Woods Bank Academy

Rough Hay Road, Darlaston, Wednesbury, WS10 8NQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Require improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Require improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Early years provision Requires improvement 3

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

 Achievement requires improvement because standards reached by pupils from their various starting points are lower than they should be. This is particularly so in Key Stage 2 in mathematics.  Teaching requires improvement because teachers do not always use the information they have to match learning activities to the needs of different groups of pupils.  The work set does not regularly provide the most able pupils with the right level of challenge. As a result, they do not achieve well enough.  School leaders have not ensured that additional funding is used effectively to enable eligible pupils to catch up with others.  Senior leaders did not respond quickly enough to poor results in 2013. The delay has meant that some pupils were not given prompt support to stop them falling behind.  Pupils do not always know how to improve their work when they have made errors.  Behaviour around the school is not always good

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

because the school’s systems to promote good behaviour are not implemented consistently.  Middle leaders who monitor the quality of teaching in lessons have not been sufficiently effective in ensuring that teaching helps pupils make good progress.  Teachers’ questioning in the Early Years Foundation Stage does not always strive to extend children’s knowledge and understanding well enough.

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The school has the following strengths

 Representatives from the academy sponsors with governors have quickly identified the school’s strengths and weaknesses and put into place strategies and support to promote improvement and raise expectations across the school.  Teaching is improving and pupils are beginning to make faster progress than previously.  Pupils behave well and try hard when they are interested in the work and fully engaged in their learning.  The governors are aware of the need to raise the achievement of pupils and are continuing to work with the sponsors to bring about this change.  Pupils feel valued and safe and have a good awareness of dangers and risks.  Care for pupils’ social and emotional needs is good.  Children in Nursery and Reception classes quickly and happily settle into the school’s routines.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed parts of 16 lessons, taught by 14 teachers. Eight of these were jointly observed with senior leaders from the academy sponsors, the Elliot Foundation. In addition, inspectors observed small group of pupils taught by teaching assistants.  Inspectors observed two assemblies.  Inspectors heard pupils from Years 2 and 6 reading and also held meetings with two groups of pupils, including the school council.  Inspectors were shown around the school by a group of pupils who spoke about their learning.  Inspectors spoke to the Regional Director and Director of Education for The Elliot Foundation, the Chair of the Governing Body, parents and staff, including senior and middle leaders.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documents and records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding

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Information about this inspection

of children. Inspectors scrutinised the school’s arrangements for spending the additional sports funding and pupil premium funding.  Inspectors analysed questionnaires from 21 members of staff.  The inspectors took into account the responses of 17 parents to the online Parent View questionnaire during the inspection, as well as using the start of the day to talk to parents.

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Inspection team

Sarah Jones , Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Rough Hay Primary School is a larger-than-average-sized primary school.  The school converted to become an academy in February 2013. When its predecessor’s school, also called Rough Hay Primary School, was last inspected, it was judged as satisfactory. The Elliot Foundation is a charitable multi-academy trust, specialising in primary academies that sponsor primary schools, including eight in the West Midlands area.  The school’s long-standing headteacher retired at the end of the summer term 2013. An interim arrangement for the leadership team includes two headteachers from outstanding schools within the Elliot Foundation.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is just above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. Additional government funding known as the pupil premium supports these pupils.

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Information about this school

 The school did not meet the government’s current floor standards in 2014, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  A high proportion of pupils join or leave part-way through their primary school education. Less than half of the Year 6 pupils in 2014 started their education at the school.  The Early Years Foundation Stage consists of a Nursery and Reception class. There is a breakfast club on site for pupils that operates under the leadership of the governing body.  The school provides a number of well-attended sporting activities at lunchtime and after school that include circuits, football and tag rugby. Pupils have the chance to complete in local matches.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that a higher proportion of pupils make better-than-expected progress in order to raise standards by:  using data effectively to plan lessons and match activities to the needs of all pupils  ensuring that teachers consistently make the best use of time to address any gaps in pupils’ learning and to challenge the most able  making sure that pupils understand and respond to comments made by teachers about their work  providing further opportunities for pupils to practise their reading, writing and mathematical skills in different subject areas.  Improve the leadership and management by ensuring that:  senior leaders use a range of robust systems to track and monitor the progress of pupils, including those who are eligible for additional funding  leaders identify the individual needs of teachers more effectively so that more teaching is outstanding  middle leaders have a clear overview of achievement across the school

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 all staff implement behaviour management procedures consistently.  An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management and governance may be improved.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement as they have not ensured that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement are consistently good.  There are improved systems for tracking pupils’ progress, with the emphasis on improving standards each term. This has helped teachers with their planning and raised expectations of pupils’ learning. However, leaders do not make sufficiently rigorous checks on the progress of pupils who are eligible for additional funding.  Middle leaders and those in charge of subject areas carry out checks on the quality of teaching. However, this monitoring is not rigorous enough to bring about rapid improvements, particularly for those pupils who receive additional support.  The support from the sponsors has provided a clear vision for the school. There are examples of success, which include improvements in the quality of teaching and learning. Staff report that during this period of

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The leadership and management require improvement

change, everyone is very supportive of each other.  The school’s action plans are accurate and reflect the priorities for improvement. The Elliot Foundation regional director is monitoring the progress made with the support of senior leaders within the school.  The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is evidence of the impact of this work through a range of subjects that include personal, social and health education (PSHE), music and religious education. Pupils study a range of different religions, including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism. Assemblies provide the opportunity for pupils to reflect on a range of matters such as world issues and the importance of making the right choices. When a well-known journalist visited the school he spoke about the importance of having aspirations and looking at life after school to help prepare pupils for living in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 As part of the approach to the new curriculum, there are further opportunities for pupils to develop their writing and mathematical skills, communication and reading within different subjects and different topics. Year 6 spoke with enthusiasm about a topic they have recently started on War Horse.  Rough Hay has benefitted from the support of the Elliot Foundation Schools within the local area.They have worked collectively to develop a revised approach to assessment. All schools have had the opportunity to share ideas and benefit from each other’s experience.  Primary sports funding is used well to promote the importance of health and fitness and to employ a specialist sports leader to work alongside pupils and staff to help develop teachers’ skills in physical education. Pupils have the opportunity to engage in swimming lessons as well as the chance to experience more unusual sports such as archery, curling and dodgeball.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 A few parents expressed some concern over communication, especially with reference to the new leadership arrangements. However, overall, parents are happy with the support they receive from the school and have appreciated the opportunity to take part in English and mathematics courses, which they say have helped them when supporting their children at home.  External partnerships are a strong feature of the school’s work as part of the Academy Trust Foundation, with representatives increasingly making sure the very specific needs of the pupils are met.  Leaders manage the performance of staff effectively and rigorously hold teachers to account for the progress pupils in their classes make. This is in turn linked to salary progression.  Arrangements to safeguard pupils meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  The governing body, as part of the wider Elliot Foundation, has a clear understanding of the strengths

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The leadership and management require improvement

and areas for development within the context of the community it serves and the needs of the pupils. There is a clear understanding of the priorities for the school, with an awareness of the importance of both challenge and support to make sure the achievement of the pupils improves. Governors have a good understanding of data and how this relates to pupils’ progress, including the performance of pupils supported through additional funding, although they understand that further work is needed here to raise the performance of these pupils. Statutory safeguarding requirements are fully in place and effective. Governors also have a good understanding of the school, including the management of teachers’ performance in relation to tackling underperformance, a priority for all. Governors monitor spending carefully and are aware of how the school is using both the pupil premium and additional sports funding to improve pupils’ overall achievement.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

 The behaviour of the pupils requires improvement. Pupils recognise there is a gradual improvement in behaviour and say that lessons are now rarely disrupted by poor behaviour and that, should it occur, teachers manage it well. Nevertheless, there are still variations in pupils’ attidues to learning across the school.  School records indicate that the number of incidents of poor behaviour has reduced. However, there are inconsistencies in recording and the use of sanctions to address poor behaviour.  Pastoral care is a strength of the school and adults give good-quality support to pupils. The school has a welcoming atmosphere, where pupils are polite and courteous and get on well with one another and show respect to adults.  Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they have such as year group head and deputy head, and ‘play safety officers’ at break time. Year 5 sports leaders assist with activities at lunchtime. Representatives from the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

school council are proud of their fund raising on ‘Fun Day Friday’ when they raised £700 for the school.  Pupils understand the different types of bullying, including racist and homophobic bullying, and they are aware that name-calling is wrong. Most pupils are confident that if anything did worry them, they know who to talk to and staff will deal with it quickly. Almost all parents agree that the school deals effectively with bullying.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe at school and they are taught how to keep themselves safe, including lessons on the safe use of the internet and the dangers of cyber bullying.  Attendance is average and improving. This is because a family support worker has worked successfully with parents on the importance of good attendance.  There have been no permanent exclusions in the last three years. School records indicate that pupils who

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The behaviour and safety of pupils require improvement

struggle to manage their behaviour receive increasingly effective support to help them improve their behaviour.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement as it is not consistently good across the school. In some lessons the work is not closely matched to the needs of the individual pupils, especially the more able.  Data on pupils’ progress is not used effectively enough to plan work for pupils that builds on what they know and to support their progress.  Teachers have sound subject knowledge and explanations are usually clear. The recent improvements to marking are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning across the school. Pupils like the new approach and appreciate the time to rectify their corrections.  Teachers carefully explain to the pupils what they are to learn and what they need to do to be successful in the lesson. Questioning is often used well so that teachers assess the progress that pupils are making and their readiness to move on to the next stage of their learning.  Teaching assistants are used well to support pupils’ learning. In some lessons they are used to support

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

individuals or small groups of pupils, who benefit from this additional support.  The teaching of reading skills is good, with well-structured sessions on letters and sounds that help many pupils use their understanding of letters and sounds to read more difficult words with confidence.

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requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because pupils have not achieved well enough and the improvement in attainment in 2012 has not been maintained. There are variations in pupils’ performance at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils do not achieve as well in mathematics as they do in English, particularly in writing.  Pupils achieve well in Key Stage 1. The attainment of Year 1 pupils in the national screening check for reading in 2013 and 2014 was above the national average and an improvement from the previous year. Most pupils use this learning well to help them read unfamiliar words. Current standards at the end of Key Stage 1 are average in reading and mathematics.  Pupils’ work in their books and in lessons confirms that progress in mathematics is not consistently good because pupils have insufficient opportunities to engage in problem-solving activities. This restricts their ability to extend their learning by applying their mathematical knowledge to different situations.

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requires improvement

 The achievement of the more able pupils requires improvement because across the school not enough pupils attain the standards of which they are capable. The most recent assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 show that only a small proportion of pupils are now working within the higher Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics.  The progress made by disabled pupils or those with special educational needs is variable. Year 4 have made good progress, while the progress made by pupils in Year 5 is slower.  The attainment of pupils who are eligible for the additional funding is lower than that of other pupils. In 2013, Year 6 pupils were just over two terms behind other pupils in the school for mathematics and reading, and nearly three terms behind for writing. Compared to pupils nationally, the current Year 6 pupils were two terms behind for mathematics, and over a term behind for reading and writing. The gap

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requires improvement

has widened from the previous year as more than half the pupils joined the school after Key Stage 1.

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requires improvement

 Achievement in Early Years Foundation Stage requires improvement as not enough children are achieving a good level of development.  Children enter the Nursery and Reception with a range of basic skills but many have lower-than-expected communication, language and literacy skill levels.  The teaching requires improvement as not all activities are well matched to ensure good rates of progress for all children. When teachers question children it is not always used to extended their knowledge and understanding.  On occasions children lack challenge as learning is not explained, especially during writing and mathematical activities.  The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has been uncertain and therefore opportunities to use data to monitor, analyse and improve provision have been limited.  Children both in Nursery and Reception settle quickly into the welcoming and safe environment provided.

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requires improvement

 Children have the opportunity to learn using planned activities, accessing both the indoor and outdoor classroom space. There is a clear emphasis on play and finding out through investigations.  Children behave well, listening and responding to adults well.  The welfare requirements of the children are met. Safeguarding procedures are in place and the routine risk assessments of activities are completed daily.

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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 139305 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 447999

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 359 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Harper

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The Elliot Foundation

Date of previous school inspection N/a Telephone number 0121 5686421 Fax number 0121 5262809 Email address postbox@rough-hay.walsall.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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The Elliot Foundation

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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The Elliot Foundation

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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The Elliot Foundation

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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The Elliot Foundation

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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The Elliot Foundation

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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