St George's Church of England Primary School

St George's Church of England Primary School London Road, St George's, Telford, TF2 9LJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  From starting points which are below average, pupils make outstanding progress and reach high standards.  Most pupils make rapid progress because teaching is outstanding. Teachers use their excellent knowledge of what pupils already know to plan suitable work for all ability groups.  Pupils know how well they are doing and how to improve their work because teachers mark work thoroughly and give excellent feedback about their learning.  Teaching assistants and support staff give exceptional support which helps pupils to make very rapid progress.  Pupils are very excited about the wide range of interesting activities both in school and beyond the school day. They also enjoy greatly their work finding out about people of other backgrounds and faiths.  Pupils are very proud of their school and say that staff value them highly.  Pupils know how to stay safe both in and out of school. They say that they know who to ask

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

if they need help.  Pupils concentrate well and persevere so that they understand their work and develop skills to a high level. Their behaviour and attitudes make an outstanding contribution to their learning.  The headteacher’s outstanding understanding of the progress made by pupils, and his drive and determination, are shared by the governors, other leaders, and all members of staff.  Governors undertake regular training so that they are highly skilled. Their thorough checking of pupils’ achievement and close involvement in school life mean that they understand the strengths of the school, hold leaders accountable and plan appropriate priorities for the school to improve further.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes and visited 26 lessons or parts of lessons.  Discussions were held with pupils, parents, the governors, a representative of the local authority, the headteacher and other leaders.  Inspectors took account of the 28 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and the responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, talked to them about their learning and looked at work in their books.  Inspectors looked at the school’s evaluation of its work, the improvement plan, current achievement information, minutes of governors’ meetings, and records of behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Lynne Bradbury, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Sandra Ewing Additional Inspector Dennis Brittain Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils come from white British backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for those pupils in receipt of free school meals, in the care of the local authority and from service families, is lower than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average.  The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is higher than average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  The school works closely to support another local school, Millbrook Primary School.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Extend the school’s use of the outcomes of the National Oracy Project to further support the current improvement in phonics understanding (the link between letters and the sounds they make).

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 From low starting points, pupils make exceptional progress, develop confidence, resilience and reach high standards.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Most children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities below those typical for their age group. They develop positive attitudes to learning and establish strong relationships. They make good progress in Nursery and Reception so that they enter Year 1 at standards closer to those nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 In Year 1 in 2013, the school improved its performance in the phonics screening check over the previous year. Current attainment in phonics, including standards observed during the inspection, shows that this aspect has now improved and is in line with national expectations.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school is part of the National Oracy Project which focuses upon improving speaking and listening skills in order to support learning in all areas. This has been particularly effective in raising achievement in phonics, and this work is continuing to develop to support all aspects of literacy and higher thinking skills across all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 In Years 1 and 2, pupils make excellent progress. At the end of Year 2 in 2013 pupils attained standards in line with those nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 At the end of Year 6 in 2013, pupils attained standards above those nationally, and large proportions of pupils had made much better progress than others nationally. Pupils eligible for the pupil premium were a term behind their classmates in mathematics, reading and writing. However, the progress made by these pupils was ahead of their classmates except in writing, where it was in line with them. Pupils currently in school and eligible for support from the pupil premium funding are attaining as well as their classmates. The funding is used to provide one to one tuition, small group work, visits and equipment.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs made better progress than those in their group nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The systems in place in school make sure that any pupils who start to fall behind are given immediate extra support.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 The school’s system for tracking the progress of pupils currently in Years 1 to 6 shows that, in most year groups, all groups, including the most able, are making outstanding progress. There is further evidence of this in the work in most pupils’ books and during many lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils of all abilities show determination to succeed because they believe that they can achieve to high standards. In a Year 5 mathematics lesson, pupils were working out missing angles on a straight line and from within triangles which they found very challenging but they had great confidence which helped them to succeed.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils develop a love of reading, read enthusiastically and regularly across a wide range of topics and talk excitedly about their favourite books and authors. One child said that she loved to read because it was as if you were inside the book and this reflected what many felt about reading.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Rapid progress in writing and mathematics is also supported across all subjects for all pupils. They write well across many topics and their work is constantly improved by their discussions with other pupils and their developing skills in assessing their own work.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Outstanding teaching over time helps all groups of pupils to make exceptional progress across most subjects.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers make good use of children’s play to develop basic skills and positive attitudes to learning.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Outstanding teaching in most year groups is based upon teachers using their knowledge of what pupils can already do in order to plan work which challenges all groups of pupils across all subjects.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers plan interesting and exciting lessons which engage all pupils in practical activities and discussion. In English lessons in Year 3 and Year 6, they encouraged pupils to exchange exciting ideas for their writing, helping each other to improve their work and to reach for very high standards because they greatly enjoyed this work.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching assistants and other support staff make an outstanding contribution to pupils’ progress through their support in lessons and their extra tuition and support programmes.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers and teaching assistants use expert questioning skills so that they can adapt the level of challenge based upon pupils’ responses throughout lessons.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff model excellent relationships and standards of respect, and these are evident in all subjects. They manage behaviour exceptionally well by making sure that work is never too easy or too difficult for pupils and by establishing a focus on success.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers make sure that pupils have appropriate targets for their learning and encourage them to measure their own success and plan what they need to do next during lessons.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Marking gives excellent feedback to help pupils understand how to improve their work. It identifies successful learning and the improvements needed.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Parents who met with inspectors expressed high levels of satisfaction with the quality of teaching in school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Their attitudes make a significant contribution to their high levels of achievement. They are very proud of their school and work with great enthusiasm, showing high levels of concentration, perseverance and commitment to learning.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 There is a happy atmosphere across the school where pupils and staff show how much they enjoy working together. Relationships at all levels are respectful and supportive.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Staff set very high expectations for themselves and their pupils. Praise and celebration of achievement is used well to encourage everyone to do their best.  There is very little time wasted in lessons because pupils enjoy them. Those who experience difficulties with their emotional and social development are given excellent support and make good progress.

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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 say that they feel safe in school and that they know how to stay safe in many situations outside school, and with new technologies like the internet. They understand the many kinds of bullying but say that this rarely happens in school and that they know who to ask for help if they need it. Most parents agree that behaviour is excellent and that their children are kept safe.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is improving and is now above average. There are excellent systems in place in school to help those pupils who have problems in this area to improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils greatly enjoy the wide range of clubs and activities including music, drama, sport and visits, and join all activities with great enthusiasm.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The headteacher is passionate about developing the school so that every pupil can achieve the very best. All staff and governors share this ambitious view for the development of the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Careful checking of every aspect of the school’s work by the headteacher and governors identifies focused priorities for development and these key priorities in the school development plan are financed appropriately.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 All judgements about the success of the school’s work and what needs further improvement are based upon pupils’ achievement. Following concerns about poor pupil performance in the phonics screening check two years ago, leaders set up extensive development in this area which brought about improvement the following year. To support this further, the school has become involved with the National Oracy Project.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 This is also the basis of targets for staff and the judgements about whether these targets have been met. Rigorous and extensive records of evidence about staff development inform plans for the extensive training offered and to hold staff accountable for their work.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Senior leaders and those responsible for developing subjects monitor these areas carefully and take urgent action to make improvements if pupils begin to lose ground. They successfully ensure that all pupils have equal opportunities to succeed and that there is no discrimination within the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is promoted across all subjects. Pupils celebrate achievement during collective worship and have many opportunities to develop their spiritual and moral understanding throughout the day. Work in displays and pupils’ books confirms their opportunities to develop understanding of the lives and cultures of people from other groups across Britain and the rest of the world.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The government’s extra sport funding is having a very positive effect upon pupils’ attitudes and lifestyles because of the very wide range of clubs and activities offered. Staff training and development has also been strengthened through this funding.  The school gives support to the development of a partner school through the work of the deputy headteacher, and this has been very successful and greatly appreciated.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school has established very positive relationships with parents. Their responses to the online Parent View survey and inspectors’ conversations with parents show that they have a high level of satisfaction with the work of the school.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The local authority holds the school in high regard and confirms the impact of its work to support another school. Senior staff and governors are keen to engage with development activities within the local authority.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  Governors are highly skilled and committed to continuous improvement in school. They undertake extensive training to prepare them for their roles in all aspects of the school’s work, including finance, safeguarding and the curriculum. They have rigorous systems in place so that they can check the school’s success for themselves and they are actively engaged in all aspects of school life. Governors set ambitious targets for the performance of all staff and measure success against pupils’ achievement. They have identified appropriate priorities and built a development plan which is financed, monitored and evaluated. Governors manage finances well with a focus on identified priorities for improvement and they monitor the impact of the pupil premium funding and the extra sports funding carefully. Governors ensure that safeguarding meets 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 123527 Local authority Telford and Wrekin Inspection number 431521

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 532 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Stuart Harris Headteacher Shaun Tyas Date of previous school inspection 10 February 2009 Telephone number 01952 387750 Fax number 01952 387756 Email address h3154@telford.gov.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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