Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant School

Deykin Avenue Junior and Infant School Deykin Avenue, Witton, Birmingham, B6 7BU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

 Teaching does not challenge all pupils to make good progress. Pupils’ progress is inconsistent and requires improvement.  The work that teachers set does not always stretch more-able and some middle ability pupils, and activities are not carried out at a demanding pace. Pupils do not have enough opportunities to check their own and other pupils’ work.  Some pupils do not read as confidently as they should and struggle to use the sounds that letters make to read unfamiliar words.  The quality of handwriting and presentation, the basic skills of spelling and the use of grammar vary depending on the quality of teaching. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to extend and improve their writing in a range of subjects.  Leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching do not consistently focus closely on pupils’ progress.  School improvement planning does not have clear enough goals, milestones or success

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This is a school that requires improvement

criteria so that the school leaders, including governors, can check how effective their actions are. As a result, improvements in teaching and learning have been rather piecemeal.

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The school has the following strengths

 Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, because teaching is good and the learning environment is stimulating.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs get good support and make good progress throughout the school.  Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils’ understanding of safety is good.  The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, of which two were seen jointly with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher. In addition, inspectors listened to pupils read.  There were too few responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View) to draw conclusions about parents’ views of the school. Inspectors took account of the results of a previous survey conducted by the school.  Thirty-six questionnaires from staff were analysed during the inspection.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, a representative of the governing body and with school leaders.  Inspectors looked at many documents including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current and recent progress; planning of work in different subjects; leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning and records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding of pupils.

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Inspection team

Steve Nelson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Wendy Hanrahan Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller-than-average primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those who speak English as an additional language is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those that are looked after) is well above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There are breakfast club and after-school clubs, which are organised and managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better to further increase pupils’ progress and raise attainment by:  ensuring that work is always set at the right level for the more-able and middle ability pupils  giving pupils more opportunities to work on their own and to check their own and each others’ work  increasing the pace in lessons so that pupils spend the majority of their time on activities  helping pupils who struggle with reading to be more confident in their use of letters and the sounds that they make when reading unfamiliar words  providing pupils with more opportunities for extended writing and ensure there is a common expectation for handwriting, spelling and grammar.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the impact of leadership and management on pupils’ achievement by:  including more precise goals, milestones and success measures in the school improvement plan so that these can be used to carefully check the impact of any actions taken  making sure that the monitoring of teaching has a closer focus on pupils’ progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The standards attained by pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, at the end of Year 6 are typically below average in the national tests. Given the pupils’ starting points in Year 1, their attainment is not as high as it could be and achievement requires improvement. In mathematics, in 2012, most pupils made the expected progress and a good proportion made faster progress. However, the number of pupils making the expected progress in English did not compare as favourably with the national figure.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ current progress in writing this academic year is adequate, however it is not as quick as it could be to ensure that they achieve well. Standards are rising in reading in Key Stage 2 because guided reading sessions are improving pupils’ comprehension skills. However, some lower attaining pupils lack confidence in reading unfamiliar words. Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to produce extended pieces of writing. Pupils’ written work at times is untidy with inaccurate use of grammar and spelling.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ mathematical skills are improving. They are increasing becoming skilled and confident in numeracy because the teaching of calculation is more effective. They have good knowledge of number facts and enjoy solving practical mathematical problems.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because teachers and other adults support them very well in lessons and provide work and learning materials well suited to their specific learning needs.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Middle ability and more-able pupils do not always make the progress of which they are capable. This is because at times the work given to them does not stretch them to think hard.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012, the attainment of pupils supported by the pupil premium, in English and mathematics, was below that of other pupils in the school and their national counterparts. In English they were about three terms behind their classmates and four terms behind in mathematics. School evidence indicates that, as a result of the sustained extra help provided for them, they are now making up some of the lost ground and the attainment gap is starting to narrow. They are making the progress expected of them but it is not yet good.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children enter the Early Years Early Years Foundation Stage with a range of skills that are below those typical for their age, particularly in communication and language. Because teaching is consistently good, they make good progress across all areas of learning and are well prepared for Year 1.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Despite the action of school leaders in securing some improvement, the quality of teaching remains inconsistent and there are variations in teachers’ expectations. In some lessons the work set for middle and more-able pupils does not stretch them enough and it is not sufficiently challenging.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In some lessons the pace is too slow and teachers spend too long going over work already learned, or explaining the task ahead. This limits the time available for pupils to work on their own and results in learning being consolidated rather than extended.  Teachers’ marking is accurate and provides clear guidance on what must be improved. However, pupils are not sufficiently involved in checking their own or other pupils’ work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the most effective lessons teachers plan work that is matched to pupils’ capabilities and all pupils are given activities that get the best out of them. They ask searching questions that get pupils thinking about, and recognising how much they have learnt. For example, in a Year 6 lesson the teacher asked probing questions to challenge pupils to explain their understanding of Greek culture.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Other adults make a good contribution to pupils’ learning in lessons, particularly for those who find learning difficult. They work well to support less-able pupils to keep up with the pace of lessons. By using teaching resources and questioning effectively to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The school accurately identifies any additional learning needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language. This ensures they make the progress expected of them, however, their progress is not consistently good across the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is consistently good in the Early Years Foundation Stage and this means the youngest children learn at a good rate. Adults work well as a team to plan a wide range of exciting activities indoors and outside, which engage children’s interest and support their learning effectively. Independence is encouraged and children develop good social and communication skills.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils, parents and staff think that behaviour is good and the inspectors agree. Pupils are polite, friendly and are keen to learn. Their attitudes to learning are good. Pupils work well together and support each other effectively in lessons. Pupils have good relations with each other, and pupils from different backgrounds play happily and enjoy each other’s company at break times. The school is a tolerant and harmonious community.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say that they feel safe in school and that adults in school can be relied upon to deal with any ‘falling out’. They have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe in different situations, for example, when using the internet. Pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying such as name-calling and cyber-bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Lunchtime activities are particularly well organised by adults who act as excellent role models. Adults organise and coach games such as cricket and arrange talent shows that pupils enjoy and participate in fully.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most pupils come to school regularly and on time. The school monitors attendance and punctuality closely. The school is taking the right action to work with parents of children with low attendance to make them aware of the benefits of regular attendance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Until recently, the actions taken by school leaders have not had a strong enough impact on pupils’ progress and attainment. Leaders and managers know what needs to be done to improve achievement. However, school improvement planning is not robust enough. Plans are not sharply focused with clear goals, milestones and success criteria so that school leaders, including governors, know how effective their actions are.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Appraisal arrangements are in place. Leaders give clear feedback to teachers on how to improve and check improvement against this feedback in follow-up observations. However, leaders’ monitoring of teaching sometimes does not sufficiently record the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There is strong teamwork and high morale across the school. The headteacher is strongly supported by the staff who are striving to develop their skills further. The school ensures that there is no discrimination and actively and successfully promotes the key values of inclusion, respect and tolerance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils enjoy the interesting and exciting topics they study such as the Romans, Africa and the Caribbean. The work helps pupils to gain an understanding of their own and other cultures. This and the wide range of visits and educational visits to nearby places of interest and the breakfast and after-school clubs develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority keeps a close check on the performance of the school and has provided appropriate and measured support. It has encouraged links with other schools so that good practice can be shared to improve the work of the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have an increasing knowledge about the school’s performance compared to other schools and how well different groups of pupils achieve. They challenge the school to improve further. Performance management is satisfactory. Teachers’ pay levels are determined by how successful they are in helping pupils achieve well. Governors find out about the quality of teaching and learning through visits to classes. Governors carefully monitor the school’s finances, including the extra funding for eligible pupils and how it is helping them to achieve better. They assess their own training needs to get the best balance of skills to help the school. Governors fulfil their legal duties to make sure government safeguarding requirements are met. They ensure that the before and after school provision is well managed and activities

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The leadership and management requires improvement

help to promote pupils’ personal development effectively.

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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 103313 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 412531

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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 206 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Hill Headteacher Janet Edwards Date of previous school inspection 16 November 2009 Telephone number 0121 4644460 Fax number 0121 4644461 Email address head@deykinav.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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