Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant School

Age group 3–7 Inspection date(s) 4–5 October 2011 Inspection number 376916 Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 103479 Local Authority Birmingham Inspection number 376916 Inspection dates 4–5 October 2011 Reporting inspector Michael Merchant

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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 Infant School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Richardson Headteacher Christine Parker Date of previous school inspection 18 January 2007 School address New Street Rubery B45 0EU Telephone number 0121 6758700 Fax number 0121 6758411 Email address enquiry@hollyhill.bham.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. Fifteen lessons or part-lessons were observed, taught by seven different teachers. Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body, staff and the headteacher. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including records of pupils’ attainment and progress, school policies including safeguarding documentation, and the school development plan. In addition, questionnaires from 32 parents and carers, 48 pupils and six teachers were analysed.

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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

 The effectiveness of strategies to improve pupils’ attainment, particularly in writing at Key Stage 1.  The accuracy of teachers’ assessments and the use of assessment information to plan further steps in learning.  How well the school supports those pupils with particularly low levels of prior attainment and those who join partway through the school year.  The effectiveness of middle leaders and the governing body in checking attainment, progress and teaching and contributing to the school’s improvement.

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Information about the school

This school is smaller than most other primary schools. Most pupils live locally and the large majority are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than average. The percentage of pupils who are identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. Their needs relate mainly to moderate learning difficulties. However, a below average proportion have a statement of special educational needs. A high number of pupils join or leave the school partway through the school year. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in the Nursery and two Reception classes.

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Information about the school

The school has a breakfast club, an after-school club and a children’s centre on the site, but they are not managed by the governing body and are subject to a separate inspection. In 2009, the school gained Healthy Schools status. 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

Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant School provides a good education for its pupils, which fully reflects its strong ethos. It has sustained and built upon the many successful aspects of its work since the last inspection and enables its pupils to make good progress in their academic and personal development . The school forms strong relationships with families, including those that may be considered harder to reach, and parents and carers are delighted with the support provided for their children. As one said: ‘We are really pleased with the school. My child really enjoys school and is very proud to be a Holly Hill pupil.’

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Main findings

Care, guidance and support for pupils are good, as are safeguarding procedures. The curriculum is imaginative and exciting, and supports pupils' personal development well. As a result, pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and pupils keep themselves healthy and feel safe.

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Main findings

Children get a good start in the Nursery. The wide range of stimulating activities provided means that children make good progress. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ attainment is broadly average and rising. Pupils’ number skills in particular have improved markedly, although not all are fully confident in solving number problems. Pupils make good progress in relation to their starting points when they joined the school, and different groups achieve well. Plans to teach writing more effectively, such as through raising awareness of the differences between formal and informal language, are now embedding, but as yet not enough pupils reach the higher levels in teacher assessments at the end of Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support, both in class and in small group or individual tuition sessions, which enables them to make good and sometimes excellent progress in their learning. Pupils’ very strong enjoyment of school, however, is not

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Main findings

reflected in the overall attendance rate, which is rising as a result of actions taken by the school, but still only average.

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Main findings

The headteacher, very well supported by the deputy headteacher, has a very clear vision of high-quality provision. She has established a culture where inadequate teaching is not acceptable, and where every teacher is enabled to improve through effective professional development. As a result, teaching is good. The best teaching is marked by enthusiasm for the subject and high levels of engagement and fun. Learning is sometimes held back, however, because in a small number of lessons tasks do not always provide maximum challenge for the more-able 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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Main findings

Even though the school has many consistently good features, staff and the governing body are not complacent and want to lift pupils’ attainment even further. They know exactly what actions to take next as a result of thorough systems of self-evaluation. The governing body is well placed to review developments and to challenge the school to improve further. Together with the improvements already made to provision and pupils’ outcomes in the last two years, these strengths show that the school’s capacity to improve further is good.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By December 2012, raise attainment so that most pupils exceed expected levels for their age in reading, writing and mathematics by:  ensuring that effective techniques to teach writing are employed consistently so all pupils write confidently and creatively  developing pupils’ higher-level problem solving skills in mathematics  making sure that teachers plan for and extend the learning of the more- able pupils at a consistently challenging pace throughout lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Work more closely with the few parents and carers whose children do not attend regularly enough to ensure that the overall rate of attendance is 95% or better in the next school year.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Children join the Nursery classes with skills and abilities that are below those expected for their age. The pupils’ work seen confirms that their attainment is broadly average by Year 2, and improving strongly. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with particularly low levels of prior attainment, achieve well. There is no significant difference in the rates of learning and progress of boys and girls. Key to this success is the introduction of rigorous procedures for monitoring and evaluating the progress of all pupils towards challenging targets, coupled with good and often inspiring teaching. Consequently, the quality of learning in lessons is good. Pupils are keen to do their best, work purposefully in lessons and greatly enjoy what they are doing.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Pupils’ number problem solving skills have improved markedly since the last inspection. For instance, in a fast-paced Year 2 numeracy lesson, all groups of pupils made good progress and really enjoyed working in groups to complete the challenging task of deducing the properties of three-dimensional shapes. However, this is not always the case as there are occasions when higher-attaining pupils are not fully challenged. The pupils make good progress in their writing and reading skills as a result of the positive actions taken to promote speaking and listening skills and knowledge of sounds and letters. This was seen clearly in a Reception class lesson when the pupils made good use of their knowledge of sounds to write simple sentences about the story of The Gruffalo. This approach is not consistently applied in all classes, however, and pupils’ attainment in writing lags behind their Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

In all year groups, pupils profit from the welcoming ambiance of the school. They widen their understanding of the world through growing links with schools in India and in contrasting areas in Britain. The good range of well-attended after-school activities such as the ‘Malachi’ drama club have a positive impact on pupils’ well- being and help them develop new areas of interest. Parents and carers and pupils alike say that pupils are safe at school and know how to avoid dangers and risks. Pupils make a strong contribution to the school community through the school council, by being class helpers and by helping younger children in the playground as ‘squaddies’. They are learning to take responsibility for their behaviour, which is good, although they still need fairly frequent reminders of what is expected of them in lessons. Attendance is average and improving; particularly noteworthy is the reduction in persistent absence as a result of the coordinated efforts by a team of

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

staff. Pupils get on well with each other, taking turns, sharing and helping one another. This, together with improving key skills in reading, writing and mathematics and good use of information and communication technology in lessons, means that pupils are well prepared for the next stages of their lives.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 2

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes 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 The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils’ behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

There is a high proportion of good lessons and there are many exciting lessons where all pupils are keen to learn. Many staff model good practice, with fast-paced, highly engaging lessons. Most teachers use questioning well to draw the pupils into

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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 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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How effective is the provision?

discussion. However, some inconsistencies remain, and this slows some pupils' progress. In a few lessons all pupils sometimes work at the same pace, as directed by the teacher, and this leads to insufficient challenge for the most able pupils. Teachers mark books carefully, accurately and regularly and the advice teachers give to pupils on how to improve their work is effective. Most pupils, therefore, are clear about the next steps in their learning.

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How effective is the provision?

The school has recently revised its curriculum to make it more exciting and creative, and it meets the range of pupils’ needs well. The changes have had a particularly good impact on pupils’ enjoyment of learning because it provides more opportunities to fully develop their creativity and imagination, although this approach does not yet extend to full development of their extended writing skills across all themes. An excellent range of out-of-school activities provides pupils with many additional opportunities to enhance their learning and makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ high levels of enjoyment.

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How effective is the provision?

The atmosphere in the school is warm and welcoming and this encourages pupils whose circumstances make them particularly vulnerable, and those new to the school, to feel secure. Pupils greatly enjoy the breakfast and after-school clubs which contribute well to their social skills. Pupils are confident that they will get good advice. Detailed plans identify the strategies that will be adopted for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who join the school with particularly low levels of attainment . Induction programmes are very effective for those who arrive throughout the year and those starting in the Nursery class.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

Senior leaders, staff and the governing body share a determination to make Holly Hill Infant School an exciting school that aims for the highest possible standards of attainment. The headteacher has directed improvement well to improve pupils’ educational opportunities. For instance, she swiftly reversed a recent downturn in attainment. This could not have occurred had not staff at all levels shared her vision and ambition to further improve standards and accelerate pupils’ progress. Senior leaders track pupils’ attainment closely, and ensure class teachers are aware of anyone in danger of falling behind. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high, and the team acknowledges that there are still a few pupils who could achieve even more, especially in the more advanced level of writing. At the time of the inspection, Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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How effective are leadership and management?

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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How effective are leadership and management?

there was no evidence of any discrimination, and the school promotes equality of opportunity for all pupils vigorously through sophisticated monitoring and good support. Progress for all groups of pupils is broadly similar, showing that the school’s commitment to equal opportunities is translated effectively into practice.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The effectiveness of the governing body is good. It is increasingly able to hold the school to account for its work and has been influential in helping senior leaders to secure school improvement. It fulfils all legal requirements, and all safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective at the time of the inspection. Good practice in safeguarding and child protection is evident in all areas of the school’s work. For instance, checks on the suitability of adults to work with children are thorough.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school prides itself on working well with the local community and forms good and ever-strengthening relationships with families, including those that have traditionally been harder to reach. In this inclusive school, every child matters and individual needs are considered very specifically. The school works well in partnership with external agencies to secure extra support for those pupils who need it. Leaders ensure that pupils are developing into caring citizens who respect and value the views of others, and that a set of common shared values is embedded in every child. The school's work to promote community cohesion is good. There are good links within the local community and work to improve pupils' understanding of national and global diversity is continuing. The school itself is a very harmonious community and pupils of different ethnicities get on very well together.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Effective liaison between the school and the children’s centre ensures that children 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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Early Years Foundation Stage

settle in to the Nursery classes quickly, are keen to learn, play together well and are well behaved. The excellent space for the youngest children is used to good effect. It is effectively organised and well resourced, bright, airy, safe and secure. Inside spaces are fresh and clean, with clearly marked labels on drawers and containers so that children can find and put away equipment independently.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Adults effectively develop children’s language and ideas. For instance, the children were observed having a splendid time writing their names and making ‘silly soup’ from a range of materials. The outside area offers much opportunity for learning and is used well by adults to help develop children’s climbing and other physical skills. The teachers and teaching assistants plan and organise activities well but do not always make the most of opportunities to develop creative role play or writing. Very good records are kept of children’s achievements, in photographs, notes and samples of their work.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The children move into Year 1 working securely towards their early leaning goals and this represents good progress in relation to their starting points. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader provides good leadership. She has a very secure understanding of the early years curriculum and constantly reviews her practice to ensure that all children receive high-quality care and support.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage 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 Ofsted questionnaire, at 15%, was below average. However, the school clearly enjoys their confidence and support. A number of individual comments praised the extremely high quality care, support and guidance given to pupils, particularly to those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those new to the school. The very few individual criticisms were followed up during the visit. The views of the parents and carers interviewed informally at the beginning and end of the school day confirm the positive responses in the questionnaires.

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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 Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant 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 32 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 207 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 18 56 12 38 1 3 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 18 56 11 34 2 6 1 3 The school informs me about my child’s progress 11 34 17 53 3 9 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 13 41 14 44 3 9 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 14 44 15 47 2 6 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 11 34 19 59 2 6 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 12 38 17 53 2 6 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) 10 31 18 56 1 3 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 13 41 15 47 3 9 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 12 38 16 50 2 6 1 3 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 8 25 18 56 3 9 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 9 28 18 56 4 13 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 15 47 15 47 2 6 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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 8 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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Thank you all for the warm welcome you gave us when we visited your school recently. What a lovely two days we had. We enjoyed meeting and talking to you and loved watching you sing. You go to a good school and you are right to be proud of it. Here are some of the things we liked best about Holly Hill Infants.

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 You make good progress as you move through the school and you achieve well, because you work hard and benefit from good teaching.  Your teachers and other adults take good care of you. You told us they make sure that everyone feels safe and secure.  You behave well around the school and in your classes and you look after each other well. You relish helping each other to learn and you readily help your classmates when they find things difficult.

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Your headteacher, the governing body and all the other staff know in detail how to make sure that your school continues to improve. We have asked them to do the following three things.

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 Make sure that more of you reach higher levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics in the teacher assessments at the end of Year 2.  In lessons, ensure that all teachers plan your work more carefully so that it is always well matched to your different abilities.  Make sure more of you attend school regularly and take fewer days off school.

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I am sure that you will help them by always working hard and aiming really high.

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Michael Merchant 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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