Tower View Primary School

Tower View Primary School Vancouver Drive, Winshill, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire DE15 0EZ

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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

 The headteacher provides strong, effective and caring leadership. He has created a culture where all staff are committed to improving outcomes for pupils and ensuring that they enjoy their learning. As a result, the school has improved since the last inspection.  Teaching, learning and assessment are now good across the school. All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs or disability, make at least good progress from their starting points. School leaders ensure that the most vulnerable pupils’ needs are very well supported.  Parents express extremely high levels of confidence in the school. They recognise and appreciate the care and support that all staff give to their children, especially the headteacher.  Pupils feel safe in school and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Exceptionally good use is made of the school grounds, to help pupils take responsibility for their

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This is a good school

own and others’ safety and to develop an appreciation of the natural environment.  Children in the early years settle in quickly at school and make good progress. Teachers and other staff plan activities that are very well matched to their interests and abilities.  Governors provide support and challenge to school leaders. They use their skills and expertise effectively to ensure that the school continues to improve.  Pupils recognise that they have rights and responsibilities. They behave well and are developing a strong understanding of their roles as citizens within British society.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough is expected of the most-able pupils and consequently there are times when the work is too easy for them and does not challenge them fully.  School leaders do not use the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation incisively enough to identify and bring about further improvement.  Teachers do not always follow the school’s marking policy fully and so some pupils are not sufficiently clear about how their work can be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress by ensuring that all teachers have sufficiently high expectations of the most- able pupils and set work for them that is sufficiently challenging.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders consistently use the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation to set sharply defined development targets and measure the impact of their actions on school improvement – all teachers follow the school’s marking policy in writing and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has established a culture of high expectations for all pupils in the school and has been relentless in driving forward improvements in all aspects of school life. His belief that pupils should enjoy their education, achieve good outcomes and be well-behaved and caring members of society is shared by all staff and governors. As a result, the school has greatly improved since the previous inspection, standards have risen and progress has accelerated for all groups of pupils.  Parents greatly appreciate the work that school leaders, teachers and other staff do with their children. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, or who spoke to inspectors during the inspection, were universally positive about the improvements that have taken place. They now regard Tower View Primary School as an asset to the community.  The headteacher is very well supported by the deputy headteacher and middle leaders. They have taken

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

effective measures to improve teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility. For example, there was a lack of consistently high-quality teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds that they make) across the school. Training and individual support was provided and this aspect of the teaching of English is now taught well and pupils make good progress.  A newly revised system of assessment now supports the recent changes in the national curriculum. This has helped to ensure that there is accurate tracking by school leaders of all pupils’ progress and that the outcomes are used to identify and put in place support where it is needed.  The school has developed a good-quality curriculum that engages pupils’ interest and contributes to their enjoyment of learning. It is centred on fostering pupils’ pride in their school and their local community and developing their understanding of their roles as members of society, both within Winshill and across

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Britain and the rest of the world. For example, pupils are involved with the parish council in identifying and taking part in community projects. Reading and writing are woven across the curriculum very effectively to strengthen pupils’ opportunities to practise the skills they are learning in these areas, and to add richness to reading and a purpose for writing.  The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of trips and visits, including residential trips for pupils in Years 4 and 6, visits to the Black Country Museum to support their history work, and to the local war memorial to gain a deeper understanding of the purpose and importance of Remembrance Day. Pupils are highly enthusiastic about the extra-curricular clubs that are available to them, including an animation group, a gardening club and a ‘Chatter Books Club’.  School leaders have been very successful in supporting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

development. Pupils take part in a ‘Faith Trail’ which helps them gain a deeper understanding of different religions and other people’s beliefs. They are offered good opportunities to extend their cultural awareness, including through a recent school art exhibition which was attended by parents and other members of the local community. They appreciate the opportunities to take on responsibilities and are well prepared for their future life in modern Britain.  Leaders have made very effective use of pupil premium funding to provide additional teaching and welfare support for the most-disadvantaged pupils, some of whom have emotional and behavioural needs. The school places a high priority on working with these pupils and their families so that pupils gain the most from their schooling. This support, along with additional teaching, has been effective in increasing the progress of these pupils.  The PE and sport premium funding is used effectively to increase the opportunities for pupils to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

participate in a wider range of sporting activities and competitive sport. Sports coaches have provided training for teachers to develop their confidence in teaching a greater range of physical activities. They also run after-school clubs, including football and dance clubs. During the inspection, all pupils in key stage 2 enthusiastically participated in a series of challenging PE activities linked to Sport Relief.  While leaders regularly monitor and evaluate the work of the school and accurately assess the quality of teaching across the school, they do not always use the outcomes of these activities well enough to set defined targets for improvement. For example, the monitoring of the use of the school’s marking policy has not yet resulted in all teachers using the policy effectively to ensure that pupils fully understand how to improve their work and make faster progress. As a result, the pace of some development work is not

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

as rapid as it could be.  The governance of the school – The governing body provides high levels of challenge and support to school leaders. They have strengthened their expertise with the appointment of some new governors who bring particular skills and knowledge that are used to good effect. They receive detailed reports of teaching and pupil outcomes from the headteacher and other school leaders and have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. – Governors have a clear understanding of how teachers’ performance is managed and the links between this and their pay progression. They are familiar with the school’s assessment information, which tracks pupils’ achievement, and are aware of how well different groups of pupils are doing across the school and ask relevant questions when improvements need to be made. – They manage the finance and resources that are available to the school, including the pupil premium,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

very well and measure the impact of spending on pupil achievement.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff are aware of their responsibilities to ensure that pupils are safe at all times. They make sure that they are well looked after in school. They receive regular training and work very effectively to support pupils, especially those whose circumstances make them vulnerable. There are very effective relationships with other agencies to ensure that pupils are kept safe and their welfare needs are met. The school sensitively handles relationships with parents and families that may need support and advice at times. This area of the school’s work is a particular strength.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection. This has resulted in pupils making better progress and achieving higher outcomes.  Relationships between pupils and adults are highly positive. Teachers set clear expectations for pupils of what they are expected to achieve and teach lively and exciting lessons that engage pupils in their learning. For example, Year 6 pupils worked together very well in a mathematics lesson to plan tests to measure the effective of physical activity on their bodies. They then carried out the tests on the playground, recorded the results and analysed the outcomes, making good progress in their understanding. The teacher used questions well to probe their understanding and to assess the progress they were making.  Classrooms are lively and attractive places, with displays used well to celebrate pupils’ achievements and to support them in their learning. Pupils are provided with good opportunities to use tablet computers to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

find additional information that will support them in their learning. Teachers instil a curiosity and passion for learning in pupils and as a result pupils are highly positive about the work they undertake.  The teaching of phonics has improved since the last inspection. This is due to training for all the staff and the introduction of a whole-school approach to reading. This has resulted in better outcomes in the Year 1 phonics screening check. Pupils are now better prepared with the necessary skills to become confident readers. Pupils say they enjoy reading and being read to.  Mathematics is taught well across the school. Teachers ensure that pupils have a secure knowledge of number facts. They then provide very good opportunities for pupils to apply their knowledge in a wide range of problem-solving activities that are linked to real-life situations.  The teaching of writing is a strength. There are regular planned opportunities for pupils to write at length

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

to produce high-quality work that shows imagination and a good knowledge of grammar and punctuation. Pupils are encouraged to apply their writing skills across other subjects, including history and science, and have a good understanding of how to adapt the style of writing to engage a reader’s interest. Teachers set high expectations for handwriting and the presentation of work and as a result written work is neat and carefully set out.  Teaching assistants work effectively alongside teachers and provide high-quality support to pupils. They are skilled at supporting pupils who have special educational needs or disability and adapt tasks to match their particular needs. As a result these pupils are now making much better progress.  Teachers know their pupils well. They make good use of the assessment information they have to plan tasks that generally reflect the learning needs of pupils. Most teachers carefully assess the progress of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

pupils during lessons, change tasks and use a wide variety of strategies to ensure that pupils stay on track and keep learning. Teaching for the less-able pupils is well matched to their needs and they are provided with additional support if it is required. However, some tasks for the most-able pupils are not as well matched to their needs and as a result this can slow their progress. Questions are not always sufficiently challenging for these pupils. Older pupils spoken to during the inspection confirmed that they sometimes found the work that they were set too easy.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupil’s personal development and welfare is good. Parents spoken to by inspectors were extremely positive about this aspect of the school’s work. One parent’s comment that ‘I feel fortunate that my children attend a school with such a nurturing atmosphere and that has boosted their self-worth and confidence’ was representative of the views of the overwhelming majority of parents.  Pupils are provided with excellent opportunities to develop a strong understanding of their responsibilities in keeping themselves and others safe. An example of this was seen during the inspection when all the children from the two Reception classes went up to the Forest School area for their weekly ‘Wellie Wednesday’ lesson. Children discussed in depth the possible dangers that they might encounter, such as sharp branches or slippery slopes, and talked about the measures that they needed to take to avoid

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Personal development and welfare

accidents.  Pupils are caring, polite and friendly with each other and with adults and visitors in school. Older pupils take very seriously the opportunities they are given to look after younger pupils. On the walk to the local church for the Easter service, Year 6 pupils were paired with children from the Reception classes and took great care to make sure that they were safe and secure.  Pupils demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning. They take pride in their work and complete homework tasks conscientiously.  Pupils say that bullying is very rare in school and are confident in the school’s systems to sort out any problems that they have. They have a good understanding of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, and understand the impact that behaviour like this can have on other people.  There are good systems in place in school to keep pupils safe, including firewalls so that pupils can use

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Personal development and welfare

the internet safely. Pupils also learn about water safety and know what to do if they or other people were to get into difficulty in the local river.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and take responsibility for their own behaviour. They understand and appreciate the school’s behaviour policy and the expectations that everyone behaves in a way that does not cause upset or problems for others.  School records indicate that when challenging or inappropriate behaviour does occur it is dealt with swiftly and effectively. Pupils understand that sanctions, such as lunchtime detentions, are used when somebody has behaved in a way that is not acceptable. They also know and appreciate the many rewards that are in place for good behaviour.  Pupils behave well on the playgrounds and when moving around the school site. They are well-mannered and courteous to each other and to visitors.  Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils and for pupils with special educational needs or disability has been below that of other pupils in school for the past two

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Behaviour

years but has risen in the current academic year and is now close to the national average. This is as a result of the support that the school has put in place to encourage good attendance, such as free breakfasts before school and face-to-face meetings with parents about any attendance issues. A very small minority of pupils do not consistently arrive at school on time but school leaders monitor this aspect of attendance closely and remind parents of their responsibilities.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 In 2015, when compared with the national average, standards at the end of key stage 2 were broadly in line in reading, writing and mathematics. The progress that these pupils had made since the end of key stage 1 was slightly above the national average. The proportion of pupils making better than expected progress was slightly above the national average in reading but below in writing.  While the quality of teaching is now good, it has not been consistent over time, and this means some pupils having to make up lost ground. The current Year 6 is making rapid progress because of the high quality of teaching. The majority of pupils in all year groups are working at levels that are appropriate for their ages.  In 2015 pupils in Year 2 attained standards in all subjects that were below national averages. However, these pupils had entered Year 1 with skills and knowledge that were below those that were typical for

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Outcomes for pupils are good

their age and had made at least the progress that was expected of them. The pupils currently in Year 2 are on track to achieve higher standards.  The school’s assessment information of pupils’ progress and evidence gathered during the inspection, including through scrutiny of the work in pupils’ books, show that pupils currently in the school are now making much better progress than they have in the past. This is the result of the improvements in teaching since the last inspection. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the national Year 1 phonics check has risen over the past three years and is now above the national average. Pupils’ outcomes against this standard have improved more quickly than rates of improvement nationally. This is as a result of the improvements in the teaching of early reading and accurate teaching of phonics.  Disadvantaged pupils are now making much better progress and any gaps in attainment against other

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Outcomes for pupils are good

pupils in school and all pupils nationally are narrowing. This is because the school uses the pupil premium funding very effectively. Additional support, including daily small-group teaching and one-to-one support, has been very effective in addressing these pupils’ individual needs. The progress of these pupils is monitored closely to identify whether any further support is required.  Pupils with special educational needs or disability make good progress from their starting points. A series of specific interventions and well-planned lessons supported by skilled teaching assistants are now having an impact on accelerating their progress. These pupils are well motivated and increasingly are able to work without direct supervision all the time. Parents are appreciative of the early identification of any additional needs for their children and the support that is provided, including through specialist staff, such

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Outcomes for pupils are good

as a dyslexia teacher who works in the school each week.  The most-able pupils generally make good progress, but they do not make the rapid progress that they are capable of. In 2015 the progress that these pupils had made by Year 6 since the end of key stage 1 in mathematics and writing was slightly below the national average and was slightly below that of other pupils in the school. There are occasions when work is not sufficiently challenging and they do not always achieve as highly as they might. The school has recognised this and has introduced additional support, including opportunities for the most-able older pupils to attend ‘master classes’ at the local high school. However, as yet it is too early to fully judge the impact of these measures.

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Early years provision is good

 Children enter school with skills and knowledge that are often below those that are typical for their age. Outcomes for the youngest children have improved over the past two years. In 2015 the proportion of children that had reached a good level of development was just below the national average. Currently, the very large majority of children are well prepared for when they start in Year 1.  The arrangements for children to start at school are good and as a result they settle into school quickly. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s education and their contributions to the initial assessments that take place when children start at school are used to plan activities that are matched to their individual needs. These strong links with parents continue throughout the year, with weekly opportunities for parents to come into school at the start of the day to see what the children have been

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Early years provision is good

learning and to work alongside them for a short period of time.  Children rapidly become self-confident learners who are excited by the activities they undertake, in both the indoor and the outdoor classrooms. The early years leader has worked successfully with advisers from the local authority to improve learning opportunities for the children. She identified that boys’ skills in handling tools and equipment, including pencils when writing, were not as strong as those of the girls. As a result she has this year introduced a range of activities that promote this aspect of learning and boys are now making better progress.  Children’s behaviour is good and they get along well with each other and with adults. They know how to take turns and listen to what each other is saying. Adults encourage them to become resilient and to rise to challenges in their learning. For example, during the inspection, children were engrossed in creating

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Early years provision is good

their own art work in the style of Kandinsky. They took great care with their painting and produced work of a high standard.  The quality of teaching from all adults working in early years is good. Staff provide a range of interesting activities, both indoors and outdoors, for children to choose from and these give children the chance to practise their skills and to make decisions about their learning.  The teaching of early reading skills is a strength within early years. Staff are accurate in their teaching of phonics and this helps children to make good progress in this area. Children are encouraged to apply their phonics knowledge in writing and are able to produce well-written and correctly spelled simple sentences.  Systems for ensuring children’s safeguarding and welfare are robust and help to ensure that they feel happy and safe in school. Training to protect children from harm is undertaken regularly by all the adults

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School details

Unique reference number 124046 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10002481

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 321 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Gavin Holden Headteacher Andrew Ridout Telephone number 01283 239123 Website www.towerview.staffs.sch.uk Email address office@towerview.staffs.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 December 2013

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Information about this school

 Tower View Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those 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 in line with the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils in Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 15 lessons or parts of lessons.  The inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read. They met two groups of pupils to gain their views of the school. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime, lunchtime and at the end of the school day, as well as in lessons.  On the morning of the first day of the inspection all the pupils in the school went to the local church for an Easter celebration service. An inspector attended the service with the pupils.  The inspectors looked at a range of documentation, 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 managed and the school improvement plans.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and five middle leaders. The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with two governors, including the vice-chair of the governing

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Information about this inspection

body, and had a meeting with a governor. He had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 24 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, considered free-text responses from seven parents and talked to parents at the start and end of the school day. They also looked at the 22 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Adam Hewett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Michael Onyon Ofsted Inspector Deborah Allen 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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