Heathlands Primary Academy

Inspection of Heathlands Primary Academy Heath Way, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, West Midlands B34 6NB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 25–26 September 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and well cared for. This is because staff look after them well. The headteacher and his team want the best for pupils and their families. Leaders make sure that pupils’ well-being is always a focus. When pupils need help, they get it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There have been lots of improvements since the last inspection. For example, staff have improved pupils’ learning in English and mathematics. Consequently, pupils do better in these subjects. Other subjects, such as science and history, are less well developed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is good because staff have high expectations of what is acceptable. Behaviour is always managed well. Pupils understand and follow the school rules. They are respectful to each other. Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils are confident that an adult will always help them if they need it. Leaders make every effort to avoid exclusions. They are a last resort.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils of all ages enjoy forest school. Younger pupils, for example, are developing their physical skills outdoors. A range of clubs, trips and visits encourage pupils to attend school.

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better?

Since the last inspection, many aspects of the school have improved. These include pupils’ behaviour and opportunities for their personal development. The good quality of early years provision has been maintained.

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better?

Nursery and Reception pupils get off to a flying start. Teachers know the children really well. They plan activities to help them do well. Lots of stories engage children and help to develop their language and vocabulary. Leaders have created an outside area to support children’s physical development. This is helping children to develop their writing skills. As a result, more pupils are ready for the learning in Year 1.

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better?

Leaders have focused on improving standards in English and mathematics. More pupils know their letter sounds and can read books well. Pupils can explain their ideas in mathematics and this helps them to reach a higher standard than they did previously. In these subjects pupils are achieving well.

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better?

Leaders want to create a curriculum that allows every pupil to succeed in a range of subjects. They are clear about how they want to achieve this and have created a clear plan to help them. But these plans are very new and this is a big change for the school.

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better?

Subject leaders have not yet been able to help teachers to deliver the plans effectively. Teachers are not secure in selecting the right content to help pupils learn well in all subjects. This means that sometimes pupils do not learn what they need to know and find it hard to link new learning to earlier lessons. For example, when we talked 25–26 September 2019

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to pupils about history it was clear that there were some gaps in their knowledge.

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Younger pupils learn phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) securely. Leaders ensure that staff teach phonics effectively. Pupils do not fall behind because teachers spot any difficulties quickly and help the pupils to catch up. More children now read fluently as a result.

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Teachers help pupils to improve and increase their vocabulary. This helps pupils better understand what they have read. Pupils enjoy reading and they liked reading to inspectors in the school’s bright library. Leaders are developing a list of books for everyone to read or experience through story time.

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Teachers understand the needs of pupils well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) experience the full curriculum. Leaders are very aware of the personal development needs of their pupils. As a result, effective pastoral support is in place.

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Pupils have positive attitudes and work hard. Pupils understand the difference between right and wrong. Pupils know that it is good to stick at things and not give up. Everyone in the school community is valued. Pupils are respectful to each other, to staff and of people from different faiths. These positive attitudes to learning help pupils to make the most of lessons.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils value the school clubs and trips. During the inspection, for example, Year 5 were visiting a space museum and some Year 6 pupils were taking part in an outdoor adventure residential trip.

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Leaders’ drive and ambition for all pupils are clear. They provide training and support for teachers and subject leaders so that they can improve what they do. Staff told us that they find this helpful. For example, teachers welcomed changes to school assessment procedures.

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Governors check on the work of leaders. Their focus has been on securing improvements in English, mathematics and attendance. Governors are beginning to consider how well other subjects are taught.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to understand the signs of neglect or abuse. They know what to do if they think a pupil may be at risk. Leaders act upon concerns so that pupils and their families get the help they need. Leaders challenge other agencies to get the best help for the pupils. The school provides good pastoral care. This helps vulnerable pupils feel safe. Pupils learn about the risks they may face beyond the school gate. For example, they learn about using social media safely, knife crime and road safety. 25–26 September 2019

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While the school is improving, it does not yet provide a good quality of education. This is because leaders’ success in improving pupils’ progress in English and mathematics has not been replicated across the curriculum. Other subjects are not planned as effectively, and pupils do not achieve well enough in them. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum plans for all subjects clearly identify what pupils need to know and understand and by when.  Subject leaders are not making sure that pupils acquire the necessary knowledge and understanding to help them build on what they already know and can do. Senior leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that subject leaders have the necessary skills to develop their subjects successfully.  Leaders have not ensured that teachers have the knowledge they need to implement the new curriculum plans consistently and effectively. Senior and subject leaders should ensure that teachers have opportunities to develop their

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

subject knowledge.  Governors have developed their skills in holding leaders to account and in making sure that they meet their statutory duties. However, they need to develop their understanding of the full requirements of the national curriculum and, in doing so, ensure that all subjects are covered with equal rigor.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 25–26 September 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111679 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20–21 June 2017

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Information about this school

 There have been no significant changes to the school since the previous inspection.  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

 We met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders, pastoral leaders, governors, a representative of the multi-academy trust, teachers, parents and pupils.  We looked in detail at several subjects in the school. These were reading, mathematics, history, physical education and art and design. Additionally, we looked at aspects of science, personal, social and health education and provision for pupils with SEND.  Inspectors evaluated the views of senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils, alongside visits to lessons and a review of pupils’ work. 25–26 September 2019

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 We spoke informally to parents and took account of the 19 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as their written free-text comments.  We looked at a range of documents including those relating to staff training, safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. We also scrutinised the school’s plans for improvement and the work of governors.

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Inspection team

Richard Kentish, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Collette Higgins Ofsted Inspector 25–26 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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