Cooper Perry Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 12–13 September 2011 Inspection number 380829 Cooper Perry Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 124195 Local Authority Staffordshire Inspection number 380829 Inspection dates 12–13 September 2011 Reporting inspector Derek Aitken

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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 221 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Heath Headteacher Emma Wynne Date of previous school inspection 16 October 2008 School address Seighford Stafford ST18 9PQ Telephone number 01785 282210 Fax number 01785 282916 Email address office@cooperperry.staffs.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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. Inspectors observed 13 lessons taught by 10 teachers. Inspectors held discussions with members of the governing body, staff, groups of pupils and a very few parents and carers. The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documents, including policies and procedures relating to the safeguarding of pupils, self-evaluation records and assessment information. The inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires from 69 parents and carers, 103 pupils and 13 staff.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 To what extent have staff managed to eliminate pockets of pupils’ underachievement in the recent past and do they now ensure that all groups are making securely good progress?  How good are the assessment opportunities provided by teachers and how well do pupils use them to promote their learning and progress?  How successfully is the work of the school monitored, evaluated and reviewed at all levels of responsibility?  How well is data used in the Early Years Foundation Stage to enable staff to evaluate and modify provision?

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Information about the school

Cooper Perry Primary is similar in size to most primary schools. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low. The percentage of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is usually well below average, but this can vary considerably between year groups. These pupils have a range of difficulties, including moderate learning and speech and language difficulties. Provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage is made in two part-time Nursery classes and one Reception class. At the time of the inspection half the children in Reception had just joined the school from a large number of nurseries. The school runs a daily before-school club, which was observed as part of this inspection. An after-school club operates on the school site. This provision is not managed by the school and is subject to a separate

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Information about the school

The school has Healthy Schools status and holds several other awards. These include Activemark, Artsmark (Gold) and the ICT Mark.

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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

Cooper Perry Primary has improved markedly since it was last inspected and now provides its pupils with a good education. Year 6 pupils underperformed in both 2008 and 2009, but in the last two years their attainment and rate of progress have substantially increased. Unvalidated results for Year 6 pupils in 2011 point to high attainment in both English and mathematics. Assessments for current Year 6 pupils indicate above-average attainment. This secure trend of improvement is underpinned by good teaching and very effective senior leadership.

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Main findings

Children in Nursery and Reception get off to a satisfactory start. Recent discontinuity in staffing and leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has affected the quality of provision and reduced the frequency and rigour of monitoring activities. In particular, not enough robust data at key transition points has been obtained for staff to acquire a secure long-term overview of children’s progress and to enable them to refine provision. Pupils make good progress in Key Stage 1, especially in Year 2. The unevenness in pupils’ rates of progress in Key Stage 2 noted at the time of the last inspection has almost entirely been eliminated. Pupils’ progress accelerates in Years 5 and 6 as a result of consistently good or better teaching. This ensures that all groups of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress. Examples of outstanding practice, however, are not shared

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Main findings

widely across the school. Pupils have very positive relationships with staff and, with increasing maturity, steadily acquire the skills they need to reflect on and take responsibility for their learning. The curriculum is thoughtfully constructed to enhance pupils’ enjoyment of school and wider spiritual and cultural development, for example, in the creative arts. Some art work is of exceptional quality. Pupils’ pastoral needs are met well and, as a result, pupils have a confident sense of security and well-being in school.

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Main findings

The capacity for further improvement is good. Priority areas identified at the previous inspection for attention have been tackled systematically and nearly all issues have been successfully resolved. Almost all systems are firmly embedded to ensure enhanced accountability and accurate self-evaluation. Senior leaders provide the school with energetic direction, resulting in improved outcomes for pupils. The governing body is supportive of the school’s aims, but due to recent changes in its composition and membership its capacity to hold senior leaders to account and set strategic direction for the school is not fully developed.

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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?

 Improve children’s progress in the Early Years Foundation stage by:  implementing robust systems for the collection and use of data from the time children start Nursery and Reception to enable staff to plan more strategically to develop provision  providing more varied and focused opportunities both indoors and outdoors for children to reinforce and extend their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good and better teaching by ensuring that best practice is fully shared across the staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the effectiveness of the governing body by:  ensuring that all of its members play a full role in school self-evaluation and future development  ensuring that it holds senior leaders more confidently to account.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils achieve well. Their skills when they join Year 1 are usually slightly above average but this has fluctuated in the last two years. National assessment data, supported by the school’s own records and lesson observations during the inspection, confirm that pupils make good progress in school, especially in Years 5 and 6. By Year 6 pupils’ attainment is above average, especially in reading. This supports their written work in English well, as older pupils demonstrate the capacity to understand and select relevant information from texts to collect ideas for their own autobiographical accounts. Pupils are confident speakers and some use a sophisticated range of vocabulary both orally and in writing to convey their ideas persuasively. Pupils are keen to explain their problem-solving techniques in mathematics and in a Year 4 mathematics lesson most pupils recalled and applied their partitioning methods successfully. Pupils with special educational needs and/or

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

disabilities also make good progress, especially in Key Stage 2. They have positive attitudes and work hard with teaching assistants to improve their skills. Pupils whom the school has identified as needing a boost to their learning also achieve well. For example, a group of these pupils in Year 4, supported by well-chosen resources, accurately identified syllables and phonemes and applied spelling rules correctly to a range of verbs.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils’ positive attitudes and hard-working approach are important factors in their enjoyment of learning and good progress. The vast majority of pupils work very effectively unaided or with their partner while engaged on their independent tasks. Pupils conduct themselves well around school and sometimes their behaviour is impeccable. Their strong sense of community is reflected in their enthusiastic, tuneful singing in assemblies, their evident interest in each others’ lives and their

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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

willingness to contribute ideas to raise funds for useful projects. They have a good understanding of factors which might be injurious to their safety and well-being. The school’s awards for healthy lifestyles are well merited. Pupils enjoy physical exercise through a broad range of after-school activities. Most pupils choose to eat healthy snacks and meals. Musical opportunities, foreign language lessons, international links and residential trips to France successfully enhance pupils’ cultural awareness. Pupils’ above-average levels of attainment and attendance, together with their good collaborative instincts, provide them with a good set of workplace skills for the future.

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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

Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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contribute to their future economic well-being

Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers manage pupils well and their consistent and fair application of classroom rules promotes good relationships. Teachers use a suitably varied range of techniques and resources, including the interactive whiteboard, to make lessons fun and help pupils show what they understand and can do. In the best lessons, teachers deploy themselves and teaching assistants very effectively to support and extend the learning of different groups of pupils during their independent work. Their teaching is highly enthusiastic and creative and provides pupils with regular opportunities to review their learning, contribute ideas and help them decide what they need to do next. In the minority of less successful lessons, pupils’ understanding of new concepts is sometimes not closely checked and planning is adapted less sharply for groups of pupils of different abilities, which slows their progress.

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How effective is the provision?

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

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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

Subjects are carefully linked across the curriculum to reinforce basic skills and provide motivating and interesting activities for pupils. Residential trips, musical tuition and foreign languages lessons for pupils in all years add spice to pupils’ learning. The curriculum is effectively adapted to vary provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Improved tracking procedures for these pupils and others, who have been identified as being at risk of falling behind, have contributed to the improvements in pupils’ progress in Key Stage 2.

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

Pupils are well cared for by the staff. Teachers and teaching assistants know their pupils well and step in quickly and sensitively to deal with their needs. Pupils’ welfare is carefully monitored, for example, by identifying any patterns of misbehaviour during play, and by imposing controls for checking up on internet access. Pupils trust the staff to act in their best interests. Sanctions, including the ‘traffic-light’ system are respected by pupils and complemented by rewards and regular, informal encouragement which promote good attitudes. Links with external agencies are well established to support individual pupils, whose circumstances may make them vulnerable. The school has succeeded in maintaining attendance at above-average levels for some years, despite a small decline in the summer term. The before-school club provides pupils with suitable opportunities for constructive play to get their day

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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

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

Senior leaders, well led by the energetic headteacher, provide the school with impetus and a clear sense of direction. Staff have been deployed skilfully in Key Stages 1 and 2 in raising pupils’ performance. Systems for monitoring the curriculum ensure the active involvement of all members of the teaching staff. This, combined with the establishment of challenging targets, has enhanced accountability and fostered a sense of shared enterprise, which is firmly focused on further improving outcomes for pupils. In the last two years pupils have demonstrated an increasing capacity to exceed their targets. Arrangements for monitoring teaching and learning are comprehensive and effective. While leaders have succeeded in raising the overall standard of provision, they have not yet managed to iron out fully variations in its quality. The effectiveness of the governing body is satisfactory. Governors ensure that statutory responsibilities are met. Some have not yet acquired the expertise to

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How effective are leadership and management?

contribute fully to school self-evaluation, nor the confidence to hold senior leaders to account. A particular strength of the school’s good arrangements for safeguarding

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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

are its detailed employment checks on staff. The school promotes equalities and tackles discrimination successfully, as reflected in good outcomes for all groups of pupils. The school’s active links with local, county and world-wide organisations support its contribution to community cohesion well.

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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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driving improvement

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

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children’s skills and knowledge when they join Nursery are broadly in line with those expected for their age. Outcomes for children at the end of Reception have fluctuated over the last two years. There has not been a strong strategic overview of the quality of children’s progress because of flaws in the data systems. More stable staffing last year enabled children to join Key Stage 1 with levels a little above national expectations. Children settle quickly, play contentedly alongside each other and demonstrate a clear capacity to concentrate well and see a task through to its successful completion. Even the youngest children demonstrate a clear understanding of safety and hygiene routines. They take responsibility for keeping hydrated by drinking water and eating fresh fruit. Satisfactory provision enables children to develop steadily their skills and understanding in all areas of learning. Good relationships maintain children’s’ interest, but teaching and the use of

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Early Years Foundation Stage

resources do not always provide sufficiently varied or focused opportunities for children to reinforce and extend new learning both inside the classroom and outdoors. Children’s achievements are regularly assessed to enable staff to make necessary adjustments to their short-term planning. A recent innovation has provided parents and carers with a useful opportunity to contribute observations on their children’s progress. The setting is managed satisfactorily and there is a clear action plan for future improvement.

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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

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

The proportion of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire was slightly below average. The vast majority of respondents view the school’s work very favourably, particularly with regard to their children’s levels of enjoyment and safety, and in the way the school is led and managed. Written comments received were almost uniformly positive and largely accord with inspection findings.

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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 Cooper Perry 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 69 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 221 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 49 71 19 28 1 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 48 70 20 29 1 1 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 32 46 32 46 4 6 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 32 46 34 49 1 1 1 1 The teaching is good at this school 37 54 30 43 1 1 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 36 52 28 41 3 4 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 32 46 36 52 0 0 0 0 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) 38 55 31 45 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 32 46 33 48 1 1 1 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 37 54 27 39 4 6 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 36 52 29 42 2 3 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 41 59 27 39 1 1 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 49 71 19 28 0 0 1 1

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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. 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 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9 Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5 All schools 10 44 39 6

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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 2010 to 08 April 2011 and 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. 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.  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 Cooper Perry Primary School, Stafford ST18 9PQ

I would like to thank you for your help when the inspection team visited your school recently and sharing your views with us. Yours is a good school which has improved considerably in the last three years. The following reasons are particularly important in explaining why it is successful.

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Inspection of Cooper Perry Primary School, Stafford ST18 9PQ

 Your teachers have worked hard to improve their teaching to raise your attainment which is above average and make sure you make good progress.  You have a good understanding of how to stay safe and keep fit and healthy.  You respect the staff and get on well with them and each other. Sometimes your behaviour and attitudes are top-class.  The school is well led by the headteacher and key staff who are determined to keep making things better for you.

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Inspection of Cooper Perry Primary School, Stafford ST18 9PQ

There are a few things that the staff and members of the governing body need to do to help you learn even better.

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Inspection of Cooper Perry Primary School, Stafford ST18 9PQ

 We have asked staff in the Nursery and Reception classes to collect really accurate information on children when they start to help them see how well they are doing over time.  We have also asked them to boost children’s learning by giving them lots of interesting things to do inside and outside the classrooms.  We have asked teachers to share with each other what they do really well.  We have asked all the governors to check up carefully on the school’s work and play a full part in planning for the school’s future.

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Inspection of Cooper Perry Primary School, Stafford ST18 9PQ

You can help by continuing to work hard and by making sure your levels of attendance remain above average.

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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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