St Paul's CofE Primary School, Nuneaton

St Paul’s CofE Primary School, Nuneaton Wiclif Way, Stockingford, Nuneaton, CV10 8NH

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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 in mathematics, reading and writing throughout the school.  Attainment has been improving in the past two years and the standards pupils achieve at the end of Years 2 and 6 are above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Nearly all teaching is good. Teachers typically use their good subject knowledge to plan lessons that are enjoyable for pupils and are well matched to their skills and abilities.  Teachers in the Early Years Foundation Stage are skilled in enabling children to make good progress because they have a detailed and accurate understanding of their individual needs.  Pupils behave well in lessons and at break times. They have good attitudes to learning and are polite, well mannered and courteous. Pupils feel safe at school.  All leaders and mangers have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They have successfully

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improved teaching and achievement in recent years.  The governing body is a particular strength of the school. The governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school and provide a very good level of challenge and support which effectively influences continuous improvements in teaching and achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. A very small amount requires improvement.  Just occasionally, the most able pupils are not given sufficiently challenging work.  Pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to develop and use their mathematical skills in all subjects.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons, three of which were jointly observed with the headteacher. The inspection team also made several short visits to other lessons to check on the progress and behaviour of different groups of pupils.  Meetings were held with three groups of pupils from Key Stages 1 and 2. Other meetings were held with governors, senior leaders and staff, including those responsible for leading mathematics and English.  Inspectors analysed 30 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View). They also analysed questionnaires which the school asks parents to complete as well as 52 responses to a staff questionnaire.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a number of documents, including those relating to the monitoring of teaching and the targets set for teachers to improve their work. They also looked at records relating to attendance, behaviour, bullying and safeguarding,

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Information about this inspection

the school’s improvement plan and data on pupils’ progress.  The lead inspector held a telephone discussion with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Richard Sutton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Wendy Hanrahan Additional Inspector Edgar Hastings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average.  The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic heritages is much lower than average, as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium, which is additional funding given to schools for certain groups such as pupils in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is much lower 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently at least good and more is outstanding, particularly in Years 3 and 4, by ensuring that:  the work set by teachers always stretches the most able pupils  when pupils are given a choice about the difficulty of the work they do, teachers always check they have made a good choice so the work matches their different abilities and skills  marking in mathematics is as effective as it is in English, so pupils are always clear about what they need to do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of subject leaders on pupils’ achievement in mathematics, by ensuring that all pupils have more opportunities to use their mathematical skills in all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children typically join the nursery or the reception classes with skills and abilities which are below the levels usually found. They make good progress as a result of good teaching, and begin Year 1 with average skills and abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils continue to make good progress in Key Stages 1 and 2. The proportion of pupils who attained nationally expected levels in reading and mathematics was above average in both 2012 and 2013. In writing it was slightly below average in Year 2 and Year 6 in 2012, but improved considerably in 2013 to above average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of pupils who met the expected standard in the Year 1 and 2 reading check was much higher than average in 2013.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The 2013 Year 6 test results showed that good proportions of pupils made and exceeded the progress expected nationally in reading, writing and mathematics during their time in Key Stage 2, reflecting good achievement once again.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who speak English as an additional language, those from ethnic minority heritages and disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs all make good progress. This is because the school ensures the needs of these students are met well.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school spends the pupil premium in a wide variety of ways including, for example, on additional staff who support individual pupils and the purchase of specific teaching resources. Overall, pupils of all abilities who are supported through the pupil premium are making good progress and the gap in attainment between these and other pupils is closing. However, there is some variability, particularly in Years 3 and 4. In 2013, pupils supported through the pupil premium in Year 6 were on average almost half a term ahead of other pupils in English and a term behind in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils are generally challenged well. The proportion of Year 2 pupils who achieved the higher levels in writing and mathematics in 2013 was above average, and in reading it was significantly higher than average. In Year 6 in 2013 it was also higher than average in reading, writing and mathematics. However, these pupils do not always make the rapid progress they are capable of, particularly in Years 3 and 4, when the tasks set in lessons do not fully challenge them.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils achieve well because teaching is usually good and sometimes outstanding. The teaching of writing has improved considerably during the past year and this is reflected in the significant improvements in achievement in this area.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have a very good understanding of the levels that pupils are working at and the levels they are aiming to achieve in all key stages. Consequently, in most cases they are able to match work accurately to the needs of individuals.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good teaching in the school is typically characterised by excellent relationships, strong subject knowledge and effective use of assessment. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, all pupils were highly focused on their learning and clearly determined to succeed because the work was challenging but achievable.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Many teachers often ask probing questions to extend and develop pupils’ understanding and knowledge. For example, they ask follow-up questions to make pupils think more deeply.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants have an accurate understanding of the individual needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Consequently, these pupils make good progress both in lessons and when they work in small groups.

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The quality of teaching is good

 When pupils are given a choice about the level of work that they do, they do not always make the correct choice and sometimes engage in work which is too easy or too hard. This is not always checked by teachers rigorously, and so the progress of some pupils is not as good as it could be.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teachers’ marking and feedback to pupils is particularly good in writing lessons, where pupils receive very helpful comments which set targets for further improvement. Teachers ensure that pupils are given time to respond to the challenges and targets set, and they use the information that they get from marking pupils’ work to help them plan activities which are tailored to the specific needs of pupils. In mathematics, however, marking and feedback do not consistently help pupils to know what they need to do to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The vast majority of pupils in all age groups have very good attitudes to learning. They are keen to work hard and do their best, and they are determined to succeed. Many pupils in most classes are keen to continue their work at break times. They maintain positive attitudes to learning even when teaching occasionally fails to challenge them and their progress slows.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Relationships between all members of the school community are highly positive, and this plays an important part in ensuring that learning takes place in an atmosphere of trust and cooperation.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite, courteous and well mannered. They behave well in lessons and around the school at break times. Parents and staff agree that behaviour is good and well managed by staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils know all about the school’s system of rewards and sanctions because they have been involved in writing them so that all pupils understand what they mean. They value the ‘good to be green’ approach in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 and ‘reach for the stars’ in Key Stage 2, which encourages pupils to work hard and behave well in order to achieve rewards.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are clear that bullying is rare in the school, but also that if it does occur adults will deal with matters quickly and effectively. The school’s records confirm that bullying is rare. Pupils have an appropriate understanding of what bullying is and the different forms in which it can occur, including cyber bullying. They feel safe at school and are taught about a range of safety matters, including e-safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils arrive to school on time and their attendance is above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since the previous inspection in 2011, the headteacher has led a very successful drive to improve teaching and achievement. The key reason why both are now good and continue to improve is because leaders and managers at all levels have established very effective systems for monitoring the work of teachers. Teachers value opportunities to take part in the ‘achievement teams’ which identify any pupils who are underachieving and set targets for improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement because of the rigorous and regular monitoring which takes place. Consequently, the school improvement plan identifies the main areas for improvement and contains appropriate actions to achieve them.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leaders who are responsible for subjects are a skilled group of staff who provide a good level of support and challenge to teachers in order to support the ongoing improvements in teaching and achievement. The leadership of English is a particular strength. However, they have not ensured that pupils routinely have good opportunities to use the skills they learn in mathematics lessons in other lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have ensured that all staff benefit from working with another colleague in a structured way so they can collaboratively improve teaching. This effective strategy is valued by teachers.

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The leadership and management are good

 All teachers are set targets to improve their teaching and guide decisions about pay increases. High-quality training enables them to work towards achieving their targets, and so further improve their teaching skills and the achievement of pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is made more exciting for pupils through a wide range of additional clubs and trips. The school’s values and activities such as international visits help pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding very well.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders have spent the additional funding to develop sporting activities extremely effectively. For example, as a result of employing a sports professional, staff have been able to improve their skills in the teaching of physical education and also offer a wide and diverse range of sporting clubs. In addition, the school coordinates a local swimming gala and has been able to involve more pupils in competitive sports with other schools. Leaders have effectively linked these improvements to helping pupils better understand aspects of health and well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority evaluated the performance of the school during 2012/13 and this resulted in an appropriate action plan. This has had a minimal impact on improving teaching and achievement, and the school secured additional support from a private organisation.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governors understand what data show about pupils’ achievement, and have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They know all about the quality of teaching. Consequently, they are able to provide a very good level of support and challenge, and effectively influence improvements in teaching and achievement.  Governors have a strong understanding of how additional funding is spent, including the pupil premium and sport funding, and are aware of the good impact that they have on pupils’ achievement and participation.  The governors are aware of how targets are set for teachers and monitor how these targets are linked to pay increases. They also make sure that the school fulfils its responsibilities regarding safeguarding; all staff have been checked as required and are trained appropriately to keep pupils safe and free from harm.

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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 125656 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 427011

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 485 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Dayman Headteacher Chris Plant Date of previous school inspection 12 October 2011 Telephone number 024 7638 3323 Fax number No fax Email address admin3106@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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