High Ercall Primary School

High Ercall Primary School Church Road, High Ercall, Telford, TF6 6AF

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Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Almost all pupils make good progress in all subjects.  Since the last inspection, the high standards achieved by pupils have been maintained or improved.  Pupils read well and their skills in writing are particularly impressive for their age. Pupils who are behind with their reading, writing or numeracy skills receive effective support and make good progress.  Teaching and learning are usually good across the school and some teaching is outstanding. In the majority of lessons, teachers have high expectations of pupils and most lessons help pupils to make rapid progress in their learning.  Pupils enjoy being in school and have outstanding attitudes to learning. Their behaviour is exemplary around the school and in lessons. They are safe and well looked after. Attendance and punctuality are very good.  The headteacher is an effective leader who is supported well by all of the teachers and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

governors. Together, they have created a very welcoming school with high aspirations, where pupils are able to learn through a stimulating range of activities.  Leaders’ regular monitoring and support have ensured that the quality of teaching has been maintained or improved throughout the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is a small number of lessons where work is not well matched to the ability of the pupils. As a result, in these lessons some pupils make slower progress in their learning.  Although there are examples in all classes of very high quality marking and feedback to ensure that pupils understand what they need to do improve, this is not consistent across all subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 10 lessons, of which three were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector looked at pupils’ work in their books and listened to some pupils reading.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and five other governors, subject leaders, and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector took account of the 19 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and talked to groups of parents in the playground at the start of the school day. She also took account of the responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, monitoring documentation, records relating to safeguarding and the school’s self-evaluation and improvement planning.

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Inspection team

Susan Barkway, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  Most pupils are White British. There are a very small number of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups or have English as an additional language.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action, and the proportions supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, are lower than found nationally.  There is a breakfast club that is managed by the school’s governing body and a holiday club that is managed by the local authority. A pre-school unit, based on the school site, is managed by a private organisation and is separately inspected.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to move it from good to outstanding by:  ensuring that pupils are always set work that is matched to their abilities and which challenges them so that all make rapid progress  systematically checking pupils’ learning throughout the lesson so that activities can be re- focused as necessary.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further accelerate pupils’ progress by:  making greater use of individual and group targets so that pupils, and their parents, know what they have achieved and what they need to do to reach the next stage in learning  ensuring that marking in all subjects gives pupils clear guidance on what they need to do to improve and relates closely to individual pupils’ targets for learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Almost all children start school with skills and abilities that are at age-related expectations. They settle well into school and make good progress. Almost all children leave Early Years Foundation Stage at or above age-related expectations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards at the end of Year 2 are above national averages and pupils make good progress throughout Key Stage 1. Similarly, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above national averages. Almost all pupils make good progress from their starting points with a significant number making better than expected progress. For example, pupils at the end of Year 2 are the equivalent of a term ahead of national expectations. They are two terms ahead at the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Outcomes in the end of Year 1 phonics screening assessment were exceptionally good. This is a result of a carefully structured, systematic and regular programme for teaching letters and sounds (phonics). Pupils are taught how to blend and segment words and they use these strategies well to support their reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils throughout the school read well and are encouraged to read from a wide selection of resources and for a range of purposes. They are taught higher order reading skills, such as skimming and scanning, and use these well when researching for information and to enable them to work independently.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Regular and rigorous tracking of pupil progress enables early identification of pupils who are at risk of falling behind. Interventions, such as one-to-one or small-group support, are used effectively to support pupils who are having difficulty with learning or who need a boost to enable them to meet their targets.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who are disabled and those who have special educational needs make good progress. They are well supported through targeted teaching and the effective use of teaching assistants. Their progress is tracked carefully and, as a result, many of these pupils achieve similar outcomes to other pupils in the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium is used well to ensure that all pupils make at least good progress. For example, pupil premium funding is used to provide carefully targeted teaching for a small group of pupils, as well as additional personal support for pupils who are unsettled because they are in care or have moved schools.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Despite the above average standards at the end of Key Stage 2, data for pupils currently in the school, as well as evidence from lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work in their books, indicate that there is variability in the progress that pupils make. This means that pupils could be doing even better.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Accurate assessment of achievement, well-planned teaching and careful tracking of progress ensure that children in the Early Years Foundation Stage settle well into routines and develop outstanding attitudes to learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Planning throughout the school is thorough and, in the great majority of lessons, teachers provide activities which interest and engage the pupils. There are many opportunities for pupils to use their learning, for example in using and applying their mathematical skills in investigations and problems.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Questioning of the pupils is effective. It draws them into discussions, keeps all pupils involved and, when linked firmly to pupils’ ability levels, helps them to consolidate or extend their learning. In the best examples, teachers used questioning very successfully to assess understanding and to reshape tasks.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Matching of work to the needs of all pupils is done well in the great majority of lessons. However, in a few lessons, it is not given enough consideration. This is particularly the case in mathematics where pupils are taught as a whole group for a significant part of the lesson or pupils have the same work to complete. When this happens, the pace of learning is too slow and some pupils are not sufficiently challenged.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have clear expectations of pupils and know what they need to do to reach the next stage in their learning. However, this information is not used consistently with pupils. For example, pupils’ targets tend to be class-based rather than closely linked to what individuals or groups need to do to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is conscientious and there are examples of extremely effective marking where it is closely linked to pupils’ targets and identifies clearly what pupils need to do to improve. Nevertheless, there is some variability in the quality of marking. For example, written work in study books is never marked using a pupil’s literacy targets.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Parents, pupils and staff are unreservedly positive about behaviour and safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils are polite and courteous. They behave impeccably around the school and in lessons. They work extremely well together and are very respectful of each other, adults and the environment. Their attitudes to learning are exemplary.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Teaching and support staff ensure that the school is a welcoming, calm and orderly environment that provides an exceptionally positive climate for learning. Expectations of behaviour are high and behaviour management strategies are extremely effective.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils are engaged and involved in lessons and there is no low-level disruption. They collaborate very well together and support each other in their learning. For example, in the Reception and Year 1 class, Year 1 pupils lead groups of Reception children in some learning activities. They provide very good role models for the younger children, helping them to settle into school, and from an early age are beginning to take responsibility for their own and others’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils are encouraged to take part in self- and peer-assessment throughout the school. They approach this with great maturity and consideration. They act as ‘critical friends’ providing very positive and constructive feedback to their peers. This approach makes a secure contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils have a good awareness of different forms of bullying and know what they need to do to keep safe. There are few instances of bullying but, when they do occur, the school deals with them effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils enjoy school and this is reflected in their very good attendance and punctuality. They take pride in their work and are very keen to demonstrate their achievements. For example, observation of the weekly sharing assembly provided very good evidence of a harmonious school community where pupils have a palpable sense of pride and enjoyment in the achievements of their school.

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The leadership and management is good

 Commitment and ambition to continually improve the school is reflected at all levels of leadership. The headteacher works very closely with the governing body and all teachers are involved in driving school improvement. As a result, there is a strong sense of shared leadership, which is having a very positive impact on the work of the school.

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The leadership and management is good

 Self-evaluation is robust and school development plans illustrate well the drive to continually improve the school and to provide a high-quality education for pupils. Teaching is good as a result of regular monitoring, robust procedures for managing the performance of teachers and a well-developed programme for training.

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The leadership and management is good

 The curriculum is well planned and organised to ensure a structured programme for mixed-age classes and relevant, interesting topics to excite and enthuse pupils to learn. It makes a very strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, a music programme in Class 3 enables all pupils to play a range of musical instruments; topics provide opportunities for pupils to learn about other cultures; and a programme to promote thinking skills.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school works well with parents. Almost all parents who responded to the questionnaire on Parent View and who inspectors spoke to in the playground say that they are happy with the school and the way in which the school responds to their concerns. For example, breakfast and holiday clubs were implemented at the request of parents. These are helpful facilities for parents and provide a safe, welcoming environment for those pupils who attend.

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The leadership and management is good

 A small number of parents expressed concern about the lack of timely and regular information about their child’s progress. The school is aware of these concerns and is planning to introduce an additional ‘learning conversation’, which is the school’s term for the meeting teachers hold with the parent and pupil together to discuss the pupil’s progress.

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The leadership and management is good

 The local authority provides good support to the school. The link officer is knowledgeable about the strengths and areas for development for the school and provides sound advice to the headteacher and the governing body about the management of performance.

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The leadership and management is good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are committed and work closely with the school. They provide very effective support and challenge, holding the school to account. They have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and priorities for development.  The governing body receives regular reports on pupil progress and seeks answers if any groups are not making as much progress as they should. It reviews the impact of interventions and uses the information to inform decisions, such as the use of pupil premium funding.  The governing body ensures that performance management procedures are implemented rigorously and that targets are closely linked to pupil progress and whole-school improvement.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 123370 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 403524

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 139 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Price Headteacher Lin Jackson Date of previous school inspection 21 May 2008 Telephone number 01952 387570 Fax number 01952 387572 Email address H2051@telford.gov.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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