Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School

School report Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School The Green, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands, WS9 8NH

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 new headteacher has acted swiftly to halt the decline of the school which arose because of instability in leadership. As a result, teaching and pupils’ achievement are improving quickly.  Pupils are now making good progress throughout the school, particularly in reading and mathematics. The school’s data show that more pupils are on track to achieve the highest standards in reading, writing and mathematics than in previous years.  Pupils say they feel safe and enjoy coming to school as their above average attendance shows.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. This is reflected in pupils’ good behaviour and well-developed social skills. Pupils show respect and care for each other.  Children in the early years have a good start and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  The curriculum enriches pupils’ experiences. Interesting work motivates pupils and makes

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

learning fun.  Teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. Teachers use assessment information well to make sure work is at the right level of difficulty for pupils’ different abilities.  The governing body has a wealth of relevant skills to support them in their role. Governors diligently hold senior leaders to account. They have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement in writing in Key Stage 2 is not as strong when compared to reading and mathematics.  Teachers’ marking does not always make clear how pupils can improve their work in writing.  Leaders have not ensured that parents are well informed about their vision for the school and how recent changes are improving the quality of teaching and raising pupils’ achievement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons, six of which were seen together with the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, the headteacher, key staff, nine members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents including minutes of governing body meetings, the school’s development plan and evaluation of its own performance. They also considered information on pupils’ current progress and documents relating to behaviour, safeguarding and attendance.  Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and on display around the school.  Inspectors took account of the 134 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors spoke to parents informally at the start of the school day and considered written responses received from a few parents.  Inspectors also looked at the 38 responses to the staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Sharona Semlali, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below average. There are too few pupils to report on at the end of Key Stage 2. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after by the local authority.  The early years provision consists of a part-time morning and afternoon Nursery class and two full-time classes in Reception.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  Since the previous inspection there have been a number of changes in teaching staff including the restructuring of the leadership team. The previous headteacher retired at the end of the summer term in

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Information about this school

2013. The substantive headteacher was appointed in January 2014 and was supported by a temporary assistant headteacher until September 2014 when the new leadership team, including the deputy headteacher were appointed.  A breakfast and an after-school club operate on site. These are not managed by the school and were not part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ writing in Key Stage 2 so that their achievement in writing matches that in reading and mathematics.  Ensure that teachers’ marking makes clear to pupils how to improve the quality of their writing.  Develop strategies for leaders and the governing body to engage with parents for the benefit of pupils, and build parent partnerships in the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s determined and calm leadership has helped the school to move forward at a fast pace. Prompt actions by the headteacher have rapidly improved pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching, both of which declined since the last inspection during a period of leadership instability.  Since September 2014, the headteacher has successfully developed a new senior and middle leadership team. Middle leaders are effective in driving improvements in their subjects. They are fully involved in providing training to staff and have implemented a range of actions. These contributions have been effective in securing major improvements in teaching quality and in accelerating pupils’ progress. Senior and middle leaders check the quality of teaching carefully.  All teachers have challenging and aspirational targets linked to the school improvement plan and raising pupils’ performance. Well-selected training and guidance are effective in securing better teaching. As a

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The leadership and management are good

result underperformance has been tackled swiftly.  The use of the pupil premium is closely monitored by the governing body. It is used well to provide additional resources that extend learning beyond the school day for eligible pupils. Part of the funding is used to employ additional staff to help selected pupils develop social skills and build self-esteem. It is effective in closing the gap between disadvantaged pupils and others in the school. This demonstrates the school’s success in promoting equality of opportunity.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. British values are promoted well through a range of subjects such as personal, health and social education. Tolerance and respect are promoted well. Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their behaviour as their good behaviour reflects. The school does not tolerate any form of discrimination.

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The leadership and management are good

 The curriculum helps pupils make strong progress particularly in reading and mathematics. Leaders have not ensured that an embedded curriculum for writing helps pupils build up their skills as securely in Key Stage 2. Recent improvements have been secured but not had time to show an impact over a sustained period.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils have a wide range of experiences to develop all of their skills and foster good relations. There are strong connections within the local community. For example, links with the local church help pupils to reflect on their spirituality.  The sports funding is used well to encourage pupils to have a healthy lifestyle. Lunchtime and after-school sports clubs are popular. As a result, an increasing number of pupils participate in sporting activities which help them to keep fit. Pupils enjoy high-quality lessons in physical education taught by qualified sports

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The leadership and management are good

coaches.  The local authority has enabled the school to benefit from the support of other local primary schools. This has helped to swiftly strengthen the skills of the leadership team. The school also works in partnership with other local schools to increase the quality of learning opportunities for pupils.  During the inspection a few parents raised concerns regarding the school’s safeguarding procedures. The inspection found that safeguarding meets requirements and procedures are regularly checked. Leaders have created a safe and calm environment. Staff are well trained, follow the school’s safeguarding procedures carefully and take their roles seriously in keeping pupils safe.  In the online survey, a small minority of parents expressed little confidence in the school. Leaders and governors have not yet been successful in engaging with some parents to make sure they are well informed about the improvements that the school is making.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Since the previous inspection, changes in membership have strengthened the essential skills of the governing body. Governors are confident to challenge school leaders and hold them to account. They are not afraid of making difficult decisions in their determination to make sure the school’s work is of highly quality. However, members of the governing body have not always made sure that parents are informed about key decisions, and encouraged parents to share their ambition for the school.  Governors are closely involved in monitoring the school’s work. For example, they look at pupils’ work. The Chair of the Governing Body meets weekly with the headteacher for updates. Governors have regular contact with the local authority. They scrutinise assessment information and know how the school is performing. This helps to keep them well informed. Governors know what the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching is like throughout the school. They have a good overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.  Members of the governing body are clear how performance is managed. They know how good teaching is rewarded and that any underperformance is tackled through extra support. Governors make sure that any progression in pay is not automatic but is linked to improved pupil outcomes.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They behave well in and around the school. Pupils relate well to others. Pupils take pride in the way they present their work and in their appearance. They take care of the school’s environment. Staff have high expectations and pupils respect the school’s rules and boundaries.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning. This is having a strong impact on the progress they make. They respond well and value the views of others. They work well together and share their ideas as a whole class or in small groups.  Pupils are very caring, polite and friendly. For example, the older ones look after the younger children during play times. Play leaders in Year 6 readily take responsibility to organise games and activities for others at break times. This also helps to develop their leadership skills. Play buddies ensure that all pupils have someone to play with and do not feel lonely at break times.

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Behaviour

 Attitudes to learning are not yet outstanding because pupils do not always have the confidence to tackle demanding work by themselves and rely on the adults to help them.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Attendance is above average and pupils come to school on time. The school monitors pupils’ absence and punctuality thoroughly.  Risk assessments are in place and up to date. All staff training related to child protection and safeguarding is up to date and securely understood.  Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. They say that there are very few instances of bullying and when it does occur it is dealt with effectively by the school.  Pupils are well informed about how to keep themselves safe when using the internet. Also, they know how to keep themselves safe outside the school. For example, the curriculum raises their awareness of how to cross the road safely. Some pupils in Year 2 have attended a ‘scoot ability’ course. This helps them to keep safe when they use a scooter.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Good teaching in literacy, reading and mathematics helps pupils learn well as they progress through the school, although in Key Stage 2 the teaching of writing is not as consistently strong.  Reading is taught particularly well in the school. Pupils who are at the early stages of reading develop the skills to read new words and self-correct their mistakes quickly. Teachers foster pupils’ love of reading. Displays around the school show pupils happily reading books in a wide variety of unusual places such as on the play equipment in the playground.  Teachers use assessment well to adapt their lessons according to the needs of pupils, particularly in mathematics. For example, pupils in a Year 6 lesson were working out how to solve problems using percentages. The teacher recognised that more guidance was needed to help pupils work more efficiently. She rightly adjusted the lesson to suit their needs.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In Key Stage 2, teaching has not always made sure that pupils build up their writing skills as securely in order to reach high standards in their written work. Recent improvements to the way writing is taught are helping to improve pupils’ writing this year, particularly in Years 5 and 6.  Teachers use questioning well to help to move pupils’ learning on quickly. Pupils were observed thinking hard and enjoying the challenge of answering the difficult questions teachers ask them.  Pupils say that teachers make learning fun. This was seen in a science lesson in a Year 1 class. Pupils enjoyed finding out which items were attracted to a magnet and seeing if their predictions were correct.  Throughout the school teaching assistants are used to maximum effect to support pupils’ learning. They play a key part in helping all groups of pupils to make good progress.  Teachers ensure that pupils’ work is marked carefully. However, they do not always give pupils guidance

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The quality of teaching is good

that makes clear how they can improve their work in writing.

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is good

 In 2014, at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment was above average. This has been the case for the last three years and reflects pupils’ good progress from their starting points. At the end of Year 6, attainment was significantly above average overall. Pupils achieved particularly well in reading and mathematics. However, progress and standards in writing were weaker. Currently, pupils at the school are making good progress in all subjects and the quality of writing is improving.  Attainment in reading and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 in 2014 was significantly above average. In the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2014, far more pupils reached the expected standard compared with the national average.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. Procedures for identifying their needs are rigorous. The school makes good use of its links with outside

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is good

agencies to support pupils’ learning.  The most able pupils make good progress. In 2014 significantly more pupils than nationally reached above average standards in reading and mathematics at the end of Year 6. This was a marked improvement on the previous year. However, the most able attained less highly in writing. This year, better teaching and a writing club for the most able writers are helping to raise achievement in writing. More pupils now are on track to attain the highest Level 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.  The gaps between the few disadvantaged pupils and others in all year groups are narrowing. The rate of progress for disadvantaged pupils is similar to others in the school.

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is good

 The quality of provision in the early years is good. Children make good progress from their starting points and achieve well. They make exceptionally brisk progress in Nursery. Children develop good learning habits which helps them to be well prepared when they start in Year 1. Disabled children and those with special educational needs are identified early enabling them to get the support needed quickly. This helps to give them a good start.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. Teachers use assessment well to monitor how well children are doing in lessons. Staff have high expectations of children based on accurate assessment of their skills, knowledge and understanding when they start school. Children are well motivated to learn. They achieve well in all areas of learning. Adults have a strong impact on children’s learning, particularly in the Nursery when they extend children’s learning through discussions.

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is good

 Children’s good behaviour shows that they feel safe and secure as they enjoy exploring in the school’s stimulating learning areas. They respect one another, share resources sensibly and take turns. Parents of these children who spoke to inspectors feel they are kept well informed of their children’s progress. They are very supportive of their children’s home learning and learning at school.  The provision is well led and managed. Leaders have a clear overview of the strengths and areas for development. They make sure that staff are kept up to date with any training and keep close checks on teaching and children’s progress.

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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 132073 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 449333

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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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 499 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sue Grundy Headteacher Keth Farquhar Date of previous school inspection 6 March 2007 Telephone number 01922 743765 Fax number 01922 453968 Email address postbox@cooperjordan.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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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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