Whitley Abbey Primary School

Whitley Abbey Primary School Ashington Grove, Whitley, Coventry, CV3 4DE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ attainment in mathematics and English at the end of Year 6 is above average. All pupils make at least expected progress in both subjects, with an increasing proportion making better than expected progress.  Teaching in almost all lessons across the school is good. In Key Stage 2, it is outstanding. Teachers have high expectations and meet the needs of individual pupils effectively.  Attendance is above average and rising and there have been no exclusions in recent years.  Pupils behave well around school and in lessons, where they demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. There is little bullying and pupils are adamant that this is dealt with effectively, so that they feel safe at school.  The school is well led and has seen rapid improvement since the last inspection. The leadership and management of teaching have ensured that the vast majority of teaching is good or better. This has led to rising levels of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

attainment and progress. The management of teachers’ performance is highly effective.  The governing body provides a good level of challenge and support.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In the Reception and Key Stage 1 classes, lessons do not always fully engage the boys in learning, and not all of the free-choice activities ensure that pupils develop their skills and understanding.  In Key Stage 1, written and verbal feedback does not always ensure that pupils know how to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons of which eight were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, members of the governing body, representatives of the local authority and members of the senior leadership and management team.  Inspectors took account of the 13 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and replies from the questionnaire for the staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and took account of a number of documents such as the school development plan, self-evaluation document and data on pupils’ progress and attendance.  Inspectors heard pupils read.

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Inspection team

Ronald Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Carol Worthington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The percentage of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The majority of pupils are of White British ethnicity, although the percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those learning English as an additional language are above average.  An above-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 school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets out the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 by ensuring that marking and verbal feedback consistently ensures that pupils fully understand how to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement further in Reception and Key Stage 1 by ensuring that:  lessons engage boys and motivate them to learn  when pupils are given a choice of activities, these help them to develop the skills they need.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with skills which are generally below age-expected levels, although this varies year on year. They make good progress throughout the school to leave Year 6 with skills in mathematics and English with standards that are the equivalent of around six months ahead of national expectations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The gaps between boys and girls, which were evident in 2011 national tests and teacher assessments, have now closed and there are no significant differences between any groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups, including those eligible for the pupil premium, make better progress than that expected nationally. Those pupils who are learning English as a second language do better than similar pupils nationally. Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide specialist assistants and training for teachers to enable them to fully meet the needs of the pupils. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs also make good progress and achieve better than their peers nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ communication skills are good and they speak clearly, as was demonstrated in an excellent mathematics lesson, where groups of pupils were acting as the teacher giving advice and constructive criticism to other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ reading skills in both Key Stages 1 and 2 are good and pupils demonstrate effective use of letter sounds to build words. Their use of tone and verbal expression enhances their enjoyment and that of the listener.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Reception and Years 1 and 2, achievement is good, but is not as rapid as that in Key Stage 2. This is because teachers are not consistent in ensuring that the feedback they give to pupils enables them to improve their work. In some lessons, the work set does not motivate boys and so they do not fully take part in the lesson and this slows their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The overall quality of teaching is good. In Key Stage 2, it is outstanding, leading to rapidly accelerating progress and high attainment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in Reception and Years 1 and 2 is good, but teachers do not always ensure that the work set engages all pupils, especially the boys. This results in a few occasions when boys drift from one task to another or do not concentrate fully on the task at hand. In some lessons, where pupils have a little more choice of what they do, activities are not always fully planned to ensure that they make progress in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers generally have high expectations of the pupils, as was demonstrated in a Year 4 lesson on poetry. Excellent questioning of all pupils ensured that all were fully engaged, challenged and had to use their prior knowledge and understanding effectively in order to give an answer. The teacher constantly encouraged the pupils to stretch themselves and make their work as good as they could make it.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Year 2, the teacher had considered how to engage the boys effectively during an English lesson on descriptive writing. This led to the boys leading on comments and examples and being fully engaged throughout. However, this approach is not consistently the case in Reception and Key Stage 1. This is because activities do not always engage the boys and those they choose for themselves do not always develop the skills they need.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are utilised well to support all levels of groups. As these assistants work across the school they get to know all the pupils and this enhances the positive relationships in the school further.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants across the whole school monitor pupils’ progress and attainment. This means that all staff who work with the pupils know them well and use this knowledge effectively to support future learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of reading is good, and especially so in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where teachers develop the children’s understanding of letters and sounds.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Key Stage 1, teachers’ verbal comments and marking of work does not always show pupils how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and expertise, which they use well to help pupils understand new ideas and learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour across the school is good and pupils have a positive attitude to learning. Where teaching is at its best behaviour is outstanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 All pupils spoken to state that, although there is a very small amount of bullying, this is rare and very well dealt with when it happens. They felt that behaviour across the school was good, and this view was endorsed by the parents, carers and staff in their questionnaire responses.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff manage behaviour effectively and the whole ethos of the school is one of being caring and considerate to each other. This was demonstrated very effectively in one pupil’s writing, which linked a school oak tree to their school: ‘My Leaves may be darker, but my spirit is higher because I am in this school.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance in the school has risen sharply since the last inspection and is now above average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. Many participate in a wide range of activities out of school, such as local sports clubs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Thanks to a wide range of visits and visitors to the school and excellent teaching in some lessons, the pupils’ spiritual, moral and social skills are good and pupils apply what they have learnt to their lives in general.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and the senior leadership team have made marked improvements to the school since its last inspection. All areas for improvement outlined in that inspection report have been tackled effectively. This clearly indicates the school’s good capacity for future improvement.  The leadership and management of teaching have resulted in teaching being good across the school, with an increasing amount being outstanding. This is due to the fact that all leaders and managers have a good understanding of what good or better teaching is and expect this from all staff. This is linked well to teachers’ salary progression and their professional training. The senior leadership team ensures that all teachers meet Teachers’ Standards.

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The leadership and management are good

 Self-evaluation is accurate and based on a clear understanding of the whole school and its strengths and weaknesses. Monitoring, tracking and recording systems are very effective and are used by all staff to plan effectively in order to improve pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders’ vision for the school is shared by everyone, including the pupils, as all feel part of and included in all aspects of the school’s development. Pupils are engaged in the development of the school through an active school council, which comments on both their lessons and the quality of teaching. Pupils ideas helped to bring about the opportunities for creative learning that they now have in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 There are good partnerships with other local schools, agencies, community groups and with parents and carers. The local high school provides teachers and resources to support a junior enterprise programme. The school utilises a range of local authority specialists to ensure that those pupils who find learning difficult have the best support possible.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding and child protection systems are robust and meet statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 Activities in lessons are generally well matched to the needs and abilities of the pupils, and the senior leadership team ensures that the skills and knowledge the pupils require develop across the school effectively, particularly in Key Stage 2. Following results in the 2011 and 2012 national tests and teacher assessments, senior leaders and managers identified the areas for improvement in Reception and Years 1 and 2 and instigated plans to improve these areas. However, at the time of the inspection, changes were too recent for their effectiveness to be measured. The positive attitudes in school and the way in which all adults and pupils work together and share experiences ensure pupils’ good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  is good as the governing body provides challenge and support to the school, based on an accurate understanding of all levels of the school  provides good strategic leadership and ensures that all statutory requirements are fully met  ensures that all pupils and staff are treated equally. They are aware of the need to engage boys more in Reception and Key Stage 1 and are supporting the school in ensuring that everyone reaches their potential  provides robust financial management and effectively monitors the use of the pupil premium money and the impact it has on the pupils.

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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 103655 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 400640

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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 School Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 202 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair William Faulks Headteacher Nancy Starritt Date of previous school inspection 9 December 2009 Telephone number 024 76303392 Fax number 024 76303541 Email address headteacher@whitleyabbey-pri.coventry.sch.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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