Tenacres First School

Tenacres First School

Address: Quibury Close, Winyates East, Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 0PB Unique reference number (URN): 116729

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders manage attendance carefully and do all they can to ensure that pupils benefit fully from the education on offer. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Leaders monitor patterns of absence and act quickly if attendance begins to decline. Staff work closely with families to understand the reasons for pupils' absence and provide support where needed. This includes practical advice and regular communication with parents and carers. This approach has helped to reduce absence for some pupils with lower rates of attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have clear expectations for pupils' behaviour. Starting in the early years, children settle well and quickly learn to follow the rules. Pupils respond positively to leaders' expectations and typically conduct themselves well. Pupils move sensibly around the building and usually behave with consideration for others. Unkind behaviour is not tolerated and is resolved swiftly if it occurs.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. Classrooms are calm and purposeful. If pupils lose concentration, staff follow the school's policy and intervene quickly and calmly. These timely responses help learning continue with little disruption. Staff make thoughtful adjustments for pupils who struggle to behave well, including some pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils have the support that they need to succeed.

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Early years Expected standard

Children settle quickly into the early years because staff create a warm and welcoming environment. Positive relationships with staff help children feel safe and confident. Staff work closely with parents and carers to share information so that families can support children’s learning at home.

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Early years Expected standard

Activities in the early years are carefully designed to help children learn the curriculum, encourage their curiosity and sustain their engagement. Staff typically interact skilfully with children during play and structured activities. Staff ask thoughtful questions and extend conversations so children develop their language and understanding. There is a clear emphasis on developing children's vocabulary. Staff usually introduce new words clearly and repeat them during conversations and activities. This helps children to understand what different words mean and to begin to use them independently.

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Early years Expected standard

Reading is prioritised. Children learn phonics through a structured approach that helps them to recognise sounds and to blend them to read words. Opportunities to practise writing are carefully matched to children's starting points. As a result, children apply this knowledge with growing confidence.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders review the provision regularly and adapt routines where needed. Recent adjustments to support children in Reception Year as they move into Year 1 reflect leaders’ thorough understanding of children's needs. Children develop independence and positive attitudes to learning that prepare them well for key stage 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created a culture that prioritises pupils' wellbeing. Suitable training ensures that staff are typically adept at recognising and reducing any barriers to pupils' learning. For example, practical and visual methods help many pupils grasp new ideas and remember key vocabulary. This way, pupils participate confidently in lessons and become more independent.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school has rigorous systems to spot any additional needs early. This includes any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders work with parents and carers, and external professionals, to ensure that pupils get the right help at the right time.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Support for pupils with SEND is carefully designed. For instance, leaders have created a calm, well-resourced space where some pupils benefit from focused support that helps them to access mainstream lessons. Staff understand the needs of these pupils well and adjust tasks and support appropriately to help them engage in learning. These approaches help pupils manage their own behaviour and participate in lessons more consistently.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders collaborate with staff and external experts to review and adjust the support that is in place for pupils with barriers to their learning or wellbeing. This helps to ensure that these pupils receive suitable help. Leaders use additional funding to help reduce any barriers for those pupils who are eligible for additional support.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have established a caring and welcoming school community. Staff say that leaders value their work and are considerate of their workload. This helps create a positive culture where staff work together to support pupils’ learning and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. They carefully monitor the quality of the curriculum and teaching and use this information thoughtfully to inform the professional learning programme for staff. As such, leaders have identified that improving the teaching of writing is a key priority. Leaders have begun to introduce changes to the writing curriculum and to ensure that staff benefit from suitable training to deliver this well. However, these developments are at an early stage, and gaps in pupils' knowledge remain.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors understand the school’s context and priorities. They recognise the successes in pupils' achievement in phonics and mathematics and know why improving the way that writing is taught remains an area for development. Governors have suitable processes in place to evaluate the quality of the school's provision. This ensures that they understand how leaders’ actions are working in practice. Governors also seek external validation from the local authority and other professional partners. This helps them check the accuracy of leaders’ evaluations and ensure that improvement plans address the most important areas.

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Needs attention

Leaders and governors maintain a sharp focus on continuing to improve teaching while preserving the caring ethos that families value. Parents and carers are unanimous in their praise of the care and guidance that their children receive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development and wellbeing. The coherent, well-structured curriculum helps pupils gain essential knowledge and skills for confident participation in modern society. Through lessons and wider experiences, pupils learn how to keep themselves physically and emotionally healthy. They also learn to build positive relationships, make safe choices online and offline, and treat others with kindness and respect.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff encourage pupils to reflect on their beliefs, consider different viewpoints and think carefully about right and wrong. Pupils learn to work together, resolve disagreements calmly and contribute positively to the school community. As a result, they develop strong social skills and show respect for people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders broaden pupils’ horizons by offering a wide range of opportunities beyond the regular curriculum. Cultural, artistic, sporting and musical experiences introduce pupils to new interests and talents. Pupils speak enthusiastically about these opportunities and describe how they help build confidence. Leaders take deliberate steps to remove barriers so that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or face additional challenges, can participate fully.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Enrichment opportunities help to develop pupils’ character and independence over time. Educational visits link closely to curriculum themes and deepen pupils’ understanding of the wider world. The Year 4 residential visit is especially valued for building resilience, independence and teamwork. Leadership roles, such as school councillor, allow pupils to contribute to decision-making and understand the responsibilities involved in supporting their community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders place significant emphasis on wellbeing. Staff build caring relationships and respond swiftly when pupils need help. Pupils say adults listen to them, support them and help them make positive choices. This consistent pastoral guidance means that pupils feel valued and well supported as they prepare for their next steps.

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Achievement Needs attention

Despite leaders' high expectations, teaching does not consistently ensure that pupils secure the knowledge and skills that they need to communicate effectively in writing. Weaknesses in teaching mean that gaps in some pupils' writing knowledge persist over time. This hinders how well pupils are prepared for their next stage of education. However, this is not the case in the early years, where more effective teaching helps children's emerging writing to develop well.

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Achievement Needs attention

In other subjects, many pupils progress well through the curriculum. They build knowledge securely and explain ideas with increasing accuracy. Leaders are rightly proud of their work to secure pupils' early reading and number knowledge. This is reflected in gains in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the multiplication tables check and in the phonics screening check. This helps to ensure that pupils have firm foundations for their future learning in some subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The teaching of writing is not consistently effective. Staff in the early years help children to secure some of the important foundations for writing well. However, in Year 1 and beyond, staff do not routinely ensure that writing activities match pupils' starting points. Pupils repeat tasks that do not help them succeed, and the gaps in their writing knowledge do not close quickly enough. Leaders have taken appropriate action to make improvements. However, this work is at an early stage.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In other subjects, including mathematics, teaching is more effective. Leaders have established a curriculum that helps pupils build knowledge step by step. Staff draw on their subject knowledge to explain new ideas clearly and check pupils’ understanding carefully. Staff spot when pupils make mistakes and quickly provide support. In the main, staff adapt their teaching appropriately to help reduce any barriers to pupils' learning. Additional staff support learning effectively. In these subjects, most pupils can apply what they know and move on to the next stage of learning successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Early reading is prioritised. Staff have the expertise needed to teach the school's coherent phonics programme well. Staff adapt phonics teaching carefully so pupils learn at the right pace. This results in most pupils learning to read accurately and fluently. However, books do not always precisely match pupils' current reading ability. This hampers progress for some pupils.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school because they feel included and valued. They say that staff are kind and caring and help them when they need support. Warm relationships help pupils feel safe in school. Pupils say that they can be 'exactly who we want to be, and that is OK'. This sense of belonging helps pupils settle quickly and approach their learning with confidence. Most attend school regularly.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically enjoy learning. In the main, staff provide suitable support to pupils with any barriers to their learning. Pupils achieve well in some areas of the curriculum, particularly in early reading and mathematics. However, teaching of other subjects is less effective. For instance, some pupils do not develop writing skills as quickly and securely as they should. Pupils behave well. Clear routines help lessons remain calm and purposeful. Pupils move sensibly around the building and play cooperatively during social times. When difficulties arise, staff respond quickly and fairly so that learning continues with minimal disruption. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens and that staff deal with concerns quickly. Pickle, the school dog, is a reassuring presence in and around school, bringing joy to the faces of the pupils each day.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils participate in a wide range of experiences beyond the classroom. They enjoy regular trips, which help to bring their learning to life. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the opportunity to attend a residential visit in Year 4. Clubs in sport, music and the arts allow pupils to explore their interests and develop new skills. Leaders take thoughtful action to ensure that all pupils can participate in these opportunities. Pupils learn important information to prepare them for modern society. For example, they learn about healthy relationships, online safety and respect for others. Leadership roles, such as school councillors, help pupils grow as responsible citizens and develop their confidence and resilience.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to understand pupils' starting points in writing so that teaching in Year 1 and beyond builds securely on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders should ensure that the books that all pupils read closely match their stage on the phonics programme in order to help them develop the fluency and automaticity needed for maximum progress. Leaders should continue to embed the new handwriting policy from Year 1 so that staff consistently support pupils to develop transcription skills and become more fluent in their writing.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Glyn Johnson.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, 3 governors including the chair, and a representative of the local authority during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

There have been no relevant changes since the previous inspection.

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Team inspectors:

Marilyn Mottram, Ofsted Inspector Maggie Spence, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 300 Headteacher: Ceri Marshall

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.1% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.3% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 11.5% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 13.3% 16.2% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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