Hawbush Primary School

Hawbush Primary School Hawbush Road, Brierley Hill, DY5 3NH

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils from all backgrounds and different ability levels leave the school having made good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The highly effective systems for managing behaviour mean that pupils feel safe and are able to learn in a calm and caring environment.  Teachers ask searching questions in lessons to check pupils’ understanding and to move them on in their learning.  The good teaching of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) means that pupils quickly become keen readers and develop a love of books from an early age.  Pupils show pride in their school and are courteous and respectful to their teachers, to visitors and to each other.  The high quality of teaching, resources and leadership in the Early Years Foundation Stage means that children make a good start to their education at Hawbush.  The headteacher and leadership team have brought about steady improvements in the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

past three years in achievement and the quality of teaching.  Teachers make good use of detailed information about how well pupils are doing in their lesson planning, and this has a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.  The governors of the school have a good understanding of its strengths and help to make sure that any underachievement is swiftly tackled.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not yet make consistently good progress in every year group.  Pupils, particularly the most able, do not always have the opportunity to explore a wide range of subjects in enough depth to give them the very best start at secondary school.  Teaching is not always sufficiently varied or imaginative, and not all teachers set tasks that encourage pupils to manage their own behaviour and complete their work without assistance and frequent prompting.  Not all teachers make good use of marking and feedback to help pupils improve their work.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons, six of which were seen together with the headteacher or the deputy headteacher. In addition, the inspection team looked at pupils’ work in their books and listened to them read.  There were meetings with groups of pupils, senior leaders, and representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  Inspectors talked to parents at the start of the school day and considered the 12 responses to a staff questionnaire. There were not enough responses to show results in Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, but inspectors took account of the school’s own recent survey of parents’ views.  The inspection team examined: the school’s own data on pupils’ recent and current progress; planning and monitoring documentation; records relating to behaviour and attendance; and documents relating to safeguarding.

p.2

Inspection team

Richard Boswell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Richard Kentish Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Hawbush is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below the national average and the vast majority of pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for certain groups such as pupils in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is above average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Six places are reserved in the Nursery for children within the local authority who have special educational needs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve achievement by ensuring staff with leadership responsibilities regularly check that:  pupils are making progress at the same good rate in each individual year group, particularly in Key Stage 2  the full range of subjects is explored in depth so that all pupils, and particularly the most able, are fully prepared for the next stage in their education.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more teaching outstanding in order to raise pupils’ achievement further by:  making sure that marking is consistently helpful across all subjects  encouraging all teachers to follow up the advice they give pupils in their books and in class, and discuss with them how best they can improve their work  providing more imaginative and creative activities in all subjects, particularly in Key Stage 2  giving pupils regular opportunities to work independently, manage their own behaviour and complete their work unprompted.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the school with skills and understanding that are well below those expected for their age. With the help of good teaching, and attitudes to learning that become increasingly positive, all groups of pupils leave the school having made good progress.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 In the Nursery, children immediately begin to develop their skills, as well as learning to work and play together, both on their own and in activities led by teachers and support staff. Children receive specialist support from well-trained staff who understand their needs, so they quickly gain in confidence and make good progress.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 In Reception, children make good progress. In their social development they learn to take turns, to listen to each other and to work well as a group. They develop good physical control from balancing and climbing to holding a pencil and making marks. They make rapid progress in their ability to communicate and use language skills and begin identifying and writing letters and practising the sounds they make (phonics). The varied use of both indoor and outdoor activities means that the children are consistently engaged and enjoy their learning.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is good overall. In the last two years, the school’s results in the Year 1 phonics check have been well above the national average. Any pupils who are found to be performing less well are given additional support and make rapid improvements.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 In Key Stage 1, results in reading, writing and mathematics have seen steady improvement and have been broadly in line with averages over time, despite pupils’ low attainment on entry to the school. In Key Stage 2, standards were in line with averages in 2011 and 2012 and broadly in line in 2013.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is not outstanding because their progress is not consistently strong in all classes across Key Stage 2. There are not always sufficient opportunities for pupils, especially the most able, to pursue topics in the depth needed for them to excel in all subjects.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium has been similar to or better than that of other pupils. All of them made expected progress in 2012 in mathematics, and in both 2011 and 2012 in English. The school has used the funding to provide additional resources and to allow these pupils time to work in smaller groups supported by teaching assistants. The gap between their standards and those attained by other pupils in the school has narrowed over the last three years. In 2013 the Year 6 results showed that they were 11 months behind other pupils in English and six months behind in mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 The school’s commitment to equal opportunities and tackling discrimination is also evident in the achievement of disabled pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs. These pupils make good progress and are particularly well supported both by classroom teachers in lessons and by skilled and caring support staff in one-to-one and small group sessions.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall, and the teaching of reading is a particular strength. Pupils are encouraged to handle and enjoy books as soon as they enter Nursery. This is followed by expert teaching in Reception and Key Stage 1, with priority being given to pupils learning to read. This love of books and reading is promoted by various strategies including the ‘Every Child A Reader’ programme, in which weaker readers are given individual support.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers show that they have high expectations of their pupils and plan lessons, particularly in English and mathematics, that meet the needs of all groups of pupils in the class. All teachers are aware of the pupils eligible for the pupil premium in their classes, and make sure that work is adapted to bring their standards in line with those of other pupils.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The most able pupils are frequently given work that they find challenging, and pupils’ books shows that all pupils have appropriate targets and are making good progress over time. Teachers expectations are shared by support staff, who are well briefed by teachers to play an active role in raising achievement in lessons. However, pupils do not always have the opportunity to explore all subjects and topics in equal depth and this sometimes hinders the progress of the most able, for example in history and geography.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are skilled in asking searching questions in lessons in order to move pupils on in their work. They generally respond well to the pace of the pupils’ learning and depart from lesson plans where necessary in order to consolidate or accelerate progress. This ‘conversation’ between teachers and pupils about their work is not so evident, however, in the marking of books, and feedback to pupils is not used consistently across year groups and by all teachers.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers cater well for pupils who have special educational needs and this leads to them making similar progress to other pupils. For example, in a Reception lesson the early forming of letters was taught outstandingly well through a lively ‘brain gym’ exercise. The teacher used a range of resources and physical objects to allow all pupils to access the activity.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 In the best lessons pupils are able to make choices about their learning, and to become more independent in their work. For example, at the end of an outstanding Year 1 dance lesson based on their reading book The Gruffalo the pupils spoke excitedly to their teacher and then to an inspector about the animal movements they had chosen. Their literacy skills developed well as they chose advanced vocabulary to describe their dances. However, not enough lessons include this kind of imaginative activity or allow scope for pupils to manage their own behaviour and develop outstanding attitudes to learning.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 This is a welcoming and supportive school that seeks to serve the whole of its community. For example, there are six ‘enhanced’ places in the Nursery for children who have special educational needs. These children make good progress thanks to specialist support, and are well integrated with other children in the Nursery to the benefit of all.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff sometimes face isolated instances of challenging behaviour by individual pupils but these are dealt with promptly and the school uses excellent systems for managing all pupils’ behaviour and ‘raising their sights’. The focus is kept very firmly on learning and the most vulnerable pupils are able to continue to make progress.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The physical well-being of pupils is given a high priority. They develop very positive attitudes towards diet and exercise, and this was evident in discussions with pupils at lunchtime and in the high quality of physical education they receive. The school has chosen to use the primary school sports funding to develop its relationship with the Albion Foundation, linked to West Bromwich Albion Football Club. This provides expert coaching for all pupils in a wide range of sports throughout the week.  Pupils show great pride in their new school and treat their environment, their teachers and their classmates with respect and courtesy. Behaviour is good overall. Instances of misbehaviour are few and quickly resolved so that the learning of others is not disrupted.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe at school and speak of it as a secure and welcoming place where they want to be. This, along with incentives and close cooperation with parents, has helped to improve the rate of attendance, which is now broadly average. The pupils are aware of the dangers of cyber bullying and other types of bullying, and the importance of protecting their identity on the internet.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour and safety are not yet outstanding because pupils have yet to show exceptional attitudes to learning, such as a readiness to work independently of the teacher and research topics in depth for themselves.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers are quick to identify issues when they arise, produce detailed plans and take swift action. They then precisely measure the effect of this action on the progress pupils are making in their work. These are key reasons for the improvements the school has made, and demonstrate the impact of senior leaders on achievement and the quality of teaching.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The staff’s strong commitment to the school was clear in the responses to the questionnaire, and the parents inspectors spoke to at the start of the school day were very positive about the school and its leadership. This was also supported by a recent survey of parents’ attitudes. The school has also developed good partnerships with other local schools and benefits from the support of the local authority.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 There are strengths in leadership throughout the school. These are seen particularly in the impact of the deputy headteacher, and the leaders responsible for the Early Years Foundation Stage and special educational needs. All teachers receive appropriate training and benefit from well-established systems to share expertise among themselves.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The school has made sure that the way the curriculum is organised has raised standards and promoted achievement, most notably in pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Although pupils study a range of subjects, inspectors did not always find enough depth of learning in their books, in discussion with pupils and in lessons. The focus on making sure pupils make good progress that was found in English and mathematics, for example, was less evident in history and geography. This means that pupils are not as well prepared as they could be to continue their studies when they leave the school.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ experiences of school are enriched by a wide variety of clubs and activities beyond lessons. There are also school trips, and visitors come into the school. This broadens the horizons of pupils, raising their aspirations and helping them to understand the cultural and religious diversity of modern Britain.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding systems meet all national requirements, are reviewed regularly and help to protect the most vulnerable children.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body makes sure its members are properly trained and have a good understanding of the progress that the school is making. Governors have a detailed knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, including the quality of teaching and pupils’ performance. They have a very clear view of the school’s finances and ensure that money is always spent where it will best benefit the pupils’ education. This includes pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium. They are very thorough in their questioning of the headteacher’s plans, making sure that any underachievement that is identified is dealt with successfully. They ensure that teachers’ performance is assessed in terms of the impact they are having on pupils’ progress before they are promoted or have a pay rise.

p.6

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

p.8

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 103820 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 426942

p.9

School details

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

p.9

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 214 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Janet Parkes Headteacher Alison Pell Date of previous school inspection 15 November 2011 Telephone number 01384 816930 Fax number 01384 816935 Email address info@hawbush.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10