Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School

Bishop Wilson Church of England Primary School 10 Craig Croft, Chelmund's Cross, Birmingham, B37 7TR

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 headteacher and senior leaders form an effective partnership that has successfully driven thorough improvement in pupils’ achievement.  Decisive actions taken by senior leaders and good governance have led to much improved teaching.  Governors have improved their ability to challenge leaders. They know about the quality of teaching and whether pupils are doing well enough.  Children get off to a good start in the early years because teamwork is good and staff focus on developing children’s language skills well.  Pupils throughout the school make good progress in all subjects because they are taught well.  Teachers and other adults who support pupils are particularly good at asking pupils the right questions to know whether they have understood.  Pupils feel safe and secure. Relationships between adults and pupils are very strong.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils is always at least good, and sometimes outstanding, because

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

these pupils are supported well.  Parents value the high quality work of the inclusion team in helping their children to develop.  The way in which pupils from the Additional Resource Centre are integrated into mainstream classes is outstanding.  Pupils behave well in lessons and outside the classroom. It is a harmonious school where every pupil is valued as an individual.  The wide range of exciting activities, trips, clubs, special events and chances for pupils to take responsibility adds greatly to their good personal development.  The school promotes British values, such as tolerance and respect, particularly well and prepares pupils effectively for life in modern Britain.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teaching is outstanding because teachers sometimes do not provide a high enough level of challenge, especially for the most-able pupils.  Teachers do not always let pupils know what they need to do to improve their work or check that pupils have read and acted upon their comments when they mark pupils’ work.  Too few pupils reach higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2 because, until recently, teachers’ expectations were not always high enough and some pupils lacked the skills to reach these levels.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 23 lessons, several of which were shared with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with pupils, representatives of the governing body, the local authority and staff, including senior and middle leaders.  Inspectors listened to pupils read, looked at their work in a wide variety of books and talked to them about their learning.  Inspectors took account of 11 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. They looked at the school’s own parental questionnaires and also spoke informally to parents and carers.  Questionnaire responses from 40 members of staff were analysed.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including the school development plan, policies and information about pupils’ progress and attainment. They also scrutinised records of how the school sets targets for teachers to improve their work and looked at child protection and safeguarding procedures.

p.2

Inspection team

Kath Campbell, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Children in the Nursery attend part time and in the Reception class they attend full time.  Most pupils are White British. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The school has an Additional Resource Centre (ARC) on site which is managed by the local authority. It provides support for up to 12 pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties. Currently, seven pupils who are on the school roll, benefit from this facility. Most of the time these pupils work alongside other pupils in classes and are included in the school’s data on pupil performance.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and supported by the pupil premium is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are

p.3

Information about this school

looked after.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen teaching and increase the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels in reading, writing and mathematics in Key Stages 1 and 2 by making sure that all teachers:  provide an even higher level of challenge for their most-able pupils  develop pupils’ basic literacy and numeracy skills systematically right from the start so that pupils can build on these and gain the more advanced skills they need to reach higher levels  let pupils know what they need to do to improve each time they mark pupils’ work  check that pupils have followed up and acted upon the comments they make in pupils’ books so that they do not keep making the same basic mistakes.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led by the headteacher. Together with other senior leaders, he has successfully raised the performance of pupils and adults since the previous inspection. He has high expectations and has established a good climate for learning in which pupils behave well and teaching is good. Staff morale is high and staff have good opportunities to develop their professional skills. Senior leaders provide good role models for others to follow.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The relatively new senior leadership team complements each other’s skills well. Senior leaders keep detailed, regular checks on the progress of all pupils. Key areas of the school’s work have improved. For example, the drive to improve pupils’ phonics skills (letters and the sounds they represent) by the end of Year 1 resulted in an above average proportion of pupils achieving the expected level in 2014. Pupils in danger of falling behind are quickly identified and effective support is provided to get them back on track.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The carefully considered structure of leadership covers all aspects of the school’s work. Leaders responsible for subjects and other areas of the school’s work monitor the school’s performance rigorously. Subject leaders know how well pupils are doing and are having an increasingly strong impact on pupils’ achievement. The special educational needs coordinator is addressing the transition to the new Code of Practice well through effective communication with staff in mainstream classes and the ARC.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Teachers are set challenging targets for improvement and are far more accountable than in the past. Their judgements about pupils’ achievement are accurate as confirmed by external moderators.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 There is no discrimination. All pupils are valued as individuals, relationships are very strong and everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve well.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school has prepared well for the changes to the National Curriculum. It promotes pupils’ enthusiasm for learning through interesting topics, an extensive range of after-school clubs and a wealth of visits and visitors. During the inspection, Year 4 pupils were seen enjoying a Viking day as part of their history work. Additional opportunities for pupils to develop creative arts’ skills add greatly to their enjoyment of school.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school is developing new ways of assessing pupils’ progress in different subjects. However, arrangements are not yet fully embedded.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Special focus events, such as Democracy Week, reinforce the school’s values and enable pupils to gain socially valuable knowledge about relevant issues. Pupils learn to respect themselves and others. As a result, they develop a strong awareness of British values and are well prepared for life in modern British society.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils by, for example, providing good quality one-to-one and small group support. The impact can be seen in the good and sometimes outstanding progress these pupils make and in the narrowing of the gaps in attainment between these pupils and others, both in school and nationally.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school has made good use of its primary sports funding. It is used to widen opportunities for pupils to take part in sporting activities, and to improve teachers’ expertise through working with specialist coaches and attending courses. This increase in activities contributes well to pupils’ healthier lifestyles.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Links between home and school have been strengthened. In discussion, parents express positive views about the school. Although further work remains to be done to extend already good involvement further into the community, parents play a far greater part in their children’s learning than in the past.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding procedures, including those for child protection, meet current government requirements. Staff receive appropriate training, are well informed and kept fully up to date with new legislation.  The local authority adviser knows the school well and has provided a good level of support, challenge and training for staff and governors. The school’s challenge adviser has also given effective support. Both advisers have successfully helped the school to move forward at a good pace.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Leadership is not outstanding because the drive of leaders to ensure excellence has not yet resulted in enough outstanding teaching. Consequently, although pupils’ progress is good, too few make rapid progress across all year groups and subjects over time.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has a much better grasp of what is working well and what needs improvement than at the time of the previous inspection. Governors now play an effective role in monitoring the achievement of pupils. Governors work closely with senior and subject leaders, and are better equipped to challenge because they know whether pupils are doing well enough and they have a more secure understanding of data. They set clear performance targets for teachers to improve their work and only reward good teaching. They know how well teachers are doing their jobs through, for example, their regular visits. They support the headteacher in taking decisive action to eradicate weak teaching and in tackling any underperformance robustly.  The governing body makes sure that all statutory requirements are met and that safeguarding arrangements are secure.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They are friendly, polite and very proud of their new school building. They particularly enjoy the wide range of sporting and outdoor activities at lunchtime and after school.

p.5

Behaviour

 Some pupils who present challenging behaviour are helped to manage their emotions through support of the highest quality provided by skilled teaching assistants and the school inclusion team. This work is impressively good and, as a result, these pupils learn to participate fully in school life.

p.5

Behaviour

 Adults and pupils get on well together because they like each other. In most lessons, pupils are totally absorbed in their work and want to do their best. Occasionally, some pupils lose concentration temporarily when the activity does not interest them enough. Nevertheless, by the time pupils leave, most have developed mature attitudes towards learning.

p.5

Behaviour

 The way in which the school integrates pupils from the ARC into mainstream classes is outstanding. Both groups of pupils benefit greatly from the friendships that develop, and from the respect, understanding and tolerance that grows between them.

p.5

Behaviour

 Children in the early years gain good social skills because staff place great importance on developing these skills right from the start.

p.5

Behaviour

 Attendance is rising and is currently average. The inclusion team has robust procedures for monitoring attendance. It also provides a high level of support for a small number of families. As a result, pupils who were persistently absent in the past are now attending more regularly and the number of pupils who are excluded is reducing. This is partly because of the support given and partly because a small number of pupils have been referred to specialist units.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Parents are very confident that the school keeps their children safe. The school site is very secure and staff are rigorously checked prior to appointment.

p.5

Safety

 Pupils are clear about the different kinds of bullying and are adamant that incidents of inappropriate behaviour are dealt with swiftly and effectively. School records confirm that incidents of bullying and racism are rare. Pupils know that, if they have any concerns, they will be taken seriously and immediately acted upon.

p.5

Safety

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when using computers and the internet. The school also provides a good range of information for parents about safety.

p.6

Safety

 The care given to potentially vulnerable pupils and their families when they need support is of high quality and is deeply rooted in the school’s values. These pupils grow in confidence because they know they are valued members of the school community.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 There is a greater consistency in the quality of teaching throughout the school. Inadequate teaching has been eradicated and pupils currently achieve well across all subjects because teaching is good.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Throughout the early years, staff seize on every opportunity to develop children’s language skills and mathematical vocabulary. Teachers in Key Stages 1 and 2 also develop current pupils’ literacy, reading and mathematical skills well.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught effectively. The school has improved the way in which it teaches phonics (letters and the sounds they represent). As a result, there is a year-on-year rise in the number of Year 1 pupils who meet the nationally expected levels in the phonics screening check. Pupils of all ages have greater confidence to work out unfamiliar words.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of writing, though good, is not as strong as reading. The progress of pupils who were most affected by weaker teaching in the past sometimes slows because pupils lack basic literacy skills and the more mature vocabulary they need to make faster progress. Despite some pupils still catching up lost ground, teachers extend writing skills well in other subjects, particularly in history and religious education work.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 As a result of good quality training, mathematics is taught well. Teachers have far greater confidence with the subject. They give pupils opportunities to apply their basic mathematics skills to problem-solving activities. Most work is demanding but, occasionally, teachers miss the chance to provide an even greater level of challenge for the most-able pupils.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Through skilful questioning, teachers check what pupils know and understand. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, the class teacher and adults who support pupils continually talked with individual pupils about their learning. They were able to sort out any misunderstandings quickly because they asked the right questions. They used the information they collected effectively to assess pupils’ understanding and to guide pupils to the next steps in developing their problem solving skills.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Adults work very closely together in lessons and provide an effective partnership that aids good learning. The support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, particularly for those from the ARC, is very effective. Adults work alongside pupils, breaking down tasks into smaller steps so these pupils can succeed. At the same time, they make sure pupils do not become too reliant on their support.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is detailed. It shows pupils clearly what they have done well but does not always let them know what they need to do to improve in their next piece of work. Sometimes pupils do not respond to teachers’ comments and keep making the same mistakes because teachers do not always check that pupils have acted upon the advice given.

p.6

is good

 Children enter the Nursery with skills that are below those typical for their age. Early language, literacy, numeracy and social skills are particularly weak. Despite making good progress in the early years, these weaknesses mean that not all children have achieved a good level of development on entry to Year 1.  The achievement of pupils across the school is good, with evidence to show that some individual pupils make outstanding progress. This is because senior leaders are totally committed to raising attainment by accelerating progress. In addition, the school provides a wealth of support mechanisms to help keep potentially vulnerable pupils on track.

p.6

is good

 In 2014, attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 dipped slightly. It was average in writing and mathematics and just below average in reading. Despite the dip, pupils made good progress given their stating points. Pupils’ attainment was adversely affected by a higher than usual number of pupils with severe learning difficulties in this year group. Current data show a rise in 2015, although not enough pupils reach higher levels. This is chiefly because some pupils are still making up lost ground caused by previously weak teaching.

p.7

is good

 School data show that attainment in Key Stage 2 in 2014 was average in reading, writing and mathematics and above average in grammar, punctuation and spelling. This represented a sharp rise in mathematics and reading, as a result of targeted training and greater rigour in pinpointing underachievement.

p.7

is good

 Training improved teachers’ subject knowledge, particularly in mathematics. Reading was given a higher profile and the school reorganised the way in which it taught phonics. All of these strategies brought positive results.

p.7

is good

 The attainment of current pupils is on track to rise in 2015, although there are still not enough pupils set to reach higher levels because of the legacy of underachievement. Some of the most-able pupils lack the more advanced skills they need to reach higher levels.

p.7

is good

 In writing, staff focus well on developing pupils’ vocabulary but pupils of all ages sometimes lack the confidence to write without support. The introduction of themes and topics to grab pupils’ interest are proving effective. Older pupils now write at greater length and use more exciting vocabulary. They enjoy extending their writing and express feelings well when, for example, writing a diary in the style of someone living in the Second World War.

p.7

is good

 Disabled pupils are very well supported by a range of approaches that help them to make at least as much progress from their starting points as others. Individual and small group support is effectively targeted at those most in need. Pupils from the ARC achieve well in mainstream classes. When they receive specialist teaching in the ARC that is specifically tailored to their individual needs, their achievement is outstanding.

p.7

is good

 In 2014, test results show that disadvantaged pupils were two terms behind other pupils, both in the school and nationally in mathematics and writing and one term behind in reading. This represented a marked narrowing of the gaps when compared with 2013 data. The progress of disadvantaged pupils is good overall. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils making or exceeding expected progress in reading is above the national average, showing outstanding achievement for disadvantaged pupils in this subject. Current school data show a further narrowing of the gaps in all subjects, not just in Year 6 but also throughout the school.

p.7

is good

 The most-able pupils achieve well when work is demanding. However, not all teachers provide that extra level of challenge to raise their achievement even further. Strong links with other schools and opportunities, such as the school’s Glee Club for talented musicians, help the school share expertise so that the most-able pupils can develop advanced skills.

p.7

is good

 Good leadership and close teamwork have created a stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environment where children thrive academically and socially. Leaders have an accurate view of how well children are doing and know what needs to be improved further.

p.7

is good

 Adults know children well and provide an appropriate range of activities that helps each child to make good progress in all areas of learning throughout the Nursery and Reception classes. Children work, play and explore enthusiastically with their friends. They make good progress because they enjoy what they are doing. They learn to share, wait their turn and listen. There is much fun and good humour.

p.7

is good

 All groups of children achieve well because teaching is consistently good. Teachers and other adults who support children have high expectations of work and behaviour. As a result, children behave well and develop positive attitudes towards learning that carry through to the rest of the school. Safeguarding requirements are fully met and children feel very safe and secure.

p.8

is good

 Routines are well established. While children are working independently on activities, adults constantly talk with them, asking them questions and gently encouraging them to answer in simple phrases or whole sentences. During the inspection, staff were observed repeatedly reminding children to use the words ‘taller’ and ‘shorter’ correctly when talking about their measuring activities.

p.8

is good

 Tasks are interesting and purposeful. However, when children choose activities for themselves, there is not always enough to challenge or extend the learning of the most-able children.

p.8

is good

 Children’s ‘learning journals’ are of good quality and give valuable insight into each child’s progress. They fully reflect children’s good achievement.

p.8

is good

 Some individual children benefit greatly from the one-to-one support they receive. The nurture group provides an outstanding level of care for children who need help with settling into school life. These children quickly gain in confidence and self-esteem.

p.8

is good

 Parents are made to feel welcome. They are full of praise for the high level of support that is given to children and families in most need. They are encouraged to become involved in their child’s education right from the start.

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 104105 Local authority Solihull Inspection number 462564

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 controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 441 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Angela Cameron Headteacher Jonathan Kirk Date of previous school inspection 6 June 2013 Telephone number 0121 7704063 Fax number 0121 3295525 Email address office@bishop-wilson.solihull.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted . 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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

p.11