Kingsway Community Primary School

Inspection of Kingsway Community Primary School Baker Avenue, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 3HB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Inadequate 15–16 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that is going in the right direction. The headteacher, ably supported by her team, has made a marked difference. She is determined to improve pupils’ life chances. However, more work is needed to ensure that all pupils get a good education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe. Adults care for them well. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Pupils know they can talk to staff if they have a problem. Pupils know what bullying is and how to report it. They feel that adults sort this out quickly if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is improving. Most pupils behave well. They understand the ‘good to be green’ system in place. Staff manage pupils’ behaviour well. The ‘rocket room’ provides a safe space at lunchtime for pupils who have anxiety and behaviour difficulties. Nevertheless, the number of pupils excluded remains above average and needs to be reduced.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers organise exciting trips to support topic work, such as a visit to the Space Centre. Pupils enjoyed the residential visit introduced last year and staff reading bedtime stories to them. Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs, especially sports. They have had considerable success in cheerleading and cricket competitions.

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better?

Leaders have raised their expectations and are more ambitious for pupils. Consequently, pupils are achieving better.

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better?

Leaders have worked hard to improve the curriculum. Pupils now get a better deal in the range and quality of subjects they study. Teachers follow the mathematics and writing curriculums well. Most lessons are well sequenced. This helps pupils learn and develop the skills needed for their age. Training is provided for staff to help improve their subject knowledge. Support is also provided for pupils at risk of falling behind. As a result, pupils are now achieving much better in these subjects.

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better?

Pupils enjoy doing experiments in science. They represent their findings in a variety of ways, including through graphs, diagrams and tables. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included. They are able to contribute because teachers tailor the work to their needs. Music is also well planned and delivered. Pupils learn to play untuned and tuned instruments, such as African drums and the recorder. Pupils’ knowledge of musical terminology is increasing rapidly.

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better?

Planning in other subjects is designed to build pupils’ skills and knowledge over time. However, historic weak teaching and an inconsistent curriculum have left gaps in what pupils should know for their age. This is particularly the case in history and 15–16 January 2020

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geography. Also, French teaching is limited to half a day each term. As a result, pupils do not build up the vocabulary needed to hold a short simple conversation.

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Leaders have prioritised reading and ensure that reading is taught daily. A good range of books are available in the school library and classrooms. Phonics is taught from the outset. Reading books enable pupils to practise letters and sounds taught. However, staff do not ensure that pupils bring their books and diaries to school every day or check how pupils are doing. This means they do not know if pupils, particularly less-able pupils, are struggling or ready to move on.

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Adults in the early years are caring and look after children well. They use songs, stories and rhymes to promote language, vocabulary and a love of books. However, some activities lack challenge and are repetitive. Where this is the case, children stop choosing these.

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Leaders and teachers ensure that pupils with SEND get the help they need in order to succeed. Leaders provide training for staff and work closely with specialists to meet pupils’ learning and personal needs. A small number of pupils are currently on reduced timetables. However, individual plans are not reviewed regularly and do not indicate when these pupils will rejoin school full-time.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and work well in lessons. There is less disruption to learning than previously. Pupils enjoy the visits, events and clubs offered. They carry out different roles sensibly and have a good awareness of different religions and cultures. Pupils enjoy singing, including at the Young Voices event in Birmingham.

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Attendance remains low. Too many pupils miss important schooling. Leaders track pupils’ attendance but new approaches are needed to ensure that attendance improves.

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Staff morale is high. All staff feel proud to work at the school. They value the support they receive from senior leaders in relation to their workload, such as curriculum planning time and a well-being day.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. They have clear procedures in place to keep them safe. Leaders ensure that staff are well trained. This means that everyone knows what to do if there is a concern about a pupil. Leaders act swiftly where concerns are reported. They make sure that health and social care professionals support pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and are safe. Assemblies, lessons and visitors all teach pupils about how to stay safe. Pupils have a good understanding of online safety. They also practise fire drills regularly. 15–16 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum planning is still in the early stages of development and implementation. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some subjects due to a legacy of weak teaching or lack of coverage. Leaders should continue to review and refine curriculum planning to ensure that pupils acquire the skills and knowledge needed in all subjects, including French.  Only a small number of pupils bring their reading books and reading diaries to school each day. This means that staff do not check whether pupils are reading regularly at home or provide additional support where this is not the case. As a result, pupils who struggle with reading are making very little progress. Leaders should ensure that regular checks are carried out and lower-ability pupils are provided with the support needed to help them catch up quickly.  A small number of pupils with SEND are on part-time timetables as a strategy to help them cope better with school. However, plans to support their reintegration

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

do not show when pupils will rejoin the school full-time. The special educational needs coordinator should ensure that plans are reviewed regularly and a clear timeline given for pupils’ return to full-time education.  Some activities in the early years lack variety and challenge. This limits children’s progress. Leaders should ensure that activities are focused on areas of learning and changed regularly.  Attendance has been below average for the last three years. Too many pupils are persistently absent. Leaders need to intensify the support and challenge for the families of pupils who do not attend school regularly.  Although behaviour is improving, the number of pupils excluded remains too high. Leaders should reduce the number of exclusions issued by ensuring that all pupils follow the school behaviour policy and improve the support provided for those who struggle to conform.

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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 are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 15–16 January 2020

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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. 15–16 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10088444 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18–19 September 2018

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2017. The deputy headteacher was appointed in January 2018.  Since the last inspection, a large number of staff have left the school. Only a third of current staff were present during the previous inspection.

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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

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

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Information about this inspection

 We held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, subject leaders and teaching staff. I met with the chair of the governing body and three other members. We held meetings with the chair of the school’s task group and a representative from the local authority.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, writing, mathematics, science and music. In each subject, inspection activities included discussions with subject leaders, visits to lessons, discussions with teachers, scrutiny of pupils’ work and 15–16 January 2020

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discussions with pupils. We also looked at work in other subjects and displays of pupils’ work around the school.  We checked safeguarding and staff vetting records. I met with the school’s designated safeguarding leader to judge the effectiveness of child protection and safeguarding procedures.  I observed pupils from Year 1 to Year 3 reading to members of staff. We 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 governors’ meetings, behaviour, exclusion and attendance records, and information on the school’s website.  We took account of 26 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, along with the free-text messages. We also considered 17 staff questionnaire

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responses. There were 30 pupil survey responses. These were completed at home with parents’ and carers’ support and taken into account.

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Inspection team

Heather Simpson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Barry Yeardsley Ofsted Inspector 15–16 January 2020

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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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