Coppice Junior School

Inspection of Coppice Junior School Coppice Road, Solihull, West Midlands B92 9JY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 7 and 8 June 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen learners and enjoy coming to school. They feel safe because adults care for them and look after them. Staff know pupils very well and work hard to nurture their talents and interests.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a purposeful learning atmosphere, where new pupils are made to feel welcome. Leaders communicate effectively with families. This has helped to build an inclusive school community.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. Most pupils live up to these expectations. Pupils are polite and well mannered. For instance, they greet visitors, and they hold doors open for staff. Pupils know how to report bullying. They know that leaders listen to them and take any allegations of bullying seriously.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs and activities. Many eagerly anticipate residential trips. Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy and enjoy participating in sporting opportunities and tournaments. In addition, some pupils take on leadership roles. This gives them an enhanced sense of pride.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has been through a period of change. Leaders, governors and staff are ambitious for pupils and want all to succeed. Their work has led to many improvements, especially in the quality of education.

p.2

better?

The teaching of reading is a high priority in school and underpins the whole curriculum. Recent changes in the approach to teaching phonics have made a positive difference. Staff understand how to teach phonics well. Pupils who fall behind are helped to keep up. Teachers promote a love of reading through storytelling and the use of high-quality resources. As one pupil said, ‘We are a reading school’.

p.2

better?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. They have designed a curriculum that builds pupils’ knowledge logically year by year. They have identified what they expect pupils to learn in each subject. In art and design, for example, pupils learn how to make progress in drawing techniques. They practise sketching before going on to complete more complex drawings. Pupils learn about different artists and speak with pride about their work. They remember what they have learned before and can apply this knowledge to new learning. Staff use assessment to check what pupils know and to steer new learning.

p.2

better?

Leaders provide staff with guidance about all areas of the curriculum. However, there is some variation in staff’s subject knowledge. For example, in mathematics, sometimes, teachers’ choice of resources does not sufficiently match what pupils need to learn. 7 and 8 June 2023

p.2

3

Some pupils are new to English and are developing their fluency and confidence in spoken English. Leaders know that some of these pupils need more help to further develop their spoken language skills.

p.3

3

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Teachers know these pupils’ strengths and identify their needs with precision. This helps staff to adapt their approach when planning learning. Additional help is used effectively if any pupils need extra support.

p.3

3

The school’s new approach to behaviour management is helping pupils to follow the school routines. Pupils move around school sensibly and calmly. Leaders are taking positive steps to support pupils’ emotional and mental health. In most classes, pupils are attentive and focused on their learning. A few pupils find it hard to regulate their emotions. At times, this affects the learning of others. Staff are not always consistent in how they manage these situations.

p.3

3

Leaders have ensured that the school’s curriculum develops pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain. For example, pupils consider environmental issues and their impact on the community. Some pupils raise awareness of these issues by working as eco-councillors. For instance, they encourage all pupils to walk to school on Wednesdays.

p.3

3

Governors know the school well and provide able support to leaders and staff. This has helped to bring about improvements. For example, governors have supported leaders to bring about changes to the school’s reading curriculum.

p.3

3

Leaders are considerate of the workload of teachers.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that everyone understands the importance of safeguarding. They place emphasis on training staff so that everyone understands their roles and responsibilities. Staff carry out these responsibilities well. For instance, staff are alert to changes in pupils’ behaviour, and they know how to report concerns. Leaders’ approach to record-keeping is thorough and robust. They are tenacious in following up on any referrals made to other agencies.

p.3

Safeguarding

Work with external organisations to support pupils and their families is strong. Through the curriculum, staff teach pupils how to stay safe, both in school and when outside in the community.

p.3

4

 The school’s support for the spoken language of some pupils, including some who are new to speaking English, could be stronger. Currently, some pupils do not develop their spoken language as well as they might. Leaders should provide staff with support to help them adapt teaching so that all pupils are able to develop their English vocabulary as well as possible.  The mathematics curriculum is not implemented as well as it could be. At times, the choice of resources made by teachers is not matched carefully enough to what pupils need to learn. When this happens, pupils do not make the most of learning in lessons. Leaders should review the way staff use resources in mathematics to ensure that the school’s policy is consistently applied.  There is variation in how well staff manage the behaviour of pupils. Sometimes, pupils’ learning is interrupted by others. Leaders should ensure that the school’s

p.4

4

agreed approach to the management of behaviour is consistently applied by all staff.

p.4

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.

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

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. 7 and 8 June 2023

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10268220 Type of school Junior

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 May 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school provides childcare at breakfast and after-school clubs.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  In 2022, the school increased the number of pupils in Year 5, creating a new class. This was due to a high number of new pupils in the locality.  In November 2022, the headteacher left the school. An interim headteacher is currently leading the school.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 7 and 8 June 2023

p.5

6

 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders, including the special needs coordinator. In addition, inspectors met with staff and governors.  During the inspection, inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: reading, mathematics, art and design and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors looked at a range of school documents, including information about the school’s curriculum, behaviour, attendance and governors’ meetings. Inspectors also observed some pupils reading to familiar adults.  To check the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the school’s policies, procedures and records. Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders and also gathered the views of pupils, staff, parents and governors.  Inspectors reviewed information published on the school’s website.

p.6

6

 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school, in classes and at social times.  Inspectors reviewed and discussed records of pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents, staff and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to parents and carers at the school gate.

p.6

Inspection team

Pamela Matty, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Mary Maybank Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 2023

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