Amington Heath Primary School and Nursery

Amington Heath Primary School and Nursery Quince, Amington, Tamworth, B77 4EN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Achievement is getting better but it is not yet good. This is because not enough Year 6 pupils reach the typical level of skill or better in reading, writing and mathematics.  Some pupils who are more able do not make as much progress as they could in learning to read and do mathematics. They are not always given hard enough work in lessons.  Pupils are not always sure what to aim for in lessons in order to improve their work.  Parents would like more information about how to help their child meet their targets.  Pupils’ safety requires improvement because, though attendance is improving, it is below average and some pupils are late for school in the morning.  Though most pupils are now learning new work effectively, previous gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding have not yet all been eradicated.  Leadership requires improvement because some subject leaders are new and so they do not know how to check the progress made by

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

different groups of pupils’ well enough.  Though teaching has improved, leaders have not done everything they could to involve staff in the rapid improvement. For example, occasionally staff do not improve teaching by reflecting and collecting evidence about what they are doing better and how they are meeting their personal targets.

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The school has the following strengths

 Behaviour is good. Pupils are polite and courteous. They get on well with each other and with staff and they feel safe. This is because everyone in the school cares for each other successfully.  Extra funding is used effectively, so the gap between pupils who are eligible for free school meals and the rest is shrinking.  The headteacher and governors watch over the quality of teaching carefully and they use data successfully to identify pupils making slower progress. These activities are beginning to improve the school.  Improvements made since the last inspection include the use of marking and feedback given by teachers.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed teaching in nine lessons. All observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.  Discussions were held with senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, parents and carers, school staff, pupils and a representative from the local authority.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour and scrutinised the school’s safeguarding procedures. The inspector heard some pupils in Year 1 read. The inspector looked at pupils’ work in books for literacy and mathematics in all year groups.  No responses to the online Parent View survey were available but the inspector took into account the school survey completed in March this year by 29 parents.  The inspector observed the work of the school and looked at documentation including teachers’ planning, the school’s development plan, checks on pupils’ progress, and records of governors’ activities and meetings.

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Information about this inspection

 During this inspection, the inspector 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

Jackie Cousins, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This primary school is smaller than average.  Most pupils are White British. A few are from minority ethnic backgrounds; some of these are learning to speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium extra funding is well above average. These pupils are those who are known to be eligible for free school meals, or in the care of the local authority, or children of parents who are in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.  A new headteacher took up her permanent position at the school in April 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by making sure that:  pupils know how they can improve their work in lessons to reach the next stage of development  more able pupils are effectively set challenging work  staff are encouraged to collect evidence that they have met their personal targets.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics by Year 6 so that more pupils at least reach the skills expected for their age by ensuring that:  gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding are filled successfully  parents understand how to help their child meet his or her targets.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that pupils come to school regularly and arrive on time for the start of the school day, by widening the range of rewards for better attendance.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure that subject leaders successfully keep a watch over how well different groups of pupils make progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013 insufficient numbers of pupils reached the level of skill that is expected for Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not always filled successfully before they move on to more difficult work. Small numbers of more-able pupils reached the higher levels of skill.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Work in boys’ and girls’ books show that the progress of pupils in the current Year 6 requires improvement. They present their work carefully and have appropriate attitudes to learning new ideas. However, there remain gaps in their understanding from earlier years. Pupils in Year 5 are making better progress and more are showing expected or higher levels of skill.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Although last year attainment in Year 2 was well below average levels, progress has improved this year. The gap between pupils who are eligible for free school meals and others in Year 1 and 2 is small. Progress for all groups of pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups is stronger than in the previous year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Some disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs underachieved in recent years. They now make similar progress to other pupils. Their individual learning programmes ensure they receive specific and measurable targets, which they are helped to meet. However, like other pupils, those in Year 6 have a lot of ground to make up. The leader for this group of pupils keeps a close eye on their provision and outcomes.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children start at the school with levels of skill that are well below those expected. They make good progress in nursery and reception classes because their progress is watched carefully and staff use resources well to help children learn.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Results of the 2013 check on how well pupils can identify the sounds letters make (phonics) were below average. Current Year 1 pupils are doing better.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils, including those who speak English as an additional language, make effective progress in learning to express themselves in English. This is because staff use questioning successfully and encourage pupils to explain their thinking and ideas.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Extra funding for sports means more pupils are taking part in after-school sessions, developing their gymnastic and ball skills successfully.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013 pupils who were supported by pupil premium in Year 6 made broadly average progress. The gap between their attainment and that of their classmates was four terms. In the current Year 6, the gap is reducing and it is down to three terms. In Year 5 it is less than a term.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers and support staff do not always give pupils enough guidance in lessons about what they should aim for and so some pupils are not clear about how they can work at the next stage of development. This means a few pupils make slower progress.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Sometimes work given to more able pupils is not challenging enough and so they do not make as much progress as they could, especially in reading and mathematics.  The teaching of reading is improving because pupils are now taught phonics more systematically and their skills are regularly checked. Year 1 pupils who read during the inspection used their phonic knowledge successfully to read unknown words and they were able to work out what the story was about.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 New work in mathematics is taught effectively. For example, Year 6 pupils learnt to solve problems where they used timetables to calculate how long complex journeys took because the teachers showed them clearly how to think out and record the steps they took to solve the problems. However, some of these pupils still have a backlog of lower achievement to make up.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils’ writing skills develop because teaching uses marking and feedback productively. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection. For instance, Year 5 pupils wrote formal letters and explained their feelings and thoughts sensitively because feedback outlined how pupils could use vocabulary to change peoples’ minds.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Adults in Reception and Nursery classes use practical activities thoughtfully. Staff lead small group sessions creatively. For example, children developed their listening and memory skills because little models were used to interest them and encourage them to retell exciting stories.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers plan topics which appeal to pupils and so they enjoy developing their basic skills and are appropriately keen to succeed.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are making better progress because support staff are used suitably.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement. This is because although pupils’ attendance is improving, it is below average and a few pupils are regularly late for school. Pupils receive some rewards for high levels of attendance and punctuality but the range of rewards available is limited.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils say they feel safe in the school because staff care for them effectively. They know what to do if there is an emergency. For example, some have made sensitive posters which explain how to handle challenging situations.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils settle suitably in lessons and develop their key skills. For instance, some say they enjoy reading, writing and mathematics as well as topics such as one about the North American Indians. This is because staff manage them carefully using feedback and encouragement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Classrooms are orderly and pleasant places to work. Pupils get on well together and look after each other thoughtfully. For example, a girl said she did not know how to read a sentence and immediately a boy offered to read the sentence for her. Governors, parents and staff all agree that pupils’ behaviour is good.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Bullying is very rare and no exclusions or racial incidents have occurred in the last year. This is because staff manage occasional inappropriate behaviour successfully and so pupils learn to control their emotions such as anger. Pupils understand that there are different types of bullying. They understand how to handle cyber bullying and what to do if they hear bad language.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 A very small number of subject leaders do not watch over groups of pupils’ progress effectively. This is because they are new to their role and they have not completed training to develop their skills.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher, governors and senior leaders keep a close eye on the quality of teaching. Staff are set personal targets but these are not fully exploited as a means of supporting steady improvement. For example, staff are not encouraged to collect evidence through the year that they have successfully met these targets. This means that a few do not use their targets to help develop their skills well.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 All of the parents who completed a recent survey said they would recommend the school. Many parents work productively with staff and some said, ‘Staff are really approachable.’ A few said they do not know how to help their child meet their targets for reading, writing and mathematics.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher is dedicated to improving the school and parents say she is making a real difference. Staff support her keenly and they are working hard to ensure that pupils make better progress and attain higher standards. School development planning sets specific and measurable targets. These help everyone to work together to improve the effect which teachers and staff have on pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is well supported. Pupils respect each other and those from different backgrounds and abilities get on productively. This is because leaders and staff treat everyone fairly.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Projects and topics mean pupils’ interests are followed up suitably. As a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning new ideas and information. Many topics develop several key skills at one time. Pupils use their literacy skills efficiently in other subjects, for example when they wrote about how to make a test fair in science investigations about a variety of materials.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils learn to keep fit because extra funding is used efficiently to train teachers and employ physical education specialists. Trumpet and recorder lessons allow some pupils to successfully develop their musical knowledge.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority supports and challenges the school effectively. It knows how well the school is doing. It has assisted the school to appoint a new headteacher and improve the quality of teaching. The school has received valuable advice from the local authority on how to recruit staff carefully. It assists governors and staff to update their training on a variety of topics, including how to keep pupils and adults safe. School leaders know whom to contact at the local authority if they want assistance because clear lines of communication are in place.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding procedure and policies are followed rigorously. Health and safety issues are sorted out efficiently. Risk assessments are used as required. The single central record of checks made on staff is kept up to date. Some staff have completed first aid training and all regularly attend child protection training.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governors are really committed to improving the school. They come into school a lot and watch over pupils’ behaviour and achievement carefully. Governors use data successfully to check on progress made by year groups and individual pupils and the quality of teaching. Governors’ notes and records show that they use challenging questions to hold the school to account for its effectiveness. The performance of the headteacher and staff are watched over thoughtfully by governors. They know how staff have been supported to improve their skills and why staff were promoted or appointed.

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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 124176 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 431689

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 142 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Tim Leg Headteacher Annette Burns Date of previous school inspection 05 December 2012 Telephone number 01827 475161 Email address office@amingtonheath.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

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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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