Coppice Primary School

COPPICE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 – 31 October 2001

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COPPICE PRIMARY 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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COPPICE PRIMARY 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.

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GLOSSARY

Foundation Stage – (young children up to the age of 5+ in the nursery and reception classes). The curriculum includes the ‘Areas of Learning’ - language development, mathematical understanding, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative, physical and social development. Key Stage 1 – Years 1 and 2. Key Stage 2 – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. Curriculum – everything the school teaches pupils in and out of class, such as English, science and health education, visits and visitors. Schemes of work – courses of lessons in e.g. English, for teachers to use when planning lessons. ICT – information and communication technology. Baseline assessment – tests for young children when they join the school or in their first year. Co-ordinator/subject manager – teacher in charge of organising a subject, such as English or physical education. Key Stage Co-ordinator - teacher in charge of organising several year groups such as at Key

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GLOSSARY

Stage 1 or 2. School development (or improvement) plan – set of plans that shows how the school will improve over the coming year or longer, what its priorities are for action and how it will spend its money. National averages – refer to National Curriculum test results and teachers’ assessments in English, mathematics and science where there are national comparisons with all schools and similar schools. National expectations – most pupils are expected to reach Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects at the age of seven years and Level 4 at the age of eleven. Coppice Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Trinity Road Four Oaks Sutton Coldfield West Midlands

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr R Roberts

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 June 1997 Coppice Primary School - 4

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Team members

21073 Roger Fry Registered inspector 8971 Judith Hesslewood Lay inspector 18152 Jill Palmer Team inspector 22421 Val McGrath Team inspector

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Team members

Kingston Centre Fairway Stafford ST16 3TW

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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 Coppice Primary 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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Coppice Primary is an above average sized school for boys and girls aged between four and eleven years. The school educates pupils from the Sutton Coldfield area. It has 407 pupils on roll. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is above that typical of children nationally. Three per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well below average. Nine per cent of pupils have special educational needs, such as difficulties with reading and writing. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is well below average. A small number of pupils have English as an additional language. They have African, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese and other European backgrounds. All speak English.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Coppice Primary is a very effective and caring school. It makes good provision for all pupils, including those with special educational needs. Pupils achieve well. By the time they leave the school, standards of pupils’ work are higher than in most schools. The teaching is good and the work that pupils are set is mostly demanding. All staff work very well together and seek to improve the standards of pupils’ work still further. The school effectively promotes the inclusion of pupils in all it does and equal opportunities. The cost of educating pupils is above average. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

 Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of Year 6 are well above average. Standards in English are particularly high.  The teaching and learning are good.  The management and leadership of the school are very good.  The school takes very good care of pupils.  Pupils’ attitudes to work, behaviour and personal development are very good.

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What could be improved

 The curriculum for the youngest children at the Foundation Stage should ensure more opportunities for outdoor play and physical development, and adult support for all areas of learning. 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

The school was last inspected in 1997. Since then it has made good improvements. The teaching has improved and pupils’ attainment is better. Teachers have greater expectations of pupils’ capabilities and all pupils achieve well. The school has usually sustained well above average standards in comparison with schools nationally at the end of Years 2 and 6 in all subjects. The format of the school development plan has been improved and priorities for action are much clearer. There are clear timescales for action. However, there are few references to costs in the plan, but this information is kept in detail elsewhere. The school knows the costs of its plans very well. Each target in the plan has a ‘success criterion,’ which staff and governors use to evaluate the effects of their work on the quality of education the Coppice Primary School - 7 school provides. The school now uses national guidance to prepare courses or lessons for

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

pupils. Their skills are systematically developed within the National Curriculum and religious education. Teachers’ assessments of what pupils have learned have improved. Work is well matched to pupils’ needs in most lessons. The school has a good capacity to sustain pupils well above average standards of work.

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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

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high (top 5%) A* English A A* A* A* well above average above average A B mathematics A A A A average below average C D science B A* A A well below average E

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Key

The table shows that in 2001, Year 6 pupils’ standards of work in English were very high (in the top five per cent) in comparison with all schools nationally and with similar schools. Standards in mathematics and science were well above average. Pupils reached their targets and some exceeded them. The school has sustained well above average levels of performance in the last three years. Pupils’ achievement varies little from year to year because of the consistent teaching of the National Curriculum and religious education. However, the school strives for ever better standards and seeks an improvement in standards of mathematics across the school.

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Key

Five year olds attain standards above those expected of children nationally and achieve well in most of the ‘Areas of Learning’ they study. Overall, the reception teaching has a positive effect on young children’s standards of work. Young children soon become confident and gain many important skills, such as how to work together with others and settle to tasks. Children’s physical development is limited by the lack of an outdoor play area and the limited time devoted to physical activities.

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Key

Results from the reading, writing and mathematics tests for Year 2 pupils over the last four years have varied between average and very high in comparison with all schools nationally. At the end of Year 2 in 2001, pupils’ National Curriculum test results were very high in writing (in the top five per cent) and well above average in mathematics in comparison with schools nationally and similar schools. Pupils’ results were above average in reading in comparison with similar schools and were well above nationally. Science results were also above average in comparison with schools nationally. The trend in results has been to maintain well above average standards over the last four years. Coppice Primary School - 8 During the inspection, Year 2 pupils’ standards of work observed were above average in English and mathematics. Pupils made good progress and achieved well. Eleven year olds’ standards of work observed were also above average in English, mathematics and science at

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Key

this early stage in the year. In all three subjects, pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as a second language, made good progress and achieved well. Most pupils with special educational needs reach national standards. Pupils attained the standards expected nationally in all other subjects observed at seven and eleven years old.

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Key

Pupils achieve well. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and the quality of teaching ensures that pupils make good progress. Pupils achieve well in other subjects, such as art and design and music. For example, pupils draw and paint confidently. Achievement in Year 6 last year was very good in English because the teaching across the school has been increasingly sharply focussed on what pupils need to learn. Pupils with special educational needs also achieve well and they attain their targets.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show a keen interest in school life and make the most of lessons, special events and clubs. Pupils listen attentively to teachers and each other during lessons and therefore make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and at playtimes. Movement around the school is also good. Pupils are reliable and helpful. Many pupils are mature and hard working, from Reception to Year 6.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils progress well in lessons because they co- operate enthusiastically and feel part of the school. Older pupils work effectively and independently for long periods and children under five mature quickly.

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

Quality of teaching Satisfactory 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

All children in the reception classes, for example, learn to listen to others, work with numbers to ten and write sentences. Adults successfully use a wide range of practical activities to help children learn. Children quickly gain in confidence and consequently are able to learn new ideas quickly. Reception teachers and staff teach the main group activities effectively. On Coppice Primary School - 9 occasions, children working in other parts of the room on play activities are left for periods with less support and their progress is slower.

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

English (literacy) and mathematics (numeracy) are taught effectively. The efficient organisation of lessons and challenging work set in literacy and numeracy lessons have led to pupils’ good results in Years 2 and 6. Teachers have high expectations of all pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to school. There is a purposeful atmosphere in classrooms and all teachers have a wide spread of knowledge and skills, which they use effectively to bring about learning. Teachers and support staff reinforce ideas effectively and repeat key points in every lesson. By the time pupils complete Year 6, they have an extensive knowledge of English and mathematics. Some outstanding teaching of these subjects was observed.

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

Teachers and support staff are clear about what it is that pupils will learn in each lesson and they check that this has happened. The quality of lesson planning is good. Pupils learn at a good pace because they are mostly well challenged by what they have to do. Occasionally, insufficient attention is given to the match of work to pupils’ capabilities. Displays of information and pupils’ work on classroom walls are very good.

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

Pupils’ capacity to learn is extended effectively and the needs of pupils are met in most lessons. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because teachers and support staff meet their needs effectively within small withdrawn groups and in whole class lessons. Pupils with English as an additional language learn as well as other pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. All subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are planned consistently well. High priority is given to teaching literacy and numeracy. Pupils are taught an interesting and broad range of topics in lessons. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is limited by the lack of an outdoor play area. The school has good plans to improve the curriculum for young children further.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The provision is well managed. Pupils make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans. Many pupils attain national standards. Teachers and support staff help pupils effectively in lessons. Pupils with statements of their special educational needs are well integrated into lessons.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. All pupils are well integrated and have no difficulties with English. Teachers ensure that pupils who do need to learn English receive extra attention when they need it. All pupils are included in all that the school does. Coppice Primary School - 10

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Aspect (continued) Comment (continued)

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. All pupils have the opportunity to take part in everything that the school does. There are many clubs for pupils to join, which they enjoy. Pupils’ social and moral development is strongly encouraged by, for example, fund raising for charities, organised games at lunchtimes and outward-bound activities.

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Aspect (continued) Comment (continued)

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Procedures for maintaining pupils’ behaviour work very well. The school council is a valuable addition to the school’s work. End of year reports to parents are informative. Displays of pupils’ work in classrooms are very good.

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Aspect (continued) Comment (continued)

The school has a good partnership with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher leads in a very constructive way. The school has gained several national awards for the effectiveness of its work, such as ‘Investors in People’. Teachers with responsibilities are very effective. Since the last inspection, the school has responded effectively to what needed to be done. The administration of the school is efficient.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors take an active role in helping to manage the school. They understand its strengths and what still needs to be done. The work of the committees is particularly effective. Governors work closely with the staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school development plan effectively identifies what the school needs to do. The plan is used to check progress towards targets very well. Staff make many checks on the work of the school and the quality of teaching has improved as a result. The school has good plans to improve its self-review procedures still further. The initiative to improve mathematics is successful.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school has made good use of the money available to it. ‘Best value’ is found for major purchases and contracts. The headteacher has a very good grip on all budgetary matters. Coppice Primary School - 11

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

 Children like going to school and make good progress with their work.  Behaviour is good.  The teaching is good and parents are kept well informed of their children’s progress.  The school has high expectations of children.  The school is well managed and led.  The school helps children to mature and become responsible.  The amount and range of homework.  The range of extracurricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. Inspectors found that there is a good range of interesting extracurricular activities and that regular homework is set, appropriate for children of different ages.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

Year 6 are well above average. Standards in English are particularly high.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

1. Pupils achieve well. Teachers have high expectations of pupils and the good quality of teaching ensures that pupils make good progress from the time they enter the school until they leave it. Pupils’ achievement varies little from year to year because of the consistent teaching of the National Curriculum and religious education. Achievement in Year 6 last year (summer 2001) was very good in English because the teaching across the school has been increasingly sharply focussed on what pupils need to learn. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language also achieve well and they attain their targets.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

2. Parents are pleased with the progress their children make. There are important reasons why standards and achievement have been maintained since the last inspection. The very good management of the school and teachers’ dedication are two factors. The school has carefully identified its areas of relative weakness over the years and has set out to improve them. Several years ago the school identified standards in mathematics across the school as an area for development. Extra staff have been employed to teach pupils and therefore to help raise standards. The provision the school makes for mathematics works well and pupils’ attainment now matches that of other subjects.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

3. The headteacher and senior staff make checks on the quality of teaching and this has been a significant factor in improving the quality of lessons. Lessons in all subjects are planned so that all pupils have work that challenges them. Teachers provide interesting and well written work sheets and other tasks for pupils to do. Teachers display pupils’ work and important information very clearly. Adults work closely together and there is consistency throughout the school in all it does. Pupils are clear what they have to do and how long they have to do it. Consequently, pupils have a sense of pride in their work and receive rewards when a job is well done.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

4. Five year olds attain standards above those expected of children nationally and achieve well in most of the ‘Areas of Learning’ they study. The teaching in reception classes has a positive effect on young children’s standards of work, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Young children soon become confident and gain many important skills, such as, how to work together with others and settle to tasks. In language and literacy lessons, children understand what an author does, they explain who the main characters are in a story and read frequently repeated words. Children know the sounds of many letters, know what the front and back covers of books tell us and read simple words such as, ‘like,’ ‘cat’ and ‘my.’ Higher attaining children write in phrases and short sentences with well formed letters.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

5. Teachers use extra adult help effectively. Support staff work with small groups of children successfully. Teachers plan many practical activities to improve children’s attainment. Children competently use numbers up to ten using counters, cards and coloured Teddy Bears. They recognise each number and use the names of numbers Coppice Primary School - 13 with confidence. They make seven with different combinations of numbers, know the months of the year and some of properties of common shapes. Children attain standards in physical development typical of children nationally. However, they had few opportunities to express ideas, thoughts or feelings through movement in the lesson observed. Children’s physical development is limited by the lack of an outdoor play area and the time devoted to physical activities.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

6. During the inspection, Year 2 pupils’ standards of work observed were above average in English and mathematics. Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the end of the year, higher attainers join letters legibly and have continued to make good progress. They know how to set out a letter. They write imaginative sentences such as, ‘As soon as they walked in, they stopped to stare at the object.’ Average and higher attaining pupils spell ‘photograph’ and ‘wonderfully’ correctly. Pupils use capital letters and full stops consistently. Lower attaining pupils write their ideas in sequences using simple words. They remember to use full stops on occasions. Teachers have implemented the literacy and numeracy strategies effectively by grouping pupils of like capabilities in lessons.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

7. By the end of the year, higher attaining Year 2 pupils use bar graphs and interpret them, measure accurately in centimetres and share 14 between 2. Pupils competently add and subtract numbers, such as 96 minus 9. Average attaining pupils recognise quarters and halves, can sequence numbers and understand how to use co-ordinates to plot the position of objects. Lower attainers understand the terms ‘longer’ and ‘shorter.’ They multiply 2 by 9 successfully and know the time to the nearest hour. Teachers successfully use many practical activities to improve pupils’ understanding, such as simple clock faces.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

8. Eleven year olds’ standards of work observed were above average in English, mathematics and science at this early stage in the year. In all three subjects, pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, made good progress and achieved well in lessons. Over the year, most pupils with special educational needs reach national standards.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

9. Teachers’ depth of understanding and enthusiasm for literacy, numeracy and science has a very positive effect on pupils’ standards of work. Higher attaining pupils last year used different kinds of writing, such as story, poetry and instructional language, to express their thoughts. They have studied Macbeth in some detail and by the end of the year, pupils’ writing is lively and interesting. Average attaining pupils also attained good standards. Their work is logical and well reasoned. Pupils know the difference between ‘active’ and ‘passive’ verbs and improve the quality of their work using this knowledge. Lower attaining pupils do not use paragraphs successfully but understand how to answer factual comprehension questions correctly.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

10. Pupils attain the standards expected nationally in all other subjects observed at seven and eleven years old. Pupils achieve well in several subjects, such as art and design and music. For example, pupils draw and paint confidently. Many pupils learn to play instruments. In Year 5, the teacher responsible for music gave pupils opportunities to play the flute and cello in front of their classmates. Pupils enjoyed Coppice Primary School - 14 this and they learned more about the way music conveys mood through the minor and major keys. One pupil played tunes to a high standard.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

11. Over the past four years there has been much good teaching, which has been reflected in pupils’ standards of work. Teachers share common goals and discuss ideas together constructively. Since the last inspection teachers have worked hard to improve their skills further, for example, to support their work in literacy and numeracy lessons. Several examples of very good and excellent teaching were observed during the two days of the inspection. Parents feel the teaching makes a significant and positive contribution to the education of their children.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

12. There are a number of positive features to be found in the good teaching. Staff have a wide range of skills which they use in lessons to further pupils’ learning. For example, teachers have expertise in English literature, physical education, music and in many other subjects. They understand how to help pupils with special educational needs. Teachers give clear explanations and assist pupils by revising points in each lesson through clear introductions, well planned activities and good end of lesson revision sessions. Teachers use interesting subject matter so that pupils find it easier to engage with lessons. In most lessons, work is very well matched to pupils’ capabilities.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

13. Teachers constantly check what pupils have learned by, for example, asking them to repeat ideas or to make connections between ideas. Support staff and parent helpers motivate pupils, particularly the least able, and keep them concentrating on what they need to do. This work is invaluable. Teachers commonly give pupils targets to attain over short periods. When pupils achieve their targets, they feel a sense of success and want to work hard to attain the next target. Teachers value pupils’ work by displaying it clearly.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

14. Where teaching was less successful, pupils did not make the progress expected. In a very small number of lessons, pupils’ work was not sufficiently well matched to their capabilities, for example, in spelling sets. One mathematics lesson lacked pace and the activity given to pupils required them to do too much preparation work, rather than work that concentrated on the lesson target.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

15. At the Foundation Stage for the youngest children, teachers provide a series of activities that reflect much of the curriculum recommended for children of this age. Teachers and adults in the reception classes ask children how they are getting on and about what they have done. Teachers reward children who have worked hard. There is a constructive atmosphere in the reception classes. A very good lesson was observed where a member of the support staff worked with a small group of children with numbers up to five. They learnt, for example, that four comes after two and to find five Teddy Bears of the same colour. Children benefited greatly from the intensive teaching that revised the links between the numbers in very many different ways so that their interest was maintained. Coppice Primary School - 15 16. Children feel safe and secure, but occasionally lessons are taught quite formally and the questions that teachers ask of children only require short answers. Children make

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

better progress when they receive regular support and approval from adults in the room. On occasions, play activities that happen alongside number and literacy group work, do not receive sufficient attention from adults. The school’s outdoor facilities for young children are limited, which has a negative effect on their progress in physical activities. However, teachers make appropriate use of the school hall for physical development lessons and when using large toys.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

17. The staff follows a common behaviour code, which means pupils know what is expected of them in every class. Pupils are effectively managed. In an excellent physical education lesson in Year 5, the teacher developed pupils’ capacity to sequence jumps and rolls most effectively. There was a very good level of challenge for pupils in the lesson, but with proper consideration for safety. The lesson featured very good demonstrations of good work and the teacher questioned pupils very effectively about their understanding of their movements. Pupils understood what they had to do and their high level of learning showed in the way that they applied new ideas to their sequences of movements. Pupils tried very hard to do their best and had excellent attitudes to work.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

18. In Year 1, a teacher read a story called ‘The Aliens Are Coming’ to the year group. He was very well prepared and had a very good picture drawn on the blackboard to capture pupils’ attention. He reinforced points most skilfully about rhyming words and kept pupils enthralled in the story. Pupils learned to recognise rhyming words and to share them with the class. They understood also that a pattern means ‘It keeps repeating.’ Pupils answered questions willingly and spoke with clear intonation. In Year 3, the teacher revised pupils’ understanding of scientific of their experiments very well towards the end of the lesson. Virtually all pupils understood that only one ‘variable’ can be changed at any one time if the test is to be fair.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

19. In Year 6, one of the team of teachers taught an excellent lesson for a group of pupils identified as having special educational needs in mathematics. The teacher was very well prepared with a range of pictures and shapes that could be stuck on a board and other devices to keep pupils very well motivated and interested in the lesson. Pupils learned, for example, about the three types of triangle and what a right angle looks like. They also learned to visualise problems further, such as how to build a path between two points, by imagining a picture in their minds of how many slabs they would need.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

20. English (literacy) and mathematics (numeracy) are taught effectively. The challenging work set in literacy and numeracy lessons has led to pupils’ good progress and very high results in Year 6. Over the last few years, pupils in Year 6 have achieved well above average standards in mathematics and science. Pupils’ standards in literacy and numeracy benefit from work done in other subjects. Teachers develop pupils’ understanding of spelling, punctuation and grammar in, for example, history lessons. Teachers mark pupils’ work carefully and pupils learn from their mistakes. Pupils continue to learn to write clearly in many lessons. For example, pupils use graphs in science that they interpret using well chosen words. Coppice Primary School - 16 21. The teachers in Year 6 complete pupils’ primary education. They thoroughly revise all aspects of the subjects tested in a rigorous and meaningful way for pupils. Pupils

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

have responded very well indeed to their teaching and the national test results are proof of this. The Year 6 teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to work. Lessons are interesting and pupils know how important their work is. Pupils in one class were studying the ‘The Secret Garden.’ The teacher had an excellent understanding of how to develop pupils’ understanding of characters in the book.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

The management and leadership of the school are very good.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

22. Since the last inspection, the school has responded effectively to what needed to be done. The headteacher provides very good leadership and clear direction for the school. Senior staff set a rigorous example in all matters, not least in the way that they involve all staff in the management process.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

23. The deputy headteachers and key stage co-ordinators feel that teamwork is a crucial element in the success of the school. The headteacher effectively delegates many tasks and this process helps to make teachers become good subject managers. There is a strong emphasis on careful forward planning, such as in the plan to improve the curriculum for the youngest children in the Foundation Stage. Teachers within year groups plan how they will teach the National Curriculum and religious education together and subject managers ensure that the curriculum fits together well from ages six to eleven. Co-ordinators know where the areas of relative weakness remain in pupils’ standards of work.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

24. The positive aims of the school in the prospectus are clearly reflected in its work. For example, the school aims to reward pupils for positive behaviour and places self- discipline at the heart of learning. Parents feel that the school is well managed and led and that the school works closely with them. Reports to parents are informative and parents feel they are kept well informed about their children’s progress.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

25. The governing body provides very good support for the management of the school and has ensured that it makes a significant contribution to the school’s development planning process. The planning days are particularly successful because governors and staff have the opportunity to influence the future of the school together at a point where key decisions are made. The chair of governors has a clear view of the strengths of the school and what it needs to do next. Some governors work in the school and others visit it regularly. Governors make checks on what the school does and any matters that arise are discussed thoroughly. For example, a committee of governors regularly reviews the way the school spends its money, and the staffing committee successfully appoints good staff.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

26. Teachers with responsibilities are effective in their work. English, mathematics and science co-ordinators have developed their subjects well. Consequently pupils’ results have been sustained and on occasions improved. Targets for lessons are consistently well written throughout the school. Overall, the school is successful because all teachers work together to improve what the school does. Teachers are thorough in Coppice Primary School - 17 what they do and share expertise regularly. They attend many courses within the school’s overall plan and bring back information for all to hear and to act upon.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

27. Teaching assistants are effective. They reinforce learning and help teachers in many other ways. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed. The school identifies pupils with special educational needs early in their school careers. This has allowed the school to develop individual education plans that boost pupils’ performances, in many cases up to the standards that are expected nationally by the time they are eleven years old. They make very good progress. Support staff help to meet their needs effectively. All pupils with special educational needs are included in all that the school does.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

28. There are further reasons why the school is successful. Teachers carefully analyse test results so that any weaknesses in pupils’ performances can be put right. One of the deputy headteachers has prepared a helpful computer based record of all pupils’ test results, which reveal patterns of all pupils’ progress. This record allows teachers to identify, for example, groups or individual pupils who have made good or unsatisfactory progress. Once this is known, teachers group pupils so that their needs can be met more efficiently. For example, pupils with special educational needs benefit from small group work in Year 6. Staff have analysed the quality of pupils’ work and watched their colleagues teach. This process has had a positive effect on teachers’ work, because recommendations for improvement have been made in reports to teachers and they are followed up. Teachers have looked closely into the

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

comparative achievements of boys and girls.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

29. The administration of the school is efficient. There is a good system for recording attendance. Very few pupils arrive late. The headteacher and governors ensure that the school is safe on a day to day basis. The headteacher and office staff keep a careful check on spending and ensure that the governors receive regular reports about financial matters. The school’s budget is so well understood that the school only needs to keep a very small amount for contingencies. Pupils benefit because virtually all the school’s budget is available each year to spend on the provision for them.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

30. The school buildings show signs of their age but they are maintained in a safe condition. The school has correctly decided that the budget should be spent on staff and modern books and equipment for pupils to use. Good resources have a positive effect on what the school provides. The headteacher and staff in both buildings work very well together. The headteacher has ensured that the school works as one unit on all important matters. There is a strong sense of shared purpose evident between all adults involved in the school.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

31. The school’s evaluation of its performance is very good. The headteacher, governing body and staff have successfully recorded the school’s priorities in the ‘School Improvement Plan’. Targets are reviewed regularly and they are very useful tools that the school uses to judge progress. The current school improvement plan is a very good working document. It contains all that the school needs to do to make further progress. Priorities are identified taking into account influences on the school, such as the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs and the needs of pupils with English as an additional language. The school identified that mathematics Coppice Primary School - 18 standards were in need of attention several years ago. Therefore, the school allocated a significant sum of money each year to buy extra teaching time for small group teaching. This work has been successful and mathematics standards have improved.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

The school knows its strengths and areas for development very well. The school’s management is well aware of the shortcomings in the provision for young children’s physical development. The reception classes do not have a safe outdoor play area for children to use.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

32. Two years ago Coppice Primary School gained an ‘Excellence Award’ for the high standards of work in the school. The school has also gained the ‘Investors in People’ award that recognises, for example, the good quality of relationships between staff and the very good systems for staff training.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

The school takes very good care of pupils.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

33. There is firm evidence of the success of the school’s work in the levels of attendance the school attains. Teachers and the administrative staff closely monitor attendance and the result is that it is well above average. Pupils attend school regularly and therefore learn more. The school is successful in maintaining the very good behaviour of pupils. Teachers and all staff provide very good role models. The oldest pupils also set a very good example of how to behave to younger pupils. Throughout the school, there is very good attention to health and safety matters. The headteacher and staff ensure the site is safe to use.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

34. Parents feel that the school makes a good job of teaching their children right from wrong. Their children know the school rules and parents are pleased that good manners are taught as part of the daily life of the school. Younger pupils learn to express their views and to listen to each other during discussions. From the Foundation Stage onwards, teachers and support staff concentrate on developing good manners and social behaviour amongst children. Expectations are high and pupils do not want to let the school down.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

35. The staff works as a team at all times and they share the responsibility for maintaining good behaviour throughout the school. All classrooms have rules, which have been devised and therefore owned by pupils. The school has a Pupil Council where pupils bring their concerns and good ideas to the attention of teachers. Both these areas are successful in developing pupils’ sense of responsibility and pupils feel included in all the school does. Pupils are particularly and well cared for at lunchtime. The lunchtime play leader provides a series of games and activities so that pupils have fun things to do.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

36. Pupils with special educational needs respond very well to the extra support and care they receive and make rapid progress at times. At Coppice School there is a family atmosphere where pupils care for one another. First-aid arrangements are good. Most pupils are keenly aware of how they can get better at their work and contribute more fully to school life. The school’s assessment systems allow teachers to make informed decisions about what pupils should learn next. End of year reports are informative. For example, they inform parents about their children’s attainments and give good information about the curriculum. Coppice Primary School - 19 37. The school provides a good personal and health education programme. The youngest children discuss matters such as their own strengths and capacities now in comparison with when they were younger. Part of the programme for older pupils involves aspects of citizenship. There is a strong link with the police force, and the area

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

policeman talks to pupils about very important matters, such as talking to strangers, vandalism and peer group pressures, so that pupils can make informed decisions about what is good at what is not.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

38. Younger pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about religious stories from other cultures during acts of collective worship. In one act of collective worship, pupils learned to be more aware of other people’s faiths and cultures through the story of Rama and Sita. In the act of collective worship about Divali for older pupils, there was a well planned moment of reflection for those who are suffering in our world. Pupils entered and left the hall very quietly and respectfully.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

39. The school runs a good range of extracurricular, including a ‘signing club’. Pupils learn the ‘sign’ alphabet and can ask each other’s names and give a reply. In this example, pupils are learning to be tolerant and that it matters that they can communicate with the deaf. Pupils are encouraged to care for others in many other ways. The school collects together food parcels at harvest time for distribution to those in need, enters the Blue Peter appeals and supports the shoe box appeal for those in need in other parts of the world.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

Pupils’ attitudes to work, behaviour and personal development are very good.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

40. Pupils’ attitudes enhance their progress and the standards they attain because they make the most of what they are offered. They show a keen interest in school life and most have a thirst for knowledge. Pupils work very well together and they behave very well in lessons. Pupils respond willingly to the good teaching. Parents feel that children’s behaviour is very good. Older pupils work independently for long periods and enjoy being treated as capable young people. There is a high and often implicit expectation that pupils will behave responsibly. Movement around the school is good and pupils are reliable and helpful. Older pupils particularly enjoy going to an outward-bound centre.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

41. There are many examples of pupils’ very good responses to school. Reception children have good attitudes to work. Children quickly become involved in everything they are doing and co-operate willingly. Some more mature children worked together on activities. They replayed a word game, copying the roles of teacher and children very well and some good consolidation of the key points of this lesson took place.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

42. In many lessons, pupils show very good powers of concentration. They are attentive and concentrate very well on the teaching, partly because it is interesting and also because teachers’ expectations of pupils are high. In Year 2, pupils are keen, enthusiastic and remain on task. They settled very quickly to work in mathematics. In a literacy lesson, pupils were interested in identifying the main characters in a story and about how to develop their ideas further. In Year 4, pupils showed very good Coppice Primary School - 20 attitudes in an art and design lesson. Pupils responded with enthusiasm during discussions because the teacher organised the lesson very well. Pupils learnt much about how artists used colour to convey meaning and began to record ways of representing a journey. Pupils were keen to give their ideas about the use of colour. During singing practice, Years 3 to 6 sang hymns enthusiastically in the hall.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

43. Some outstanding teaching was observed in Year 6. One of the results of the teaching is that pupils have developed a thirst for learning and a desire to do their best. In an English lesson about ‘The Secret Garden,’ pupils concentrated very well as their classmates read paragraphs of the story. When asked to scan the text for certain ideas, they did so with very good attention. Pupils were keen to explain what ‘selfish’ and ‘desolation’ meant. Pupils responded very well to the teacher’s praise for their oral work and to his written comments in exercise books. Hardly a moment was wasted during this lesson and pupils’ very good attitudes to work now and in the past showed in the quality of their fluent reading.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

44. Pupils with special educational needs in Year 6 feel included and part of the year group, just as much as anyone else. Their attitudes and behaviour during their small group mathematics lesson were excellent. They all tried very hard to remember facts about triangles, answered questions about new ideas as well as that could, and when they did not know the answer, they listened to see if anyone else did. Pupils felt no sense of alienation in the group, and they realised how well their experienced teacher was looking after them.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standards of work by the end of

45. The school has adopted a system of two short outdoor breaks in the morning. This arrangement works very well. Pupils work hard for an hour and then they have a short period in which to relax before the next lesson. Pupils play co-operatively and sensibly in the playground during breaks. They play a variety of games, some of which are provided for them and others of their own. Pupils have opportunities to collect and deliver items to classes, which they enjoy. Pupils carry out these activities reliably.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The curriculum for the youngest children at the Foundation Stage has limitations.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

46. The school’s action plan for the Foundation Stage, dated September 2001, identifies the need for an early years policy, short term (weekly) planning which covers all the ‘Areas of Learning,’ an outdoor learning environment where children exercise large muscle groups and a need for a medium term (termly) plan which addresses the Foundation Curriculum. In this document, the school has identified most of the areas that need to be improved. The school has started work on many of these important targets.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

47. Inspectors noted that children in the Foundation Stage attain standards in physical development typical of children nationally. However, they had few opportunities to express ideas, thoughts or feelings through movement in the lesson observed. Children’s physical development is limited by the lack of an outdoor play area and the time devoted to physical activities. The school’s outdoor facilities for these young Coppice Primary School - 21 children are limited, which has a negative effect on their progress in physical activities.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

48. Inspectors further noted that children feel safe and secure but occasionally lessons are taught quite formally and the questions that teachers ask of children only require short answers. Children make better progress when they receive regular support and approval from adults in the room. On occasions, play activities, that happen alongside number and literacy group work, do not receive sufficient attention from adults.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

49. The governors, headteacher and staff should continue the action plan for the Foundation Stage begun this term and ensure:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) the curriculum in the Foundation Stage includes an appropriate balance of activities in all the ‘Areas of Learning,’ including children’s physical development; (see paragraph 5,16)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) a safe outdoor play area is established for young children; (see paragraph 16)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) adult time in lessons is well distributed between all activities. (see paragraph 16) Coppice Primary School - 22

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 25 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 3 7 10 4 1 0 0 Percentage 12 28 40 16 4 0 0 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 four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll YR – Y6 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 407 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 36

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 23

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 18 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10 Coppice Primary School - 23

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 3.6 School data 0.0 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 29 30 59

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 28 29 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 30 29

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 97 (98) 100 (98) 98 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 28 29 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 28 29

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 97 (100) 97 (98) 98 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Coppice Primary School - 24

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 31 30 61

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Boys 31 27 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 29 27 29

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 98 (97) 89 (90) 98 (98) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 28 29 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 27 26 28

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 90 (97) 90 (91) 97 (99) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year . Coppice Primary School - 25

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 4 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 8 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 1 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 2 Chinese 0 0 White 315 White 1 0 Any other minority ethnic group 18 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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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.9 Financial year 2000 /

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher Average class size 29 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 866178 Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 899983

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 151.5 Expenditure per pupil 2216

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 10683 Coppice Primary School - 26

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 8 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) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Coppice Primary School - 27

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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. 53 35 7 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 51 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 40 14 3 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 52 10 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 63 35 1 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 71 29 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 47 44 8 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 57 40 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 35 2 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 20 47 19 3 12

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents questioned whether there is a good range of interesting extracurricular activities and whether regular appropriate homework is set for children of different ages.

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