Knighton Fields Primary School and Community Centre

Knighton Fields Primary School and Community Centre Knighton Fields Road West, Leicester, LE2 6LG

p.1

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 Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement.  Teaching is not consistently good so pupils do not always make good progress, especially across Key Stage 2.  Teachers do not routinely check pupils’ understanding in lessons to make sure that all pupils are learning as well as possible, so cannot intervene if there are problems.  Some teachers do not consistently keep all pupils fully occupied in their learning and progress fluctuates throughout lessons.  Occasionally, pupils do not work or concentrate hard enough when they are bored by work that is too easy, or confused by tasks that are too hard.  Pupils eligible for the pupil premium attain much lower standards than the others.  More-able pupils do not always achieve the standards they are capable of at Key Stage 2.  The teaching of reading and the development of pupils’ understanding of phonics (the links between letters and sounds) require improvement in some classes.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teachers who are responsible for subjects do not yet have the skills, or the opportunities, to check on the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. Improvement relies too much on the headteacher.

p.1

The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, supported by senior leaders and governors, provides strong leadership and has improved the quality of teaching. This has improved the pace of learning, and raised standards, particularly in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.  The headteacher has been rigorously monitoring learning in lessons, which is leading to improvements.  Governance has been strengthened and the governing body is now holding the school more effectively to account for its performance.  Bullying is rare; pupils feel safe and are generally well behaved and polite.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed nine teachers and visited 15 lessons or part lessons. Three lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the English and mathematics subject leaders, pupils and governors. The lead inspector had a discussion with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors observed pupils’ work, looked in their exercise books and listened to them read.  The inspectors observed two assemblies.  A range of documentation was examined, including the school’s analysis of how well it is doing, information on pupils’ progress, and documents regarding safeguarding and key reports and policies.  The inspector took account of the 76 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View, one telephone message, spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and analysed 27 questionnaires completed by staff.

p.2

Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lindsay Hall Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Knighton Fields Primary is a smaller-than-average sized primary school.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage; there are smaller groups from a wide range of other ethnic backgrounds.  The school takes in more pupils at times other than usual than is typical.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding provided in this school for children known to be eligible for free school meals) is well above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2011. Since the last inspection, two teachers have

p.3

Information about this school

left the school and two have joined. A new assistant headteacher has been appointed to join the school in April 2014.  The school organises a breakfast club that is open to all pupils from 8.15am. This is managed by the governing body.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, particularly in Key Stage 2, so that it is at least good by making sure that:  teachers settle pupils quickly to work for the whole of the lesson, so they learn at a quicker rate throughout  adults help improve pupils’ attitudes to learning and learn effectively by providing work that is neither too easy nor too hard  teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding, in order to make sure that they are making good progress, and can give help if it is needed to ensure consistent learning.  Accelerate pupils’ progress particularly for pupils eligible for the pupil premium, and raise attainment to at least average levels by the end of Year 6 by:  providing more opportunities, and especially for the more-able, to use their reading, writing and numeracy skills in subjects other than English and mathematics  making sure reading, and particularly comprehension, is taught effectively in all classes.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of leadership and management by:  extending the responsibility for improving the quality of teaching to all senior leaders and making sure that all leaders have the skills they need to make accurate judgements about the quality of teaching  providing high-quality feedback to teachers on the outcomes of lesson observations and clear timescales for the necessary improvements to be made.  An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

p.3

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The achievement of pupils requires improvement because not enough pupils make consistently good progress during their time at the school.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the past, standards in English and mathematics have been below average because progress was too slow. However, this has been firmly tackled through a systematic approach to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics across the school. Pupils enjoy reading.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress is not good because it is inconsistent in different year groups across Key Stage 2. This is because of differences in the progress of different groups, particularly the more-able. Too few pupils in Year 6 attained the higher levels last year. Some pupils have underperformed as a result of weaker teaching over time. Many pupils are now attaining better standards and making good progress, but some pockets of underachievement remain.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 As a result of the above, attainment in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 fluctuates with reading and mathematics being the weaker areas. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 has been below the national average over time. In 2013, the national data was grossly distorted by the number of pupils who joined the school in Year 6.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Good, focused teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 gives pupils a secure understanding of phonics (letters and the sounds they make). As a result, pupils’ progress is now speeding up and 2013 data show that they are reaching standards in reading that are in line with the national figures in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1. The 2013 assessment results show that by the end of Year 2, standards in English and mathematics are also close to national averages.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 School’s data shows that the current year groups are reaching standards that are broadly in line with the national averages, and some year groups are exceeding the age-related expectations.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils eligible for the pupil premium have in the past made less progress than other pupils but careful allocation of funding has resulted in the gap being closed. In the current Year 6, school’s data shows that eligible pupils are attaining two terms behind in reading and one term behind in writing and mathematics. However, pupils eligible for the pupil premium attain better than the averages for their counterparts nationally. In spite of this, progress for pupils eligible for the pupil premium requires improvement as there is a gap between them and others in the school.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 From low starting points, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress that requires improvement across the school, with progress in writing being consistently better than in reading and mathematics.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils from different ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make the same uneven progress over time as other pupils. Pupils who join and leave the school at times other than the usual are supported well by staff and also make progress that requires improvement.

p.4

The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school has responded positively to address all these weaknesses and action is being taken to raise achievement in all classes. Previous underachievement has been arrested and most pupils are now making at least expected progress that requires improvement.  Links between school and home are good and this helps children settle quickly into routines in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children join the school with skills that are well below those expected for their age, particularly personal and communication skills. They build good relationships with each other, the adults around them and the older children. The range of activities in the classroom and outdoors encourages children to explore and find things out for themselves. They make good progress, regardless of their individual starting points, especially in personal development and in reading, but still enter Year 1 with standards that are below

p.4

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not all teachers demand enough of the more-able pupils. Teachers do not always extend activities for these pupils so they can go on to attempt more challenging material.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There are some weaknesses in the teaching of essential skills such as phonics (letters and the sounds they make). Teachers are using a new scheme to teach reading but pupils do not consistently segment unfamiliar words to enable them to read fluently. As a result, in some classes, pupils make less progress in reading than others.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers do not always question pupils effectively about how well they understand what they are learning. Consequently, opportunities are missed to identify and put right any gaps that pupils may have in their learning. This slows progress and reduces the opportunities for pupils to learn effectively by themselves.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is a consistent approach to marking across the school with teachers providing pupils with comments about how they can improve their work.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers provide pupils with targets in their books and highlight them when they have been achieved. This enables pupils to see the progress they are making and motivates them to work hard.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Relationships in lessons are usually good, with pupils and staff cooperating and working well together.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants are used effectively and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly for those who need additional help with literacy and numeracy.

p.5

The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching is improving as a result of the support provided by the headteacher. Where teaching is good, pupils rise to teachers’ high expectations and the challenging work which is pitched at the right level for pupils’ varying abilities. Pupils are motivated and their interest is sustained. They learn at the right pace, as it is adjusted accurately to match the way they best learn. Consequently, they make good gains in knowledge, deepen their understanding and apply skills competently. In these lessons, pupils are motivated to learn and their attitudes are consistently good.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. This is because there are occasions when pupils’ attitudes to their learning hinder their progress because sometimes tasks are too easy or too hard for different groups. This can result in low-level disruption because pupils either finish their work quickly because it is too easy or struggle to understand what they are learning.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. When children join Knighton Fields Primary, they learn from an early age how to value each other, the adults around them and their school community. A strong atmosphere of mutual respect, starting in the Early Years Foundation Stage and continuing throughout the school, leads to pupils feeling happy, safe and secure. This is reflected in attendance that is average and improving, due in part to the school consistently applying a policy that all requests for holidays during term time are refused.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are polite and welcoming and generally behave well around the school and in the playground. The number of incidents of unacceptable behaviour has been reduced significantly since the previous inspection.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Relationships are good, with pupils from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds getting on well together. This was reflected in conversations with pupils and their families, and from all the views expressed in the school’s most recent parental survey.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 One parent expressed how much she likes the school by saying, ‘I am more than happy at what my daughter achieves there.’ Another told an inspector of how quickly her children have progressed since moving them here from another school. This is because of its growing reputation for promoting good personal development alongside encouraging children to reach their full potential academically. The inspection evidence supports this view.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Staff make sure that pupils feel safe and learn how to keep themselves safe, including when they are using computers at home and in school. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue, and school records and the views of parents reflect this. Pupils learn about different types of bullying. They are adamant that they could turn to any adult in the school if they felt unsafe, and that there are clear procedures that would deal with issues should they arise.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school is a very welcoming community. Pupils who join the school at different times during the year quickly settle, mainly due to the good care and attention they receive. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills in a safe and stimulating environment at the beginning of the school day in the breakfast club. This has also helped to improve attendance.

p.6

The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school council organises fundraising activities and contributes to school improvement. Celebrations such as Chinese New Year are held in the community and pupils particularly enjoy eating traditional foods from other countries. School fosters good relationships through working with parents and carers from different cultural backgrounds. For example, the school organises fayres and fetes that have brought different sections of the school and community together. All these activities contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Until recently, leaders have not been successful in improving teaching and achievement. The task of improving the quality of teaching relies too heavily on the headteacher.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 While the headteacher has eliminated inadequate teaching, and the quality of teaching is improving, some still requires improvement, particularly at Key Stage2.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders who have responsibility for English and mathematics are recently appointed and have not yet acquired the skills of evaluating the quality of teaching. Training is planned and opportunities are being made for these leaders to check learning in lessons, hold teachers to account, share good practice and support the headteacher in making sure that teaching and assessment are consistently good.

p.6

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders hold teachers to account through managing their performance, for example through holding meetings to check on pupils’ progress. The development and training opportunities provided for the staff are securely linked to the school’s priorities for improvement. Decisions about staff promotion and salary increases are appropriately based on responsibilities and how well staff are performing.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school works closely in partnership with two other schools to share good practice, which is strengthening teaching.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupil premium funding has been used to provide a range of different support strategies to help raise the achievement of the pupils eligible for it. These have included an increase in the hours for some teaching assistants and small group work for those needing extra help with literacy and numeracy skills. These measures are being successful in closing the gap in attainment with their classmates. The funding has also allowed the school to appoint an attendance officer that has been especially effective in improving attendance.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. For example, pupils visit local museums and take part in residential stays that promotes team skills in outdoor environments. Also, there are a wide variety of sporting, creative and cultural activities that pupils enjoy.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 At the beginning of the school year, senior leaders introduced a new approach to the curriculum designed to give pupils experiences to help them write in different ways for different purposes. These activities are at an early stage of development but there are already signs of improvements to extended writing.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school is using the primary school sports funding to introduce an extensive programme of physical education to enhance the well-being of all pupils. For example, the introduction of new skills in dance, and training staff to support the acquisition of these skills, are enhancing further good sporting opportunities. This runs alongside the school promoting a healthy lifestyle, supported well by the good, balanced diet provided for the large proportion of pupils who opt for a school lunch.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 There are appropriate safeguarding policies. Staff are regularly trained in child protection procedures and checked before being allowed to work in school.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided good support in the school’s drive for improvement. Officers have provided good advice and support in the areas of leadership, teaching and governance.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 All pupils have equal access to the range of learning experiences the school provides. The pupils commented, ‘No one is left out of our games.’ Discrimination, in any form, is not tolerated in the school. However, not all pupils have received consistently good teaching over time.

p.7

The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  The governing body knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school well, including the quality of teaching. Governors provide a good level of support and challenge to senior leaders through gaining an independent view of the school through visits to the school and links with staff. There are effective systems to manage teachers’ performance and to hold to account the headteacher so that increases in teachers’ salaries are justified. Governors know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance. Governors have a good understanding of the difference that the pupil premium funding is making to eligible pupils. For example, money spent on training adults to support pupils in receipt of the pupil premium with their reading is raising standards. Governors also undertake regular training on topics such as school data to ensure they carry out their roles effectively.

p.7

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

p.9

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.

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 120066 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 431604

p.10

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.10

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 220 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anne Clark Headteacher Helen Tarokh Date of previous school inspection 18 September 2012 Telephone number 0116 2330666 Fax number 0116 2330666 Email address office@knightonfields.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 .

p.10

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.

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

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’.

p.11

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.11