Millfield Primary School

Millfield Primary School Coleshill Street, Fazeley, Tamworth, B78 3RQ

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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. It is not good because

 Pupils have not made enough progress in Key Stage 2 over the past three years.  In some classes teaching is not good enough to ensure pupils make rapid progress and achieve well.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils, especially the more-able ones, are capable of achieving.  Opportunities are missed to reinforce reading and mathematical skills through the teaching of other subjects.  Pupils who are supported by extra ‘pupil premium’ funding do not all reach the same standards as other pupils, especially in reading and mathematics.  Inconsistencies in marking and the use of pupils’ individual targets mean that pupils are not always clear about how to improve their work and reach the next level of performance.  Leaders and managers have not taken action quickly enough to stop the decline in standards in reading and mathematics.  The school’s self-evaluation is over-generous.

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The school has the following strengths

 Parents and carers are very supportive of the school, particularly the good care given to pupils and their families by the headteacher and all staff.  Children make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Behaviour in lessons and around school is good and sometimes exemplary.  Pupils feel safe and enjoy school.  The level of attendance is above average.  The school provides some exciting learning activities which motivate and enthuse pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes. They visited 24 lessons, two of which were observed jointly with the headteacher and one with the deputy headteacher. Playtimes, lunchtimes and assemblies were also observed.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, other staff, pupils, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 49 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and responses to the school’s own survey of the views of parents and carers, as well as three letters from parents. Inspectors also sought the views of parents through informal discussions at the start of the school day.  Inspectors checked pupils’ written work in a range of subjects and listened to pupils reading.  They looked at a wide range of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and plan for improvement; information on pupils’ progress and attainment; school policies; records relating to

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding, attendance and behaviour; and teachers’ planning of learning.

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Inspection team

Helen Morrison, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sajid Gulzar Additional Inspector Michael Onyon Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Millfield Primary is larger than the average primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is below average. The proportion of pupils at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average. Around a third of these pupils have speech, language and communication needs.  Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding for those eligible for free school meals, in local authority care, or with a parent in the armed services) is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards – the minimum standards set for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school provides a nurture group during some mornings and afternoons for 63 pupils who need extra help when learning in a larger group.

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Information about this school

 Independently managed before- and after-school care for pupils operates each day. These are subject to a separate inspection and report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently good and all groups of pupils make good progress by:  ensuring that learning tasks always build on what pupils already know and understand so that the work given is suitable for their differing abilities  setting more ambitious targets for pupils and ensuring marking shows the next steps in pupils’ learning to help them reach their targets  providing more opportunities for pupils to respond to teachers’ marking so they can improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in reading and mathematics by:  providing opportunities for pupils to use their reading skills in other subjects  making sure that more-able pupils have work that is hard enough to challenge them  providing extra help to pupils eligible for pupil premium funding so that they catch up with their classmates  ensuring that pupils regularly use their knowledge of numbers to solve mathematical problems in a range of subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership, management and governance by ensuring that:  the school’s self-evaluation provides a more accurate picture of the school’s effectiveness  information about pupils’ progress and teachers’ performance is used more rigorously to check that all pupils are achieving as well as they could.

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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 management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards at the end of Key Stage 2, having been well-above average in previous years, fell sharply in 2011 to average. Standards rose in 2012 though remained at the national average. Current work in pupil’s books and the school’s information about achievement show standards broadly similar to those achieved last year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ results by the end of Key Stage 1 have fallen over the last few years and they dipped below the national average in mathematics for the first time in 2012.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards in mathematics are improving, but lag behind those in writing because pupils do not have enough opportunities to apply their mathematical skills in problem-solving activities.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs varies from class to class. Observations of learning during the inspection show that, in classes where extra help is well-directed, these pupils make good progress because of well-chosen support from teachers and skilled teaching assistants. However, in some classes these pupils are given work that is either too hard or too easy.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012 pupils eligible for pupil premium funding were four terms behind other pupils in school in reading and mathematics and three terms behind in writing. This year the school’s leaders have spent the funding on extra support for these pupils. The school’s current data show that they are making accelerated progress and, consequently, the gaps in performance are closing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress is slower than in many schools and few pupils make more than the expected level of progress. As a result, the proportions of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 and Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2 are below average. Some of the more-able pupils are not given hard enough work and do not reach the highest standards of which they are capable.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children join the school with skills, knowledge and abilities which are typical of those expected for their age. They settle into school quickly, and make good progress in the Foundation class. For the last few years, they have joined Year 1 with a range of skills in all areas of learning which have been above those expected for their age, especially in writing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Action taken to improve pupils’ reading has rapidly increased their progress so that, although only a third of Year 1 pupils reached the standard expected in their knowledge of the sounds letters make last year, inspection evidence shows that these pupils, now at the end of Year 2, have reached standards in reading in line with those expected for their age. This year most Year 1 pupils have reached the standard expected in their knowledge of the sounds letters make.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Regular reading sessions are helping all pupils develop an enjoyment of reading so that standards are beginning to rise.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards in writing are higher than those in reading and mathematics. This is because pupils are given opportunities to develop their writing skills in other subjects. For example, as part of a topic on Tamworth, Year 4 pupils wrote convincing arguments for the use of land in the local area to provide a children’s playground.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is not yet consistently good enough to enable pupils to make good progress. In some lessons the teacher’s expectations are too low and work does not build on what pupils already understand and can do.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The marking of pupils’ work is not always rigorous enough. In some classes, teachers provide detailed and helpful comments which explain what pupils need to do to improve. In the best examples, such as in Year 6, pupils also respond to the teacher’s comments and this helps to move their learning forward, but this is not consistent across the school. Teachers do not always provide pupils time to respond to the comments.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In recent years teachers have not ensured that pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding have made enough progress. The funding is now used more carefully to give additional support, such as one-to-one teaching, to particular pupils. As a result of this teaching, these pupils are making faster progress than in previous years and the gap between the standards they reach and those of other pupils is closing.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs mirrors that for other pupils. Teaching assistants are skilled and provide careful, sensitive support but in some classes these pupils are given activities which either repeat work they can do or are too difficult.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is good pupils achieve well. For example, in Year 2 pupils were keen to contribute their ideas about Mexico and listened carefully to one another. The quality of the resulting written work was good because the pupils were engaged, the teacher modelled writing well and the pace of learning was brisk.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to provide interesting and exciting learning activities. Consequently, children make good progress. Children have plenty of opportunity to choose their own activities as well as more structured times in which they are taught in groups or as a whole class. Children enjoy using their skills in the role play area and book holidays for one another in their ‘travel agency’.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is good pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils are given opportunities to reflect on their own work and assess their progress in lessons. They work well together and show respect for the opinions and ideas of others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are proud to belong to the school. They show interest during lessons and are keen to respond to teachers’ questions.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite, treat each other with respect and their behaviour is good and often exemplary. Clear guidelines, consistent expectations and effective use of rewards ensure that pupils always know what is acceptable. No pupil has been excluded from the school in recent years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, including those supported in nurture groups, are helped effectively to manage their feelings and control their behaviour. The school has evidence of good improvements in behaviour over time for individual pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Concern for pupils’ welfare is a strength of the school and relationships between teachers and pupils are strong. Strong links with external agencies, together with staff who know their pupils well, help to give sensitive support to pupils and families whose circumstances make them vulnerable and who otherwise might not do well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying, such as persistent name-calling, relating to gender, race, disability or special educational needs, and cyber-bullying. They say bullying is rare and any instances are dealt with well, so they feel safe in school. They are also taught well about how to look after themselves out of school, particularly with regard to road safety and when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school ensures all pupils are included in its activities and has effective policies and procedures for tackling discrimination should it arise. The school’s records show no instances of racist name-calling in recent years. However, its drive to ensure that all pupils have an equal chance to succeed is not yet totally successful, as progress still varies between groups of pupils in school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school’s leaders reacted too slowly to the fall in standards in reading and mathematics because the school’s evaluation of its performance is not rigorous enough.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Initiatives to improve the quality of teaching, for example in reading, are beginning to improve pupils’ progress although their impact is not yet secure enough to ensure a consistently good quality of education throughout the school. Senior leaders have also planned carefully for further improvement, for example, dividing pupils into smaller groups for mathematics teaching based on pupils’ learning needs. The school demonstrates the capacity for further improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has implemented the national arrangements for checking teachers’ work and setting improvement targets. Senior staff check the quality of teaching regularly and although teachers are told where teaching is good and what they need to do to improve, these checks do not always link the quality of teaching with its impact on pupils’ progress. As a result areas identified for improvement are not always focused on helping pupils to learn more effectively.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The subjects pupils learn are organised around termly themes and this gives pupils exciting learning experiences which promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Provision for music and sport are strengths of the school and pupils achieve well in these subjects. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the wide range of visits and visitors they enjoy. However, they are not always given enough opportunities to use their reading and mathematical skills in their topic work and this slows progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Although advisers from the local authority have worked with the school, they have not secured a sustained improvement in pupils’ progress. The local authority has provided some training for staff but this has not had enough impact on improving teaching.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and senior leaders have a good understanding of the needs of the local community. Information given to parents and carers is good and they are overwhelmingly appreciative of the headteacher’s care and concern for pupils and their families.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is very committed to the school, takes a keen interest in its life and knows where the school needs to improve. There are effective procedures to safeguard pupils. However, governors were not quick enough to challenge the leaders over the decline in standards and to question the accuracy of the school’s self-evaluation. Governors understand the national information about the progress of different groups of pupils and are beginning to use this to challenge the school about its results. Governors are informed of the quality of teaching, and know how teaching effectiveness relates to pay and promotions, but as yet do not link this closely enough to pupils’ progress. The safeguarding of pupils is effective. Governors are aware of the way pupil premium money is spent and the impact this is having on these pupils.

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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 124081 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 413116

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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 405 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Bramwell Headteacher Paul Moon Date of previous school inspection 3 June 2009 Telephone number 01827 475010 Fax number 01827 475010 Email address office@millfield.staffs.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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