Kings Norton Junior and Infant School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 26 th – 27 th November 2001

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SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant and Junior School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Pershore Road South Kings Norton Birmingham Postcode: B30 3EU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Audrey Ward

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 th June 1997 Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 4

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Team members

8710 Julie Moore Registered inspector 19664 John Bayliss Lay inspector 22182 Fiona Robinson Team inspector

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Team members

University of Warwick Science Park. Unit 2, Barclays Venture Centre, Sir William Lyons Road, Coventry. CV4 7EZ Tel/Fax: 02476415299 Email: ArdenInspections@cs.com

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16

Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Kings Norton Primary is a community school that is bigger than most other primary schools. It is pleasantly situated in the suburb of Kings Norton on the southern edge of Birmingham. The housing in the area is a mixture of privately owned and council or housing association rented accommodation. There are 411 pupils on roll, 193 boys and 218 girls, aged between four and eleven. Most of the pupils are white, with very few pupils having Black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani and Black African heritages. Four pupils have English as an additional language and all these pupils are fluent English speakers. Thirteen percent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs. These are mostly speech or communication difficulties and moderate or specific learning difficulties. Five of these pupils have statements of their special educational needs. This is about average. Twelve percent of pupils are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

known to be entitled to free school meals, and this is broadly average. When the pupils start school their attainment is broadly average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Kings Norton is a very successful school. Present standards are above average for both the seven and the eleven-year-olds and most pupils make at least good or better progress. The school prides itself on achieving higher than average standards, and it is usually successful. However, standards dipped recently for the eleven-year-olds in mathematics and science to average and below average. These pupils were taught by a number of teachers because of lengthy staff absences that were outside the school’s control. These have now been resolved, a stable staff is in place, and standards are picking up again to their usual better than expected levels. Teaching is good, with many very good features, and all the pupils are fully included in every aspect of the school’s day-to-day life. The acting headteacher, her acting senior management team and the governors, are managing the school effectively. Very good use

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

is made of the funds available to the school, and it provides good value for money. The school has received many awards including a School Achievement Award, The Charter Mark, The Basic Skills Quality Mark, Investors in People, The National Primary Centre’s Award for Good Primary Practice and the Education Business Partnership Award.

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What the school does well

• Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in higher than average standards in English, mathematics and science. • Children are getting a very good start to their education in the reception classes. • The wide range of interesting activities enriches the curriculum. • The school is a very caring one that provides extremely well for the personal development of all its pupils.

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What could be improved

• The school has no significant weaknesses that are not already being tackled effectively, and no minor issues emerge. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Very good progress has been made in tackling the issues outlined in the previous inspection report in 1997. Much of this work took place under the management of the usual headteacher. There were three main issues covering the provision of an outdoor area for the under-fives, developing more precise systems for marking pupils’ work, and developing an effective homework policy. The outdoor area for the reception pupils is now very good indeed, providing a high quality learning environment. Pupils’ work is marked extremely effectively, and written comments give praise as well as clear guidance about what Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 7 has to be done in order to improve. Homework is provided regularly for all pupils and it successfully supports and extends the work done in class.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

English A B B A well above average above average A B mathematics A B C C average below average C D science C B D D well below average E

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Key

Achieving higher than average standards has always been the school’s main priority. It has been successful until the tests for the eleven-year-olds this summer (2001). The previous high standards in the infants held up well but standards dipped for the eleven-year-olds to average in mathematics and below average in science. The main reasons for this were disruptions to the staffing arrangements, and this meant that many pupils missed out on the extra support they needed to maintain consistent progress in mathematics and science. Standards in English remained above average, as they were in the previous year, because the school was able to hold on to much of the necessary support. Inspection findings indicate that standards are above average for both the seven and the eleven-year-olds, with the very highest attainers achieving far above the expected standards in mathematics. The school is particularly good at nurturing its pupils with special educational needs, as well as its highest attainers,

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Key

and bringing them on well. All pupils have every opportunity to do well and to achieve the highest standards they can. Most pupils are making good progress year-on-year, achieving or exceeding their targets. When children start school their attainment is broadly average. When they leave the Foundation Stage 1 many children reach above average standards for their age. A significant majority of the seven- year-olds achieve above average standards, and this year standards are above average for the eleven- year-olds in all the main three subjects listed in the chart above. When compared to similar schools 2 standards are now better in English than they were last year. Trends over time show a year-on-year improvement. This held good until the last school year when trends showed a significant decline for the eleven-year-olds in mathematics and science. There was a smaller drop for the seven-year-olds in

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Key

reading and mathematics. Targets were just missed last year. They are challenging but achievable this year. Boys do not achieve as well as girls, but they are now making gains because teachers are using effective strategies to extend their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils always try hard, they concentrate on their work and they want to do well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils always behave very well, whether they are in lessons or playing outside. No pupils have been excluded from school.

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Aspect Comment

1 The end of the reception year. 2 Schools with a similar percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 8 Personal development and relationships Excellent. The school works very hard to make sure that all its pupils grow into kind and tolerant young people. Relationships are very good, enabling the pupils to learn well and to achieve high standards.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. Attendance levels are very high and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

The School Council allows pupils the opportunity to take part in decision making and planning. This helps them to be aware of broader issues, as well as developing their awareness of responsibilities as future citizens.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Quality of teaching Very good Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teaching is consistently good throughout the school. It was very good in almost half the lessons with the strongest teaching in the reception classes. This is why the youngest children get such a very good start to their education. All the pupils, including those with special educational needs as well as gifted and talented pupils, make good progress because work is set at the right levels for them. Learning support assistants play a valuable role in extending pupils’ understanding so that their learning can progress successfully. The really high flying pupils are especially well catered for. English and mathematics are well taught and there is a rigour to the teaching, which means that learning moves forward at a good pace and no time is wasted. Teachers are quick to get the lessons off to a brisk start. They make very good use of questions to find out how much the pupils have remembered from the

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

previous lessons, and they continually check what pupils are learning. This helps them to set the pupils’ next targets so that their learning progresses well. Basic skills of literacy and numeracy are properly taught and learnt in every class. Progress was not so good last year, especially for the older pupils. This was due to some weaknesses in the organisation of the teaching, caused by long-term staffing issues that were totally outside the school’s control. These issues have now been tackled successfully and pupils are on course to achieve their previous high results.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of extra activities. All the pupils are fully included in every aspect of the day-to-day life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are well supported and they make good progress towards achieving their targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Pupils work together very well and they help and support each other. They clearly know right from wrong and they recognise the wonder of the world about them. Their understanding of the richness of their own culture, as well as other cultures, is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The staff know their pupils well and they provide a safe and secure environment in which the pupils develop and thrive. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 9 The school is determined that all its pupils will experience a rich and varied curriculum, and it is successful. Drama, music and sporting activities all contribute to a curriculum that inspires pupils, challenging them to learn very effectively. Pupils are very well cared for. Their work and their personal development are tackled successfully and checked out thoroughly, and this helps their learning to speed up. Parents are fully involved in all aspects of the life of the school and they appreciate this. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The acting headteacher and her acting senior managers are looking after the school well. The team spirit is strong, and everyone is pulling together to make sure that progress is maintained and standards are high.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. Governors work closely with the acting headteacher and all her staff. They are fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the school, and they carry out their responsibilities well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school is especially good at analysing all the data that is available to it. Areas of weakness are quickly identified and appropriate steps are taken so that issues are tackled very effectively indeed.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Finances are well managed. Governors successfully follow the ‘best value’ principles when deciding how they can best achieve high standards and a quality education. The school gives good value for money.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school and they make good progress. • Behaviour and teaching are good. • The school is approachable and pupils are expected to work hard. • The school is well led and managed, and children are helped to become mature and responsible individuals. • Parents feel that there are not enough interesting activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. They do not agree that there are too few interesting activities outside lessons, as there is a very wide range of interesting and challenging activities both in and out of school time. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 11

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

higher than average standards in English, mathematics and science.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

1. The school is especially good at analysing all the data that it has about pupils’ achievements and progress. This rigorous approach enables any weaknesses to be identified straight away and tackled effectively. Standards slipped for the eleven-year-olds in mathematics and science in the last school year because of prolonged staff absence, totally outside the school’s control. Many pupils did not have the extra support they needed to maintain consistently good progress, and their learning was held back. Weaknesses in the organisation of the teaching have been identified and tackled effectively, so that this year the older pupils are already achieving higher than average standards in the main subjects of English, mathematics and science. The acting headteacher, her acting senior managers and governors have managed the staffing issues successfully.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

2. When children start school in the reception classes at Kings Norton their attainment is broadly average in many areas of learning. Recent analysis shows that attainment was below this level for many children in speaking and listening, reading and writing, using and applying knowledge, and relationships and attitudes. Early assessment quickly identifies areas where the children need extra help, and this is planned for individuals as well as groups. By the time the children leave the reception class many of them have made very good progress, achieving above average standards in all areas of learning 3 . Children are keen to reach their targets, which are set following detailed analysis of the teachers’ assessments.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

3. This early work is successfully built on and extended in Years 1 and 2, so that recent test results were well above average in writing and mathematics, and above average in reading. Inspection findings indicate that, at this time in the school, year pupils’ attainment in Year 2 is above average, with many pupils on course to achieve even higher standards. Standards, teaching and progress are monitored regularly by senior staff and the acting headteacher. The information and the data that arise from monitoring are carefully analysed and checked against earlier predictions. Slippage and accelerated progress are carefully noted, with suitable follow-up action put in place where necessary. All of this, which is common practice throughout the school, means that weaknesses are quickly identified and dealt with.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

4. Year 2 pupils are adept at expressing their ideas orally. In one lesson, following a drama presentation, pupils questioned the actors about their roles, putting forward their own suggestions about the setting of the play and the characters’ lifestyles. This lesson was well planned, with the teacher starting off with various well-structured questions so that pupils quickly focused on what was expected, and they rose to the challenge successfully. Reading is good, and this is because letter sounds and words are taught systematically. Learning and understanding go hand-in-hand, and literacy skills are developed well. Writing is well taught throughout the entire school. Pupils know how to form letters correctly, and written work is always clear and well organised. Full stops and capital letters are used correctly, and spelling is accurate.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

5. In mathematics the higher and average attaining Year 2 pupils understand place value,

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

3 The full curriculum for nursery and reception children. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 12 and they use secure methods to work out problems with large numbers. In one lesson the pupils were eager to identify halves and quarters accurately, demonstrating a secure understanding all round. Science is well taught, with a strong emphasis on investigation and ‘finding out’. Teachers encourage the pupils to be independent, and they are successful. Pupils are good at comparing and contrasting different objects and happenings such as types of food or different animal habitats. They draw conclusions readily, and can say whether or not happenings were as expected. Results are recorded accurately in many ways, with pupils using their literacy and numeracy skills effectively.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

6. Standards in English, mathematics and science for the eleven-year-olds are above average. Stable staffing, and better organised teaching, are already paying dividends, and the decline in attainment last year has been halted successfully. Literacy and numeracy are well taught. Lessons get off to a good start with a brisk question and answer session. This gets everyone’s attention straight away as well as enabling the teacher to find out how much pupils have remembered from their previous lessons.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

7. At the end of Year 6 pupils are confident when expressing their ideas orally. In one lesson, based on ‘Macbeth’, the class was studying the type and conventions of the language used in a play-script. Planning was meticulous in its detail, with a strong emphasis on different strategies for pupils of different capabilities. This helped the higher and average attaining pupils to increase their understanding of words and meanings, and later in the lesson they clearly explained how Shakespeare used language to create an apprehensive effect. Lower attaining pupils joined in the play reading, putting very good expression into their parts. This helped to generate the right atmosphere, improving the quality of learning overall.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

8. Writing is well taught, as it is in the infants, and teachers make the best use of supportive and analytical comments to show what has to be done if work and standards are to improve. This was an issue at the previous inspection and very good progress has been made in tackling it. Work is thoroughly marked in all subjects across the entire school, and teachers’ comments guide pupils forward so that standards improve all round. Writing standards are well above average. Pupils write in a range of forms. Their writing is lively and thoughtful and they use adventurous vocabulary very well. Handwriting is fluent, joined and legible, and pupils successfully use and apply their knowledge of grammar. This high quality written work is evident across the entire school, and is due to the consistent way that all teaching and support staff develop and extend every learning opportunity. They do not miss an opportunity to make sure that the pupils progress as

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

well as they can. Pupils use and apply their literacy skills in many other subjects, such as in a science lesson when listing their criteria for setting up a fair test, or in geography when writing up their fieldwork on the river Rea.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

9. There are some very high attainers in mathematics, with a small number of pupils achieving a pass grade in GCSE before they leave Kings Norton. Very focused teaching, alongside accurate assessment and careful analysis, enables these gifted pupils to reach such high levels. Other higher and average attaining pupils have a firm grasp of negative numbers. They use a range of methods for solving complex problems, and they can identify and name a range of two-dimensional shapes in different orientations on grids. Area and perimeter are calculated accurately in centimetres, and pupils can express different formulae in words. Lower attaining pupils achieve the standards expected for their age.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

10. Standards in science are pushing back up towards the above average levels found previously. Year 6 pupils are adept at working out constants and variables when setting up a fair test. The lower attaining Year 6 pupils responded readily to their teachers’ Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 13 suggestions when setting up an investigation on the effect of temperature on dissolving substances. Tasks were well organised by the pupils themselves, and they worked co- operatively together, organising their practical and written tasks. Higher and average attaining pupils quickly identified the key factors to be considered when a fair test is part of the investigation.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

11. Work is well planned and pitched at the right levels for pupils with special educational needs, as well as for the very highest attainers. Effective support means that the pupils progress well. The very good analyses of attainment and progress help the staff with their planning so that the pupils are always well challenged by their tasks. Targets are set at regular intervals, so that progress can be tracked and monitored effectively. Boys achieve consistently lower standards than girls, and the school is tackling this well. Teachers use a wide range of different strategies – questioning, breaking down learning into smaller blocks, giving extra support and using marking more formatively so that boys know clearly what is needed if work is to improve. Learning is effective all round for both boys and girls.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

12. Learning support assistants are very well trained and this helps them to be really effective. There were many examples where their input consolidated pupils’ understanding very successfully by moving learning on just that little bit further. Support assistants work alongside groups or individuals, providing extra help where it is needed – for example in a Year 6 mathematics lesson on sequencing numbers, and learning to use positive and negative numbers. The sensitive support, alongside clear explanations, helped a group of pupils to more readily understand sequencing negative and positive numbers.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

13. The school’s targets are challenging but achievable if pupils maintain their current rate of progress. The school is improving standards at broadly the same rate as most other schools in the country. There is a quiet determination to succeed in pushing standards up to their previous high levels. Homework is very well used to support and extend class- work. This was an issue at the last inspection and it has been very well tackled indeed. High quality teaching, accurate and detailed analysis of data, alongside detailed planning and assessment, means that the school is moving forward positively once again.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

Children are getting a very good start to their education in the reception classes.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

14. Weaknesses identified in the previous inspection report concerning the outdoor curriculum in the reception classes have been thoroughly and effectively tackled by the usual headteacher and her senior team. Very good progress has been made. There is now a stimulating and challenging outdoor learning area, which allows all the reception pupils to have a suitable curriculum, which is well planned to meet their learning needs. Funding for the project was well managed, and governors made sure that the principles of ‘best value’ were followed successfully. The area was planned in conjunction with students from a nearby college, and it won an award, with distinction, from the National Primary Centre

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

15. Teaching is very good and the children make very good progress. This holds good for gifted and talented children as well as those with special educational needs. Learning activities are well planned and delivered, so that children’s skills are developed effectively. Learning is fun, and the staff have created an exciting learning environment which makes the children want to take part and to be involved. Children are always encouraged to make choices, take turns and to share things with their friends, which develops their confidence and their self-esteem. This has a significant impact on their learning. In one example, in the outdoor area, children were waiting for their turn to have a go at throwing a bean-bag and measuring the distance it travelled. Children were extremely sensitive to Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 14 each other’s needs, for example one small girl said to her friend, ‘Do come and wait here

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

out of the cold, and it will soon be your turn then’. Children have a well-developed sense of others’ needs indicating a much higher than average standard for reception children of a similar age.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

16. Most of the children are on course to achieve or exceed the Early Learning Goals 4 by the time they move into Year 1. Early writing skills are developed well, and many children can write their name as well as writing letters and words. Simple ‘stories’ are accompanied by lively pictures, with standards above average for the age group. Many children have excellent imaginations. They draw on their feelings when talking about characters in their books, or what they have done at school or at home. The ‘Baby’ theme triggered much discussion, especially after the baby’s visit when everyone was keen to draw, write, paint, and bath the baby doll. One small boy spent at least 30 minutes concentrating on bathing the doll, wiping it dry and dressing it again – with obvious enjoyment. Social skills were developing well.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

17. Mathematics is enjoyed and standards are above average by the time the children reach the end of the reception year. Higher attaining reception children can successfully add two numbers together which total more than 10. Explanations are good, with the children demonstrating a secure understanding of counting larger numbers up to 20+.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

18. All the children are curious about the world around them. Most of them are competent at using the computer. They use the mouse accurately to move the cursor around the screen, choosing the correct letters to complete the words. The ‘Baby’ theme has enabled children to think about young and old in the context of their own families. They can successfully identify pictures of babies and toddlers, and they can talk about the differences to their teachers.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

19. Staff work together as an effective team, planning a lively and stimulating curriculum for the Foundation Stage children. One main strength is the way that staff interact with each other, relating positively to the children. They know when to stand back and let the children explore for themselves, and when to interact and give support so that the children’s learning moves on at a good pace. All of the boys and girls, including those with special educational needs make rapid gains in their learning because of the high quality teaching, the very good planning and the positive relationships between adults and children.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

The curriculum is enriched by the wide range of interesting activities.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

20. The school is very successful in providing and maintaining a rich and varied curriculum for all its pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted and talented. The curriculum is fully inclusive. There is a breadth and balance to the entire curriculum, which meets the varying interests and needs of all the pupils at Kings Norton. The starting point is the school’s main aim, which is to develop each child to his or her full potential, enabling them to grow and mature to lead happy and fulfilled lives, and to be active participants and positive contributors to society. Great store is set on achieving and maintaining high standards, and the curriculum reflects this with due emphasis placed on literacy and numeracy. The acting headteacher, her acting senior team and the governors work closely together, planning and prioritising curricular developments, and ensuring that

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

funds are available to implement future plans.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

21. The curriculum in the Foundation Stage has already been outlined in this report. In the

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

4 Standards set for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 15 rest of the school pupils have a broad range of enrichment and extension activities, both during and after the school day. The school’s partnerships with Birmingham Ballet and Birmingham City Symphony Orchestra are good examples. During the inspection a local theatre group visited to perform ‘Handa’s Surprise’ for a class of Year 2 pupils. The main story, about living in a village in Africa, was interesting and exciting for the pupils. Not only were they experiencing live theatre first hand, but they were also learning about different cultures and lifestyles in an African village. Subsequent discussions, and a question and answer session with the main character in the play, enabled pupils to find out more for themselves. Questions were well thought out, for example ‘What did you do in the

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

village?’, ‘Which animal were you in court?’, and ‘Why did you steal the fruit?’ meant that pupils’ knowledge and understanding were extended well.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

22. All the year groups in the school visit a wide range of interesting places. These range from the reception classes visiting Stratford-on-Avon to study transport and travelling on a bus, a train and a boat, to Year 6 pupils visiting Chester and including a canal study as part of their work in history and geography. Other year groups visit a wide range of museums and art galleries, and all of them make the best use of the local area around Kings Norton village green. The basic curriculum is enriched, and the pupils use and apply their existing knowledge in a range of situations outside the classroom. This helps standards to be improved even further. Older pupils take part in residential visits to Stansfeld, near Oxford. These visits develop social skills and positive interaction with each other, extend the pupils’ knowledge and understanding about the topics covered, and help to make learning more fun.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

23. Music, art and drama have a high profile throughout the school and are yet another strength, providing a diverse cultural and spiritual richness for all the pupils. Spirituality is developed exceptionally well across the entire curriculum. In one reception class the children were following their topic on ‘Babies’. One small boy, intent on bathing his baby, expressed wonderment at the colours of the spectrum in the bubbles surrounding the baby. Quiet areas in the school grounds provide places where children can sit quietly, away from the hurly-burly of playtime. The shared act of worship provides time for quiet reflection and prayer, giving all the pupils quiet moments of peace in their busy days. All of these activities successfully ensures that pupils are sensitive to the wonders of the world around them.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

24. The school takes great pride in the wide range of musical activities that it provides for its pupils. Right from the start of their time in school pupils have many opportunities to sing, compose, and to play musical instruments. Musical skills are taught and learnt very well indeed, and early experiences are built on and developed successfully as pupils move through the school. Music is enjoyed, and pupils’ performances are of high quality. In assembly, singing is bright and tuneful with clear diction, and is very well accompanied by the steel band. Facilities and resources are very good, with a new creative arts area, all of which promote high standards

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

25. The standard of art-work is very good, with some excellent two and three-dimensional displays in each classroom as well as the shared areas in the school. Creative skills are taught and extended well throughout the school, and this is why pupils achieve highly. They take a great deal of pride in their work, which they enjoy. Artists’ work from different cultures and periods is studied and explored effectively. Drama ranges from simple role- play to Shakespeare, and the genre is well covered. Pupils are confident when participating in drama, which is enjoyed to the full.

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Very effective and focused target setting, alongside good teaching, is resulting in

26. Sport is enjoyed by all, especially the after-school activities which include dance, gymnastics, football and netball. Other out of school activities include recorder groups, Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 16 choir, steel pans, keyboard, French, gardening, book buddies, puzzle/investigation and computers. No evidence was found to support parents’ views about the limited range of out of school activities, and those on offer cover a broad spectrum to suit all tastes. All of these activities ensure that every child is given the opportunity to develop their skills and talents to the full.

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

27. Pupils, staff and governors drew up the school aims, which are reaffirmed annually by everyone involved. The School Charter was devised by the children themselves, and its pride of place in the school hall means that it can be constantly referred to and acknowledged. The school’s ethos is strongly focussed on the development of each and every pupil, and both the Aims and the Charter form part of the Home/School agreement, which is warmly supported by the school community.

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

28. An important element of the school’s positive ethos is the expectation of high standards of behaviour from every pupil. Pupils respond to this very well and their behaviour is very good. All adults expect, and get, outstanding behaviour – both inside and outside school. Visitors are politely and warmly welcomed. Pupils are extremely courteous towards, staff, visitors and towards each other. They are tolerant and show a mature capacity to compromise, and there is no oppressive behaviour. Overwhelmingly, parents feel that behaviour is very good, and they are right. The calm and orderly atmosphere creates a positive climate for learning throughout the school.

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

29. The school has worked very hard to establish strong parental support. The valuable dialogue between school, parents and children ensures the continued well-being of the pupils and their on-going personal development. Any concerns and worries are shared quickly and successes celebrated. Without doubt, the positive and caring ethos successfully promotes the pupils’ very good attitudes towards their work and personal development.

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

30. Right from the start of their time at Kings Norton the pupils are encouraged to take on increasing responsibility for themselves, and for the day-to-day smooth running of the school. This ranges from helping in classrooms and having additional responsibilities as monitors leading to peer tutoring and peer mediation. Older pupils come into school early in the morning to take round registers and sort drinks and snacks for the infant pupils. ICT equipment is distributed and paper towels for cloakrooms are checked and organised. Older pupils also have a major role in organising whole school events such as ordering and costing classroom furniture for a new Year 6 classroom, deciding on colour schemes, organising lunch-time play activities and the Christmas postal service. A major part of their development happens in the Summer term when they are responsible for training their successors. All of these activities show a strong determination to ensure

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

that each and every pupil has every opportunity to extend their personal development successfully in many contexts.

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The school is a very caring one that provides very well for the personal development

31. The School Council meets weekly, with representatives from Year 1 upwards. Elections are held annually, and potential representatives compete for votes democratically. Pupils take an active role in improving the school and supporting the community. Representatives seek the views of their classmates, and feedback council decisions. This helps all pupils to have a greater awareness of their roles as citizens of the future.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 17 32. The school has no significant weaknesses that are not already being tackled effectively, and no minor issues emerge. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 411

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 50

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 54

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

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Attendance

School data 4.3 School data 0.0 Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 19 National comparative data 6.3 National comparative data 0.7

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 35 24 59

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 32 31 35 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 22 22

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 90 (100) 90 (100) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 32 33 35 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 22 21 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 92 (100) 92 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 32 27 59

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 22 21 26 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 23 20 23

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 76 (79) 69 (80) 83 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 24 22 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 22 24

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 83 (80) 75 (84) 92 (86) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 25 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16 Financial year 2000/01

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 843,118

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 15 Total expenditure 841,492

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 248 Expenditure per pupil 2,052

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 28,521

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 30,147

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 22 FTE means full-time equivalent. Kings Norton Infant and Junior School - 23

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 46 51 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 50 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 52 7 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 60 8 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 37 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 33 1 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 50 4 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 56 40 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 48 49 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 40 15 0 17

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