Crowmoor Primary School and Nursery

Crowmoor Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 123391 Local Authority Shropshire Inspection number 359427 Inspection dates 14–15 March 2011 Reporting inspector Gerald Griffin

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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 186 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Matthew Ware Headteacher Alan Parkhurst Date of previous school inspection 30 January 2008 School address Crowmere Road Shrewsbury SY2 5JJ Telephone number 01743 235549 Fax number 01743 243129 Email address Admin.crowmoor@shropshirelg.net

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Age group 3–11 Inspection dates 14–15 March 2011 Inspection number 359427 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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors visited 17 lessons taught by six teachers. They observed assemblies, break times and held meetings with members of the governing body, staff and groups of pupils. Parents and carers at the school gate were spoken to informally. Inspectors observed the school's work, and looked at progress records, teachers' lesson plans, pupils' work, school improvement plans, policies and reports. They analysed completed questionnaires returned by 39 parents and carers, 13 staff and 94 pupils. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  Do girls make enough progress in Key Stage 1?  Is progress quick enough in mathematics at Key Stage 2?  Does teaching sufficiently challenge all groups of pupils?  Do improvement plans have sufficient rigour to ensure progress is accelerating for all

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Information about the school

Crowmoor is a smaller than average sized primary school. The large majority of pupils come from White British backgrounds. The remainder come from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. A small proportion speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. Most of these have specific learning or behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. An above average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals. The Early Years Foundation stage provision comprises a joint Nursery and Reception class. The school has recently gained a number of awards including the Gold Healthy Schools Award. Recently, the school has experienced high staff turnover and several changes to the leadership team.

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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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Main findings

This is a satisfactory school. It provides a very safe, caring and happy atmosphere in which pupils grow into mature and articulate young people. Pupils enjoy school and, as result, most attend very regularly. They behave well and are polite to each other and to adults. Parents and carers are very pleased with the standard of education the school provides. Typically, one parent wrote, 'My child is very happy and loves coming to school. She is very well cared for.' During the period of staffing and leadership difficulties, progress stalled and pupils underachieved. Now that staffing and leadership are stable, the school has successfully tackled this underachievement. Under the determined leadership of the headteacher, effective action has been taken to accelerate progress so that it is satisfactory. Since the last inspection, the school has sustained pupils' broadly average attainment and good personal development. The school has improved care, guidance and support, which is now

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Main findings

good. Other aspects of the school, while satisfactory, are improving strongly. Leaders monitor rigorously most aspects of the school's performance and this provides them with largely secure and accurate information for self-evaluation. Their drive to make the school better is clearly articulated and enthusiastically embraced by staff, and the school has a satisfactory capacity to improve further. There are many signs that teaching is improving. In lessons, relationships are positive and pupils are keen to learn. Progress is not yet consistently good because teachers do not always make effective use of information about pupils' prior attainment to plan work that matches closely each pupil's needs. As a result, pupils are not always fully challenged. Progress in reading is good across the school. Progress in writing and mathematics is improving strongly but it is not yet good. This is because the curriculum does not provide

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Main findings

sufficient opportunities for pupils to improve skills that remain relatively weak, such as expressing ideas in longer pieces of written work and solving mathematical problems. The curriculum provides pupils with good opportunities to explore and develop their artistic skills. The staff use their detailed knowledge of each pupil well to provide them with a good standard of pastoral care. Parents and carers are pleased with the arrangements that ensure children settle quickly and happily into the routines of school when they join the Nursery and Reception class. In lessons, children make satisfactory progress but there are too few opportunities for them to choose activities for themselves and learn independently. Additionally, leaders do not make sufficiently good use of data to check children's progress and pinpoint where improvements to teaching and learning can be made. Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a

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Main findings

monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next Section 5 inspection.

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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?

 Secure good progress in lessons by ensuring that the difficulty of the work for each pupil matches their needs closely so that each is fully challenged.  Accelerate progress in writing and mathematics so that it is good by providing appropriate curriculum time for pupils to practice: expressing their ideas in longer pieces of written work solving mathematical problems.  Improve progress in the Nursery and Reception class so that it is good by: providing sufficient opportunities for children to work independently ensuring leaders make good use of information about children's attainment and progress to plan where improvements to teaching and learning can be made.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Attainment on entry to the school is average. All groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils who speak English as an additional language and those known to be eligible for free school meals enjoy learning, and their achievement is satisfactory and improving. The progress of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities with behaviour difficulties is improving because adults manage their behaviour well and ensure they concentrate on their work. The learning of those who start with a low level of attainment is accelerating because they receive individual support from well-trained teaching assistants that helps them to quickly learn to read so that they understand instructions and texts. The learning observed in lessons was at least satisfactory and some was good. For example, in a Year 4 lesson pupils were keen to improve the plays each had written about

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

life in the Second World War. Pupils were curious and enjoyed answering teachers' questions, which were effective in promoting their self-confidence, communication skills and understanding. Their proficiency as independent learners is developing quickly, particularly when they work with their peers in solving problems for themselves and making decisions about changes to their written work. Pupils are increasingly checking the quality of their work and making good use of their findings to make it better. Pupils in Year 6 take a good measure of responsibility for their progress by comparing their current working levels with the challenging ones that they are expected to attain. Mostly, pupils concentrate well in lessons but sometimes their attention wanders when they find the work does not challenge them sufficiently. Progress in reading is good because the school has improved strongly pupils' skills in

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

linking letters to the sounds they make and their understanding of texts. This has especially helped the progress of girls in Key Stage 1, which was slow last year. This means they better understand written instructions and can undertake research from books. Progress in writing has accelerated as pupils have improved their skills of sentence construction, spelling and punctuation. Better calculation skills have helped improve progress in mathematics. Pupils say that incidences of bullying are unheard of and are confident that the school would deal with any cases quickly. Pupils have an outstanding understanding of how to

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

keep themselves safe, for example on the internet. Pupils do their best to take plenty of exercise and are committed to eating a healthy diet, which is reflected in the school's Healthy Schools award. All pupils are keen to accept responsibility, for example, as buddies and as members of the school council. Outside school, they work hard to keep the local area litter free. Average standards and positive attitudes to school mean that pupils' preparation for secondary school is satisfactory. Pupils reflect maturely on their actions and those of others. A strong moral code supports their good behaviour. They readily help each other and share apparatus. They have a well-developed understanding of the diversity of British culture.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers make good use of resources, such as computers, to engage pupils and promote their learning. Pupils find lessons enjoyable because the tasks they are given are interesting and relevant. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to learning, especially for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, they make notes on these pupils' progress to pass to the teacher to help their planning. However, planning does not always make good use of progress data to provide challenging work. This means that occasionally some pupils find a task too easy while others tackle work that is too hard. Marking is improving and in several classes it is good

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

because it provides detailed feedback to pupils about how they can make their work better. This is not yet the consistent picture across the school. The curriculum supports aspects of pupils' personal development well. For example, lively assemblies promote their spiritual development by providing good opportunities for them to reflect on their feelings and actions. Pupils enjoy the many opportunities they have to develop their artistic skills in music, pottery, drama and painting and are proud of their musical performances and the displays of their art work around the school. Plans to provide more lesson time to tackle the remaining weaknesses in pupils' writing and mathematics are appropriate. A good range of clubs and educational visits add to pupils' enjoyment of school and broaden their horizons. Pupils readily discuss their worries with an adult because they are confident that they will quickly resolve their concerns. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

provided with sensitive support. The school makes good use of outside experts, such as behavioural specialists, to identify their needs. The school's measures to improve attendance are effective. Currently, attendance is above average but it is too early to judge if this can be sustained. The school's targeted support for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable is very effective.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Leaders clearly articulate the school's challenging targets. Plans are rigorously followed through and some strategies have had a good impact on pupils' achievement. For example, together with strong partnerships with the local authority, leaders have secured better learning by sharpening staff skills in teaching reading. Leaders' checks on pupils' progress are very regular and increasingly effective. These ensure appropriate tasks are quickly provided for any pupils whose progress slows and enable them to catch up with missed work. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body works hard on behalf of the school and its members' growing understanding of data means they are starting to challenge the school robustly over its performance. The improved progress of younger girls shows that the school's equal opportunities policies are starting to have a positive impact. Safety and safeguarding are given a high priority. Child protection procedures are

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How effective are leadership and management?

robust, regularly updated and fully meet current safeguarding requirements. The checks that the school makes on the suitability of adults to work with pupils are rigorous. Lessons on safety and safeguarding provide pupils with a very secure understanding of how to keep themselves safe.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

The school provides parents and carers with good guidance so that they can support their children's learning at home. For example, the programme that encourages parents and carers to read with their child and discuss the meaning of stories has been very successful. The school is a happy and harmonious community in which pupils from all backgrounds integrate well. Its promotion of wider community cohesion is developing strongly. For example, the school provides parenting classes for local teenage mothers in partnership with the local Children's Centre. The school extends pupils' understanding of diversity by ensuring they participate in the Shrewsbury Junior G8 conference.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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3

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children are well cared for, very safe and enjoy school. They make satisfactory progress, and parents and carers are pleased with the advice they are given that helps them support their children's learning at home. Teaching provides learning activities that children find interesting. For example, a group of children were thoroughly enjoying listening to different sounds and extending their knowledge and understanding of the world by thinking what might have made them. Elsewhere, children were engrossed in linking letters to the sounds they made and reading words. In adult-led activities such as these, children make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress. Their progress in activities they choose for themselves is slower because there are too few opportunities for them to work independently. Teaching makes satisfactory use of both the indoor resources and outdoor learning area to engage and

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

Staff are gaining in their knowledge of how young children learn by undertaking training and this is improving children's progress. However, the evaluation of children's progress is currently under developed. The school has, rightly, identified the need to make better use of data to identify where further improvements can be made.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

A smaller than usual proportion of parents and carers returned a questionnaire. Their comments indicate that they believe their children are kept very safe, enjoy school and are well cared for. Inspection findings support these positive statements. Several parents and carers commented positively about how much the school has improved recently. A few parents and carers feel that the school does not keep them well informed about their children's progress. Inspectors explored this and found that the school does its best to accommodate parents' and carers' views. Furthermore, in response to this concern, the staff say they will now inform parents and carers about their children's progress each term rather annually.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Crowmoor Primary School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 39 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 186 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 25 64 14 36 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 26 67 13 33 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 17 44 18 46 4 10 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 19 49 18 46 1 3 1 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 17 44 22 56 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 18 46 19 49 2 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 24 62 15 38 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 16 41 21 54 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 22 56 16 41 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 17 44 21 54 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 16 41 22 56 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 16 41 22 56 0 0 1 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 18 46 20 51 1 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspec tion outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Crowmoor Primary School, Shrewsbury, SY2 5JJ

Thank you for being so polite and friendly when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed our visit and having the opportunity to talk to some of you and to see you in lessons and at play. I especially enjoyed looking at all the bright displays of your art work around the school. You are rightly proud of the school's happy atmosphere in which you all get on so well together. Crowmoor is a satisfactory school, which means it does some things well and could do some better. Here are some of the things we found out. Children get off to a happy start in Nursery and Reception. You told us you enjoy school and feel very safe and secure. You try hard in lessons and make good progress in reading. Your behaviour is good. You are keen to take responsibility in school and in the local community. You have good relationships with your teachers. The curriculum provides plenty of exciting clubs and visits, which you enjoy. Adults look

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Inspection of Crowmoor Primary School, Shrewsbury, SY2 5JJ

after you well and are always ready to help you. The headteacher and staff are working together to make the school get better. We have asked the school to do the following three things to help you all do even better in your learning:  in the Nursery and Reception class, to improve children's progress by giving them more opportunities to choose activities and make sure adults help their learning to get better  in Years 1 to 6, to improve your progress by making sure teachers always provide work for you that is neither too hard nor too easy  to improve your writing by giving you more opportunities to write longer pieces and to improve your mathematics by providing more time for you to solve mathematical problems. All of you can help the school by continuing to try your best in lessons, behaving well and attending regularly. We wish you all the best in the future.

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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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