Cheslyn Hay Primary School

Cheslyn Hay Primary School Saredon Road, Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, WS6 7JQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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.  All groups of pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.  Strengthening of the leadership team has secured rapid improvement in teaching and rising standards, as pupils are making faster progress.  Pupils benefit from good teaching. Teachers are particularly effective in devising activities that engage and capture pupils’ interests.  Pupils who are at risk of not doing so well, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make good progress and achieve well.  There are rigorous systems in place to check on pupils’ progress. The staff understand the abilities and needs of all pupils well.  Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. They behave well and say that they feel safe in school because staff provide a caring and safe place to learn.  Children settle quickly in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where they make good progress.  Governors are ambitious for continual

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improvement at the school and have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They have successfully challenged leaders and teachers to improve and have supported the school very well.  Pupils have many memorable experiences, including those in the arts and sport, which contribute strongly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers are not always quick enough in making sure that pupils have work which is hard enough for them.  Pupils’ understanding of how to improve their work effectively is not consistently checked by teachers.  Occasionally, the work undertaken by additional adults in classrooms to support pupils’ learning is not checked well enough by teachers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 27 lessons, of which three were jointly observed with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with staff, a group of pupils and five members of the governing body. A discussion was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 38 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and one letter from parents. They had conversations with parents and carers as they dropped off their children at the start of the school day, and as they collected them at the end of the day. Inspectors also considered the 25 responses to the staff questionnaire.  School documentation was examined, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, minutes of governing body meetings, and records relating to teachers’ performance, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. Provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was also scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Peter Bell Additional Inspector Linda Rowley Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Cheslyn Hay Primary is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British.  It has two classes in each year group from Nursery to Year 6.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, as is the proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (the additional funding allocated by the government for certain groups, such as pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  In September 2013 the governors appointed two newly qualified teachers, and one new teacher in April 2014.  The school provides a breakfast club that is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this school

 There is an out-of-school club on the school site that is not managed by the governing body and did not form part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so more is outstanding, in order to raise pupils’ achievement, by making sure teachers:  challenge and speed up pupils’ progress, moving them on more quickly to harder work when they show that they understand what they are doing  check that pupils understand how to improve their work effectively and have consistently acted upon their written comments in pupils’ books  check more carefully the work undertaken by additional adults in lessons to ensure it supports pupils’ learning in the best possible ways.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities that are below the levels expected for their age. They make good progress and move into Key Stage 1 with much stronger skills and abilities that are nearer to, or exceed, those expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In Key Stage 1, pupils continue to make good progress. By the end of Year 2 in 2013, attainment was above average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Over the past year, pupils in all classes have made rapidly improved progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is as a result of the swift action taken by leaders to secure good achievement for all pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is not yet outstanding because in 2013, the proportion of pupils achieving better than expected progress was below the national averages in writing and mathematics. The school has successfully addressed this issue and the proportions achieving better than expected progress across the school is now better than last year’s average. The attainment of the current Year 6 pupils is set to be above average, exceeding the average attainment in 2013, and this represents good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most able pupils are continuing to achieve well. Inspection evidence shows that increasing numbers of pupils are attaining the highest levels at the end of Key Stage 2, especially in grammar, punctuation and spelling.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupil premium is being used to support eligible pupils and to include them fully in the wide range of school activities. The gap in attainment between Year 6 pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium in 2013 and their classmates was approximately three terms behind in mathematics and English. However, the school has addressed this issue successfully. School records show that the progress of eligible pupils across the school is at least similar to that of their classmates. The gap in attainment between pupils eligible for the pupil premium and their classmates is rapidly closing with most year groups recording at least a halving of the gap this year.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress in all subjects. They are enabled to reach their potential due to the well-planned support they receive.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results in the 2013 Year 1 check on pupils’ understanding of phonics (linking letters to sounds) to read was above the national average. This came about because of training for staff and additional support for pupils. It is reflected in the way pupils have a love of reading and read with confidence. Pupils are encouraged to read widely across a range of literature and have a clear understanding of what they have read.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Greater numbers of pupils are taking part in a wider range of sports supported by the additional sports funding. Pupils say they are proud to represent the school in sports’ events and compete against other schools.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good and has rapidly improved, including the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. Discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of the work in their books show that good teaching has been secured for some time.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils learn effectively because teachers plan purposeful activities that capture their interest and motivate them to succeed. For example, pupils in Year 5 were keen to work on presenting persuasive arguments in their writing about the use of the internet. Similarly, pupils in Year 1 used pictures to help them to understand how to write about a setting and characters in a story. Pupils said how much they enjoyed their lessons and how good the teaching is.

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The quality of teaching is good

 There is a strong focus on teaching pupils to read and they read regularly at school and most do so at home.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers check on pupils’ progress regularly in lessons, often adapting the activities to speed up the learning when necessary. However, teaching is not yet outstanding because sometimes teachers do not move pupils on to harder work quickly enough when they have understood what they are doing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage, teachers ensure that children are able to experience a wide range of stimulating activities. Both the inside and outdoor spaces are vibrant and welcoming, and are well-developed as areas to learn. This is extending the opportunities for children to experience the benefits of learning both indoors and outdoors to promote their creative and physical development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is regularly and accurately marked. Teachers provide written comments to help pupils improve their work. However, not all teachers follow up the guidance given to check if pupils have consistently acted upon the comments to improve their work. This means some pupils do not make as much progress when they miss opportunities to put the advice into practice.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of themselves and their pupils. The planning of learning is consistent across the school and helps make sure pupils make good progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants and other adults who support pupils’ learning show a high level of commitment. They provide good support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as those supported by the pupil premium.

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The quality of teaching is good

 However, some additional adults, on occasions, do not provide the most suitable support. For example, they may make comments that reinforce pupils’ lack of confidence in solving mathematical problems, rather than challenging them to work out an approach to the solution. This is limiting their achievement. Teachers are not checking well enough on the quality of this support.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils benefit from expert teaching in music so they develop their musical skills well. They have regular opportunities to sing and perform to an audience and in the local community and beyond, which they do with confidence from a young age.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents and carers are highly positive about the quality of teaching at the school. Almost all agree that their children are taught well and make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite, friendly and very considerate towards each other. They are well motivated, settle to work quickly and enjoy coming to school. They are keen to take part in all activities the school has to offer and are very proud of their school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are highly respectful and courteous. The relationships between pupils and adults are exceptionally strong. They arrive at lessons promptly, ready to learn, organise the equipment they need quickly and engage with their work quietly. The atmosphere in the playground is happy and welcoming.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Effective behaviour policies are understood fully by staff and pupils appreciate what constitutes acceptable behaviour. Behaviour in the breakfast club is good and provides pupils with a positive start to the school day. Behaviour is not yet outstanding because of occasional lapses in concentration in lessons by a few pupils when they fidget and waste some time.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are clear that bullying is rare, although they are knowledgeable about all forms of bullying, such as cyber bullying and name calling. Pupils act as peer mentors, supporting pupils who may feel unhappy or unsafe. Pupils report that they have confidence in the adults to help them where necessary.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel very safe in school and the parents and carers who completed Parent View or spoke to inspectors agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance has improved and is now average. This has followed concerted work by leaders to impress upon parents and carers the importance of regular attendance to pupils’ achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are keen to contribute to the school and wider community. They undertake responsibilities in school such as acting as a representative on the school council and the eco-council. Pupils contribute well to the community through the national ‘Sing Up’ and have taken part in the celebration of singing at the National Exhibition Centre.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides the school with strong leadership and direction. She has brought clarity to how the school judges its effectiveness, and uses this information to set priorities for improvement. The highly effective strengthening of leadership at the school has allowed leaders, at all levels, to drive the school forward to make rapid improvements in teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 An effective team of senior leaders ably support the headteacher in her continual drive for improvement. They check the quality of teaching and pupils’ attainment and progress regularly during the year. Leaders use this information to set challenging targets to promote faster rates of progress for different groups of pupils. As a result, gaps in attainment between different groups of pupils are rapidly closing.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders are fully involved in checking performance across the school. Information from the regular scrutiny of pupils’ work, on pupils’ progress and from lesson observations is used effectively to check on teachers’ targets and performance. Improvements in the teaching of mathematics have strongly supported progress in the subject. These include the teaching of basic calculation skills and applying them to solving problems.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers have clear and challenging targets for improving their performance, which focus on pupils’ achievement and their responsibilities. Teachers know what constitutes good practice and how their pay progresses only when their targets are met.

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The leadership and management are good

 Improvements in teaching have been rapidly secured by leaders through effective additional training linked to whole-school improvement goals. As a result, the quality of teaching is now consistently good, with some examples of outstanding practice. The school has identified that not enough teaching is outstanding to ensure that pupils’ achievement is consistently very strong over time.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ learning experiences across a range of subjects are varied and memorable, especially in the arts and sport. The school provides a wide array of enrichment activities, such as the recent arts week, which contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. They appreciate the good levels of communication, particularly about how well their children are doing.

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The leadership and management are good

 Equality of opportunity is promoted at all times and any discrimination is tackled well. The school tailors the support carefully and effectively for those pupils supported by the pupil premium in order to raise their achievement. Leaders, through regular meetings with class teachers, check the progress of all pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has provided some support to improve the quality of teaching and to strengthen the leadership of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Checks on the use of the primary school sports funding show that more pupils are participating in a wider range of sporting activities, such as dance, and pupils’ skills have been accredited by the Central Dancing Association. Staff are able to develop their skills alongside sports specialists to help sustain these activities.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has rigorously held leaders to account and has been instrumental in driving forward the school to secure the rapid improvements that are evident. Governors provide strong challenge to the school’s leaders and are committed to providing the best possible education for all pupils. They have a clear understanding of how the school’s performance data compare with similar schools and all schools nationally. Consequently, they are able to challenge leaders well about the achievement of different groups of pupils. They are fully involved in the process of checking how well the school is doing and the school’s development plans, understanding areas for improvement well. They know about the quality of teaching through regular visits to school. They undertake good quality training and regularly assess the needs of the governing body to ensure they are able to fully meet the school’s

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The leadership and management are good

needs. They know how the performance of staff is managed and have been instrumental in rewarding good performance. They make close checks on how additional funding for sport and the pupil premium is used and its impact on improving pupils’ outcomes. They make sure that statutory responsibilities, such as safeguarding requirements, are fully in place and effective.

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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 124189 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 442563

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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 425 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jan Toplis Headteacher Sharon Maiden Date of previous school inspection 22 November 2012 Telephone number 01922 857080 Fax number 01922 857085 Email address office@cheslynhay-primary.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 and 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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