Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Andy Tunstall Headteacher Yorkswood Primary School Kingshurst Way Kingshurst Birmingham West Midlands B37 6DF

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Yorkswood Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 29 November 2023, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspections.

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Yorkswood Primary School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Requires improvement monitoring inspection of Yorkswood Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other senior leaders, governors and the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also visited lessons, spoke to staff and pupils and reviewed documents relating to governance and school improvement. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to become good.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection you, and your staff, have taken appropriate action to address the areas identified for improvement. You have taken steps to develop the curriculum and it is now well designed and sequenced. For example, visits to mathematics lessons show how well the clear lesson structure is helping pupils to remember important information. Teachers make the learning clear to pupils. Pupils say they like mathematics and know that they learn well because they regularly revisit and practise their learning.

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Main findings

The school has implemented a cycle of observation, feedback, review and revisit to check how well the curriculum is delivered. Staff value the training and support they have received as a result. The school has recently focused on improving the effectiveness of marking. Evidence from lesson visits and pupils’ books shows that pupils are getting timely and useful feedback on their work. In foundation subjects, leaders have had opportunities to talk to pupils about their learning and check the work in pupils’ books. However, they do not always have the opportunity to visit lessons to evaluate all aspects of the quality of education in their subject. This is something you are planning to develop further so that all subject leaders are confident to produce and share useful information about how well their subject is delivered and how well pupils are learning.

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Main findings

The work the school has undertaken to improve attendance has been effective. You have analysed information about which pupils and groups of pupils are not attending school enough. The school has been tenacious in offering support and challenge to those families. You have focused on communicating the importance of attendance with parents and carers. As a result, attendance is improving overall.

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Main findings

Since the last inspection, staff have had training to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Provision for pupils with SEND is comprehensive. Adults are used effectively and the nurture provision is making a positive difference for pupils. Pupils with SEND feel fully included in school life and enjoy school. However, the school is not yet collecting useful information about how effectively these pupils are learning. You recognise that there is more to do to ensure that the school’s oversight of the provision for pupils with SEND is consistently strong.

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Main findings

Since the last inspection, you have increased the capacity of the school’s leadership to focus on improving the quality of education. Two deputy headteachers now have the time to support and develop staff across the school. You have also changed the focus of middle leaders and provided training and support to develop their roles as subject leaders. As a result, staff are positive about the changes you have made and morale is high. You have produced a clear plan for improvement that focuses on actions that will have a positive impact on improving the school. Staff are now much clearer about what needs to be done. Leaders should continue to be strategic when analysing the information they collect about all aspects of school life and ensure that the pace of improvement does not slow.

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Main findings

Governors challenge the school on the effectiveness and speed with which improvements are made. This challenge is matched by the officers from the local authority. You value the support from the local authority. You have also sought and benefited from support from other external partners.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of governors, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Solihull. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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