Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James

Inspection of an outstanding school: Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James Halifax Road, Shirley, Solihull B90 2BT

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of outstanding as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Holly Lynch. This school is part of Tudor Grange Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Claire Maclean, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr William Peter Rock. There is also an executive principal, Sarah Deakin, who is responsible for this school and three others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are happy and feel safe. That is because they know the staff care about them and want them to do well. There are highly positive relationships between staff and pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils work hard in lessons and are keen to learn. At social times and in classrooms pupils behave well. They show courtesy and respect for staff and each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make strong progress and reach high standards in many areas of the curriculum. Pupils read widely and often. They love their new library and the range of books available to read. In subjects such as mathematics, the work pupils do supports them to develop a deep understanding of the important concepts. However, in other parts of the curriculum, the work pupils do does not deepen their understanding of the subject well enough.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop their character, talents and interests. Pupils enjoy chess, netball and other sports. Pupils are proud of their responsibilities and their contribution to school life. The active eco council are on a mission to gain their green flag. 5 and 6 March 2024

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

This is a school that is continually improving. Although pupils already achieve high standards across key areas of the curriculum, the school continues to drive improvements. Staff receive high quality training to develop their expertise across a range of curriculum areas. This includes advice and support on how to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Children make a good start in the early years. Staff know the children well and what their needs are. They have designed the environment to support the curriculum and to focus on what is most important.

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

Reading is a high priority in the school. The school wants pupils to learn to read and to love reading. This starts in early years with the teaching of phonics and the extensive sharing of stories to develop vocabulary. Daily phonics and reading practise sessions continue in Year 1. This supports pupils to develop the fluency and confidence they need to read age-appropriate books. Staff use assessment well to identify pupils who need extra support. Staff make the most of every opportunity to go over the sounds pupils are learning. This is having a positive impact for many of the pupils.

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

The mathematics curriculum sets out what children and pupils need to know and remember from early years to Year 6. Children make a solid start to their understanding of number, shape and measures in the early years. Through the effective delivery of the mathematics curriculum, pupils’ knowledge steadily builds. They gain a secure understanding of the important concepts and can apply their knowledge to problem solving and reasoning tasks successfully.

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

The school is still refining the important knowledge that pupils need to learn in some of the other subjects. Some of the work pupils currently do in these subjects, gives them a wide range of factual knowledge but not always a deep understanding of the key concepts. At times, pupils do not draw on, or build on, what they have learned before. This means that in some subjects, pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for their next stage.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils to succeed, including those with SEND. Staff work with a range of agencies and provide additional support and resources to meet pupils’ needs. Many pupils can access and progress through the curriculum because of this support. For a small number of pupils, the school provides a curriculum more tailored to their specific needs.

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

Pupils’ personal development is at the heart of the work of the school. The values the school promotes, help to promote strong moral character. There are a range of opportunities to develop beyond the academic. Trips to places of local interest enhance the curriculum. For example, in the forest school pupils have the chance to work as a team and learn how to say safe around fire. Pupils learn about a wide range of religions and visit different places of worship. These experiences all contribute to preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. 5 and 6 March 2024

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Leaders engage well with staff. There is strong support from the trust which supports all staff in developing their expertise. They are mindful of workload and wellbeing which staff appreciate.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The work pupils do does not always support them to deepen their understanding of the key knowledge and skills in some curriculum areas. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress in those subjects as they could. The school should continue to refine the curriculum and staff expertise so that the work pupils do supports a deep understanding in that subject.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in November 2017.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 5 and 6 March 2024

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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). 5 and 6 March 2024

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 21 and 22 November 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is sponsored by Tudor Grange Academies Trust and the Anglican Diocese of Birmingham.  The school runs on-site before- and after-school provision.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school received its last section 48 inspection in September 2016. Its next inspection is likely to be in this academic year.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector held meetings with the executive principal, the principal, the deputy headteacher and other leaders, including members of staff who work centrally for the trust.  The inspector met with the chair of the local governing body, members of the trust board and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust. 5 and 6 March 2024

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, and history. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also sampled pupils work in a range of other subjects, including science, English, geography, art and design and design technology.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding 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 inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent view, including free-text responses. The inspector also took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil

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Inspection team

Helen Forrest, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 5 and 6 March 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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