Goldthorn Park Primary SchoolOfsted inspection, 28 Nov 2013

Goldthorn Park Primary School Ward Road, Wolverhampton, WV4 5ET

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Overall effectiveness

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

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

 The recent improvements that leaders have made to the quality of teaching have not yet led to sufficient increases in pupils’ progress, particularly in Year 5.  Attainment when pupils leave is too frequently below national averages.  Lesson activities are not always pitched at the right level for all groups of pupils, particularly those who are more able.  Teaching is not monitored frequently or rigorously enough by senior leaders to make the difference the school is seeking.  Leaders’ checks on patterns in pupils’ performance lack the precision needed to identify and support any groups who are making insufficient progress. This is particularly the case for pupils who are learning English as an additional language.  Subject leaders do not yet play a full part in checking on teaching and learning.

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The school has the following strengths

 The school provides a caring environment where pupils feel safe.  Pupils behave well and are keen to learn.  The school has taken effective steps to improve pupils’ attendance.  Provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good.  Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals make good progress and achieve well.  The governing body provides valuable support and is effective in holding the school to account.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and groups of pupils.  The inspectors listened to pupils read.  The inspectors observed the school’s work, examined school policies, including those related to safeguarding and equality, scrutinised pupils’ work books, the school’s planning documents and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  The inspectors took into account the 22 responses to the online Parent View survey.  The inspectors took account of the 14 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Robert Bourdon-Pierre, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Douglas Folan Additional Inspector Jenny Edginton Additional Inspector Christine Bray Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Goldthorn Park Primary School is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The majority of the pupils come from an Indian background. A small number are from a White British background and the remainder are from a wide range of minority ethnic groups.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average. A large number of these are at the early stages of learning English, particularly those from an Eastern European background.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action, and those who are supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, is below average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. This is additional government funding for particular groups, including looked after children and pupils known to be

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Information about this school

eligible for free school meals.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and thereby accelerate pupils’ achievement by:  eliminating any teaching that requires improvement by ensuring that activities and tasks are always at the right level of challenge for all pupils  providing a higher of challenge for the most-able pupils so that they have regular opportunities to think and articulate their ideas on a deeper level  ensuring that teachers keep a close and more regular check on the progress of all their pupils, particularly those who are learning English as an additional language.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:  increasing the frequency and rigour of leaders’ lesson observations  using these observations to feed back specific points for improvement to teachers and following these up quickly and systematically  extending the responsibilities of subject leaders to include more rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning so that they are able to lead their areas effectively and play a full part in improving the school  providing training for subject leaders to do this work effectively  tracking more closely the progress of groups of pupils across the school, particularly those with known difficulties in English, so that leaders can identify in good time any pupils or groups who are underachieving and take appropriate action.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because attainment in reading, writing and mathematics for most pupils is below average and too few pupils make rapid progress throughout the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The percentage of pupils who make expected progress is in line with national averages in writing and mathematics, but below average in reading.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 More-able pupils only make expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics and, consequently, are not improving fast enough to reach the high standards of which some are capable.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The attainment of pupils learning English as an additional language is below national averages. Although they make expected progress, this is not fast enough for them to catch up. Consequently, their attainment is below average, particularly in writing.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school is committed to ensuring that all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed, and teachers make every effort to treat all pupils equally. Support staff provide extra help for pupils identified as needing it. However, weaknesses in the school’s checking systems mean that individual pupils who fall behind are not always identified quickly enough; consequently, their progress falters.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 On entry to school, many children come from backgrounds where little or no English is spoken so their language skills are very limited. Attainment on entry for the vast majority of children is well below that typically expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage, given their low starting points. The majority of children reach a good level of development by the end of the Reception Year in all areas of learning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Early reading skills are developed well by teachers who are very well aware of their pupils’ needs and plan accordingly. The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in the Year 1 screening check in phonics (letters and sounds) is above the national average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is followed closely and timely targeted support is put in place that enables these pupils to make better progress than many of their classmates. Parents attend review meetings and are encouraged to support their children’s learning at home.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding progress rapidly and attain higher standards than their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2013, eligible pupils in Year 6 were six months ahead of their classmates in mathematics, and a year ahead in English. The school has used the pupil premium funding to provide additional support and individualised learning programmes and this has proved very effective.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because pupils’ achievement is not improving at a fast enough pace. Some teaching does not challenge the most-able pupils or move them on quickly enough.  On occasion, teachers spend too much time asking pupils to repeat tasks or points they have already covered. Teachers too seldom check whether individual pupils and groups are making the progress they need to reach expected levels of attainment. This particularly contributes to the continued below-average attainment of pupils learning English as an additional language.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Much teaching is good. A large number of good or better lessons were observed by inspectors. On these occasions, pupils benefited from well-planned lessons and content that stimulated their learning. In the most effective teaching, teachers use questioning perceptively to challenge and stretch pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This was particularly evident in a Year 6 English lesson, where the teacher was extending pupils’ vocabulary to construct a balanced argument.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Marking is consistently detailed across the school and is helping pupils to have a clear understanding of how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and the range of well-planned activities provided in the Early Years Foundation Stage are good. In ‘self-selected’ activities, adults’ varied and well-directed questioning helps develop children’s language skills. Adults regularly encourage children to assess their own learning so that they can understand more quickly how to improve.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The skilful deployment of well-trained teaching assistants enhances the learning of pupils who require extra support while also helping them to remain keen to learn and to gain independence.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good and they are proud of their school. As one Year 5 pupil remarked, ‘We love our school, the teachers make learning fun.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive and they remain focused and engaged throughout their lessons. Particularly in lessons where the quality of teaching is good, pupils are absorbed in their learning and make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour around the school and during lunchtime and playtime is always orderly. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other, as well as to staff. This adds to the warm, friendly environment created in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children quickly understand and abide by the school’s well- established routines. Their good behaviour and co-operation are fostering their ability to learn independently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils display a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy, showing a sound knowledge of the benefits of a balanced diet and regular exercise. This is also borne out in the large number of pupils who participate regularly in the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a clear grasp of the different types of bullying and report that, on the very rare occasions that it does occur, it is swiftly and effectively dealt with. Pupils also have a good understanding of e-safety so they know how to keep safe when using the internet.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school encourages the development of pupils’ leadership skills through the school council and fundraising activities such as Shelter Box. One pupil has established a successful lunchtime information and communication technology (ICT) club, which is well attended.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The vast majority of parents state in the Parent View questionnaire that their children are safe and happy at the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 As a result of the school’s efforts to improve attendance, this is now in line with the national average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because the contribution of the relatively new team of senior and subject leaders needs more time to translate into lasting improvements in pupils’ achievement and teaching quality.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Checks on pupils’ performance are not precise enough for leaders to quickly identify individuals or groups making insufficient progress and take remedial action.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The management of teachers’ performance also requires improvement. Teaching is not monitored frequently or rigorously enough by senior leaders to bring about the rapid improvements the school is seeking.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher shows strong determination to raise the quality of teaching, and inspection findings and scrutiny of monitoring documentation show that there has been an increase in the proportion of good teaching over the last year. There is careful alignment between whole-school targets and teachers’ personal targets to ensure that actions taken to bring about improvement are properly coordinated.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Staff value the professional development received from the local authority in addressing the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language. The local authority has been effective in supporting the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is a strong feature of the school. The curriculum offers a rich diversity of experiences that enhance pupils’ awareness and understanding of the wider world and ensures they are interested in their work and keen to progress. Pupils readily acknowledge that their study of other religious festivals such as Diwali and the Chinese New Year has helped them to understand other cultures.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 All aspects of safeguarding meet statutory requirements. The headteacher has gone to great lengths to ensure the school site is a safe learning environment for the pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has utilised the primary school sport funding to good effect, using an agency to supply qualified sports coaches who provide a wide range of lunchtime and after-school activities that broaden pupils’ experiences and contribute to them developing healthy lifestyles.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Along with other new members of the governing body, the newly appointed Chair provides fully committed support to the school. This is creating a new impetus, and governors are beginning to use information increasingly effectively to challenge the school. All governors are trained in the interpretation of the school’s performance data and ensure that teachers’ pay and promotion are linked to the progress of their pupils. They are aware of where there are gaps in achievement and they hold leaders to account over what the school is doing to address these. All statutory duties are met and governors monitor the management of the school’s finances effectively. They have a clear understanding of the way that the school utilises its pupil premium funding and are pleased with the positive impact the support is having on those pupils’ achievement. Similarly, they show a good awareness of how the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

primary school sport funding is providing a broad range of extra-curricular activities for pupils in order to enrich their experiences.

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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 104331 Local authority Wolverhampton Inspection number 429057

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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 419 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Harpal Tiwana Headteacher Julia Roseblade Date of previous school inspection 27 March 2012 Telephone number 01902 558730 Fax number 01902 558731 Email address office@goldthornpark-pri.lpplus.net 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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