Pinfold Street Primary School

Pinfold Street Primary School Pinfold Street Extension, Darlaston, Wednesbury, WS10 8PU

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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 Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Weaknesses in pupils’ writing and mathematical skills hold back their progress. A substantial number of pupils find it hard to construct long sentences and paragraphs. Lower- and middle-attaining pupils often find it difficult to recall number facts in mathematics lessons.  Teaching, especially in Key Stage 2, is not consistently good enough to ensure pupils achieve well. Teachers do not always plan work which challenges all groups, especially the higher attainers, or ensure that time is well used. Sometimes, questioning is not used well enough to check pupils’ understanding or to develop their ideas. Marking is not consistently good.  Although attendance has improved slightly, it remains well below average. Some systems for working with parents to support pupils’ learning and secure better attendance are underdeveloped.  Some new leaders have not yet acquired the expertise to enable them to make a significant

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

contribution to checking and developing the school’s work and to improving pupils’ achievement.  Governors have an adequate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities. They have not yet developed the skills and in-depth knowledge of the school to enable them to be fully effective in holding leaders to account for the school’s performance.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher’s energetic and rigorous approach to all aspects of school improvement is working well. Recent underachievement has been eliminated and rates of pupils’ progress are improving steadily. Gaps in achievement between groups of pupils are reducing.  Staff are responding well to the new senior leadership. Aspirations for pupils’ progress have risen and the proportion of teaching that is good is improving.  Reception children get off to a good start and make good progress. This is now beginning to be reflected in the improved attainment of pupils in Key Stage 1.  Pupils’ behaviour is improving. Increasingly, pupils are enjoying their lessons and developing the skills to enable them to work confidently and independently. Pupils feel safe in school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 19 lessons taught by 18 teachers. Two of these lessons were observed with the headteacher and/or the deputy headteacher.  Samples of pupils’ work in English and mathematics were analysed. An inspector listened to some Year 2 pupils reading.  Meetings were held with school staff, a group of pupils, governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 20 questionnaires completed by staff and the 15 responses by parents to the online questionnaire (Parent View). Responses to the school’s own recent surveys of parents’ and pupils’ views were also analysed. An inspector spoke informally to a few parents at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the work in pupils’ books; monitoring records; school improvement plans; the school’s own data on pupils’ attainment and progress; and policies, procedures and records relating to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

Derek Aitken, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rowena Green Additional Inspector Cliff Mainey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools.  It changed its named from Pinfold Street Junior Mixed and Infant School to Pinfold Street Primary School on 1 September 2012.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (extra government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those who are looked after by the local authority and those from service families) is well above average. Currently there are no children of service families attending the school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion of those pupils supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  More pupils than is usually the case join or leave the school during the school year.

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Information about this school

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two Reception classes.  A before- and after-school club, ‘Scallywags’, operates on the school site. This club is privately managed and is subject to a separate inspection.  The headteacher joined the school in April 2012. In September 2012, a new deputy headteacher was appointed, the leadership team was expanded to include two assistant headteachers and new middle leaders for English and mathematics subsequently took up their posts.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to good or better by ensuring all teachers:  plan work that challenges all groups of pupils, especially the higher attainers, and use time well to enable pupils to learn at a brisk pace  make good use of questions to check pupils’ understanding and to develop their ideas  make consistently good use of marking to help pupils to improve their work  sustain the improvements in pupils’ behaviour and willingness to learn.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in writing and mathematics by:  placing increased emphasis on improving pupils’ skills to enable them to write coherent, full sentences and paragraphs  providing lower- and middle-attaining pupils with more opportunities to practise their recall of number facts in mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Find new ways to work with parents to involve them more systematically in their children’s education and to enlist their support in raising attendance to 95.6% by Easter 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  ensuring that all leaders other than the headteacher fully develop the expertise to enable them to make a significant contribution to checking and developing the school’s work and to raising pupils’ achievement  developing the capacity of governors to be fully effective in holding leaders to account for the school’s performance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Over the last year, improvements to provision have ensured a substantial improvement in rates of progress across the school and gaps in attainment between most groups of pupils have reduced considerably. Inconsistencies remain. Some lower- and middle-attaining pupils make slower progress in mathematics because they find it hard to recall number facts quickly to help them work out calculations in their head. Weaknesses in White British pupils’ construction of sentences and paragraphs often prevent them from expressing their ideas clearly and logically.  Children enter Reception with skills and knowledge which are well below those typical for their age. Consistently well-planned teaching ensures children make good gains in their learning and most children join Year 1 with slightly below-average attainment.  Rising rates of progress in Reception are now providing pupils with a more secure base for their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

work in Key Stage 1, where attainment has been significantly below average for many years. The attainment of current Year 2 pupils is broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ good progress over the last year is underpinned by enthusiastic teaching which encourages them to work hard and to become more responsible for their learning.  Lower-attaining pupils in Year 2 usually read accurately when stories are specially designed to practise high-frequency sounds. They sometimes find it hard to blend less familiar words in fictional texts.  Most pupils make the progress expected of them over Key Stage 2, but few pupils make better than expected progress, and attainment is below average by the end of Year 6. Last year, many pupils in Years 3 to 6 underachieved. The achievement of Year 6 pupils was partly affected by the high proportion of vulnerable pupils who joined the school partway through their education,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

some instances of poor behaviour and low levels of attendance.  Disabled pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs are well supported, and their achievement in English and mathematics is similar to that of the other pupils.  Most pupils across the school eligible for the pupil premium are currently attaining as well as their classmates. In 2012, eligible Year 6 pupils were working two terms below all pupils nationally in English and mathematics. They were in line with similar pupils nationally in English, but one term below in mathematics. They were approximately one term below their classmates in both subjects.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Over time, teaching across Years 1 to 6 has not been good enough to make sure pupils achieve well and securely acquire the range of skills they need to succeed by the end of Year 6.  Teachers do not always plan lessons carefully to ensure pupils learn at a brisk pace. In some lessons, pupils spend too long on undemanding activities. This was observed, for example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson and, as a result, pupils had less time to work independently and to apply their knowledge. On a few occasions, more able pupils have to wait for other pupils to catch up before they are given something else to do.  Staff have received recent training to improve their questioning techniques, but this is not yet a consistently good feature of their work. Opportunities are occasionally missed in Key Stage 2 to question pupils precisely and in sufficient depth to make sure they think hard and develop their understanding, especially of abstract ideas.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ writing journals show that teachers provide them with useful opportunities to widen their vocabulary and to practise their writing skills in other subjects. While teachers help pupils to improve particular aspects, such as spelling and punctuation, they have been less successful in ensuring older pupils write well-constructed sentences and short paragraphs.  Middle- and lower- attainers are often not prompted enough to recall and use numbers.  Teachers regularly mark pupils work and have established a useful dialogue with older pupils which enables them to reflect on their writing tasks in English and to think about what they need to do next. Teachers rarely provide pupils with good examples for them to practise sentences to improve their work and marking in mathematics often provides pupils with little guidance.  The teaching of disabled pupils, those pupils with special educational needs and pupils who

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

require extra help with their learning is mainly good. Staff are now making better use of data on these pupils’ performance to match work more precisely to their learning needs and to quicken their progress.  Reception children are taught consistently well. Staff make good use of resources, practical activities and questioning to hold children’s interest, to develop their self-confidence and to help them acquire new skills at a quick pace.  When teaching is good or better, it is marked by strong expectations for pupils’ progress and regular use of assessment to motivate pupils, to help them review their learning and to enable them to work confidently on their own.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement. Last year there were instances of poor behaviour, which disrupted some pupils’ education. A few older pupils are not keen to learn, as was shown in a Year 6 lesson where they were slow to cooperate with the teacher and to answer questions.  Responses in a recent parent questionnaire indicate that a significant proportion of parents are unsure about aspects of the school’s effectiveness, for example in managing their children’s behaviour. Some systems for promoting parents’ engagement in their children’s learning, for example through using parents’ expertise to enrich the curriculum, and in securing at least average rates of attendance, are underdeveloped. Although pupils’ attendance has improved this year, it remains well below average.  On her appointment, the headteacher took swift, decisive action to tackle misbehaviour, for example through the imposition of detentions, changing play-times and increasing the activities

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

pupils could take part in to make lunchtimes more enjoyable.  A new behaviour policy was introduced which is implemented consistently well by teachers, is respected by pupils and underpins good classroom relationships with staff. Detentions are now infrequent and pupils report that behaviour has improved.  Children settle easily into Reception and cooperate well with each other. Most pupils enjoy their lessons and work well with each other, for example during paired-partner routines. This is particularly evident in Key Stage 1, where teachers carefully practise with pupils the strategies they need to know in order to succeed when they work on their own. Most of these pupils work maturely, industriously and confidently on their independent tasks.  Pupils say they feel safe, including from bullying, and have an adequate understanding of how to stay safe in potentially dangerous situations. Pupils report that some pupils use inappropriate

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

language, but mainly as a ‘joke’ – although they recognise this can cause offence and lead to arguments. Pupils are friendly towards adults and are encouraged to take responsibility for each other’s safety, for example through acting as door monitors.  Case studies show that staff work well with outside agencies to support troubled pupils, including pupils who have been excluded from other schools, and to tackle any safeguarding concerns. This has led, in several instances, to improvements in pupils’ well-being and academic achievement.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Recent changes in senior leadership have not yet had a decisive impact in ensuring pupils achieve well across the school, especially in Year 6. Leaders other than the headteacher have not fully acquired the expertise needed to enable them to make a telling contribution to the evaluation of action plans and the improvement of pupils’ achievement in Key Stage 2.  The headteacher has a very realistic view of how well pupils are currently achieving. Much attention has been given by senior leaders to establishing robust systems, for example for analysing and using data on pupils’ performance to plan the curriculum and to direct resources. The school development plan is detailed but it has not been refined to focus on weaknesses in pupils’ skills and on the precise actions individual staff need to take to tackle them. Consequently, a few priorities identified at the previous inspection have not been tackled

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The leadership and management require improvement

effectively.  The headteacher, through her determination to seek the best for pupils and her rigorous, methodical approach, has quickly gained the confidence of staff and governors alike and raised aspirations. Ably supported by the deputy headteacher, she has taken several well-considered actions, such as redeploying staff to eliminate underachievement by improving pupils’ rates of progress and their well-being in school.  Increased rigour in the management of staff performance, coupled with successful new appointments to the teaching staff, are steadily improving the quality of teaching across the school.  The school promotes equal opportunities and tackles discrimination adequately. Individual pupils whose specific needs make them particularly vulnerable have benefited from pupil premium funding. This funding has been used, for example, to employ extra teachers and to provide after-school lessons for eligible pupils. The school’s most recent data show that this expenditure

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The leadership and management require improvement

is having a considerable impact on these pupils’ progress.  The curriculum is adapted more successfully to meet the needs of Key Stage 1 pupils than those of Key Stage 2 pupils, where measures taken, for example to improve boys’ writing, have yet to show sustained impact. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well through the school’s new mission statement and in lessons where topics such as apartheid, stories from other cultures and Chinese dragon symbols are explored.  The local authority has provided the school with various forms of useful support, most recently in working with senior leaders to help them settle in to their new appointments.  The governance of the school:  Governors ensure that the school fulfils its statutory duty for safeguarding pupils. They have an adequate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They understand the school’s priorities for action, but are largely reliant on senior leaders to decide these. They

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The leadership and management require improvement

have an approximate idea of how well pupils are performing in relation to pupils in other schools, but are not yet able to hold leaders fully to account for pupils’ achievement. Through visits and work sampling, they occasionally monitor the quality of teaching and learning. They understand and apply the link between the quality of teaching and pay rises for staff. They are aware of the strategies used to raise attainment for pupils eligible for pupil premium funding and can quote data to measure impact accurately.

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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 104176 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 400691

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 377 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Pearce Headteacher Sally-Ann Sinclair Date of previous school inspection 27–28 January 2010 Telephone number 0121 568 6366 Fax number 0121 568 8926 Email address postbox@pinfold-st.walsall.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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