Forestdale Primary School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 15–16 November 2011 Inspection number 381554 Forestdale Primary School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 133759 Local Authority Birmingham Inspection number 381554 Inspection dates 15–16 November 2011 Reporting inspector Georgina Beasley

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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 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anne Wood Headteacher Rebecca Foster Date of previous school inspection 24 March 2009 School address Wareham Road Frankley Birmingham B45 0JS Telephone number 0121 4648659 Fax number 0121 4644002 Email address enquiry@forestdale.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. Inspectors observed 18 lessons taught by 10 teachers. Inspectors held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and representatives of the governing body. They observed the school’s work, and looked at assessment and progress information, pupils’ work, improvement plans, safeguarding procedures and monitoring reports. Inspectors received and analysed 25 questionnaires from parents and carers, 88 from pupils and 18 from 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

 What are the reasons for low attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 and why is it not improving at a faster rate?  How effective is care, guidance and support in ensuring pupils’ safety and wellbeing, improving attendance and helping pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress?  How effectively are the school’s leaders and managers improving the quality of teaching across the school?

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Information about the school

Forestdale Primary School is about the same size as most schools of its type. The majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. About a fifth are from a range of different minority ethnic backgrounds but the proportion who speak English as an additional language is below average. An average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities but the proportion with a statement of special educational needs is well-above average. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is high. Children start in Foundation 1 at the beginning of the term following their third birthday and move to Foundation 2 in the September after they become four. There is a pre-school on the site which is not managed by the governing body. The school is renewing its Healthy Schools status and has Investors in People Bronze Level.

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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

Forestdale Primary School is a satisfactory school. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have established a good ethos of care and support where adults and pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils say they feel safe in school, and their parents and carers overwhelmingly agree that this is the case. Inspectors endorse pupils’ views that behaviour is good and that they get on well together. Pupils are keen to do well and talk about their learning with pride. They have a good commitment to healthy lifestyles. They choose healthy options at lunchtimes and breakfast club, and enjoy taking part in the wide range of sporting activities.

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Main findings

Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children’s skills are well below expectations for their age on entry to Foundation 1. They make good progress and enter Year 1 with skills that are at expected levels. Achievement through Years 1 to 6 is satisfactory and attainment in English and mathematics is average by the end of Year 6. Learning and progress are satisfactory because they are inconsistent across the school and because teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers use a range of methods that keep pupils’ attention in lessons and which help them to concentrate on learning. However, lesson objectives do not always identify precisely what teachers want pupils to learn. Consequently, pupils are not always as clear as they should be about what they are learning and why. Pupils are encouraged to work independently on tasks during lessons and they do this well. However, sometimes tasks lack challenge so more-able pupils complete them with too little effort.

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Main findings

Teachers do not always ask pupils to explain and extend their answers to check pupils’ understanding and decide whether tasks are too easy or too difficult. Pupils apply their satisfactory literacy and numeracy skills and good computer skills adequately in a range of other subjects.

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Main findings

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have worked closely to build a consistent ethos of high expectations for pupils’ academic and personal development. Self-evaluation is accurate. Structured monitoring procedures have been introduced to check that every aspect of the school’s work is making a positive difference to pupils’ achievement. Good safeguarding procedures are followed consistently and checked regularly to ensure they are robust. The school promotes equal opportunities in a satisfactory way. It is successful in helping lower-attaining pupils to reach average levels by the end of Year 6, but few pupils reach above-average levels at the end of Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress, but those with a statement of special educational needs and those who receive

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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

support from outside agencies make good progress.

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

The school has satisfactory capacity to improve. It has tackled weaknesses identified in the previous inspection satisfactorily. There is now a stronger focus on checking that actions are making a difference to pupils’ progress, but there is still further to go to embed the monitoring processes. Teaching has improved but is still not consistent across the school. Pupils have a greater understanding of how to improve their work. In Years 5 and 6, they talk knowledgeably about their learning and how well they are doing because teachers give them clear feedback about their achievements and what they need to do next to improve. Attendance and punctuality are improving and are now satisfactory.

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

Up to 40% of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good teaching to 75% by July 2013 so that pupils make consistently good progress in lessons by ensuring that:  lesson objectives focus precisely on what pupils will learn  tasks that pupils complete independently are purposeful and matched to their individual abilities  teachers give pupils the time and opportunity to explain and extend their answers.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teachers’ use of assessment during lessons to check pupils’ understanding and to adjust tasks that extend and challenge learning, especially for higher-attaining pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Embed the processes of monitoring teaching and the curriculum so that the school can be clear about how effectively planned actions are improving pupils’ learning and progress.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2. This includes those from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language. Some pupils make good progress. Attainment at the end of Year 2 has improved from its previously low levels. It is average this year due to some improvement in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ higher starting points in Year 1. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in Key Stage 2, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. All groups of pupils make good progress in Years 5 and 6 and attainment is currently average in English and mathematics. However, a larger number of Year 6 pupils are on track to reach above-average levels in both subjects

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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

Learning and progress in lessons are generally satisfactory and are sometimes good. They are good when pupils know what to do and tasks enable them to consolidate and extend their learning. This was evident in a good English lesson when pupils enjoyed writing about what the other characters in a story thought about ‘Lazy Ozzie’. ‘Wow! I love doing this,’ one pupil said. Pupils wrote interesting sentences and spelt most words correctly. Sometimes, though, tasks are too easy and do not extend learning quickly enough, especially for more-able pupils. For instance, in a mathematics lesson, pupils all completed the same examples. Although they received different amounts of support, a few pupils found the task too easy and some found it too hard. A strength of learning is pupils’ confident and independent use of computers to learn new knowledge and to record their ideas.

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

Pupils’ good ability to manage their own behaviour and learning is reflected in good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils get along noticeably well together. They talk knowledgeably about the different religions and cultures they have learned about in lessons and through visits and visitors. Pupils make a good contribution to the school community by taking responsibility for jobs around the school. They play a positive role in decision-making processes, including the school council. There are satisfactory opportunities for them to contribute to the local and wider communities through raising money for charity. Pupils are fully involved in the drive for improving attendance through the school’s motivating reward system. They all know which colour zone they have reached on their way to ‘Puffin Island’ and a good number are determined to get there. ‘I’m heading for dark blue,’ said one pupil.

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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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3

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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How effective is the provision?

Teachers use a range of methods effectively, including drama and computer technology, to keep pupils interested and to support learning. For example, Year 5 pupils watched a film clip to help them identify precisely what a character said. Good teaching helped them to add not only speech marks, but also a comma and exclamation mark in the correct place. Teaching assistants give good support to pupils in lessons but the quality of support when pupils work on specific tasks in small groups outside the classroom is variable. Sometimes lesson objectives and success criteria focus on what pupils will do rather than on the precise knowledge and skills teachers want them to gain. As a result, pupils are not always clear about the purpose of their tasks. Teachers use assessment information satisfactorily to plan for different ability groups in lessons.

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How effective is the provision?

The curriculum promotes satisfactory learning. ‘Creative Mondays’ are popular with pupils because of the varied range of curricular activities offered. A good variety of extra-curricular activities and personal, social and health education support pupils’ personal development well. The Forest School initiative makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning and personal development. Breakfast club is very well attended and provides pupils with a nutritious and positive start to the school day.

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How effective is the provision?

Pupils say adults care about them and they feel confident in asking for help if they need it. The learning mentor gives good support to pupils experiencing difficulties. The nurture room provides a safe haven for them to talk in confidence about their feelings and their self-esteem improves. The school prepares pupils well for the next stage in their education. Children settle quickly into Foundation 1 and the oldest pupils are prepared well for secondary school by good transition arrangements. Pupils with a statement of special educational needs and those who receive support from outside agencies are given good, personalised support and guidance. They make good progress and many are currently on track to reach average levels at the end of Year 6.

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How effective is the provision?

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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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 senior leaders have recently introduced a structured system for involving all staff in monitoring all aspects of the school’s work. As a result, staff are clear about what the school does well and what needs to be improved, and are committed to improving the pupils’ outcomes. ‘Impact plans’ have replaced ‘action plans’ to focus staff discussions on the impact of developments and improvements on helping pupils to make faster progress. Training is supporting improvement in the quality of teaching across the school so that an increasing proportion is good. Governance is satisfactory. The governing body is well informed which enables it to challenge the school and hold it to account. However, the precise reasons for pupils’ slow progress in Key Stage 1 were not challenged until too recently. Safeguarding procedures are good. They are monitored closely to ensure pupils’ safety and any deficiencies are

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

remedied immediately. All staff have received relevant training so that they all know exactly what to do if they have a concern. Class lists are posted on the back of all classroom doors for adults to take and check off names once outside, in the event of an emergency evacuation.

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

Parents and carers are encouraged to support their children’s learning through regular literacy and mathematics workshops. Attendance at school events is good but attendance at progress consultation meetings with teachers falls off as pupils get older. Partnerships to support pupils’ personal development and curriculum enrichment are satisfactory. In order to improve pupils’ knowledge and understanding of wider communities beyond Frankley, the school has established links with schools across Europe. It is also developing a link with a school in Birmingham and another in rural Gloucestershire. The school’s promotion of community cohesion is satisfactory, as is its work to promote equality of opportunity and tackle discrimination. Pupils with special educational needs and/or difficulties play a full role in the life of the school and the academic challenge for more-able pupils is improving.

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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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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

Children settle quickly into Foundation 1 due to the established routines, positive relationships and good opportunities for them to visit school before they start. Every child is greeted personally at the start of each session. This establishes a positive welcome and gives parents and carers good opportunities to exchange information with an adult. Children come in confidently even though parents and carers leave them at the door. They have good levels of independence, hanging up their coats and finding their names to self-register with little support. Children make choices with confidence, choosing what and with whom to learn and play, and whether to learn indoors or outside. They play amicably alongside and with each other. Children quickly learn to take turns and share toys due to the positive support they receive from adults. Most are inquisitive learners and enjoy exploring new toys and activities.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

To begin with, children usually make themselves understood through signs, gestures and one-word answers, but they are soon talking in full sentences due to adults’ focused support and guidance. As a result of well-targeted teaching and a varied range of relevant learning experiences, children make good progress. By the end of Foundation 2, most have attained the early learning goals in all areas of learning.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Leadership and management are good. Adults ensure the children’s safety and well- being by well organised and consistently followed procedures. Detailed comments on children’s progress are recorded in learning journals and diaries, and note precisely what they can and cannot do. This information is used consistently by all adults to plan next steps in learning through relevant activities, well-targeted interventions when children are playing, and focused adult-led activities. Parents and carers are fully involved in a well-planned induction program that effectively prepares them and their children for school.

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Early Years Foundation Stage

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

Inspectors received a below-average number of questionnaires from parents and carers. Of those that were returned, the great majority expressed positive views, especially about the care, guidance and support for their children. The inspection findings endorse parents’ and carers’ positive views, particularly that pupils feel safe and that most enjoy school.

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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 Forestdale 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 25 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 210 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 14 56 7 28 0 0 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 17 68 8 32 0 0 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 15 60 9 36 0 0 0 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 15 60 9 36 1 4 0 0 The teaching is good at this school 15 60 10 40 0 0 0 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 11 44 13 52 0 0 0 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 8 32 16 64 1 4 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) 11 44 13 52 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child’s particular needs 13 52 11 44 0 0 0 0 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 12 48 9 36 2 8 0 0 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 10 40 13 52 2 8 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 14 56 10 40 0 0 0 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 14 56 11 44 0 0 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. 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

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 Forestdale Primary School, Birmingham, B45 0JS

Thank you for welcoming us when we visited your school recently. Thank you, also, to all of you who told us so much about your school. Nearly all of you told us that you enjoy school, feel safe and that adults care about you.

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Inspection of Forestdale Primary School, Birmingham, B45 0JS

We have judged Forestdale to be a satisfactory school. You make good progress in the foundation classes and satisfactory progress throughout the rest of the school. By the time you leave at the end of Year 6, nearly all of you are reaching level 4 and a small number of you reach level 5 but you could do even better. Some of you make good progress because you are given good support to tackle work that you once found really difficult. Your good behaviour is helping you to take responsibility for your learning. We were impressed with how you use the independent learning zones to record and share your ideas, and how well some of you know your targets and what to do next to improve. Well done to those of you who come to school every day. We wish you all luck in trying to reach Puffin Island.

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Inspection of Forestdale Primary School, Birmingham, B45 0JS

Teaching is satisfactory, but we agree with the people who work in your school that more teaching should be good for you to be able to make more progress. We have asked your teachers to make sure that you are clear about what you are learning and why in lessons, and to give you tasks that are not too easy or too hard when you work on your own. We have also asked teachers to give you more opportunity to explain your answers so that you can show them whether you are capable of harder work or whether you need more support. We have asked the headteacher and the deputy headteacher to make sure that the procedures that they have introduced to check your learning and progress are working as well as they can.

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Inspection of Forestdale Primary School, Birmingham, B45 0JS

You can help by always trying your best, showing your teachers what you can do and asking for help when you find something is too difficult. Thank you again for your welcome.

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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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