Villiers Primary School

Villiers Primary School Prouds Lane, Bilston, West Midlands WV14 6PR

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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

 The acting headteacher and the leadership team have brought about significant improvement in pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching.  Teaching is now typically good. Consequently, most pupils in all year groups are consistently making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Outstanding early years provision ensures that children make very rapid and sustained progress. They are well placed to succeed when they join Year 1.  Highly effective teaching of phonics helps younger pupils make rapid gains in their reading.  Other adults are skilled in supporting the learning of individuals and groups of pupils. They make sure that no pupil is left behind.  Progress is not as strong in science because pupils are not given enough opportunities to carry out science investigations.  The curriculum offers many chances for pupils to apply their basic skills across other subject areas. As a result, pupils successfully broaden

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

their knowledge and understanding.  Some pupils have not acquired the skills in reading to interpret more complex writing. Pupils’ range of exciting vocabulary is at times limited.  Pupils enjoy being at school and feel safe and well looked after. They behave well and have good attitudes to learning.  The school website does not include all the information that it should.  Leaders and governors have taken effective action to ensure the school is improving. They have a clear understanding of what the school does well and what needs to be further improved.  Some parents would like more information about school developments and the progress their children make.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to increase the quality of teaching so that pupils make the best possible progress by: – encouraging wider reading to increase pupils’ ability to comprehend more difficult text – providing more opportunities for pupils to develop scientific enquiry skills – extending pupils’ use of interesting vocabulary when writing.  Strengthen the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – improving communications with parents so that they are more regularly informed about school changes and the progress their children are making – making sure the website is compliant and is checked on a regular basis to ensure it remains so.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The acting headteacher, senior leaders and governors have been crucial to the improvement of the school since the last inspection. All share a determination to build further on the improvements. The school’s motto, ‘Work hard. Be kind’, sets the culture of high expectations. Good teaching and pupils’ positive learning behaviour has led to outcomes rising rapidly, especially in reading, writing and mathematics.  Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths and areas for development in the subjects they are responsible for monitoring. Good use is made of information from regular checks on teaching and learning to develop teachers’ skills and improve teaching. Targets set for teachers are closely linked to pupils’ achievement and show that their skills have improved.  Leaders systematically monitor the school’s progress towards the demanding targets set for pupils’ achievement. Leaders ensure highly effective support activities are put in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

place if any individual or group of pupils falls behind, so that they quickly make up any lost ground. This means that pupils achieve well, irrespective of their backgrounds or starting points. However, a number of parents indicated that not enough information is given to them about what is happening at school and their children’s progress.  The vibrant curriculum gives all pupils a wide range of experiences and opportunities and this is helping to raise their aspirations. Themed events, such as ‘The Romans’ and ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, bring together aspects of many different subject areas including history, geography and art. Pupils speak positively about the curriculum and how it helps them to learn about the world. Pupils’ experiences are enhanced through extra-curricular activities that include the ukulele, sign language and computing.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. As a result,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

they are prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about different cultures and traditions through visits to the local Sikh gurdwara and Diwali celebrations. Pupils are largely considerate, respectful and tolerant of each other.  The school celebrates national events that promote British values well such as Black History Week and Remembrance Day. Pupils understand values such as democracy and respect because they are given opportunities to learn about them. Examples include visiting the Houses of Parliament and electing the school councillors.  The school website is bright, colourful and easy to navigate. However, it does not meet the current guidelines set out by the Department for Education. For example, it does not fully comply with the required information for curriculum content or the extra primary physical education (PE) and sport funding information.  The provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

carefully checked to ensure it is helping pupils to make good progress. This is because teachers and teaching assistants adapt lessons and activities to meet the needs of these pupils so that they learn effectively.  The pupil premium funding is used to good effect and is having a positive impact on disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes and their emotional well-being. The funding is used to provide additional teaching and to enhance their wider experiences. As a result, disadvantaged pupils across the school are making good progress.  Similarly, leaders use the physical education and sport premium funding to good effect. The funding has led to increased participation. Pupils have opportunities to develop their skills in a range of different sports including karate, rounders and hockey. Pupils have had success in the local multi-skills competition.  The school has a highly productive relationship with the local authority. Termly

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

meetings with the local authority have provided effective support in monitoring and challenging the school, so that the quality of teaching increased and pupil outcomes improved.

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Governance of the school

 Members of the governing board are wholly dedicated to the school and to continuing its journey of improvement. They are enthusiastic, well informed and they have a realistic, strategic view of the school’s long-term development. Governors know the school’s strengths and weaknesses and what it needs to do to improve further. They understand how it compares with other schools, how well different groups of pupils achieve and the quality of teaching.  Governors bring to their roles a wide range of relevant experience and expertise, which they use well to challenge school leaders on every aspect of school life. Governors ensure that systems to manage the performance of staff, including the headteacher, are rigorous. They check that objectives match the needs of the school while supporting staff in their own development.  Governors ensure that action is taken if teaching falls below the required standard.

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Governance of the school

Governors have a good understanding of school finances, including how the pupil premium, special educational needs and PE and sport funding is spent.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have ensured that all staff have read and acted on the latest guidance on keeping children safe and on the dangers of child sexual exploitation. Leaders are persistent in cases where the school is concerned for a pupil’s welfare. Effective relationships with other agencies and with parents ensure pupils are kept safe and their welfare needs are met. The school helps parents and carers understand the importance of adopting safe practices, such as using the internet safely.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection and weaknesses have been effectively addressed. Consequently, most pupils are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the curriculum.  Teachers now have higher expectations of pupils and ensure that work is carefully matched to pupils’ ability. Pupils enjoy being challenged and take pride in their work. They are often hooked by activities with a real-life context and show an eagerness to learn.  The highly effective teaching of phonics has ensured that pupils can build words well and develop their early reading skills confidently. Reading is taught well across the school. Pupils who read to inspectors did so with fluency and expression. Older pupils talk enthusiastically about the books of their favourite authors like Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl. However, some pupils are not able to sufficiently understand the text of more elaborate writing.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The teaching of mathematics is effective. Teachers make good use of resources to help pupils develop fluency and mathematical reasoning. In a key stage 1 lesson, pupils made good use of equipment such as boxes, tennis balls and cones to correctly describe 3D shapes and identify the more complex shapes.  Teachers develop pupils’ writing skills well. For example, in a key stage 2 lesson, pupils made good progress in writing persuasive letters to the hosts of ‘Bake Off’ as to why they should choose the kitchen designs they had created. However, in some lessons pupils’ span of interesting vocabulary is less well developed.  Teaching assistants make valuable contributions to pupils’ learning. They help pupils deepen their knowledge by asking questions and giving clear explanations. This enables pupils to keep up with the pace of learning and produce work of a better quality.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are well mannered and friendly to each other, other adults and visitors to their school. Pupils said that everyone is treated fairly. There is a welcoming atmosphere around the school and pupils respond quickly to staff requests.  Pupils are supervised well and adults are watchful. Pupils feel safe in school and have confidence in the adults to take care of them. One pupil said, ‘If I have any worries, there is always an adult to look after me.’ Pupils told inspectors that the school council also listen to their concerns or worries and bring them to the attention of adults.  Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles and the importance of hygiene and a balanced diet; also, to exercise regularly and drink plenty of water. They are encouraged to take part in sport activities at lunchtime.  Pupils understand the different types of bullying such as cyber bullying and name-

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Personal development and welfare

calling. They say that bullying is rare, and that when it does happen it is dealt with swiftly. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe such as when cycling and on roads and how to stay safe when using the internet.  Pupils have good opportunities to take on extra responsibilities. For example, Year 6 pupils are ‘buddies’ for Reception children, organising activities and sharing reading together. Pupils learn to take responsibility and consider their role in society. They help others by raising funds for charities, such as Red Nose Day and Children in Need.  The breakfast club is popular and this ensures that pupils get to school on time. It is well organised and gives pupils a nourishing start to the day as they relax, play games and complete homework tasks.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. In class, pupils are keen and enthusiastic. They enjoy talking about their learning and cooperate well with each other. Over time, pupils develop into confident, resilient learners who are ready for the next stage of their education.  Well-established routines mean that pupils know what is expected, for example when moving from their classrooms into the hall. However, one inspector noted a few unchecked over-enthusiastic pupils running along corridors.  Teachers have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and deliver a constant message about what is, and is not, acceptable. They keep accurate records of all reports of poor behaviour, which indicate that such incidents have reduced over time.  Leaders have worked hard to improve the behaviour of the very small number of pupils whose behaviour has been challenging. A few parents raised concerns about the impact of these pupils’ behaviour on others in school. Scrutiny of the school’s records

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Behaviour

shows that any instances of challenging behaviour have been dealt with appropriately.  Pupils’ attendance is similar to the national average. Incentives to reward good attendance with gold, silver and bronze badges motivate pupils to get them and go on an end-of-year trip to the cinema. Leaders provide effective challenge and support to families with higher rates of absence. Consequently, rates of attendance for these pupils are rising.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Outcomes have improved since the last inspection. From their different starting points, the large majority of pupils in all year groups are making good progress and working at the expected standards for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. An increasing number of pupils are working at, or moving towards, greater depth skills in key stages 1 and 2. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.  In the 2016 national test results, Year 6 pupils made similar progress to other pupils nationally in mathematics and writing. Pupils’ progress in reading was behind that of other pupils nationally. A minority of middle-ability pupils in reading and mathematics did not make the progress they should have. A majority of pupils achieved the expected standards in reading, writing, mathematics and English grammar, spelling and punctuation. However, attainment in science was below average. From their

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Outcomes for pupils Good

starting points, most pupils in Year 2 made good progress and achieved well, although the proportion of pupils attaining greater depth skills in reading and writing was below average.  In mathematics, pupils are making good progress. Pupils manipulate numbers confidently and accurately, applying their understanding to solving and investigating patterns of number.  Standards in the quality of pupils’ writing have improved and pupils are making good progress across the school. Pupils are able to write confidently for different purposes and audiences. The school’s focus on ‘talk for writing’ is helping pupils become more skilled in writing imaginative short stories. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are being developed well.  The proportion of pupils in Year 1 who achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check is consistently above the national figures. The most able pupils read fluently and with good comprehension. Less able pupils read with fluency that is

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Outcomes for pupils Good

appropriate to their development.  Pupils also make good progress across a range of other subjects. In history, they gain a coherent knowledge and understanding of Britain’s past and that of the wider world. In design and technology, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems in different contexts. However, some pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to carry out different types of science investigations to develop their skills and this slows their progress.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils is carefully tracked, and additional targeted help is provided if they fall behind in their learning. Almost all are making good progress across the school because they are attempting harder work and succeeding. Consequently, differences in attainment and progress have diminished or are closing swiftly between these pupils and others nationally.  The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, currently in the

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Outcomes for pupils Good

school make good progress across the curriculum. This is because they are presented with work in English and mathematics that requires them to think more deeply and demonstrate their mastery of both mathematics and the English language.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. This is because the adults who work with them provide highly effective support to ensure they are secure in their learning.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 Children, including disadvantaged children and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities get off to a flying start because staff assess their individual needs accurately. This enables activities to be tailored to children’s exact needs. As a result, children, most of whom start in Nursery with lower than typically expected skills, make outstanding progress. By the time they leave Reception, the large majority of children achieve a good level of development and are ready to join Year 1 as confident learners.  Exceptionally strong links with parents help children settle quickly when they enter the early years provision. High expectations and the consistent reinforcement of daily routines in a nurturing environment establish a firm base for children’s excellent behaviour. They work and play well together and know how to take turns, listen to what other people are saying and cooperate very well with each other.

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Early years provision Outstanding

 Additional funding is used well to provide resources and support for disadvantaged children. Leaders have a very good understanding of the impact this has on children’s learning. Disadvantaged children make similarly excellent progress to that made by other children and they achieve equally well.  Staff reinforce important skills in speaking, listening, reading, writing and mathematics frequently throughout each day. Children make excellent gains in working with number and solving basic problems. They are able to describe whether a container is full, half full or empty and add two groups of objects up to 20. The development of children’s reading skills, particularly phonics, is given high attention. For example, adults encourage children to use the letter sounds to recognise rhyming words and find the word that does not rhyme with the other words.  Children are given highly stimulating experiences so that they are always motivated

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Early years provision Outstanding

and continuously want to explore and find things out for themselves. For example, children were given plasticine, chalk and water paints in primary colours and made rapid progress experimenting with mixing them together to make other colours. One child delightedly exclaimed, ‘Look, I can make orange with red and yellow!’ They used their newfound knowledge of colours to make valentine cards. The most able were able to write a message inside to the person they were sending it to.  The outstanding leadership of the early years has accurately identified key areas for improvement. The early years team constantly refine their practice in order to drive forward the highest standards of teaching. There are very well thought-through plans to make further improvements and there is a very discernible sense of drive to offer the best possible provision.  The early years team strongly promote children’s safety and well-being. Staff provide

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Early years provision Outstanding

high levels of supervision and engagement in learning activities. They ensure that all safety and safeguarding arrangements are robustly applied. Consequently, all children feel very safe and secure at school.

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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

Website www.villiersprimaryschool.co.uk/

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School details

Email address villiersprimary@wolverhampton.gov.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21–22 January 2015

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than the average primary school.  Early years provision is part time in Nursery and full time in Reception.  An above-average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages: an average proportion speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. There are no pupils in receipt of an education, health and care plan.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about curriculum content or the extra primary physical education and sport funding.  The headteacher has been on long-term leave due to illness. The deputy headteacher has been leading the school during this period.  The school met the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards expected nationally for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing

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Information about this school

and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school runs a breakfast club and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment over time. They observed learning in lessons. These included joint observations with the acting headteacher and senior leaders. In addition, inspectors listened to pupils read in Years 1 and 6.  Inspectors looked at examples of pupils’ work and talked to them about their learning.  Inspectors talked to parents as they brought their children to school and examined their responses to the online free text survey for parents.  Inspectors took account of the 82 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire.  Inspectors considered the views of staff that completed the online questionnaires.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the chair of the governing body and school leaders.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including: the school’s own information on pupils’ current and recent progress; planning of work in different

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Information about this inspection

subjects; leaders’ monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning; and records relating to behaviour, attendance and the safeguarding of pupils.

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Inspection team

Steve Nelson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sue Cameron 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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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