Kingsbury Primary School

Kingsbury Primary School Bromage Avenue, Kingsbury, Tamworth, B78 2HW

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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

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils do not make consistently good progress in the school.  There is not a consistent approach for developing pupils’ early reading skills and not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length. Pupils do not develop their skills in mathematics thoroughly enough so they have gaps in some of the basic skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.  Teachers do not always set work at the right level in lessons which means that it is sometimes too easy for more-able pupils or too hard for less-able pupils.  Lessons occasionally proceed too slowly and teachers do not always check on pupils’ learning and adjust teaching if their progress slows.  Leadership and management require improvement because governors and senior leaders have not made sure that actions have been prompt enough for teaching and achievement to be good.  The checking of teaching is not linked to pupils’

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

progress. Leaders do not give clear development points, when observing teaching to help teachers improve their practice, which are then followed up in later observations.  Pupils at risk of falling behind are not always identified early and given extra help. Senior leaders and governors have not checked that actions make a difference.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils are respectful to each other and to adults. They behave well around the school and in lessons.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and that behaviour is good.  Senior leaders know the strengths and areas for improvement in the school.  Attendance is above average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 23 lessons or part-lessons, listened to pupils read, examined pupils’ books and attended two assemblies. A tour of shorter visits to lessons also took place with the headteacher.  Three observations of lessons were carried out with members of the senior leadership team. Inspectors also observed senior leaders feeding back to teachers on pupils’ learning and progress in lessons.  Meetings were held with three governors, staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors reviewed the 28 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and spoke to parents as they brought their children to school.  The inspection team observed the school’s work, studied records of pupils’ progress, documents written by leaders to evaluate the school’s work and plan for the future, behaviour and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Susan Williams, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Graham Marshall Additional Inspector Yvonne Watts Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which in this school are pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is well-below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the national minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  Pupils are taught in mixed-age classes in Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4 and in Years 5 and 6 with additional teaching groups in Years 3 to 6 for literacy and mathematics.  There have been significant changes in the governing body since the previous inspection

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Information about this school

including a new Chair of Governors. A new deputy headteacher took up her post in September 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better by making sure that:  teachers set work for pupils at the right levels of ability so it is not too hard or too easy  lessons proceed at a brisk pace and teachers check on learning regularly and adjust their teaching if pupils’ progress slows.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement and see that pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics by making sure that:  there is a consistent approach to developing pupils’ early reading skills  pupils have more opportunities to write at length in literacy lessons and in other subjects  pupils learn basic skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division at an early stage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  linking the checking of teaching quality to the difference this is making to pupils’ progress  giving teachers clear points to improve their teaching and following these up in later observations  identifying pupils who are at risk of falling behind early so they can be given extra help and leaders and governors can check what difference this makes.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement as pupils’ progress is not consistently good across the school. This is because pupils do not make enough progress on a regular basis in developing their reading, writing and mathematics skills.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter the school with skills and knowledge around those expected for their age. When they leave Reception their skills are average in most areas of learning although there are strengths in their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the 2012 Year 1 phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) screening check, pupils reached lower levels than found nationally. Pupils have not been supported to develop their early reading skills effectively so that they make good progress and build on their starting points on entry to the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards in Key Stage 1 improved to be above average in writing in 2012 due to the school’s focus on improving this area. Standards remained broadly average in reading and mathematics. Standards in Key Stage 2 have been broadly average in English and mathematics over the last three years. Pupils do not get enough opportunities to write longer pieces to develop their writing during literacy lessons or to develop these skills in other subjects across the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils have gaps in their knowledge in basic skills in mathematics, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, which make it more difficult when pupils are learning more complicated topics. Sometimes they count rather than calculate, for example, because they are not confident about using their multiplication tables.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school has used the additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for support from the pupil premium for additional staffing for small-group tuition, smaller classes in Years 5 and 6 and for these pupils to be able to benefit from clubs and trips. In 2012 pupils known to be eligible for free school meals reached higher standards than similar pupils nationally in both English and mathematics. Their average points scores were approximately two terms above other pupils in the school in English and similar to other pupils in mathematics. However, progress for these pupils varies across the school and is less strong in other year groups.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive some extra help in lessons and in small groups. Progress for these pupils varies across the school and the school is not checking to see what difference the extra help is making so that they catch up with their peers. There is more to be done to secure equality of opportunity for pupils learning in the school so all groups of pupils make good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is not consistently good to enable pupils to make good progress. Teachers do not always set work at the right level for pupils. Most pupils are taught in mixed-age classes and in Year 3 to 6 in ability sets for literacy and numeracy. However, even in ability sets there is still a wide range of ability and teachers sometimes teach to the middle ability of the set so the work is too hard for less-able pupils and too easy for more-able pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always conduct lessons at a brisk pace. Sometimes introductions take too long and mean that pupils do not get enough time to do their own tasks. This has reduced the opportunities for pupils to develop their writing and to write longer pieces. There are also times in lessons where the length of time on activities is too long and pupils’ interest starts to wane so their progress is not as fast.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There are examples, in the best teaching, where teachers plan work for different levels of ability, keep up a brisk pace and check on learning regularly, such as in a Year 1 and 2 literacy lesson where pupils learnt about glossaries. Pupils were given clear instructions and had a short time in groups to order parts of a glossary on insects. The groups had different levels of work, some groups worked independently and some with adult support. The teacher checked on learning throughout and made sure pupils were involved in a range of interesting activities. Pupils enjoyed their learning and made good progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Common strengths of teaching in the school are the positive relationships between staff and pupils in lessons. Pupils respond well to instructions and move onto different tasks quickly in class. Marking has improved since the previous inspection and books are regularly marked with written comments in the format of ‘two stars and a wish.’ Pupils commonly know their targets and their next steps for improving their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to school and their learning. They behave well in classrooms, the playground and around the school. They are respectful and courteous to adults and to each other. The school is effective in promoting good relationships and refusing to tolerate any discrimination.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school council is taking an increasing role in developing the school and has recently written a bid to governors so they can improve the music and design technology teaching space. Pupils also raise money for different charities and during the inspection were dressed in pyjamas and ‘onesies’ to raise money for ’Comic Relief’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they feel safe, that behaviour is good and that bullying is not an issue. They are confident teachers will help them if they have a problem. As one pupil said, ‘The teachers are very kind.’ The vast majority of parents said their child feels safe in school and the large majority said they thought behaviour was good. School records confirm there have been very few incidents and most are minor. There have been no exclusions over the last three years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand risk and have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe. They receive training in e-safety, road safety and ‘protective behaviours’ where they learn to behave in ways which promote safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school encourages good attendance and makes sure absence from school is followed up thoroughly. Attendance has improved and is above average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because actions taken by leaders have not made sufficient difference to bring teaching and achievement up to good. When leaders observe teaching they do not always link this to how much progress pupils are making which has led them to believe teaching in the school is better than it is. Leaders do not always give clear points to teachers about how they can improve their teaching and then follow these areas up in future observations to make sure the improvements have been made.  The school has introduced the regular collection of pupils’ progress information and meetings to discuss this with teachers. However, leaders do not check that pupils who are at risk of falling behind are identified early and given extra help and whether this makes a difference to their progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The policy for the management of the performance of staff has been updated and is linked to the national teachers’ standards. Targets are set which are linked to pupils’ progress, the ‘Teacher Standards’ and to the school learning-improvement plan, which has supported the improvement of teaching in the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Subjects and topics are enriched with opportunities to learn musical instruments including the guitar, drums and violin. Art is a particular strength and pupils take part in cultural events such as the annual international quilt festival. This, along with the school’s link with a school in Ghana support pupils’ cultural development. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is supported through assemblies, through learning respect for others through the golden rules and the school council that teaches pupils about democratic powers and support for different causes.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided a range of training courses, supported governors and carried out a review to check on progress since the previous inspection. This has helped governors and senior leaders know if their actions are making a difference.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governance has improved since the previous inspection and governors now challenge school leaders much more. Governors understand progress data and receive updates on how well pupils are doing. They have questioned school leaders where pupils’ progress is not strong but have not always followed this up to make sure actions are put in place and that these make a difference. They have received information about how pupil premium funding is being spent and the difference this is making. They receive external support for the performance management of the headteacher and see that this process is carried out for other staff. They sign off pay awards to reward staff and are updated about what has been done to tackle underperformance. They receive updates about the quality of teaching although this has not been linked to how much progress pupils have made and therefore they believe teaching is

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The leadership and management requires improvement

better than it is. They have attended training with other local schools as well as recently purchasing an on-line training package. They have set up a governor visit week so governors can visit lessons and see for themselves how good teaching is and how well pupils are progressing. They make sure policies are updated regularly and that statutory duties are met including safeguarding.

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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 134924 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 402655

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 297 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karen Hewish Headteacher Karen Hanson Date of previous school inspection 16 September 2009 Telephone number 01827 872275 Fax number 01827 872275 Email address admin3596@welearn365.com 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

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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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