Emmanuel School

Emmanuel School 36 Wolverhampton Road, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 8PR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not ensured that the improvements they have made since the previous inspection have had sufficient impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning, and outcomes for pupils. Consequently, these areas still require improvement.  The school’s own assessment information and work in pupils’ books show that pupils across the school do not make consistently strong progress in all subjects.  Despite improvements made to provision for pupils in Reception, provision and outcomes across the early years require improvement.  Leaders are not using the information gathered from their monitoring activities to hold teachers rigorously to account for pupils’ progress.  Leaders have not ensured that all the independent school standards are being met.  In lessons, particularly in the primary classes, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that they are not

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

intervening effectively to ensure that pupils make the progress of which they are capable.  The over-reliance on worksheets and textbooks in mathematics in primary classes is limiting the progress of pupils. This is because pupils are not given enough opportunities to practise and apply their mathematical skills and deepen their understanding.  Teachers are not consistently challenging pupils’ mistakes in their written work. As a result, pupils’ spelling, grammar and use of punctuation are not improving well enough over time.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The personal development and welfare of pupils are given high priority by leaders and staff. Pupils are well cared for.  Leaders and governors have a clear vision for the school and demonstrate a commitment to securing high-quality provision for the pupils.  The school’s recently introduced behaviour management systems have had a positive impact on improving behaviour, which is now good.  The curriculum is broad and well balanced. It includes a wide range of opportunities and experiences.  Relationships with parents and carers are strong. They are extremely supportive of the school and particularly value its caring ethos.  Pupils have a good understanding of bullying and know how to keep themselves safe from a range of potential dangers.  The school’s work to develop the spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding of pupils is very effective. Compliance with regulatory requirements

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school must take action to meet the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and associated requirements. The details are listed in the full report.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring that: – the wealth of information available to leaders is analysed accurately and promptly to make sure that the impact of improvement priorities can be measured against improvements in pupils’ progress and that teachers can be held to account for this progress – the improvement priorities identified by leaders that are intended to improve teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils are carried out swiftly and monitored robustly – teachers are provided with an effective programme of training and support that results in sustained improvements and consistently good-quality teaching and learning – governors hold leaders fully to account for the progress made by pupils from their starting points.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: – learning is matched to the individual needs of pupils, including the most able and those requiring additional support

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– pupils’ work and understanding of their learning is checked regularly so provision can be adapted to meet their individual needs, errors and misconceptions can be addressed, and their knowledge and understanding can be strengthened – sufficient time and opportunities are provided in lessons for pupils to reflect on their learning, deepen their understanding and practise new skills independently and at their own pace – the information gathered from teachers’ assessments of pupils’ learning is reliable and is used effectively to inform teaching and measure progress.  Improve provision for children in the early years by ensuring that: – all adults who teach in Nursery and Reception have a secure understanding of the early years requirements so that children are fully supported to engage in purposeful learning opportunities – opportunities for children to demonstrate their learning in a range of contexts,

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

including outdoor activities, are maximised – the assessments of children’s development carried out by adults throughout the early years are reliable and robust.  Improve outcomes for pupils by ensuring that: – pupils in both primary and secondary classes make consistently strong progress from their starting points in all subjects, including English and mathematics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not ensured that all the independent school standards are met as they have not secured consistently good-quality teaching or consistently strong outcomes for pupils.  Leaders have an accurate view of the quality of education provided by the school. They have completed an evaluation of the provision and identified appropriate improvement priorities. However, because leaders are not monitoring the impact of these actions robustly, they are not having a swift enough impact on outcomes for pupils.  The school’s own assessment information shows that while the majority of pupils are making progress, it is not rapid enough to ensure that enough pupils, including the most able, achieve the standards they are capable of reaching quickly enough.  Leaders have established a system of monitoring teaching and learning through formal and informal lesson observations. Although appropriate improvement priorities have been

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

identified to improve the quality of teaching and learning, they are not holding teachers to account sufficiently to ensure that their practice improves quickly enough.  Training has been provided by leaders to support teachers to develop their teaching skills, and leaders have identified examples of where this training has led to improved practice. However, leaders acknowledge that improvements have not been consistent or sustained enough to result in consistently strong teaching across the school and across all subjects.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have devised a system that enables them to analyse information gathered during their monitoring activities, including information about attendance, punctuality and behaviour. This system has enabled leaders to implement effective actions to support individual pupils. Consequently, leaders have been effective in addressing some of the recommendations from the previous inspection to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

improve punctuality, attendance and behaviour. Behaviour is now good.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively by the school. Pupils demonstrate respect towards people from different backgrounds, including those with different religious and cultural backgrounds. They have a good understanding of diversity and the importance of ensuring that everyone is treated equally and with respect. They have a sound understanding of British values and why these values are important. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.  The curriculum is well planned and organised and meets the needs of the pupils well. It includes a good balance of subjects and meets the requirements of the independent school standards. It is enriched by a range of additional activities and opportunities. For example, key stage 3 and 4 pupils enjoyed a trip to Stratford-upon-Avon to see a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

Shakespeare play and take part in a sightseeing tour of the town, and primary pupils visited the Black Country Museum. The citizenship scheme of work includes a culture day and cultural trips to strengthen pupils’ cultural development.  The school’s 20 20 vision project ensures that pupils are able to engage in a wide range of additional activities, including artistic, creative, musical and sporting activities. Pupils speak highly of these opportunities.  Careers advice is provided to both key stage 3 and key stage 4 pupils and covers a range of career choices. Pupils are aspirational for their future careers and are clear about the steps they need to take to secure their chosen career.  Responses to the staff questionnaire show that all staff feel valued and supported by leaders. Staff enjoy working at the school and share leaders’ vision and commitment to improve.  Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They feel listened to and are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

particularly appreciative of the care and guidance provided by all staff. They value the information they receive and the support they are given.

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Governance

 Governance has strengthened since the school’s previous inspection. Governors are provided with comprehensive information from school leaders and take part in a range of monitoring activities. Consequently, they are knowledgeable about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Currently, however, governors are not ensuring that the school is improving quickly enough to secure consistently strong outcomes for pupils.  Governors are supportive of the school and value the leaders and staff. They recognise that they need to challenge leaders more and hold them more robustly to account so that the quality of teaching and learning and outcomes for pupils improve rapidly.  The governing body includes members with an appropriate range of skills and a background in education. They have undertaken appropriate training and ensured that the school meets its statutory responsibilities for safeguarding and health and safety.

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Governance

 The governing body shares the vision and aspirations of the leadership team to ensure that the school provides the highest quality of education to its pupils. Currently, though, this vision has not been fully realised in practice.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The safeguarding policy is published on the school website and is readily available. It meets the most recent government requirements.  Leaders follow safer recruitment guidelines, ensuring that all the required employment checks are carried out before new members of staff are appointed.  Safeguarding is a priority and there is a culture of safeguarding within the school. Staff undertake regular child protection training, are knowledgeable about safeguarding policies and are clear about the procedures they need to follow if they have any concerns.  The school implements its policies, such as anti-bullying, behaviour management and health and safety, effectively to ensure that pupils are safeguarded.  Effective support is provided for families experiencing challenging circumstances and the school works well with other agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils are safeguarded.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning is not consistently strong across the curriculum. Leaders have not acted swiftly enough to ensure that the necessary improvements to the quality of teaching and learning have been made.  The school has established a system to assess and record pupils’ abilities on entry to the school and at half-termly intervals. However, as leaders are not yet confident of the reliability of these assessments, the information provided by this system is not yet robust enough to provide a reliable measure of progress. Because of this, leaders are not yet able to use this information to hold teachers to account for pupils’ progress.  Although the school’s assessment system enables teachers to identify pupils who are falling behind in their learning and provide effective interventions, teachers are not identifying pupils at risk of falling behind quickly enough. This means that these pupils are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

waiting too long to receive the additional support they need.  Teachers do not make sufficient checks on how well pupils are learning. Consequently, learning does not always meet the needs of pupils. This is limiting the progress made by pupils and impacting negatively on outcomes.  Teachers do not always match the work to the learning needs of pupils. This means that there is insufficient challenge for the most able pupils and not enough support for those who require it to move forward in their learning. This is particularly so in primary classes where there is a wide range of abilities.  Work in pupils’ books shows that errors made by pupils in their written work are not being consistently identified by teachers. As a result, some pupils, particularly those in key stage 1, are not developing their use of spelling, grammar and punctuation well enough.  In primary classes, pupils’ mathematical development is being slowed by teachers’ over-

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

reliance on worksheets and textbooks. Teachers do not give pupils sufficient opportunities to develop their mathematical understanding and apply their skills across the wider mathematics curriculum.  Teachers do not consistently have high enough expectations for the quality of work produced by pupils. They do not challenge poor presentation consistently, for example with unfinished or rushed work in pupils’ books.  Where teaching is more effective, teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and develop their thinking. Clear explanations ensure that pupils are able to solve increasingly challenging problems and deepen their understanding.  Teachers role model the use of appropriate language and vocabulary well. For example, pupils in Reception described clearly the life cycle of a seed using the appropriate terminology. In Year 3, pupils demonstrated a good understanding of different groups of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

words, including adjectives, nouns, verbs and adverbs.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They listen respectfully to adults and each other and contribute enthusiastically during lessons. They are confident and self- assured.  Pupils value the opportunities that are provided by the school and understand the importance of doing their best. They demonstrate positive attitudes towards challenges and see making mistakes as an important part of learning.  Pupils demonstrate respect for the ideas and opinions of others. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is effective and they understand the importance of being thoughtful, caring members of society.  Pupils have a very good understanding of a range of different types of bullying and are confident about how to deal with it should it occur. They say bullying in school is extremely rare. The school’s behaviour logs support this.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils know how to keep themselves safe from a range of potential dangers, including when using the internet and when under pressure from their peers. They have a good understanding of how to stay fit and healthy and make healthy choices.  Sensitive issues are addressed openly and honestly within the context of the school’s Christian teachings. Discussion and debate are welcomed and encouraged. As a result, pupils in both primary and secondary phases have a very positive attitude towards diversity and a respect for the different life choices made by individuals.  Leaders are rightly proud of the school’s citizenship curriculum. This is taught throughout primary and secondary year groups and prepares pupils well for life beyond the school. Pupils demonstrate a sense of responsibility towards themselves and others and can clearly explain their own personal values.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and throughout the school day. Lessons run smoothly.  Rates of attendance for the vast majority of pupils are at least in line with national expectations and often higher. There is no persistent absence. Leaders take prompt, effective action to ensure that potential punctuality issues do not become a barrier to learning for pupils.  Staff and pupils have a clear understanding of the behaviour system. Pupils value the rewards available to them. Behaviour has improved since the previous inspection as a result of actions taken by leaders.  Pupils are polite and respectful to their peers, adults and visitors.  Parents and staff have no concerns about behaviour, personal development and welfare.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 The school’s own assessment information shows that the majority of pupils in both primary and secondary classes are not making consistently strong progress in English and mathematics. This is supported by work in pupils’ books.  In the primary classes, only a small number of pupils make strong progress in mathematics, writing and reading.  Not enough pupils in the primary classes are developing the secure knowledge, understanding and skills they need in writing and mathematics to enable them to achieve the standards of which they are capable.  Outcomes are better for secondary pupils. More pupils make strong progress in mathematics, with the majority of pupils making strong progress in English.  Across the school, pupils demonstrate reading and comprehension skills appropriate to their age. They are able to use appropriate, effective strategies to read unfamiliar words.  The school’s GCSE results at the end of 2017 compared very favourably with national

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

results: 63% of year 11 pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics compared with the national figure of 42%.  The quality of written work in pupils’ books is good across key stages 3 and 4. Pupils are given opportunities to write across a range of curriculum subjects, enabling them to practise their written communication skills across different types of writing.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Provision for children in the Nursey and Reception requires improvement.  The quality of teaching across Nursery and Reception is not consistently strong.  Not all of the staff who teach the early years children demonstrate a clear understanding of the requirements of the early years curriculum. Staff do not consistently support children in Nursery well enough when engaging in activities. This means children do not gain as much as they can from the range of activities.  Phonics provision is not consistently effective across the early years. There is some evidence of the impact of recent training improving provision in Reception; however, this is not the case in Nursery.  Children in Nursery and Reception do not have sufficient opportunities to learn outside. Leaders have not fulfilled the area for development identified in the previous inspection report to ensure that outdoor activities and resources are of good quality and promote

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Early years provision Requires improvement

effective learning.  Children are assessed on entry to Nursery and again at the end of their Reception Year. However, leaders are not convinced of the reliability of these assessments and, therefore, are not able to provide a reliable measure of how well children develop through Nursery and Reception.  Evidence from records of observations of children currently in Nursery and Reception indicates that children enter the school with skills that are broadly typical for their age. The percentage of children attaining a good level of development by the end of their Reception is below that found nationally. Consequently, pupils do not progress well enough through the early years.  Leaders are aware of this and have recently made improvements to how information about how well children are developing in each of the areas of development. These assessments are now moderated by all adults working in the early years, as well as a

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Early years provision Requires improvement

member of the school leadership team, to ensure their accuracy.  A robust system of monitoring and improvement planning is now in place for the early years. Appropriate improvements have been identified and action plans indicate how these will be achieved.  The quality of teaching and learning in Reception is improving as a result of changes to staffing and effective support provided by leaders. Teachers now use regular ongoing assessment to identify the next learning steps for each child and to inform their planning. Learning is also linked to children’s interests and results in children demonstrating good levels of enjoyment, engagement and motivation. Consequently, pupils currently in Reception are well prepared to start Year 1.  Safeguarding in early years is effective. There are no breaches in statutory requirements.  Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good. Children have a secure

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Early years provision Requires improvement

understanding of how they should behave and why this is important. They conduct themselves well and show respect for others.  Engagement with outside agencies, including specialist early years advisers, is effective and has contributed to support for learning and development of children in Reception.  There are no unmet independent school standards specifically relating to provision in the early years other than those that apply to the rest of the school.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Email address office@emmanuel-walsall.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 11–13 July 2016

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Information about this school

 Emmanuel School is a small independent Christian day school operating from rented premises in Walsall, West Midlands. The landlord is the Afro-Caribbean Centre which shares the site.  It caters for boys and girls aged between 3 and 16.  The school opened in 1996. This is the second inspection carried out by Ofsted since the school opened. The school’s previous full inspection was in July 2016. Prior to this, inspections were carried out by the Bridge Schools Inspectorate.  There is a wide cultural mix of pupils within the school. While the majority of current pupils are from Christian families, the school admits pupils of a different faith, or no faith, providing parents agree with and support the school’s Christian ethos.  There are currently 97 pupils on roll, including eight part-time pupils in the Nursery class.  The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out by two inspectors over three days.  The inspectors observed teaching and learning and looked at pupils’ work in English, mathematics and across the curriculum. Most of the observations were carried out jointly with a member of the school’s senior leadership team.  The inspectors looked at the school’s own assessment information for pupils.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, the school manager, the school’s designated safeguarding lead and representatives from the school’s governing body. Inspectors also spoke with pupils and listened to them read.  Questionnaires submitted by 14 members of staff were scrutinised.  The views of parents were gathered through talking to parents and the 70 responses to Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire and free-text survey.  A wide range of documents and policies were looked at, including health and safety checks, records of observations of teaching, safeguarding documentation and records of

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Information about this inspection

attendance.  A check of the premises, including the facilities provided for pupils, was also carried out.

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Inspection team

Janet Satchwell, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school: – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught; – 3(c) involves well-planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

– 23(1)(c) suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school: – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

Parent View 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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

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