Wollescote Primary School

Wollescote Primary School Drummond Road, Wollescote, Stourbridge, DY9 8YA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Outstanding leadership and management have played a key role in the school’s rapid improvement since its last inspection.  Children get an excellent start to their education. They make outstanding progress in their Nursery and Reception Years.  Achievement is good. Pupils’ make good progress in lessons because of improved teaching.  Attainment in English and mathematics has risen steadily and continues to improve due to teaching that is often outstanding in these subjects. Attainment is now average.  Teaching in all classes is at least good and some is outstanding. Teachers match work very closely to pupils’ previous achievements so pupils are confident to take the next steps in their learning.  Pupils’ attitudes to school and to learning are exemplary. They show delight in their achievements and independence in taking the next steps in learning.  Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

during assemblies and at break times. They feel very safe in school and this is helping to improve their attendance and punctuality.  School leaders frequently carry out detailed checks on the quality of teaching and learning. High-quality advice on how teachers can improve their teaching, particularly in English and mathematics, has helped establish a strong record of improving any teaching that was not good enough.  Senior leaders rigorously hold teachers to account for the achievement of pupils in their classes using robust evaluations of progress for all groups of pupils.  Governors are exceptionally well informed in matters relating to school performance. They are very knowledgeable and use their deep understanding of education to set highly effective levels of challenge to school leaders.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Very occasionally, a few teaching assistants do not demonstrate good skills in fully engaging with pupils during whole-class teaching time.  High-quality guidance for teaching and learning in English and mathematics is not yet applied in other subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 29 lessons and saw all teachers teach. Four lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and evaluated the quality of work in pupils’ workbooks. They heard pupils of different ages and ability read.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, the headteacher and other senior leaders. An inspector met a group of pupils, and other inspectors talked informally with pupils.  There were insufficient responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for them to be published. Parents’ views and their involvement with the school, including before their children join the school, were ascertained through a range of discussions, and evidence provided by the school was reviewed.  Questionnaire responses from 42 members of staff were analysed.  A range of school documents was scrutinised, including policies for safeguarding, records of staff

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Information about this inspection

training, the school self-evaluation document and school improvement plans, results of the school’s monitoring of teaching, tracking of pupils’ progress and lesson planning.  Inspectors examined records of behaviour and attendance.

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Inspection team

David Speakman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Janet Watts Additional Inspector Helen Owen Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This two-form-entry school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  There is a 39-place nursery and children attend part time.  The large majority of pupils come from a Pakistani background. A few are White British and other pupils come from other minority ethnic backgrounds.  A very large majority speak English as an additional language and a significant number of these are at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is similar to other primary schools. This is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children in the care of the local authority.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average. An average proportion is supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs. A significant number of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are hearing impaired.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in staffing and in school leadership. Nine teachers have left the school, eight teachers have joined. One teacher has lead teacher status and one teacher has Local Authority moderator status , two staff have joined the senior leadership team and a number of highly qualified teaching assistants have joined the school.  Governance has been strengthened through the appointment of a local leader of education, and a senior member of the local authority has become an associate member of the governing body school improvement committee.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is a lead early years’ setting for the local authority.  At its last inspection in November 2011, the school was removed from special measures.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching to raise pupils’ achievement further by:  sharing the outstanding practice already in school to enhance teachers’ and teaching assistants’ expertise so they fully help pupils to learn  applying the school’s guidance on teaching and learning which support outstanding teaching in English and mathematics to other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children make excellent progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly in developing their ability to communicate and in their personal development. They join the Early Years Foundation Stage with low attainment and, by the end of the Reception Year, standards are almost average. Adults talk to pupils a great deal which helps children learn to communicate quickly and develop self-confidence. Children engage in interesting conversation, talk about their ideas and learn very effectively through working and playing with other children.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement throughout Key Stages 1 and 2 is good and has improved since the last inspection because of improved teaching. It is not yet outstanding because older pupils, particularly, are still making up for inadequate achievement when the school was in special measures and there was too much inadequate teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 At the end of Year 2, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is average. Attainment in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 has risen sharply this year; it was below average in 2012, but is now broadly average. Standards are set to rise further because pupils in all year groups are making faster than expected progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Results from national tests in Year 1 to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) exceed the national average because phonics is taught well from a very early age. Pupils use a range of strategies to read unfamiliar words. They recall stories and facts from books and talk about what they have read with understanding. Pupils enjoy reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language are taught using the English language from the time they join school. They soon become skilled in using English and become confident in communication during the early years. This forms a very secure base on which they make further good progress through the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils achieve well. The proportion of pupils in Year 6 achieving the higher levels in 2013 increased when compared to the number who gained the higher level when they were in Year 2, showing good progress. The most-able have done better in 2013 than in 2012. The proportion reaching the higher Level 5 is greater than in previous years and an average proportion have been assessed at the highest possible Level 6 in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because work is matched closely to their individual needs. Expectations for learning are high and staff set work which moves these pupils on quickly. The skilled support from staff and the use of sign language help hearing-impaired children communicate effectively from a very early age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils supported through pupil premium funding make good progress. The school is successfully closing the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils in the school. In 2012, pupils in Year 6 supported by the pupil premium reached standards in English and mathematics that were about a year behind the others. In 2013, the gap has reduced to about a term.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lesson observations, records of pupils’ improving progress and the school’s checks on teaching show that teaching has improved greatly since the last inspection. The significant increase in the amount of good and outstanding teaching comes from highly focused monitoring and evaluation of teaching and a robust ‘coaching’ programme through which teachers continuously improve their teaching skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is outstanding, particularly when teachers lead groups of children in language and mathematics development. During child-initiated learning, they set out a wide range of activities linked to the development of children’s skills, such as their communication and language, and encourage independence. They are always ready to intervene when necessary to ensure children’s learning is focused and rapid.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers set excellent role models for their pupils. They maintain strong relationships with pupils, based on respect. They praise achievement when deserved and provide constructive support when pupils find difficulty in learning. Consequently, pupils behave courteously, strive to improve their work and show respect for others. Through interesting activities they develop positive attitudes and a love of learning which aids their progress well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use their knowledge of what pupils have already learned to set challenging work for pupils at all levels of attainment. Tasks are matched accurately to each pupil’s capability, including that of the most-able, so pupils can learn confidently and often independently.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking of pupils’ work provides pupils with effective support and guidance by helping them understand exactly what they need to do to move to the next level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers use questions effectively to check what pupils have learned and understand. Teachers then amend the pace of learning, helping pupils move on quickly when they are ready or revising work if they are finding difficulty.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning and progress, including for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. They are generally knowledgeable and know when to intervene. However, there are infrequent occasions when they are not fully engaged with pupils, particularly when the teacher is addressing the whole class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is not yet outstanding because the sometimes outstanding teaching seen in English and mathematics is not yet reflected in the teaching of other subjects and pupils’ achievement is not yet outstanding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ excellent attitudes to school and learning support strongly their good and sometimes outstanding progress in lessons. They are consistently high across the school. They try to do their very best because they have learned to have high expectations of themselves. They set about their learning tasks with enthusiasm, taking on a great deal of responsibility for their own learning. They contribute very enthusiastically to lessons, answering and asking questions confidently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour in lessons, during school assemblies and at break times is excellent. Pupils speak highly about behaviour in school and say their learning is only very rarely interrupted by minor incidents of low-level disruption, such as ‘banging the drum too loudly in music’. There have been no incidents of pupils not being allowed to come to school because of poor behaviour in the last two years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They have a good understanding of the different types of bullying and know what to do if they ever need help. Pupils say bullying is seldom known in this school and they are confident that any incidents would be dealt with quickly and effectively.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance has improved in the last two years and is now in line with the national average. Pupils are punctual to school as robust procedures to discourage lateness are strictly applied.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Outstanding leadership and management have led to excellent improvements in key areas of the school’s work since it was last inspected. A relentless drive to overcome the legacy of underachievement from when the school was subject to special measures has led to improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, pupils’ achievement and standards, and their behaviour.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 School leaders and staff share an exceptionally high level of ambition for the future of this school. They have put in place rigorous arrangements for the frequent checking of teaching and pupils’ progress, which have resulted in eradicating any teaching that was not at least good and increasing the proportion of outstanding teaching.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The four phase leaders (leaders of the Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1, Years 3 and 4, and Years 5 and 6) and subject leaders support the headteacher and deputy headteacher by taking on a great deal of the monitoring and evaluation of standards and quality within their areas of responsibility. Within the senior leadership team, focused plans for ongoing improvement in teaching are devised every three weeks. These plans are monitored by phase leaders and their impact is evaluated. Regular feedback to teachers is central to ongoing improvement in the quality of the school’s provision.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders provide excellent opportunities for training to improve teaching through their own ‘coaching’ process. This has resulted in the rapid improvement of teaching and the training of staff in aspects of leadership. As a result, leading and managing the school is a strong team effort, and there is always someone with the necessary skills to step in when necessary. A few teaching assistants feel the school could provide more training for them.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders have simplified and standardised curriculum planning to ensure the teaching builds systematically on pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding from year to year and to support teachers in their planning. There is an appropriate emphasis on English and mathematics, with detailed guidance for teachers. Leaders are now set to roll out similar advice across other subjects. There is a rich physical education programme, and professional coaches are brought in to teach specialist physical activity while teachers have their time for planning and preparation. The curriculum makes good provision for music, drama and the arts.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 There is strong provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is an important factor in their excellent behaviour and attitudes to school. There are many opportunities for reflection, and pupils support a wide range of charities, developing an understanding of world problems. The school adopts a multi-faith approach, maintaining good relations with both the church and mosque, and pupils get on very well with each other within the school’s mixed ethnic profile. Pupils are well aware of citizenship; Young Rotarians and Citizenship Awards develop pupils’ social understanding well.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school works well with other schools. This is seen in the Early Years Foundation Stage being designated as a lead setting for the local authority. The lead teacher supports staff who visit the school from other settings. There are now plans for her to go into other settings to assess how improvement can be achieved within their specific circumstances.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has an accurate view of the overall effectiveness of the school, having established a strong level of support to help move the school out of special measures, and is now focusing on ongoing improvement. The local authority now provides less support as the senior leadership team is highly effective. A senior member of the local authority has become an associate member of the governing body school improvement committee and is, therefore, fully aware of the school’s progress.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Governors work exceptionally well with the school leaders at all levels. They are pro-active in tackling difficult issues identified through regular monitoring, and their support for the headteacher has helped eradicate any inadequate teaching.  Governors are regular visitors to the school and gain a good knowledge of how well teachers are doing through first-hand experiences and through the discussions with senior leaders. They are knowledgeable, and their professional expertise gives them a thorough understanding, for example, of assessment data. This means they are fully aware of how well the school is doing and how the achievement of pupils compares with other schools.  They have high levels of expertise and challenge senior leaders on school improvement. They set clear targets in managing the performance of the headteacher and staff, making sure teachers’ pay increases link to competence. They have managed the performance of teachers

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The leadership and management are outstanding

to help eradicate any under-performance, resulting in significant changes in staffing.  They make sure statutory requirements are met, including for safeguarding.  Governors make careful financial decisions, having recently received a judgement of excellent for their financial management. They ensure that funding from the pupil premium is used well in supporting pupils who qualify. They are clear on how they intend to allocate the new primary school sports funding, especially to improve pupils’ capability in swimming, and know how they will evaluate the use of this funding on pupils’ physical 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 103800 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 426941

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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 416 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Christopher Fonteyn Headteacher Joanne Quigley Date of previous school inspection 28 November 2011 Telephone number 01384 818500 Fax number 01384 818501 Email address jquigley@wollescote.dudley.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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