Calshot Primary School

Calshot Primary School Calshot Road, Great Barr, Birmingham, B42 2BY

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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.  Pupils from all backgrounds achieve well throughout the school thanks to good teaching.  Teachers plan interesting and exciting lessons to make learning memorable.  Leaders have an accurate knowledge of the school’s strengths and are determined to build on them. As a result, the school is continually improving.  Parents work closely with the school to support their children’s learning. They really appreciate the visibility and approachability of the headteacher each morning, and the fact that he knows all of their children by name.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development well. Their cultural development is excellent and pupils’ confidence flourishes as a result.  Pupils behave well and say that they always feel safe.  Staff and pupils share a sense of pride in the school and are keen to tell visitors about their latest achievements.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ explanations at the start of lessons are clear and relevant, but sometimes go on for longer than is necessary for pupils to understand what they need to do and why.  Although pupils learn to read well and with confidence, teachers do not always focus enough on building up their understanding of less commonly used words.  In mathematics lessons, pupils are not always given enough practical opportunities to develop their understanding, for example of fractions and percentages.  In some mathematics lessons, pupils spend more time than is necessary practising the skills that they have just mastered.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in all classes in 18 lessons, including one shared observation with the headteacher.  Pupils were heard reading and looked carefully at pupils’ work in their books. Play and lunchtimes were observed.  Discussions were held with representatives of the senior leadership team, the Chair of the Governing Body and another governor, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 41 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), comments made by parents who spoke to them, and the 25 responses to staff questionnaires.  They observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents including those relating to safeguarding, planning and monitoring, records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and the school’s own data on pupils’ progress.

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Inspection team

Sheelagh Barnes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Lafford Additional Inspector Edgar Hastings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Calshot Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils come from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds.  More pupils speak English as an additional language than average. However, very few pupils are at early stages of learning to speak English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action is below average. The proportion supported by a statement of special educational needs or at school action plus is also below average.  More pupils than average join partway through their primary school education. Many of these pupils join the school in Years 3 to 6.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or in care and for whom the school receives additional income (the pupil premium) is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There are breakfast and after-school clubs on the school site, and a pre-school group. These are run by the governing body, and are inspected seperately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and learning to outstanding by making sure that:  teachers’ introductions to lessons are short, purposeful and to the point  teachers move pupils swiftly on when they show that they have fully mastered a task  where appropriate, pupils have regular opportunities to use practical equipment to help them solve mathematical problems  reading sessions focus on helping pupils to understand the meaning of wider range of less commonly used words as well as learning how to say them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start in the Nursery class with skills and understanding below the levels expected for their age in nearly all areas of learning, and particularly communication and speech. Progress during the nursery is good. Children develop their personal skills especially well, so they learn to work together harmoniously.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Many pupils stay at the school for the Reception Year, and are joined by children from a range of other early years settings. Children’s skills and understanding at this point are slightly higher, but still below those expected for their age. Their progress during Reception is good, particularly in the way they build up their awareness of the links between letters and the sounds that they represent.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Throughout Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils from all groups, including those who are learning English as an additional language, pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, all make the similar progress. By the end of Year 6, their achievement is good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school works hard to make sure all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed. They do well, whatever their background or barriers to learning, because of the good quality of teaching. In some lessons, progress is excellent.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Teachers plan lessons that inspire pupils, particularly when they link learning through themes, such as one for pupils in Year 6 about Stonehenge. This grips pupils’ imagination and desire to find out more. One pupil confided afterwards, ‘It’s a mystery and I love mysteries!’

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make particularly good progress in learning to read. This is helped by regular teaching in the classes for younger pupils of the links between letters and the sounds they make. However, while pupils read with fluency, they do not always fully appreciate the information in the texts they read, because they do not all know the precise meaning of some less common words, such as ‘insist’, ‘plough’, ‘reduce’, ‘convert’ and ‘threesome’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good quality of teaching enables pupils to make good progress in English and mathematics in particular. Nearly all teaching seen during the inspection was at least good, and a considerable amount was outstanding. This is because of the way senior leaders constantly aim to raise standards further, by refining and improving teachers’ skills through training.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ marking is regular and relevant. Pupils are given time to respond and are expected to take note and make corrections, if necessary. As a result, they pay great attention to what teachers say and write, and understand well how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons generally proceed at a good pace, although at times introductions are longer than they need to be and occasionally teachers keep pupils practising new skills for too long.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships are good and support staff do a good job in helping to make sure that all pupils take a full part in lessons.  Teachers plan lessons at the right level for pupils to understand. However, pupils are occasionally given the task of working out mathematical problems in their head, instead of strengthening their understanding of a new concept, such as fractions and percentages, by having practical experiences.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons and daily routines are planned well to enhance pupils’ spiritual, moral and social skills and awareness. The opportunities to develop pupils’ cultural awareness are outstanding. Every pupil in Year 4 also receives tuition in playing a musical instrument. As a result, pupils make excellent progress in developing understanding and respect for other cultures and a real appreciation of the arts and music.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils talk with great enthusiasm about being able to learn to play a musical instrument and about the weekly opportunity, each Friday, to write about a subject at length. Activities such as these build pupils’ resilience and confidence in themselves as learners.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and are very keen to do their best. They move around the school with care and consideration for others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school. They have a good understanding of how to stay safe when using the internet or other forms of modern technology.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 They know about the different forms of bullying and how to deal with it. Pupils say that there is very little unpleasant or bullying behaviour, and any that occurs is dealt with swiftly and effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils appreciate the way all staff handle behaviour in a consistent manner. They say that there is always someone to turn to if they have a problem or a disagreement. They say that behaviour is getting better all the time, and staff who expressed a view on this agreed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The great majority of parents also say that behaviour is good and that their children enjoy coming to school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has improved considerably of late and is now above average. Competition between classes to win awards for the best attendance is enthusiastic. Pupils are rarely absent unless they are unwell.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand the need for a healthy lifestyle and exercise. They are enthusiastic about the many clubs that they have the opportunity to attend. They are proud of their achievements and of their school, and asked the inspectors, ‘Are you impressed?’

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders are determined to make learning even more memorable for pupils. As a result, teachers have had recent training to improve their lesson planning so that subjects are linked around an interesting theme, and pupils get more chance to practise the skills learnt in one subject while learning about another.  The local authority has designated the school as only needing ‘light touch’ support, following the analysis of pupils’ results at the end of each key stage. It has, however, made sure that there are plentiful opportunities for staff and governors to attend training and develop their skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 Links with parents are good. All those who expressed an opinion said that they would recommend the school to others. Parents who spoke directly to inspectors commented warmly on the approachability of the headteacher.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has spent the pupil premium funding on extra support for pupils in class. It has also used it to provide opportunities for pupils to learn to play a musical instrument and attend trips and clubs, which they otherwise may not have been able to do. This has made a significant difference to the self-esteem and confidence of the pupils involved. In addition, these pupils now make progress in line with their classmates and the gap between their attainment and that of others is being reduced.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a good knowledge of the school, based on regular visits and clear information given to them. They know the school’s strengths and also the areas for further improvement. They are a strong part of the push to raise standards in teaching still further, and support the targets set and the training plans effectively. Training is given due priority for governors as well, and they keep up to date in their understanding of their responsibilities. As a result, governors make a point of ensuring that they are fully aware of the performance of the school compared to other schools nationally, and also of individual teachers and leaders. They are very actively involved in spending decisions, for example the way pupil premium money is used and are aware that staff pay rises are linked to performance. They know a lot about the impact of these decisions on pupils’ development, both in terms of academic gains and also

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The leadership and management are good

their self-esteem, resilience and confidence.

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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 103391 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 402914

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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 428 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Smallman Headteacher Wayne Simner Date of previous school inspection 10 March 2008 Telephone number 0121 675 1059 Fax number N/a Email address enquiry@calshot.bham.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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