St Luke's Church of England Aided Primary School

St Luke's Church of England Aided Primary School Park Street South, Blakenhall, Wolverhampton, WV2 3AE

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The inspirational headteacher, well-supported by the senior leadership team and the governing body, has made significant improvements in teaching and achievement across the school since the last inspection.  The quality of teaching is good and is improving. This is raising pupils’ achievement further.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 is in line with national averages. This represents good progress from pupils’ starting points.  Provision in the Early Years is good. Children very much enjoy the imaginative and well-planned activities that enable them to achieve well.  Systems used by senior and subject leaders to check the quality of teaching are rigorous. Teachers know what they do well and how to improve.  The school takes effective steps to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. These help all pupils to develop the skills and

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

personal qualities needed to work with others in the school and the community.  Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They feel very safe at school and enjoy the many different activities that are planned for them.  Pupils arrive punctually at school and quickly settle into their lessons. Attendance has improved and is above average.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

It is not yet an outstanding school because.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 In some classes, teachers do not check pupils’ progress regularly enough. This means they do not always ensure that planned tasks are as challenging as they could be.  In some cases, the quality of teachers’ feedback to pupils is not clear enough. Pupils do not always act on the advice they are given.  Occasionally, a few pupils do not concentrate in lessons as well as they should.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons, three of which were seen jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with staff, a group of pupils, six governors of the school, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors heard pupils read, and talked to them formally and informally at break and lunchtime.  Inspectors took account of the 31 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s most recent parental survey. They had conversations with parents and carers as they dropped off their children at the start of the school day. Inspectors also considered the 37 responses to the staff questionnaire.  School documentation was examined, including data on pupils’ current progress and records of governing body meetings, teachers’ performance, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding. Documentation relating to the care of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs was also carefully reviewed.

p.2

Inspection team

Andrew Stafford, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 St Luke’s Primary school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are two classes in each age group, and separate provision in the Nursery and Reception. Reception children all attend on a full- time basis.  Pupils come from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and six out of ten pupils speak English as an additional language, with an increasing number at an early stage of learning English in the younger age groups.  Many more pupils than is the case nationally join the school at other than at the usual time.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average, at 21%. A very small number of pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (the additional funding allocated by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average, at 42%.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

p.3

Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress.  In September 2012, the governors appointed a new teacher; in September 2013, they appointed three newly qualified teachers.  Pupils from Years 1 to 6 are taught English and mathematics in ability groups.  The headteacher is currently supporting other headteachers in the local authority. The deputy headteacher is also working closely with a number of local schools to support improvements in early years provision.  There is a before-school breakfast club and an after-school club. These are managed by the governing body and formed part of the inspection.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching from good to outstanding, by:  encouraging the small minority of pupils, who do not consistently do so, to concentrate on their work at all times  checking pupils’ progress more regularly and using these checks to set appropriately challenging tasks  making sure that teachers’ marking always gives pupils clear advice on how they can improve and checking that pupils act on this advice.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is an inspirational leader whose own ambition for the pupils is shared by the whole school community. She, along with senior leaders and governors, has high expectations of all staff and pupils. This is the major reason why teaching, behaviour and achievement are good and the school is flourishing.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Phase leaders and subject leaders regularly observe teaching and scrutinise pupils’ exercise books to identify what needs to improve. They give teachers helpful targets for improvement and check that they have been achieved. Newly qualified teachers and those in the early stages of their career are well- supported. This has brought about significant improvements in the quality of teaching.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school has established very effective systems for setting targets for teachers. These are linked directly to the national Teachers’ Standards. Staff appraisal, salary progression and training are all used explicitly to address aspects of pupils’ progress that have been identified as needing attention and to improving the quality of teaching. This is helping to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s own checks of its strengths and areas for improvement are detailed and accurate. Leaders regularly and systematically monitor progress towards the targets set in the school development plan. As a result, senior leaders are able to share the successes and next steps for improvement with the school community. However, leaders do not ensure that teachers’ marking and feedback are always sharp enough, or that pupils act on the advice they receive to improve their work.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The new curriculum has been developed following a whole school analysis of pupils’ needs. The activities used to promote pupils’ learning are imaginative and well-planned. There is a strong focus on teaching reading, writing and mathematics, and the system used to place pupils in the appropriate sets for teaching these subjects works very effectively. The key aspects of knowledge, skills and understanding required for each year group, in each subject, have been clearly identified. Pupils’ personal, social and health education and behaviour are embedded in the curriculum and are enriched through a range of extra- curricular activities, educational visits and visitors to the school. In all these respects, the curriculum is contributing positively to raising pupils’ achievement. However, on occasion, some tasks are still not as challenging as they should be.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The emphasis given to supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development enables them to confidently discuss and understand their feelings and explore and resolve any possible areas of conflict. British values, such as tolerance and the understanding of cultures different to their own, are promoted very effectively, and pupils are well-prepared for life in modern Britain. The school ensures that there is no discrimination and promotes equality of opportunity very well.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school uses the additional funding for sport effectively to improve teachers’ and pupils’ skills and confidence, for example in gymnastics, trampolining and dance. Staff are now more confident in teaching these sports and the quality of teaching has improved. Pupils speak confidently about the skills they have learnt.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school works closely with parents. It communicates effectively through newsletters and the school website. Activities such as curriculum evenings and invitations to parents to attend the school’s regular assemblies help keep parents well-informed about their children’s learning. Parents have very positive views about the school.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Since the last inspection, the local authority has provided appropriate levels of support to the school, recognising its strengths. The headteacher supports other headteachers in the Learning Community. The deputy headteacher, and other leaders, are also using their expertise to improve provision and assessment within the group. The governors confirm that this work has benefited the leadership of the school and has helped to improve the quality of teaching and raise achievement at St. Luke’s.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding systems are very thorough and meet statutory requirements.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are very knowledgeable and ambitious for pupils’ progress and for the quality of teaching and learning. They know the school’s strengths and areas for improvement well and understand how the school is implementing the new curriculum. They have a clear plan to review and update school policies. They hold the headteacher to account by thoroughly reviewing reports and asking searching questions about the quality of teaching and the progress of different groups of pupils. Governors carefully monitor all aspects of the school’s work through their effective links with staff and this enables them to help draft the school improvement plan. They monitor the use and impact of the pupil premium and additional sports funding closely to make sure it is helping to improve pupils’ progress. Governors keep themselves up to date by attending training relevant to their roles. They ensure that the systems

p.5

The leadership and management are good

for managing the performance of staff are rigorous and that they link closely to the Teachers’ Standards. They receive information about teachers’ performance which they use to make decisions about salary progression. Governors scrutinise financial information to make well-informed and judicious decisions about spending.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are welcoming, polite and respectful to each other and adults. Most pupils behave well in lessons, during breaks and at lunchtime. Pupils say that behaviour in the school is good, and that they get on well together.

p.5

Behaviour

 Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning in a range of subjects, classes and with different adults. They come to school with good attitudes to learning. Pupils know the ‘Behaviour Code’ very well and settle promptly to their work in lessons. They are eager and ready to learn quickly.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils have a good awareness of different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying and homophobic bullying. They say that bullying is very rare in the school and is not tolerated. If and when it happens, it is dealt with swiftly and effectively.

p.5

Behaviour

 Teachers and other adults use behaviour management strategies very effectively. The vast majority of pupils respond to teachers’ instructions quickly, so no learning time is wasted. There have been few fixed- term and no permanent exclusions since the last inspection.

p.5

Behaviour

 The school’s records show that there have been few incidents of poor behaviour over the last year. The few that have occurred have been dealt with effectively. There have been no racist incidents recorded during the last academic year.

p.5

Behaviour

 Staff and parents agree that behaviour in the school is good, and is a major reason why parents elect to send their children to the school.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils are very aware of the need to help each other to learn through the comments they give to classmates about how well each are doing. This helps the school provide a calm and supportive environment for learning in all classes.

p.5

Behaviour

 Attendance has improved, as a result of the school’s rigorous work with parents. It is now above average. Pupils arrive punctually at school.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils are proud of their school and act as good ambassadors with visitors. They present their work neatly and are well-dressed in their school uniform. Pupils enjoy taking responsibilities, for example as ‘Play Leaders’ who support sporting activities at lunchtimes. They take great care of the school building and its surroundings.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because a very small minority of pupils are not always as attentive as their classmates in some lessons. Although they do not interrupt the learning of others, this slight inattentiveness sometimes hampers their progress.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel very safe. They have a good understanding of how to stay safe in a range of situations, including when using the internet.

p.6

Safety

 The school’s arrangements for keeping pupils safe are very thorough. Leaders carefully review the risks that pupils may encounter on the school site, and during visits to other places, and take appropriate action when necessary.

p.6

Safety

 The child protection policy is reviewed annually and staff attend child protection training regularly. This contributes to ensuring that all pupils are kept safe.

p.6

Safety

 All parents who responded to the on line Parent View, and the school’s most recent parental survey, and those who spoke to inspectors, agree that pupils are safe in school.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across the school is good overall and has been over time. There are examples of outstanding teaching. Pupils enjoy their learning because teachers provide interesting activities. These stimulate pupils’ imagination and their love of learning. Teachers are enthusiastic and have high expectations. They also have good subject knowledge.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers observe and question pupils skilfully during lessons to extend their thinking and deepen their understanding and knowledge.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Evidence in pupils’ books and from the teaching observed shows that literacy and numeracy skills are taught well and reinforced by being incorporated into a range of other subjects. This helps pupils apply and refine their skills and helps raise their achievement.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they make) occurs through a range of activities and is a strength of the provision, particularly in the Early Years. The school promotes children’s early reading skills very well and pupils enjoy reading across the school. By the time they reach Year 2, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, those who come from ethnic minorities and those who are learning to speak English, are sufficiently competent in their reading to use their skills to research new information, which supports their subsequent learning.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ensure that relationships between adults and pupils, and between pupils themselves, are very good and lead to productive learning. Classrooms are attractive and well-organised. Pupils’ books show that teachers encourage pupils to take a pride in the presentation of their work.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The interesting writing activities teachers devise encourage pupils to write regularly and at length. Good writing is modelled well by teachers and pupils who need them are given additional resources to help them.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers encourage pupils to use the correct mathematical vocabulary and this has meant that the great majority of pupils make consistently good progress during lessons. Year 6 pupils were able to quickly understand algorithms because they were given an excellent explanation of the strategies required. Additional adults are deployed well. Teaching assistants have a good understanding of pupils’ needs and provide a good level of support and challenge. This is particularly true when they support recently arrived pupils who speak little or no English and those who are disabled or who have special educational needs.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of disadvantaged pupils is good. The school has used the extra funding to increase staffing, and train them alongside existing staff, and to provide additional resources. Teachers have made good use of these resources to help these pupils catch up with, and in several cases overtake, their classmates.  Pupils joining the school late or at other than the usual times are given extra support to help them settle quickly into school routines and take a full part in class activities.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Homework, linked to the work pupils complete in school, is set and marked regularly. Year 6 pupils really enjoy the well-planned opportunities they get to explore and research topics that span several subjects and use the skills they have learned in literacy and numeracy to take their learning to even greater depth.

p.7

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils of all abilities, including the most able, are usually interested and engaged by the activities they are given and, consequently, most make good progress. However, teaching is not yet outstanding because in some classes teachers do not check pupils’ progress effectively. Consequently, when planning tasks in ability sets, insufficient notice is taken of pupils’ previous learning. As a result, tasks are sometimes either too easy or too hard for individual pupils and when this happens they do not make the same rapid progress as their classmates.

p.7

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers consistently suggest next steps for learning in their feedback to pupils. However, this feedback is not always specific or detailed enough to help pupils make further progress. Pupils do not always respond to their teachers’ feedback to improve their learning, which also limits their progress in a few cases.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. Their attainment by the end of Year 6 is in line with the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, which represents good progress from their starting points. Pupils’ progress accelerates as they move through the school and they become more proficient in their language skills. In 2014, the proportions of pupils making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics were all in line with the national averages in these subjects. Since the previous inspection pupils’ progress has improved in all year groups. By the time pupils leave they are well-prepared for secondary school.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 As a result of the school’s successful focus on phonics, pupils’ reading quickly improves. The results from the 2014 screening exercise of pupils’ early reading skills, assessed in the Year 1 phonics check, were above the national average.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The school encourages pupils to read widely and often. Pupils enjoy reading. They read a range of books and have developed preferences for books written by different authors.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement in writing is good. They are helped by the way the school encourages them to write regularly, and at length, in other subjects. Year 6 pupils, for example, wrote lively descriptions about the geography of places using adjectives and adverbs effectively.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is good. Early identification of their needs, and increasingly effective support and guidance from teachers and teaching assistants, make sure that these pupils make good progress from their starting points and achieve well.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils who speak English as an additional language, (including those at an early stage of learning English), those from different minority ethnic groups, and recent arrivals in the school, achieve well. Teachers and teaching assistants make sure that these pupils are well-prepared for lessons and are familiar with the vocabulary they are likely to encounter.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils increasingly achieve well. The school provides valuable opportunities for these pupils to extend their skills. For example, in Year 3, pupils excelled in understanding Roman numerals when reading the time from a clock face. Similarly, most-able pupils in Year 4 built suspense expertly by including dialogue in their writing. However, when the level of challenge falters, as it sometimes does, these pupils, and other pupils, could achieve more.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ work across different subjects shows that pupils are applying the skills learnt in reading, writing and mathematics well. As a result, the overwhelming majority of pupils are making good progress in these areas across the wider school curriculum. Occasionally, when work does not wholly match their needs, less able pupils struggle to understand the key points they are meant to be learning.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, the Key Stage 2 test results showed that disadvantaged pupils were in advance of other pupils in the school in writing and mathematics by roughly one term, and equal to the other pupils in reading. In comparison with all pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils were nearly one term behind in mathematics, and roughly half a term behind in reading and writing. Teachers are ensuring that gaps in attainment are closing and that the current disadvantaged pupils reach similar standards to other pupils. Across the school eligible pupils are making at least good progress.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 The early years coordinator provides effective leadership and management and has a good knowledge of strengths and areas for improvement of the provision.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 Children join the Early Years with skills and abilities that are below those typical for their age and weakest in communication, language and personal development. All groups of children, including disabled children, those who have special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language make good progress, and an increasing proportion achieve a good level of development by the end of Reception. This ensures children’s smooth transition into Year 1.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 The school has well-organised induction systems to support children when they first start school. It has positive links with parents, enabling teachers to gather valuable background information, and this helps children to settle quickly into the Early Years.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 The activities prepared for the children are well-planned are organised to optimise the choices available to children. This ensures that children explore and learn from their experiences consistently well. For example, in the outdoor sand pit, children counted how many spadefuls were needed to fill the bucket. There is a good balance of adult-led activities and those children choose for themselves. This helps children to improve their speaking and listening skills and personal development well.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 Adults’ work closely with children during activities such as role play, so that they push back the boundaries of their understanding. This encourages children to make imaginative use of language and enables them to be enthusiastic learners.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 Early reading and speaking skills are developed well through structured phonics teaching and reading sessions. Both indoor and outdoor learning areas are safe, clean and well-maintained.

p.8

The early years provision is good

 Children’s behaviour is good because of the positive adult support they receive. Children cooperate well with each other, for example, when taking turns in their use of outdoor music equipment. Children’s health and well-being are promoted well.

p.8

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

p.9

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.

p.9

School details

Unique reference number 104372 Local authority Wolverhampton Inspection number 448271

p.10

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.10

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 478 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Navin Mair Headteacher Alison Grennan Date of previous school inspection 6 October 2009 Telephone number 01902 556434 Fax number 01902 556435 Email address stlukesprimaryschool@wolverhampton.gov.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 .

p.10

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.

p.11

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

p.11

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

p.11

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’.

p.11

School details

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

p.11