Clinton Primary School

Clinton Primary School Caesar Road, Kenilworth, CV8 1DL

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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 Outstanding 1 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 during their time at the school, particularly in reading, and leave with standards which are consistently above average.  The information about pupils’ interests, achievements and the next steps they need to take in their learning is used very well by teachers to guide pupils’ learning.  Children in Reception develop skills quickly because of good teaching, and they are well prepared for Key Stage 1.  Pupils feel very safe in school and they are very caring of each other. The school makes sure they understand risk and know how to keep themselves and others safe.  The headteacher‘s expectations for the school are high and are shared by staff, members of the governing body, and parents and carers.  Leaders hold teachers to account for pupils’ progress and support them to improve their teaching.  Governors bring considerable expertise to the school. They have a very good knowledge of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

how well the school is performing and they constantly challenge leaders to improve the school further.  The school’s excellent provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development underpins pupils’ positive attitudes towards learning and their impeccable behaviour. These attitudes make a significant contribution to their good progress.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Marking does not always require pupils to address errors in their work or challenge them to think more deeply and then improve their work.  Adults sometimes give pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, too much help with their work.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and saw 13 lessons or parts of lessons taught by eight teachers. Two of the lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher.  The inspection team studied a range of written evidence, including the school’s evaluation of its own effectiveness and improvement planning, records from meetings and visits conducted by the governing body, and policies and other documents about how the school keeps its pupils safe.  The inspectors also examined a range of data about pupils’ progress and looked at their work in books and on display around the school. They observed pupils outside in the playground and during lunchtimes, and heard pupils from Year 1, Year 2 and Year 6 read.  Discussions were held with pupils, teachers, the headteacher, senior leaders and a group of governors. The lead inspector also spoke by telephone with a local authority adviser.

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Information about this inspection

 The views of parents and carers were gathered from the 119 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and from talking to them at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the views expressed in questionnaires returned by 19 members of staff.

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Inspection team

Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Isobel Randall Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Clinton Primary is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The very large majority of pupils who attend the school are White British. Other pupils come for a range of European and Asian backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium is below average. This is additional funding made available for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and pupils with a parent in the armed services.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding so that pupils achieve even more by ensuring that:  marking makes clear to pupils what they have done well and how to improve their work further, and this is reflected in subsequent improvements  additional support provided for lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs focuses more consistently on helping pupils to learn and improve their skills and understanding, rather than simply completing the activity.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 All groups of pupils in the school are making good progress from their various starting points. Some make outstanding progress. Their ready eagerness to learn undoubtedly contributes to this.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start in the Reception class with skills that are above those expected for their age but some have not such strong personal and social development. Good teaching in the Reception class enables children to make good progress in all areas of learning. By the time they join Key Stage 1, children’s attainment is securely above the national average, including in their personal and social development.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make very good progress in learning phonics (the sounds that letters make) and almost all pupils reach the required standard in the screening check at the end of Year 1. Pupils continue to make good gains in their learning and, as a result, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. School tracking data shows that pupils in the current Year 2 are working at similarly above-average levels.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 has also been above and often well above the national average in each of the years since the last inspection. However, in 2013, although attainment was above average in reading, fewer attained the higher levels in writing and mathematics. Evidence from pupils’ books and lessons indicates that Year 6 attainment is on track to improve considerably this year. Increasing numbers of pupils are expected to attain the higher levels. Pupils, and particularly the more able, are making quicker progress across Key Stage 2 because the work is matched well to their abilities and there is a good level of challenge.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading skills are particularly strong throughout the school. Pupils read fluently and with expression. They have good skills in using phonics (letters and the sounds they make) to read unfamiliar words. Pupils talk confidently about their reading and show obvious enjoyment of the written word. They receive consistently good support for these skills in school and at home.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Systematic support through frequent exercises is already improving pupils’ understanding of grammar, spelling and punctuation. Alongside the many opportunities pupils have to write for a purpose in different subjects, these are helping to improve the quality of pupils’ writing so that more are exceeding the expected progress in this in all year groups.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Tasks in mathematics provide good challenge for pupils of different ability levels. Pupils in Year 4, for example, responded very well to the teacher’s high expectations as they used their calculation skills to try to prove or disprove a mathematical rule, with some achieving levels well above those expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs usually make good progress. They benefit from the expertise of skilled teaching assistants. However, their progress slows when they are given too much help rather than supported to work things out and find their own answers. This is because, sometimes, the focus is more on completing the work rather than helping the pupil to develop skills they need to learn further.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupil premium is used effectively to provide well-targeted support for the small number of pupils known to be eligible. Almost all are making the same good progress as their classmates. The attainment of eligible pupils in the 2013 Year 6 is not reported, as numbers were very small.  The additional sports funding is also promoting pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for sports well and has begun to improve their skills and teamwork in a range of sports.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Staff know pupils well and have high expectations of them. They use this knowledge to make sure that pupils, including the more able, are given activities and challenges that are at just the right level to enable them to learn well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers develop very good relationships with pupils and expect them to take responsibility for their learning and to challenge themselves in lessons. For example, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson, a more-able pupil said, ‘I have chosen this number so it will be harder.’ Pupils are expected to explain their thinking and well-targeted questions by teachers support this and pupils’ good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers plan interesting and relevant tasks which connect to real-life experiences, such as an observational outdoor science lesson on ‘How does that plant manage to grow there?’ These tasks engage and motivate pupils very well, contributing to their excellent attitudes to work and strong determination to do well. There is a calm, quiet atmosphere for learning in lessons.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Early reading and writing skills are taught well. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan systematically to build on children’s skills. In Key Stage 2, pupils’ writing is improving because of the good range of opportunities available to write in different subjects, so that more are on target to achieve higher levels.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Children in the Reception class benefit from the close encouragement, questioning and support of adults as they work indoors or outdoors on an interesting range of well-planned activities. This enables them to make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils know what they need to do to be successful in lessons because of teachers’ clear explanations and use of practical examples to show them how to approach the tasks they are set. They appreciate the quality of the comments teachers make to them during lessons about how to improve their work. However, written comments, while thorough and regular, are not always specific about what pupils now need to do. Pupils do not always respond to this marking in a way that makes a noticeable difference to subsequent learning and work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. This is so both in lessons and around the school. Pupils, staff, parents and governors all say behaviour is excellent, and the minimal number of incidents in the school’s logs bears this out. In lessons observed during the inspection, there were no interruptions of any kind.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils show determination. They listen carefully and quickly become engrossed in their learning, readily helping each other and trying their best at all times. Pupils recognise the importance of working hard so that they can learn more and improve their opportunities in life. These positive attitudes are making a significant contribution to the increasing rates of progress seen across the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils respond immediately to adults and follow the rules even when not directly supervised. They help each other and adults. Their conduct in assembly is exemplary as they listen attentively to the youngest children telling the story of Mog the Cat. There is a clear sense of pride in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils thoroughly enjoy school. One pupil said, ‘It’s like a second home!’ They carry out their roles well, whether as school councillors, newspaper journalists or running clubs for the younger children. Year 6 pupils are considered excellent role models by the other pupils and they rise to meet their expectations.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school song is sung by all with feeling and brings the whole school community together with one voice. Pupils’ understanding of their place in the wider community is also evident in their fundraising activities and in their links with pupils in schools in this country and others.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils have a very well- developed understanding of different forms of bullying, such as name-calling and the misuse of mobile phones and emails. They say that bullying is not an issue in the school – a view backed up by school records – but they know what to do if they should have any problems. They are confident that staff will help them or that they would help each other.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils say they feel very safe, and their parents agree, reflecting the school’s excellent work in this area. Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are carried out and that pupils are taught about the dangers associated with substance abuse, social media and the internet. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of these.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance fell slightly in 2013 but has improved and is now just above average levels as a result of the school’s actions. There is hardly any persistent absence.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils are very enthusiastic about the new sporting opportunities available to them, such as archery and badminton, and older pupils participate in high numbers. They recognise the benefits of exercise and its importance in keeping healthy.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has a clear ambition for the school to be as good as it possibly can be. His inspirational leadership has ensured that staff, parents, pupils and governors share his vision for the school. Morale amongst staff is high. All staff who responded to the survey agreed that the school is well led and managed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, based on rigorous lesson observations, checks on pupils’ work, conversations with pupils and their parents, and data on their progress. They use all of this information well to inform their improvement planning. These are well-structured plans which are carefully monitored and are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers’ performance is managed well. All staff take responsibility for the performance of the pupils they work with and are committed to ensuring even better progress by improving how well they teach. They work together in teams effectively, offering advice and support when needed.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and other leaders closely check the progress of pupils who are in danger of falling behind. They work with teachers to ensure that those pupils make up any lost ground and quickly make good progress. The good progress that pupils make shows that leaders are committed to promoting equality of opportunity. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

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The leadership and management are good

 Although the emphasis is on developing pupils’ literacy and mathematical skills, all subjects taught contribute highly effectively to promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The links between subjects, such as in the Year 6 topic on ‘Overcoming Injustice’, allow pupils opportunities to reflect deeply on complex issues. Pupils are well set up for the next steps in their education.

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The leadership and management are good

 The wide range of learning opportunities beyond the normal timetable, such as the excellent school orchestra and the Year 6 visit to France to practise their spoken French, enriches pupils’ learning immensely.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers hold highly positive views about the school. One parent typified the views of many in saying, ‘My daughter loves coming to school.’ Almost all parents say they would recommend the school to others.

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The leadership and management are good

 The sports funding is spent on a range of initiatives and there are clear plans to check the impact of these. Pupils are benefitting from new sports equipment and clubs, and are enjoying participating in competitions against other schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works very closely and effectively with other agencies to support pupils who have additional learning needs. The headteacher also works closely with other local schools, which supports Clinton’s self-evaluation and improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority checks periodically on the school’s performance data and considers this to be a good school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ well-being and safety is at heart of what the school does, and the school is meticulous in ensuring that safeguarding procedures meet national requirements. Effective partnership working with other agencies, such as social care and health, and annual review of practice, keep standards high.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is committed to creating an outstanding school. They use their considerable professional expertise to challenge and support the school to improve further. They have a clear understanding of how well the school is doing based on their regular visits, meetings with leaders, and checks on the data about pupils’ progress.  Governors know about the quality of teaching in the school and make sure that teachers’ pay and promotion are linked to their contribution to raising achievement and standards. They check regularly on the provision made for the pupil premium and the primary school sports funding, asking key questions about the impact of the money spent and ensuring that eligible pupils benefit.  Governors ensure that the budget is well spent and that the school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet current national requirements. Information to parents is very good and the

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The leadership and management are good

website is kept up to date with relevant information.

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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 125551 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 431527

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 215 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Purdy Headteacher Sam Pater Date of previous school inspection 18 May 2009 Telephone number 01926 852334 Fax number 01926 855290 Email address admin2308@welearn365.com 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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