Glendale Infant School

Glendale Infant School Skye Close, Nuneaton, CV10 7LW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is highly committed and ambitious for the continued success of the school. Senior leaders regularly check pupils’ progress, so that any at risk of falling behind are quickly helped to keep up.  Governors bring a wide range of skills to the school. They inform themselves well about its performance and carry out their statutory duties effectively.  Safeguarding arrangements are very thorough and the school ensures pupils are safe and well cared for.  Pupil’s behaviour around school and in lessons is good and makes a strong contribution to their learning. They enjoy lessons and confidently engage well in learning.  Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The warm relationships and positive learning environment created in each class encourage pupils to do their best.  Pupils achieve well throughout the school. Attainment in reading and mathematics is well above average. Attainment in writing is slightly

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

ahead of national standards.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. Teachers and additional adults give appropriate guidance so that all needs are met.  Reception children get off to a good start from their varying starting points, particularly in reading. They are given things to do which interest and excite them to learn.  Pupils’ learning and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are enriched by a good range of learning opportunities. These include trips to local places of interest, regular visitors to the school and many additional activities.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The teaching of writing is not as strong as that of reading and mathematics.  The teaching of phonics (sounds and the letters they represent) is not sufficiently effective in supporting pupils’ accuracy in spelling and writing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons, three of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. An inspector visited the ‘Early Birds’, before-school club.  Books and pupils’ work were examined from every year group including the Early Years Foundation Stage. This included pupil’s books from last year. In addition, inspectors talked to pupils about reading and listened to them read.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and other members, and school staff. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 21 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and informal discussions were held with parents who were bringing or collecting their children from school.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a wide range of documents and policies, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress and planning and monitoring documents. They also

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Information about this inspection

examined records relating to behaviour, attendance, risk analysis and safeguarding.  The views of staff were analysed through the 27 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Lindsay Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school, where the large majority of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, including those who speak English as an additional language, is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is similar to that found in most schools. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average compared to most schools.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium funding is below the national average. The pupil premium is funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after.  The Early Years Foundation Stage has three full time Reception classes.  Most members of the governing body have joined since the previous inspection.

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Information about this school

 There is a before school, ‘Early Birds’, club and an after-school club managed by the governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing by better teaching of this skill, in particular by:  developing more effective teaching of phonics to assist accuracy in spelling.

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The leadership and management are good

 Under the headteacher’s strong leadership, teamwork among the staff and the governing body is very effective. They have a common aim to ensure good behaviour, raise standards and enable all pupils to do as well as they can.

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The leadership and management are good

 Relationships with parents are good. All the parents who spoke to inspectors were overwhelmingly positive and supportive of the school. They felt their children were well cared for, that the school is a safe and happy place and that their children are making good progress in their learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior and middle leaders know the school’s strengths and what remains to be done to improve further. Consequently, action has been taken to improve writing but it is too soon to evaluate the impact. The planning for future improvement is detailed and contains the right priorities.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ progress is rigorously checked. Teachers’ daily assessment diaries record progress in detail and this information is used to direct support to any pupil who is not making expected progress. The school takes the provision of equal opportunities very seriously and has been highly effective in supporting disadvantaged pupils. The pupil premium is managed very carefully and effectively. There is no discrimination.

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The leadership and management are good

 Checks on the quality of teaching are frequent, focusing on pupils’ progress, the quality of work in their books and lesson observations. Staff are set challenging targets and are held accountable for the progress of all pupils in their class. They benefit from training that is very well tailored to meet their needs. A close link is applied between teachers’ pay and the progress of the pupils they teach.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders, especially those with responsibility for literacy and mathematics, are knowledgeable, experienced and effective. They have worked hard to implement the new curriculum and assessment requirements. Features that worked very well in the past have been included and new aspects are being tried out. For example, imaginative resources are used to aid learning, such as a visit to a carvery to support healthy eating and the visit of a guide dog for the blind.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. The leader has mentored teachers new to early years provision and worked effectively with staff to plan an exciting curriculum with well-chosen tasks which support progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good attention is given to promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Effective activities to increase pupils’ understanding of different cultures and religions promote a strong respect for others – preparing pupils well for life in modern British democratic society.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet statutory requirements. There is a culture of safe practice, including regular risk assessments. Child protection procedures are properly applied.

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The leadership and management are good

 Additional sports funding is used well to increase pupils’ fitness. New gymnastics apparatus has been purchased and funds are used on specialist coaches and staff training. Pupils in Year 2 have a 2 week (10 day) block of swimming lessons every year. These activities, alongside demanding physical education lessons, contribute effectively to pupils’ health and well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority knows the school well and has confidence in its leadership. It gives appropriate support with termly visits and annual review.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The members of the governing body provide a wide range of experience and expertise which they use effectively to strengthen school leadership. They are strongly committed to the continued improvement of the school.  Governors hold the school to account for its performance through their own active monitoring. They ask challenging questions about the quality of teaching and how leaders monitor it. They are kept very well informed by the headteacher, visit school regularly and canvass the views of parents.  Governors attend training in order to develop their expertise. Their training ensures that they have a very good understanding of information on progress and attainment and use it to question school performance.  They check closely on the management of teachers’ performance, and ensure that decisions about teachers’ pay are appropriately linked to pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors track finances well and are fully involved in decisions about spending, such as the funding for disadvantaged pupils and the school’s sports funding. They make sure money is spent effectively.  Governors fulfil their statutory duties well and all safeguarding requirements are met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are confident and friendly and take care over the presentation of their work. They look smart and wear their uniform with pride.

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Behaviour

 Pupils have positive attitudes to learning, behave well during lessons and play harmoniously at playtimes. During the inspection, pupils’ movement around the school was exemplary.

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Behaviour

 All pupils form very positive relationships with adults and with each other. They have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong and there are few recorded incidents of poor behaviour. There have been no exclusions for over five years. Pupils were keen to emphasise that if they had any concerns they would tell a teacher and they were confident all would be sorted out very quickly.

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Behaviour

 Behaviour is not yet outstanding because a few pupils lose concentration when learning occasionally slows in lessons. There is no disruption, but progress is less than excellent.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good, including in the very well-run ‘Early Birds’ before-school club and the after-school club. Rigorous safeguarding procedures ensure that pupils are safe. Access to the school is secure and all staff are closely checked prior to appointment.

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Safety

 All parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, thought their children were safe, well looked after and happy at school.

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Safety

 Leaders check pupils’ attendance rigorously and any concerns are followed up promptly. As a result, attendance has steadily improved and currently is above average compared to the latest national comparison.

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Safety

 Pupils have a sensible, age-related view of everyday risks and know some of the steps they can take to keep safe, including when using the internet. They have an understanding of different forms of bullying but say bullying in school is rare.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good over time across the school, including in the early years provision. Leaders are rigorous in checking how well teachers are doing and take action if practice is not at least good. Consequently, teaching enables pupils to make good progress and achieve well. Teachers ensure that literacy and numeracy skills are developed well across all subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Over the past year there has been an emphasis on correct letter formation to enable pupils to produce neat handwriting and take pride in their work. Currently, leaders are raising expectations for pupils and staff in writing and monitoring more closely, but it is too soon to evaluate the impact of this action.  Teaching of phonic skills is effective in helping pupils with their reading. However, teaching is not effective enough in enabling pupils to use their knowledge of phonics to support their writing. Consequently, pupils’ written accuracy, particularly correct spelling, is a weakness.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers know pupils well and provide well-thought-out tasks that are interesting, well structured and motivate pupils to learn, including the most able. The classrooms are tidy and have vibrant displays which support learning and celebrate pupils’ work. The school environment is helpful to learning, pupils’ good behaviour and personal development.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and teaching assistants form good relationships with pupils. Pupils are enthusiastic and respond positively to teachers’ high expectations – for example, for listening and good behaviour.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ questioning accurately checks pupils’ understanding and extends speaking skills. Teachers give clear explanations and make sure pupils understand what is expected of them. All teachers have good knowledge of the subjects they are teaching. Special subject vocabulary is used well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well supported and make good progress from their different starting points. Teaching assistants provide skilful support and help build confidence when working with small groups of pupils. They use praise well to encourage pupils to work hard and practical resources to support the learning of those who are finding the work difficult.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking has improved since the previous inspection and is regular, up to date and gives praise for effort. It clearly tells pupils how they can improve their work, with constructive comments. Teachers check that pupils act on the advice given and correct mistakes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. By the end of Year 2, attainment has consistently been well-above average in reading and mathematics. Writing is consistently ahead of national standards. This represents good progress for all pupils from often below expected starting points in the early years provision. Pupils are well equipped with the skills and attitudes needed for the next stage in their education by the time they leave.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in reading throughout the school is good. There are many opportunities for pupils to read a range of interesting books. Pupils of different ability read confidently to inspectors, understood what they were reading and were able to retell the story. They said they enjoyed reading, were frequently heard reading in school and often at home.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment in mathematics has been well-above average since the previous inspection. Pupils like numeracy lessons and are well challenged. They present work neatly and have plenty of opportunity to apply their knowledge to solving problems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good gains in developing their writing and over half reach the higher levels by Year 2. The curriculum encourages pupils to write at length in all subjects. They structure their writing appropriately, use punctuation and make good vocabulary choices.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Although many common words are spelt correctly, pupils do not draw on phonic knowledge (the sounds that letters represent in words) sufficiently to support their spelling of unfamiliar words. The results of the 2014 national screening check at the end of Year 1, although improved on those of the previous year, were still below the national average. The situation does not prevent pupils’ successful reading as they move through the school, but their writing is sometimes adversely affected.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils are given challenging work and their achievement is good. They attain higher levels in all subjects and usually make rapid progress. Their rate of progress rarely slows, and only when there is delay while others receive additional explanations.  The success of the school’s strong commitment to providing equality of opportunity is evident in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium. On entry to Reception, the large majority are usually a long way behind their classmates in all areas. By the time they leave Year 2, they catch up and are only a term behind their classmates in English and almost in line in mathematics. Their performance compares favourably with that of all pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has the same expectations of rates of progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs as of other pupils. These pupils achieve well because the work that is planned for them is closely tailored to their needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve well.

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The early years provision is good

 Children’s levels of knowledge and understanding vary widely when they join the Reception class but are generally lower than those expected for their age. Good progress, especially in personal and social development, early reading and number skills, ensures that the majority of pupils enter Year 1 with attainment in all areas of learning in line with expectations for their age.

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The early years provision is good

 At the time of the inspection, children had only been in school a short time, but warm relationships and good attention to their personal and social development were ensuring that they settled well. Children are happy and comfortable in their new school and play well together.

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The early years provision is good

 Behaviour is good. Some children are able to concentrate and persevere for extended periods of time because they are enjoying the challenges they receive, especially the most able, and feel secure.

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The early years provision is good

 The quality of teaching in the early years provision is good. Staff make good use of the outdoor area to support learning, which is well supervised with many planned opportunities to extend creativity and language development. Adults take every opportunity to talk with children, building their confidence and encouraging them to extend their learning. They use questions and discussions well to explore children’s understanding and move learning forward.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff ensure that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well involved in activities. Detailed assessments are used well to plan future learning experiences.

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The early years provision is good

 Leadership is effective. The teacher responsible has successfully worked with colleagues to secure improvements since the previous inspection. All safeguarding policies and procedures are implemented well.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 125595 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 448583

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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 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 267 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter McKenna Headteacher Stella Saje Date of previous school inspection 1 July 2010 Telephone number 02476 349672 Fax number 02476 343060 Email address admin2585@welearn365.com 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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