Richard Lee Primary School

Richard Lee Primary School The Drive, Wyken, Coventry, West Midlands CV2 5FU

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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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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has created a strong staff team. Together with governors, they have high aspirations for pupils and their outcomes.  Despite many challenges, leaders and governors are committed to ensuring continued support for pupils and the community the school serves.  Leaders have put professional development and training at the heart of improving the quality of teaching. Teachers are keen to develop their practice and are encouraged by the rising standards they see as a result.  The good teaching promotes reading and writing skills well, inspiring older pupils with a love of reading.  Leaders recognise that mathematical skills of older pupils, including the most able, are weaker than in reading and writing. Leaders accept that more consistent strategies are needed to improve learning in mathematics, particularly in key stage 2.  The school has made very effective use of additional funding to support disadvantaged

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

pupils. As a result, these pupils now make very strong progress.  Pupils receive a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes a strong and thorough understanding of the subjects and the topics that they study.  Pupils behave well, enjoy their learning and feel safe in school. They are happy in school and this is reflected in improving levels of attendance for all groups.  The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development successfully. Pupils receive emotional support that helps them to build resilience. Pupils respect others from all faiths and backgrounds. They have a strong understanding of the importance of British values.  Governance is effective. Governors visit the school regularly and, as a result, know the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement well.  Leaders of early years lack precision in their evaluation of children’s starting points when they join the school. Tracking of children’s

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

progress is inaccurate.  The teaching of phonics is inconsistent. As a result, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is below average.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen leadership and management by: – ensuring that leaders in early years evaluate children’s starting points accurately so that children’s progress can be carefully tracked – ensuring that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check is closer to the national average – continuing to develop pupils’ mathematical skills, particularly in key stage 2, so that these are as good as their reading and writing skills.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The headteacher and governors are ambitious for the pupils and staff to do their very best. In spite of the many challenges associated with staff turbulence in recent years, leaders are determined to continue with recent improvements. Staffing is now more stable, so the new leadership team is increasingly effective.  Leaders give priority to improving teaching and learning so that they are consistently good. Staff have a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Leaders provide effective advice and guidance to staff based on close monitoring. Teachers who spoke to inspectors appreciate the coaching and encouragement they receive from leaders to support their career progression. Leaders have set up carefully considered systems to achieve excellence over time.  Leaders strongly promote the school’s vision of ‘Be the best you can be’ and this underpins all aspects of school life. Additionally, school leaders have a vision to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

improve teaching and outcomes for all pupils. The school’s assessment information, classroom observations and work in pupils’ books show that this is proving successful.  Funding to support pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is used effectively to provide help and intervention. As a result, the needs of these pupils are met well, enabling them to do well across a range of subjects. The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is tracked well to inform their next steps in learning.  Pupil premium funding is used to support disadvantaged pupils through a range of strategies. For example, leaders have been very quick to address last year’s drop in standards in key stage 2 reading, writing and mathematics for these pupils. Support in lessons is supplemented with more intensive intervention where needed. A wealth of resources supports the specific focus on meeting disadvantaged pupils’ needs.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

Additionally, the funding is used for pupils’ personal development by providing access to extra-curricular clubs and, for those who need it, a nurture class. As a result of these strategies, disadvantaged pupils’ progress is improving rapidly in line with that of other pupils.  The local authority acted swiftly to support the school when standards began to drop. It was supportive in putting in place initiatives to help senior leaders and governors to make positive changes.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school and prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. Pupils recognise boundaries and understand the consequences of their behaviour. They understand the need to support those less fortunate through fund-raising events, for example through supporting many local and national charities.  The school makes good use of additional physical education (PE) and sport funding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

This includes working in partnership with neighbouring schools to develop competitive sports. The funding also enables training for staff, through working with a PE specialist. A broad range of after-school clubs includes those for football, basketball, hockey and tag rugby.  Pupils are safe in school. They know how to keep themselves safe online. Leaders act swiftly to escalate any concerns that they may have about any pupil’s welfare.  Parents and carers who left comments on the Ofsted survey free-text facility, as well as those who spoke to inspectors, were very positive about the school. Many of them noted the impact new leaders have had on improving provision. Some parents, however, expressed concerns about potential bullying in the school. Inspectors could find no evidence to support this when examining school log books or when talking to pupils and staff about the school’s ethos and culture.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Pupils have access to a broad curriculum and many subjects are led effectively by specialist teachers. The school works with other providers to enrich the curriculum. For example, it is currently working with the Royal Shakespeare Company to make English even more inspiring for pupils.  Leaders know what the school needs to do to improve and they are clear about the priorities. They recognise that they have not been as sharp in analysing weaknesses in provision in mathematics as they have been in reading and writing. As a result, actions to improve progress in mathematics have not yet been as effective.  In early years, leaders have lacked precision in their evaluation of children’s starting points when they join the school. This has resulted in inaccurate tracking of children’s progress.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are highly effective and thorough in carrying out their duties, particularly in supporting and challenging the headteacher and other leaders. Governors pay frequent visits to the school and, consequently, know the school very well. They have acted conscientiously to enable the school to recruit suitable staff at a time of significant change and financial pressure. For example, they acted on the recommendations of the headteacher to reduce and restructure the senior leadership team. In other ways, governors have been a driving force in school improvement, such as in checking on raising standards.  Governors provide a focus on pupils’ progress and curriculum provision. They communicate their work very well to parents and publish their duties and responsibilities on the school’s website. Governors question school leaders on the progress of groups of pupils and the impact of additional funding, such as the school’s

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Governance of the school

use of SEN funding and the pupil premium. They therefore have an incisive picture of pupils’ achievement in the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  A member of the governing body oversees all safeguarding procedures and checks that they are robust. The school’s record of staff and visitor checks is kept in appropriate order.  Staff training is up to date. Staff receive relevant training to ensure that they can recognise the signs that children may be at risk of harm. There is a strong culture of promoting pupils’ well-being and safety in the school.  Staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously and look out for signs that support is needed. They are aware of the school’s whistle-blowing and complaints policies.  Parents who spoke to inspectors and the majority who responded to the online questionnaire on their views agreed that their children are safe at school. Pupils agree that they are safe in school. They say that adults support them when they have concerns. Case studies and records show that vulnerable children and their families are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Owing to the rapid improvements brought about by the leadership team, teaching at Richard Lee Primary School is now good. Good teaching is contributing to pupils’ rapidly improving outcomes.  Learning time is used effectively. Movement in and out of groups and between lessons is smooth. Pupils are well organised and have the equipment they need to get on with their work. Classrooms are well laid out. All of this contributes to a productive learning environment.  Over the past five years, staff have implemented the school’s phonics programme. However, there is variability in staff’s confidence and in their phonics subject knowledge. While all staff are able to deliver the programme, not all are confident in identifying or addressing pupils’ misconceptions or errors. Some staff model incorrect skills and strategies that do not support pupils’ progress. Because of this, there is much variability in the progress pupils make.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Pupils are clear about what they have to do to learn successfully. Adults, through skilful questioning, check that pupils are learning well and clear up any misconceptions. In the best teaching, pupils are challenged to use language in a sophisticated way. For example, pupils in Year 6 used words such as ‘predictive text’ and ‘appropriateness’ accurately to improve their writing.  The curriculum offers opportunities to write across a range of subjects, and teachers use these to maximum effect. Pupils learn skills and techniques in English lessons and have a chance to apply these in other subjects as well.  Teachers have responded well to the training and support they have received to help them teach reading and writing effectively. At the upper end of the school, pupils are now making strong and sustained progress in reading and writing. Teachers are successfully helping pupils to develop a love of books because of the investment that

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

has been made to ensure that they read high-quality children’s literature during reading lessons.  Teachers, particularly in key stage 2, do not consistently offer appropriate challenge to pupils in mathematics lessons. As a result, the most able pupils identified in teachers’ planning are often working at broadly average standards for their age. Many pupils’ starting points are lower than those seen nationally for their age range. The progress they make from their individual starting points is not consistently strong.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities learn well and show positive attitudes in lessons. Teachers plan activities that support their learning, for example to include using resources and prompts. Additional adults are well deployed. They offer help judiciously so as to build independence and to avoid pupils becoming over-reliant on them.  Teaching meets the needs of disadvantaged pupils well. Teachers discuss how pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

are doing at regular progress meetings where they share ideas and, where necessary, put in place additional interventions to accelerate progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils told inspectors that they particularly enjoy opportunities to help fellow pupils, for example by serving as monitors and buddies and serving on the junior leadership team.  Pupils feel safe at school and know that adults want the best for them. They learn about ways to stay safe, for example in case of fire, talking to strangers and on the road.  There is a strong culture of promoting online safety. Pupils are very clear that they must never give out any personal details. They also understand that technology can be used to bully others and are alert to this happening. They would tell an adult and have faith that the adult would make sure it stopped.  Pupils understand that bullying is something that happens persistently and is different from falling out with friends. They know that it can take the form of cyber bullying or

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Personal development and welfare

name-calling or can be physical. As with online bullying, they trust that adults would solve any issues that occur.  Positive messages about how to tackle and respond to bullying have been helpful to pupils. Pupils said that bullying is very rare at the school, though were it to occur, they know the systems that exist are robust and easily accessible. The school’s records of behaviour incidents demonstrate this to be the case over time.  Pupils’ physical well-being is promoted through the high-quality and wide-ranging sporting activities on offer. Pupils talk about how the lunch and after-school clubs are well attended. Encouragement to participate in sporting activities has heightened their understanding of a healthy lifestyle.  Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They believe it is vital to be resilient and not give up and are happy to try new ways to learn.  Pupils have regular opportunities to listen to and respond to each other’s views through

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Personal development and welfare

debates within the curriculum. They do so with grace and respect.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are proud of their school. They are caring towards one another. They conduct themselves well around the school and are polite and welcoming.  Pupils feel that the school is safe and friendly.  Pupils show positive attitudes to their work. They focus on their learning in lessons and cooperate well with each other. They are enthusiastic about learning and are keen to succeed.  Overall attendance is improving as a consequence of the actions taken by the school. Leaders have brought about this improvement by appointing a family support worker. Good attendance is celebrated weekly where pupils receive ‘cheeky monkey’ awards.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Current pupils are making very good progress in reading and writing, and improving rates of progress in mathematics. This is reflected in the school’s assessments of their progress over time, in their books and in their learning in lessons. Pupils are also making good progress in other subjects, including science and art.  In 2017, the proportion of Year 1 pupils achieving the expected standards in the phonics screening check was below that seen nationally. Leaders recognise that this is due to variable practice over time. Standards of reading are rapidly improving in key stage 1 and pupils read with clarity and understanding. They clearly enjoy reading and told inspectors about their favourite types of books available in the school and at home.  Although the proportion of pupils in Year 2 who reached and exceeded the expected standards in 2017 was below the national average, current pupils in key stage 1 are

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Outcomes for pupils Good

making strong progress and attaining well, including disadvantaged pupils.  In 2017, the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected standard in writing was average, and below average in mathematics and well below in reading. Relatively few pupils attained the higher standards in any subject. Taking into account particularly high numbers of pupils who left or joined the school during the last academic year having a negative impact on some pupils’ progress, the headteacher recognises that more should be expected, particularly of most-able pupils, and has already put in place strategies that are redressing this shortfall.  Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able, are now making good progress. Leaders are tracking their progress more closely, and differences in progress and attainment between these and other pupils are being eradicated. Leaders are committed to maintaining this improvement by targeting additional support where it is most needed.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are making better progress than in the past. Their needs are now better identified, and they are given precise support by teachers and teaching assistants.  Rising attainment, the fact that pupils are well-organised learners who are always ready for lessons, and pupils’ positive attitudes to learning mean that they are well prepared to move on to secondary school.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Leadership of early years requires improvement. There has been a lack of precision in the evaluation of children’s starting points when they join the school and leaders have not been sufficiently ambitious to secure consistently strong teaching and children’s good outcomes.  Most children enter early years with skills below, and some well below, those expected for their age, especially in language and social development. Too few children are challenged and supported by strong enough teaching to make the necessary accelerated progress of which they are capable. As a result, the proportion of children leaving Reception with a good level of development and being well prepared for Year 1 is below average. This is because not enough of them have caught up and developed the skills expected for their age.  The proportion of children achieving a good overall level of development at the end of Reception Year was below average in 2015. This improved slightly in 2016, but

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Early years provision Requires improvement

remained below average, as it did in 2017.  Adults encourage appropriate child-led play sessions. Adults interact with the children and know when to intervene and ask questions to extend their learning. For instance, as children played in the ‘mud kitchen’, adults used this opportunity to ask about the ‘stew’ being created, encouraging the children’s descriptive vocabulary. However, not all adults’ interactions are effective to challenge and extend children’s learning across all areas of the curriculum.  Children’s social development is good. They behave and play well together. They are curious and enjoy accessing toys and equipment and exploring their learning environment. Relationships between adults and children are very friendly. Routines are well established and this helps children settle quickly and well.  Parents are positive about the effectiveness of the early years provision and the quality

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Early years provision Requires improvement

of care and support for their children. They appreciate the staff’s ongoing support and the opportunities that adults provide to involve parents in their children’s learning and development.  Leaders have ensured that safeguarding arrangements for the early years provision are in place. Children are happy, valued and cared for.

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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 headteacher@richardlee.coventry.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 July 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than most primary schools.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The proportion of pupils that join or leave the school during term time is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school moved into its new building in September 2015.  There has been a large staff turnover since the previous inspection, a restructuring of the senior leadership team and the appointment of a new deputy headteacher in September 2016.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited all classes and observed pupils’ learning in a range of subjects, including English, mathematics and PE. The headteacher and senior leaders joined inspectors on most of their classroom visits.  Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ workbooks covering all the subjects they learn.  Inspectors talked to pupils at work and at play. Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment of reading. Inspectors met a group of pupils from key stages 1 and 2 to hear how they felt about the school. There were no responses to the Ofsted online survey of pupils’ views.  Inspectors met several leaders, including those with responsibility for specific subjects.  The lead inspector met the chair and vice-chair of the governing body and one other governor. Three governors, including the chair, attended the final feedback meeting.  The lead inspector held an interview with an improvement adviser from the local

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Information about this inspection

authority. A representative from the local authority attended the final feedback meeting.  Inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection. Inspectors took account of the school’s own survey of parents’ views, held in March 2018. There were 81 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including 61 written comments. Inspectors took all responses and comments into consideration.  Inspectors took account of 47 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire for members of staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and took evidence from a range of sources on the work of leaders and governors to promote pupils’ outcomes and well-being. Inspectors examined safeguarding information and records relating to attendance, behaviour and welfare.

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Inspection team

Steven Cartlidge, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sara Arkle 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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