solving activity about a clown’s wheeled toys. They successfully applied their knowledge of multiplication to find a range of solutions. Pupils independently selected equipment to help them and recorded their ideas in a systematic way. However, this approach is not typical and, in less effective lessons, activities are not suitably tailored to the needs of the less able pupils and there are missed opportunities to reinforce basic skills. Teachers use a range of questioning techniques and follow-up questions in order to extend pupils’ communication and understanding. Improved marking now

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Quality of teaching

gives pupils specific guidance for the next steps in their learning, although pupils are not always given the opportunity to respond.

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Quality of teaching

Pupils are respectful and very supportive of each other. Their personal development has a high profile in all lessons and the way in which pupils are able to work together and collaborate contributes greatly to their moral and social development. The impact of the school’s provision on spiritual and cultural development is good.

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Quality of teaching

The curriculum provides a range of interesting contexts for learning. Trips and visits are used to enhance and extend topics. The school provides additional music teaching for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6. An outstanding lesson was observed in which all Year 6 pupils played instruments together to perform a range of pieces. A notable feature of this aspect of the curriculum is that all pupils work towards an individual music examination, as do any staff who learn alongside them. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

In lessons, pupils work hard and take care and pride in all that they do. Incidents of poor behaviour are unusual and there have been no exclusions in recent years. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and are confident that there is always an adult that they can talk to if they have worries, and parents and carers share these views. A small number of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire were concerned about behaviour, but inspectors did not find evidence to support this view and records show that behaviour over time is good.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Racist incidents are very rare and the school’s systems ensure these are dealt with effectively. Pupils know that bullying comes in a variety of forms, although they reported that bullying was not an issue at school. They are aware of cyber bullying, including in texts, email and social networking sites. The school provides a number of ways for pupils to report any concerns they may have, including an online facility that pupils can access from home via the school website.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The school has taken steps to improve attendance which include only authorising term-time holidays in exceptional circumstances and clarifying how much time will be authorised for religious festivals. These have had a positive effect and for the vast majority of pupils attendance is now average. However, the overall profile continues to be negatively affected by a small minority of cases where pupils’ attendance is low.

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Leadership and management

Following a period of unsettled leadership, the governing body has been proactive in resolving this issue by forming links with a local primary school to appoint a joint executive headteacher.

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Leadership and management

The executive headteacher has quickly formed an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Prior to his arrival, the deputy headteacher and the senior leadership team had successfully led improvements in the quality of teaching and pupil progress. This is evident in the rigorous systems for monitoring teaching and the focus on linking teachers’ performance with pupils’ achievements. Since the last inspection marking has improved and senior leaders have become involved in the regular monitoring of teaching. Information from assessment is now rigorously scrutinised to check on the progress of every pupil. As a result, the school demonstrates satisfactory capacity to improve further.

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Leadership and management

The school provides a suitably broad and balanced curriculum which successfully promotes good communication skills across all ages and interesting topics for pupils to study. There is a successful focus on supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attention is giving to promoting the faiths of all pupils, as well as other cultures, which enhances their spiritual and cultural development.

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Leadership and management

Leaders at all levels, including the governing body, effectively promote equality and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

tackle discrimination and this is demonstrated by the harmonious school community. Much work is being done to involve parents in their children’s education, particularly those who find working with school more difficult. In addition to monitoring and challenging school performance, the governing body, in partnership with staff, ensures that arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet the requirements of current legislation.

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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 sta tistics 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 Kings Hill Primary School, Walsall WS10 9JG

I would like to thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed meeting you and seeing you in lessons and around the school. All the staff work hard to help you learn and enjoy school. The school gives you a satisfactory standard of education and helps you to understand the importance of being good members of your school community. Almost all of you told us that the school helps you to do as well as you can and that teachers are interested in your views.

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Inspection of Kings Hill Primary School, Walsall WS10 9JG

Here are some of the other good things that we found out about your school.  You enjoy school and work very well together.  You are keen to learn and to do your best and make satisfactory progress overall, but good progress in English particularly in writing.  You behaviour is good; you treat each other with respect and are always willing to help around school.

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Inspection of Kings Hill Primary School, Walsall WS10 9JG

To help the school get even better we have asked that the adults in charge of the school to:  raise standards in mathematics by giving you more practical activities to help you practise and use your mathematical skills  improve the way you are taught phonics so you can make even quicker progress in your reading  make sure that everyone attends school regularly so you don’t miss important learning.

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Inspection of Kings Hill Primary School, Walsall WS10 9JG

You can help of course by continuing to work hard and supporting one another.

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Inspection of Kings Hill Primary School, Walsall WS10 9JG

Mandie Haywood 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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