New Invention Junior School

School report New Invention Junior School Cannock Road, New Invention, Willenhall, WV12 5SA

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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.  Pupils learn well and make good progress due to well-planned and interesting lessons.  The quality of teaching is good; the improvements are due to the effective support and guidance provided by the school leaders.  Pupils have a good attitude to learning and enjoy learning. In the lessons they are clear about what they have to do to succeed. Marking is of a high quality; it clearly tells the pupils how to improve and requires them to respond to the teachers’ comments.  Behaviour has improved because the teaching is now good and the pupils value the rewards they get for good behaviour. Procedures for encouraging a high standard of behaviour are used consistently by the staff.  School leaders have effectively driven improvements in the school, with the support of the local authority, by regularly monitoring progress in a clearly defined action plan.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able learners are not always fully challenged in lessons.  Teachers do not always make the most effective use of teaching assistants.  Self-evaluation does not always focus closely enough on the progress of different groups of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 22 lessons, four of which were observed jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Inspectors looked at pupils’ work and heard some pupils read.  Meetings were held with pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and another member, a representative from the local authority and other members of staff with specific responsibilities.  There were 22 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and inspectors talked to some parents at the beginning of the school day. The lead inspector also considered three letters and one email received from parents. Inspectors also took account of 23 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s data on pupils’ progress, planning and monitoring documentation and records relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and the performance management of teachers.

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Inspection team

John Taylor, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Rowley Additional Inspector Steve Nelson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  A lower-than-average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding for looked after children and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals..  The majority of pupils are from a White British heritage, with the others coming from a range of minority ethnic groups.  The proportion of pupils whose first language is not English is lower than in most schools.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well below average.  About one in 20 pupils join the school after the normal admission times or leave before the end of Year 6.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding, by:  challenging and extending the most-able learners so they make even faster progress  teachers making more effective use of teaching assistants by being more specific how they are going to be used in lessons when planning  tracking more effectively the progress of different groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ skills on entry to the school are above those expected for their age. Pupils make good progress through the school due to the high proportion of good teaching. As a result, for the past two years, pupils have left the school with standards well above the national average.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, together with all other groups, make good progress due to close monitoring and the well-focused support from teachers and teaching assistants.  Achievement in mathematics is slightly stronger than English due to higher quality marking and tasks being more closely matched to the pupils’ needs.  In both English and mathematics, Year 6 pupils benefiting from the pupil premium were six months behind other pupils in that year group. The school has taken action to address this, providing a range of support which reflects the school’s strong commitment to promoting equality of opportunity. There is evidence that this has been effective at improving the pace of

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The achievement of pupils is good

learning for these pupils, and the gap is now narrowing.  Boys’ and girls’ achievement is broadly equal, girls doing slightly better in English and boys slightly better in mathematics.  The work in the pupils’ books shows pupils make good progress. They are given sufficient amount of time to practise their skills and respond to the teachers’ comments on how to improve their own work.  Older pupils read widely and often. They enjoy reading fiction and can draw inferences from the stories. Some of the younger, weaker readers do not always get enough targeted support to reinforce the skills required for reading, and to stop them falling further behind.  The provision of well targeted support for physical education through the use of specialist coaches is having a positive impact on the health and well-being of pupils.  A small number of parents replied to the online survey and they were mostly positive about the

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The achievement of pupils is good

progress their children made at school; other parents spoken to were far more positive.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Literacy and mathematics skills are very well developed in the lessons, and used across the curriculum.  Pupils make good progress due to the variety of interesting activities, brisk pace of lessons and teachers’ skills in adapting lessons to meet the needs of the pupils.  Teachers make good use of questioning to check understanding, and adapt the lessons accordingly. This results in most pupils having a good understanding of the subjects and making good progress.  In lessons, clear success criteria make sure pupils understand the purpose of their lessons and what they should be learning.  Regular high quality marking, especially in mathematics, tells the pupils how to improve their work. Marking is personalised; together with regular assessment, it is used to tell the pupils how they can improve their work. In subjects where pupils do not respond to the teachers’ comments, progress is slower.  Teachers have good knowledge over a wide range of subjects, which they use to answer

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The quality of teaching is good

questions from the pupils, add extra interest to the lessons and maintain the pupils’ engagement.  Most work is of an appropriate level, but the most-able learners’ progress is sometimes hindered because these pupils are not always sufficiently challenged and the teachers do not always have high expectations.  The school provides effective interventions at an early stage to ensure that less-able learners do not fall further behind.  Teaching assistants are well trained; however, in some lessons, teaching assistants are not given clear instructions on how to lead or support pupils during the whole lesson. This results in the progress of some pupils being hindered.  The quality of teaching is accurately monitored by the senior teachers, and accurate feedback is used to improve the teachers’ skills and pupils’ learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils value the rewards they can gain through good behaviour, and understand the sanctions that can result from poor behaviour. School records show that pupils’ behaviour has improved due to the consistent use of well understood procedures. There have been no exclusions in the past two years.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. Pupils are willing to contribute to lessons and want to learn. In the weaker lessons there are a small number of pupils who can become distracted from their learning, but they do not disrupt the other pupils.  Around the school the pupils are well behaved, courteous and respectful to adults. Pupils report some instances of name calling. They have confidence in the teachers to deal with the very few cases of bullying that occur.  Of the small number of parents who completed the online survey, a sizeable proportion had a negative impression of the pupils’ behaviour and how effectively the school deals with bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

However, the parents who the inspectors spoke to, and the staff, were more positive about these aspects.  The school has effective procedures for following up pupil absences and has taken robust action in some cases. This has resulted in attendance improving in recent years. However, there was a decline last year, partly due to the school remaining open during inclement weather.  Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe. They have had visits from the police, fire brigade and other agencies to tell them how to avoid dangers outside school. They have a basic understanding of how to keep safe when using the internet.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is good evidence that the school, now led by the newly appointed headteacher, has strong capacity to improve. The school has successfully addressed the issues from the last inspection report and has shown clear evidence of further improvements, based on accurate lesson observations.  The development plan is based upon accurate self-evaluation. It is clear about the priorities for the school, including when and how they should be achieved. It also shows that progress has been regularly monitored and clearly evidenced. However, it is not sufficiently detailed in its analysis of the progress of different groups of pupils to ensure resources are deployed most efficient and effectively.  Middle leaders are effective at leading their areas; they are aware of the actions needed to bring about improvements. They monitor the quality of teaching well and ensure the consistency of assessment so that the school is confident in the accuracy of its tracking of individual pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

progress.  There is a robust system for managing teachers’ performance. Setting targets for teachers, to improve their work, has been clearly linked to improving their teaching and the pupils’ learning. Appropriate training is used so teachers develop their teaching skills. There is evidence that underperformance has been tackled and this has resulted in an improvement in the quality of teaching. Leaders are aware of the need to link teachers’ performance to their salaries.  Good systems are in place to support newly qualified teachers and ensure they quickly become familiar with the school’s policies and know how to improve their teaching so they quickly become effective teachers.  The local authority has provided good monitoring and support to the school, which has helped the school address key areas for development and improve the pupils’ progress.  The curriculum is broad and balanced; it has been adapted to address the needs of the pupils,

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The leadership and management are good

by establishing an additional class in Year 3 to support transition from the infant school. In the mornings, pupils go into the classrooms before the start of lessons and quietly start to work under the supervision of the teachers. This creates a calm start to the day and positive learning behaviours for the first lesson.  Partnerships are well used to develop ‘Wow’ projects to start each term. The whole school work on a single topic for the first two weeks enthuses, engages and motivates the pupils.  The primary school sports funding is used well to hire specialist sports coaches who run sessions before, during and after the school day. The aim of this is to increase the number of pupils’ taking part in competitive games with other schools and increasing the health and well-being of the pupils.  Staff are very positive about how well the school is led and managed. They have a more positive view than the small number of parents who completed the online questionnaire.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding is robust and meets statutory requirements, and evidence shows previous incidents have been dealt with swiftly and effectively.  The governance of the school:  The governors have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are well informed about the pupils’ levels of attainment and progress, and check things out for themselves during school visits. They have an accurate view of the quality of teaching; they are aware that underperformance has been addressed and know that teachers’ performance must be linked to their salaries. They closely monitor the school’s finances and have a clear picture of the school’s financial situation. They are aware of how the pupil premium funding has been used and are starting to gather more information about its impact on the progress these pupils make. The governors are already challenging the school’s new leaders to ensure improvements continue.

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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 104192 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 426953

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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 Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 336 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Beverley Lloyd Headteacher Alan Pearson Date of previous school inspection 8−9 November 2011 Telephone number 01922 710376 Fax number 01922 491091 Email address postbox@invention-j.walsall.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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