Setting

Mrs Huda Aslam Headteacher Ladypool Primary School Stratford Road Sparkbrook Birmingham West Midlands B11 1QT

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Ladypool Primary School

Following my visit with Linda Killman, Her Majesty’s Inspector, to your school on 2-3 April 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. The inspection was a monitoring inspection carried out in accordance with the no formal designation procedures and conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was carried out following a request from the Secretary of State.

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Evidence

Her Majesty’s Inspectors scrutinised the safeguarding checks made on staff, policies relating to safeguarding children, managing pupils’ behaviour, equality of opportunity and inclusion and minutes of governing body meetings. They met with the headteacher and the senior leadership team, staff, pupils, a group of 13 parents, and members of the governing body. They considered the 55 responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff. One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors met with the headteacher of the Greet Teaching School Alliance and the East Locality Team Leader from the local authority.

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Evidence

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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The quality of leadership and management requires improvement

Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T: 0121 6799163 Direct E: lewis.mackie1@serco.com

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Context

There are 470 pupils on roll. Almost all pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and almost all speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for additional funding for children in local authority care, those with a parent in the armed services and for those known to be eligible for free school meals is well above average. The proportions of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are average. The headteacher took up post in September 2013 following a long period when the school did not have a permanent headteacher and there were many changes in staffing.

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Context

On 24 March 2014, the school had a monitoring inspection by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors, who judged that senior leaders and governors were taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The report for this inspection is published on Ofsted’s website.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

As identified in the recent monitoring inspection, the new behaviour policy is helping pupils to think about their conduct. Pupils’ increasing good behaviour is being rewarded. Senior staff took direct and appropriate action last summer when a group of pupils showed intolerance to the culture and beliefs of others.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe although in some areas of the playground they have to be careful when games become lively. They are confident that any bullying would be sorted out by adults.

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The quality of leadership and management

Appropriate arrangements are in place to safeguard children. Checks on adults’ suitability to work with children are up-to-date and suitably recorded. The child protection policy provides staff with general information about what they need to do if they have concerns. However, the policy does not explain how staff should identify or protect children who may be vulnerable to risks associated with extremist or intolerant views. Staff have been trained in basic child protection procedures. However, nothing has been done to further staff awareness of the risks surrounding forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Staff have not been well trained in teaching sex and relationships education. Arrangements to make sure that new staff are fully aware of the school’s policy and procedures for safeguarding are limited.

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The quality of leadership and management

A new headteacher was appointed in September 2013. Staff views about the future direction of the school are mixed as is their confidence in the head teacher, senior leaders and governors. There are three particular things that contribute to this:  First, opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are not well planned through the curriculum or throughout the year. Similarly, important policies such as those for the curriculum, equal opportunity, child protection and personal, social and health education do not reflect the context of the school.

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The quality of leadership and management

 Second, the headteacher is not always explicit about how equality and diversity are valued and promoted. Staff say that they are not given adequate guidance from the headteacher regarding this.

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The quality of leadership and management

 Third, the headteacher and senior leadership team have not identified concerns among a sizeable group of staff that some cultural traditions and beliefs are being promoted more than others.

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The quality of leadership and management

The new headteacher has appropriately prioritised improving achievement. However, many staff are worried that this will marginalise other aspects of the schools’ work. Those staff newer to the school, recognise the importance of improving standards at the same time as preparing pupils to be well-rounded citizens in modern British society.

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The quality of leadership and management

Parents who spoke with one of Her Majesty’s inspectors like the headteacher’s focus on better achievement for pupils and they appreciate it when their children celebrate festivals such as Diwali, Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year and Eid. They would like even more opportunities for children to experience British culture. They are also happy for their children to have a greater understanding of sexual development and different kinds of families and relationships. These aspects of the curriculum are not yet well thought through or well planned and often left to individual teachers to decide what to teach. This means that pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are not developed systemically as they move through from the Reception Year to Year 6.

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The quality of leadership and management

The governing body, in partnership with the local authority, appointed the headteacher. This appointment and the wider recruitment of other staff followed appropriate guidance. Staff have made good use of their training in safer recruitments to make sure that procedures are methodical and that records are well kept. The governing body takes its responsibilities for checking on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress seriously. However, there is neither enough formality nor frequency in the way that checks on safeguarding arrangements are made. In general, policies are checked for basic content when reviewed but not for how effective they are in practice in terms of promoting equality, better learning, well- being and community cohesion.

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External support

Senior staff and the governing body have not been aware of the resources and support available from the local authority to tackle the risks of radicalisation and extremism in schools, as part of safeguarding pupils. Local authority advisers are failing to promote these resources or checking that the leadership team and the governing body fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Ensure that policies related to pupils’ well-being and the curriculum reflect the school’s vision for equality of opportunity and diversity, and check that they are implemented systematically, consistently and effectively.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Ensure good use of the resources and support available from the local authority to raise awareness and implement procedures around the risks of radicalisation and extremism in schools.

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Priorities for further improvement

Her Majesty’s Inspectors will continue to monitor the school and will consider this is in determining the timing of the next full inspection.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the Director of Children’s Services for Birmingham, to the Secretary of State for Education and the Chair of the Governing Body. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

cc Chair of the Governing Body (or equivalent)

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