St John's Primary School and Nursery

Age group 3-11 Inspection date(s) 19–20 June 2012 Inspection number 381272 St John's Primary School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 130870 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 381272 Inspection dates 19–20 June 2012 Lead inspector Sheelagh Barnes

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 247 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Vivienne Mann Headteacher Darren Barrow Date of previous school inspection 17 June 2008 School address Mortimer Road Kenilworth CV8 1FS Telephone number 01926 854450 Fax number 01926 851981 Email address Admin2620@we-learn.com 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 a nd training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

p.1

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’.

p.2

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.

p.2

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

p.2

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days’ notice. Fourteen lessons delivered by 12 teachers were observed in the 10 classes. Pupils’ workbooks were scrutinised and inspectors listened to pupils read. Assemblies were attended and meetings were held with groups of pupils, governors and staff. A learning walk around the whole school was undertaken with the headteacher. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of documents provided by the school including policies, records and the most recent self-evaluation documentation. Inspectors scrutinised 61 parental questionnaires as well as questionnaires completed by pupils and members of staff.

p.3

Information about the school

St John’s is an average-sized school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, who are identified at the school action plus level or with statements of special educational needs, is higher than found nationally. Almost all the pupils are from White British backgrounds and the great majority of pupils speak English as a first language. The proportion of pupils who enter or leave the school other than at the usual time of entry is average. The school meets current floor standards, whereby the government sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. The headteacher has been in post since Easter. A new deputy headteacher is starting in September and another teacher is acting as deputy headteacher currently during the interim period. The school has gained the

p.3

Information about the school

Activemark. It has also gained National Healthy School enhanced status, the Silver Eco-school award and the Platinum award for Kerb Safety with Year 1 pupils.

p.3

Information about the school

The Children’s Centre on the site and after-school provision are inspected and reported upon separately. 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

p.3

Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. It is not yet good because teaching is satisfactory and so pupils make satisfactory, rather than good progress, particularly in developing writing and mathematical skills. The open sharing by all teachers and managers of information about the progress made by pupils and the explicit expectations of progress to be made are relatively new and have yet to be embedded. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

p.4

Key findings

 Achievement is satisfactory. Pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning throughout the school. Progress in reading is more consistent than in writing and mathematics and the current Year 6 have made good progress in reading since they were in Year 2.

p.4

Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers plan work that broadly meets the needs of different groups of pupils, but this is not always sharp enough or delivered briskly enough to ensure good progress. Teachers’ marking is very positive and encouraging, but opportunities are missed to tell pupils how to improve literacy skills, especially in the marking of topic work.

p.4

Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils are keen to learn and considerate of others. They pay attention to their teachers, particularly where lessons move at a good pace and are interesting. Behaviour is closely monitored and there are very few incidents of any form of bullying. Incidents that do occur are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils are overwhelmingly positive that they feel safe in school.

p.4

Key findings

 Leadership and management are satisfactory. The morale of staff, pupils, parents and carers is good. All staff share the clear vision and values of the recently appointed headteacher. Improvements have already taken place, including a new tracking system to monitor pupils’ progress, improving 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

p.4

Key findings

resources for pupils to use in information and communication technology and improving teachers’ planning for different groups.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and the progress pupils make in writing and mathematics by the summer 2013, by:  ensuring teachers plan lessons to meet the needs of all pupils more accurately  improving the information teachers give in their marking, to let pupils know clearly what they need to do next to improve their work  ensuring the pace of lessons is brisk and allows fully for pupils to develop their investigation and independent learning skills  making maximum use of all subjects to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teachers and managers at all levels use assessment information more consistently to identify what is working well and what needs to be improved by:  clearly stating the expectations of the progress to be made by each pupil each term  ensuring all teachers are fully accountable for the progress pupils make, tightly relating this to performance review  monitoring the effectiveness of interventions.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Achievement is satisfactory. The great majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire are of the opinion that achievement is good. In most lessons, pupils are keen to learn. When tasks are interesting and effectively matched to pupils’ needs and ability levels, they make good progress. However, the work set is often not pitched at the precise level that would promote good learning. This is particularly the case in some literacy and mathematics lessons, where some pupils sit through explanations that are too difficult or too easy for them, before they get to their own specific tasks. Progress across Key Stages 1 and 2 is satisfactory for pupils from all groups, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and attainment broadly average. Opportunities for pupils to investigate for themselves are limited in some classes. As a result, they make only satisfactory progress in these

p.5

Achievement of pupils

lessons. However, in an exciting science lesson for pupils in Year 2, the teacher provided a good amount of time for pupils to investigate how to make a simple circuit. As a result, the learning experience was memorable and pupils had good opportunities apply themselves fully to the problem and to develop tenacity in their learning.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Children’s skills and knowledge when they join the Nursery are generally in line with those expected for their age. Children work together happily in the Early Years 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

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Foundation Stage and enjoy school. They make satisfactory progress and enter Year 1 with broadly average levels of attainment. There are plentiful opportunities for young children in the Nursery to work indoors and out, although there is limited equipment to develop climbing skills. In Reception, care is taken to provide good opportunities for imaginative play and investigation indoors. However, opportunities for children to learn outdoors are too limited. There is too little provision for energetic play, including climbing, balancing and developing upper body strength and coordination. As a consequence, achievement for children in the Early years Foundation Stage is satisfactory.

p.6

Achievement of pupils

The teaching of early reading skills and phonics (the links between sounds and letters) is having a positive impact on the development of reading, especially in Key Stage 1. Attainment in reading is in line with the levels expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Key Stage 1. Currently it is above the expected level for pupils in this year’s Year 6, who have made good progress in reading since they were in Year 2.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Most pupils and their parents and carers, were positive about teaching in their responses to the inspection questionnaires. Although some good teaching was observed, overall the quality is satisfactory and leads to pupils making satisfactory progress. The teaching of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is similar to that of other pupils. Relationships between pupils and adults are good, resulting in a pleasant atmosphere, which is conducive to learning. This has a positive impact on the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Lessons are planned to meet the needs of different groups, but this is not always incisive enough in meeting pupils’ learning needs or implemented swiftly enough in the lesson to enable them to make better than satisfactory progress. The teaching of reading is given suitable emphasis and teaching about phonics gives children in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 a sound start in

p.6

Quality of teaching

developing skills of breaking down words. However, this is not continued in Key Stage 2 for all of those pupils whose progress is slower than that of their peers.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teachers try hard to match the curriculum to pupils’ needs and interests, such as selecting the book Skellig, as a class reading book for pupils in Year 6, or practising mathematics skills by playing a ‘Bingo’ game in Year 2. There is good use of a wide range of resources, including the use of information and communication technology to make lessons interesting. Teachers now provide learning objectives and share these with pupils at the start of lessons. This ensures that pupils are increasingly involved in understanding what they are learning.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Sometimes teachers talk for too great a part of the lesson. For example, in mathematics, sometimes teachers hurry pupils towards a correct answer, rather than allowing time for pupils to investigate for themselves. In other cases, work is not practical enough to promote better than satisfactory learning, relying rather on the completion of problems from text books. As a consequence, pupils’ problem-solving skills are not as well developed as other aspects of their mathematics, such as their 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

p.6

Quality of teaching

Marking is thorough and regular. A good feature of marking is in the plentiful praise and encouragement given by teachers in marking literacy and numeracy work. A weaker element is in telling pupils explicitly in the marking what they need to do next to improve their work. The marking of work in subjects other than English and mathematics takes due regard of subject matter, such as historical or geographical facts. However, it does not always focus sufficiently on pupils’ development of literacy and numeracy skills.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Behaviour is good and parents, carers and pupils agree and note that it is improving further. Any occasional misbehaviour is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils enjoy coming to school and, as a consequence, their attendance is above average and their punctuality good. Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school and this was confirmed by observations and by parents’ and carers’ views, as expressed in questionnaire responses and conversations. Pupils explain with confidence what constitutes safe and unsafe situations. They have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including homophobic and cyber-bullying. In their responses in the questionnaires, very few parents, carers or pupils expressed any concerns regarding bullying. They said the school tackled swiftly and effectively any that occurred. Pupils told inspectors that school is a friendly place and awarded behaviour ‘two and a half

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

out of three’. They say that adults are kind and that they can turn to ask for help at any time.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspection findings are that good behaviour is usual. Even when lessons are not very stimulating, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour remain positive. In the few incidents where pupils lost concentration in lessons, this was directly linked to having to sit and listen for too long to explanations that were either not sufficiently easy to understand or not challenging enough. Even then, pupils rarely distracted others. Pupils have generally good attitudes to learning and tend to conduct themselves well, both in lessons and around the school. Behaviour management is consistent and effective. The school effectively supports pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. Moral and social development is a particular strength of the school.

p.7

Leadership and management

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Staff, governors, parents, carers and pupils are strongly supportive of the school and are fully committed to the drive and ambition demonstrated by key leaders. Despite the short time the new headteacher has been in post, some significant changes have been made and initiatives started. Self-evaluation by leaders, including governors, is accurate and has led to the most important aspects for development being agreed in the development plan. Assessment tracking systems have been revised so that all teachers now know what levels all children and pupils have attained. As a result, teachers are making improved provision for those pupils who have been highlighted as falling behind. They are becoming more accountable for the progress their pupils make and this is now to be tied to performance management. This demonstrates that school has a Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

p.7

Leadership and management

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

p.8

Leadership and management

satisfactory capacity to improve further.

p.8

Leadership and management

Arrangements for child protection and safeguarding are good. Discrimination for any reason is tackled rigorously. Parents, carers and pupils from the school council are being involved in the revision of some policies. Currently equality of opportunity is satisfactory as there is, as yet, insufficient, clear data to ensure that provision has enabled everyone to do as well as possible. Training has been arranged to ensure that the expectations of the progress of all pupils is explicit and monitored regularly. This is to include the monitoring of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. As part of this, a new coordinator for the provision for such pupils has been appointed and is due to take up post in September. The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils satisfactorily. There is a good range of out-of-hours clubs, including gardening and sports, which enrich and enhance pupils’ experiences and have a

p.8

Leadership and management

positive impact on their personal and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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 secon dary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

p.9

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

Thank you for the welcome you gave to us when we visited your school. We spoke with a lot of you in discussions, around the school and while hearing some of you read. A lot of you filled in questionnaires for us as well. The things you said were very helpful in giving us a real picture of what your school is usually like. We were pleased to hear that you feel safe at school and that the adults all take care of you well. You go to a satisfactory school. These are the main inspection findings.  You make satisfactory progress and achieve standards in line with those expected for your ages. Some of you are making good progress in reading.  Teaching is satisfactory and teachers’ marking encourages you and tells you how well you have done.  Your behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and the school provides well for your spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school’s leaders have made sure that you are taken good care of and are

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

kept safe.  Links between your parents and carers and the school are good.

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

To carry on making your school even better, I have asked the headteacher and staff to do the following things.

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

 Improve the teaching and marking of writing and mathematics, including when you are studying topics, so that you make better progress in these.  Monitor how well all of you are learning even more carefully, so that if anyone starts to slip behind what is possible for them, they are more quickly given help to do the best they can.

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

You can help the school improve by trying your best at all times.

p.11

Inspection of St John's Primary School, Kenilworth, CV8 1FS

Sheelagh Barnes 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 .

p.11