Featherstone Primary School

Featherstone Primary School Glenville Drive, Birmingham, West Midlands B23 6PR

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 Teachers have a good understanding of the stage that pupils are at in their learning. As a result, they plan lessons which allow all groups of pupils to make good progress.  School leaders have ensured that teachers know how to improve their practice.  Senior leaders hold teachers to account for the progress that pupils make.  Regular updates regarding the quality of teaching and learning and pupil outcomes are shared with governors who are then, in turn, able to hold school leaders to account.  The early years and Key Stage 1 leader is very experienced and knowledgeable. She evaluates the needs of children when they enter the school and plans effectively to move their learning on.  All pupils are aware of the high expectations that the staff have of their behaviour. They treat each other with respect and listen carefully in lessons. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is good.  Teachers and governors have received the

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This is a good school

appropriate safeguarding training. Arrangements to keep pupils safe in school are effective.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers’ subject knowledge in mathematics is not strong enough and not all pupils make as much progress as they should in developing key mathematical skills such as problem solving.  There has not yet been sufficient time for the newly appointed leader for mathematics to impact on standards of teaching and learning in this subject.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement in mathematics by: supporting the newly appointed subject leader in the development of a clear plan to improve the quality of teaching increasing the number of opportunities that pupils have to develop estimation and calculation strategies and use these to solve number problems.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher are aspirational and make a strong team. They have rightly focused on raising the quality of teaching and learning in the school.  The monitoring systems that senior leaders have put in place are effective in ensuring that teaching continues to improve. Leaders act quickly to support staff if they detect that teaching is not as good as it could be. Good performance management procedures complement this support and are used to hold teachers to account for the progress that pupils make.  Improvements in teaching are helping pupils to make good progress so that the attainment of pupils leaving Year 6 is broadly similar to attainment nationally.  The staff have collectively worked to develop a culture where diversity can be celebrated, through a broad and balanced curriculum which prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. As a result, the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is a real strength of the school. Evidence of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

this can be seen throughout the school via high-quality wall displays, such as the one showing the history of London, through the work in pupils’ books and in the positive attitude of the pupils, staff and parents.  The funding provided to the school to support the development of sport has been used effectively. More after-school clubs have been developed. Evidence of strong links between sporting achievements and academic achievement were shared with the inspectors during the inspection. For example, sporting activities which have strengthened pupils’ upper body areas have seen an improvement in pupils’ abilities to write for extended periods of time, thus contributing to the improved outcomes in writing at the end of Year 6.  Pupils attend a range of after-school clubs organised by the member of staff responsible for physical education (PE). This member of staff also asks the pupils to suggest ideas for additional after-school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

activities and then responds to these requests by starting new clubs. This has resulted in increased participation in physical exercise.  Funding given to the school to support disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is used effectively. Consequently, the progress made by these pupils is at least in line with the progress made by other pupils in the school and nationally.  The headteacher monitors pupils’ behaviour and attitudes weekly and, when necessary, action is taken promptly to protect pupils from bullying, radicalisation or extremism. The school has also done a great deal to raise awareness of issues such as female genital mutilation in order to protect pupils from harm. Staff know what they need to do if they are concerned about a child.  The relationship between the school and parents is extremely positive. Information gathered from parents before the start of the school day, and via the Parent View questionnaire, identifies the caring ethos of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

the school’s staff. One parent commented that, ‘My children all love going to Featherstone Primary School. They feel happy, safe and confident and are making good progress.’ Parents value the regular workshops that the staff provide for them to learn more about how they can help their children at home.  Leaders ensure that teachers regularly provide information to parents about how well pupils are doing. The ‘snapshot report’ given to parents in October and February each year tells parents where the children are in their stage of learning and what they need to do next to improve.  The headteacher and governing body have recently strengthened the leadership of the school by appointing new teachers with leadership responsibilities. However, there has not yet been sufficient time for the mathematics leader appointed in September to impact on standards in this subject.  The governance of the school

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Governors know how well the school is performing as a result of regular updates from the headteacher. They hold the headteacher effectively to account regarding the progress that pupils make by asking questions and by making comparisons between the progress that the pupils are making at the end of Year 6 and the progress made by pupils nationally. Governors have ensured that there are clear links between performance management and teachers’ pay. Governors check how funding provided to support disadvantaged pupils is used and how it impacts on standards. They are also aware of how additional funding to support sport in school is used and how this is improving pupils’ participation and skills.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is characterised by energy and passion in the way in which lessons are delivered. Teachers and pupils are enthusiastic about learning.  Teachers know pupils well and use accurate assessment to plan work for classes and groups which is at the right level of difficulty. As a result, pupils enjoy their lessons and their attitudes towards their learning are positive; some pupils even talk about their learning on the way to the playground at lunchtime.  Teaching assistants work effectively with small groups under the direction of teachers. There are marked improvements in the quality and quantity of work of some of the pupils as a result of this focused support.  Information about the stage of learning that the pupils are at by the end of Reception is used effectively when the pupils move into Year 1. As a result, the progress that the children make in phonics is accelerated. The impact on outcomes is that a larger group of pupils than is typical are already working at

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

a level which is better than expected for their age.  Teachers’ knowledge of how to teach reading is good. Pupils know how to read unfamiliar words and this accelerates their learning as they apply these skills in other subjects.  Teachers have a good understanding of how to teach pupils to write. They allow pupils time to practise skills and writing is improving quickly.  Pupils engage effectively with feedback from their teachers and use this in order to improve their work.  Teachers ensure that pupils’ topic and homework books are marked to the same standards as their English and mathematics books. Homework books are also of high quality; they are well looked after and cared for by the pupils and link well to what is being taught in lessons. For example, there is evidence of phonics and grammar work as well as project work, such as posters and recycling boxes. Work related to a history topic on Vikings includes mathematic skills of measurement and ordering.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is not outstanding because teachers’ mathematical knowledge is not strong enough to enable pupils to use mathematical strategies of estimation and mental calculation as effectively as they could. This means that pupils are not making as much progress in this area as they are in reading and writing.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are confident learners. They respond well in lessons to teachers’ questions and feedback. Pupils show a real pride in their work. Their handwriting is very neat and their books are very well looked after.  The school’s very strong spiritual, moral and cultural work has instilled within the pupils a real sense of emotional security. Pupils, including those with disabilities and special educational needs and those who are disadvantaged, all tackle their work confidently.  Pupils identified by teachers as needing extra support are happy to stay and attend extra lessons provided for them by their teachers after school.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They know about fire drills and how to stay safe on the internet. For example, they know that they are too young to have a Facebook account. Parents and pupils

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Personal development and welfare

agree that the school tackles any form of bullying quickly and effectively.  Parents and staff have no well-founded concerns regarding personal development and are confident that pupils are safe and happy in school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils show respect to each other and staff both during lessons and in and around the school building during break and dinner times.  Behaviour during lessons is good. Pupils listen to teachers and teaching assistants and are keen to put up their hands to answer questions.  Language used by the pupils around the school is highly appropriate. If pupils do use inappropriate language, it is logged in the weekly record folder, the headteacher is informed and instant action is taken to address this through direct contact with parents and through teaching sessions in the school day.  In the past there has been a high level of persistent absenteeism. This has been tackled effectively by the school. As a result, the number of pupils that are now regularly absent is much lower and is continuing to reduce.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 As a result of improvements in the quality of teaching, standards of attainment at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics are now broadly in line with the national average, while standards in spelling, punctuation and grammar are higher than the national average.  Pupils, including the most able and those with disabilities and special educational needs, make good progress from their different starting points in reading and writing. Pupils were observed using their developing reading skills successfully to read new words during a history lesson.  In mathematics most pupils make expected progress. However, the proportions of pupils making better than expected progress in Key Stage 2 are slightly below the national average. Across the school, pupils’ ability to use estimation and mental calculations strategies are not developed well enough to allow them to solve more complex mathematical problems effectively.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Disadvantaged pupils are making expected progress which is at least in line with other pupils. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils making better than expected progress is high in comparison with other pupils.  The progress made by pupils who have English as an additional language is at least as good as other pupils in the school.  Progress across a range of other subjects is also good. Skills learned during English and mathematics lessons are being applied in other areas. For example, skills being taught in writing are evident in the history work of pupils in Year 2.  Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books that they read; they can name their favourite authors and the kind of books that they enjoy reading the most. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education as a result of these good outcomes.

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Early years provision is good

 As a result of good-quality teaching and organisation within the setting, children make good progress from their different starting points so that the majority reach a good level of development by the end of Reception. This good progress means that children are well prepared for Year 1.  Additional funding to support disadvantaged children is used well to provide extra support so that the children in Reception make similar progress to other children in the class.  The learning environment is vibrant and engaging. Children are enthusiastic about the experiences and activities provided for them. They listen well to adults and behave well both in the classroom and in the outdoor area.  Teachers use real-life situations effectively to encourage the pupils to write. For example, in one lesson pupils were seen busy writing party invitations for a party which would be taking place in their classroom

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Early years provision is good

at a later date.  The early years leader is confident and knowledgeable. She ensures that children are assessed quickly on entry to the school and this information is used to make sure that the teaching is targeted very carefully.  Regular training is planned for staff to ensure that children are safe. For example, all staff in the early years have received the appropriate paediatric first aid training. All the relevant checks are made for staff and any volunteers.  The early years leader ensures that staff work together with colleagues from other schools to check that their judgements about children’s achievement are accurate and are well supported by a good range of evidence.  Parents are welcomed into the setting and are fully involved with their children’s learning. In a recent survey parents were overwhelmingly positive about the way their children have settled into the classroom since September.

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School details

Unique reference number 103318 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10002515 This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 315 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Irene Kasapi Phillips Headteacher Edris Gaibee Telephone number 0121 675 9740 Website www.featherstoneprimaryschool.co.uk Email address enquiry@feathstn.bham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 28–29 November 2013

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Information about this school

 Featherstone Primary School is slightly larger than most primary schools.  Since the last inspection a number of new staff have been appointed to the posts of deputy headteacher, special needs coordinator, literacy and numeracy coordinators.  The school is growing from a single-form to a two-form entry school. The school now has two classes up to and including Year 3.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is higher than in most other schools.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority) is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils whose first language is not believed to be English is also above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was subject to a quality assurance visit by a senior HMI.  Inspectors observed 11 teaching sessions, two of which were joint observations with the headteacher. Inspectors listened to pupils read and observed them during breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors considered a range of school documentation including the school’s improvement plan, the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s internal assessment data and review documents from the partnership appointed by the local authority to support schools. In addition, a wide range of books were seen in lessons and inspectors also looked at a collection of examples of work in subjects other than English and mathematics.  The inspectors held meetings with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, the representative supporting the school on behalf of the local authority, senior members of staff and a small group of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors also took account of 35 responses to the online Parent View survey, eight written responses to the online Parent View survey, discussions with six parents at the start of the school day and 25 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Graeme Burgess, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Lynne Cherry Ofsted Inspector Nicola Harwood Ofsted Inspector James McNeillie Her Majesty’s Inspector (QA) guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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