Warren Farm Primary School

Inspection of Warren Farm Primary School Aylesbury Crescent, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands B44 0DT

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 11–12 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of the ‘Warren Farm family’, where everyone belongs. They feel safe and happy at school because they know that adults care about them. Staff work closely with families to support pupils’ well-being. Parents and carers value the caring staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teaching in English and mathematics is improving, although some pupils say that work is too easy in mathematics. Pupils enjoy subjects such as physical education (PE) and history. They can remember some of the interesting things they have done and the trips they have been on. However, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects, including early reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They listen to adults and work hard. Pupils know that staff expect them to take part in lessons, for example by putting their hand up to answer questions. When pupils do the right thing, staff reward them. Pupils are proud when they earn a ‘team achiever’ award or are chosen to be ‘Marvellous me’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respect each other. They understand what bullying is and say that adults are good at resolving it. Pupils are safe in school, although some areas of the playground need repair.

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better?

Children get off to a strong start in the early years. From the outset, they enjoy listening to stories, sharing books and singing rhymes. Children settle quickly because adults are caring and attentive. Clear routines support children to behave well. They learn to share, take turns and play safely. Adults have high expectations. They are quick to assess what children can do well and where they need support. Interesting activities help children to make good progress. By the time children reach the end of the Reception Year, they are well prepared for learning in Year 1.

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better?

Leaders know that the curriculum in key stages 1 and 2 needs improving. They have started to make changes to subjects such as English, mathematics and PE. These changes have been more successful in English than in mathematics. Leaders have not identified weaknesses in subjects such as history and geography. As a result, pupils do not acquire the knowledge and skills they should.

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better?

In English, teachers have appropriate guidance about what to teach and in what order. They introduce pupils to new skills and give them time to practise what they know. This helps pupils become confident readers and writers by the time they leave Year 6.

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better?

The teaching of early reading needs improvement. Teachers do not use information about what pupils know to plan phonics lessons. This means that the sounds pupils learn are too easy for some and too difficult for others. The lowest ability pupils do not catch up quickly enough. Similarly, in mathematics, teachers do not plan lesson 11–12 September 2019

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content that consistently builds on what pupils already know and can do.

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Specialist teachers plan and teach some subjects. Early signs are that this is working well in PE, and in computing in key stage 2. Teachers have thought carefully about what pupils need to learn in these subjects. In PE, they use their good subject knowledge to explain and model things clearly.

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Lessons in history and geography do not build on what pupils have learned before. Pupils do not learn about topics in enough depth. As a result, they do not gain the knowledge they should. Pupils find it difficult to remember important facts and ideas.

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Teachers know pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. They use this knowledge to plan activities in English that are at the right level. However, this does not happen in mathematics. Pupils with SEND do not receive the support they need. Because of this, the gap between what these and other pupils can do gets wider as they move through the school.

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Pupils enjoy having jobs such as playground leaders and junior police officers. During ‘community week’, pupils work with organisations such as care homes, the local church and Birmingham food bank. This helps pupils to think about people less fortunate than themselves. Pupils respect other people’s views and beliefs. They know that it is important to make their own decisions. Pupils say that everyone ‘has the right to speak out’.

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Pupils are confident and enthusiastic learners. Teachers encourage pupils to ‘have a go’. They are kind and supportive when pupils make mistakes or do not understand. As a result, pupils are willing to take risks in their learning. They are not afraid to get things wrong.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide regular training for staff so that they understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff know pupils well and are alert to any changes in their appearance or behaviour. They report concerns in appropriate detail. Leaders respond promptly to information they receive from staff. They make referrals to external agencies when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They have a strong understanding of the risks they face online and how to manage these. For example, pupils know not to share their personal details. They would report anything that concerns them to an adult.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders know that the curriculum needs improvement. However, their evaluation of where the most significant weaknesses are is not accurate. This is because leaders have not done enough to check the implementation and impact of the intended curriculum. As a result, leaders are not focusing their attention on improving the weakest subjects. Leaders and governors should ensure that they have a comprehensive understanding of the quality of education and prioritise their actions accordingly.  In history and geography, teachers do not have the subject expertise to plan and teach content sequentially and in enough depth. This means that pupils do not remember what they have learned nor build a secure understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive training to improve their knowledge of subject content and how to teach it in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Many subject leaders are new to post. Leaders should equip these leaders with

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

the knowledge and skills they need to ensure and assure a curriculum that is well planned and delivered in all subjects.  The proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check fell to below the national average in 2019. Teachers need to make better use of assessment information to ensure that they teach pupils the sounds they need to know. This includes the lowest 20% of readers, who need to catch up more quickly.  Teachers make ongoing assessments of pupils’ learning in English and adapt their planning and teaching accordingly. This practice is less strong in mathematics and other subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers identify when pupils have gained the intended understanding and are ready to move on to new and more complex content.  Pupils with SEND do not receive the support they need in mathematics. Leaders should ensure that these pupils acquire the mathematical knowledge and skills

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

they need to succeed as they move through the school.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 11–12 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111703 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 February 2016

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Information about this school

 At the previous inspection in February 2016, the school was judged to be good.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and teaching staff. The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees and two trustees.  Inspectors spoke with non-teaching members of staff, including support staff and lunchtime supervisors, to gather further information about school life, including pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors looked in depth at early reading, English, mathematics, history and PE. In each subject, inspection activities included discussions with the subject leader(s), visits to lessons, discussions with teachers, scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils.  Inspectors listened to two groups of pupils read and talked to them about their 11–12 September 2019

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reading.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime. They spoke formally with two groups of pupils as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  Inspectors met with leaders about the school’s safeguarding procedures. They reviewed policies and records relating to safeguarding. Inspectors spoke to pupils, staff and parents about how safe pupils are at school.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors took account of the 43 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire and the 24 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.  Inspectors took into consideration the 12 responses to Parent View. Two inspectors spoke to parents at the beginning of the school day.

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Inspection team

Claire Jones, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Spoor Ofsted Inspector 11–12 September 2019

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regulates and inspects to 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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