Cadbury Heath Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mrs Haigh Headteacher Cadbury Heath Primary School Lintern Crescent Warmley Bristol South Gloucestershire BS30 8GB

p.1

Short inspection of Cadbury Heath Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 9 October 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in January 2015.

p.1

Short inspection of Cadbury Heath Primary School

Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I have identified some priorities for improvement which I advise the school to address. In light of these priorities, the school’s next inspection will be a full section 5 inspection. There is

p.1

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

There have been significant changes in leadership since the last inspection. The previous headteacher left at the end of last term and governors subsequently appointed you as headteacher from the beginning of this term. You have a clear vision for the school and are determined that all pupils receive the best possible education. You set high expectations of what pupils can achieve and how they should behave. You have swiftly identified the key priorities for the school. This, combined with a strong drive for improvement from your senior leadership team, is ensuring that the school is urgently responding to the school’s decline in performance. Staff feel positive about the changes and are wholeheartedly behind your leadership.

p.1

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Following the last inspection, leaders were asked to improve teaching to ensure that teachers set high expectations for all pupils, including the most able. You rightly recognised that the school has not done enough to challenge the most able pupils. You and your leadership team are committed to improving the quality of teaching across the school. Leaders were also asked to engage more positively with parents. You are committed to building strong partnerships with parents but recognise that there is more to be done. Parents spoken to during the inspection understand that it is too early to see much improvement. Children in Reception join in enthusiastically with activities. The wide range of learning experiences ensures that most children are well prepared for Year 1. In key stage 1, strong teaching leads to standards that are rising, which now match or exceed national averages. However, pupils’ progress and attainment in key stage 2

p.1

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

have been too low, particularly in writing and mathematics. This is because teaching across key stage 2 is too variable and not challenging enough for pupils. Leaders have not addressed weaknesses in teaching effectively enough.

p.2

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Leaders have strengthened all aspects of the school’s safeguarding practices. As a result, the single central record meets requirements. New staff induction is thorough. Recruitment procedures are robust, which ensures that staff who work with children are thoroughly vetted.

p.2

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

The school’s commitment to keeping pupils safe has created an ethos where staff are vigilant and follow the school’s safeguarding practices. Leaders make sure that staff are well trained and safeguarding practices are in line with current legislation.

p.2

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

You keep secure records of any concerns and work with outside agencies to support pupils who require additional help. You have recently improved your work in this area so that you can evaluate the support more effectively. Pastoral support is strengthening as a result of a new leader of pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. You understand that some pupils require targeted emotional and social support. Your family support mentor supports your most vulnerable families well.

p.2

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Senior staff make appropriate decisions when deciding whether to report a concern and you are not afraid to escalate matters so that families receive the support they need in a timely manner.

p.2

no change to the school’s current overall effectiveness grade of good as a

Pupils feel safe and know what to do if they have any concerns. They know how to keep safe on the internet and when using mobile phones.

p.2

Inspection findings

 At the beginning of the inspection, we agreed on the key lines of enquiry to consider during the day. These included establishing what actions leaders have taken to ensure that the most able are challenged in mathematics. We also agreed to see how effectively teaching supports pupils’ writing, especially for the middle-prior-attaining pupils. We agreed that I would explore how well leaders are managing pupils’ behaviour and conduct in and around school, and how effectively leaders manage pupil exclusions. Finally, I considered whether safeguarding is effective and the steps you have taken to improve attendance of your most vulnerable pupils.  By the end of key stage 2, the progress made by the most able pupils in mathematics is below the national average. There has been a decline in the proportion of children who exceeded expectations in mathematics in the Reception Year. Previously, leaders focused on improving pupils’ mathematical

p.2

Inspection findings

fluency and calculation skills. You quickly recognised that more needed to be done and have begun to support teachers with the tools they need to develop pupils’ reasoning and problem-solving skills. However, this is still at an early stage and is not yet consistently used in all classes.  You realise that teachers do not always set work in mathematics that challenges the most able pupils. This is because teachers do not use what the most able pupils already know when they plan lessons. However, this is not always the case. For example, in Year 2, the most able pupils are given a wide range of challenging reasoning and problem-solving tasks that really make them think. As a result, a higher proportion of pupils achieve the higher standards in key stage 1 in mathematics than do nationally. Leaders’ actions to improve mathematics for the most able are starting to work. However, more time is needed to see this

p.3

Inspection findings

impact fully.  In key stage 2, pupils’ progress and attainment in writing have been too low, especially for middle-prior-attaining pupils. Across key stage 2, pupils’ workbooks show that teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Pupils do not always use the grammar and punctuation skills they have been taught in their independent work. However, in key stage 1, teachers have high expectations of pupils’ writing and give effective feedback so that pupils are clear what they need to do to improve. Standards in writing at the end of key stage 1 are rising and are now broadly in line with national averages.  Leaders have already made a start to better support teachers. For example, standards in writing at the end of key stage 2 in 2018 improved on the previous year due to effective support. Teachers are beginning to plan lessons that better match work to pupils’ needs. Quality texts are being used to stimulate pupils’

p.3

Inspection findings

writing and engage reluctant writers. Teachers are beginning to support pupils to use the right grammar and punctuation in their independent work. However, these improvements are not consistent and attainment and progress across key stage 2 are not yet good.  You quickly recognised that pupils’ behaviour and conduct in and around school was not good enough. Some pupils and parents note that other pupils’ behaviour is not always as good as it could be. You have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and pupils are rising to meet them. You have introduced a new behaviour system that rewards pupils’ good behaviour. Pupils commented positively on this during the inspection.  Pupils spoken to during the inspection are proud of their school, especially their outside space at playtimes, where they play well together. Pupils are generally polite and well behaved in and around school. Most pupils say that they enjoy

p.3

Inspection findings

learning. More time is needed to embed this new approach and to see improvements in pupils’ attitudes to learning and conduct in and around school.  Exclusion rates for pupils are above the national average. Leaders are committed to reducing exclusions. Leaders at all levels are now aware of the statutory guidance when making the decision to exclude a pupil. Governors are alert to the need for them to have the right information, so they can carry out their statutory duties effectively. You have introduced a new system to track pupils’ behaviour and identify pupils at risk of exclusion and better inform governors. This will enable you to provide the right support for individual pupils. You already have plans for additional support to help pupils manage their behaviour and reduce exclusions.  The school has worked effectively to improve attendance, which is now above national averages. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN

p.3

Inspection findings

and/or disabilities is too variable, and they often have higher absence than other pupils nationally. The family support mentor works well with your most vulnerable families and is acutely aware of their needs and support she can give. Attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is improving. However, further work is still needed with a small number of vulnerable families.

p.4

Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the school

 achievement in mathematics for the most able rapidly improves as a result of teachers: – consistently providing more challenging work for the most able pupils – developing pupils’ mathematical reasoning skills so they can solve more complex problems in all aspects of mathematics – using the best practice from around the school to improve their teaching  the teaching of writing in key stage 2, especially for the middle-prior-attaining pupils, continues to improve by ensuring that: – pupils apply the grammar and punctuation skills they have already learned to their independent work – teachers set high expectations of what all pupils can achieve  leaders at all levels embed and closely monitor the new behavioural strategy so that pupils’ behaviour continues to improve.

p.4

Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for South Gloucestershire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.4

Information about the inspection

During this inspection I met with you, your middle leaders, governors, staff and pupils. We visited lessons jointly to observe learning. I looked at pupils’ workbooks with members of your senior leadership team. We considered documentary evidence relating to the impact of the school’s work, including the school’s self- evaluation document, school improvement plan, safeguarding documents and attendance information. I considered governing body minutes and evidence on how governors responded to exclusions. We discussed the school’s behaviour and exclusion information. I spoke to pupils in lessons about their work and at lunchtime. I took into account 27 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, and I spoke to parents as they dropped off their children at the beginning of the school day. There were 24 pupil survey responses and I took into account 13 staff survey responses.

p.4