Hayes Meadow Primary School

Hayes Meadow Primary School Spode Avenue, Handsacre, Rugeley, WS15 4EU

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 make good progress from Reception to Year 6 and an increasing proportion of pupils make exceptional progress, particularly in mathematics and reading.  By the end of Year 6, attainment is above average, particularly at the higher levels, in both mathematics and reading.  Senior leaders are bringing about improvements in teaching with determination. Their actions to improve pupils’ achievement have been particularly successful.  Pupils are happy and proud of their school. They feel very safe in school. They treat each other, and the school facilities, with respect and consideration.  The school takes exceptional care of each individual, particularly those whose circumstances make them vulnerable.  Pupils are provided with many memorable learning experiences. This contributes well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching. There are not enough opportunities for teachers to learn from the outstanding practice that does exist within the school.  The quality of marking in pupils’ books is not always clear enough to show pupils precisely how to improve.  Not all teachers give the most-able pupils work that sufficiently challenges them and enables them to reach their potential.  Too few governors are involved in supporting and challenging leaders.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons, of which two were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition inspectors listened to pupils read.  Inspectors also observed the headteacher reporting back to teachers on the quality of their teaching.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school improvement plan, the school’s records of pupils’ behaviour over time, the school’s information about pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings and the school’s safeguarding documentation.  Meetings were held with staff including senior leaders, a group of pupils, the Vice Chair of the Governing Body and one other staff governor. The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority. Inspectors spoke informally with other members of staff.  Inspectors took account of the 15 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and met some parents informally at the end of the school day. Inspectors also held a more formal

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Information about this inspection

meeting with a group of parents in school.  During this inspection, inspectors asked additional questions designed to ascertain the school’s view of the impact and effectiveness of local authority services to support school improvement. This information will contribute to work being carried out by Ofsted to assess the use, quality and impact of those services.

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Inspection team

Marilyn Mottram, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Suha Ahmad Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hayes Meadow Primary School is smaller than the average sized primary school.  Since the last inspection there have been significant changes to staffing. Apart from the headteacher, all members of the senior leadership team are new.  The large majority of pupils are from a White British background.  The proportions of disabled pupils, those with a statement of special educational needs or those who need extra support at school action plus, are all above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is also above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding from the government to support the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after by the local authority or who have a parent in the armed forces.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching so that pupils progress at an even faster pace by:  ensuring that when teachers mark pupils’ work they make clear how pupils can improve  making sure that the work set for the most-able pupils is sufficiently demanding so that these pupils reach their potential in all classes

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the leadership and management of the school, including its governance by:  organising opportunities for staff to learn from outstanding practice already existing within the school  improving the effectiveness of the governing body by ensuring that more governors are involved in reviewing the performance of the school and supporting and challenging leaders.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Nursery and Reception with skills and understanding that are broadly in line with those typically seen at their age. All children are given good support and opportunities for learning are planned well. As a result, children gain confidence quickly and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By the end of Year 6, pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics are above average. The proportions of pupils attaining higher levels in mathematics and reading are above those found nationally. Work in pupils’ books, in lessons and the school’s own records show that an increasing number of pupils in the school are making good progress to reach and exceed the standards expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress from their different starting points. This is because the support they receive is carefully planned and their progress is frequently checked.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils supported by pupil premium funding were one term behind other pupils in reading in 2013. In writing, the difference was just over one term. Their attainment in mathematics matched that of other pupils. The school has used its funding to provide effective one-to-one focused teaching and additional small group sessions. As a result, differences in the attainment of eligible pupils and others are steadily reducing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Results from last summer’s Year 1 screening in phonics (the links between letters and the sounds that they make) showed that pupils were well ahead of the national average. This is due to the school’s sharp focus on improving pupils’ reading skills and teachers’ effective teaching of phonics. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use their phonic skills to work out difficult words when they are reading more widely.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Writing skills are improving because the school provides purposeful opportunities for pupils to write at length in different subjects. For example, Year 6 pupils used a range of sources to research the Age of Exploration in history. They produced extensive and well written reports based on their findings. Pupils are rightly proud of their writing on display around the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 While the most-able pupils are working at higher levels in Years 5 and 6, in some classes the work they are asked to do is too easy. For example, pupils who have already completed work are sometimes waiting patiently for the rest of the class to finish before they can move on. This slows the pace of learning for the most-able.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall and some teaching is outstanding. Teachers mostly plan lessons that excite and interest pupils. For example, Year 3 pupils were writing a play-script based on Roald Dahl’s, Fantastic Mr Fox. They were enthused by the book and keen to succeed at the task. They closely checked their work against what they had been asked to do and followed the school’s expectations by helping each other to do their best. As a result, pupils made rapid progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers in the Early Years Foundation Stage encourage children to express their ideas and use language confidently. During the inspection, the local police were working with children in the Reception year as part of a topic on ‘People who Help Us’. Children listened attentively and asked appropriate questions. Less confident children were supported and encouraged well by adults. As a result, children developed good skills in listening and speaking.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers have a clear understanding of what pupils already know and can do and use this to set tasks of an appropriately challenging level. During a Year 5 mathematics lesson, for example, some pupils were investigating ‘square root’ numbers and tackling challenging problems. Others were working with the teacher to recap previous learning and secure their understanding. Some pupils continued to try to solve the challenging problems long after the session had ended. All pupils made rapid progress from their starting points.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Where teaching is not as strong, the work set for most-able pupils does not provide sufficient challenge for them to reach their potential. Work in pupils’ books shows that, in some instances, the most-able pupils are given the same work as others in the class. This hinders their ability to work at higher levels and reach their potential.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Younger children are provided with lots of opportunities to apply their phonic skills in their writing. Nursery children, for example, regularly write letters and invitations in the role-play area. The teacher ensured children were able to use their knowledge of phonics to spell words and then write them in sentences. This is helping pupils to make good progress in reading and writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is good communication between teachers and additional support staff. This means that additional adults working in classrooms are clear about the skills that pupils have already mastered and can move them on to harder work as soon as they are ready. This helps them to make progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ books are marked regularly. However, some of the comments that teachers write in pupils’ books are not precise enough to help them to improve their work. This restricts pupils’ progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils in and around the school is good. Pupils are proud of their school. They are particularly proud of the ‘Forest School’ and the outdoor classroom. They play their part in the upkeep of this area and treat it with great respect and care. This contributes to pupils’ positive attitudes to learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school uses a good range of strategies to help pupils who, at times, find it difficult to behave well. Leaders work effectively with external agencies. School records are detailed and show an improvement in behaviour over time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils told inspectors that there are a handful of pupils who sometimes do not behave well. Pupils’ comments include, ‘There are times when some people forget the school rules but teachers sort out any problems quickly. We have a system of playground buddies and we all try to take care of each other.’

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The majority of parents who spoke to inspectors and those who completed the on-line questionnaire were positive about behaviour. They commented on how well their children were supported in school. ‘The school brings out the best in the children.’ The school takes exceptional care of each individual, particularly those whose circumstances make them vulnerable.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 ‘The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The school is particularly vigilant in monitoring and raising awareness of e-safety. Pupils are confident about using the internet safely and know what to do in a potentially unsafe situation. ‘We learn about e-safety in assemblies and the police come and speak to us about it too. They tell us the law and we know what to do if we are worried,’ said one pupil. Another told inspectors, ‘One of the best things about our school is that it is a safe place to be’.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils talk with good understanding about different types of bullying and report that bullying is rare. They talk about the need to make everyone feel safe and comfortable. They are clear about the systems in place to help them if they feel worried or upset, such as the ‘worry box’. They say that there is always someone around to help them if they need it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staff ensure that families understand the importance of regular attendance and of getting children to school on time. The Office Manager and the headteacher have worked hard to improve attendance and it is now broadly average.

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The leadership and management are good

 In the last two years there have been significant changes to staffing. The headteacher and governors have managed the changes well. An effective new senior leadership team has been established. The team is driving improvement and raising pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher are determined that every pupil will succeed. They are tenacious when working to remove any barriers that may be holding pupils back. Several parents spoke positively of how the school has helped their children to overcome difficulties.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, deputy headteacher and other leaders frequently check how well pupils are learning. They observe lessons, look in books and carefully analyse the results of assessments. They use the information effectively to ensure that teaching is good. However, teachers are not given enough opportunities to learn from outstanding practice in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The arrangements to ensure the effectiveness of teaching staff are good. Teachers have performance targets linked to the progress of pupils they teach. Decisions about pay are closely linked to how successfully teachers meet the targets set.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum offers pupils a range of memorable learning experiences. Pupils talk about designing and making tents in the ‘Forest School and testing materials for water-resistance. They are proud of their art work on display including the ceramic tiles, painted by Year 6 pupils, displayed in the outdoor classroom.

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The leadership and management are good

 Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning is good. The school makes great efforts to celebrate the range of faiths in the world and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated. The impact of this is seen in the inclusive atmosphere of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Specialist sports coaches, funded from the primary school sports funding, work alongside teachers. This is improving teachers’ skills and confidence when teaching physical education. Pupils’ are enthusiastic about sports. This is seen in the high level of participation in before-and- after school sports clubs. Pupils’ comments include, ‘we can do any sport we want here, there’s always something to join. It keeps us fit and helps our brains to work better!’  The local authority has identified this good school as requiring low levels of support. Some elements of local authority support have therefore been stronger than others. A review of the school’s performance took place in September 2013 but, due to staffing issues in the local authority, a follow-up visit has not taken place. A new local authority representative has only very recently started to work with the school. This means that he does not yet know the

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The leadership and management are good

school’s strengths and development needs to any great degree. As part of a separate funding agreement between the school and the local authority, a School Improvement Partner regularly visits the school. The School Improvement Partner has recently provided an external view on the quality of teaching. Local authority consultants have provided effective advice to the school in its work to secure improvements in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school: - Documentation shows that governors work closely with the headteacher to ensure that that school funds are directed where they are needed most. Governors ensure that the pupil premium and primary school sports funding are used well and are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement and well-being. - With the support of an external consultant, the headteacher’s performance is reviewed thoroughly as is the management of the performance of all staff. - The governing body ensures that all safeguarding requirements are met. Governors have recently organised a programme of training and support from an external provider. They have started to review their skills in order to check requirements for future training. Currently, there are too few governors involved in reviewing the performance of the school and in providing good support and strong challenge to school leaders.

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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 124151 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 431513

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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 196 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Graham Stenton Headteacher Barbara Luck Date of previous school inspection 25 June 2009 Telephone number 01543 490616 Fax number 01543 490616 Email address headteacher@hayesmeadow.staffs.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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