Weston Coyney Junior School

Weston Coyney Junior School Princess Drive, Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST3 6NG

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Until recently, school leaders have not taken sufficiently robust action to address weak teaching. Therefore pupils have not made as much progress as they could.  Teaching, learning and assessment are still not consistently effective across the school. Not all teachers have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve and do not accurately match tasks to the different abilities of the pupils, particularly the most-able pupils.  Systems for gathering assessment information about pupils’ progress are not yet used well enough. As a result school leaders are not in a strong enough position to set challenging targets for pupils’ attainment or to monitor pupils’ progress effectively.  Pupils are not provided with enough opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to solve problems.  The teaching of phonics within reading lacks accuracy and consistency. As a result, pupils, particularly the less able, struggle to develop the

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This is a school that requires improvement

skills needed to help them to read fluently.  School improvement planning, while focusing on appropriate areas for improvement, lacks clearly defined success criteria. This limits school leaders’ effectiveness in monitoring how successful their actions are.  The curriculum does not yet provide pupils with enough opportunities to use their mathematical knowledge and reading skills across a range of other subjects.

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The school has the following strengths

 The head of school and executive headteacher now provide strong and effective leadership and have brought about rapid improvements in key aspects of the school’s work, particularly in pupils’ behaviour.  Involvement in the federation and participation in the teaching school alliance is helping to provide teachers and other staff with good opportunities to observe and learn from stronger practice in teaching in other schools.  Pupils enjoy school, behave well and feel safe. The school places a high priority on ensuring that all pupils are well looked after.  The recently restructured governing body now uses its expertise and knowledge effectively to provide good support and high levels of challenge to school leaders. They are ambitious for the pupils in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and raise pupil outcomes by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring all teachers have sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve in reading, writing and mathematics, and set work that is accurately matched to the abilities of groups of pupils, particularly the most able ensuring that there is a consistent and effective approach to the teaching of phonics within early reading providing more opportunities for pupils to use and apply their mathematical skills in reasoning and problem solving.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

ensuring assessment information from the recently introduced whole-school assessment system is used effectively to monitor and evaluate the progress that pupils are making in reading, writing and mathematics and to hold teachers to account for the progress that the pupils make further developing the curriculum so that it provides more opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical and reading skills in other subjects ensuring that school improvement plans have clearly defined and measurable success criteria so that the impact of actions taken by leaders can be monitored accurately.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Progress since the last inspection has not been as rapid as it should have been. Until recently, there has been a lack of consistently strong leadership and an absence of a clear strategy for improving outcomes for pupils. As a result, weaker teaching has not been challenged and expectations of what pupils should achieve have been too low.  Support and challenge from the local authority was too slow to effectively address the shortcomings in leadership seen in the past which led to pupils underachieving. However, in 2015 the local authority took far more decisive action and secured the support of an experienced headteacher who is a national leader of education to help provide strong and effective leadership for the school. This has resulted in a complete change of the governing body and the appointment of new senior leaders, including the head of school and deputy headteacher.  In September 2015 the school became part of a federation with Weston Heights Infant School and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

leadership was further strengthened through the involvement of the headteacher of the infant school as executive headteacher of the federation.  Teachers and other staff told inspectors that previously low staff morale has very recently improved. Teachers are now given far more guidance on what pupils should be taught and this is helping them to improve their teaching.  A minority of parents still lack confidence in school leaders’ ability to ensure children are safe or are receiving a good education because this has not always been the case in the past. Inspectors found no evidence to support these negative views.  Current school leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and have already taken decisive action to improve the quality of teaching. This has included the effective use of performance management to identify how each teacher can develop and improve their teaching

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

practice. However, as yet leaders have not ensured that all weaknesses in teaching have been overcome.  A whole-federation approach to assessment has been introduced this academic year. This is intended to ensure that teachers in both the infant and junior schools use the same methods to assess and measure pupils’ progress. Leaders are not yet using the information gathered effectively to set clear progress targets for pupils or to monitor the progress they are making. This limits leaders’ ability to measure pupils’ achievement accurately or to identify any pupils who are falling behind in their learning.  School improvement planning is not yet as effective as it could be. While current school leaders have accurately identified areas that need improving and have developed plans that identify what action is required, the plans lack sharp success criteria which limits leaders’ ability to measure the impact that their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

actions are having.  Since September, leaders have developed and implemented a revised curriculum. There is now full coverage of all subjects, but opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical and reading skills within other subjects have not yet been fully established.  School leaders have been successful in making the curriculum more interesting and engaging for pupils. All pupils now have opportunities to enhance their learning through a range of exciting visits, including trips to Chester Zoo, a Viking activity day and a residential visit for older pupils to the Stanley Head Activity Centre. A good range of extra-curricular activities are now available to the pupils, including art clubs, football teams and a choir. These are greatly appreciated and valued by the pupils and help them both physically and in developing their cultural awareness.  All leaders have a clear and shared vision with aspirations to provide the best quality of education

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

possible for the pupils at Weston Coyney Junior School. The executive headteacher and head of school work well together and have ensured that all staff are committed to improving learning for the pupils. They have established a strong leadership team, including the deputy headteacher and middle leaders who have responsibility for literacy and mathematics. The leader for pupils with special educational needs and disability undertakes a shared role across the schools within the federation, and this has had a very positive impact in improving provision for these pupils.  The pupil premium is now used much more effectively (this is the additional funding received by the school to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority). Spending is carefully planned and is used to ensure that these pupils are provided with additional support as required. An example of this is the recent appointment of a home–school worker

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

who supports pupils and their families and who has quickly gained a detailed understanding of the specific needs of individual pupils. This is helping to narrow gaps in attainment for disadvantaged pupils.  Good use is made of the sports funding that the school receives. Additional sports activities have been provided for the pupils, including tag rugby and netball. The number of pupils taking part in after-school clubs has increased, with over 180 pupils now involved on a regular basis. Staff confidence in teaching this aspect of the curriculum has improved through working alongside specialist sports coaches.  Teachers and other staff are extremely positive about the increased opportunities that are now in place to learn from stronger practice in teaching from other schools. They have worked alongside teachers from the infant school and have benefited from expertise within the teaching school alliance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are well supported in extending their understanding of the lives of people in other countries and the beliefs of people with different faiths. Pupils are encouraged to think about and show compassion for others, including through raising money for charities such as Cancer Research and the RSPCA. Displays around the school help pupils to develop their understanding of core British values such as respect and tolerance.  The governance of the school The governing body was re-formed following the resignation of the majority of governors in the summer term of 2015. New governors were appointed who brought with them a wide range of expertise and knowledge. Governors are now a highly effective force in providing challenge to, and support for, school leaders. They have a clear understanding that outcomes for pupils have not been good enough in the past and are relentless in improving all aspects of the work of the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

Governors now receive detailed reports from the head of school and the executive headteacher about the quality of teaching and its impact on pupil outcomes. They have ensured that there are now clear links in place between teachers’ performance management and pay progression. They ask searching questions of school leaders and use the range of information that is available to them to understand how well pupils in the school are doing compared with other pupils nationally. Governors fulfil all their statutory duties rigorously, including those relating to safeguarding. They ensure that the resources available to the school, including pupil premium funding, are used effectively and appropriately.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Since taking up their posts, the head of school and the executive headteacher have reviewed all the school’s safeguarding arrangements and have provided professional development and support for teachers and all other staff to ensure they are fully trained and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

understand their responsibilities and roles in keeping all pupils safe. This has resulted in significant improvements in this aspect of the school’s work.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 While school leaders have taken decisive action to eradicate any weak teaching, there is still some teaching that is not effective in producing good outcomes for all pupils.  Not all teachers have sufficiently high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. They do not all match work accurately to the different abilities of the pupils in their classes and as a result some pupils, particularly the most able, undertake activities that are too easy. Some teachers do not ensure that pupils take sufficient care with their work, and mistakes are not consistently identified or corrected. For example, in a series of pieces of written work the word ‘February’ was spelt wrong on a number of occasions and the error was not picked up by the teacher.  The teaching of phonics within reading is not yet sufficiently accurate or consistent. As a result some pupils, in particular those who are still at the earlier stages of their reading development, are not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

confident in using their knowledge of sounds to build words and this slows their fluency in reading. Not all teachers and teaching assistants have sufficient subject knowledge or training to teach this aspect of reading effectively.  A consistent, whole-school approach to the teaching of calculation skills in mathematics in line with the requirements of the national curriculum has been introduced. This part of mathematics is taught systematically and is generally effective. However, pupils are given too few opportunities to apply their knowledge to make decisions and to solve problems  The teaching of writing has improved recently due to a greater focus on spelling, punctuation and grammar. Teachers provide pupils with good opportunities to write extended pieces of writing in a range of styles. For example, in a Year 4 lesson pupils were highly motivated to write their own poems based on the book James and the Giant Peach. They used their imagination well and were keen to use complex

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

vocabulary to make their poems interesting.  Feedback, including through marking, is generally in line with school policy. Teachers ensure that pupils know what they have done well and how they can improve their work further.  Classroom environments are bright and attractive, with displays used well to provide pupils with prompts that help them with their writing and mathematics. The recently refurbished library is a vibrant and well- resourced space that encourages pupils to choose from a wide range of suitable books.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning, are proud of their school and show care and consideration for each other.  Pupils recognise and appreciate the improvements that have taken place in the school recently. They undertake their roles as representatives on the school council conscientiously and know that they have an important role in helping to make the school a harmonious place. As one pupil said during the inspection, ‘We try to improve our school so that the children are happy.’  The school places a high priority on ensuring that pupils feel safe. The school buildings and grounds are secure and well maintained, providing a supportive learning environment. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, including when using the internet.  Pupils say that there is very little bullying and school records confirm that this is the case. Pupils are

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Personal development and welfare

confident that when bullying does occur it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. They have a good understanding of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying and homophobic bullying. Pupils are good ambassadors for the school’s philosophy of ‘Treat other people as you would want them to treat you’.  The well-run before- and after-school clubs provide pupils with a range of interesting and enjoyable activities in a safe environment. Pupils are also able to have breakfast when they arrive at school and this helps support their well-being and their understanding of the need for healthy eating.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. School leaders have taken strong and effective action to bring about improvements in behaviour and, as a result, the very large majority of pupils take responsibility for their own behaviour.  A whole-school behaviour policy is now in place which sets out the expectations for all members of the school community. Pupils understand there are sanctions that will be applied if they do not behave appropriately. However, they also understand and value the rewards that are now in place to recognise good behaviour. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the opportunities to gain ‘Golden Time’ and ‘dojos’ that celebrate and reward their positive attitude and behaviour.  School leaders have put in place a very effective system of recording and monitoring the behaviour of all pupils and communicating this to parents. A very small minority of pupils still at times demonstrate

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Behaviour

challenging behaviour but this is well managed by teachers and other staff. The rate of exclusions has in the past been above the national average but is now falling as behaviour across the school continues to improve.  Attendance is improving from previously being below the national average. The school works hard to encourage parents to ensure that their children attend school regularly and on time. Pupils are involved in monitoring and reporting attendance at the weekly ‘Celebration Assembly’ and during the inspection were seen to be delighted and applauded enthusiastically when a class had achieved 100% attendance for the previous week.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes require improvement because not enough pupils make the progress expected of them from their Year 3 starting points. This is a result of weaknesses in teaching over time. School assessment information and evidence gathered during the inspection indicates that pupils are starting to make better progress but that their attainment by the end of Year 6 will still not be high enough.  In 2015, pupils who left the school at the end of Year 6 achieved standards that were broadly in line with national averages in mathematics and writing but were below in reading. Pupils made much slower progress than they should in reading and writing but with better progress seen in mathematics.  The progress of pupils who might be expected to achieve at higher levels is not as rapid as the school would like. The numbers of pupils attaining higher levels, particularly in mathematics and reading, are below national averages. This is because some teachers do not have high enough expectations of the

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

most-able pupils and set tasks that are not sufficiently challenging.  Evidence gathered during the inspection and the school’s own assessment information indicates that pupils who are currently in Year 3 are now in a stronger position to continue to build on their outcomes from when they left the infant school. This is because there is now much closer collaboration between the staff of the two schools following the move to become a federation. However, too many pupils across the school are still not achieving the outcomes of which they are capable.  Over recent years, disadvantaged pupils have suffered from the same lack of progress as their classmates. This has meant that gaps in their attainment have not narrowed quickly enough. However, the school now makes far more effective use of the additional pupil premium funding and as a result these pupils are starting to make more rapid progress and gaps are starting to close.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils who have special educational needs and disability are now starting to make much better progress than they have done in the past. The strong leadership of this aspect of the school’s work now ensures earlier and more accurate identification of pupils’ specific needs. One-to-one and small-group support provided by education assistants and specialist teachers is helping to ensure these pupils can fully access their learning and can make good progress.

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School details

Unique reference number 124027 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10009262 This inspection 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 234 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Bentley Head of school Chris Martin Telephone number 01782 312 112 Website www.westoncoyney-jun.stoke.sch.uk/ Email address westoncoyneyj@sgfl.org.uk Date of previous inspection 25–26 February 2014

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Information about this school

 Weston Coyney Junior School is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The school became part of the Weston Federation, together with Weston Heights Infant School, in September 2015. The two schools share the same governing body and executive headteacher. Each school is led on a day-to-day basis by a head of school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils who are supported by the pupil premium funding is above average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above the national average.  The school provides before- and after-school clubs for its pupils.  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 and progress in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils in Year 6.  There have been several changes of leadership and staff since the last inspection. The previous headteacher left in 2014. The deputy headteacher became the acting headteacher until he left in July 2015. He was supported during this time by a consultant headteacher and by a national leader of education, the headteacher of Belgrave St Bartholomew’s Academy. The head of school took up his post in September 2015 when the school became part of the Weston Federation; and at the same time a new deputy headteacher joined the school. Five teachers left the school in 2015.  Weston Coyney Junior School is working with the Britannia Teaching School Alliance and receives support from specialist leaders in education.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 13 lessons or parts of lessons. A number of lessons were observed jointly with the head of school and the deputy headteacher.  Work in pupils’ books was scrutinised by inspectors, who also listened to pupils read. Inspectors met with a group of pupils to gather their views of the school. Pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and at the end of the school day was observed, as well as during lessons. Inspectors also attended an assembly.  A range of documentation was considered by inspectors including assessments and records of pupils’ progress, the school’s checks and records relating to safeguarding, child protection and attendance, records of how teaching is monitored and the school improvement plans.  Meetings were held with the head of school, the executive headteacher, the deputy headteacher and three middle leaders. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with two governors, including the

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Information about this inspection

vice-chair of the governing body, and held a meeting with a governor. He also had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 32 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, considered free-text responses from 13 parents and talked to parents at the end of the school day. They also scrutinised the 32 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Adam Hewett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Devinder Riat 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

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