Springhead Primary School

Springhead Primary School Kingsley Road, Talke Pits, Stoke-on-Trent, ST7 1RA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  The overall progress pupils make as they move through the school is good. Attainment when pupils leave the school is above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is usually good and there are some examples of outstanding teaching.  Additional adults provide helpful support for individual pupils and small groups, making sure all make good progress.  Behaviour is good and pupils are polite and friendly. They are a joy to be with. Pupils feel safe and look after each other.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively through the curriculum. Pupils are given many opportunities to learn new skills, and visits out of school provide memorable experiences.  Relationships are positive between all adults and pupils. Staff morale is very high.  Effective leaders, managers and the governing body have brought about many improvements since the last inspection. Actions taken have

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

led to improvements in achievement, teaching and attendance.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is variation in teaching quality and not enough is outstanding.  Progress in Reception class and Years 1 and 2 is not yet as rapid as in the rest of the school, especially for boys in reading.  The literacy and numeracy leaders do not observe teaching regularly enough to identify what can be improved and then take action to address this.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. They visited 15 lessons, three of which were with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, the Chair and vice-chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the eight responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) during the inspection and previous survey information collected by the school. They also spoke to parents as they collected or brought their children to school.  Questionnaires from 14 staff were received and their views taken into account.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, spoke with them about their learning and looked at the work in their books.  The inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school improvement plan, data on pupils’ current progress, leaders’ reports of lesson observations, minutes of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body meetings and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Bailey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Very few pupils are from minority ethnic groups and virtually everyone speaks English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (funding made available by the government to make sure the pupils who are eligible for it reach the same levels as other pupils) is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school also provides a Nursery and before-and-after school care. These were visited by inspectors.  An additional classroom has been built since the last inspection due to the increased numbers of

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Information about this school

pupils, together with a community library on the school site.  Pupils are educated on-site. There is no alternative provision off the school site.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in reading in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1, particularly for boys by:  ensuring that pupils read regularly and that their home reading books always match their ability levels and are changed as needed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by ensuring that:  all adults correct the errors made by pupils as they occur in all lessons  marking in pupils’ books gives clear guidance on how to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend the work of the literacy and numeracy leaders in checking on the quality of teaching to ensure that:  their observations of teaching and learning are carried out regularly and subsequent help to improve teachers’ practice leads to a greater proportion of outstanding teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills that are lower than those typically expected for their age. Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage; however, their level of skills remains below that expected for their age by the time they start Year 1, particularly for boys in reading. Attainment is, however, steadily improving.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Since the last inspection, attainment has improved in Key Stage 1, especially in writing. A new language programme has been introduced and most pupils in Year 2 now reach the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics. However, boys do not do as well as girls, especially in their reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make expected progress in Year 3 but rapid progress in Years 4, 5 and 6. Consequently, by the time pupils leave the school, they reach standards in both English and mathematics which are, regularly, above average. Teaching of good quality has ensured that every pupil makes at least expected progress and most make good progress. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels in both reading and mathematics has increased.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do as well as other pupils because of the good support they are given in lessons. Teachers make sure that work is planned carefully to meet the individual needs of these pupils. Individual support is also provided by specialists for those with particular needs, for example, by the dyslexia centre.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium make good progress in line with other pupils. This funding is used effectively to provide a range of support, such as training for reading volunteers to accelerate reading skills, and to pay for activities such as drama and history workshops to expand these pupils’ range of learning and worthwhile experience. The outcome of the additional support is shown in pupils’ greater confidence and achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading is enjoyed throughout the school and the newly built community library is promoting a love of books and raising standards. Each class visits the library on a weekly basis. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 use their knowledge of letters and sounds to attempt unfamiliar words, but readers of lower ability, most of whom are boys, do not always read daily or have books which match their ability. Reading volunteers make an effective contribution to pupils reading on a regular basis.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Over time, improvements to teaching are contributing to pupils making better progress. Teaching in all classes is usually good, with examples of some outstanding teaching. In an excellent Year 6 lesson, pupils became detectives and were referred to throughout the lesson by the teacher as ‘agents’. Getting into character helped them to be more motivated and enthusiastic in writing their reports. Attention to high-quality writing was also promoted continually and led to outstanding progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most parents consider their children are taught well in the school, and the pupils agree with them. Strong relationships between all staff and pupils help create a very positive climate for learning, which ensures that pupils are motivated and participate well in lessons. Teachers expect pupils to achieve and behave well and, as a result, lessons run smoothly and learning is rarely interrupted.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers check on the learning that takes place within lessons but do not always pick up pupils’ common errors as they happen. Consequently, these errors are carried forward, for example, reversing numbers or misspelling simple words. Additionally, teachers in Years 1 and 2 do not check that pupils read their home reading books regularly, change them as needed, or ensure that they are pitched at the right level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ books are marked regularly but feedback is of too variable a quality and does not always identify how pupils can improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are generally skilled in providing work that is well matched to pupils’ abilities. As a result, more-able pupils are given demanding work, and those who need extra help, get it, for example, those eligible for the pupil premium funding. Consequently this leads to good progress and achievement for all groups. Teachers encourage pupils to work independently and with partners, which greatly supports the development of their social skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Additional adults are well informed and effectively used to support pupils and extend their learning. They add significantly to the progress pupils make by asking questions and checking their understanding. They set a good example to the pupils and provide valuable support in reading, writing and mathematics, particularly for those who are disabled or have special educational needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Information and communication technology and digital media, such as computers and video cameras, are used well and are a strong feature within the school. For example, pupils made a video, showing a guided tour of the school for their school website. Computer programmes are also used frequently within lessons to promote literacy and numeracy skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. The school motto is ‘working together to achieve our best’ and as one pupil said – ‘That’s true.’ They concentrate well and most persevere in order to complete tasks set.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Responses to Parent View and the school’s own surveys show that most parents think that behaviour at the school is good and that pupils are kept safe. Pupils spoken to share the view that behaviour is good and that they are well looked after.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school is calm and purposeful. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. The few pupils who present challenging behaviour are well managed by staff and there is very little disruption to learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know and follow the behaviour policy. They like the use of ‘praise points’ which are used across the school to reward good work and behaviour. Playground ‘buddies’ are on hand to help those who need it at break times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage quickly learn what is expected of them and show respect and good manners towards each other. One child in Reception class asked of another, ‘Excuse me, please can you hold my coat while I put it on?’  Pupils are aware of some of the different forms of bullying, but say that it is rare in school. Pupils are confident that if this arises, it is dealt with quickly and effectively. School records show that the numbers of incidents reported relating to racism or bullying are extremely low.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe in school and are aware of safety procedures. This includes use of the internet. They recognise the dangers involved and know how to avoid these.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has improved year on year and most pupils come to school regularly. This is due to immediate checking on absentees and a relentless approach by the headteacher to tackling persistent absence.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers have taken action since the last inspection, which has led to improved achievement, teaching and attendance. There is good capacity for further sustained improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff morale is high. All of those who returned the questionnaire were proud to be on the staff. One wrote, ‘It is a pleasure to come to work at Springhead.’

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The leadership and management are good

 Self-evaluation is accurate. Leaders, including the governing body, correctly identify the next steps to further improvement. Areas for development are focused on raising achievement further, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management are good

 The literacy and numeracy leaders check the quality of pupils’ work in books and talk to pupils to confirm their understanding of their learning. However, these leaders do not observe teaching in classrooms or give staff support to move the overall quality of teaching from good to outstanding. Consequently, checks on the quality of teaching and learning rest with the headteacher alone.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has considerably strengthened the way in which teachers are appraised for their performance in helping pupils to make progress. Targets for teachers are set based on the new national criteria for teaching standards. Staff are not rewarded by promotion or pay unless they are successful in helping pupils to make at least good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes well pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through a wider range of learning opportunities. Pupils learn to play a musical instrument, participate in history, drama and art workshops, have regular trips and residential visits, including a Year 6 trip to France, to broaden their experience. They learn Spanish and have links with the New Vic Theatre and a school in the Gambia. They also visit the local church and recently celebrated Harvest Festival in school. The Nursery and before and after-school provision contribute well to children’s and pupils’ social development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has oversight of the school’s performance, but provides limited support as it recognises the school is doing well. It rightly has full confidence in the leadership of the school. Additional advice and support are available if needed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is well informed and knows what is happening in the school and how well it is doing compared with similar schools from a good grasp on the performance data available. Governors ask challenging questions of the headteacher and senior staff and hold the school to account for teaching quality and pupils’ achievement. They are proactively involved in school through visits to classes, links with teachers for specific subjects – for example, literacy – and some are involved as volunteers in after-school clubs. Governors have a clear understanding of the areas needing further improvement, including reading. External consultants have been commissioned to report on the quality of teaching and this information is shared with governors so that they can link this to managing teachers’ performance and pay progression. A finance sub-committee meets regularly to ensure that funds are allocated and

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The leadership and management are good

used properly to support teaching and learning. Governors are fully aware of the pupil premium and how it is used to aid these pupils’ learning with well-targeted, additional help and learning opportunities. Their understanding of data enables them to determine the impact this funding has on pupils’ progress and, consequently, governors make sure that these pupils do not fall behind and consistently achieve well. The governing body ensures that the school fulfils its statutory responsibilities in relation to safeguarding. The backgrounds of all staff appointed are fully checked, and staff are trained appropriately to keep pupils safe and free from harm. Governors ensure that they keep their skills and knowledge up to date through regular training.

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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 124097 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 403544

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 188 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Pye Headteacher Brian Anderson Date of previous school inspection 7 February 2008 Telephone number 01782 296835 Fax number 01782 296838 Email address headteacher@springhead.staffs.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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