Twickenham Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Twickenham Primary School Twickenham Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, West Midlands B44 0NR

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Outcome

Twickenham Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Twickenham Primary School are encouraged to ‘be all you can be’. Leaders set high aspirations for everyone. They work hard to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly. Pupils are happy and safe. Incidents of poor behaviour and bullying are rare. Staff swiftly resolve any concerns pupils raise. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well academically. They are polite and helpful. Leaders ensure that reading is well taught. Pupils benefit from opportunities to build their wider interests and experiences. For example, a range of clubs including judo, ballet and football are offered to pupils. Year 6 pupils recently visited the slavery museum in Liverpool, while pupils in Year 2 visited Tamworth Castle to develop their knowledge of monarchs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils meet these expectations. They are highly engaged in lessons. Outdoors, play leaders support younger pupils to make friends and play games. A range of outdoor facilities such as the climbing wall help pupils to have fun and play well together at social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The vast majority of parents are positive about the education their children receive. However, a small number of parents raise concerns about communication between home and school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a well-structured curriculum that sets high expectations for all pupils. They have identified the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. Teachers receive the training they need to deliver the curriculum well in most subjects. However, the teaching of a modern foreign language has been paused for some pupils. This is because leaders prioritised addressing gaps in other areas of the curriculum, following the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders have not ensured that teachers have the necessary expertise to plan and teach French confidently. 5 and 6 October 2022

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Teachers expect all pupils to do their best. In lessons, they check pupils’ learning regularly. Teachers provide the right support to pupils who need it. They encourage pupils to think hard about their learning and to apply what they know. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils are very well supported. They access the same curriculum as other pupils in school. As a result, all pupils achieve well. Leaders prioritise reading. Staff receive regular training, particularly in phonics. As a result, early reading is well taught. Pupils enjoy reading a variety of books in school and at home. In early years, staff work closely with parents to ensure that the youngest children settle well to school life. Leaders ensure that routines are consistent. This helps children to feel happy and safe in school. Staff carefully structure learning. For example, they teach

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children about early number through practical activities, songs and rhymes. However, staff do not check on children’s early writing as well as they should. This means that some children struggle with their pencil grip, which affects their ability to write. Activities beyond the academic curriculum help pupils to develop confidence and curiosity, and to take responsibility. Pupils value the range of trips, clubs and visits on offer. Opportunities such as play leaders and school council representatives allow pupils to take on responsibilities. In doing so, they develop confidence and communication skills.

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The school rules encourage kindness and respect. They help pupils to understand right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe. Pupils learn to be accountable for their actions, admit their mistakes and say sorry. Pupils learn about how conflict has been resolved in the past and how people have worked together to solve problems. They enjoy learning about influential people such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Opportunities to learn about other cultures and religions help pupils to recognise and respect others’ differences. For example, pupils in Year 5 learn about the Shang Dynasty and the impact of ancient Chinese culture on current Chinese beliefs. Pupils learn about a range of religions. They are also taught about atheism, secularism and humanism. In all, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Trust leaders and those responsible for governance are ambitious for all pupils. They know the school well, particularly its strengths and areas for improvement. This means that they are able to effectively challenge and hold school leaders to account for the performance of the school. Teachers say that they are well supported to manage their workload effectively. They value the well-being support they get from leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders know the school community well. They prioritise pupils’ welfare by working closely with external agencies to support those pupils who need it. Staff receive regular safeguarding training. Consequently, they understand different risks, including child-on- child abuse, domestic abuse and substance misuse. Staff record and report concerns to the right people. 5 and 6 October 2022

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Pupils learn about healthy relationships, online safety and how to keep safe when out and about. They know how to raise concerns with trusted adults in school.

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Leaders ensure the necessary safeguarding checks are undertaken before staff start working at the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A small number of parents do not feel communication with school is effective enough. They say that issues they raise are not listened to and acted upon. Leaders need to improve communication with parents by listening to their concerns and taking swift action to resolve any issues they raise.  Leaders have not ensured that all pupils in key stage 2 are taught a modern foreign language. This means that pupils are not able to consolidate and build on prior learning. Leaders need to get this back on track by ensuring that teachers receive the support they need to plan and teach French confidently.  Staff do not check on children’s early writing effectively. This means that some children struggle with their pencil grip, which affects their ability to write. Leaders should support staff to make sure that the checks are made.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in November 2009.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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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. 5 and 6 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10200109 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 27 September 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector carried out deep dives in art, mathematics and reading. These included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum guidance and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector also looked at work from a sample of other subjects. The inspector also discussed the curriculum with subject leaders.  The inspector listened to pupils read and reviewed reading resources.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation on the school’s website. 5 and 6 October 2022

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 The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the record of employment checks on school staff, scrutinising policy documents and meeting with the designated safeguarding lead.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers, assistant headteachers, subject leaders, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the designated safeguarding lead, and representatives of the governing body and the trust.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 October 2022

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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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