Bordesley Green Primary School

Bordesley Green Primary School Marchmont Road, Birmingham, B9 5XX

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Bordesley Green Primary School is a very friendly and welcoming community, which promotes mutual respect and caring in both pupils and staff. As a result, they are very respectful of each other and pupils exude confidence.  The headteacher has the full support of the staff, governors and parents. Together with her leadership team she knows what needs to be done and has continued to make improvements.  Pupils of all abilities and from all backgrounds, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, make good progress as a result of the help and guidance they receive.  Although inconsistent across the school, teaching is typically good and in Years 5 and 6 often outstanding.  All staff keep pupils safe, sustain their excellent behaviour and develop their collaborative learning skills.  Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe and healthy, including when using

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

the internet.  Pupils’ good academic and personal achievements are developed across the school through a broad and well balanced range of subjects.  The governors and senior leadership team monitor the quality of teaching effectively and make sure teachers are held to account.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is inconsistent across the school and the existing good practice is not used enough to develop the skills of all the staff.  Progress is not consistent across the school, as pupils do not acquire the language skills they need quickly enough to fully understand their learning.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 30 lessons. Four lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspectors heard pupils read, examined pupils’ work in their books, and observed pupils’ activities in the playground and in the dinner hall.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, the headteacher and other senior leaders, members of the governing body and held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors examined a range of documents, including minutes of governors’ meetings, a summary of the school’s self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, documents showing how the quality of teaching is evaluated, the school’s information on pupils’ progress, teachers’ plans and records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.  There were not enough responses to the online parental questionnaire, Parent View, to publish the results. However, the inspectors took account of a recent school questionnaire with over 150

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Information about this inspection

responses.  The views expressed by 55 staff who returned a questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Ronald Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Denise Dalton Additional Inspector Christopher Crouch Additional Inspector Enid Korn Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bordesley Green Primary School is much larger than the average primary school.  The proportion of pupils who qualify for the pupil premium is above average. This extra government money is provided to help certain groups. In this school it currently applies only to pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is well above average, and the proportion supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The majority of pupils are of Pakistani heritage and the proportion who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school is currently experiencing a lot of staff changes due to maternity leave and long term

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement across the school and particularly in Key Stage 1, by making sure all adults model and promote language and communication skills which allow pupils to understand and explain their work more effectively.  Raise the proportion of good and better teaching across the school by making sure that the quality of teaching is consistent, through the greater sharing of the existing good practice in the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children join the school with levels of skill and knowledge well below those usually expected for their age. This is especially true in terms of their language and communication skills. The youngest children make good progress and leave the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and knowledge below age-related expectations.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress between Years 1 to 6; and at the top of Keys Stage 2 progress is often outstanding. However, progress at Key Stage 1 is slower due to the pupils’ poor language skills, which is also why results in the 2012 Year 1 phonics check were much lower than those expected nationally. The school has begun to focus on the acquisition of language and communication skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, but this has not yet had sufficient time to improve pupils’ skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although by the end of Key Stage 1 standards are still below average, pupils’ progress overall is adequate from their low starting points. Progress in mathematics is good due to good teaching in this subject. Pupils often have the basic skills in English and mathematics but do not have the language skills to fully understand and explain their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 is broadly average and improving, as confirmed by the schools’ data and teacher assessments, and national test results. Pupils in Key Stage 1 have good mechanical reading skills, but their understanding of what they read lags behind. Pupils in Year 6, however, read fluently and their understanding is much better. They can also speak confidently and accurately. Many write with a depth and understanding above expectations. Standards in mathematics are high and this is a strength of the school. This was seen during a Year 6 lesson where pupils were challenged to prepare for the Year 6 prom. Working in pairs, pupils meticulously worked out the best costs of the vehicles, hotels and food needed, and had to explain their reasoning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Those who speak English as an additional language make progress in line with their peers in school. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs also achieve as well as their peers in school. They get good support from the other adults who work with them, as observed by inspectors both in lessons and in small-group work outside lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, mostly those known to be eligible for free school meals, make good and in some cases outstanding progress, especially in mathematics, and overall attain at a higher level than many other pupils nationally. These pupils make progress at a faster rate than pupils nationally and often outperform other pupils in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers generally vary their teaching methods well to adapt to the pupils’ interests and understanding, and they manage behaviour very effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All staff present excellent role models and provide consistent, extremely well-organised care and support, especially for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In all classes, teachers and the other adults who support pupils’ learning work closely together and have a good knowledge of individual pupils. Good questioning and discussion lift pupils’ confidence and so pupils are always prepared to try. This was observed during many lessons seen in the inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All staff are skilled in helping pupils to improve their work. However, teachers and other adults, particularly in Key Stage 1, do not always encourage and develop the pupils’ language and communication skills effectively. This means that progress in Key Stage 1 is slower and as pupils move into Key Stage 2 they have to catch up on their skills, before progress speeds up in Years 5 and 6.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Similarly at times, the pace of learning slows because teaching is inconsistent across the school as some teachers’ skills are not yet effectively developed by the sharing of the good practice in the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Nevertheless, because teachers provide a good range of practical learning opportunities, pupils really enjoy their time at school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Progress accelerates in Years 5 and 6 due to imaginative and engaging teaching. This was clearly highlighted in an excellent Year 5 lesson, linked to animal evolution. Pupils were asked to consider how they thought animals may evolve in the future and adapt to their environments. The teacher encouraged the use of the internet to source expert ideas as well as some more fanciful ones. However, pupils were not allowed to just ‘cut and paste’ work, as they had to make notes and later write up their theories in detail.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In an excellent mathematics lesson in Year 6, the teacher began the lesson with a mental mathematics test covering a wide range of skills and knowledge. They then moved into specific aspects based on the pupils’ individual needs. The excellent planning and use of other adult support and informative marking of pupil’s work, led to the pupils making outstanding progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are excellent. They are enthusiastic in class and engage in their learning well. The relationships in the classes are very good, and pupils work well together and with the adults around them. Any disruption to learning is extremely rare and there have been no exclusions in recent times.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have a very good understanding of personal safety and how to stay safe when using the internet. The school uses a range of outside agencies to make sure all the pupils’ needs are met and they have good community links which enhance learning further.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say behaviour is excellent and there is no bullying in the school. Parents and staff feel behaviour is managed well. The pupils are well aware of the school rewards system, and it is effective in fostering good relationships and promotes a positive feel within the classrooms.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school has worked hard to improve pupils’ attendance, which is now above average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils enjoy and benefit from taking part in school clubs, assemblies and other enrichment activities and visits, such as a number of sporting activities, visits to a range of local religious centres and other schools.  The pupils are very polite both to each other and adults alike. They are very curious about the world around them. They say they would recommend their school to others and the parent views expressed in a recent school questionnaire are also highly positive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are excellent ambassadors for the school and are very well prepared for the next stage of education, both academically and personally.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, assisted by the senior leadership team, is very ambitious for the school. Through detailed self-evaluation she has successfully identified the key issues facing the school. As a result of her leadership and management, the school has developed good overall effectiveness since the last inspection and clearly shows the capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The pupils are taught a broad and well organised range of subjects, providing equal opportunities for all groups of pupils including those who are disabled or have special educational needs. The school also provides pupils with outstanding spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It promotes a range of faiths, and recently-organised visits to various religious centres are a key part of their experience of the different cultures and religions in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff and governors undertake a wide range of training to support developments in the school and implement objectives identified through the management of staff performance. The returned staff questionnaires used as part of the inspection process showed that staff value the opportunities they have for further training and development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Feedback from parents shows that the school's communication with families is good and they feel involved with the school and their child’s education.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is a strong sense of teamwork and shared accountability across the school. The evaluation of staff performance is used successfully to link the school development plan to staff training and to hold teachers to account for the progress pupils make in their classes. Evidence seen during the inspection shows that this process has been highly effective in continuing to improve the quality of teaching. However, some staff do not have the opportunity to observe the good teaching in the school in order to improve their own practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders are given time to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subject. They lead staff meetings, give colleagues feedback from observations and evaluate the impact of interventions by analysing pupils’ progress data.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides light touch support for this good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils meet statutory requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is firmly focused on supporting, challenging and securing the future development of the school.  Governors undertake regular training, for example in monitoring safeguarding, scrutiny of school data and teaching. Close consultation with staff keeps governors fully informed about the quality of teaching and learning. This allows them to work effectively with the headteacher in making sure that checks on staff performance lead to improved teaching and greater progress for the pupils.  Governors receive regular reports from the headteacher, question her closely and hold her to account for the pupils’ learning. As a result, governors make sure that pupils’ individual needs are met and that extra funds, such as the pupil premium, are spent effectively, resulting in those pupils achieving as successfully as other pupils.  Governors visit the school often in checking and supporting the work of the school. For

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The leadership and management are good

example, governors know how to compare the school’s data on pupils’ attainments with those of other schools. With the staff, they are now improving the way they examine data about pupils’ progress.  The governing body strongly promotes close links with parents, all the local religious bodies and community groups.

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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 103172 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 400596

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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 682 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nasrat Shaheen Headteacher Carole Harris Date of previous school inspection 17–18 November 2009 Telephone number 0121 7721601 Fax number 0121 7535407 Email address enquiry@bordesgrn.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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