Kingsfield First School

Kingsfield First School Gunn Street, Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent ST8 6AY

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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

 Since the school became federated, its performance has improved.  The executive and associate headteachers show clear ambition for the school. They have ensured that teaching and pupils’ achievements have improved since the last inspection. Both are now good and continue to improve.  Governors have played a full part in improving the school since the last inspection. They support and challenge school leaders effectively.  Leaders and staff have developed and implemented a curriculum which motivates pupils well in their learning. They enjoy coming to school and attend well.  Disadvantaged pupils, and those who need to catch up with their classmates, make the strongest progress of any group owing to the effective teaching they receive.  Pupils of all abilities, including those who are disabled or who have complex needs, make good progress in all subjects.  Teachers and teaching assistants use their secure

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This is a good school

subject knowledge to question pupils effectively. This is especially the case in the development of early reading skills.  Pupils, irrespective of background, get on and learn well with each other. This helps them develop a good understanding of British values.  The school’s values are well understood and practised by the pupils. This effectively supports pupils in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Leaders ensure that pupils are well cared for by checking that their work supports their personal development and welfare effectively.  Pupils’ behaviour around school is good and they show positive attitudes to learning.  The early years is well led. Children make good progress in all areas of learning due to the good teaching they receive.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The most-able pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 and those in the early years do not make the progress they are capable of in their mathematics work.  Pupils’ writing is not as neat as it could be.  The quality of the most-able pupils’ writing suffers because they do not use grammar and punctuation as well as they should, nor are they as yet using a rich and varied vocabulary when writing creative pieces.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by moving the most-able pupils on to more challenging mathematics work more quickly and making sure that this group of children in the early years make more progress in mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of writing by expecting pupils, especially the most able, to use a wider, richer vocabulary when they write creatively and to use appropriate grammar and punctuation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Federating with a local first school has enabled the two schools to work together. This has been effective as when better practice is identified in one of the schools it is then shared with the other school. Leaders then consider how best to make changes in their own school. The governing body and executive headteacher have been instrumental in developing the partnership. Leaders at all levels work collaboratively and, as a result of developing more effective practice, Kingsfield has improved its performance.  The executive and associate headteachers demonstrate strong ambition for all pupils at Kingsfield to achieve as well as they can. Leaders work effectively as a team. They have created a positive and welcoming atmosphere for parents and pupils, in which pupils can learn and thrive. As a result, pupils achieve well and enjoy school.  Leaders have fully implemented the recent changes to the national curriculum. Subject leaders ensure

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

that key skills are taught in the relevant year groups. Senior leaders have developed and made effective use of systems to track pupils’ progress. This helps staff quickly spot any pupils not making sufficient progress and subsequently make changes to enable these pupils to get back on track. This contributes to the school’s good provision of equal opportunities for all pupils.  The headteachers oversee the quality of teaching and manage teachers’ performance well. All teachers are set clear targets based on school improvement priorities and the progress of pupils in their own classes. Targets are appropriately linked to pay so that only good performance is rewarded.  Teachers value leaders’ support in identifying their own training needs. They have taken opportunities to develop their own leadership skills. Subsequent improvements are seen in school, for example in the development of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs or disability.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders ensure that the curriculum places a firm emphasis on encouraging and enabling pupils to develop a secure understanding of the importance of valuing each other’s opinions. This contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Strong relationships between staff and pupils lead to pupils feeling safe and secure in school.  Effective provision in the early years ensures that children develop strong values from young ages. Here they learn to treat each other with respect and value diversity. Throughout the school staff do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. Pupils understand British values, including democracy and the rule of law, which prepares them well for life in modern Britain.  The school uses its pupil premium funding effectively. More time has been given to specific leadership roles. For example, the leader for pastoral care ensures that disadvantaged pupils attend well. As a result,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

their attendance has improved. Senior leaders ensure that staff understand the specific needs of individual pupils then provide support by funding extra hours for staff to work with pupils in lessons. This ensures that this group of pupils make strong progress.  As a result of effective leadership, pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress. The school leader for this aspect ensures that teachers and teaching assistants know what individual pupils need to do to make better progress and carries out regular reviews to check how well they are progressing. If pupils are not making the desired progress then changes are made to the programmes of support.  Primary school sport funding has been used to ensure that the aims of broadening the range of activities on offer and increasing competitive opportunities have been met. Pupils enjoy participating in local sporting festivals, which include sports such as tennis and hockey. Pupils and parents appreciate the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

wider range of extra-curricular activities now on offer.  The local authority provides good support to the school. Its representative visited the school at least every term following the previous inspection, to meet with the headteachers and governors to monitor and evaluate the school’s performance. This work has helped leaders make the improvements required. The local authority recognises the current performance of the school and, as a result, visits are less frequent.  Parents recognise the improvements made over the past two years. They value the weekly opportunities to discuss their views with their child’s teacher. Attendance at curriculum workshops has improved as parents see the importance of gaining a good understanding of the new curriculum and how the school teaches specific skills, such as those related to early reading.  The governance of the school – The governing body has played an important role in improving the school since the last inspection.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Since its federation with a local first school, strong links have been made between leaders. – Governors have challenged and supported the executive headteacher effectively and have ensured that the associate headteacher and other staff have developed strong leadership skills. – Governors gain a good understanding about pupils’ performance by visiting the school regularly. They each have roles that link them to a member of staff, which helps them focus on key aspects of the school’s performance. Such roles include safeguarding and specific subjects. During their visits they check out how well pupils are being challenged in their learning. They use this information to check that pupils’ progress in every year group is good and keep other governors well informed by writing reports for subsequent governors’ meetings. – Governors receive updates about how well disadvantaged pupils are performing from the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

headteachers’ reports at their termly meetings. This helps to ensure that the pupil premium is being used effectively to raise the attainment of this group of pupils. – Governors are kept well informed about how well teachers are performing and only reward good teaching with increases in salary. In recent years governors have tackled underperformance effectively, resulting in good teaching in every class. – The Chair of the Governing Body has a clear understanding of the skills and experiences across the board. Such knowledge is used well to inform the appointment and induction of new members. This helps to ensure that the governing body holds the school to account effectively.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that all staff understand the importance of keeping pupils safe. Staff and governors’ training in safeguarding is comprehensive and regularly updated. The school’s policy and procedures for safeguarding meet the current statutory requirements.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

All staff working with pupils are checked to ensure that they are suitable to carry out their roles. As a result, the school provides a safe environment for pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Staff have secure subject knowledge and use this to ask questions skilfully in order to check pupils’ understanding. Teachers and teaching assistants take time to question children to ensure that they understand any misconceptions. They then check to make sure that the children demonstrate better understanding in their work. Especially good examples were seen in reading and writing activities in the early years.  Teachers ensure that pupils enjoy the interesting activities they set. For example, children in Key Stage 2 showed high levels of concentration when exploring features of a newspaper article. This was because they knew that staff expected them to develop their ideas in full.  Teachers select tasks which are well matched to the requirements of the national curriculum. Teachers use the school’s marking policy well so that pupils understand their misconceptions and how to improve their work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Lessons are orderly, with all adults managing pupils’ behaviour well. Routines are well established and positive relationships are seen throughout the school, including at lunchtime. Consequently, pupils get on sensibly and typically work hard. Teachers treat pupils with care and fairness, which means that pupils, in turn, like and respect their teachers. They are keen to please them by working hard.  Reading is taught well. Teachers and teaching assistants use their strong subject knowledge to teach reading effectively. Children in Nursery and Reception are quick to secure their understanding of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make). Good practice is maintained by teaching staff through Key Stages 1 and 2. Teachers are skilled in showing how words fit together in sentences, with pupils then remembering what to focus on when they read and write for themselves.  The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is effective. This is because all

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

relevant staff know precisely what these pupils need to do to make good progress. Pupils enjoy this teaching and, as a result, look forward to their lessons.  Teachers ensure that disadvantaged pupils, who typically need to make better rates of progress than their classmates in order to reach end of year requirements, make at least good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They make sure that they ask questions which make this group of pupils think for themselves. This is effective as these pupils make better progress as a result.  Homework has improved over the last two years. Pupils enjoy homework more because it is more directly related to the topics they are studying in school. However, pupils’ written work is sometimes too untidy.  In all classes pupils develop their mathematical skills well owing to good teaching. However, the most- able mathematicians are not always given sufficiently demanding work quickly enough in their lessons.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

This means that this group of pupils do not have enough time to develop a deeper understanding of mathematical topics, which is important in the new national curriculum.  Although writing has improved well since the last inspection, teachers do not keep pupils’ attention focused on writing legibly. This results in presentation of work not being as neat as it could be. Pupils enjoy reading books which contain rich vocabulary. However, even the most-able writers do not use such creative language as often as they could do in their writing. When teachers highlight using grammar and punctuation accurately, the quality of pupils’ writing improves.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. This is because there are clear strategies in place to support all pupils, including those who are potentially vulnerable. All staff know what to do to ensure that pupils receive effective support. Governors check that procedures designed to keep pupils safe and secure are effective. Pupils are very aware of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they talk with clear understanding about the dangers of using the internet.  Senior leaders and governors recognise the importance of children’s welfare by ensuring that all policies, including those relating to child protection, are reviewed as necessary and kept up to date. All staff understand the importance of these policies and make sure they know the procedures to follow when required.  Pupils demonstrate a good knowledge of different cultures and faiths. They benefit from a wide range of

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Personal development and welfare

visits and visitors to the school. This helps to ensure that the school promotes equality effectively.  Different groups of pupils are supported effectively. Strong partnerships with external agencies have been developed and maintained, such as those with expertise in finding ways to support parents in getting their children to attend school more regularly.  Pupils are articulate when they talk about their understanding of British values, such as democracy and rule of law. They know where examples can be seen around school, including in assemblies where issues are explored.  Bullying is rare and, when it does occur, pupils are confident that staff deal with it quickly and effectively. School records confirm that incidents are followed through to a satisfactory conclusion. Pupils have a good understanding of bullying and how it can take different forms, such as cyber bullying. Staff are vigilant both in classrooms and around school, which helps to ensure that discrimination does not occur.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils move around the well-ordered school buildings with care and attention for others. Pupils and parents hold positive views about the behaviour in the school and value the strong relationships that exist between children and staff.  Pupils’ conduct is good. Pupils report occasional disagreements between each other at playtimes, but are reassured in the knowledge that they often resolve such issues themselves.  The school has introduced changes to the curriculum designed to better engage pupils, especially boys. One example is teaching certain topics outdoors, through outdoor classrooms. Records show that occurrences of poor behaviour are reducing.  Pupils are courteous, friendly and supportive of their classmates. They collaborate well, showing consideration and respect for people’s different views. Good examples were seen in the breakfast club, where pupils talked about their enjoyment of working and playing with their friends. These relationships

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Behaviour

begin in the early years, where staff are skilled at providing activities which expect children to work together well.  Attendance improved last year and continues to improve. The current overall rate is similar to the national average. School leaders challenge parents rigorously when absence becomes a concern. Leaders recognise that this challenge needs to be maintained in order for attendance to improve further.  Pupils do not always present their work as well as they could. School leaders are aware of this and as a result are now checking to see that pupils show positive attitudes to their learning by using their handwriting skills consistently well in all their writing.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Most children start in Nursery and Reception with skills and understanding that are lower than those typical for their age. A majority of children enter the early years with less well-developed skills in communication and language and physical development than in other areas of learning. They make good progress, owing to the good teaching they receive. Over the last two years, a higher proportion of children, when compared with national figures, reached a good level of development.  Pupils currently make good progress through Key Stages 1 and 2. This leads to average attainment at the end of every year. Since 2013 attainment has risen at the end of Key Stage 1 each year. Pupils are now well prepared for the challenges in the next academic year.  By the end of Year 4 pupils reach broadly average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. They leave school well prepared for their middle school education.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 All staff working with disadvantaged pupils know the rates of progress required in order for pupils to be secure working in the new curriculum. Work is appropriately challenging for this group of pupils and this, coupled with precise questioning and marking from staff, means that they are making the progress required. As a result, disadvantaged pupils are closing the attainment gaps on their classmates.  School records show that pupils who have special educational needs or disability make good progress relative to their starting points. These pupils are supported well in classrooms as staff are skilled in finding out how they can best work with them. Leaders and staff evaluate how well this is working at regular intervals through the year and make changes when it is appropriate to do so.  In every year group pupils make good progress in reading. Last year a very large majority of pupils achieved the expected standard in the Year 1 national phonics screening check, with pupils this year

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Outcomes for pupils are good

making similar rates of progress. Pupils enjoy their reading and are well motivated in every year group.  Progress in writing and mathematics is good across the school. Pupils who need to make faster rates of progress, in order to attain the end of year expectations, are doing so.  Although pupils have developed a rich vocabulary, they do not always incorporate such language in their writing. This is especially the case for those pupils who are capable of producing high-quality pieces of work. For example, pupils’ writing about Remembrance did not always convey the empathy that their skills enabled them to do. Their writing does not consistently use appropriate grammar and punctuation, which weakens the control of their writing. This means that teachers are less secure in awarding higher grades.  Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is typically average and improving. The most-able pupils do not always

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Outcomes for pupils are good

attain the higher standards they are capable of, as they have insufficient time to work on the challenging work they are given.

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Early years provision is good

 The early years is well led and managed. The leader is ambitious and clear in her vision for further improvement. Strong links exist with external agencies, whose roles are to support children in their early development. The school acts on advice given and as a result provision in the early years continues to improve.  Teachers, ably supported by teaching assistants, quickly and accurately assess the children’s skills and understanding when they arrive in either Nursery or Reception. They closely check children’s ongoing progress and adapt planning accordingly. All aspects of learning are well taught, especially early reading and writing.  As a result of good teaching, children, whether disadvantaged or not, make good progress through the early years in all areas of learning. Children enjoy their learning as they are encouraged to explore activities which interest them. Staff are skilled at checking to see if the children are working well without

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Early years provision is good

adults working with them, only intervening when it will help them to stay focused on their work. This means children are well prepared for the Year 1 curriculum.  Staff support children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well in the early years. They encourage children to express their opinions and choices freely.  Children behave well and know how to stay safe. They understand adults’ expectations and make sure they live up to them. Parents talk about how their children are happy in school, valuing the opportunities they have to share knowledge of their child’s learning and play in the home.  The leader knows that the next step is to challenge the more-able children more effectively. Staff are skilled in probing children’s understanding; however, they do not always challenge this group of children as well as they could. For example, in a mathematical activity which was designed to help children to

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Early years provision is good

explore the properties of different shapes, the most-able children showed misconceptions. Adults’ questioning did not challenge the children sufficiently well in order for the children to realise their mistakes and then to think again about how best to describe shape properties.  The indoor areas are well designed. Teachers are clear about what they want children to learn in the different places. This enables children to better develop their understanding in each area of learning. The outdoor area is less stimulating for the children, with the layout and resources restricting more rapid rates of progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 124059 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10009263

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school First School category Community Age range of pupils 3–9 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 268 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jackie Shelley Executive Headteacher Abigail Rourke Telephone number 01782 485400 Website www.kingsfield.staffs.sch.uk Email address office@kingsfield.staffs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 March 2014

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Information about this school

 Kingsfield formed a federation with Knypersley First School on 1 January 2015. The Learning First Federation has a single governing body and an executive headteacher. At Kingsfield there is an associate headteacher who oversees the day-to-day work of the school.  Kingsfield is similar in size to the average primary school.  Children in the early years are taught in one part-time Nursery class and two full-time Reception classes.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below the national average.  The school runs a daily before-school breakfast club for its own pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited 15 lessons, three of which were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their reading and listened to them read.  Meetings were held with pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, staff and a local authority adviser.  The 16 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire and a parental survey conducted by the school were taken into account. Inspectors also spoke with parents and carers.  Inspectors observed the work of the school, looking at a range of documentation written to support school improvement.  Inspectors examined work in pupils’ books.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Jeremy Bird, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Jeannette Mackinney Ofsted Inspector Graham Prince Ofsted Inspector 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

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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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