Mapledene Primary School

Mapledene Primary School Mapledene Road, Birmingham, B26 3XE

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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.  Children make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes. Their good progress continues in Years 1 to 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  All groups achieve well in the school’s stimulating and happy atmosphere.  Teaching is good and pupils work hard. Pupils find their work challenging and interesting.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school is good.  Pupils are very polite to adults and to each other. They have positive attitudes towards their learning.  The headteacher’s ambition and drive to improve the school is enthusiastically shared by teachers. Leaders, including the governing body, successfully use training to improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally the pace of learning in lessons slows because introductions go on for too long.  Marking does not consistently show pupils precisely what they need to do to improve their work.  Progress is not as quick in mathematics as in reading and writing because pupils’ knowledge and recall of multiplication tables and their skills in solving mathematical problems are relatively weak.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed the teaching in all classes. They visited 28 lessons taught by 16 teachers as well as sessions for small groups of pupils or individuals led by teaching assistants. The headteacher joined an inspector for one of these visits.  Inspectors held discussions with pupils, the headteacher, teachers and the Chair of the Governing Body. The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors heard pupils read and looked at a range of evidence, including records of pupils’ progress, safeguarding documentation, behaviour logs and the results of the school’s checks on the quality of teaching. They also examined the work in pupils’ books.  The views of 19 parents, analysed through the Parent View website, were considered. The inspectors also took account of the views of 15 parents who talked to an inspector at the school gate and the views of several parents who wrote letters to the inspectors.

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Inspection team

Gerald Griffin, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lesley Voaden Additional Inspector Marian Driver Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The remainder come from a wide variety of minority ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils eligible for free school meals, those in care and those with a parent in the armed services) is well above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  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?

 Raise teaching and rates of progress to outstanding by making sure that:  the pace of learning does not slow during lessons  marking consistently provides pupils with detailed information about how they can make their work better.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve progress in mathematics by providing more time for pupils to:  learn and recall multiplication tables  practise mathematical problem-solving skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school with low levels of knowledge, skills and understanding for their age. They make good progress in all areas of learning in the Nursery and Reception classes to reach below- average attainment at the end of their Reception Year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 This year pupils have made better-than-expected progress in Years 1 to 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. The attainment of the current Year 6 is average, a marked improvement in mathematics over last year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards have risen in mathematics because teaching in the subject is now consistently good. Additionally, plans to improve pupils’ calculation and mental arithmetic skills have been successful. Pupils’ knowledge and recall of multiplication tables and their solving of mathematical problems remain weaker elements of their work because they are not given enough time to practise these skills. This means that progress in mathematics is not as rapid as it is in English.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enjoy reading and do so regularly. Attainment in reading in Year 2 is average. Pupils’ phonic skills (linking letters to the sounds they make) are improving quickly. The 2013 Year 1 phonics screening check results show pupils’ skills to be at last year’s average, a significant rise over the low results in 2012.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in writing in Years 1 and 2 has improved over the past two years. Pupils’ spelling, punctuation and sentence construction are more accurate and they better use vocabulary to express their ideas clearly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs concentrate well in lessons. They make similar progress to their peers because of good teaching, often in small groups, by well- qualified adults who know their needs well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Year 6 last year, the attainment of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium was three terms below their classmates in both English and mathematics. This gap is closing quickly and in the current Years 5 and 6 it is one term behind. In Years 1 to 4 the gap has closed. This shows the school uses pupil-premium funding well. For example, it is used to provide these pupils with help to catch up with work when they have fallen behind and to provide them with support to raise their ambitions and aspirations.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations. They plan work that deepens pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Relationships in lessons are very positive; pupils find their work challenging and engaging and, as a result, they are keen to learn and work hard.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good use is made of resources such as computers and educational games to explain ideas and develop understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ questions make pupils think deeply. Teachers use answers and observations of the class skilfully to judge if pupils are ready to move on to more difficult tasks or if further time is needed to consolidate understanding.  Test results are mostly used well to plan tasks that match closely the needs of all members of the class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Nursery and Reception, teachers plan an appropriate balance of adult-led and child- chosen activities both in the classroom and outdoors.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The typical brisk pace to learning sometimes slows and pupils’ attention wanders when activities, such as introductions or practical work last too long. It sometimes slows in Reception lessons when adults do not explain clearly enough what children need to do in their chosen work to make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan many opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. For example, in a recent piece of written work, older pupils reflected maturely on the dilemmas of building on playing fields.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants give valuable support especially to disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium. For example, they provide them with small yet challenging tasks which secure good progress while building their confidence and self esteem.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the best lessons marking and feedback provides each pupil with detailed advice about how they can make their work better. Pupils are also asked to repeat inaccurate work to show the teacher they have taken note of their help. This is not the consistent picture in marking across the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents spoken to and those who responded to Parent View confirm that pupils feel very safe in school. Pupils know precisely how to keep themselves safe, for example on the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 School records and discussions with pupils confirm that the good behaviour seen by inspectors in lessons and around the school is the norm. Occasionally pupils lose concentration and begin to chatter when activities last too long.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very polite and courteous, enjoy school and are very keen to learn. This is reflected in their improving attendance, which is average. They cooperate and work well together in groups.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 They readily accept responsibility. For example, older pupils are keen to be playground buddies for younger ones. Younger pupils happily act as book and register monitors.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, for example on the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying and understand its different forms, such as cyber bullying. They say that bullying is rare. Pupils are highly confident that any bullying would be quickly sorted out by the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders, including the governing body, have high expectations and set the school challenging targets.  Since the previous inspection, standards in English have risen and are now good. Furthermore, pupils are much more actively involved in lessons, for example in research. This together with the strong improvement in mathematics over the past two years shows that leaders’ plans are successful and that the school is well placed to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders make regular checks on teaching and the quality of learning. The follow-up from these successfully tackles weaknesses to improve teachers’ skills. For example, successful training has improved the staff’s teaching of phonics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Early Years Foundation Stage provision is well managed to see that children have a good start to their education.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents express positive views about their children’s happiness, progress and teaching at the school. A recent survey of 154 parents undertaken by the school showed that parents were overwhelmingly happy with the school. The school provides meetings that are well attended by parents, for example about reading, mathematics and preparation for examinations. These help parents to support their child’s learning at home.

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The leadership and management are good

 The help provided for pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable is very effective.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has made a valuable contribution in improving mathematics teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The way subjects are taught strongly promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, the school provides many opportunities for pupils to reflect on right and wrong and the impact of their behaviour on others. The school organises a wide range of clubs for its pupils. Leaders have identified that time is needed to strengthen the weaker aspects of pupils’ mathematics such as multiplication tables and problem-solving skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school completes all statutory checks on the suitability of staff to be employed. Leaders carry out child-protection policies rigorously.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have a clear commitment to combating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities. This is shown in the good progress made by all groups of pupils, from all backgrounds. The school fosters good relations with outside agencies and especially other schools to improve pupils’ life chances even more.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body ask searching questions of the school, for example about staffing levels. Governors make regular and accurate checks on the quality of teaching and pupil achievement to make sure they are improving. They see that the school is spending the pupil premium funding on those eligible for it and check how effectively the money is spent. Governors see that teachers’ targets are specific and challenging and that pay rises and promotion are linked with performance. They know what the school is doing to reward good teachers and to tackle any underperformance. Governors understand the information published about the school very well and are able to make accurate judgements about how well the school is doing compared to similar schools. They fully support staff training and are keen to improve their own skills.

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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 134094 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 413019

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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 345 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pat Brimson Headteacher Chris Faulks Date of previous school inspection 24 June 2009 Telephone number 0121 464 2881 Fax number 0121 464 6221 Email address enquiry@mapledeneschool.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

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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