Glebefields Primary School

Glebefields Primary School Sandgate Road, Tipton, DY4 0SX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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’ achievement is good. From low starting points, they make rapid progress in reading, writing and particularly mathematics.  Children achieve well in the caring and stimulating environment of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Pupils’ attainment in Key Stages 1 and 2 has risen over the last three years.  Well-planned lessons are a strong feature of the consistently good teaching. Staff have high expectations for pupils’ progress. In almost all lessons, pupils are engaged and eager to learn.  Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and pupils display positive attitudes to learning. Pupils feel safe and are proud of their school.  The headteacher and senior leaders provide inspired leadership. They check the school’s work thoroughly, and continually improve teaching to ensure that pupils achieve well.  The loyal governing body supports leaders well and holds them closely to account for

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Leaders have not yet secured enough outstanding teaching throughout the school.  In a few lessons pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The work set is sometimes not hard enough, to help more- able pupils extend their learning.  The school is working hard to improve attendance. Despite some recent improvements, it remains below average.  A few new governors have not had the training they need to enable them to carry out their responsibilities very effectively.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 22 lessons and small group sessions. Three of these lessons were observed together with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, the school improvement partner, and groups of pupils.  The inspectors listened to pupils reading.  The inspectors observed the school’s work, examined school policies, including those related to safeguarding and equality, and scrutinised pupils’ work books, the school’s planning documents and minutes of meetings of the governing body.  The inspectors took account of the 14 responses to the online Parent View survey.  The inspectors took account of the 24 questionnaires returned by staff.

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Inspection team

Robert Bourdon-Pierre, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Onyon Additional Inspector Stuart Ransom Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Glebefields is a larger-than-average primary school. It provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage through a Nursery as well as Reception classes.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. This additional government funding is for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after by the local authority, or from a family with a parent in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average, while the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is double the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make more teaching outstanding and raise pupils’ attainment by ensuring that teachers:  maintain a brisk pace to learning in all lessons  give more-able pupils work to do that enables them to make the best possible progress  use language that younger pupils understand when providing them with tips for improving their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that new governors swiftly receive the training they need to enable them to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Work more closely with parents whose children are persistently absent to ensure that pupils’ attendance matches or exceeds the national average by July 2014.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well during their time in the school, regardless of their ability level or background. The 2013 Year 6 national test results were below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. However, these standards reflect good progress for all groups of pupils, particularly in mathematics, and attainment is rising further this year as a result of consistently good teaching.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children’s starting points when they join the Nursery are well below those typically expected for this age group. Many of the children who left the Reception class in 2013 were working within the levels expected of them, demonstrating good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Phonics (the sounds that letters make) is taught systematically and at regular intervals. The percentage of pupils achieving the required standard in the Year 1 screening check rose in 2013 and was in line with national averages. Pupils’ attainment in Year 2 is also rising again this year in writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ progress has improved in all subjects over the last three years. The percentage of pupils in Year 6 in 2013 exceeding the progress expected of them was above the national average in writing and mathematics, and close to the national average in reading.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress, particularly in mathematics. This is as a result of the close support they receive in small ‘intervention’ groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who are supported by the pupil premium also make good progress across the school. In 2013 the attainment of eligible Year 6 pupils was, on average, approximately two terms behind their classmates in writing and mathematics, and three terms in reading. The funding is being used to employ more teaching assistants to support identified pupils and groups in order to close this gap.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good and sometimes outstanding. Teachers show that they have high expectations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour, and their interesting lessons motivate pupils to learn quickly and to make swift progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of questions teachers ask in lessons, and the explanations given, have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. For example, Year 5 pupils responded eagerly to probing questions that encouraged them to use more descriptive vocabulary to evaluate the quality of Christmas crackers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Tasks are well structured and interesting activities contribute positively to the development of children’s language and communication skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading skills are taught well and the successful emphasis placed on developing pupils’ vocabulary and on improving their writing is contributing to their good progress. Phonics skills are developed well and this enables pupils to read a wide range of books with growing confidence.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The knowledgeable teaching assistants have a secure understanding of their role. They are successful in supporting pupils who need help to sustain their concentration, and in guiding their learning purposefully.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The environment in classrooms is stimulating and motivates pupils to learn. Many wall displays show pupils’ work and highlight their achievement. The good quality resources available to teachers enhance their teaching and add to pupils’ enjoyment of learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The pace of lessons is generally brisk. On the few occasions when it slows, pupils lose focus but remain obedient. Almost all lessons are well planned and carefully matched to the needs of all pupils, although there are a few instances when more-able pupils are not challenged to work hard and reach the higher standards they are capable of.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The marking of pupils’ work is accurate and celebrates their success. Teachers usually provide pupils with useful guidance on how they can improve their work. Younger pupils do not always understand the language used in their teachers’ tips for improvement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The warm and welcoming environment in the Early Years Foundation Stage encourages positive values and children behave well. Children work and play harmoniously together and quickly learn good habits that shape their behaviour in the future. In a ‘Body Gym’ activity, children not only worked keenly with little prompting from the teacher but some, identified as leaders, took responsibility to help their classmates.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in class and their attitude to learning is positive. This is matched by the polite and friendly way they conduct themselves around the school. They have a clear awareness of classroom routines and expectations, and are particularly motivated by the ‘Good To Be Green’ system that rewards positive behaviour. This system has a marked effect on maintaining good discipline on the few occasions when pupils’ engagement in lessons dips.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are very happy at school and feel safe and well cared for. A girl in Year 6 commented that they were all ‘one big family.’ They are proud of their school and enjoy their learning experiences.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of the various types of bullying, but state that such incidents are extremely rare and when they do occur, they are quickly and successfully dealt with by teachers.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 All respondents to the Parent View survey indicated that they believed the school keeps pupils safe. Pupils receive good teaching on how to keep themselves safe and healthy and have an informed view of the dangers of cyber-bullying.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has risen but remains below average. The school is working actively, for example through the recent appointment of the parent support adviser, to improve the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent.

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The leadership and management are good

 The inspirational leadership of the headteacher and her senior leaders sets high expectations for all staff. Their accurate evaluation successfully identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the school and sets out clear strategies for driving school improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The staff fully support the headteacher’s vision, and praise the guidance and help they have received in meeting their targets for improving their expertise.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good and provides effective support and guidance for all staff in that area. As a result, teaching assistants display confidence and initiative in working with children on group and individual tasks.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is using the primary school sport funding to purchase additional resources to enhance the teaching of physical education. Much of the funding has been invested appropriately in training the lead teacher for physical education so that he can develop the skills and knowledge of all staff. The school has also used this initiative to increase the range of extra- curricular activities it offers in order to broaden the range of sporting experiences for pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is broad and varied, and offers pupils a range of exciting learning experiences in an environment where they are eager to learn and to discover new things. A change in emphasis has made some activities more attractive to boys and this is helping to raise their achievement. For example, the theme of ‘pirates’ in a Reception class engaged boys’ attention and the role- play activity also encouraged them to develop their skills in using technology, as demonstrated when they used tablet computers and the interactive board to plot a treasure map.

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The leadership and management are good

 The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is promoted well. Pupils learn about other religions and cultures and have a broad, informed view of the world. Help for charities reflects the school’s caring ethos. For example, the choir from mixed-age groups sang Christmas songs to an exceptionally high standard for shoppers at a local supermarket to successfully raise money for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has implemented a variety of measures to ensure the pupils are safe at all times, and these fully meet current national requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has positive relationships with parents, enhanced by the appointment of a parent support adviser who works with parents to improve their children’s attendance and provides useful support and guidance when needed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has benefited from effective support and monitoring from the local authority and the Tipton Learning Trust.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The school enjoys a positive and productive relationship with its governing body. Experienced governors demonstrate a thorough understanding of the school’s performance data and hold leaders fully to account for pupils’ achievement.  The governors have a clear and accurate knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and share the headteacher’s vision for driving future improvements.  They have a good awareness of the school’s pay and promotion processes and closely monitor the performance of staff.  They show a clear understanding of how the school is using its pupil premium and sport funding, and how this is providing beneficial experiences for pupils in lessons and through extra-curricular activities.  Governors ensure the school’s finances are well managed and directed to providing the best learning opportunities for all pupils. They recognise the need to develop a new induction

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The leadership and management are good

system for newly appointed governors so that they can swiftly acquire the skills and knowledge to enable them to fulfil their roles effectively.

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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 103925 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 427117

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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 428 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie O’Neill Headteacher Penelope Thompson Date of previous school inspection 18 June 2008 Telephone number 0121 556 2651 Fax number 0121 556 7172 Email address office@glebefields.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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