Cherry Tree Hill Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 5 Jul 2012

Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 4–5 July 2012 Inspection number 378549 Cherry Tree Hill Primary School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 112751 Local authority Derby Inspection number 378549 Inspection dates 4–5 July 2012 Lead inspector Joan Beale

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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 508 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jean Ellins Headteacher Kathy Mayer Date of previous school inspection N/A School address Lime Grove Derby DE21 6WL Telephone number 01332 673520 Fax number 01332 679551 Email address admin@cherrytree.derby.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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 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. A total of 23 lessons were observed, with all teachers in the school being seen at least once. Meetings were held with pupils, governors and middle leaders as well as the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work and looked at a range of school policies including those for behaviour and safety, homework, special educational needs and inclusion. They also scrutinised records of the monitoring of teaching and the school’s internal data on pupils’ progress. In addition 136 parental questionnaires were analysed, along with others from pupils and staff.

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Information about the school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. It was formed in 2010 by the amalgamation of the Cherry Tree Infant and Junior Schools. Most pupils are of White British heritage with a small minority of pupils coming from a number of other ethnic backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at ‘school action plus’ or have a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

A privately-run club operates before and after school on the premises. This provision is subject to a separate inspection. 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

 Cherry Tree Hill Primary school is a satisfactory school. It is improving but it is not yet good because of inconsistencies in teaching and the use made of assessment information to increase the rates of pupils’ learning. 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

 Children in the nursery and reception classes achieve well. The achievement of all pupils in Years 1 to 6, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, is satisfactory. Focused school actions have addressed previous differences in attainment between boys and girls in writing, and attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics.

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Key findings

 Teaching is satisfactory overall but is improving. In the best examples, assessment information is used well to plan activities that take full account of pupils’ differing learning needs so they all make good progress. This is not yet a sufficiently common feature of lessons. There are also inconsistencies in the marking of pupils’ work, including the guidance provided on what pupils need to do next to improve their work and to evaluate their own learning.

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Key findings

 Behaviour and safety are good. Pupils are courteous and polite and there are positive relationships throughout the school. Pupils develop good levels of self- esteem and confidence, work well together and have good attitudes to learning.

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Key findings

 The leadership of teaching and management of performance are satisfactory. Since the amalgamation the headteacher and senior leadership team, with the support of the governing body, have secured notable improvements in boys’ writing and pupils’ attendance. The school has identified appropriate areas for further improvement, but the use of assessment information is not sufficiently focused to ensure pupils are making improved progress in all classes. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality and consistency of teaching and the progress pupils make to good or better by July 2013, by ensuring that:  teachers use assessment information well to plan challenging activities that meet the learning needs of all pupils  teachers’ marking gives pupils clear information on how well they have achieved and what they need to do to progress further  pupils are helped to gain independence in their learning through opportunities to check their own work against clear and specific success criteria.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the impact of senior and middle leaders by ensuring that:  assessment data are used to set specific and measureable targets for improvement that challenge individuals and groups of pupils in all classes to make good or better progress.

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Achievement of pupils

Children start in the nursery with attainment below the levels expected. The inspectors observed children making good progress in both the nursery and reception classes across all the areas of learning. In both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, pupils were typically making satisfactory progress in lessons. Pupils’ current work and the school’s own assessment information show that by the end of Year 6 attainment is broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. The gaps that have previously existed between boys and girls in writing have narrowed as a result of appropriate intervention work and additional opportunities provided such as the Year 5 boys’ writing club.

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Achievement of pupils

When assessment information is used effectively to plan challenging activities in lessons, pupils make good progress. This was demonstrated in a Year 6 mathematics lesson. Having evaluated pupils’ drawings of spirals from the previous day, the teacher provided additional opportunities so the accuracy with which pupils were able to construct their shapes improved. Pupils responded enthusiastically to this and were confident in taking the next steps in their learning. In a nursery lesson children made good progress because the teacher had planned activities and support that were tailored to their needs. The presence of the teacher in the role-play ‘seaside shop’ engaged children and extended their learning. Children working with a teaching assistant received targeted support, which enabled them to make good progress while the teacher worked with the rest of the class.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils of all ages learn a range of strategies to help them read with confidence. They use these strategies to help them read unfamiliar words, including their knowledge of 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

letters and the sounds they make (phonics). Pupils enjoy reading a variety of books and talk enthusiastically about them. Attainment in reading is broadly average throughout Key Stages 1 and 2.

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Achievement of pupils

The progress made by different groups of pupils is very similar. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs work confidently in lessons to successfully complete the tasks they are set because of the support they receive.

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Quality of teaching

All parents and carers who expressed an opinion via the questionnaire consider that their children are well taught and their needs are met, and most pupils agree. Inspectors found that the quality of teaching is improving and there are examples of good teaching across the school. However, there is not yet enough good teaching to ensure that pupils make consistently good progress.

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Quality of teaching

Lessons are usually well planned with a range of resources, including information and communication technology (ICT) being used to motivate and engage pupils. Teachers plan appropriately to meet pupils’ needs, including for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Teaching assistants make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning in lessons through the support that they provide. Relationships throughout the school are good and pupils’ behaviour is managed well.

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Quality of teaching

In the best lessons, teachers use questioning effectively to challenge pupils to think for themselves and to assess their knowledge and understanding. They model tasks well so that pupils understand what to do, and provide opportunities for pupils to discuss their thinking with their peers, and to be actively involved. For example, in a Year 6 English lesson, pupils reading the book Kensuke’s Kingdom worked in pairs to raise questions that they would like to put to Kensuke. One pupil then took on the role of Kensuke and answered the questions. This activity helped pupils to think in greater depth, which contributed well to their overall understanding of the text. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is especially well supported in lessons where teachers ask probing questions that require pupils to think beyond the literal, and where pupils have the opportunity to consider the views and ideas of

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Quality of teaching

others through discussion in pairs and or groups.

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Quality of teaching

Marking is regular and gives encouragement and praise, but it does not always give pupils feedback on how well they have achieved the objectives of the lesson or the progress they are making towards their own targets. Similarly, guidance as to how to improve their work further is not consistently provided. Not all pupils have opportunities to gain independence through evaluating their work against specific expectations, to help them understand what they have achieved and what they need to do to improve.

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Quality of teaching

Appropriate teaching of reading and regular opportunities to read during the school day, ensure that pupils read for pleasure and to support their learning in other subjects. 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

Most pupils behave well in lessons and as they move around the school. In the nursery and reception classes they are helped to develop the social skills that enable them to interact positively with each other and adults. For example, adults model well the use of manners such as saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and the importance of looking at someone when they are speaking to you. Attendance is above average and this reflects pupils’ enjoyment of school and their eagerness to learn. Pupils are polite and courteous and confident in their interactions with adults.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Most parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire judged behaviour overall to be good. A small minority expressed concerns about inappropriate behaviour in some lessons. Observations, discussions with teachers and pupils and a detailed scrutiny of school documentation show that serious incidents of unacceptable behaviour, including bullying, are extremely rare. The school’s clear and comprehensive procedures for managing behaviour are effective and implemented consistently. Pupils show a good understanding of right and wrong and the vast majority work hard to meet the school’s expectations in terms of behaviour and engagement in lessons. Disruption to lessons is rare, and where is does occur it is often because pupils’ engagement wanes due to a lack of challenge in the planned activity.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils say they feel safe in school. They are aware of the different forms bullying can take, such as cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying. They say that such issues are rare, are confident that any problems will be dealt with, and know who to speak to when they have any concerns. The curriculum, including activities to support pupils’ personal and social development together with high-profile weeks such as the anti-bullying week, ensures pupils are well equipped to deal with everyday risks.

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Leadership and management

Senior and middle leaders have established a clear direction for improvement, and leaders carry out their monitoring tasks systematically. Although a number of planned actions are in the early stages of implementation, the successes so far in tackling the consistency issues relating to the amalgamation and improving aspects of attainment demonstrate the school’s capacity for further improvement. A whole- school system to record pupils’ assessment information and track their progress is providing a valuable overview for the school, but is not being used to identify challenging targets to increase pupils’ progress. Middle leaders have benefited from appropriate training so they are increasingly able to carry out their roles and support senior leaders in monitoring the performance of the school. The governing body is well informed through reports received from school leaders and the visits individual governors make to the school, for example on governor open days, when they

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Leadership and management

scrutinise pupils’ work and observe lessons with members of staff.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is broad and balanced and meets pupils’ needs and interests 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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Leadership and management

appropriately. The school provides an appropriate range of extra-curricular opportunities, including clubs for ICT, gardening, recorder, choir, netball, football and film. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the curriculum and the expectations of behaviour and engagement that thread through all activities. Pupils’ developing spirituality is supported particularly well through good opportunities for them to think, to reflect and to value each other’s efforts.

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Leadership and management

Safeguarding policies and procedures are good. They meet current requirements and are reviewed regularly. The school is an inclusive community where discrimination of any kind is not tolerated, and its commitment to providing equal opportunities for all pupils is illustrated in the successful work to improve boys’ attainment in writing.

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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 Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, Derby, DE21 6WL

Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we visited your school. We appreciated the time you spent talking to us and enjoyed reading your questionnaires, hearing some of you read and looking at the work you do in lessons. Here are some of the things we found out about you and your school.

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Inspection of Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, Derby, DE21 6WL

 Your school is giving you a satisfactory education and it is getting better.  You reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are similar to other pupils of your age.  You enjoy school and work well, both on your own and together.  Your attendance is good and almost all of you behave well and work hard.  You have been making satisfactory progress in lessons due to satisfactory teaching, but it is now improving.  All the adults take good care of you, so you feel safe at school.  The headteacher and staff are working hard to make sure that your school improves.

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Inspection of Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, Derby, DE21 6WL

These are the things we have asked the school to do to make it better.  Improve the way teachers mark your work, so you know how well you have done and what you need to do to make your work better.  Give you more opportunities to develop independence, for example through checking your own and each other’s work.  Make better use of the information teachers collect about your learning to plan challenging lessons and set targets, so you make better progress in lessons and over the time you are at the school.

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Inspection of Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, Derby, DE21 6WL

All of you can help by continuing to work hard and by doing your best to follow your teachers’ advice about how to improve your work.

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Inspection of Cherry Tree Hill Primary School, Derby, DE21 6WL

Joan Beale 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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