Yardley Wood Community Primary School

Yardley Wood Community Primary School School Road, Birmingham, B14 4ER

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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.  Children get off to a good start and make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Most pupils, including those who are more able, make good progress in each class across the school. Standards are rising in English and mathematics and pupils are well on track to be at least at the national average by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.  Teaching is good throughout the school. Pupils enjoy the work they are given, which helps them learn well.  Good teamwork between teachers and other adults in the classroom results in disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs doing well in their learning.  Pupils behave well in lessons and this helps them to learn. They are polite and considerate towards adults and other pupils and feel well cared for.  Attendance has risen and pupils are punctual.  The school’s support to pupils and their families is a strength and helps pupils to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

succeed in their learning.  Leaders give staff good training and check the quality of teaching regularly. Consequently, teaching and achievement have improved quickly.  The school enhances pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through its curriculum and the many activities and visits provided.  Governors know the school well and provide a good balance of challenge and support.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Most teaching is good rather than outstanding in its impact on pupils’ learning and progress.  Pupils do not always have opportunities to extend their learning and thinking more deeply.  Not all teachers plan tasks for pupils that help them improve the quality of their writing in different subjects.  Pupils’ handwriting is not always clear. As a result, some do not present their work well.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 parts of lessons taught by 10 teachers. Six lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors observed the teaching of reading and listened to pupils read. In addition, inspectors made shorter visits to a number of lessons. They visited the playground at break time and the school hall at lunchtime. Inspectors also attended two assemblies.  Inspectors met two groups of pupils and talked to other pupils in lessons, in the playground and as they moved around the school.  Inspectors saw pupils’ written work during lessons and, with school leaders, looked in greater depth at a selection of their books.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff, eight members of the governing body and its clerk. Inspectors considered the responses to the questionnaires completed by 25 members of staff.  Inspectors spoke with a representative from the local authority and a National Leader in

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Information about this inspection

Education who has worked with the school. Inspectors also met the visiting speech and language therapist.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day and looked at the very small number of letters sent by parents. They took account of the school’s own questionnaires to parents. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to provide a summary of parents’ views.  Inspectors looked at a number of documents, including the school’s checks on how well it is doing and its plans for improvement. They checked the school’s information about pupils’ progress over time, and looked at records about the quality of teaching and minutes of governing body meetings. Inspectors scrutinised how the school keeps its pupils safe and looked at records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Cooper, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Taylor Additional Inspector Helen Owen Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Yardley Wood Community Primary School is an average-sized primary school. It provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage through a Nursery as well as Reception classes.  Just under half of the pupils come from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who join partway through their primary school education is much higher than average.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium (additional government funding that in this school applies to pupils who are looked after and those known to be eligible for free school meals) is well above the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is in line with the national average.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There have been several staffing changes since the previous inspection.  The school provides a breakfast club for its pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and improve pupils’ progress and attainment by:  making sure that pupils have enough opportunities to improve their learning by exploring ideas in depth  providing more opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills to the full, particularly when they write in subjects other than English  helping pupils to improve the quality of their handwriting and presentation of their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills well below those expected for their age, particularly in language and communication. By the end of the Reception Year in 2013, most children achieved a good level of development because of good teaching and extra support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress across Key Stage 1 and their attainment rose in 2013. However, most struggle to reach national averages by Year 2.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ results in the Year 1 screening check in phonics (the sounds that letters make) are usually close to the national average, but results in 2013 declined a little due to some loss of staffing continuity last year. Year 1 pupils practise phonics every day in small groups and are making better progress this year because teaching has improved to be good. The school helps pupils to catch up on phonics during Years 2 and 3, where necessary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils develop as competent readers through the school, particularly in Key Stage 2. When pupils read out loud, most can use their skills in relating sounds to letters to work out new words. Pupils learn to check the meanings of words in the dictionary, but also sometimes resort to using pictures in the book to help them to understand. As they develop their reading skills, pupils read with greater expression. For example, in a Year 6 reading lesson, pupils enjoyed choosing one of 30 different activities to complete, once they had finished reading a chapter in Goodnight, Mister Tom.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress and achievement rise in Key Stage 2 from the good foundations laid in Key Stage 1 and Reception. Pupils’ attainment in the Year 6 national tests has risen since the previous inspection, particularly in 2013, to compare favourably with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils attained particularly well in mathematics. All pupils made, at least, the progress expected of them in reading, writing and mathematics. Most did better than this in all three subjects, and many made exceptional progress, especially in reading and mathematics. The proportion of pupils gaining Level 5 increased, although slightly fewer boys than girls reached that level in writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils currently in the school, especially the more-able pupils, are achieving well. In most classes, there is little difference between the progress of boys and girls, and the school’s detailed information shows that any difference in attainment is being eliminated. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to that of other pupils because teachers and other adults give them extra help in using English in lessons when needed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who join the school during Key Stages 1 and 2 catch up quickly and do as well as their classmates who started in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, because teachers and other adults plan exactly what extra help they need and provide it. School leaders are highly skilled at deciding when pupils are ready to cope without extra help from the close assessments made of these pupils’ progress. The school works closely with parents to help them support their children at home.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupil premium has been used well to pay for extra support in all years and for specialist teaching in information and communication technology. As a result, pupils supported through the pupil premium make good progress. In reading, the small gap of two months between pupils entitled to the funding closed completely in 2013. The gap reduced in writing from a whole year to two months, and in mathematics from nine months to six. Pupils receiving the extra funding are on target this year to be ahead of their classmates at both key stages.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is almost always good and, at times, it is outstanding. The quality of teaching seen during the inspection reflected that observed by the school’s leaders in their regular checks of teaching. Teaching in English, mathematics and other subjects is equally strong because teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan work that interests pupils. Reading is well taught.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons start promptly and no time is wasted. Teachers have positive relationships with pupils, who understand the classroom routines and only rarely need reminders. Almost all pupils settle down to their learning promptly. A Key Stage 1 pupil told an inspector: ‘You need to learn for when you are an adult.’ Pupils treat teachers and other adults with equal respect, and members of staff operate as a team.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan interesting activities which challenge pupils of different abilities to learn. Consequently, learning is almost always successful. Technology is often used effectively. For example, Year 5 pupils were completely engrossed in improving their computer animation. The teacher encouraged them to use sophisticated techniques, and everyone made considerable progress because pupils willingly helped each other.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well in lessons, with extra support where needed. For example, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson, pupils with special educational needs made good progress because the well-deployed teaching assistant used extra resources to help the pupils work out their answers successfully.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage helps children to make good progress. Teachers make sure that learning is fun and provide children with plenty of choice of different activities. Teachers take every advantage of opportunities to develop children’s skills in letters and sounds. For example, in a Reception class, children enjoyed spelling out ‘cat’, ‘fat’ and ‘bat’ to include the Silly Soup song, even suggesting the nonsense word ‘lat’.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where pupils make the best progress, teaching fires their thinking. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics lesson, the teacher actively encouraged a pupil who suggested a new way of checking whether a calculation was correct. The teacher swiftly involved the rest of the class in finding out whether the pupil’s idea would work. As a result, everyone was extremely keen to be the first to answer. However, not all lessons provide such opportunities to stimulate this level of thinking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark work carefully, giving pupils detailed guidance on how to improve it. Pupils can be relied upon to complete the extra questions or spellings set by their teachers. Pupils complete a good range of writing in their English books, but they are not expected to write extensively in other subjects, even where the topics lend themselves to more written work. The quality of handwriting in pupils’ books is not as neat as it could be, and sometimes spoils the presentation of their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. From the Early Years Foundation Stage onwards, pupils are usually keen to learn and try hard – whether working on their own or as part of a class.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In the Nursery class, children settle quickly and happily to their chosen activities. They are polite towards adults and thoughtful towards each other in taking turns. These habitual actions contribute to what is often outstanding behaviour towards learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Through the school, pupils are used to helping each other in lessons. Only occasionally do one or two pupils lose concentration when they are stuck with their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are proud of their school and its uniform. They behave politely and open doors for adults and for each other. Pupils need little prompting to leave everything tidy at the end of the lesson. The children in the Early Years Foundation Stage were impressive in their willingness to clear up.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school has introduced plenty of lunchtime activities for pupils, including the games led by the sports coach paid for through the sports premium. Midday staff and parents alike commented on the constructive behaviour the additional activities had stimulated. Older pupils play their part in leading singing at lunchtime. Year 6 pupils were highly enthusiastic in their singing practice and eagerly took it in turns to conduct the song, Let me see your bungalow.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Records kept by the school show that the few incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with effectively. Teachers and other adults help the small number of pupils who fall out with each other to settle their differences, and this contributes to the harmonious community in the school. Pupils say that any concerns they express about bullying are followed up quickly by staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have great confidence that the headteacher and all the staff will make sure that they are safe. The message of not trusting new-found ‘friends’ on the internet was brought home to pupils in a simulated experience in an assembly. Children in Reception can explain what to do if there is an emergency. Leaders ensure that the school is safe and entry is restricted. Staff are rigorously checked for their suitability.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy coming to school, as shown by the rapidly rising levels of attendance and their prompt arrival at school each day. The school has been most successful at reducing the numbers of pupils who are away from school for long periods. The school provides high-quality support to pupils and their families, helping pupils to settle into school life and do well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is deeply respected by staff, pupils and parents for his leadership. He is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and other leaders and, together, they are moving the school forward quickly. Consequently, achievement and teaching have improved considerably since the previous inspection. Leaders at all levels are accurate in their judgements of what still needs to improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior staff and teachers in charge of subjects check teaching by looking at teachers’ planning of work, observing lessons and talking to pupils about their learning. Subject leaders are effective in supporting improvement. Teachers speak highly of how training has improved their teaching, for example, when teaching letters and sounds or helping pupils investigate in science. They use visits to other schools to check each other’s marking of the writing tests and to swap ideas for teaching English grammar, punctuation and spelling. Other schools have been in contact to find out how the school uses technology in teaching.  The school sets teachers challenging targets, which link closely to the school improvement plan and to the national standards expected of teachers. Teachers are held fully to account for the quality of teaching in ensuring the progress of the pupils they teach.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided good support to the school since its previous inspection. The school makes good use of advice given by a National Leader of Education when checking teaching. The local authority now intervenes less directly, recognising how much the school has already improved.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum is well coordinated to develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils are invited to suggest topics they would find interesting to study, and are asked to evaluate the lessons they receive to give staff feedback on the success of learning activities. The many visits, such as the trip to Birmingham Cathedral and the visit to London to see Matilda, provide memorable learning experiences for pupils. The visitors to school, including children’s authors, help to inspire their learning. The school’s website offers pupils and parents interactive games in English and mathematics and the class blogs display pupils’ work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum does much to stimulate pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils’ poetry stimulated by Remembrance Day poppies shows their thoughts about war. Pupils are taught to care for others through the Olympic values of the sports partnership and through their generous fund-raising. Teachers encourage pupils to work together, contributing to their social development. Pupils’ art is inspired by the work of different artists, such as Georges Méliès’s animation in the film, Trip to the moon.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sports funding is used to employ a specialist coach, who has trained school staff in teaching physical education. Pupils take part in competitive sports against other schools through a sports partnership. Pupils greatly enjoy creating games and rules, using adventure equipment. Workshops for parents and the ‘Class Snack Swap Challenge’ help to promote healthy eating. The extra funding is making a noticeable difference to pupils’ health and fitness.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works hard to keep in touch with parents. The school’s recent parental survey shows that most parents think highly of the school and feel that their children are making good progress. A parent who wrote to the inspection team said: ‘In the last couple of years I have seen a vast improvement in the way pupils are encouraged to achieve their goals and dreams.’

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Teachers and other adults keep a close eye on how well children are doing. They frequently talk to parents about their children’s progress when they collect them at the end of the day. The Early Years Foundation Stage leader invited parents to several workshops where parents shared ideas for play activities with children. As a result, children developed good speaking and listening skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body benefits from the skills and expertise of its members, including that of the experienced Chair of the Governing Body. The training provided by the local authority has helped to give governors a good understanding of how to hold the school to account. In their meetings, governors frequently question the headteacher and teachers in charge of subjects about progress against the targets in the school improvement plan.  Governors are linked to particular classes. They visit their link class regularly to gain a better understanding of the teaching and learning going on. They also provide practical help, for example, by hearing pupils read. Their visits give them an accurate view of the quality of teaching in the school. They understand how teachers’ performance is managed and make sure that teachers are only awarded extra pay or promotion where teaching is consistently

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The leadership and management are good

good and pupils achieve well.  Governors are well used to analysing the published data on pupils’ attainment and progress and they use this information to compare the school’s results with those of schools nationally. They can explain in detail how the sports and pupil premium grants have been spent and the difference the extra funding has made to pupils’ well-being and to their attainment.  Governors go out of their way to be approachable to parents and carers by attending parents’ evenings and school events and by talking to parents at the gate.  Governors make sure that pupils are safe and secure through regular checks of the school site. Safeguarding meets all statutory requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 103281 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 431110

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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 264 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pat Cox Headteacher Benjamin Turner Date of previous school inspection 30 April 2012 Telephone number 0121 6752456 Fax number 0121 6755001 Email address enquiry@ydlywood.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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