Haslucks Green School

Haslucks Green School Haslucks Green Road, Shirley, Solihull, B90 2EJ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching and learning are not consistently good enough to promote good achievement, especially in mathematics.  The work set in mathematics lessons is not always hard enough, or carried out at a demanding pace.  Pupils often have to complete too many number exercises in mathematics, even when they understand what they are doing. Their knowledge of shape, space and measure is not as good as their knowledge of number.  Pupils rarely get the chance to use their mathematical skills to solve real-life problems, or to sharpen their skills by using them in different subjects.  Changes in leadership have slowed the pace of improvement since the previous inspection, but it is back on track again now.  The school collects a lot of information about pupils’ progress but does not organise it properly so that it can be used to spot exactly which pupils are in danger of falling behind and need the most help.  The governors support the school but do not

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

yet contribute enough to improving the school by asking searching questions about its performance.

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The school has the following strengths

 Attainment is above average. More pupils have made at least expected progress in mathematics this year than in the past.  Teachers’ marking is consistently good. Pupils appreciate the way it helps them to improve their work, and they respond well to it.  The acting deputy headteacher and the acting assistant headteachers are rising to the challenge of their new roles. The school is making sure that they have the training they need to fulfil them.  Pupils feel very safe in school. They behave well, enjoy learning and very much want to succeed. Attendance is above average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. They visited 23 lessons, seven with the headteacher.  Play and lunchtimes were also observed, and the breakfast club was visited.  Discussions were held with pupils, a member of the governing body, staff, including those with management responsibilities, and the school’s link adviser from the local authority.  The views of 31 parents were analysed through the Parent View website. Other parents’ views were sought at the start of the school day.  Inspectors looked closely a wide range of documents, including the school improvement plan and the school’s self-evaluation document. They particularly examined the work in pupils’ books.

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Inspection team

Doris Bell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Bob Bone Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized school. It has had difficulty recruiting a deputy headteacher, and at the time of the inspection all leadership posts except that of the headteacher were filled on a temporary basis.  The proportion of pupils 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, is below average.  The proportion of pupils identified with special educational needs through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, including those who speak English as an additional language, is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement and progress.  The school has its own breakfast club.

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Information about this school

 A nursery and clubs before and after school share the school site, but they are not run by the governing body and are inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and achievement, particularly in mathematics, by:  making sure that work is always hard enough, for example by cutting down on any unnecessary repetition of mathematical exercises, and lessons move at a consistently brisk pace  giving pupils more opportunities to solve mathematical problems, and to undertake practical, investigative activities that require them to apply their mathematical skills  improving pupils’ knowledge and understanding of shape, space and measure  identifying opportunities for pupils to practise and extend their numeracy skills in different subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and governance on teaching and learning by:  tightening up the procedures for gathering, analysing and using information about pupils’ progress to provide a strategic view of achievement over time  sharpening the focus of the school development plan on pupils’ achievement and the specific actions needed to improve it  checking that teachers identify in their planning where numeracy skills can be promoted, and follow their planning through in different lessons  making sure that the governing body fulfils its role in checking pupils’ achievement and challenging the school to improve it.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ attainment is above average in reading, writing and mathematics when they join the school. It is also above average when they leave. Their achievement requires improvement because it is not consistently good across the school, or in all aspects of English and mathematics. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher National Curriculum Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics is also above average. This year, the school is pushing for the most able pupils to reach Level 6.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils enjoy reading. In Year 3, they further develop their knowledge of phonics – the sounds letters make – by, for example, finding groups of letters that sound the same but are spelt differently. They very much enjoy guided reading sessions, and the challenge to read 50 books a year. They talk confidently about their favourite books and authors.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils use their reading and writing skills well in different subjects, for example science and humanities. They vary their writing to suit different audiences and purposes, including reports and recounts, and change biographies into autobiographies to increase their understanding. Grammar, punctuation and spelling skills are usually accurate. Pupils also learn to add interest to their writing by including adjectives, adverbs and powerful verbs and phrases, as demonstrated in an excellent Year 4 lesson.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils use numbers confidently, but often have to repeat more mechanical calculations than they need to. Pupils’ books show they do not do enough practical, investigative work in mathematics. Nor do they use their mathematical skills in different subjects. Therefore, they miss opportunities to apply those skills and learn how important they are in everyday life. Their understanding of shape, space and measure is less well developed than their knowledge of number.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs benefit from the extra help they receive in and out of class, and as a result many make good progress. The gap in progress between pupils supported by pupil premium funding and other pupils is narrower than that found nationally. Pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language, also often make good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Most of the teaching observed during the inspection was good, but this is not yet reflected in consistently good progress for all pupils, especially in mathematics, over time. This is because teachers do not always ensure pupils, especially the more able, have hard enough work to do. Nor do they routinely give pupils opportunities to use their mathematical skills to investigate and solve problems.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Some outstanding teaching was observed in Yeas 4 and 5. In both cases, the teachers’ expert subject knowledge and their excellent knowledge of their pupils enabled them to guide individuals exceptionally well so that all pupils made rapid progress, regardless of their starting points. As a result, Year 4 pupils greatly improved their writing and Year 5 pupils used what they learned from evaluating different websites to help build their own.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of reading, including phonics, is good. It supports pupils’ writing well by improving their spelling and broadening their vocabulary. In guided reading sessions, teachers listen carefully to their own groups, but keep a close eye on other groups. They skilfully question all pupils to ensure they know what they are doing, and how to improve.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 High-quality marking and feedback are key features throughout the school, and they are beginning to speed up pupils’ learning. Pupils almost always respond to the guidance given, sometimes seeking further help, which they always receive. High-quality feedback also features in the best lessons, enabling activities to move on rapidly as learning is adjusted to ensure any misconceptions are dealt with promptly.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is less successful, the delay in moving pupils onto their independent activities sometimes slows their learning, and means that pupils have too little time to show what they know, understand and can do.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils display a real commitment to learning and they want to do well. They make good use of the up-to-date ‘working walls’ that display their work and provide models and information to help improve it. Thus, they develop good independent learning skills. When asked what was best about the school, they immediately replied ‘the teachers’ because ‘they help us learn’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils readily help each other, working in pairs and in different groups. They are reflective and caring, get on well together, and feel safe in school. They have a good understanding of the dangers they may face, for example when using the internet or a mobile phone, and what to do should they feel threatened.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They say behaviour is usually good, but can be different on different days, and sometimes not as good in the afternoon as in the morning. They understand the difference between bullying, for example persistent name-calling, physical violence or constantly being threatened, and occasionally falling out. They say that bullying does sometimes happen, but when reported it is quickly stopped.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Because pupils know that their contributions are all equally valued, they confidently offer ideas, accept positive feedback, and learn from each other. They have a good understanding of why it is important to ensure everyone has an equal chance to succeed. School councillors are proud of their contribution to school improvement, and talk about how they brought about changes in the school building and promoted energy saving.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 A wide range of clubs and activities covers sports, arts and crafts. These are very well attended and give pupils memorable experiences. Pupils are happy to wait to join the clubs they want because they understand that in some, numbers have to be limited. They are confident they will all get their turn as the year proceeds. The well-attended breakfast club gives pupils a good start to their day.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher has involved staff in acting leadership roles in all monitoring activities. This is building their ability to check carefully on the quality of teaching and learning, and has given them a good understanding of what needs to be improved. The headteacher’s own checking of teaching and learning is thorough and accurate, and teaching is improving as a result.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Teachers’ planning is checked regularly, but the checks are not made in advance of teaching to ensure work is at the right levels for all pupils, or that opportunities are identified and taken to promote literacy and especially numeracy skills in different subjects. This limits the influence leaders and managers can have on securing good progress in their basic skills.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided only light touch support for the school since the previous inspection. However, the school has purchased local authority expertise to support it in improving English and mathematics. The impact of that support is already evident in writing, and is beginning to show in better progress in mathematics this year. The targets the school sets for staff performance support the school’s priorities. All staff are working purposefully to achieve them.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school collects detailed information about pupils’ individual progress. It uses the results well to support pupils who are most at risk of falling behind, and get their learning back on track. It does not, however, organise and analyse the information in a way that provides a clear picture of progress over time, for example in different year groups. It is currently setting up a new tracking system to help it do this better.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school development plan is supported by action plans with targets to make sure achievement improves year on year. The plan itself is too vague because it focuses only on actions to take, and not the impact of those actions on pupils’ progress. Neither it nor the action plans show how the aims will be met. The school’s own judgement of its performance is over- generous because it only takes account of the improvements in teaching and learning now, rather than the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress over time.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school makes sure pupils learn that everyone should be treated equally, and that any form of discrimination is wrong. It fosters pupils’ cultural and global awareness through religious education, which includes visits to different places of worship, the arts, visitors and a range of other visits linked to what pupils are learning about. Overall, pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has not taken firm enough action to bring about the changes needed to make sure progress is consistently good throughout the school. It has plans to do this better in the future. It keeps a close eye on all spending, making important decisions, for example, about staffing levels, to support learning. This is also seen in decisions to use pupil premium funding to buy in extra staff with specialisms in writing and mathematics. It is evident too in the decision to move staff into temporary leadership roles when it was not possible to appoint a new deputy headteacher. The governing body is now setting up systems to monitor the impact of all of this on pupils’ progress. It is keenly aware of how the school does in relation to other junior schools in the area. It has an overview of teachers’ performance and checks to be sure that any changes in salary are linked closely to this. It

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The leadership and management requires improvement

also ensures the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities, including those for safeguarding. All staff are vetted and appropriately trained to keep pupils safe and free from harm. Members of the governing body attend relevant training to keep up to date with current requirements.

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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 104046 Local authority Solihull Inspection number 404920

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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 Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 229 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Bernard Murray Headteacher Carol Taylor Date of previous school inspection 2 December 2010 Telephone number 0121 744 2088 Fax number 0121 744 0646 Email address office@haslucks-green.solihull.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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