Thomas Jolyffe Primary School

Thomas Jolyffe Primary School Clopton Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6TE

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Attainment is above national levels in Year 6, with an increasing number of pupils working at Levels 5 and 6 in English and mathematics.  Most pupils, including those who are more- able, are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their different starting points.  Pupils benefit from teaching which is typically good, with an increasing proportion that is outstanding.  Staff, parents, carers and pupils share a strong belief in the values of their school. They are proud to be part of it.  Pupils’ behaviour is good, both in lessons and around the school. Pupils feel extremely safe in school and are nurtured well.  Pupils are happy at school. Warm and trusting relationships underpin their enjoyment of learning. Everyone is included and respected.  The leadership team has managed the school successfully during a period of transition, ensuring that standards and teaching have

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

continued to improve, and is strongly supported by a knowledgeable and highly effective governing body.  Pupils have many memorable learning opportunities, including a wide variety of visits, performances and visitors to the school, which contribute strongly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The proportion of outstanding teaching is not yet high enough to ensure all pupils’ progress is rapid and sustained across all year groups.  Until recently, pupils’ progress at Key Stage 1 has been inconsistent, with few pupils reaching the higher levels.  Subject leaders are not always fully involved in checking the quality of teaching, pupils’ assessments and tracking pupils’ progress.  Teachers’ comments in marking do not always show pupils how they can improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons involving 14 teachers and two assemblies; five lessons were observed jointly with school leaders.  The inspectors held discussions with school leaders, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documentation including: improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils’ progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and samples of pupils’ work. They heard groups of pupils read and spoke with others about behaviour and safety arrangements at the school.  Account was taken of the 97 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the views expressed by those parents and carers who spoke with inspectors at the start of the school day or wrote letters.  During the inspection all children in the Reception classes were taking part in their induction into school. This involved half classes attending for morning sessions only.

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Inspection team

Michael Bartleman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Martin Mangan Additional Inspector Yvonne Watts Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils come from a White British background. Increasing proportions come from minority ethnic groups, the largest of which are from Asian and East European backgrounds.  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 or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for specific groups of pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals) is average.  The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of two full-time Reception classes.  The school shares its site with Clopton Nursery, a private provider, which is subject to separate inspecting and reporting arrangements.  There have been many staff changes since the previous inspection. The new leadership team

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Information about this school

was formed in January 2012 with the appointment of two assistant headteachers.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more teaching outstanding so all pupils make rapid and sustained progress, particularly in Key Stage 1 by:  teachers always matching activities in lessons precisely to pupils’ different abilities and needs  learning moves at a consistently rapid pace  increasing the level of challenge in lessons, particularly for more-able pupils, so more pupils reach the higher levels  ensuring that teachers’ comments in marking show pupils clearly how they can improve their work  fully involving all pupils in assessing their own learning and identifying their next steps.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further develop the roles of the leadership team, especially subject leaders, by:  giving them more opportunities to check on teaching and learning  ensuring all are fully involved in checking assessments particularly when children start school, at the end of Reception and at Key Stage 1  involving all leaders fully in data analysis, tracking pupils’ progress and monitoring school improvements.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Reception classes with skills slightly below those typical for their age. They are well taught and make good progress. Result in 2013 show that the majority of children are now above expected levels when they start Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the time the pupils leave at the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils attaining the expected Level 4 in English and mathematics is above average, and an increasing number of pupils attain the higher Level 5 and 6 and make more than expected progress. This means that the progress made by all groups of pupils, including those who are more-able, from their different starting points is good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s own data for 2013 show that attainment has improved at the end of Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Increasing numbers of pupils in Year 2, including those supported by the pupil premium, are making better progress than previously to reach above average standards in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Workbooks from last year show good progress and development of knowledge and skills over time across a wide range of learning activities and subjects. English and mathematical skills are developed well across all subjects and through problem-solving. Pupils’ progress in writing has improved rapidly throughout the school since the previous inspection.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has worked effectively to improve the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make). Results in the national phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 in 2012 and 2013 were above average for all groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in reading is currently above expected levels in Year 2 and in Year 6. Pupils have good opportunities to read for a variety of purposes in lessons and enjoy reading a wide range of books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make accelerated progress due to the additional support being well organised by the special educational needs coordinator and precisely meeting their needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide small group and individual support as well as enrichment opportunities. The school’s own data show that the attainment of pupils supported by the pupil premium in 2013 was the equivalent of one term behind their classmates in English and equal to their classmates in mathematics, which is an improvement on 2012 results.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and there are elements of outstanding practice where pupils’ next steps in learning are well met. Teachers plan imaginative activities that excite and motivate pupils to succeed. For example, during the inspection, Year 4 pupils undertook a mathematical investigation of a chess board which allowed much discussions and development of strategies.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The proportion of good and outstanding teaching is increasing well but needs to advance further to overcome past underachievement and slower progress in Key Stage 1.  Teachers have high expectations. Reading, mathematics, phonics and writing are taught effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the better lessons, relationships are strong and teachers and teaching assistants question pupils effectively securing good understanding. Good links are made with previous work and other subjects. Pupils have good opportunities to discuss and share their ideas with each other and use ‘steps to success’ to assess their work and improve it. However, this involvement of pupils in assessing their own learning and identifying next steps is not fully developed in all classes.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where teaching is less strong, teachers underestimate what pupils can achieve and assessment information is not used to plan tasks which challenge all pupils sufficiently. This means that tasks do not move pupils’ learning forward rapidly and time is not used effectively.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Although marking is regular, teachers’ comments do not always help pupils to improve their work, particularly in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils supported by the pupil premium receive well-managed help which enables them to progress as well as their classmates. The focus on individual needs also ensures that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are supported effectively and progress well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Evidence from last year’s ‘learning journals’ shows that teaching is good in the Reception classes where adults provide interesting activities which engage children well. Adults intervene at appropriate points to enhance children’s learning and regularly assess and record their progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is promoted well. Teachers and teaching assistants are successfully promoting the pupils’ knowledge of the sounds that letters make. The new reading systems adopted throughout the school, fully involving parents, quizzes and on-line challenges, motivate pupils well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is consistently good. Pupils have a great pride in their school and they have a great desire to learn, which contributes greatly to their good achievement as they get involved quickly in the learning activities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 School records confirm that pupils’ behaviour is good on a daily basis and has improved over time, although it is not yet exemplary because a few pupils find it difficult to manage their own behaviour, particularly when learning slows. All pupils respond well to the school’s reward systems.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Parents and carers have great confidence in the care that the school provides and pupils agree that they feel happy and safe in school. A parent or carer described Thomas Jolyffe’s as ‘a family friendly school at the heart of the community’. Virtually all parents and carers who responded to the online questionnaire, or spoke to inspectors, judged behaviour to be good and their children to be safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Discussions with pupils showed they understand about different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They said that, although squabbles may sometimes arise, there is no bullying in school and that, if it were to occur, staff would deal with it immediately.  Pupils show clear values of respect and tolerance of others. This is because these aspects are central to the school’s values and are well supported by the school’s motto of ‘to be the best we can be’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has close working relationships with a number of outside agencies to support pupils and their families whose circumstances make them potentially vulnerable. Attendance is consistently above the national average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Through a well-planned range of activities, including the ‘Taking Care project’, pupils are helped to develop strategies so that they are able to manage everyday risks for themselves, such as those associated with the internet, fire and roads.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection, the governing body and the new leadership team have continued to lead the school well during a period of transition with many staff changes which resulted in some slowing of progress and inconsistent assessments, particularly in Key Stage 1.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has managed the pace of change effectively so that there is a common sense of purpose and staff morale is high. There are clear and high expectations of all staff. The school is well placed to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new leadership team regularly check that all pupils are on track to make good progress from their starting points. However many subject leaders are new to their roles and are not yet having enough opportunities to check on the quality of teaching, pupils’ progress and to check that assessments are accurate.

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The leadership and management are good

 Regular lesson observations and a successful programme of training have ensured that most teaching is good, with an increasing proportion that is outstanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The performance of teachers is managed effectively. All teachers are held to account for the progress of children in their care. The link between salary progression and pupils’ achievement is understood by staff, and more is expected of those teachers on the upper pay scale.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination well which is reflected in the good achievement of all groups of pupils. There are no recorded incidents of harassment. Pupil premium funding is managed well so that eligible pupils make good progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s and assistant headteachers’ presence around the school is highly effective in cementing strong relationships. All aspects of pupils’ learning and achievements, both in and outside the school, are celebrated regularly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school’s ‘open door’ policy is greatly appreciated by parents and carers, who feel informed about, and involved in, their children’s learning particularly in the Reception classes, although a few expressed a wish for further information on their children’s progress. Transition into and out of the school is effective and well managed as was shown by the calm and purposeful environment in the Reception classes on children’s first induction day at school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Topics bring together different subjects in a way that the pupils describe as ‘fun’. Visits, including residential visits, sporting activities, performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company and local operatic groups, themed days and a good range of after-school clubs add further enhancement. Plans are in place to extend these opportunities further and to increase rates of participation using the primary sports funding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides regular support for school leaders and governors which has helped them to evaluate the school’s performance accurately and to develop a clear strategy to improve the school further. The school works effectively with a range of schools in the local area for teachers’ training although this has not yet been utilised for checking the accuracy of school assessments.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The well-trained governing body supports and monitors the work of the school effectively. Governors visit the school regularly to check on performance and they have a good understanding of the school’s performance data and how the school has improved. They provide good support to leaders because they are able to ask the difficult questions about how decisions will have an impact on pupils’ learning. The governing body is kept informed about how teaching is improving. This has led to good decisions being made on the rewards that teachers receive, the allocation of the school’s finances and the pupil premium, which it monitors effectively. The governing body carries out its statutory duties effectively, ensuring, for example, that procedures for safeguarding pupils are well managed, regularly reviewed and fully meet the regulatory requirements.

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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 125525 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 427007

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 353 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Turner Headteacher Michael Cocker Date of previous school inspection 19 January 2012 Telephone number 01789 267015 Fax number 01789 267201 Email address admin2052@welearn365.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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