Colley Lane Primary School

Inspection Report Colley Lane Primary School

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103793 Unique Reference Number Dudley Local Authority 286761 Inspection number 28 February °1 March 2007 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge Reporting inspector

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

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The inspection of the day care was carried out under Children Act 1989: Part XA (as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000) and, where (funded) nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

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Colley Lane School address Primary Type of school Halesowen Community School category B63 2TN 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01384 816765 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01384 816777 Fax number 614 Number on roll (school) 67 Number on roll (day care) 16 Number on roll (funded nursery education) Brian Blakemore Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Peter Greaves Headteacher 10 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection 10 February 2005 Date of previous day care inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded nursery education inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286761 28 February °1 March 2007 3°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds and the number taking free school meals is above average. A high proportion of pupils come from homes where English is an additional language, with several at the early stages of learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average and includes several pupils with significant difficulties. Attainment on entry to the nursery class is below expectations, with several children having especially limited speaking skills. The school makes provision for breakfast and after-school clubs and a neighbourhood nursery providing day care, and these were inspected at the same time as the school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. It is particularly successful in supporting pupils' good personal development and well-being. This is because a friendly and welcoming atmosphere ensures that pupils are keen to learn. Good pastoral care, guidance and support are successful in enabling pupils to behave well and feel safe. Close links with parents and outside agencies contribute well to the good additional activities provided. The headteacher and senior management are well respected by parents, and together with other members of staff have a clear understanding of what needs to be improved. Although there is much good teaching across the school, it varies from satisfactory to outstanding and its impact is satisfactory overall. Consequently, pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children make a sound start to their education in the Foundation Stage. Teachers and teaching assistants work together well to help the children make good

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Grade: 3

progress in personal, social and emotional development and in speaking and listening. Children make satisfactory progress in other areas of learning because there are occasions when they could be challenged more. Most children are working below the levels expected for their age when they start in Year 1. Standards by the end of Year 6 are below average. Recent improvements in the way writing is taught are starting to have a positive impact on improving test results in this subject. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because they are supported well. Pupils at the early stages of learning to speak English have individual programmes that enable them also to make good progress. Good relationships and the positive management of behaviour are successful in helping pupils to develop confidence and self-esteem. Teachers do not make enough use of assessment information to ensure that pupils'

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Grade: 3

differing needs are consistently met. This mainly affects the average and more able pupils, especially in mathematics and science, and their progress slows when they are not challenged to do hard enough work. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Members of staff and governors are very hard-working and want the best for the pupils. There is a strong commitment to improving pupils' progress and willingness to make better use of information on pupils' performance to set more challenging targets. Teaching and learning are frequently monitored against a checklist, although this does not provide teachers with a clear enough idea about what they should do to improve their practice. The satisfactory curriculum has a wealth of exciting additional activities including various sports and visiting specialists. These contribute well to pupils' enthusiasm for school. Pupils are soundly prepared for the next stage of their education because they are polite and

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Grade: 3

well adjusted. Most parents are very pleased that their children come to this school and find the headteacher and other members of staff to be very approachable. Typically they say, 'Teachers are very dedicated' and 'They have the best interest of the children at heart'. 2 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase the rate of pupils' progress by ensuring that teachers always provide pupils with suitably challenging work, especially in mathematics and science. • Improve the use of assessment information to set challenging targets and to ensure that all groups of pupils learn quickly. • Improve the monitoring of teaching and learning so that areas for development are clearly identified and progress followed up.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children make satisfactory progress in the Foundation Stage. They make good progress in personal, social and emotional development and speaking and listening because these skills are promoted well by members of staff. Most children are working below the levels expected for their age by the end of the Reception Year, although they are in line with them in personal, social and emotional development. Pupils make satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6. Standards are below average by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. Not all pupils make enough progress because they are not always challenged to complete hard enough work, especially in mathematics and science. The school has focused well on improving pupils' writing, and test results are now closer to average than those for reading. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are included well in lessons. Support from well trained teaching assistants enables them to make

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Grade: 3

good progress towards their individual targets. Those at the early stages of speaking English learn quickly because of the good individually tailored programmes they follow.

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Grade: 2

Right from the time they start school in the Foundation Stage, pupils enjoy their education. They especially like their teachers and appreciate the wide range of clubs. Despite the school's best efforts, attendance is below average. This is because a few parents take their children on term-time holidays. The school includes pupils with a wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities and also many who are learning to speak English. All pupils work and play together in harmony and demonstrate great tolerance of each other's different needs. Parents are pleased with the positive attitudes of their children. One parent spoke for many by saying, 'Our children thoroughly enjoy coming to school everyday'. Pupils understand and follow the rules for behaviour well and they are polite and courteous around the school. They contribute well to the community by fund raising and by suggesting ways that the school can be improved.

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Grade: 2

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is exemplified by the pupils' good behaviour and good sense of wonder. For example, pupils were visibly impressed by the African snails and during the St David's Day celebrations. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and have every confidence in members of 3 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007 staff. They recognise the value of healthy lifestyles but do not always choose healthy snacks. Although pupils work well in teams and groups, their preparation for future life is satisfactory because their basic skills of literacy and numeracy are below average. Not all pupils are aware of their individual targets so that they can take responsibility in their learning. Pupils acknowledge that there are occasions when they 'could be pushed more', but praise members of staff for doing so much for them.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are not consistent and teaching ranges from satisfactory to outstanding. This leads to pupils making satisfactory progress. All lessons run calmly and smoothly because very good relationships support pupils' confidence well. Well informed classroom support assistants ensure that pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress in lessons. Interactive whiteboards are used well to make lessons interesting. In the Foundation Stage, teachers have good subject knowledge, although there are occasions when children are expected to sit and listen for too long and at these times the pace of learning slows. In Years 1 to 6, teachers' lesson planning shows the way work is to be varied to meet pupils' different learning needs. In practice, some work, particularly in mathematics and science, is either too easy or too difficult for some

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Grade: 3

pupils. At these times the rate of progress is restricted. Marking, whilst satisfactory, varies in quality, and does not always challenge pupils to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum provides good breadth. In the Foundation Stage, the use of the outside area is a particular strength. In Years 1 to 6, good links are made between subjects to make them relevant and purposeful. Whilst pupils in Years 2 to 6 are grouped by ability for English and mathematics, the curriculum is not always adapted enough within sets to ensure the good progress of all pupils. The provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is good. The curriculum is enriched well through special events, such as a 'Healthy living week' and a day when pupils dress as Vikings. One pupil spoke for many by saying 'It's exciting to be a Viking. We've learnt a lot.' There is good provision for pupils' personal, social and health education. This is especially obvious in the outstanding range of lunchtime and after school activities. These contribute well to the pupils' interest and enjoyment of school. Visits and visitors

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Grade: 3

are used extremely well to provide first hand learning experiences. 4 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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Grade: 2

All members of staff are diligent in providing good pastoral care and support for the pupils. This enhances pupils' social and emotional development well. A calm atmosphere in the Foundation Stage helps children to settle quickly when they start school. Procedures to protect pupils and to safeguard them are securely in place. Pupils are confident about asking for help because there are very good trusting relationships throughout the school. Sensitive and effective support is provided for pupils for whom English is an additional language and for those with learning difficulties and disabilities. Assessment arrangements for these groups of pupils are very thorough. Parents are justly appreciative of the high levels of care their children receive. Procedures for assessing the progress of other pupils have improved recently. Good information is collected frequently but is not consistently used to guide and support pupils of differing

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Grade: 2

abilities so that they can all learn quickly.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and deputy headteacher are passionate about the school and provide good pastoral care for members of staff, parents and pupils. Recent improvements in the way pupils' progress is being monitored have helped the school to identify the correct areas for whole-school development. Subject leaders are dedicated and carry out various monitoring activities. These are not always rigorous enough to ensure rapid progress. The school has a wealth of data to show how well pupils are doing and members of staff realise that this can be used more effectively to identify and resolve underachievement. As a result of not fully considering the implications of test information, the school's self-evaluation, whilst satisfactory, is slightly more generous than that of the inspection team in relation to academic provision and achievement. Recent strategies to increase the rate of pupils' progress are beginning to have a

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Grade: 3

positive impact, although it is too soon for there to be evidence to show sustained improvement. The school has shown in the way that it has tackled weaknesses in writing that it has a sound capacity to improve further. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and well informed and aware of how they can further develop their effectiveness by questioning the school more rigorously.

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Grade: 2

Little Colliers Neighbourhood Nursery and Colley Lane Primary School's breakfast and after school clubs provide good quality care for children. Systems, policies and procedures to ensure children's safety and well being are securely in place and are well used by staff. Provision is well led and managed. The recommendation made in the previous report has had a good response and now provision is good. 5 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007 Children of all ages in the nursery are happy and well cared for. Staff take care to make sure that hygiene is good and that rules to promote good health are followed and recommendations to improve are put into effect. Children's likes, dislikes and food allergies are noted. Children's medical needs are carefully observed and recorded. The breakfast and after school club meet all the registration requirements and children are well cared for in secure, clean and welcoming surroundings. Children's knowledge

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Grade: 2

of the world is not sufficiently wide due to few resources representing ethnic minority groups and disabilities. The registered day care provides well for children's health and safety, and children show happiness and enjoyment in their activities and in their relationships with other children and with adults. They develop good independence skills and confidence because of the consistently good behaviour management of adults, who know the children and their needs well. Policies provide clear guidelines for keeping parents informed and staff work alongside parents and keep them properly informed about their children's welfare and progress in the nursery and in breakfast and after-school clubs. Since the last inspection there have been no complaints about the registered day care that required Ofsted or the school to take action so that the day care continued to meet the National Standards. The school is required to keep a record of complaints

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Grade: 2

about the registered day care made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints about the registered day care other than those made to Ofsted.

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Recommendations or actions to improve the registered day care

• In the breakfast and after school club, develop resources reflecting positive images of race, culture and disability.

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Grade: 3

Little Colliers Neighbourhood Nursery provides 60 places for children aged from birth to three years of age. There are 16 maintained places for nursery provision. The leadership faces challenges at present because of changes in funding arrangements, buildings and organisation as its status changes to that of a Children's Centre. Provision for nursery education is satisfactory over all but the care it provides is good. The capacity for improvement is also satisfactory and the management has responded to the recommendation of the previous report well. Children make adequate progress overall in their educational achievements. The six areas of learning have been recently introduced and are gradually being developed. They have many activities and are always busy. They make good progress in their personal and social development and this is a strength of the nursery. Opportunities for creative development are also good. Planning for children's early reading and

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Grade: 3

writing and mathematical skills is not yet good enough for children to make good progress. The nursery's space is well used for children to improve their physical development. 6 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007 Care and guidance is satisfactory. Pastoral care is very good and procedures well used and implemented. Children are safe because of good practice, and secure because they are very well cared for. Recording of children's academic achievements is satisfactory and shows their progress clearly over time. Leadership and management of nursery education is satisfactory. The recently introduced initiatives are being addressed effectively by an enthusiastic staff keen to extend and improve provision. The manager of the nursery recognises areas for development and the training implications. In the nursery, children have a good amount of space in which to work and play, and

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Grade: 3

resources are adequate and well maintained. Staff encourage and teach children's physical skills, social development, creativity and knowledge and understanding of the world well. They also listen to children carefully, including the babies and help them to communicate well by responding to the sounds they make and to speech. Provision for developing children's early skills of reading, writing and mathematics are less well established and so children do not make as good progress here as they do in the other areas.

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Recommendations or actions to improve the funded nursery education

• Improve opportunities and planning for the development of children's basic skills of literacy and mathematics. • Extend the recording and assessment procedures of children's progress in literacy and mathematics. 7 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007 .

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Recommendations or actions to improve the funded nursery education

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve?

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The effectiveness of the registered day care

2 The quality and standards of the registered day care 2 How effective is the day care in helping children to be healthy? 2 How effective is the day care in protecting children and helping them to stay safe? 2 How effective is the day care in helping children to achieve and enjoy their learning? 2 How effective is the day care in helping children to make a positive contribution? 2 How effectively is the day care organised? Yes Does the day care meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides? Yes Has the day care improved since the last inspection? No Does the day care require enforcement action? No Does the day care require a notice to improve?

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The effectiveness of the funded nursery education

3 The quality and standards of the funded nursery education How effective is the funded nursery education in helping children to achieve and enjoy their learning? 3 How effective are teaching and learning? How effective is the partnership with parents and carers in promoting the nursery education? How effective is the funded education in helping children to make a positive contribution? 3 How effectively is the funded nursery education led and managed? Yes Does the funded nursery education meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides? Yes Is the children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development education fostered? Yes Has the nursery education improved since the last inspection? No Does the funded nursery education require a notice to improve? 10 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for sharing your work with us. We are pleased that you enjoy coming to this school, which provides you with a satisfactory education. Here are some other things about you and your school. • Most of you make sound progress. • You are very polite and friendly and are good at helping others. • Teachers do a satisfactory job and help you to behave well and use the interactive whiteboards to make lessons interesting. • You have a suitable range of things to do and you do well in sports competitions. • All adults in school are kind and caring and look after you well. • Your headteacher, other teachers and governors are working together to make your school even better. • Your parents and carers are very pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now. • Help you all to make good progress by always giving you hard enough work, especially in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

mathematics and science. • Use the information collected on how well you are doing to make sure you are learning as well as you should. • Check teaching and learning carefully so that things that need to be improved are done quickly. What you can do to help the school. • Make sure you come to school regularly. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you about your work and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. We hope you continue to help your teachers by listening carefully and trying your best. 11 Inspection Report: Colley Lane Primary School, 28 February °1 March 2007

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