Stoneydelph Primary School

Stoneydelph Primary School Crowden Road, Wilnecote, Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 4LS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have ensured that teaching and outcomes have improved since the time of the last inspection. Both are now good.  Leaders’ work with teachers, designed to improve teaching performance, is most effective in reading and writing. In mathematics, the progress of lower-ability pupils is not as well monitored as for other ability groups.  Leaders ensure that pupils experience a wealth of cultural opportunities. This contributes to an effective curriculum which engages pupils well.  Teachers question pupils well. This helps to ensure that pupils, especially the most able, are challenged appropriately.  Pupils achieve well, most notably in reading and writing. Lower-attaining pupils in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2 do not achieve as well as their classmates in mathematics. This is because the teaching does not support and challenge this group as well as it could do.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

currently. They make particularly strong progress in writing.  Pupils are well mannered. They show good conduct in lessons and around school.  Pupils enjoy their lessons. Their attendance has improved over the past three years and continues to improve this year.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe is effective. Senior leaders and governors ensure that staff understand requirements and that duties are carried out appropriately.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of others.  The provision for children of different ages in the early years is good. Leadership is effective.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the teaching of mathematics in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2, by setting work for the lower-attaining pupils which enables them to secure a better understanding of key concepts.  Sharpen leadership at all levels by checking that the lower-attaining pupils are making sufficient progress in their mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, has ensured that changes in staffing have not adversely affected the academic progress of pupils at Stoneydelph. Any changes to the curriculum and teaching strategies have been carefully selected and embedded by a range of leaders in the school. As a result of more leaders contributing to improvement, the capacity of leadership is good.  The headteacher has high expectations of the pupils. She is determined to encourage pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, to aspire to achieve well. Together with her leadership team, the headteacher has created a school culture in which goal setting and achievement is celebrated. A current school improvement priority is to support the most able pupils to secure high attainment.  The management of teaching performance is effective. Teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection. Where weaker performance is identified, appropriate

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

support structures are implemented and reviewed by senior leaders within suitable time frames. Senior leaders continue to support staff in developing leadership qualities. A current example is leadership in science.  Senior, phase and subject leaders monitor and evaluate teaching. This work is effective in most subjects. In English, for example, leaders have checked that pupils’ writing has improved as a result of pupils reflecting on their cultural experiences.  Leaders are effective in checking that staff adhere to school policies, which helps to ensure that pupils behave well and are kept safe.  Leaders have evaluated the curriculum well. They know that pupils are taught topics which the national curriculum requires and that they enjoy the opportunities that the work in each year group offers. This includes sporting clubs provided at the end of the school day. This provision has led to improved behaviour and attendance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders invest time and funding (including pupil premium) to enable all pupils to experience a wealth of cultural opportunities. For example, pupils attended a production of ‘The Nutcracker’ recently. This led to pupils writing high-quality pieces, reflecting on their experience. Such visits promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. The development of pupils’ cultural understanding and appreciation is a particular strength of leadership.  Leaders with responsibility for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are effective. They support teachers and teaching assistants in exploring ways to address the barriers to learning that pupils face. The leaders ensure that if external expertise is required, for example from an educational psychologist, then this is sourced quickly. Parents acknowledge the effective provision for their children.  Senior leaders have created a school environment in which pupils from different

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

backgrounds are included well. Staff and pupils welcome new pupils warmly and induct them well into life at Stoneydelph. This includes pupils who have come from different countries. Pupils show tolerance and respect in their day-to-day work. As a result, they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Equality is well promoted. Pupils appreciate difference and are keen to support each other. For example, during the inspection, pupils were keen to learn about sign language as they wanted to ensure that pupils with hearing impairment felt a strong sense of belonging to the school. There was no evidence of discrimination seen during the inspection. Leaders ensure that any rare occurrences of serious incidents are followed through to satisfactory conclusions.  The local authority knows the school well. It has provided support for leaders, including those responsible for the early years and different subjects. As a result, the capacity of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

leaders to improve school performance has increased since the time of the last inspection.  Pupil premium funding has been spent wisely. Money is used to fund visits for disadvantaged pupils to attend events which broaden their cultural understanding. In addition, funding is used to increase the amount of adult support in classrooms so adults are able to spend more time working with disadvantaged pupils.  The primary physical education (PE) and sport premium has been used to meet the school’s aim of increasing the range of sporting opportunities for its pupils. Pupils now participate in sports such as tennis, tag rugby and volleyball. Sports coaches are employed to deliver after-school clubs. The coaches also work with teachers to plan and deliver PE lessons, which has helped teachers develop more effective teaching skills.  Leaders are not as effective in ensuring that pupils make sufficient progress in their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

mathematics as in other subjects. This is because they are not rigorous in checking if teaching is leading to required outcomes. Currently, lower-attaining pupils in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2 are not making the required progress which will enable them to leave the year groups with expected skills.

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Governance of the school

 Governance is effective.  The chair of the governing body has gleaned information from recent reviews to ensure that new appointments enhance governance. Any gaps in skills and knowledge are addressed through well-selected training. The chair of governors draws on the skills and experience of individual governors. She aligns their roles so that key aspects of school performance can be checked out. Such roles include safeguarding and provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Statutory requirements are met.  Governors have a good understanding of school performance, including the effectiveness of teaching. They are kept well informed through various means. These include written reports from school leaders, attending ‘governor days’ in school and listening and questioning subject and phase leaders when they attend governors’ meetings. They challenge school leaders effectively during meetings. For example, they

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Governance of the school

check that each teacher is performing sufficiently well and expect the headteacher to take action if not. As a consequence, governors hold the school to account well.  Governors understand the importance of monitoring the progress of different groups of pupils. They ensure that school leaders present information about different groups at meetings held every term. As a result, governors know strengths and weaknesses in the school’s current provision for disadvantaged pupils.  Governors oversee the provision in the school for two- and three-year-old children. They ensure that the facility meets statutory requirements. Governors have reflected on external advice and created an appropriate environment for children of different ages.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Governors and senior leaders are skilled in checking that staff understand the agreed policies and procedures designed to keep children safe.  Newly appointed staff are inducted well. They receive all relevant safeguarding information and know what they need to do if they have any concerns. Staff say they are well supported by senior leaders in their safeguarding work. This contributes to their positive views about working at Stoneydelph.  Governors and staff understand the locality which the school serves. As a result, they know the issues pupils may face in their day-to-day lives. All staff, including the office team, work well together to ensure that pupils are kept safe.  Pupils are well cared for at all times of the school day. Staff working in the breakfast club, for example, are well trained. They liaise promptly with school leaders if they

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection. The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are challenged particularly well. As a result, academic standards have improved.  Teachers and teaching assistants question pupils effectively. Staff follow up initial questions with more probing examples. This enables staff to clarify how well pupils understand what is being taught and challenge them further. Good examples of this approach were seen in a Year 6 mathematics lesson. Most-able boys were moved quickly on to more difficult work which required them to use more complex mental strategies.  Teachers challenge pupils most effectively in reading and writing. In reading, pupils are required to read books which are well matched to their reading ability. In writing, teachers expect pupils to write using accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling. Teaching in the early years and in upper key stage 2 is particularly strong.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Disadvantaged pupils are taught effectively. Pupils of different abilities, including those who are very able, make at least expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics. This is because classroom staff have more time available to work with this group of pupils.  This year, pupils have produced creative work in response to homework tasks. Teachers pose open questions which encourage pupils to explore their own ideas. Their writing in their homework books is expressive and well presented. This writing is of a similar quality to that seen in their school books. Inspectors also saw pupils create beautiful Mayan head dresses, again in response to homework tasks.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are taught well. Staff make good use of practical resources to support pupils’ learning. For example, pupils gained a secure understanding of number bonds through exploring patterns with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

mathematical equipment. Highly skilled teaching assistants are deployed well.  Phonic skills are taught well in the early years and in key stage 1. Classroom staff read with pupils frequently and set comprehension questions which require pupils to find evidence and infer meaning from the texts they have been reading. Books chosen for each year group stimulate pupils to read more often. One pupil in Year 6 said his favourite author was Shakespeare because ‘Macbeth’ enticed him to read more.  Pupils write neatly. This is owing to effective teaching of handwriting. Pupils have many opportunities to write at length. This enables them to both consolidate, and explore more technical, grammar and punctuation skills. Teachers ensure that pupils receive effective stimuli for writing. For example, Year 5 pupils attended the ballet and then wrote high-quality pieces which described their experience.  Teachers ensure that pupils receive a good balance of calculation and reasoning work

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

in their mathematics lessons. Tasks given to lower-ability mathematicians, in key stage 1 and lower key stage 2, do not support and challenge pupils as well as other groups. This is because teaching is less precise in designing tasks to address the specific needs of the pupils. This means that these pupils make less progress than their classmates in mathematics.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Staff at Stoneydelph ensure that pupils learn about people of different faiths and cultures. As a result, pupils develop a good understanding of tolerance and respect. They welcome pupils from other countries warmly. There have been no significant incidents involving discriminatory behaviour in recent months.  Pupils take part in a wide range of physical activities. This helps develop their physical well-being. Staff support pupils’ emotional well-being effectively. Pupils attending nurture groups receive effective care and guidance from staff.  Pupils understand what bullying means. They also understand how bullying relates to discrimination. One pupil reasoned that such behaviour is bullying for a specific reason about race, religion or different countries. Bullying is rare at Stoneydelph. Parents and pupils feel confident that if an incident did occur then staff would deal with it

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Personal development and welfare

effectively.  The school’s provision for helping pupils stay safe when playing online is effective. Pupils know the dangers to look out for. This includes what signs to spot in their friends’ behaviour.  The school’s work to support pupils develop self-confidence and self-awareness is effective. Pupils strive to improve their own academic performance and appreciate the work of others. Year 6 pupils were keen to celebrate the work of children in the Nursery.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  The school’s moral code is well understood by pupils and typically adhered to. This means that conduct around school is good. Pupils demonstrate good manners and are courteous in their interactions with adults and other pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning and so disruption in lessons is rare.  Pupils show positive attitudes to learning in lessons. They collaborate effectively and are keen to listen to their classmates’ ideas and opinions. Pupils take pride in their work and, as a result, their books are well presented.  Attendance has improved over the past three years, and continues to improve through this academic year. The attendance of different groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, has also improved this year. Senior leaders are determined to ensure that pupils attend school as often as they can. Staff work effectively with families in finding ways to enable pupils to attend well. Pupils are punctual, both at the

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Behaviour

start of the day and at lessons after breaktimes.  Pupils, parents and staff express positive views about behaviour. Pupils, elected to serve on the school council, knew how they had contributed to school improvement. They cited improved behaviour as an example. Pupils understand and value the school’s reward systems.  Parents state that staff are easily accessible and feel they can talk to them about any issues when they arise. This communication is also evident at the before- and after- school club.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Over the past three years, pupils have achieved better outcomes in reading and writing than in mathematics. Current progress in all three subjects is good. At the start of this year, higher proportions of pupils moved into their new year groups better prepared for learning than in previous years. This improvement means that pupils are better prepared for their new learning as they move through the school and when they transfer into secondary education.  Leaders have made it a priority to support teachers in challenging the most able pupils. Good impact is evident this year, as this group of pupils are making strong rates of progress. Almost all pupils from high starting points in reading, writing and mathematics are likely to exceed end of year expectations in each year group. This includes those most able pupils who are also disadvantaged.  Disadvantaged pupils are making good progress this year in their reading and

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Outcomes for pupils Good

mathematics. Their progress in writing is particularly strong, stimulated to write by a curriculum which motivates them well.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress due to effective teaching. This group of pupils are making better progress this year than previously, owing to effective leadership and teaching.  Pupils in the early years make good progress in their phonics work. Pupils build well on their skills through key stage 1. This has led to increased proportions of pupils attaining the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check over the past three years. During the inspection, both lower- and higher-attaining pupils were challenged well in their phonics work. Pupils who did not achieve the expected standard by the end of key stage 1 continue to receive support for their phonics understanding in Years 3 and 4.  Pupils make good progress in reading, irrespective of their starting points. Early

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Outcomes for pupils Good

reading strategies are secured with phonic skills applied well to more challenging books. The most able readers make good progress through the school.  Writing outcomes continue to be a strength. Pupils’ writing is neat and technically accurate. This is the case both in literacy books and in other subjects, such as topic work and religious education (RE).  Pupils are typically making better progress in mathematics this year than previously. However, pupils who need to make greater gains in order to attain end of year expectations, are not making sufficient progress currently. Rates of progress vary between year groups. They are stronger in the early years and in Years 5 and 6 than in the other year groups.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader is effective. She has a good understanding of the demands of the curriculum. She uses this knowledge to ensure that staff provide children with activities which challenge their thinking well.  The day care provision caters for two- and three-year-old children. The well-designed environment accommodates children of different ages well. For example, children can access rest/sleeping spaces if they need to. Children are well cared for.  Each year, children enter the day care, Nursery or the Reception classes with skills that are below those expected for their age. Children, including those who are disadvantaged, often need to make greater gains in their language and communication in order to reach required standards.  Children’s skills and abilities are identified quickly and accurately by staff. While all ability groups make good progress, the strongest progress is made by the most able

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Early years provision Good

children, including those who are disadvantaged. This progress means that a similar proportion of children, when compared with national figures, leave the early years with a good level of development. The majority of children are well prepared for learning in Year 1.  Teaching is effective. Children in the day care and the Nursery experience initial phonic and number work. As a result of good teaching, children make good progress in early reading and mathematics. Children engage in activities which are appropriately challenging. They collaborate well. For example, two boys in Reception talked about how they mix up letters such as ‘d’ and ‘p’. Through discussion, they ensured that they formed these letters correctly in their spelling work.  Children behave well as they enjoy their learning. They are interested in the activities presented. Good behaviour and moral codes are established in the early years.

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Early years provision Good

 The early years leader works with parents to clarify best ways to develop the partnership between the school and the home. ‘Stay and read’ sessions are proving popular, with parents spending time in the classrooms seeing how staff encourage children to read. The school has also developed effective partnerships with external support agencies. This means that staff can access support for specific learning and medical needs as and when needed.  Systems for keeping children safe are robust. Staff working in all parts of the provision communicate well with each other and receive timely training. This includes paediatric first-aid training.

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School details

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

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address office@stoneydelph.staffs.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 January 2015

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Information about this school

 Stoneydelph is similar in size to the average primary school.  Children are taught part-time in one Nursery class and full-time in two Reception classes. In key stages 1 and 2, pupils are taught in either mixed- or single-age classes.  Stoney Tots Daycare, which provides pre-school education for two- and three-year-old children and wraparound care for Nursery children, is run by the governing body and was observed as part of this inspection.  Since the time of the previous inspection, there has been a number of leadership and staffing changes. This is owing to some staff relocating and others leaving to take up more senior positions in other schools.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average.  Approximately 90% of pupils come from a White British background.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is

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Information about this school

similar to the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress by the end of Year 6.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all classes and visited small group intervention sessions. They visited 19 lessons, two of which were observed jointly with senior leaders.  Meetings were held with pupils, staff, the chair of the governing body and other governors, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their reading and listened to both higher- and lower- ability pupils read.  Inspectors examined work in pupils’ books.  The school’s child protection and safeguarding procedures were scrutinised.  Inspectors observed the work of the school and looked at a range of documentation written to support school improvement, including minutes from meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors took account of the 23 replies to Ofsted’s online Parent View questionnaire and spoke with parents.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s website.

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Inspection team

Jeremy Bird, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Gareth Morgan 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

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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