Greenholm Primary School

Greenholm Primary School Greenholm Road, Birmingham, B44 8HS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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 in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above average.  Teaching is at least good and much is outstanding. Pupils enjoy their learning because lessons are lively and interesting.  Excellent relationships between adults and pupils create an atmosphere where pupils want to try hard and do well.  The teaching of sport, physical education, music and art is good. Activities promote a healthy and active lifestyle and develop pupils’ appreciation of the creative arts.  Pupils behave exceptionally well in and around school. They are polite and respectful to adults and each other.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe in different situations.  The strong leadership of the headteacher and senior leaders has led to high levels of achievement being sustained over time, and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

has brought significant improvements to teachers’ own skills and to their role in developing learning throughout the school.  Governors are extremely supportive of the school. They ask challenging questions of senior leaders and hold them accountable for making sure the school continues to improve.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is a particular strength of the school. It supports the good development of pupils’ social skills and helps them acquire excellent attitudes to work and to each other.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils achieve well in writing but, though standards are improving, their attainment in writing in Key Stage 1 is not yet as high as it is in reading and mathematics.  Teachers use questions well to ensure pupils understand their learning, but occasionally these are not sufficiently searching to enable pupils to appreciate how they can improve.  While governors visit the school regularly, the visits are not always focused on the agreed school improvement priorities and are not always reported effectively to the rest of the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 31 lessons or parts of lessons, nine of which were seen together with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, other staff, three groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, and a group of parents.  Informal discussions were also held with parents.  The inspectors took account of the 38 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s checks on its performance, its analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress, records of behaviour and safety, school improvement plans, records relating to classroom observations and the management of staff performance, safeguarding arrangements and records of meetings of the governing body.  The inspectors also looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Terence Payne Additional Inspector Tania Sanders Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. It converted to become an academy school on 1st September 2012. When its predecessor school, also called Greenholm Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are in local authority care, is above average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is above average; the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below average.  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 through a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The school exceeds the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that even more is outstanding by ensuring that all teachers ask questions which make pupils think deeply and which help pupils understand how to make even better progress.  Ensure recent improvements in the quality of pupils’ writing in Key Stage 1 are embedded so that pupils make the same good progress by the end of Year 2 in this subject as they do in reading and mathematics.  Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring that governors’ visits to school regularly focus on its progress towards school improvement priorities and that their conclusions are routinely reported to the rest of the governing body and in accordance with the school’s agreed format.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children typically start in the Reception classes with skills below those typically found at their age, especially in reading and writing. They make good progress and start Key Stage 1 with improved skills in communication and literacy. In 2013 the proportion of children who made a good level of development was just above average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils continue to make good progress through Key Stage 1. By the end of the key stage standards are broadly average but pupils’ attainment in reading and mathematics is often above that seen in writing. Writing standards for pupils currently in Year 2 are higher than in 2013.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of the most recent national screening check at the end of Year 1 on how well pupils know their phonics (the sounds that letters represent in words) were above average. During the inspection, pupils showed that they could use these skills well to read unfamiliar words.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups, make good progress in Key Stage 2. In 2013, standards at the end of Year 6 were above average. As pupils move through Key Stage 2, their standards steadily improve because of the good progress they make. Pupils currently in Year 5 are working at above expected levels in reading and mathematics while those in Year 6 are working at levels that suggest they are likely to be well above average in all subjects by the time they leave.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium and who are currently in the school make good progress because of the effective support they receive. Most of the funding is spent on providing small group or individual support as required. This means that the gap between these pupils’ attainment and that of other pupils narrows as they move through the school. Supported pupils in Year 5, for example, are currently working just one term behind other pupils in both English and mathematics. The number of pupils leaving Year 6 in 2013 was too small to comment on without identifying individuals.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same good progress as other pupils. They are well supported by additional adults and teachers both in the classroom and in small groups as needed.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 More–able pupils make good progress. The work in lessons builds on what they already know so that they achieve well. There are also opportunities for them to work in groups of similarly able pupils as appropriate, to help them develop their skills and knowledge to the full.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They make lessons lively and interesting and encourage pupils to try their best at all times. This means that pupils are not afraid to make a mistake and so push themselves to learn new skills and tasks. For example, Year 6 pupils were keen to try ever harder work in preparation for their national tests which were scheduled for the following week, urging their teachers to let them attempt ‘Level 6’ questions.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in the Reception classes is good because activities both outside and indoors are well- planned to excite children and help them to develop very secure academic and social skills. Children learn to be independent and to concentrate for longer periods of time and this supports their learning. They readily help each other and, during the inspection, worked together to read words such as ‘animals’ and ‘who’ so that they could complete their reading and matching task.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils who are supported by the pupil premium, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are all helped to make good progress. Their specific needs are quickly identified and appropriate support put in place. This support is reviewed regularly and adapted as necessary to make sure it remains effective as pupils’ needs change. Teachers ensure that adults supporting individuals or groups of pupils are well-briefed and well-trained.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Books are marked regularly and teachers give pupils clear guidance as to how they can improve. In all subjects, pupils’ literacy skills are supported and developed. For example, Year 1 pupils practised their writing skills by writing diary entries about the Fire of London and wrote letters to King Charles II suggesting how he could rebuild Pudding Lane.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers ask pupils challenging questions to ensure they have to think hard and can explain their answers. This not only checks pupils’ understanding but also helps them to clarify what they have learnt and understand how they can improve. Occasionally, however, some teachers do not question pupils deeply enough for them to develop their learning as well as they could.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They have highly positive attitudes to learning and say that this is because the teachers are enthusiastic and help them learn well. Around the school, pupils are polite and courteous to adults and each other. Teachers consistently encourage mutual respect, both in their comments and the way they treat pupils, and pupils respond well to these excellent role models.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils have a clear understanding of different forms of bullying. They talk knowledgably about physical, emotional, racist and cyber bullying and are adamant that there is very little bullying in the school. They feel confident that any incidents are dealt with well by members of staff and all pupils spoken to felt there was always someone they could go to if they had a problem.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils understand how to stay safe when using the internet, on the road, in case of fire and around water. Year 5 and 6 pupils show a high level of maturity when working with younger pupils, both in terms of the activities they choose but also in the way they reinforce safe practices. For example, during ‘Golden Time’, older pupils ensured their play with younger ones was exciting but safe.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils value ‘Golden Time’ because it gives them opportunities to work alongside pupils from other year groups. Older pupils also take their ‘buddying’ roles very seriously. Year 2 pupils say they really appreciated having a buddy when they started school and throughout Year 1.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Leaders ensure that access to the building is secure and staff are rigorously checked prior to appointment. The vast majority of parents who completed Parent View or spoke to the inspectors felt the school was a safe and friendly place. Pupils, too, say they feel safe in school. They enjoy coming and this is reflected in their good attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The extremely positive atmosphere and success of the school are a reflection of the dedication and drive of the headteacher. She and her senior leaders ensure that all pupils are taught well and make good progress. They support teachers to take on areas of responsibility so that they develop their own leadership skills, and have built a cohesive team where their consistency of approach and expectation gives pupils secure guidance in their learning and behaviour.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders at all levels in the school track pupils’ progress and make sure that anyone in danger of falling behind is quickly identified and helped to keep up. They ensure that the subjects pupils learn are stimulating and interesting so that pupils develop literacy, numeracy and communication skills in all they do. Provision for art, music and physical education is a strength of the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The appraisal system for checking teachers’ performance, introduced last year, has contributed to the good teaching across the school. Individual targets are used by the headteacher and the governing body to determine whether pay rises and promotion are justified by results.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is constantly improving the quality of teaching and opportunities for pupils. For example, during the inspection some pupils were working with the Welsh National Opera to write their own version of La Traviata; others had visited the British Museum in London and the Birmingham Think-tank earlier in the week.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new primary sports funding is also used to widen opportunities for pupils. It is spent on additional teachers and coaches who run lunchtime and after-school clubs. They also work alongside teachers in lessons, giving teachers the chance to develop their own techniques and skills as well as those of the pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is excellent and underpins all the school does. Adults consistently encourage good social skills and, in citizenship assemblies, pupils’ considerate behaviour is celebrated. Pupils are taught how to discuss and debate and to make appropriate responses to others’ views. For example, Year 5 pupils were discussing the meaning of ‘morality’ and this led onto a lively debate about ‘Is law a bad thing?’ The school promotes equality of opportunity to make sure that no groups of pupils achieve less well than others.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good partnership working with local schools supports staff development, and teachers share good ideas and practice. The school has also forged a strong partnership with a school in Sierra Leone and pupils regularly raise money to buy equipment there.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school employs an external adviser who supports leadership and staff development. Governors attend courses run by the local authority, which help them keep abreast of local and national developments and refine their effectiveness.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is well run and governors make good use of their regular meetings to check on how the school is doing. Well-organised committees make good use of the particular skills of different governors. Governors ask senior leaders challenging questions to check that the school is continuing to improve.  Governors visit the school regularly, but the visits are not always closely linked to the agreed school improvement priorities. While an effective format for reporting their visits has been devised, not many governors use it and some visits are not reported as fully as they could be.  Governors manage the school’s finances effectively and know that the pupil premium is helping eligible pupils to achieve well. They understand how the new primary school sports funding is used to extend physical education opportunities. Governors appreciate how the new appraisal system has contributed to the good teaching. They make sure that teachers’ pay

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The leadership and management are good

rises are linked to the progress their pupils make.  Governors have made sure that national requirements for safeguarding and child protection are met.

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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 138693 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 440169

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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 Academy converter School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 413 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Shorrock Headteacher Gill Turner Date of previous school inspection N/A Telephone number 0121 4646321 Fax number 0121 4646451 Email address enquiry@grnholm.bham.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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