Coleshill Heath School

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 16–17 May 2012 Inspection number 398648 Coleshill Heath School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 104070 Local authority Solihull Inspection number 398648 Inspection dates 16–17 May 2012 Lead inspector Joanne Harvey HMI

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare provision, managed by the governing body, was inspected under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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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 467 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lee Parfitt Headteacher Meirion Williams Date of previous school inspection 21 February 2008 School address Marlene Croft Chelmsley Wood Birmingham B37 7JT Telephone number 0121 7798070 Fax number 0121 7793128 Email address office@coleshill-heath.solihull.sch.uk

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Registered childcare provision EY434611, Chuckles and Chums Number of children on roll in the registered childcare provision Date of last inspection of registered childcare provision N/A achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. 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

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Inspectors observed 17 teachers teaching 17 lessons, of which six were joint observations with the headteacher or deputy headteacher. In addition, the inspection team made short visits to a series of phonics (the sounds letters represent) and guided-reading sessions, the majority of which were carried out jointly with senior staff. Meetings were held with pupils, parents and carers, governors, staff and leaders and managers at all levels. Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at: the school development plan, assessment information, the school and local authority monitoring information, including the school self-evaluation form, lesson plans and school policies. The team analysed 94 questionnaires from parents and carers, together with questionnaires from staff and a representative sample of pupils.

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Information about the school

This is an above average sized primary school. A much larger proportion of pupils than in most schools is entitled to claim free school meals. The very large majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much lower than in most schools. There is a smaller than average proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs. Most of these pupils have a moderate learning difficulty. The number with a statement of special educational need is similar to that found in most schools. The school meets current floor standards, which set out the government’s minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment. The school became part of a hard federation in September 2010 which was dissolved in December 2011 when the executive headteacher left her post. The current headteacher, who was head of school at the time of the federation, was then appointed as headteacher of Coleshill Heath School.

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Information about the school

In September 2010 the school amalgamated with another local school and increased in size significantly. A period of high staff turnover followed.

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Information about the school

‘Chuckles and Chums’ is the registered childcare available for children aged 0 – 5 years on the school site. It is managed by the school’s Governing Body and also incorporates the school’s breakfast and afterschool care. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Its overall effectiveness is not good because pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Following the amalgamation and a period of staffing turbulence, pupils’ previous good progress was not maintained. Although pupils’ skills in writing are improving, pupils’ progress is inconsistent in reading and mathematics. Consequently, pupils’ progress is satisfactory. 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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Key findings

 The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Good leadership has ensured the teaching of writing has improved. However, the teaching of mathematics is less effective and teachers’ subject knowledge is weaker. The organisation and teaching of reading and phonics lacks rigour. Expectations are sometimes too low for the least able and the pace of learning too slow for the more-able pupils.

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Key findings

 The behaviour and safety of pupils are satisfactory. In classrooms and around school, pupils’ behaviour contributes to a calm and safe environment. However, occasionally pupils exhibit more boisterous behaviour on the playground. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning but not all pupils have developed the skills they need to pursue their own learning independently and are too reliant on adults. Attendance has steadily improved and is now better than in most schools.

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Key findings

 Leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. Senior leaders have identified the school’s main strengths and weaknesses, though they have occasionally made over generous judgements about aspects of its effectiveness. Monitoring by senior staff and the Governing Body is not rigorous enough to ensure that everyone plays their part in bringing consistency to the quality of teaching, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in improving curriculum arrangements for mathematics and reading. Good provision for childcare is made in ‘Chuckles and Chums’ and good care and welfare Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

arrangements are made for pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, accelerate pupils’ progress and raise attainment to consistently above average by:  ensuring the most effective elements of teaching are applied consistently across the school  improving teachers’ mathematics subject knowledge  providing more opportunities for pupils to use their mathematical skills to the highest level in other subjects  ensuring the systematic and rigorous teaching of phonics and suitable phonics training for adults  ensuring that pupils are given more opportunities to apply their phonic knowledge and skills in their reading and writing  ensuring that guided reading groups are planned and organised with the highest expectations for all abilities  developing pupils’ ability to work independently and lead their own learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  bringing more rigour to systems for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning, especially in relation to mathematics, reading, phonics and the Early Years Foundation Stage  ensuring improvement plans include targets based on improved outcomes for pupils which are measurable and identify regular points at which leaders and the Governing Body check on their success.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Parents and carers who returned the inspection questionnaire are happy that the school meets their children’s needs, develops their basic skills and ensures their achievement is good. This is correct in some, but not all respects. Attainment was judged to be above average at the time of the previous inspection but it declined following the amalgamation. The achievement of pupils from all ethnic heritages is also satisfactory.

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Achievement of pupils

Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels of knowledge and skills below those usually found. Prior to the amalgamation, their skill levels had caught up with expectations and by the time pupils entered Year 1, their attainment was typical for this age group. However, following staff changes in the Early Years Foundation Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

Stage, including the departure of the phase leader, children’s progress slowed and, currently, it is inconsistent across classes and areas of learning. Although children progress as well as most children nationally, they do not currently progress well enough to close gaps in attainment, for example in creative and physical development and between boys and girls. Consequently, they are now not set to catch up and reach the levels expected by the time they enter Year 1.

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Achievement of pupils

In Key Stage 1, an increasing proportion of pupils is attaining above average standards in writing by the end of Year 2. This improvement in writing is also increasingly evident in Key Stage 2 and has begun to have a positive impact on the quality of written work in many subjects. However, overall rates of progress and attainment are inconsistent in both key stages. For some pupils, progress remains good, but for the majority it is satisfactory, particularly in reading and mathematics. Consequently, pupils’ attainment is broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of both key stages. Guided reading groups are not always organised well enough to challenge all pupils to do as well as they can. Mathematics skills applied in science are not at an appropriately high level. Poor presentation of work in mathematics does not support accelerated progress.

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Achievement of pupils

The school uses a wide range of additional strategies to support those pupils identified as being at risk of falling behind, for example girls in mathematics and some pupils with special educational needs. As a result, gaps in their learning are closing satisfactorily. Pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable or who have significant barriers to learning are given considerable amounts of individually tailored support to ensure that they are able to access the curriculum and do at least as well as their peers.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching promotes satisfactory learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stages 1 and 2. The provision for pupils who have a disability, or a special educational need also ensures that their learning is satisfactory, as a result of the additional individual and group support they receive. The inspectors agreed with the response of parents and carers in that the teaching has some good features. Some good teaching was seen in all phases of the school. Provision is consistently good in the registered childcare.

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Quality of teaching

The teaching promotes orderly behaviour so that lessons are purposeful; pupils cooperate and develop positive attitudes. Teaching has been less successful in promoting pupils’ ability to reflect on and make choices about learning or to work independently. Teachers plan conscientiously, though occasionally plans do not embody expectations that are high enough for the most and least able. Teachers’ ability to assess accurately has improved, particularly in writing, where they plan tasks matched to pupils’ needs. This is not always the case. In mathematics for example, teachers sometimes lack subject knowledge and progress is inhibited because pupils of all abilities carry out similar tasks. Phonics teaching is not 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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Quality of teaching

sufficiently systematic across the school and sometimes lacks pace and high expectations because not all adults have been sufficiently well trained. Phonics and guided reading sessions are not always matched closely to pupils’ abilities and needs. Some pupils get too few opportunities to use and apply their phonic knowledge and skills in their reading and writing across the curriculum.

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Quality of teaching

In a lesson where teaching and learning were good, Year 5 pupils learned about how to apply their knowledge of the properties of shapes. The class teacher and teaching assistant were actively engaged with pupils’ learning throughout, using well targeted questions to test understanding, address misconceptions swiftly and modify plans to add further challenge. Pupils’ confidence and accuracy grew because they were encouraged to explain their ideas. These effective features are not consistently applied in all lessons. Most pupils know their targets and say that they help them to improve their work, but not all are updated regularly. Good examples of marking were seen, with focused comments to help pupils improve and time given for pupils to address mistakes. These practices are not embedded across school.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development satisfactorily, as do assembly themes. It offers pupils sound opportunities to study different subjects through topic themes which they say are exciting. It is enriched effectively through educational visits and worthwhile experiences of the creative arts. It is part of the school ethos to ‘go the extra mile’ to ensure that barriers to learning are removed and that pupils and their families feel included. Therefore, with the help of a range of other agencies, staff ensure that, for example, those in the most potentially vulnerable circumstances are included well and progress at least as well as their peers. They are included effectively in a range of extra-curricular activities, including high quality sport offered before school and which gets pupils to school early and ready to learn.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A very small minority of staff, parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire reported their concerns about behaviour and bullying. The inspectors found that consistent and effective strategies ensure that most pupils behave well in lessons and respond positively to the system of rewards and sanctions. While the majority of pupils always behave well, there is some unacceptable behaviour on the playground. Nevertheless, pupils report that issues are dealt with swiftly so pupils feel safe. Additional nurture is provided for those who find it difficult to cope at playtimes. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children do not always develop behaviour which helps them to extend their own learning independently and which can be built on to help them do as well as they can later in school.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils play their part in helping the school to run smoothly. They volunteer as play leaders and school councillors. They are courteous and helpful. Curriculum programmes and extra-curricular activities ensure that pupils are confident about ways to keep themselves safe, such as from the dangers of the internet. They are adamant that should they have any worries there is someone to help them. 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

demonstrate they are happy to come to school through their above-average levels of attendance.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, staff team and the governing body have focussed successfully on amalgamating two separate schools and creating a harmonious community. At the same time, they have addressed challenges purposefully in areas such as staffing turbulence and the reorganisation of the leadership team. The focus on writing has resulted in higher standards of attainment and, along with on-going gains in Key Stage 1, demonstrates leaders’ satisfactory capacity to sustain improvement in the future.

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Leadership and management

Systems for monitoring and evaluation have been successful in identifying the main strengths and weaknesses of the school. However, plans for improvement do not always identify points at which leaders and the governing body can measure their success. This reduces the effectiveness of monitoring at all levels. Where the potential underperformance of groups has been identified, additional support has been put in place swiftly, indicating the school’s commitment to the promotion of equality. Securing consistently good teaching across school and good quality provision in mathematics and reading have not been pursued rigorously enough. The system for tracking the performance of pupils results in a wealth of information being collected but its use has limited impact. Staff are given professional development and held accountable through performance management but until recently, the need for higher expectations has not been made explicit enough. The leader of the Early

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Leadership and management

Years Foundation Stage has recently left and, although suitable systems are in place to promote effective provision and positive outcomes, there is no one currently with responsibility to drive improvements swiftly.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is supportive and committed to the school but the information they receive does not help them to hold leaders sufficiently to account for the school’s performance. They do ensure that statutory requirements for safeguarding and child protection are met, together with ensuring equality of opportunity.

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Leadership and management

The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is woven through the curriculum. Consequently, older pupils are able to reflect on and discuss issues that concern them and they are prepared satisfactorily for life in a multicultural, multi-faith society. Good leadership of care, welfare and extended services which go beyond that normally seen, ensures that – whatever the need – every pupil and family members are able to take advantage of school life. 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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childcare provision

The school provides good care and a programme of interesting, planned activities for children before school in the mornings and after school. Warm relationships are evident between children and adults and children get on well together as they make a positive start and end to the day. The very supportive relationships between children, their parents and carers and staff are strongly evident in the day care facility and result in happy, well settled and confident babies and children. Several were keen to talk about their learning and their home experiences and how they keep healthy and safe through snack time and hand washing routines. Learning displays are vibrant and represent all areas of learning. Activities are well planned as are care and welfare provision, being based on careful assessments and closely tailored to meet the needs of individual children. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning. Behaviour is consistently good and children play well

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childcare provision

together. The leader has a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, the setting is well managed and systems to ensure that children are safe and secure are robust. Transition and liaison with the school’s nursery is good; planning is shared to avoid repetition. Through her careful self-evaluation, the setting leader has astutely identified a key priority to strengthen further staff skills in developing children’s early understanding of the sounds that letters make.

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childcare provision

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage of the registered childcare provision, inspected under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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childcare provision

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 for the registered provision

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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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September to 31 December 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official 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. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance: the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour: how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Floor standards: the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety: how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Coleshill Heath School, Birmingham, B37 7JT

Thank you for making us so welcome when we came to inspect your school recently. We have judged Coleshill Heath School to be a satisfactory school. For those of you who go to ‘Chuckles and Chums’, provision is good. Your teachers plan interesting activities for you to do. As a result, you make satisfactory progress in your learning and your attainment is similar to that of pupils in most schools when you leave. We have asked those who lead the school to make sure that all the teaching is as good as the best we saw, and all adults to have the highest expectations for your success, so that all of you can make at least good progress.

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Inspection of Coleshill Heath School, Birmingham, B37 7JT

You told us that your school is a happy and friendly place. You also said that teachers look after you well so that there is always someone there for you if you have worries or concerns. We were impressed with how well most of you behave and get on with each other, though there are a very few of you who play too roughly on the playground. You concentrate well on your work and try to do your best. We have asked teachers to help you to be able to work as well on your own as you do when you are working with an adult.

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Inspection of Coleshill Heath School, Birmingham, B37 7JT

We have asked all those who lead the school to check even more carefully on how well the school is doing, especially those who lead mathematics, reading and the Early Years Foundation Stage and to make sure that everyone plays their part in securing further improvements as quickly as possible. You can all play your part by continuing to work hard.

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Inspection of Coleshill Heath School, Birmingham, B37 7JT

Joanne Harvey Her Majesty's 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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