Willenhall Community Primary School

Willenhall Community Primary School St James Lane, Coventry, CV3 3DB

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  All pupils make excellent progress from their different starting points because the teaching is frequently outstanding. More pupils than in most schools reach higher than average levels, especially in mathematics.  Pupils feel safe and enjoy coming to school. Their behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Extremely rare incidents of unacceptable behaviour are skilfully managed. Pupils are very mature for their age.  Adults in the school know every child remarkably well. They take great care to ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to achieve their best, no matter what their circumstances or background, and they do.  The leadership of the school makes sure that teachers perform to a high standard and that the school provides the best education it can for every pupil.  There has been strong improvement since the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

last inspection in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement because of the headteacher‘s relentless focus on raising standards.  The governing body knows the school well and is supportive, highly challenging and robust.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes including a joint observation with the headteacher. A total of 20 lessons were observed and, in addition, inspectors made short classroom visits to observe pupils at work.  Inspectors had discussions with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body, a representative from the local authority, the headteacher, other members of the school leadership team, all teachers, teaching assistants and groups of pupils.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents including the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress, documents relating to safeguarding and special educational needs, the school’s self-evaluation, and its improvement plan.  A wide range of pupils’ work was scrutinised and inspectors heard pupils of different ages read.  Inspectors took account of the views of seven parents recorded on Ofsted’s Parent View online questionnaire, and a number of parents were met informally at the start of the school day.

p.2

Information about this inspection

Inspectors also took into account 145 responses to the school’s own survey of parents.

p.2

Inspection team

Kathryn Skan, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Georgina Beasley Additional Inspector David King Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average primary school.  The school opened in 2005, when it occupied a brand new building following the closure of two previous primary schools. The current headteacher and Chair of Governors have both been in place from the beginning.  The large majority of pupils are White British. The remainder of pupils come from a number of different ethnic groups, with Black African being the next largest group.  There are now an average number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. This is a very recent increase, with many of these children in the Reception class.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and for whom the school is receiving additional income (the pupil premium) is very high compared to most schools.  The number of disabled pupils and those with special needs supported through school action is below average.  The number of disabled pupils and those with special needs supported through school action plus

p.3

Information about this school

or a statement is above average.  A breakfast club is run by the school every morning. Clubs are also run by the school at lunchtime and after school.  The school exceeds the current floor standards, which set out the government’s minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop children’s speaking skills in Nursery and Reception by ensuring that adults often join in with children’s play and the activities that they choose for themselves, both indoors and outdoors, and in all areas of learning.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils make excellent progress in Years 3 to 6 from their previously below-average starting points at the beginning of Year 3. They now reach above-average levels in reading, writing and mathematics. The number of pupils that reach the higher Level 5 is better than most schools.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 During their time in Year 1 and 2, pupils make excellent progress. For the last two years, pupils have reached nationally expected levels by the end of Year 2 from their previous below-average starting points at the beginning of Year 1. Attainment is improving strongly. In 2012, pupils reached above national average in writing. This year, pupils are on track to reach higher levels across all subjects because of their higher starting points when they entered Year 1. The number of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 grade is increasing rapidly.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils do well whatever their level of ability or background, including Black African pupils and those who speak English as an additional language. No-one is left behind. Pupils for whom the school receives the extra funding because they receive free school meals, and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well and most reach at least national averages.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils make excellent progress in other subjects. Learning is linked across different subjects to promote enjoyment and to practise important skills, for example literacy and numeracy skills are practised together with history, and mathematics skills are used in science. Specialists are employed to extend the pupils’ learning in physical education, which helps pupils achieve well in sporting activities, and in art, which contributes strongly to pupils’ spiritual development. Data is carefully analysed to find any gaps in learning including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. All pupils are very well set up for the next stage in their education.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start Nursery with abilities and skills below those expected for their age. Good progress is made by all pupils in the Nursery and Reception classes. For the last two years, most have reached the national averages in nearly all areas of learning by the time they start Year 1. They make excellent gains in their physical and their personal, social and emotional development. A clear focus on children’s good learning about letters and the sounds that they make help them to start to read and write very effectively. They enjoy listening to and writing about favourite stories. However, most children find it hard to talk about what they are learning to show what they understand.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is consistently at least good across the school and is frequently outstanding. This is demonstrated by the results that the pupils are achieving and by the excellent progress that the pupils are making.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils are highly engaged in their learning because teachers check on their progress throughout the lesson and know their pupils’ needs very well. The individual attention given to pupils to ensure that they are making enough progress during every lesson is exemplary. Teachers make sure that pupils have individual targets that challenge them at the right level. They carefully mark pupils’ work to help them understand how to improve and they give them time in lessons to make those improvements. They give pupils time to consider why a particular word or phrase has been highlighted so the pupils think for themselves. Pupils then apply this to later work and, as a result, pupils’ learning builds strongly over time.  Teaching assistants make an excellent contribution to the whole process of pupils’ learning and are used to extremely good effect in lessons and also to extend pupils’ reading skills. Learning in

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

school is supported extremely well by relevant and challenging homework tasks. Adult-led tasks in the Early Years Foundation Stage promote children’s learning extremely well, especially their reading and writing skills. However, staff do not always take every opportunity to develop the children’s ability to talk about their learning when they engage in their own play and the activities they choose for themselves.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 A whole-school development area over the last few years has been in increasing adults’ skill in questioning pupils. The impact of this has been to deepen the pupils’ understanding and promote learning extremely well, as well as to assess the effectiveness of their own teaching. Teachers are also careful to share with pupils what they will learn in lessons and why. As a result, pupils understand what they need to do and how to be successful. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations of them and always strive to do their best.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The strong focus on lessons promoting pupils’ personal development, social awareness and understanding of other cultures results in pupils’ great enjoyment of school because they feel that they belong to a caring and responsible school community. Teachers’ frequent use of paired and group work, group discussion, and paired marking of each other’s books, involves pupils fully in their own and others’ learning. It ensures pupils practise the life skills they will need and will benefit from in future life.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are exemplary. They enjoy coming to school because it is a welcoming place to be and they know their teachers care about them. The school is a very harmonious community and the pupils say they are happy at school. One pupil said, ‘I feel safe and secure here. It’s just like being at home with your family.’

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Parents and staff say that the behaviour and safety of the pupils is excellent, and the school ensures that the correct procedures are in place to keep everyone safe at all times. If anyone needs help with their behaviour, they receive highly skilled support to meet the school’s expectations. Pupils know the school’s expectations and do their best to meet them.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Incidents of bullying are virtually non-existent. Pupils understand about different types of bullying and say they know who to go to if they have a concern. Pupils play very well together in the playground, where the school provides a wide range of activities including a radio station.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Attendance is above average. Pupils are rarely late. Those that have difficulty getting to school on time or where there are special reasons are collected and brought to school by the school minibus. Parents and children appreciate this facility for those that are in special need of help to get to school on time.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils demonstrate respect and good manners towards each other and adults in lessons. This continues around school and during free time. Pupils are very kind and thoughtful to each other and will get help for their friends in the playground if they fall over and need attention. They demonstrate well that they have learned the basic courtesies of life; for example, they automatically hold doors open for adults, for each other, and say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

p.5

The leadership and management is outstanding

 The school has improved tremendously over the last few years due to the headteacher’s relentless and successful pursuit of excellence in all areas of the school’s work. Achievement has risen strongly due an uncompromising acceptance of nothing less than the highest quality. Other leaders in the school are developed through leadership coaching from an external consultant and, in turn, provide excellent support to other teachers, including those that are new to teaching. English and mathematics teams work together extremely well and continually strive for improvement including trialling initiatives. Successful evaluation of Early Years Foundation Stage data has resulted in improvements in children’s expressive arts, mathematics, reading and writing in the youngest classes over the last two years.

p.6

The leadership and management is outstanding

 Teachers are highly skilled in their craft because the school and teachers themselves place great importance on the teachers’ own learning. Videos taken of each other to help them to analyse and increase their range of teaching styles, along with individual coaching that they receive according to their own needs, increase teachers’ expertise and ensure that they are highly effective in what they do. The school is equally effective at developing teachers and its own leaders from within its own staff. The managing of teachers’ performance is highly individual and rigorously managed.

p.6

The leadership and management is outstanding

 The school provides highly relevant experiences for the pupils, which promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and adds to their enjoyment of school. Pupils appreciate the use of extra government funding for numerous trips that bring their learning to life. This funding is also used for an ‘enhanced support class’ in the mornings to support pupils in need of extra support, for extra staff to hear pupils read regularly, and for extra teachers to do small- group work where pupils need a boost. This has successfully enabled pupils to catch up and to achieve results which are now above average. The school’s focus on the life skills of working with others, pupils managing themselves and practising problem-solving skills has been effective in developing pupils’ personal skill as well as supporting their learning.

p.6

The leadership and management is outstanding

 The school has numerous successful strategies to engage parents and is increasingly successful in this area. Staff model professional standards in all of their work and demonstrate high levels of respect for other adults, including parents. They communicate effectively about achievements and wellbeing, and parents feel able to approach staff if they have a concern. The school ensures equal opportunities for all pupils and tackles discrimination if ever it occurs.

p.6

The leadership and management is outstanding

 The local authority knows the school’s strengths well. They are well aware of the school’s drive for improvement over a number of years and rate the school very highly. The school’s use of specialist consultants for several areas of its work has had a strong impact on teaching and learning. Appropriate support and challenge is provided by the local authority.

p.6

The leadership and management is outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Since the previous inspection, the governing body has strengthened its work through the appointment of specialists in education and finance. As a result, governors have a clear understanding of pupils’ achievement and what the school is doing to ensure that this continues to improve. Governors talk about the quality of teaching at every meeting and use the information to inform decisions about staff training and teaching performance, ensuring that pay is linked to performance. Governors are well aware of how pupil premium money is being used and the impact it has had on raising achievement. The schools’ arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements. Challenge and checks by governors ensure that the comprehensive safeguarding arrangements are followed by all staff at all times.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 134745 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 402634

p.8

School details

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

p.8

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 388 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Dave Chater Headteacher Caroline Kiely Date of previous school inspection 21 October 2009 Telephone number 02476 302004 Fax number 02476 307509 Email address admin@willenhallcommunity.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9