Ryders Green Primary School

Ryders Green Primary School Claypit Lane, , West Bromwich, B70 9UJ

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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.  Achievement is good. Pupils make good progress to match national averages by the time they leave and more-able pupils do well.  The majority or lessons are well organised and stimulating and move pupils’ learning along at a good pace.  Teachers check pupils’ progress very carefully and use their assessment to plan lessons that match all pupils’ abilities.  Support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is expertly managed and therefore these pupils achieve well.  Pupils feel safe, behave well and show an enjoyment of school and enthusiasm for learning. Attendance is good.  Close attention is paid to pupils’ personal development and they grow into sensible and responsible young people.  At the heart of the school’s success is a strong desire, shared by all staff, to do the very best for all pupils. Leaders, managers and governors are constantly looking for ways to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

make achievement and teaching even better.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not high enough. Pupils are not always given enough guidance on how to improve and sometimes their concentration is interrupted unnecessarily by teachers looking to give them additional instructions.  Boys do not read and write as well as girls.  Although leaders and managers plan carefully for the school’s future development, how they will judge their success is not always clear enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 31 lessons, of which six were joint observations with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with staff, two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, and discussions were held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of nine responses to the online Parent View questionnaire and a school survey of parental views. They held discussions with parents and carers at the start of, and during, the school day.  School documentation was examined, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress. Records relating to teachers’ performance, governor’s minutes, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs were also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sarah Noble Additional Inspector Graham Marshall Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Ryders Green Primary is larger than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of girls in the school is lower than found nationally.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported at school action is average, and the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also average. The needs of these pupils relate mainly to speech, language and communication difficulties, and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.  Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups is high. Over half of the pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding allocated by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, who are looked after by the local authority or have parents in the Armed Forces) is much higher than average.

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Information about this school

 The on-site breakfast club is managed by the governing body.  Ryders Green Primary School meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expected for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The local authority seconded a deputy headteacher to the senior leadership team last September when, in addition, seven new teachers also started at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make all teaching at least good and increase the proportion that is outstanding by December 2013 by ensuring all teachers :  identify clearly in lessons how activities will stimulate boys to learn and help them to close the gap on the girls, particularly in reading and writing  provide pupils with frequent examples of what good writing looks like  provide pupils with clear information about how they can improve their work both during lessons and when marking their books  allow lessons to flow without interruption when pupils are concentrating on their work.  Ensure school improvement plans set out precisely how much improvement they are expected to bring to achievement and teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When they first enter the Nursery, children’s skills and abilities are often much lower than those expected at this age. They often lack personal and social skills and some are not yet communicating effectively. Well planned activities, delivered within a colourful and stimulating environment, ensure that children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Good teaching in Key Stages 1 and 2 builds on this secure start and pupils continue to make good progress. By the end of Year 6 attainment is broadly average in English and mathematics. Higher ability pupils consistently produce work of an above average standard. .  The teaching of sounds and letters in Key Stage 1 is well structured and stimulating. Most pupils in Year 2 are able to break down and sound out new and unfamiliar words. By the end of Year 6 most pupils are reading with the skills and confidence expected for their age. The most competent readers show an enthusiasm for books and express a liking for certain authors, with Roald Dahl a particular favourite. However, many of the less able readers, who are often boys, only read when in school and lack the vocabulary of those who read for pleasure at home.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 When they join the Nursery boys’ early learning often lags behind that of the girls. While this gap in achievement narrows in mathematics, it is only at the very end of Key Stage 2 that it starts to close in English. Consequently, girls often leave at the end of Year 6 with better reading and writing skills than boys.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and pupils funded through the pupil premium all make good progress. The attainment of pupils supported through the pupil premium often matches that of other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds receive good support and consequently make good progress and achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is frequently good and sometimes outstanding. Only a small proportion requires improvement.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the most effective lessons, pupils are encouraged to work together to solve challenging problems. In a mathematics lesson in Year 6, for example, pupils were set a series of problems which required careful reasoning and the identification of patterns. Pupils were given the time and encouragement to solve them. They relished the opportunity, building and developing their skills at a fast pace.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers encourage pupils to write at every opportunity. They teach spelling, punctuation and grammar clearly and systematically and help pupils understand how to vary their writing to suit different purposes. However, teachers do not sufficiently show pupils examples of good quality writing to encourage them to work at higher standards.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships between pupils and adults are very good. Teachers manage behaviour well and deal with any minor behaviour issues quickly and effectively.  In planning their lessons, teachers generally give careful consideration to the needs of pupils of different abilities and often provide modified or additional tasks to challenge higher-ability pupils and extend their learning. However, they do not always consider how best to stimulate the interest of boys, particularly in writing and reading. Occasionally, teachers interrupt too often with advice or additional information, breaking pupils’ concentration and slowing the pace of the lesson.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The amount of guidance teachers provide when marking pupils’ work is variable. The marking is clear and concise in some books but too vague in others, and not all pupils are consistently required to respond to the good advice given.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Support is targeted exactly where it is needed and very careful checks made to ensure it is having the required effects on pupils’ achievement and development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants show a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities and support pupils’ learning well. They check carefully that pupils understand what they have to do and help them sensitively if they are in difficulty.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Senior staff, class teachers, specialist teachers and support staff work cohesively as a team to promote pupils’ well-being and to ensure they enjoy school and get the most from their education. This is a major strength of the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents and carers, pupils and staff all agree behaviour is good. The vast majority of pupils understand and accept the school’s high expectations, are polite to adults and each other, listen carefully to their teachers and get on very well together. They readily join in lessons and welcome opportunities to share what they know and can do with others. The school offers good support to the small minority of pupils whose behaviour is sometimes a little more unsettled. Consequently, the school is calm and orderly and pupils learn without interruption.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils show a good understanding of what constitutes bullying. They have confidence in staff to deal quickly and effectively with the small amount of falling out that they say sometimes occurs. As a result, they feel safe and secure and will openly discuss any concerns they may have with their teachers or support staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Members of the school council take their responsibilities seriously and explain confidently how they are helping others to be well-mannered and how they are tackling leading a healthy lifestyle by giving advice on diet and the content of lunchboxes.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The breakfast club provides pupils with an enjoyable start to the school day. They enjoy a healthy breakfast and opportunities to socialise with others in a warm and friendly atmosphere sets them up well for whatever the day may bring.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers identify clear priorities for improvement and plan in detail how they will be met. As a result, the school is improving at a good rate and is in a strong position to continue to do so. Improvement plans are comprehensive but details of how the school’s progress will be measured are not always sharp enough.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff new to the school are inducted effectively and integrated smoothly. They quickly appreciate that they can make a positive contribution to the very strong morale that has been established among the staff and how this contributes to pupils’ good achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Systems for checking and improving teaching are well established. Leaders observe lessons regularly and systematically to identify the strengths and areas for improvement, and support teachers through a comprehensive programme of training. Teachers are set challenging but achievable performance targets which have to be met before the headteacher will consider an increase in salary. Data showing pupils’ progress is used to inform decisions about pay increases. This has led to improvements in teaching, especially in the way higher-ability pupils are challenged.

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The leadership and management are good

 Very effective procedures are used to promote good attendance and absence has almost halved since the last inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects taught are rich and varied and meet the interests and needs of all pupils well. Themes such as ‘a sense of identity’ and the ‘power of a friend’ promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development very well. With the study of Black History as a focus, older pupils have carefully considered what can happen when people show intolerance and a lack of humanity towards others. This illustrates the way the school challenges prejudice and actively promotes equal opportunities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has used its additional funding from the pupil premium effectively. Additional teaching time has been arranged to address weaknesses in these pupils’ literacy skills, and this is helping to raise the standards of this group of pupils across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides mainly light touch support for this good school and has recently seconded the services of a deputy headteacher which is helping to further improve teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is increasing its popularity and parents and carers are positive about the quality of care and education it provides. The school communicates well with them and fosters good relations through the website and frequent newsletters.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are highly skilled and well informed and they make a good contribution to the school’s self-evaluation. They visit the school regularly to observe its work, hold discussions with staff and talk to pupils. This thorough approach provides governors with a clear picture of how well the school is performing, including how they compare to similar schools nationally. They have received appropriate training, including in pupil performance data and financial management, and this enables them to check the progress of all pupils carefully, including those who are supported through the pupil premium; they are fully aware of how the school spends its money, particularly the pupil premium, and its impact on achievement. Governors’ management of teachers’ performance is rigorous and is a notable strength. Working closely with the school, governors ensure that safeguarding procedures are firmly in place and that

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The leadership and management are good

current requirements are comprehensively met. They work well with school leaders in promoting equality of opportunity and in not tolerating any form of discrimination.

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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 103979 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 400677

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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 462 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Claridge Headteacher Devinder Singh Riat Date of previous school inspection 16 June 2010 Telephone number 0121 5530658 Fax number 0121 5800897 Email address the.head@rydersgreen.sandwell.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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