Coleman Primary School

Coleman Primary School Gwendolen Road, Leicester, LE5 5FS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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’ progress is not consistently good over time. Not enough teaching has been good or better to ensure that all pupils, including those who need extra help and the most able, make good progress every year. This is particularly so in writing and mathematics.  Not all teachers have high enough expectations about the quality of pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their written work.  Although some teachers give pupils stimulating activities which interest them and inspire them to write, such activities are not consistently offered to pupils across the school.  There are too few chances for pupils to use their mathematical skills when they are learning about other subjects.  The quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is uneven. Not all pupils receive precise guidance about what they need to do next to improve. In some classes, teachers do not give pupils the opportunity to respond to their comments so that they can learn from their

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

mistakes.  Occasionally, teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics is insecure and leads to pupils misunderstanding some mathematical ideas.  Senior leaders do not keep a close enough check on whether their actions to improve the school are leading to improvement in pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths

 A strong sense of community within the school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.  Pupils say that they feel safe and are looked after well. Their behaviour is good and they show positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils are happy to come to school. The rate of attendance has improved significantly since the previous inspection to above average.  Senior leaders, managers and governors, are taking the right actions to improve teaching by providing teachers with clear guidance and training to improve their skills.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 35 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 29 teachers, and three assemblies. Four lessons were jointly observed with the headteacher or other senior leaders. Inspectors also undertook learning walks, which comprised a number of short visits to lessons to look at the teaching of reading and learning across the subjects and topics.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, staff and members of the governing body. In addition, an inspector talked with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors met with pupils, listened to them read and observed them at play during breaktimes and at lunchtime.  The school’s safeguarding policies, improvement plans, notes from meetings of the governing body and records of pupils’ behaviour were reviewed. Pupils’ work and records of their progress were also looked at.  Inspectors took account of the 14 responses to the online parent questionnaire (Parent View),

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Information about this inspection

met with parents and noted their written and telephone communications as well as the 37 replies to the staff questionnaire. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the start of the school day as they brought their children to school.

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Inspection team

Sarah Warboys, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Patricia Underwood Additional Inspector Lynn Lowery Additional Inspector Patrick Cook Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Coleman Primary School is much larger than most primary schools.  Most pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being of Indian heritage. The vast majority speak English as an additional language. A small minority are new to English when they join the school.  An average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding to the school. The funding is based on the number of children in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The percentage of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs who are supported at school action is above average. An average proportion of pupils are supported at school action plus or through a statement of educational needs.  The number of pupils joining and leaving the school at different times of the school year is above that normally found.  The school meets the current government floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better and, thereby, raise pupils’ achievement, particularly in writing and mathematics, by ensuring that all staff:  set high expectations for pupils’ handwriting and encourage them to take greater pride in the presentation of their work  strengthen the imaginative, stimulating experiences that inspire pupils to write  extend opportunities for pupils to use their skills in mathematics when learning about other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality and consistency of marking by ensuring that all teachers:  give pupils clear guidance, when marking their work, to let them know what they need to do to improve  provide pupils with the opportunity to respond to their comments so that they can practise and improve their skills  learn from and adopt the most effective marking practice which already exists in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the school’s leadership by ensuring that leaders:  provide guidance for staff to strengthen their subject knowledge in mathematics  check the effectiveness of their improvement actions on the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2 and by the time they leave the school in Year 6 are broadly average. Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because not enough pupils make consistently good progress year on year. Of the Year 6 pupils who took the national tests in 2012, too few made the progress they should in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Almost all Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2013, including those who need extra help and those who are most able, made the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion who made more than expected progress was above average. This was because of better teaching which focused precisely on addressing very specific gaps in their knowledge and skills. However, this improvement has not yet been sustained over time.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Assessments of pupils’ achievement and work in their books show that too few pupils make good enough progress, particularly in writing and mathematics in each year, leaving too much for pupils to learn in Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the progress expected of them from their different starting points. Year 6 pupils in 2013 made good progress because of small group work which helped to fill gaps in their knowledge and skills. In addition, adults help these pupils in lessons by breaking down learning into small, achievable steps.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In most lessons, teachers are now matching work well to the learning needs of more-able pupils so that they are suitably challenged. As a result, these pupils have begun to make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage join the Nursery with skills that are well below those typically expected for their age, particularly in communication, personal and social skills. They make good progress because adults organise plenty of activities that help them to develop skills across all the areas of learning. Although their skills remain below those expected nationally, their attainment is closer to average levels by the time they enter Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils do best of all in reading. Young children are taught phonics (the links between letters and the sounds they make) systematically. The teaching of reading continues effectively throughout the school and pupils are supported well at home. Teachers plan plenty of opportunities for pupils to use their reading and writing skills when they are learning about other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The vast majority of pupils speak English as an additional language. The small minority of pupils who are new to English when they start at the school and are supported well. In all year groups, adults are good role models for the development of pupils’ language. They help these pupils to learn new words and phrases by providing them with plenty of opportunities to practise their speaking and listening skills. A variety of pictures, prompts and ‘talking books’ helps their understanding of new ideas.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils who join the school part of the way through the school year are welcomed and paired with a ‘buddy’ who helps them settle in and learn new routines. Early assessments are made to ensure that they get the extra help they need. These pupils make similar progress to their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupil premium funding received by the school provides additional teaching staff to allow pupils eligible for free school meals to be taught in small groups so that they get the extra help they need. It provides specialist teaching and computer technology projects to develop pupils’ language and communication skills. Consequently, these pupils have made progress at a good rate. Of the Year 6 pupils who left the school in 2013, pupils eligible for pupil premium funding were, on average, about six weeks ahead of their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching has not enabled all pupils to make consistently good progress. Occasionally, weaknesses in teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics reinforce common errors and lead to misunderstanding. Not all teachers have high enough expectations of pupils’ handwriting and the way in which pupils present their written work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is uneven. Most provide pupils with a clear idea about what they have done well, but not all teachers give pupils precise guidance about what they need to do next to improve. Insufficient time is given for pupils to respond to teachers’ comments so they can learn from their mistakes or be challenged to think hard.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In a lesson in Year 1, pupils talked about what different fruits looked like and felt like after tasting them. This activity fostered pupils’ curiosity and inspired them to write descriptively. As a result, they made good progress in developing their communication skills. Such interesting activities for stimulating writing are not consistently offered to pupils across the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ books indicate that teachers plan plenty of opportunities for them to use their skills in reading and writing when they are learning about other subjects. Chances to use their mathematical skills are limited.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The best progress happens when teachers have secure subject knowledge and set work that is at just the right level to move pupils’ learning forward. They ask pupils questions that encourage them to think deeply. In Year 5, for example, pupils discussed the moral issues of apartheid and the work of Nelson Mandela. This inspired them to write with interest and enthusiasm and they made progress at a rapid rate.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the most effective lessons, teachers and other adults promote pupils’ positive attitudes well. They give pupils clear explanations and good examples of writing so they are clear about what is expected of them. Year 6 pupils made good progress in finding percentages of amounts because the class teachers showed them how to use simple calculations to find more complex answers. In all cases, pupils were expected to explain their working and this contributed well to their understanding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage choose from a range of interesting activities. Adults are skilled in taking children’s interests and turning them into learning opportunities. For example, children in the Nursery and Reception classes developed their understanding of numbers to 10 well by enthusiastically counting spiders in Halloween activities.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say they enjoy school. Their attendance, low in 2011, has improved in two successive years to an above average rate. Levels of punctuality are good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Typically, pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and as they move around the school. The vast majority are polite, courteous and respectful to adults. Their attitudes to learning in whole-class lessons, small group work and in one-to-one situations are positive. They listen attentively and are keen to do their best.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils say that they feel safe at school. They have a good understanding of what bullying is and know how to protect themselves. They say, and the school’s records show, that such incidents are rare. They report a few incidents of name-calling, but are confident in seeking help. Year 6 pupils, visible by their ‘green hats’, keep an eye out for others who may need help. Pupils are knowledgeable about issues such as cyber-bullying and know how to keep safe when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 A strong sense of community is clearly apparent in which pupils from a wide range of different backgrounds and cultures work and play well together.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Adults implement the school’s systems for managing behaviour consistently well. Occasionally, a few pupils become restless and lose concentration in lessons. This is generally because they are insufficiently challenged. However, they respond positively to adult guidance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have not ensured that pupils make good progress year on year. They have not measured precisely enough the effectiveness of their actions on the achievement of different groups of pupils. Although the teaching of mathematics improved in 2013, particularly for those pupils who took their national tests, leaders recognise there is more to be done to strengthen teachers’ subject knowledge.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders at all levels are now taking the right action to make certain all pupils are making better progress each year. They are doing this by focusing on improving teaching. They provide teachers with clear feedback after watching them teach, set targets for improvement and give them professional training to help them develop their skills. Leaders, including governors, make sure that teachers who meet their targets are awarded pay increases.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The Early Years Foundation Stage is led and managed well. Those in charge of leading subjects and other areas of the school’s work know what the school does well and what needs to be done to improve.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school works well with outside agencies to ensure that pupils get the extra help they need. Close working with families has ensured that pupils attend school regularly and arrive for lessons on time. Appropriate action is taken to promote equality of opportunity and to tackle any form of discrimination.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school offers a range of subjects and topics enhanced by visitors and trips. Pupils’ understanding of different world religions and cultures makes a strong contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Good opportunities enable pupils to appreciate art and to play musical instruments. Plans are in place to use the primary sports funding to increase the proportion of pupils able to take part in different sports by using specialist coaches.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Most parents who responded to the online questionnaire and who talked with inspectors spoke highly of the care and support their children receive. Inspectors explored issues raised by a few parents about how effectively the school deals with parental concerns. School records show that it does its own investigations on these very rare occasions, by following its policies and procedures. Leaders, including members of the governing body, contact and involve outside agencies for support where appropriate.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority provides effective support and advice to the school, including regular reviews of its performance.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors work in close partnership with school staff. They visit the school regularly and link with those who lead different areas to get first-hand evidence of life in school. They undertake training so they can make well-informed decisions. Governors are aware of how well pupils are doing compared with all schools nationally and were fully behind the drive to improve pupils’ achievement, particularly in mathematics in 2013. They recognise the need to maintain the focus on improving teaching to ensure pupils make good progress in every year group. Governors manage the performance of the headteacher appropriately and check that teachers are being held to account for pupils’ achievement. Governors manage the school’s finances effectively, including the spending of the pupil premium. They make sure it is spent in the best interest of the pupils and has enabled eligible pupils to do well and catch up with their

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The leadership and management requires improvement

classmates. Governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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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 120095 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 425107

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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 655 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Farida Ali Headteacher Nigel Bruen Date of previous school inspection 12 October 2010 Telephone number 0116 249 0109 Fax number 0116 273 3419 Email address office@coleman.leicester.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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