Fairhaven Primary School

Fairhaven Primary School Barnett Lane, Wordsley, Stourbridge, DY8 5PY

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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 make good progress across the school and some make exceptional progress.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics when pupils leave in Year 6 is above the national average.  Teaching is usually good with some examples of outstanding practice.  Teachers are skilled at planning work that meets the needs of the differing abilities and ages of the pupils in their classes.  Pupils behave well and feel safe. They are very polite, well-mannered and respect each other and the adults who care for them.  Pupils’ experiences are enriched by exciting activities linked to the range of subjects they study and also by the strong links with local schools and a school from a different area.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher give clear leadership that is valued by staff and governors. As a result the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching has been steadily improving since the previous

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

inspection.  Governors give strong support and also challenge leaders to make further improvements, particularly in raising standards.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not consistently make sure that pupils are clear about how to tackle their tasks by showing them what to do and so progress can slow.  When marking books, teachers give clear guidance about how pupils can improve their work, but do not always allow time for pupils to respond and so make further progress.  Pupils are not given enough opportunities to decide for themselves what they need to do to complete their tasks successfully.  Pupils rarely evaluate their classmates’ work and so develop their own learning further.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons and part-lessons. They were accompanied by the headteacher or deputy headteacher in five of the observations.  Meetings were held with staff, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and with pupils from Years 2 to 6.  The inspectors heard pupils read from Years 1 and 5.  Inspectors looked at the school’s development plans and monitoring files, the headteacher’s leadership files, and arrangements for the management of staff performance, and minutes of the governing body meetings. They also looked at the school’s records of pupils’ progress and evaluated work in pupils’ books. Inspectors also considered the 24 staff questionnaires that were returned.  There were 70 responses to the online parent questionnaire Parent View. Inspectors held informal discussions with parents and carers at the start of the school day. Inspectors also took note of the school’s survey of parent and carer views on the school website

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Inspection team

Jennifer Batelen, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Linda Brown Additional Inspector Dennis Brittain Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two Reception classes.  The majority of pupils in Key Stage 1 and 2 are taught in single year group classes but there are three mixed year-group classes of Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6.  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 below average. These include pupils with complex learning needs, behavioural, social and emotional needs and medical needs.  The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are

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Information about this school

looked after by the local authority) is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school manages a breakfast club. There is an after-school club run in partnership with, and located at, a local school that was not part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that pupils can make the best possible progress in all subjects by:  always showing pupils what to do so they are clear about how to tackle tasks  giving time for pupils to respond to teachers’ written feedback and so make further progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enable pupils to take increased responsibility for their own learning through:  identifying for themselves what they will need to learn to be successful in completing their tasks  extending the pupils’ skills of reflecting on and evaluating their own work to evaluating that of their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Reception class with skills typical for their age in mathematics, but with skills that are below those typical for their age in reading and writing. They make good progress in all areas of learning and are well prepared for Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils make at least good progress throughout the school in reading, writing and mathematics and an increasing proportion make exceptional progress in all three subjects. Unvalidated results from the 2013 assessments show that the progress of pupils in Year 6 has greatly improved, particularly in reading, and school information shows that this good progress is reflected in all year groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are clearly identified at an early stage and their needs assessed. Targeted support in groups or individually means that these pupils make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium make good progress in line with their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. The extra funding is used to provide additional adult support and to make sure that these pupils access the full range of activities that the school provides. Thus the school promotes equality of opportunity and ensures that no pupil is discriminated against. The attainment of eligible pupils is in line with that of other pupils in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Staff make careful use of school data to track pupils’ attainment and progress so that those pupils who may be falling behind are identified early and helped to make the necessary progress to catch up. As a result, any gaps in attainment are quickly closed. Equally, more-able pupils are identified and challenging tasks planned to make sure that they make the best possible progress and attain high standards.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Skilled teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make) has improved reading skills, particularly of the younger children. The Year 1 phonics screening check for 2013 showed pupils greatly improving on the previous year’s check and exceeding that found nationally for 2012. Reading volunteers make a strong contribution to helping pupils develop confidence and the skills to read unknown texts. Good use of adults during guided-reading sessions provides strong support to strengthen the reading skills of pupils across the school. Pupils in Year 6 told of how they enjoy the extension group they have to help them achieve the highest levels in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in mathematics because of the rigorous use of the correct language and teachers planning to use a range of mathematical skills within a single lesson. This was evident when Year 3 and 4 pupils used a Carroll diagram to sort multiples of three, further sorted into odd and even numbers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing skills are well developed across a range of subjects and most writing activities have a link to the topic currently being studied. Year 4 pupils used pictures of woodlands to develop their sentence writing skills, linking well to their topic of ‘Lost in the Wood’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations. Tasks are planned that challenge all pupils to move their learning on. Where teachers have excellent subject knowledge pupils are motivated and often absorbed in their learning. This was clearly demonstrated in a Year 6 French lesson where pupils understood, spoke and wrote simple and complex sentences about the sporting activities they like and dislike. Pupils told the inspector how they ‘love French’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In some lessons teachers do not demonstrate the tasks set, so that pupils do not have a clear idea of what is expected of them and how to tackle the activity. Sometimes, when this clear explanation is missed, pupils take a while to understand what to do and so progress slows.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons are well structured so that pupils are very clear about what they are learning and how this relates to what they have done previously. Pupils are very clear about the level they are working at and what they need to do to reach the next level. They know how the particular activity they are engaged in will help them achieve their target.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Clear checklists devised by teachers help pupils evaluate their work at the end of the lesson, against the well-phrased ‘Can I…’ question that starts their work. However there is little opportunity for pupils to think of what would make their learning successful themselves, and so take more responsibility for their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Similarly, pupils do not have the opportunity to use the checklists to evaluate the work of their classmates and so further develop their evaluation skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 All adults in lessons use skilled questioning to help pupils move on in their learning and also to make any adjustments necessary in order to manage any misconceptions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers accurately mark pupils’ work and provide development points. However, teachers do not always give pupils the time to respond to these comments and so chances for pupils to improve their own work and make further progress are missed.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Adults working in the Early Years Foundation Stage have a good understanding of the needs of young children. Tasks are planned that excite and motivate children both inside and outside. In a music session children were excited to perform their nursery rhyme, kept the beat well as they accompanied each other and enjoyed the opportunity to ‘conduct’ their friends’ performance. They developed their musical understanding through the use of the correct vocabulary and learning to play louder and quieter.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is typically good. They form strong and trusting relationships with each other and with all staff and say they feel very safe. Parents agree that their children are safe in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils thoroughly enjoy their learning and, as a result, are usually fully engaged in the activities and quick to respond to requests from their teachers. Occasionally, especially when they are not sure about how to carry out a task, some pupils take a while to settle or move from one activity to another and this slows the learning for them for that period of time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils move around the school and in the playground sensibly and safely. Good supervision and involvement of staff in activities at playtimes and lunchtimes makes these times safe.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Consistent behaviour management by all staff means that any pupils who may find it difficult to manage their feelings are helped to get on with others. The school works closely with outside agencies to support the very small number of pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable to access learning and manage their feelings.  Pupils feel that behaviour is good and that there is no bullying of any kind. They are confident that staff will deal swiftly with any problems that may arise. They are well aware of how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, such as road and fire safety and when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is consistently above average, reflecting pupils’ enthusiasm for and enjoyment of school. Access to the breakfast club, through the use of pupil-premium funding, has helped some pupils improve their attendance and be ready for their day in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The clear focus of the headteacher and deputy headteacher on improving achievement and raising standards, since the previous inspection, has inspired staff and governors to make changes and develop their particular roles in school. Clear, accurate and thorough checking of the work of the school leads to sharply focused improvement plans to raise achievement further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Phase and subject leaders appreciate how they have been supported to manage their roles and have a clear view of the strengths and areas to develop within their phase. They value the opportunities to develop monitoring skills and are keen to develop leadership skills further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The collection of information about pupil attainment and progress is an effective tool, used by all staff, to raise standards through quick identification of pupils needing extra support or further challenge. As a result the school has a strong capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Regular and accurate checking of teaching identifies where improvements are needed and makes sure that appropriate training is provided to develop teachers’ skills further. Alongside a thorough system of holding teachers to account through managing their performance, this means that teachers understand their responsibility for pupils’ progress and how this relates to pay progression.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils love learning about a range of subjects through topics which have exciting and imaginative ways of engaging their interest. Visits, visitors and surprise events increase pupils’ sense of wonder in what they are learning. Pupils in Year 2, who made sandwiches for the penguin as part of their study of ‘Ice World’, were enthralled by the penguin’s appetite - ‘he ate loads!’ Strong links with a school in a neighbouring authority help develop an understanding of the wider community of the United Kingdom and studies of different countries and faiths develop an appreciation of life in various parts of the world.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils enjoy a range of sporting activities and they and the staff appreciate the skills they develop through additional sports coaching and mentoring, now being funded through the primary school sports funding. They have plans to measure the impact of this work.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents value how the school keeps their children safe. They commented on the approachability of teachers so that they know how well their children are doing.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority gives light-touch support to this good school and this includes training that has equipped teachers to raise standards in mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is knowledgeable and has a range of skills that enables it to provide good support and understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors have an excellent understanding of how well pupils are doing compared with the national average, scrutinise school documentation, visit classrooms, talk to pupils and ask searching questions of the school leaders so that they know what the school is doing to bring about improvement. They know about the quality of teaching and understand the process of setting targets for teachers so that they can make sure that increases in pay and promotion are justified by pupils’ achievement. They know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance. They are well informed about how the pupil premium and sports funding allocation are used effectively to benefit pupils. They make sure that the school’s safeguarding procedures are exemplary.

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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 103786 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 426940

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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 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Miller Headteacher David Rowe Date of previous school inspection 9 November 2011 Telephone number 01384 818385 Fax number 01384 818386 Email address info@fairhaven.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

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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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