Stanton Bridge Primary School

Inspection of Stanton Bridge Primary School Oliver Street, Coventry, West Midlands CV6 5TY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected 26–27 November 2019

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are getting a good deal. They learn a wide range of subjects and are happy. Pupils from lots of different backgrounds work and play together cheerfully. Pupils feel safe because they trust the staff looking after them. They build good relationships and like their teachers. ‘Bubble time’ appointments with staff allow pupils to talk through any worries.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and governors have very high expectations for pupils. They encourage pupils to be ambitious, take pride in themselves and value others. Regardless of background, opportunities are offered to every child to help them enjoy school and achieve well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They are polite, helpful and considerate to others. Unkind behaviour and bullying are rare but if they happen, they are quickly dealt with by staff. Pupils work hard and readily offer support to others in their class.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests in different areas such as sports, music and art. ‘Spark time’ on Friday afternoons helps to spark pupils’ imagination and provide a fun element to school. Trips to London, Café Rouge and the Space Centre add to pupils’ personal development and enjoyment.

p.2

better?

Leaders and staff have given careful thought to what they want pupils to know and be able to do. Well-planned lessons ensure that pupils achieve well in different subjects, including English and mathematics. Science and geography information is taught in the right order. This means that pupils build up their skills and knowledge progressively. Events and visits also aid pupils’ learning to make sure pupils remember things long term. Pupils learn about different artists, know about different world religions, and can say short sentences in French. Pupils have a good grounding in all curriculum subjects. This is because these are taught regularly and made interesting.

p.2

better?

Personal, social and health education (PSHE) is a strength of the school. Weekly teaching encourages pupils to form and express their opinions but also consider the opinions of others. Pupils discuss and debate different issues. All statements begin with, ‘I believe that’ or, ‘In my opinion’. Pupils generate thought-provoking questions, for example, ‘Does your appearance affect how others treat you?’ Democratic voting decides which question is discussed. These lessons add significantly to pupils’ personal development and their communication skills.

p.2

better?

Phonics is taught as soon as children join school. Children in early years get off to a good start in reading. Books provided allow pupils to practise the sounds they learn in lessons. Leaders have prioritised reading because they understand its importance. Staff receive training and feedback to help improve their practice. All classes have well-stocked book corners to encourage a love of reading. The ‘100 reading challenge’ introduced encourages pupils to read 100 selected books by the time they 26–27 November 2019

p.2

3

leave the school. However, lower-ability pupils get off to a slower start. This is because they are not heard reading aloud regularly by staff at school. Many remain on the same book for too long, even if they can read it.

p.3

3

Staff in early years are friendly and approachable. They give parents and carers lots of information about school life. Good communication between home and school helps children settle quickly. Effective teaching keeps children safe, busy and happy. Adults model language well and encourage children to use full sentences when answering questions. Teachers use traditional stories, such as ‘The Little Red Hen’, to plan imaginative activities. They promote children’s early literacy and mathematical skills well. Outdoor activities and using small equipment help develop children’s physical skills. Well-organised learning journals capture the wide range of work that children experience.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive valuable support in lessons and extra sessions. However, sometimes, staff are too quick to identify pupils as having SEND when this is not accurate. Individual targets and plans set up for pupils are also not consistent. They do not match pupils’ needs or reflect the level of concern leaders have. This means that these pupils learn less well in some year groups.

p.3

3

Pupils learn to be reflective and thoughtful. They have a detailed knowledge and understanding of British values. They practise respect and tolerance to the highest level within their own school. Pupils know the importance of healthy living and that mental health is equally important.

p.3

3

Governors are dedicated and supportive. They ensure that staff well-being is a school priority. As such, staff workload when marking pupils’ work has been reduced considerably. However, governors do not check whether government funding allocated to the school for disadvantaged pupils is used as stated in the school plan. The key stage 2 results in 2019 were withheld by the Standards and Testing Agency. An investigation is being undertaken.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

All staff are vigilant and care about pupils. They make sure that pupils get support both within school and from other agencies. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe as a result of lessons and assemblies. Leaders act straight away when they detect a local problem, for example unsuitable access to social media sites. Leaders seek advice and follow up more serious concerns. They are relentless in chasing up agencies that do not respond. All staff receive regular training. Leaders check that staff recruited to work in school are suitable to work with children. 26–27 November 2019

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Lower-ability pupils do not make sufficient progress in reading to read at age- appropriate levels. This is because they are not heard reading aloud regularly in school by staff, and books are not always matched to their ability. Leaders should increase reading opportunities for lower-ability pupils and ensure that books are suitably challenging so that pupils become confident and fluent readers as quickly as possible.  The system that leaders use to identify, monitor and provide support for pupils with SEND is unclear. Some pupils have individual education plans and targets but are not shown on the SEND register. Other have targets but are not on the SEND register. Some children in early years are described as having SEND difficulties before they have settled fully in school. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND are accurately identified and there is a clear system in place to support pupils.

p.4

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Governors do not monitor or check how the pupil premium funding is spent. They do not know if the intended actions set out in the school’s plan are implemented. Governors should hold senior leaders more fully to account for how this grant is used to ensure that funding is targeted at disadvantaged pupils.  The key stage 2 results in 2019 were withheld by the Standards and Testing Agency, which is conducting an investigation. If that investigation identifies any lessons to be learned by the school, these must be actioned fully to avoid any similar problems in future.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 26–27 November 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10131336 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Website www.stantonbridge.coventry.sch.uk/

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Stanton Bridge Primary School converted to become an academy on 1 January 2017. When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is a standalone academy.  The key stage 2 results in 2019 were withheld by the Standards and Testing Agency.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders and teaching staff. The lead inspector met with the chair of the trustees and one other member. Discussions were held with three members of the SEND team.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, geography, science, and PSHE. In each subject, inspection activities included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, discussions with teachers, scrutiny of pupils’ 26–27 November 2019

p.5

6

work and discussions with pupils.  We checked safeguarding and staff vetting records. The lead inspector met with two of the school’s designated safeguarding leaders to judge the effectiveness of child protection and safeguarding procedures.  The lead inspector observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to the subject leader for English. She also heard pupils read their work in classes.  We observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at breaktime. We spoke formally with different groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  We reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan, external reports and minutes of trust meetings, behaviour, exclusion and attendance records, and information on the school’s website.  We took account of 21 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, along with 21 free-text messages. We also considered surveys carried out by the school

p.6

6

and spoke to parents as they collected their children from school. We received 32 questionnaire responses from staff and their views collected during meetings.

p.6

Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Michael Appleby Ofsted Inspector 26–27 November 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

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 .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7