Hall Green Infant School

Hall Green Infant School Petersfield Road, Birmingham, B28 0AR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils make outstanding progress in a range of subjects and are extremely well prepared for their next class.  Standards have been well-above average in reading, writing and mathematics since the previous inspection.  Teaching is consistently good with much that is outstanding. Teachers and teaching assistants plan lessons that fully interest and motivate pupils to learn as well as they can.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive excellent support to enable nearly all to reach their potential.  The most-able pupils receive high levels of challenge that enable them to practise and extend their knowledge and skills. As a result, a significantly higher number of pupils than nationally reach above average levels.  Pupils feel safe. Relationships are positive with each other and with adults.  The headteacher, in close partnership with the deputy, staff and governors, has

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

systematically led improvements that have ensured pupils’ continued high achievement despite an increase to the school’s size and pupils’ changing needs.  The school’s leadership analyses the information about pupils’ progress closely and checks that teachers plan lessons that help any pupil who is not on track to reach challenging targets catch up rapidly.  Pupils’ excellent attitudes make a significant contribution to their learning. No time is lost in lessons because pupils are quick to get started on their tasks and activities once instructed to do so by teachers.  Pupils feel safe. ‘Values education’ plays a significant role in pupils’ outstanding behaviour and excellent respect for each other’s feelings, religions, beliefs and cultures.  The Sunshine Club provides outstanding provision and care for pupils who come before and after school.  All staff and pupils share the school’s drive and commitment to do the best that it can for

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

every pupil who attends the school.  Governors organise their work around the needs of the school. It has a committee that focuses solely on planning for long-term improvement. As a result, there is a clear purpose for managing finances and teaching resources.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 29 lessons taught by 15 teachers. In addition, they made a number of short visits to lessons.  The inspectors heard some pupils read. They looked at past and current information about pupils’ progress and pupils’ work in books and on display.  The inspectors also looked at documents relating to behaviour and safeguarding, the school’s checks about what is going well, and school improvement planning.  The inspectors met with small groups of pupils to talk about their learning and to find out what they thought of the school. Inspectors also met with staff, and with representatives of the governing body and the local authority.  The inspectors talked to parents informally at the start of the day. They took into account 45 responses shown in the online questionnaire (Parent View) and also the school’s own parent and pupil surveys.  The inspectors took note of 18 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Georgina Beasley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Kathryn Brunt Additional Inspector Edgar Hastings Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hall Green Infant School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are from Pakistani backgrounds. The remainder of pupils are from a number of different minority ethnic backgrounds.  A higher number of pupils than average speak English as an additional language.  An average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children in local authority care, and other pupils.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school shares a governing body with the adjoining junior school.  The headteacher is a local leader of education.  The on-site breakfast club and after-school club are managed by the governing body and are

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Give pupils more frequent opportunities to make improvements to their work in response to teachers’ written comments.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Children start Nursery with skills and abilities below those expected for their age. They make rapid progress and most reach the standards expected for their age by the end of the Reception year in all areas of learning. Particularly impressive is the children’s writing. By the time that children start in Year 1, they all write confidently, forming letters correctly and using their knowledge of letters and the sounds that they make (phonics) to spell familiar words correctly.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils continue to be adventurous, confident and accurate writers through Years 1 and 2. They write for numerous different purposes including poems and stories in English, people and events in history and reports of their investigations in science. Lessons are well structured so that planning at the beginning of the week builds into longer writing sessions when pupils use their planning to write long high quality pieces on their own.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils are confident readers and have a range of skills that help them to work out unfamiliar words and to ask and answer questions about character and what is happening. Pupils’ knowledge of phonics is better than the Year 1 check indicates which was below average in 2012 and broadly average last year. Most Year 2 pupils read at levels well above those of pupils of a similar age by recognising whole words and sounding them out.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils can count and work out number problems with totals to 20 by the start of Year 1 because of the excellent start they get in Nursery and Reception. They continue to make excellent progress and are confident to solve problems with much larger numbers by themselves by the start of Year 2. Their knowledge and understanding of shapes, measures and fractions are good.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils regularly use computers confidently to support their learning both in school and at home. As a result, their computer skills are well-above expected levels by the end of Year 2. High achievement in reading, writing and mathematics helps pupils to make outstanding progress in other subjects including history and science. Sports funding supports pupils’ physical education effectively by providing tennis coaching and supporting extra activities at lunchtimes.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make outstanding progress. Pupils typically reach at least average levels unless they have complex needs. More-able pupils make outstanding progress to reach the levels of which they are capable.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 A strong focus on pupils explaining what they know and can do helps those who speak English as an additional language make equally outstanding progress and ensure pupils from different ethnic backgrounds including Pakistani pupils the majority group reach the similarly high levels as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils who receive the pupil premium benefit from extra support if they need it from teachers and teaching assistants during lessons and at other times. They catch up quickly with pupils across the country who do not receive the funding. Their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics remains about a term behind pupils in the school who do not receive the funding because both groups make equally outstanding progress

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Pupils are often involved in planning their learning which helps teachers and teaching assistants plan lessons that interest and motivate pupils to want to learn more. For example, dressing up as witches and using drama inspired pupils to write imaginative poems which they read with witch-like voices. Pretending to be Doctor Who to go back in time to explore how light has been used by humans throughout history helped pupils to remember when significant discoveries such as fire and electricity happened.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can learn if given the right support and challenge. More-able pupils set the standard for others to copy and so every pupil achieves far more than usual for pupils of the same age. Success is celebrated which motivates pupils to do even better.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants ask questions that encourage pupils to think for themselves how to solve problems in mathematics, investigate how things work or move and why things happen in science and to spell words they should know by themselves. As a result, pupils remember how to do these things the next time that they need to.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants discuss the progress of every pupil in their classes every day in reading, writing and mathematics and other subjects if necessary. Information about pupils’ progress is used to plan tasks for pupils to complete in groups or on their own with an adult supporting. This helps pupils to understand tasks or to accomplish a skill that they initially found too difficult.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers check pupils’ work diligently in all subjects and give them advice about what they have learnt and about how to improve their work either by speaking to them during lessons or in written comments in their books. Pupils often make the improvements during lessons in response to this advice. They do not always have enough time to make the improvements in response to teachers’ written comments before starting the next lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning ensure that they start tasks and activities quickly and finish then to a high standard in the time that they are given. Pupils are confident to ask for help if they get stuck and try again once they have received support from teachers or teaching assistants. Pupils take great care to check that work in books is always correct and presented neatly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are fully involved in deciding the clubs and activities that run during the school day. As a result, they are popular and well attended. Playtimes are amicable with pupils enjoying a varied range of equipment which they use to play games with their friends.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Behaviour is almost always impeccable. Pupils listen attentively in lessons, ask and answer questions politely and follow adults’ instructions immediately. Pupils need little supervision to move around the school safely because they do so on their own sensibly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Every adult who works in the school is a positive role model for pupils, demonstrating by what they say and do how to treat each other with respect at all times. Pupils feel safe. They know what to do on the very rare occasion that they may have a concern. They know that any adult will help as well as one of their friends or members of the ‘Friendship Squad’. Pupils understand the different kinds of bullying including cyber bullying and while no-one asked can remember any incidents, they are confident that they will get help if any were to occur.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s drive to improve attendance has been successful. Attendance this term is higher than this time last year. The school monitors lateness to school closely and has taken effective steps to ensure nearly all pupils arrive in school on time every day.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s high standards have been maintained since the previous inspection despite an increase in size and considerable changes to pupils’ needs. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have been central to the school’s continuing success. Every member of staff is committed to a vision of high expectations and aspirations for every pupil’s achievement.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school’s systems for analysing pupils’ progress and the standards being reached by individuals and groups of pupils in every class are highly effective. The information is used to identify what teachers need to do to ensure that every pupil reaches their challenging targets in reading, writing, mathematics, science and computer studies by the end of every year. Half- termly checks identify those who may not be on track and immediate steps are taken to give the support needed to ensure that they get back on track quickly.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Pupils’ targets are converted into class targets which form the basis of individual teacher’s and teaching assistant’s performance targets. These are different depending on the subject and group that need the biggest boost in that particular class. Year leaders meet weekly with teachers and teaching assistants in their year teams to discuss pupil progress and to plan lessons that meet pupils’ particular learning needs in their classes.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Subject leadership has strengthened considerably since the previous inspection. Staff meet regularly to share ideas and resources and to check that their teaching is effective. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promote strongly in a number of subjects including personal, social and health education, history, religious education, geography and science.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Training is planned carefully to meet the needs of individual staff and the needs of the school. Sports’ coaches provide additional support for physical education teaching, demonstrating lessons to help teachers improve their skills and expertise. The school provides support for other local schools to help improve the quality of teaching across the city.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority has a clear view of the school’s strengths and improvement needs. It keeps a close watch on the school’s performance data and gives support when requested.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Governors are extremely clear about the school’s performance and ask challenging questions if they notice the slightest dip in pupils’ progress. They are well-informed by the headteacher but also attend regular training to understand and implement the most up-to-date requirements. The committee structure ensures all aspects of the school’s work is checked regularly and discussed at every full governing body meetings. All statutory requirements regarding safeguarding are met. The performance of teachers and teaching assistants is monitored closely and the evidence used to make decisions about pay and promotion. Governors ensure that ‘The Sunshine Club’ provides outstanding care for pupils who attend breakfast and after school clubs.

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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 103210 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 427133

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 412 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jo Davies Headteacher Jayne Lates Date of previous school inspection 8 March 2006 Telephone number 0121 464 3082 Fax number 0121 464 3083 Email address enquiry@hallgreen-inf.bham.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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