Setting

Mrs Isobel Rose Headteacher Mount Nod Primary School Green Leaf Close Coventry CV5 7BG

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 30 September 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in November 2010.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

 The culture of this school is one of high expectations and continuous improvement. Leaders have continued to improve teaching, the curriculum and the physical environment of the school since the previous inspection. Pupils’ outcomes have been above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6 for the last four years.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

 Leaders have enabled teachers to use creative ideas to improve writing across the school, especially for boys. The senior leadership team has been strengthened this term. Senior leaders have quickly established their new roles, monitored teaching and have plans in place to further improve literacy and mathematics in particular. This was a recommendation from the previous inspection.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

 Pupils receive an education which is at least good at this school. Pupils are rightly proud of their school and enjoy the exciting range of activities and trips that the staff organise. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress is at least in line with other pupils. This has been recognised through the letter you received earlier this year from the Department for Education, congratulating the school on the Ofsted

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk continued improvement in progress and attainment of disadvantaged pupils since 2011.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

 Leaders have made improvements to the early years classrooms and outside learning areas, improving the teaching spaces and the outcomes for boys especially. Further developments such as a hall expansion are planned to increase the amount of sporting opportunities the school can provide. Governors support and challenge the school effectively. They are experienced, skilled and hold leaders to account for their responsibilities. Governors visit the school regularly, talk to pupils about their learning and monitor the progress of the actions leaders are taking to further improve the school.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

 At the previous inspection, it was recommended that the school should find ways for pupils to have greater first-hand knowledge and experience of the wide range of cultures present in modern Britain and develop community cohesion in the wider global arena. Leaders and teachers have addressed this effectively by developing the curriculum to include key opportunities to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Curriculum themes provide pupils with the opportunity to discuss and learn about moral, social and cultural issues. These include local topics such as `People Who Help Us in the Community’, cultural diversity and Bhangra dancing, and global topics such as Explorers, Ancient Greece and Coventry in Wartime Assemblies. School council elections provide worthwhile opportunities to develop pupils’ understanding of democracy and British values. Key Stage 2 pupils learn about other cultures, for

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

example through communicating with pen-pals in a Swedish school.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and governors ensure there are effective systems in place to keep pupils safe. There is a strong culture of safeguarding around the school, as staff are well- trained. They keep up to date with current requirements and report any concerns that arise. Staff work with, and are trained alongside, staff from other local schools. Pupils I spoke with unanimously said they feel safe, because they are taught about the network of trusted people they can talk to and know that adults are always there to help. Leaders have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose, records are of high quality and good relationships with parents are maintained.

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Short inspection of Mount Nod Primary School

Pupils are respectful of each other and all members of staff. Pupils say there is no bullying, because rare disagreements are quickly resolved and adults always help resolve any other problems that occur. Staff manage behaviour well and foster positive attitudes through a weekly Commendation Assembly and strategies such as ‘Caught Being Good’.

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Inspection findings

 You have appointed new senior staff to lead continued improvements to the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. New teachers have also been appointed, which has strengthened teaching and further developed the approach to the teaching of writing. You are a local leader of education and have supported a neighbouring school, using this experience to also benefit Mount Nod School. Leaders and teachers work closely with a local cluster of primary schools. This provides cost-effective opportunities for shared training, exchange of good practice and checking standards of pupils’ work.

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Inspection findings

 Senior leaders have led improvements to early years provision, the teaching of phonics and the teaching of writing, particularly for boys. Leaders know well the school’s strengths and areas to improve. Self-evaluation is accurate, and leaders regularly report to governors on the progress of improvement actions. Several new leaders were appointed to the school from September 2015. Although it is too early to assess fully the impact of these new leaders, they have already assessed where improvements can be made in order to further raise pupil outcomes. Governors have supported school improvements such as employing additional teachers, creating extra teaching spaces and agreeing funding for the early years outside learning areas. Governors have the same high aspirations for the school as the leadership team, resulting in a unified approach to provide the best possible education.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils were observed engaging in purposeful learning activities across the school. In Reception, children were using computers and whiteboards to practise the formation and sound of letters they had just learnt. Pupils in Year 2 were seen writing letters, clear about the features that would make their letters successful. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 were seen learning about words such as mountainous, pompous and venomous. Pupils’ books showed that effective marking had been used to enable them to make clear progress during lessons. Year 6 pupils were observed in a guided reading session with structured follow- up activities to complete at home, which supports their progress in reading and preparation for secondary school. Training, experienced teachers and external consultants have been used successfully to improve and further develop the quality of teaching.

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Inspection findings

 Pupils progress well in this school and a significant number of pupils exceed the progress expected of them. An increasing proportion of children enter Reception with skills that are below those typical for their age. This is especially the case for their knowledge of letter sounds (phonics) and is often related to speech and language difficulties. Typically, children who come from the school’s nursery enter Reception with skills that are average for their age. The proportion of children who leave Reception with a good level of development is consistently above the national average. This proportion further increased in 2015, especially for boys. Leaders are in the process of adapting the provision for pupils with special educational needs and barriers to learning, such as speech and language difficulties, to ensure these pupils make even better progress.

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Inspection findings

 Leaders have taken decisive action to provide additional teaching and specific support for disadvantaged pupils and those who need extra help to catch up. As a result, these pupils make good progress and achieve well in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils in Key Stage 2 who made and exceeded expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics was similar to that of other pupils nationally in 2014.  Pupils’ books show effective progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Work is well presented, always marked and teachers’ helpful feedback is leading to quicker progress for pupils. This matches a sustained improvement in pupil outcomes, which are above the national average in English and mathematics at the end of Years 2 and 6.

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Inspection findings

 The school uses a number of methods to engage with parents, such as information sessions, newsletters and website blogs. Parents can access ‘Helping Your Child at Home’ guides on the school website. Evidence gathered during the inspection demonstrates that the vast majority of parents are very supportive of the school and the education it provides for their children. A minority of parents do not engage with the school regularly and therefore leaders are considering additional ways of helping parents to further support their child’s learning.

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Inspection findings

 Pupil attendance has improved for disadvantaged pupils in particular and is now above the national average for all groups of pupils. This is because leaders have analysed absence carefully and taken an appropriately strong stance on unauthorised holidays during term-time. This approach, along with close individual work with families, has led to improved attendance rates for pupils.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and governors should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 there is continued focus on the progress of those pupils with special educational needs and barriers to learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage

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Next steps for the school

 additional ways of working with parents to further support their child’s learning are developed.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Coventry. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection I met with you, your senior leaders, a group of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and another governor. Together, we visited seven teaching sessions across the school to observe teaching, checked how adults are used and looked at the work in pupils’ books. I spoke to a representative from the local authority who works with the school. Other senior leaders and I looked at pupils’ books from across the school in a range of subjects, to establish the progress and quality of pupils’ work over time. Informal discussions were held with parents to gauge their views on the school, and 36 recent responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), including any free-text comments, were considered. Views of staff were taken into account from 33 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes were observed around the school and at playtimes. A wide range of documentation was also scrutinised, including the school’s plans for

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Information about the inspection

improvement, external monitoring reports, records relating to behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and records of checks made by leaders and information on pupils’ progress and outcomes.

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