Lyng Primary School

Lyng Primary School Horton Street, Lyng, West Bromwich, B70 7SQ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 Pupils do not make consistently good progress in Years 1 to 6, particularly in mathematics.  Teaching assistants in Years 1 to 6 are not always used effectively, especially at the beginning of lessons.  Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to improve their speaking skills, particularly their ability to explain their thinking and reasoning.  There are not enough planned opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical skills in other subjects.  Information about the progress and attainment of different groups of pupils is not analysed and acted on quickly enough to ensure that they make good progress.  The responsibility for leading and managing the school and for ensuring pupils achieve well is not shared widely enough with leaders of subjects and key stages.  The governing body does not have a clear understanding of information about pupils’ progress, which limits its ability to check

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

effectively how well the school is doing.

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The school has the following strengths

 The relatively new headteacher has lost no time in establishing a clear direction for the school and beginning to address key areas of improvement.  The focus on reading and writing has resulted in improved progress in these areas.  The effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage in ensuring that children have a good start to their learning has been maintained from the previous inspection.  Effective routines have been quickly established to improve pupils’ behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons taught by 15 different teachers, and held meetings with governors, staff, groups of pupils and a representative of the local authority. Four joint lesson observations were conducted, two with the headteacher and two with the acting deputy headteacher.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at planning documents, monitoring records, assessment data and pupils’ work. They also inspected the breakfast club which is managed by the school.  Inspectors took account of 11 responses to Parent View (the online questionnaire) together with the school’s own survey of parents’ and carers’ views, and 44 responses to the staff questionnaire in reaching their judgements about the school.

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Inspection team

David Shears, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Rodney Braithwaite Additional Inspector David Bray Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Lyng Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils in receipt of the pupil premium, which is extra government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children and other groups, is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is below average, and the proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils who arrive or leave other than at the normal starting points is higher than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this school

 The school has had a large turnover of staff since the last inspection. The headteacher was appointed to the post in June 2013 and there is currently an acting deputy headteacher. A substantive deputy headteacher has been appointed for January 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the progress of pupils so that it is consistently good or better in Years 1 to 6, particularly in mathematics, by ensuring that:  teaching assistants are used more effectively, especially at the beginning of lessons  pupils have more opportunities to develop their speaking skills and their ability to explain their thinking and reasoning, especially in mathematics  there are more planned opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical skills in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:  information collected about the progress and attainment of groups of pupils is rigorously analysed and used to make sure that all groups make at least good progress in their learning  leaders of subjects and key stages are given greater responsibility and accountability for checking the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility  the governing body is able to use information about pupils’ progress and attainment both in the school and nationally to become more effective in checking how effectively the main areas for development are being addressed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because the progress pupils make in Years 1 to 6 is inconsistent. In some classes it is good while in others it still requires improvement, particularly in mathematics. Due to the disruption in staffing, attainment fell in 2012. However, in most years, attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 has been broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The skills and knowledge that children have when starting school in the Nursery have declined since the last inspection and are now well below those typical for their age, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development and in their communication and literacy skills. Children make good progress. In particular, staff recognise the need for children to develop their personal skills and provide good opportunities for them to engage with adults and other children. For example, in one lesson children were learning to communicate with each other by using role play to enact what might happen in a doctor’s surgery.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In Years 1 to 6, the progress of pupils in English has improved in the majority of classes due to the school’s focus on this area. This is because pupils are given helpful experiences to engage them in their learning. For example, in one lesson pupils were given the experience of listening to an air-raid siren in a darkened classroom as a stimulus for helping them to explore their feelings and writing about them.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress pupils make in mathematics is not as strong as in English, although there are examples of better progress in some classes. For example, in one class all pupils made good progress in understanding how to find the percentages of different amounts. However, more typically, progress requires improvement because there are not enough opportunities for pupils to explain and communicate their mathematical understanding and reasoning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language and those from minority ethnic groups is improving in line with other pupils in the school. This is also true for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs and for higher-ability pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils, who are known to be eligible for extra support through the pupil premium, make similar progress to other pupils in the school. In 2012, these pupils were three terms behind their peers in English and four terms behind in mathematics. However, information about the progress of pupils currently in the school shows that these pupils are beginning to close these gaps in attainment.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who arrive during the school year settle quickly. While their attainment overall is below that of their classmates, they quickly begin to make similar progress to their peers.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement, because it has not been consistently good in all classes since the last inspection. While it is now quickly improving, it is still not yet good enough, particularly in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants are not always used well enough, particularly at the beginning of lessons. Sometimes, this is because they do not have a clearly identified focus in supporting a particular group, limiting their effectiveness in helping to ensure good progress during this time.  While there is a good focus on children developing their speaking and listening skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage, pupils’ speaking skills are not always developed further in the rest of the school to enable pupils to explain their thinking and reasoning, for example when explaining how they have tried to solve a number problem in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There are regular opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills in other subjects. However, not enough opportunities are planned for them to practise their mathematical skills outside of their numeracy lessons.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are given appropriate support that enables them to make progress although the school recognises that, although it is improving, this is not yet good enough, particularly in mathematics. Higher-ability pupils are sometimes challenged well in lessons, but this is not consistent in all classes.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils who are at the early stages of speaking English as an additional language and their families are given effective support so that they quickly feel a part of the school family and start to develop their understanding of the English language. Similarly, pupils who arrive during the school year are welcomed and supported to ensure that they are able to access learning at the appropriate level for them.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Lessons are characterised by positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils know what they are going to learn in lessons, and teachers plan work that will gain their interest. Pupils have regular opportunities to assess for themselves how well they think they have learnt, and they are able to look at each other’s work and give helpful comments about what is good and what could be improved. Similarly, teachers’ marking is consistently effective in giving praise and identifying how work could be developed further.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has acted quickly to improve the behaviour of pupils by establishing a clear system for rewarding good behaviour and dealing with unhelpful behaviour. All pupils have a clear understanding of the school’s behaviour code and say that it is fair. Consequently, they report that behaviour has improved a lot in all areas of the school. Most parents, carers and staff agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes and enjoy their learning. They are eager to learn and enjoy participating in lessons. In the vast majority of lessons seen, the positive outlook of pupils made a good contribution to learning. Just occasionally, where teaching required improvement, a few pupils became passive rather than active learners.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in the playground and enjoy joining in active games. As part of the new funding for physical education, there are more activities for them to engage with and to encourage further physical exercise.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a clear understanding of what bullying is and say that, although it has happened in the past, this is no longer an issue. They know that adults will intervene if there are any problems and so they all feel safe. They also know how to keep themselves safe, for example when on the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The breakfast club provides a safe and happy environment for pupils to enjoy spending time together. This helps pupils to have a good start to their day and prepares them well for lessons.  The rate of attendance is broadly average but is showing signs of improvement. The school has clear procedures in place to check attendance, such as contacting parents and carers on the first day of absence. The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is below average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The leadership and management of the school require improvement because there are a number of key staff who are relatively new to their roles and need further development. Both subject and key-stage leaders have not been given enough responsibility for rigorously checking the progress of pupils in their areas.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Information about the progress of pupils is collected and individual progress is checked. Extra individual support is given to pupils who are at risk of falling behind. However, there is not enough emphasis on the progress of different groups and so opportunities are sometimes missed to adapt teaching in order to ensure that all groups of pupils make good progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders have a clear vision for the school, demonstrated through a clear development plan that has the right priorities and clearly outlines how improvements are to be made. In particular, the headteacher has managed a difficult period of staff turbulence well, and parents and carers report that they have renewed confidence in the effectiveness of the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There has been a clear focus on improving the quality of teaching, which is having a positive impact on the increasing amount of progress that pupils are making, particularly in reading and writing. The school has identified the need to focus on improving progress in mathematics. Information about the quality of teaching is used to make decisions about teachers’ pay.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The money allocated to support pupils who are in receipt of extra funding through the pupil premium is managed well in a variety of ways, such as giving extra support in lessons. This has resulted in these pupils making improved progress.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school checks to see that any discrimination is quickly tackled and eliminated. However, its drive to ensure that all pupils have an equal chance to succeed is not yet fully successful, as progress still varies between year groups and between English and mathematics.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school caters well for the wide variety of need, both in terms of personal development and learning. In particular, the school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through a variety of subjects and assemblies. Moreover, the focus on physical education, while having an impact at lunchtimes, is also supporting the teaching of physical education for pupils in Years 3 to 6 and for extra-curricular activities after school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding arrangements meet current government requirements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided a good level of support for senior leaders in addressing staffing difficulties.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is very supportive of the school. It recognises the difficulties that the school has faced and is rightly confident that these are being addressed. The governing body is well informed about the use of extra funding through the pupil premium grant and the impact that this is having. While they are informed about staffing costs they are not sufficiently aware of how these relates to the performance of teachers. The governing body is given information about the progress of pupils, although their understanding of these data and how they compare with schools nationally is under-developed, limiting their capacity to check progress effectively. Links between the governing body and parents and carers are improving.

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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 103968 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 426944

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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 429 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pastor David Marsh Headteacher Andrew Fowler Date of previous school inspection 9–10 February 2012 Telephone number 0121 5531480 Fax number 0121 5802066 Email address andrew.fowler@lyng.sandwell.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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