Yenton Primary School

Inspection of Yenton Primary School Chester Road, Erdington, Birmingham, West Midlands B24 0EDw

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Inspection dates: 30 and 31 January 2024

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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 Outstanding Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Paul Smith. This school is part of Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Collard. 30 and 31 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Yenton Primary is a warm and welcoming place to learn. The school has high ambitions for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff want all pupils to succeed. Pupils make positive progress and learn the curriculum well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has embedded its values of respectful, excellent, successful, proud, exploring, communication and teamwork – the acronym RESPECT – into many aspects of school life. Pupils speak confidently about why these values are important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

From listening carefully and working hard in lessons, to helping other pupils in the dining hall at lunchtime, pupils try their best. Pupils feel safe in school and know that trusted adults will help them to deal with any worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a range of opportunities on offer, including after-school sporting clubs. Pupils enjoy the responsibility of being school councillors, playleaders and head pupil. All pupils learn how to play a musical instrument. Pupils value learning in the outdoors and how to swim.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many parents and carers are positive about the school and the support their children receive to learn well, work hard and prepare for life in the local community and beyond.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum for all, including pupils with SEND. Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND swiftly as they enter the school. Staff are well trained to ensure that they can provide high-quality support for pupils with a range of needs. Adaptations to learning are made to ensure that pupils with SEND fully participate in lessons and understand what is being taught.

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better?

Careful thought has been put into developing the curriculum, and it is sequenced well from early years to Year 6. The curriculum is underpinned by the national curriculum and enhanced by the school’s values. However, not all subjects have been given as much attention in defining clearly the smaller steps of learning.

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better?

The school checks on how well different subjects are taught. This keeps staff informed about pupils’ learning and where curriculum adjustments are needed. However, the school’s vision for the use of assessment has yet to be fully realised. In some subjects, teachers are less clear about what pupils know or do not yet know.

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better?

The teaching of early reading is strong. The language-rich Reception provision prepares children well for key stage 1. Careful and efficient teaching builds pupils’ knowledge of sounds and words. By the time pupils move into key stage 2, most are 30 and 31 January 2024

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doing well with reading. Those who need an extra boost receive daily support that helps them catch up. In addition to providing reading lessons, staff read aloud to classes. They introduce pupils to a well-chosen set of books.

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The school provides a highly effective personal development offer for all pupils. They learn not to discriminate against others, such as on the grounds of ethnicity, religion or gender. Pupils have a well-developed understanding of tolerance and respect.

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Pupils have a secure understanding of how to keep safe. This includes when online or in the real world. The school encourages pupils to think about others who are not as fortunate as themselves. Clubs and trips enhance pupils’ enjoyment outside the classroom.

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Clear expectations help pupils to behave very well. This starts in Reception. Here, children join in lessons with enthusiasm and stop to listen carefully to adults as soon as they are asked to. They show respect for their friends as they listen to, and value, everybody’s contributions. Pupils learn to celebrate difference. They show empathy and say, ‘treat everyone the same’. Some pupils still have poor attendance despite staff working to improve this, which has a negative effect on their learning.

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Staff say that they value being part of the school team. They have regular training and share practice with other schools. Staff say that they are treated fairly and that workload expectations are reasonable. Many parents appreciate the support and care their children receive.

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The multi-academy trust has worked closely with the school to support and drive improvements. Advocates and trustees know the school well and use their expertise to support and challenge leaders very effectively. Staff value the ongoing training they receive and appreciate that their well-being is prioritised.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is still in the process of defining the small steps of learning in some foundation subjects. This means that pupils make stronger progress in some subjects than in others. The school should continue to strengthen its curriculum design so that pupils’ knowledge builds sequentially and securely in all subjects.  At times, teachers do not use assessment in some foundation subjects accurately enough to identify how well pupils are achieving. This means that the school does not have a clear enough overview of pupils’ progress. The school should make 30 and 31 January 2024

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sure that assessment systems in foundation subjects are purposeful and used effectively to ensure that the curriculum is impacting as intended.  A significant number of pupils are absent or persistently absent from school. This impacts how well they learn and slows their progress. Leaders should continue to review how they work with parents and outside agencies to tackle pupils’ poor attendance to ensure that all possible steps are being taken to improve pupils’ attendance.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 30 and 31 January 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Yenton Primary School converted to become an academy in September 2019. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 30 and 31 January 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the CEO of the trust, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body and representatives of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text

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comments. The inspectors also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors talked to parents and families at the school gate.

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Inspection team

Richard Kentish, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Malam Ofsted Inspector 30 and 31 January 2024

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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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