Cape Primary School

Cape Primary School Cape Hill, Smethwick, West Midlands B66 4SH

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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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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 do not self-evaluate with sufficient rigour or precision. They have been too slow to identify the reasons for the weak outcomes in 2018.  Governors are not given the information they need to hold leaders to account effectively.  The school’s own assessment information is not reliable. It is too optimistic and gives leaders and teachers a false sense of security. Leaders have an overly positive view of the school.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement. Teachers do not use assessment information as well as they could to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding.  Teachers do not consider pupils’ needs when they plan learning. Typically, teachers’ expectations of what pupils are capable of are too low.  Pupils’ outcomes require improvement. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in key stages 1 and 2, particularly in mathematics and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

reading.  Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not always provided with the support they require in lessons.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Early years provision is good. Staff plan interesting activities which encourage children to be curious and active learners. Children in the early years make good progress.  In 2018, disadvantaged pupils’ achievement in writing was above that of other pupils in the school from similar starting points.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils attend school regularly and enjoy positive relationship with each other.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Pupils are being well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders have appropriately high aspirations for all pupils – self-evaluation is more rigorous and accurate, and that the information it provides is used to focus sharply on areas for improvement – there are clear strategies for improving outcomes in mathematics and reading and that these are shared with all staff – pupils with SEND are provided with appropriate support in all lessons – governors have access to the information they need to hold leaders to account effectively.  Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that all staff have high expectations of pupils and that all pupils are challenged sufficiently – ensuring that assessment information is accurate and used effectively to inform teachers’ planning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leaders have not addressed fully the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection.  Leaders recognise that, in 2018, pupils at the end of key stage 2 did not achieve as well as they should in reading and mathematics. However, they have been too slow to identify the reasons why.  Leaders do not have a strong enough understanding of the performance of different groups of pupils. This is preventing them from diagnosing the reasons why, for example, girls’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 was significantly below that of boys’ attainment in mathematics in 2018. They are equally unsure why there was a reverse of this pattern in reading, with girls’ attainment being significantly above that of boys’ attainment.  Leaders have introduced a commercial mathematics programme to try to reverse the recent decline in outcomes. There are some early signs that this is having a positive impact. However, because leaders have not diagnosed the factors that led to the poor

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

outcomes in mathematics last year, they do not know whether this will improve outcomes sufficiently.  Leaders continue to have an overly optimistic view of the quality of education provided at the school. This is partly because the assessment information they use when self- evaluating is inaccurate and overinflated. Last year, what pupils actually achieved at the end of key stage 2 was significantly below what leaders’ own assessment information had suggested.  Leaders have attempted to improve the quality of the whole-school assessment system since the last inspection. They have moved to a new electronic assessment system; however, it is not yet effective because the information that teachers input is not accurate.  Leaders’ expectations of pupils are too low, and leaders do not set ambitious targets for themselves or staff. Leaders at all levels have been too accepting of last year’s weak outcomes at key stage 1 and key stage 2. Their targets for this year, and next,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

indicate limited ambition. For example, the teacher assessment information, recently submitted to the local authority, indicates that only 3% of pupils are expected to reach a greater depth in writing at the end of Year 6 this year.  Staff feel happy at school and value the support they receive from senior leaders. Middle leaders are benefiting from external leadership courses and the teachers who are relatively new to the profession say that they receive effective support and guidance.  The school receives a significant amount of additional funding for the high number of disadvantaged pupils on roll. Leaders have clear plans for how this money is spent and they monitor the impact of their planned actions carefully. As a result, the pupil premium funding is being used effectively.  Leaders make good use of the primary physical education and sport premium funding. The additional money has improved the quality of sports provision at the school, for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

example through increased participation in sports competitions.  Pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders do not ensure that the additional funding they receive for pupils with SEND who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan is used to provide the high-quality support these pupils need.  The curriculum is appropriate. Leaders ensure that all pupils study the full national curriculum and all pupils study either Italian or Spanish. After school, and during the school day, pupils can access a range of clubs and activities, including gymnastics, basketball and golf.  Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. In this diverse school community, leaders and staff consistently promote a deep understanding of, and respect for, people of all faiths and backgrounds. There are regular trips to places of worship, including to a synagogue and a temple, as well

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

as cultural visits to castles and museums. Pupils develop a strong moral understanding and appreciate the importance of helping and supporting each other. Pupils have a good understanding of their place in the world and are being well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governance of the school

 Governors are committed to the school and want the school to be successful. However, they are not currently as effective as they could be.  Many of the governors are relatively new in post and lack experience. They know their responsibilities and seek to undertake them effectively. However, their inexperience prevents them from holding leaders to account as effectively as they should.  Governors receive regular reports from the headteacher. However, the information the reports contain is not always precise enough. Consequently, governors do not challenge leaders robustly enough.  The school caters for pupils with a wide range of needs. Many of the pupils have arrived mid-year and do not speak any English. Governors have set a clear vision for the school, which is to be welcoming and supportive. This has been achieved.  Governors understand their financial responsibilities. They monitor how effectively the

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Governance of the school

additional pupil premium funding is being used. This additional funding is having a positive impact on outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. The additional funding received for pupils with EHC plans is not used as effectively and is not having the same positive impact.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have created a safe and secure school environment. They ensure that all pupils feel safe in school, including the large number of pupils who arrive mid-year from other countries.  Leaders have been trained in safer recruitment and they ensure that all staff employed to work in the school are suitable to work with children. They carry out appropriate checks and record this information accurately.  All staff have received up-to-date safeguarding training. They are vigilant and know the signs that may suggest that a child is at risk from harm. Staff report any concerns quickly to the designated safeguarding lead.  Leaders work well with external agencies. They access early help when necessary and refer any concerns they have to the appropriate agencies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are too low, particularly in key stage 2.  The teaching of mathematics is particularly weak. Leaders have introduced a commercial product to improve outcomes in mathematics. There are some early signs that this is having a positive impact. Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 work through a series of textbooks systematically. Typically, teachers use these textbooks as the sole source of their planning and they do not consider the individual needs of pupils when they plan.  In reading, writing and mathematics, teachers do not use assessment effectively. They do not check that pupils have understood sufficiently before moving on and introducing a new topic. This leaves gaps in pupils’ knowledge that makes future learning more challenging.  Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge at the end of each term. This information is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

reported to leaders, who use it to set targets and anticipate outcomes in national tests. This information is inaccurate and does not provide a true picture of how well each pupil is doing.  Pupils in key stage 2 are not developing reading comprehension skills adequately. They do not know how to edit and improve their work. Moreover, there is significant inconsistency between teachers in terms of what they deem to be acceptable work. In some cases, there is also inconsistency in what a teacher accepts from different pupils with similar abilities.  Pupils in key stage 1 are developing stronger reading comprehension skills than those at key stage 2. This is because teachers are more likely to consider their different abilities when they plan.  Teachers do not always consider the needs of pupils with SEND when they plan. Typically, all pupils complete the same activities, and appropriate adjustments are not

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

made for those who need them. Occasionally, small groups of pupils work separately with a teaching assistant. However, the impact of this work is hindered because the teaching assistants do not always have a good enough understanding of the pupils’ needs.  The teaching of writing at key stages 1 and 2 is stronger than the teaching of reading and mathematics. Pupils are given opportunities for extended writing and demonstrate their ability to write for a range of audiences.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils have opportunities to develop their self-confidence and leadership skills. There is an effective school council in operation and each class has two democratically elected ‘greeters’. ‘Greeters’ are pupils who carefully explain to visitors what pupils are learning in lessons.  Healthy eating and healthy lifestyles are promoted across the school. Pupils talk confidently about the importance of a healthy diet and they demonstrate a good knowledge of how to keep themselves physically healthy.  Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online. Pupils know what they should, and should not, do in order to keep themselves safe. They also know what to do if they are concerned for themselves or others and are quick to tell an adult when there is a concern.  Leaders have created an inclusive school environment where everyone is valued,

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Personal development and welfare

respected and treated equally. Pupils come from a wide range of cultural and religious backgrounds but work together, play together and support each other well. Bullying is rare and when it does occur, leaders are quick to deal with it.  Pupils understand what they need to do to be successful in their learning. They generally take pride in their work and seek to challenge themselves. In most lessons, they demonstrate positive attitudes toward learning. Occasionally, however, they are prevented from being as successful as they could be because teachers’ aspirations for them are too low.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  There is a calm and orderly atmosphere around the school. Pupils follow instructions quickly and without hesitation. Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and during social times, and interact positively with each other. Pupils are polite and courteous and talk positively and proudly about their experiences in school. Pupils are confident that if relationships do break down between their peers, staff will respond quickly to help resolve any issues.  Pupils attend school regularly and look smart in their uniforms, which they wear with pride. Attendance is consistently above the national average. Very few pupils are persistently absent from school and there are no individual groups of pupils whose attendance affects the progress they make.  Leaders have introduced a behaviour system that is understood and followed by all staff. During the past two years, there have been no permanent exclusions from school

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Behaviour

and, since September, there have been only two fixed-term exclusions from school.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2018 did not achieve as well as their peers nationally in reading and mathematics. Boys underachieved considerably in reading, and girls in mathematics. Pupils currently in key stage 2 are not making strong enough progress in reading or mathematics.  Pupils’ attainment in mathematics was particularly low in 2018. There are some signs that the commercially produced programme to help improve outcomes in mathematics is beginning to have a positive impact.  The most able pupils are not achieving as well as they should in reading and mathematics in key stage 2. This is because teachers’ expectations of what they are capable of are too low.  In 2018, disadvantaged pupils at the end of Year 6 made stronger progress in reading and writing than that of their peers in school. The disadvantaged pupils currently on roll are also making stronger progress than that of their peers in the school, although

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

they are still not achieving as well as other pupils nationally.  Disadvantaged pupils are making stronger progress than that of their peers because the additional pupil premium funding is being used effectively to provide additional support. For example, a learning mentor and two family support workers have been employed to work specifically with this group of pupils and their families.  Attainment for pupils at the end of key stage 1 in 2018 was not high enough. The proportion of pupils achieving the expected and higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics was well below the national average. However, inspection evidence indicates that there are some early signs of improvement, with pupils currently in the school now making stronger progress.  The proportion of pupils who met the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check in 2018 was in line with the national average. Phonics continues to be

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

taught well in the school. The securing of the early reading skills to decode unfamiliar words gives pupils the confidence to tackle a range of reading books.  The proportion of pupils in the early years foundation stage achieving a good level of development was below the national average in 2018. However, there is an improving picture for the pupils currently in the school, who are making good progress.  The school has a large number of pupils on roll who speak English as an additional language, with many joining the school with little or no English. Their needs are well met by the school, with additional teaching being provided where it is needed. As a result, these pupils make good progress in English.  Pupils at the end of Year 6 are not as prepared for secondary school as they could be. Pupils do receive information that prepares them well for their transition, but too many leave the school without a strong enough grasp of mathematics and unable to read as

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Early years provision Good

 The early years provision in the school is well led and managed. Leaders and teachers make good use of the resources available to them and use the additional funding for disadvantaged children well. Early years provision is now good.  The early years environment, like the rest of the school, is bright, vibrant and motivating. The space is well organised and encourages children’s development in all areas of learning. Activities are well planned and take into account children’s interests.  The children in the early years are safe and happy. They enjoy playing together, and independently. They show kindness towards each other and take turns when using toys and objects.  Teaching in the early years is good. Staff collaborate effectively and work well together. They plan imaginative and engaging activities that ignite curiosity and develop reading, writing and mathematical skills. As a result, children are well prepared

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Early years provision Good

for Year 1.  There is good communication between home and school. Staff make sure that parents and carers are involved in their child’s learning and provide regular updates on how well the children are doing.  Children arrive in early years typically with skills below age-related expectations. Girls make stronger progress than boys but all children, including the high proportion of children who speak English as an additional language, enter Year 1 ready to learn. Teachers’ assessment information indicates an improving picture, and this is supported by the evidence that inspectors gathered during the inspection.  The small number of children with identified SEND are well supported. Staff work well together and with parents to ensure that their needs are met effectively.

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School details

Unique reference number 103937 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 10088476

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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

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 677 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Meeta Arhi-Minhas Headteacher Sally Baker Telephone number 01215 581667 Website www.capeprimary.com Email address headteacher@cape.sandwell.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 17–18 January 2017

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Information about this school

 Cape Primary School is larger than the average-sized primary school. The school is a community school within Sandwell local authority.  There are equivalent numbers of girls and boys on roll.  The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is in the highest 20% of schools nationally.  The school has pupils from 14 out of the 17 possible ethnic groups. The largest ethnic group is Pakistani (33%) followed by Black or Black British African (18%). Over half of the pupils speak English as an additional language.  The school experiences high pupil mobility. In 2018, only 65% of pupils at the end of key stage 2 had been at the school since the start of key stage 1.  The number of pupils with SEND is in line with the national average. The number of pupils with an EHC plan is below the national average.  There are no pupils attending alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons to observe teaching and learning. The majority of these observations were undertaken jointly with school leaders.  Inspectors reviewed pupils’ learning over time through the scrutiny of pupils’ work in reading, writing and mathematics.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in key stages 1 and 2 about their experiences at the school and listened to pupils read.  Inspectors met with middle and senior leaders to discuss their evaluation of the school’s effectiveness and the impact of their work. Inspectors also met with teachers who were at the early stages of their teaching career.  Inspectors met with members of the governing body and discussed aspects of the school’s work with a representative from Sandwell local authority.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including information about pupils’ achievement, procedures for keeping pupils safe and records of governors’ meetings.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors took account of the 20 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, and the 38 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Niall Gallagher, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Buffery Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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