Lyndon Green Junior School

Lyndon Green Junior School Wensley Road, Sheldon, Birmingham, B26 1LU

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school. As a result, work in pupils’ books and school achievement data show that pupils are working at slightly above-average standards in these subjects by the time they leave Key Stage 2.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are enthusiastic about the subjects they teach and make lessons interesting. They have high expectations of what pupils can do, and develop pupils’ skills and knowledge well.  Pupils in the special resource base thrive in a nurturing environment. Clear routines and high quality teaching help pupils make exceptionally good progress from their different starting points.  Pupils feel extremely safe in school. They say that teachers and other adults look after them well. They know how to keep themselves safe beyond school and are adept at assessing how to manage potentially risky situations.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They care about

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

each other and are polite and helpful. In lessons they always try hard and concentrate well on their learning.  Under the strong leadership of the headteacher, standards are rising. He has ensured that all aspects of school life have improved since the previous inspection.  Senior leaders rigorously track pupils’ progress and regularly check on their well-being. Any pupils at risk of falling behind are quickly identified and helped to keep up. Pupils who feel anxious or concerned are given excellent support to help allay their fears.  Governors are very supportive of the school’s leaders in raising achievement and improving teaching. They have refined the way they work and now ask leaders challenging questions to make sure that the school is improving.  Pupils’ very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural education permeates school life. Pupils listen to each other’s views and learn how to pay, and receive, compliments. Teachers and other adults

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

treat pupils with respect and consideration, acting as excellent role models.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teachers make sure pupils respond to guidance as to how they can improve their work.  While pupils have opportunities to use their literacy and mathematics skills in practical situations, this is not sufficiently extensive to ensure all pupils deepen their learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 20 lessons, seven of which were observed together with either the headteacher or deputy headteacher.  The inspection team held meetings with the headteacher and other staff, three groups of pupils, three governors, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held informal discussions with parents and pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 59 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire Parent View, the school’s own parental questionnaires, individual communications from parents and the 25 completed staff questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and reviewed a range of documentation including: the school’s checks on its performance; its analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress; records of behaviour and safety; school improvement plans; records relating to classroom observations and the management of staff performance; safeguarding arrangements; and records of meetings of the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors also looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on attendance.

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is lower than in most schools, and fewer pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is above average.  The school has a special resourced provision base for pupils who have cognition and learning difficulties. It takes up to 12 pupils aged seven to eleven years old.  A considerable proportion of pupils join the school between Year 3 and 6 who have not attended the local infant school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or looked after by the local authority) is below average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’

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Information about this school

attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen teaching to raise standards through:  ensuring that teachers’ marking leads to prompt improvements in pupils’ work  giving all pupils opportunities to practise and apply their literacy and mathematics skills in a broad range of practical situations.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s passion and drive to provide pupils with the best learning opportunities and life skills possible, is shared by all staff. He and the senior leaders make sure that teaching is good and pupils achieve well in lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders understand how to improve teaching and achievement in their areas of responsibility. Changes to the way subjects are taught have resulted in rising standards throughout the school. Leaders work alongside colleagues to help them embed new ideas, watch over pupils’ progress and develop their teaching skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The special resource base is very well led. Pupils’ achievements are tracked, step by step, to make sure they develop the skills they need to communicate and learn effectively. All pupils have personalised learning plans which cater for their specific needs and help them make excellent progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The leadership of teaching is good. The appraisal system, which rewards teachers with a pay rise when their pupils achieve well, contributes to the good teaching and senior leaders use it effectively. Teachers understand what leaders expect of them and receive good support to help meet their challenging pupil progress targets.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school has forged strong partnerships with local schools. Together they have devised a new system for assessing how well pupils are doing and have introduced different ways to support, and accelerate, the learning of disadvantaged pupils. The partnerships provide opportunities for staff to share expertise and refine their teaching skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary physical education and sport premium is used effectively to extend sporting opportunities. Specialist coaches work alongside teachers to help them develop their physical education teaching techniques while providing high quality coaching for pupils. The coaches also run a wide range of popular clubs during the school day and after school. Most pupils take part in additional sporting activities and their skills are improving. As a result the school has been particularly successful in local football, tag rugby and cross country events.

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The leadership and management are good

 Disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special education needs are supported well. Teaching assistants and other adults work with them in the classroom or in small groups. The support staff are highly trained and work closely with teachers to make sure that pupils make good progress alongside their classmates. The school is committed to tackling discrimination and ensures equality of opportunity for all pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects pupils learn are interesting and exciting. Teachers use them adequately to develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects. Pupils particularly enjoy learning about animals and plants outdoors.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding policy and procedures are robust. All staff are vetted thoroughly before appointment. Leaders ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe beyond school and give excellent support to those whose situations may make them feel vulnerable.

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The leadership and management are good

 The care and welfare of pupils is exceptionally good. A pastoral team of adults, led by the highly skilled deputy headteacher, regularly check on pupils’ well-being. This is extremely effectively supported by the school’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural education which encourages pupils to show consideration and respect for each other and their beliefs. The school council, in consultation with all pupils, devised the new school rules: ‘Respect ourselves. Respect each other. Respect the school’. They told inspectors that these three simple rules are easy to remember and abide by, both in school and in their everyday lives.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils have opportunities to learn about key British institutions such as how the parliamentary system works and why democracy is important. All classes enthusiastically took part in their own elections during the national general election. They researched the different political parties and held a secret ballot to elect their own representatives. The school builds pupils’ confidence by teaching them how to open and conduct interesting conversations with each other and adults. They politely ask appropriate questions and give thoughtful responses showing respect for individual liberty. Pupils learn about other faiths, and in line with the school rules, show respect for the beliefs of others. Their outstanding behaviour show their respect for rules and appreciation of the rule of law throughout the country. Such skills equip them well for life in modern Britain.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school works well with parents and successfully fosters good relationships with them. Leaders frequently seek their views about the school through questionnaires and discussions. For example, parents were consulted when the ‘Relationships and Sex Education policy’ was reviewed and a meeting was held to discuss how this would be taught. Most parents who stated a view would recommend the school to others.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and governors ensure that the arrangements for keeping pupils safe are robust and effectively meet statutory requirements. All staff are well trained and vigilant in checking on pupils’ safety and well- being.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has correctly assessed that the school does not need high levels of support from them. It provides the usual occasional checks allocated for good schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors share the senior leaders’ high aspirations for pupils. They are rightly proud of the caring and happy atmosphere which staff create. Governors know that pupils are developing excellent social and behavioural skills which will help them in their future lives.  Governors have recently reviewed the way they work. They have improved the way they ask leaders challenging questions to check how the school is improving and understand the importance of good quality teaching. Following a period of change, the governing body is now well established and governors make the best use of their skills. They make sure that the appraisal system only rewards teachers whose pupils achieve well and any weaker teaching is improved.  Governors use school progress data confidently to make check that all groups of pupils achieve well. They ensure that additional funding is used effectively to help those pupils who are eligible to catch up

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The leadership and management are good

with their peers. Governors also appreciate that the primary physical education and sports funding is used effectively. It widens pupils’ opportunities to take part in sporting activities, and improves their sporting skills.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are welcoming and polite around school and enjoy helping each other. During the inspection pupils were seen holding doors open for each other and were overheard politely offering help and thanks. Pupils assured inspectors that this is typical and everyone gets on well with each other.

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Behaviour

 Pupils readily take on roles of responsibility, such as being part of the health team, clean-up team, library team and eco team. They carry out their jobs sensibly and reliably and feel that their contributions are valued. Members of the school council told inspectors that it is, however, everyone’s job to keep the school tidy. For example, they are all in charge of the popular ‘scrap store’, which provides play and ‘den- making’ equipment, and all help to clear away at the end of playtime.

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Behaviour

 Pupils are very enthusiastic about their learning. They concentrate extremely well in lessons and try hard, without prompting, to extend their own skills and attain higher levels. Pupils draw every ounce of learning from their lessons because they persevere and ask probing questions to ensure they understand. They are proud of their achievements and those of their classmates and were keen to talk to inspectors about how much they enjoyed their lessons.

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Behaviour

 Every day ‘VIP’s are selected in each class. Other pupils are encouraged to make it a good day for them by paying them compliments. In return, the VIPs respond graciously and politely. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy being the VIP because it makes them feel special for the day.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils in the special resource base is outstanding. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning and respond extremely well to the positive and encouraging attitudes of the teachers. They mix well with pupils in the rest of the school, who readily include them in their activities.

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Behaviour

 Pupils take great delight in all that is offered at school, and enjoy coming to school. This is evident in their good attendance which has been consistently above average over recent years.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. All parents who completed Parent View said that their children feel safe in school. Pupils agree and attribute this to the teachers and other adults who look after them so well.

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Safety

 The specialist resource base provides an extremely safe environment for pupils to learn and helps pupils learn about personal safety. For example, during the inspection pupils sang and signed a song about not talking to strangers. They were very enthusiastic and the teacher’s questions after the song showed that pupils fully understood the message and how they can stay safe.

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Safety

 The school’s child protection procedures are implemented well. All staff are trained at the required regular intervals and know about the latest guidance. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe beyond school. For example, the e-safety team of pupils lead assemblies and remind their classmates about potential dangers when using the internet. They learn how to avoid, or deal with any dangerous situations. Pupils say this is a particularly effective way of learning. They told the inspectors ‘It’s kids telling kids, and we really listen to what they’ve got to say’.

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Safety

 Pupils have an excellent awareness of road and fire safety and older pupils learn to ride their bicycles safely. A recent safety week highlighted potential hazards in the home. Pupils said that the visit of a child protection charity representative was very interesting and helpful.

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Safety

 Pupils are taught thoroughly how to assess how risky a situation is. This is so that they can take risks, but safely and responsibly. For example, when building fires in the forest school, they are aware not to go within ‘the fire ring’ which is a safety zone around the fire. When building dens with materials from the ‘scrap store’, they are aware of the weight of materials and the importance of being able to get out quickly and easily when necessary.

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Safety

 Pupils have an excellent understanding of what bullying is and the different forms it can take, including physical and cyber bullying. They told inspectors that there is hardly any bullying in school. Any problems are always dealt with by teachers. The system for following up any potential bullying issues is rigorous and the way pupils are involved in the process is a result of suggestions by the previous school council.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers are enthusiastic and make lessons interesting. Their good subject knowledge enables them to question pupils skilfully, making sure that they understand and then extend their learning. For example, once a pupil has answered a question, the teacher often asks them to explain their answer. On other occasions the teacher asks other pupils why the answer is correct. This means pupils have to listen carefully to others and think deeply about their learning. As a result, the impact of teaching on learning and achievement including in literacy, reading and mathematics is good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught well. The school recently introduced a new way of teaching reading which requires pupils to organise themselves in group reading exercises. Pupils take on different roles such as to lead the group, ask questions about the text, predict what will happen next and record everyone’s thoughts. This has helped raise standards as pupils enjoy being in control of what they are doing, concentrate well and develop good learning strategies.  Writing is taught equally well. Pupils are particularly enthusiastic about writing when the task is linked to their topic. Pupils in Years 6 who studied the Second World War, practised their letter writing skills while imagining they were evacuees writing home. As part of their study of Greece, pupils in Year 3 animatedly retold the story of Theseus and Ariadne.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Mathematics is also taught well. Recent changes to the way pupils develop their mental mathematics skills are helping speed up calculations and raise standards. Teachers give clear explanations and show pupils how they can use different strategies to solve problems, before giving them opportunities to try for themselves.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school has a well-trained team of support staff who work alongside teachers either in the classroom or with pupils in small groups. Close liaison between teachers and assistants means that all adults are fully aware of what learning is to take place. This means that there is a consistent approach to helping pupils learn and achieve well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The high quality teaching in the special resource base helps pupils make rapid progress. Teachers and support staff sign fluently to give pupils visual representation of what is being said. This helps to make sure the pupils fully understand. Topics are constantly revisited to ensure that pupils’ knowledge is secure before building on this to move them to the next stage.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make sure that the most-able pupils have work which is challenging and helps them achieve well. Year on year, a growing proportion of pupils are working well above the level expected for their age.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers mark pupils’ books conscientiously and give pupils helpful guidance as to how they can improve their work. When pupils act on this, as required in the school marking policy, they make exceptionally good progress. Not all teachers, however, ensure that pupils follow the advice given, so that marking is not always leading to rapid improvements in pupils’ work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers sometimes link literacy and numeracy to work in other subjects and this helps pupils link, practise and apply different aspects of their learning and thereby deepen their understanding. Not all teachers, however, make the most of these types of opportunities to widen pupils’ knowledge and learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School baseline data show that pupils typically start at the school with average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. They make good progress and, by the end of Key Stage 2, many pupils are working at slightly above-average standards.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, standards in writing were slightly lower than in previous years, but this is not typical throughout the school. Most pupils in that year group made the progress expected for their age and about an average proportion made more than expected progress, some of whom had particularly low starting points and complex educational needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils in the specialist resource base make rapid progress. Teachers develop pupils’ skills and knowledge systematically and build securely on what they already know. This means that, by the time they leave the school, pupils are confident in their learning and socialising well with other pupils in the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs in the main school make good progress. Their specific needs are quickly identified. Rigorously-planned work and sensitive support enables them to achieve well alongside their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, by the end of Key Stage 2 disadvantaged pupils were two terms behind other pupils in mathematics and writing and three terms behind in reading. In relation to other pupils nationally they were a term behind in mathematics and over two terms behind in reading and writing. This, however, is not typical of pupils currently in the school. The good progress they make is narrowing any gaps in attainment. Most disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 are currently working at less than a term behind other pupils.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2014 an above average proportion of pupils achieved high levels in mathematics and reading by the end of the key stage. Pupils currently in Year 6 have maintained these high standards and a larger proportion of pupils have attained the highest level in writing than in previous years.

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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 103228 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 461822

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 371 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Matthew Hopley Headteacher Gerrard Rothwell Date of previous school inspection 17 October 2011 Telephone number 0121 6752983 Fax number 0121 6752565 Email address office@lgjs.co.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 .

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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