Yew Tree Community Junior and Infant School (NC)

Inspection of Yew Tree Community Junior and Infant School (NC) Yew Tree Road, Aston, Birmingham, West Midlands B6 6RX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 8 and 9 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Yew Tree Community Junior and Infant School get a good education. Pupils are proud of their school, which is a happy and safe place to be. This is a school built on respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk confidently about the ‘wheel of well-being’. They focus on different aspects of this wheel, for example ‘spirit’, which pupils spoken to say helps them to remember to give generously, including their support for others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They say that there is always a trusted adult to speak to. Pupils know what bullying is. They say it very rarely happens. If it does, adults quickly ensure that it stops.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around school, in lessons and at lunchtime. Staff have high expectations for learning and behaviour and pupils respond well to these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They enjoy their lessons and say that teachers make learning fun. Pupils enjoy the opportunities provided. For example, pupils in Year 6 enjoyed a recent visit to Stratford-upon-Avon to learn more about the life of William Shakespeare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers speak very positively of the school and appreciate all that staff and leaders do for their pupils.

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better?

Leaders are designing an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Where this is already working well, for example in history and science, leaders have identified the most important content that they want pupils to learn. Leaders have also introduced strategies to help pupils to remember this key content over time. As a result, pupils remember what they have learned previously and this helps them to understand new content. In some subjects, leaders have recently introduced some changes, which are beginning to have a positive impact. Leaders are well aware of the need to monitor carefully the effectiveness of these changes as this work develops.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that reading is a priority. Staff have been trained to deliver the phonics programme effectively. Leaders ensure that pupils who are learning to read are regularly assessed. This helps them to identify when pupils need extra support. Pupils practise the sounds they are learning by reading books that are carefully matched to those sounds. As a result, pupils use strategies that help them to enjoy and understand the books they are reading.

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better?

Children make a strong start in Nursery and Reception. Staff know the children well. They make sure that they share transition information with parents. As a result, children settle in quickly and learn well from the start. Leaders plan learning 8 and 9 November 2022

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carefully in order to meet children’s needs. For example, groups of children enjoy playing games outside which help them learn to count and write numbers. As a result, children are being prepared for the next stage of their education. They learn and play happily together.

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In the early years, children quickly learn to follow the school’s routines and expectations. This sets the standard for what is to come as pupils move into Year 1 and beyond. Around school and in lessons, pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous. As a result, learning is not disrupted.

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Leaders are very knowledgeable about the needs of pupils with SEND. They ensure that any additional needs are quickly identified. The vast majority of pupils with SEND follow the same curriculum as their peers and learn alongside their classmates. Leaders are developing a more specialised curriculum for a small number of pupils with SEND in order to better meet their needs.

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Leaders organise a range of clubs and enrichment for pupils. For example, pupils have had opportunities to visit the beach at Weston-super-Mare. Pupils in Year 3 have visited the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. All pupils have taken part in a science week. Pupils vote for school councillors and have a very good understanding of tolerance and difference. These opportunities help them to understand some of the British values which will prepare them for later life. However, some opportunities are limited for some pupils, including pupils with SEND, who are not all as fully included in everything that the school has to offer as they could be.

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Staff appreciate that leaders are mindful of their workload. Staff feel well supported. Some leaders, at all levels, are new to their roles and have not yet had the time or opportunity to bring about some of the improvements that they want to make. Senior leaders are aware of this. Governors and trustees know the school and leaders well. They are keen to continue to develop the way in which they support leaders as they to drive forward with improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. They are aware of potential risks in the locality. Leaders ensure that pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online. For example, pupils spoken to know not to share passwords or personal information.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular safeguarding training. They provide regular updates so that all staff know of any changes. Staff are alert to possible concerns. They understand and consistently use the system for reporting and recording issues. Leaders follow concerns up thoroughly. They engage with external support, when needed. 8 and 9 November 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There have been some recent changes to leadership at all levels. As a result, some roles are not fully developed and leaders do not consistently monitor the effectiveness of changes to the curriculum. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, should ensure that leaders at all levels have the autonomy, skills and support to fulfil their roles in continuing to drive forward school improvement.  Some opportunities for all pupils to benefit fully from all the wider aspects of the school community are limited. As a result, not all pupils, including those with SEND, are as fully prepared for life in modern Britain and their next stage of education as they might be. Leaders should continue to develop the personal development curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND, to ensure that all pupils are as fully prepared for life in modern Britain and their next stages of education as they can be.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227529 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The school has a very high proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The school offers breakfast club provision on site.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans where they were available, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke 8 and 9 November 2022

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to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinators and pastoral leaders.  The lead inspector held meetings with the chair and representatives of the local governing body and spoke to representatives from trust.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspectors spoke to pupils about pupils’ behaviour.  To evaluate safeguarding, the inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead, looked at the single central record of recruitment checks, looked at safeguarding records and talked to pupils and staff.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, including parent free-text responses. The inspectors also took account of

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responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors talked to parents at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Rachel Henrick, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Vanessa Payne Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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