Five Ways Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Five Ways Primary School Langholm Drive, Heath Hayes, Cannock, Staffordshire WS12 2EZ

p.1

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Five Ways is a school that sits at the centre of the local community. It is one big family where pupils are taught to be kind to each other. Staff have strong relationships with pupils. Recently, pupils have not achieved as highly as they should in mathematics.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff set high expectations for how pupils should behave. Most pupils rise to these expectations and are incredibly polite and respectful. However, some vulnerable pupils have not received the right support to enable them to meet the school’s high behaviour expectations. The school has begun work to improve this area.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have opportunities to take part in football, choir, badminton and athletics clubs. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 attend an annual residential to take part in outdoor activities such as kayaking and rock climbing. Pupils learn to play instruments such as guitar, keyboard and ukulele.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is enriched through visits, for example to a farm to learn about animals and a castle to learn about local history. Pupils attend a range of theatre productions. Children in early years recently learned about life cycles by caring for ducklings as they hatched.

p.1

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

The curriculum covers the aims of the national curriculum. It sets out the knowledge and vocabulary pupils need to develop over time. Staff are knowledgeable, and they know what to teach and when. The school has recently introduced new ways of checking pupils’ learning. This is beginning to help staff identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, in 13 and 14 May 2025

p.1

2

some subjects, staff do not consistently address these gaps. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not remember important concepts and knowledge as well as they should.

p.2

2

Reading is prioritised. Phonics is taught each day as soon as pupils join the school. Most staff have the right expertise to teach phonics well. Most staff model accurately and address misconceptions swiftly. Pupils who need additional support in phonics receive extra phonics lessons each day. They read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading. They read a wide range of books. Older pupils support their younger peers through a reading buddy system. Pupils achieve well in phonics.

p.2

2

Letter formation is not always taught well. The school has identified this as an area for improvement and has begun to introduce different strategies to support correct letter formation. However, this is not consistently embedded.

p.2

2

Staff are caring in the early years. Routines are well developed to make sure that children settle quickly as they start school. Parents are encouraged to support children’s learning at home. Some children join Nursery or Reception Year needing extra support with communication and language. Children are supported effectively by staff to develop their speech and language. The school has introduced new ways for children to develop their sense of balance and ability to manipulate big and small objects. For example, children take part in cycling lessons to learn to balance and glide on a bike. They manipulate dough to music.

p.2

2

Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not supported as effectively as they could be. Most staff have the necessary knowledge to support pupils with SEND. However, this is not consistent across the school. Sometimes, staff do not use appropriate strategies, which affects how well these pupils achieve.

p.2

2

Most pupils behave well. Some vulnerable pupils are not supported effectively with their behaviour as well as they could be. This has led to a number of suspensions. The school has identified this as an area to improve. It has begun work to improve the support that vulnerable pupils receive. However, there is still work to do to ensure that they are consistently supported well.

p.2

2

Pupils understand fundamental British values. They know what democracy means and apply this knowledge through votes for school councillors. They are proud to hold responsibilities such as school councillor and year group leader. School councillors take ownership of different projects, for example helping to introduce initiatives to improve punctuality. In year groups, pupils collectively decide on a charity to fundraise for each year. This helps to develop pupils’ sense of citizenship.

p.2

2

Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They know what the school needs to improve. Governors have begun to support and challenge leaders on areas for improvement. They do this effectively. Governors hold leaders to account. Most staff report that their well-being is supported and their workload is appropriately managed. 13 and 14 May 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, staff do not consistently address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. In these subjects, pupils do not remember important concepts and knowledge as well as they should. The school should ensure that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are consistently addressed so they remember the most important knowledge across the curriculum.  Letter formation is not consistently and effectively taught. As a result, some pupils do not learn to form letters correctly in their writing. The school should consistently implement recent changes to the way pupils are taught to form letters in order to help pupils write accurately and successfully.  The school has not made sure that all staff have the necessary expertise to support pupils with SEND effectively. This affects the achievement of some pupils with SEND. The school should ensure that staff have the right expertise, including how to use appropriate strategies to support pupils with SEND effectively.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some vulnerable pupils do not consistently receive the right support to enable them to meet the school’s high behaviour expectations. This means that some pupils continue to struggle to manage their behaviour. The school should review its behaviour policy and ensure that staff have the expertise to provide vulnerable pupils with the right support at the right time.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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. 13 and 14 May 2025

p.3

4

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.

p.4

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.

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’ 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). 13 and 14 May 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.fiveways-primary-school.org.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 12 and 13 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school runs a before- and after-school club.

p.5

Information about this inspection

n Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. n This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. n Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher and other leaders. Inspectors held a meeting with members of the governing body. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders, teachers and support staff. n Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 13 and 14 May 2025

p.5

6

n Inspectors listened to pupils read to a familiar adult. n Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour and interactions during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes and spoke to many pupils during the inspection. n 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.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text comments. The inspectors also reviewed responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Emma Titchener, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Stuart Grimes Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 2025

p.6

7

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