Joseph Cash Primary School

Joseph Cash Primary School Owenford Road, Radford, Coventry, CV6 3FS

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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

 Too little teaching has been good in the past and so pupils’ progress has not been consistently good until this year.  Fewer pupils than nationally made better than expected progress in reading and mathematics until this year.  Teaching has improved but there are still inconsistencies in how teachers use assessment to plan tasks that meet the needs of all abilities in lessons.  Teachers do not always check quickly enough in lessons that pupils working on their own understand what they are doing and so adjust tasks if they are too easy or too difficult.  Teachers write clear comments on pupils’ work to guide them on what to improve. They do not always then give them the time to make improvements or check that they have done so in their next piece of work.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school has a positive atmosphere where pupils grow in confidence and develop high self-esteem.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. They have very positive attitudes and enjoy school.  The headteacher and governing body have successfully eradicated previous inadequate teaching. Much of the current teaching is good because of the steps they have taken.  Progress has improved with more pupils making better than expected progress this year.  The school supports disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs well and so they make consistently good progress.  Children in Nursery and Reception make good progress because of continued good learning and teaching since the previous inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 25 lessons taught by 16 teachers, including two lessons observed with the headteacher. In addition, they made a number of short visits to lessons.  The inspectors looked at past and current information about pupils’ progress and at pupils’ work in books and on display. They heard a number of pupils read in lessons.  The inspectors looked at documents relating to behaviour and safeguarding, the school’s information about what is going well, and its improvement planning.  The inspectors met with small groups of pupils to talk about their learning and to find out what they thought about the school. Inspectors also met with staff, with three members of the governing body and with a local authority representative.  The inspectors talked to parents informally at the start of the day and took account of responses in the most recent parent survey carried out by the school. They did not take account of parents’

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Information about this inspection

views in the online questionnaire (Parent View) because there were too few responses to display the results.  The inspectors took note of 36 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Georgina Beasley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rosemary Barnfield Additional Inspector Michael Thomas Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Joseph Cash Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Pupils are from a number of different backgrounds with White British and Pakistani being the largest.  A high number of pupils speak English as an additional language with 35 different languages currently spoken in school.  A high proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children in local authority care, and those who have a parent in the armed services. No pupil in this school has a parent in the armed services.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The number of pupils who join and leave the school after Reception and before Year 6 is well

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Information about this school

above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards (the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Speed up the progress of pupils across the school so that a greater proportion of pupils make faster than expected progress over a sustained period of time by:  providing challenging tasks for all pupils so that all groups of pupils make consistently good progress in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the quality of teaching and learning so that it is consistently good or better by ensuring all teachers:  check pupils’ understanding in lessons and adjust tasks if found to be too easy or too difficult  give pupils regular opportunities to make the improvements in response to teachers’ comments on their work.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress requires improvement because too few pupils have made faster than expected progress until this year in reading and mathematics. The school’s concerted drive to tackle weaknesses in teaching has resulted in faster progress this year for all groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Despite stronger teaching, pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics remain below average at the end of Year 2. The proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in last year’s Year 1 phonics check was close to the national average. The proportion reaching the expected standard has risen this year. Younger pupils have a secure knowledge and understanding of letters and the sounds that they make to help them work out unfamiliar words.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment has risen from previously significantly below average levels. Standards at the end of Year 6 are now average in reading, writing and mathematics for all groups of pupils including White British, Pakistani pupils and those who speak English as an additional language. An average proportion of pupils are reaching above average levels this year which is a significant improvement on previous years.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress and attainment of pupils who receive the pupil premium vary each year depending on the number of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and the number of pupils who join the school at different times during the year. In some year groups including in last year’s Year 6, they are behind by about a term while in others they are ahead. Pupils in the current Year 6 have closed the gap and are reaching the same levels as pupils who do not receive the funding in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children in Nursery and Reception make good progress from starting points well below those expected for their age. The children’s personal, social and emotional development is good. Children are curious and enthusiastic learners by the time that they start in Year 1. Every child shares toys and other equipment and quickly learns to take turns and join in amicably with each other’s play. Fewer children than nationally reach age-related levels in all other areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the good support that they receive from teachers and other adults who work in the classroom. A good proportion make faster than expected progress and some reach average levels by the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who join the school in year groups other than in Nursery and Reception and who are at the early stages of learning English make rapid gains in their English to help many of them close the gap with their classmates by the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils use their good computer technology skills to support their learning well in a range of subjects including design technology, science and art. Speaking, listening, writing and problem- solving skills in mathematics have improved this year as pupils’ progress begins to strengthen.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Historical weaknesses in the quality of teaching are still reflected in the slower progress over time of some year groups. Fewer pupils than nationally exceed expected progress.  Lessons are planned to build on what pupils know and can do but tasks do not always meet the range of different abilities in classes. Teachers and adults who work alongside them in the classroom give good additional explanations and support to help pupils that they are working with to learn if they are struggling. They do not always check early enough in lessons that pupils working on their own understand what they are doing and then make the necessary changes if tasks are too easy or too difficult.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Much of the teaching is good this year. Inspectors observed good teaching in every class. Some outstanding teaching was also observed.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and give positive comments on what pupils’ have successfully achieved. Guidance on how pupils can improve are generally clear and specific but pupils do not always have enough time to respond to teachers’ comments and make the improvements.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 When teachers and adults work with pupils in small groups or individually, they always ask questions that guide pupils’ thinking and encourage them to think for themselves how to complete tasks or to ask questions for themselves to extend their learning. This helps them use and apply their learning to their next piece of work, especially in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes is good. Listening and speaking skills are taught well through well-planned games and activities that encourage the children to explore what they are doing and to talk about what they are doing and why. Adults join in with the learning which helps the children to explore and to concentrate for good periods of time.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Relationships between adults and pupils are very positive and so pupils ask questions confidently if they know that they do not understand and are confident to have a go even when they find tasks difficult.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well. The school logs any lapses in behaviour in detail and steps to improve the behaviour of those involved in any incident are successful. As a result, while there is still a small number of incidents, the number of exclusions has fallen significantly since the previous inspection. Most parents who responded to the school’s survey and who spoke to inspectors agree that behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school. Topics interest pupils and as a result they have very positive attitudes to learning. They work diligently in lessons and are keen to please their teachers with good work. As the year has progressed, pupils’ presentation of their work in books has improved.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils play well together at playtimes and lunchtimes, sharing toys and equipment and inviting others to join in with their games. Pupils act sensibly when moving around the school, holding doors for adults and each other if they are the first to get there.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school. They understand the different kinds of bullying including cyber-bullying and are careful to treat each other kindly and respectfully. Pupils confirm that incidents of bullying have occurred but are now extremely rare. They know and understand how to stay safe when searching for information online and think carefully about the impact their actions and behaviour will have on themselves and on others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are learning to be good citizens through the school council and eco-committee work for which the school has recently been awarded a coveted ‘Green Flag’. Pupils’ respectful attitudes are reflected in their good manners and the caring way that they all care for the school’s attractive and well-looked-after grounds.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Although still below average because of a few families who fail to send their children to school regularly, attendance has improved strongly since the previous inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has been relentless since her appointment in her drive to improve the quality of teaching. Through a mix of relevant and rigorous training and robust performance management, all previous underperformance has now been tackled effectively so that much of the current teaching is good or better.

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The leadership and management are good

 Successful appointments since the previous inspection have improved the leadership of learning in all subjects, across all year groups, and for disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those who are at the early stages of learning English. Good leadership is resulting in strong and more rapid improvement this year. Good leadership in Nursery and Reception have been sustained. All staff now work well together to check learning and to take immediate action to halt any dips in progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has detailed information about pupils’ progress which it shares with teachers so that they know the pupils in their classes well. The school’s leadership meets regularly with teachers to discuss every pupil in every class and identifies specific support to ensure all pupils do not slip behind.

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The leadership and management are good

 Equal opportunities are promoted well and discrimination tackled effectively. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are all included fully in lessons and all activities. Opportunities for more-able pupils are more effectively promoted this year. pupil premium funds additional staffing to support learning and ensures eligible pupils take part in all enrichment activities and events.

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The leadership and management are good

 Themes and subjects promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Regular camping, ‘forest school’ activities, clubs and outdoor pursuits motivate pupils’ learning back in the classroom. The breakfast club gives pupils who attend a positive start to the day.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has supported the school well in its drive to improve the quality of teaching by providing training for staff and supporting the school’s actions to tackle underperformance. Local authority staff meet regularly with the school to evaluate how well it is doing and to offer further advice and support to the school’s leadership including governors.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is proactive in supporting the school’s numerous new initiatives to raise pupils’ achievement. Members know the school well because of regular visits to school. All governors have attended relevant training to ensure that they have the necessary skills and expertise to hold the school to account. Governors use the information it receives about pupils’ progress to check with rigour that resources and money are making the expected difference to pupils’ learning, including those allocated through the pupil premium. It also uses the information to make decisions about pay and promotion, and is quick to act to improve any teaching requiring improvement.

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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 103673 Local authority Coventry Inspection number 400642

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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 404 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rachel Hickingbotham Headteacher Judy Ryan Date of previous school inspection 29 June 2010 Telephone number 024 76594851 Fax number 024 76601799 Email address admin@josephcash.coventry.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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