Milverton Primary School

Milverton Primary School Greatheed Road, Leamington Spa, CV32 6ES

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 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

 School leaders have successfully sustained an upward trend in attainment that restored standards in reading, writing and mathematics to above average in the past two years.  Pupils achieve well because they are taught well. Teachers’ performance is managed effectively, and areas for improvement are followed up robustly with training and support.  Staff rise to the high expectations the school’s leaders have of them to help pupils to achieve well.  Relationships are excellent throughout the school. Pupils feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  The pupils’ excellent behaviour and their obvious desire to do well also contribute to their good learning.  The vast majority of parents are very satisfied with the school and what it does for their children.  The pupils’ high levels of attendance show their enjoyment of school and of the rich and exciting curriculum through which they learn.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governors are very closely involved in the work of the school and in the monitoring of teaching and learning. They use their excellent knowledge of how well the school is doing to challenge it to do even better.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to help pupils throughout the school make the outstanding progress seen particularly in Year 6.  Pupils, particularly the most-able, are not always directed towards the challenges best suited to their levels of ability.  Numeracy skills are not promoted consistently well in different subjects in all year groups.  The presentation of pupils’ work is sometimes untidy and detracts from their learning.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 30 lessons. Two of the visits took place jointly with the headteacher.  Play and lunchtimes were observed and inspectors held discussions with pupils, governors, staff and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 127 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and of the views of parents expressed by letter, email or telephone call. They also gained parents’ views by speaking to some parents as they brought their children to school.  The 11 responses to the questionnaires for staff were also considered.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including information about pupils’ progress and attendance, the school improvement plan, the school’s self-evaluation document, and records and policies about safeguarding and the quality of teaching.  Inspectors also examined the work in pupils’ books, including some from last year, sampled sessions

p.2

Information about this inspection

where pupils were being taught phonics (the sounds that letters make) and listened to some pupils read.

p.2

Inspection team

Doris Bell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Jacqueline LeMaitre Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This school is larger than the average-sized primary school. It has two full-time Reception classes, which caters for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. A privately-run nursery, which is inspected separately, operates on the school site.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, or who speak English as an additional language, are broadly average.  At six per cent, the proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is well below average. This funding is for children in local authority care and those previously known to be eligible for free school meals.  At 14 per cent, the proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Eliminate the inconsistencies in teaching in different year groups and make a greater proportion of teaching, and therefore of pupils’ learning, outstanding by:  in lessons, always directing pupils, especially the most-able, to the challenges best suited to their levels of ability  promoting numeracy skills more consistently in different subjects and year groups  encouraging pupils always to present their work well, especially in mathematics, so that when they look back they can see and use what they have learned already.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 School leaders, including governors, set high expectations for staff and pupils. As a result, staff know what is expected of them and they strive to achieve it. Senior leaders check teaching and learning regularly in a number of ways. They help staff to improve with well-targeted training and support, and opportunities to work with other schools. The school demonstrates the capacity for sustained improvement. Nevertheless, there remain some inconsistencies in teaching that cause pupils’ progress to vary between classes.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 There are clear links between the school’s self-evaluation, the priorities set in the school improvement plan and the objectives set for teachers as part of the management of their performance. All are focused on securing at least good progress for the pupils. Staff understand the part they have to play in helping the school to improve further.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 A good start has also been made on working out how to assess progress, within the new National Curriculum, based on the expectations for different year groups. Pupils’ progress is tracked thoroughly in English and mathematics. The outcomes are used well in planning and to establish support programmes, where necessary, to boost pupils’ learning.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ learning is also assessed in other subjects to determine how well skills are being developed in each. Subject leaders have played an important part in this by providing staff with clear advice and guidance on progression in their subjects. They have time allocated to monitor teaching and learning in their subjects.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The provision for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is managed exceptionally well. The school is well on its way to implementing the new national requirements in this area. The inclusion team is extremely vigilant in checking the impact of any support programmes provided for pupils to ensure they remain relevant at all times.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Good use is made of pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils. For example, money is spent on additional tutors to provide extra support and enable pupils to be taught in smaller groups. The inclusion team has been extended to incorporate a trained counsellor to work with relevant pupils. Thus, pupils’ emotional and social development is built up alongside their academic development with consequent positive impact on their progress and overall achievement.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s approach to planning what pupils will learn results in a curriculum that is exciting, engages the pupils and inspires them to want to find out more. The promotion of literacy skills is planned into all subjects, numeracy skills less so. Good provision is made for the most-able pupils through the additional challenges planned for them. The school also uses the curriculum well to tackle all forms of discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school has used the primary schools’ sports funding effectively. For example, staff training has improved the teaching of physical education and sports, the range of sports available to pupils has increased, and reluctant participants in sport have been brought on board. Also, pupils take part in a wide range of competitive sports with other schools, in which they enjoy much success.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Many good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are built into the topics and themes that pupils study, and into assemblies. As a result, pupils gain a strong awareness of, and respect for, different faiths and cultures, the richness and diversity of culture that exists in Britain today, as well as what it means to live in a democratic society. Projects such as ‘One World Week’ take all of this further as they learn about life in different parts of the world.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding requirements, including those for child protection, are met and all training is up to date. The school is vigilant in checking the suitability of staff to work with children and in ensuring the school environment is safe and secure.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The local authority regards the school as solidly good because it is sustaining good achievement for the pupils and continuing to ensure that standards are above average. It has not, therefore, provided additional support in the recent past.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The Governing Body ensures that the school meets all its statutory duties. Governors visit the school regularly to check on the quality of teaching and learning. They understand and analyse data, scrutinise pupils’ work and hold discussions with staff, pupils and parents, and use the information to challenge the school to do even better. They check progress towards the priorities in the school improvement plan and contribute to the school’s self-evaluation process.  Governors are very well informed about the systems the school is putting in place to assess pupils’ progress in the new National Curriculum. Governors manage finances effectively. They know how pupil premium funding and primary schools’ sports funding are improving pupils’ learning and they regularly check the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  Using their considerable range of expertise effectively, governors question recommendations for pay

p.5

The leadership and management are good

increases and support the headteacher in making decisions about pay based on teachers’ performance. They attend training to refine their skills and keep their knowledge up to date. They are strongly focused on ensuring the school prepares its pupils well for life in modern Britain.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. In lessons and around the school, pupils conduct themselves well. They understand and appreciate the systems for managing their behaviour and there are few instances of poor behaviour.

p.5

Behaviour

 Staff, and the school’s inclusion team work together effectively and successfully with external agencies to help pupils with emotional and/or social difficulties to manage their behaviour so that their learning can continue. Parents are extremely pleased with the support they and their children receive in this area.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils have a strong voice in the school, for example, as school councillors and eco rangers. They relish responsibility and, as ‘learning detectives’, they seek out information about how well each other is learning and make suggestions about how to improve different aspects of the school’s work.

p.5

Behaviour

 The pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning ensure that they concentrate well in lessons. They mostly rise well to the challenges set for them and benefit from having a say in which challenge they will start with. Occasionally, some stay with a lesser challenge for longer than they need to and this slows their learning temporarily. They respond very positively when re-directed.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils understand bullying and the different forms it can take. As Year 6 pupils discussed the difference between teasing and bullying they showed an excellent awareness of the effect both can have on another’s self-esteem and confidence. They are adamant that they know of no bullying in the school. They are very clear about what to do about it should they hear of or experience any, and are very confident in the staff to deal with it.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils take care of each other and of the learning environment and they are proud of their work. They appreciate the importance of correcting errors and understand how doing corrections helps to improve their learning.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Excellent attention is paid to ensuring pupils know how to stay safe when using the internet, mobile phones or social networking sites. The school has very strict guidelines for everyone on these matters, which are also prominently displayed for all visitors.

p.5

Safety

 Attendance is high and punctuality is good. The school impresses on parents the importance of telling it why their children are absent. It is vigilant in following up on absences where parents have not made contact, to ensure it knows where pupils are and that they are safe.  Parents’ views matched those of the inspectors. Virtually all of those who responded to Parent View, and those who contacted the inspection team said that behaviour was excellent, the school kept their children safe and looked after them exceptionally well. Almost all would recommend the school to other parents.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching, some of which is outstanding, has secured the pupils’ good progress over time. Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well and literacy skills are given due attention in different subjects. There are several examples of numeracy skills being used in different subjects but the practice is not consistent in all classes.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Conscious of the needs of the pupils in mixed-age classes, teachers mostly plan together well to ensure equality of provision across classes. There are inconsistencies in some year groups, but work, the impact of which is being closely monitored, is under way to improve the situation.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Throughout the school, expectations for behaviour are high and pupils respond well. All of this helps their learning. Teachers successfully encourage pupils to reflect on and, where necessary, modify their own learning and behaviour. Helpful marking, to which pupils respond well, assists in this and ensures pupils know how to improve their work.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ progress is carefully tracked and accurately assessed. The information is used well in planning. Pupils are regularly reminded how their learning builds on what has gone before. They are successfully encouraged to draw on earlier learning to help them move forward. Well-targeted questioning probes their thinking and deepens their learning. They enjoy the many opportunities they have to find things out for themselves.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The ‘golden challenges’ prepared for the more- and most-able pupils have the potential to help these pupils make the much faster progress of which they are capable. Pupils are given an element of choice in which targets they choose. However, not all teachers keep a constant enough check on what the pupils have selected. Therefore, some elect to carry on with easier work for longer than they need to.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers do not all insist that pupils present all of their work equally well. Much of the pupils’ work is neat and well-presented but there are some examples of scruffy work. For example, in mathematics, number lines are not always drawn with rulers and calculations are not lined up accurately. In these instances, pupils found it more difficult to explain how they had worked things out.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are taught well. They, pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding and pupils for whom English is an additional language, receive good support. Support staff are well-trained and well-briefed. They make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are set an appropriate amount of homework which they enjoy doing and, often with the help of their parents, do really well. Homework ranges across reading, writing and mathematics and is also linked to topic work. It encourages pupils to take their own learning further.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 All pupils, from the least to the most able, achieve well. Standards are above average in Year 2 and Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. The steady upward trend in attainment in recent years means that, in 2014, pupils in Year 6 were almost two terms ahead of pupils nationally in mathematics, over two terms ahead in reading, and four terms ahead in writing.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2014 were broadly similar to the expected national standard, as they were last year. Pupils read well, understand what they read, and use their phonics skills well when they do so.  In Year 2 in 2014, fewer pupils reached the higher levels in writing than in reading or mathematics. Boys’ writing was a particular issue. The school has worked on boys’ writing for some time and, during the inspection, no significant differences were noted between boys and girls. Boys also reported that they enjoy writing now because it is a natural part of what they do to show their learning in different subjects.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of the English grammar, spelling and punctuation test were also above average, with pupils two-and-a-half terms ahead of pupils nationally. Pupils mostly use their excellent skills in these areas well when they write. However, careless mistakes sometimes creep in, as was observed in some Year 5 and 6 work, which affect the quality of some of pupils’ work.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils also develop good computing skills, which they use well to assist their learning in different subjects.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils achieve well, as is evident in the proportions who reached Level 6 in mathematics and writing. Teacher assessments show that these pupils were also working at Level 6 in reading, although none achieved this level in the reading test.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good and often outstanding progress. Their learning is individually tailored to meet their needs. It is kept under constant review and, where relevant, adjusted frequently to ensure they continue to progress.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium also make at least good progress. Although few in number, data for individual pupils show that their attainment is also above average and similar to that of other pupils in the school.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language has increased since the previous inspection. This group makes the same good progress as all other pupils and reach the same above- average standards.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils very much enjoy the increased range of sports and exercise activities available to them through the primary schools’ sports funding. The number of pupils participating in these activities has increased considerably over time and the pupils are very proud of their successes in competitive sport. Much work has gone into targeting more reluctant participants and helping them to do well.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Typically, children start school with the skills expected for their age. The proportion reaching a good level of development across all areas of learning for this age group is above that found nationally. This represents good progress. Good teaching, overseen by good leadership and management, ensures that the children are prepared well for their work in Year 1.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Effective planning and good provision, indoors and out, result in activities that have a clear learning purpose and stimulate the children’s curiosity. Staff are skilled at questioning the children rather than telling them what to do so that they become better able to make decisions and find things out for themselves.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Focused learning activities take place with an adult in which children learn key skills such as reading, writing and how to socialise with each other. Much attention is paid to developing early reading, writing and mathematical skills. In addition, children are successfully encouraged to take turns, to listen and to share equipment. As a result, they soon begin to see the benefit of helping and learning from each other as well as from adults.

p.7

The early years provision is good

 Staff regularly assess and note down what children are doing or saying and how well. They readily adjust learning within and between sessions in response to these findings. Occasionally, however, children work or play on their own for some time without adult intervention and opportunities are lost to record and move learning on as it happens.  Strong emphasis is placed on promoting children’s safety and their emotional well-being. The learning environment is safe and secure and effective induction procedures and links with parents enable pupils to settle quickly into the well-established routines. Children attend regularly, behave well and are eager to learn. Effective links with parents ensure that all learning is taken into account.

p.7

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 125610 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 448561

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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 318 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marianne Talbot Headteacher Ben Wilde Date of previous school inspection November 2009 Telephone number 01926 424043 Email address admin2606@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 .

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