Tenacres First School

TENACRES FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th and 12 th November 2002

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TENACRES FIRST SCHOOL

Inspection number: 247677 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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TENACRES FIRST 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. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Quibery Close Winyates East Redditch

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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 Malcolm Hall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1997 Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 2

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Team members

23039 David Penney Registered inspector 8986 Philip Andrew Lay inspector 13307 Ian Hancock Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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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 Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 8

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

Tenacres First School serves an area of mixed housing on the outskirts of Redditch. It has 258 boys and girls on roll, aged from four to nine years, which makes it slightly above the average size for its type. Numbers are now steady after a period of decline, as in other schools locally. Pupils are taught in two parallel classes in each year group. There are more boys on roll than girls, overall, and considerably more in Year 1. Nearly all pupils come from a white ethnic background, although there are small numbers of pupils from Asian or mixed race backgrounds. Eight pupils speak English as an additional language, which is higher than in most schools, but none is at an early stage of acquiring the language. Thirty-three pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, which, at 12.8 per cent, is below the national average; none has a statement of special educational needs, which is also below

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

average. The range of need includes learning, physical and emotional and behavioural difficulties. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals (13.2 per cent) is broadly average. Attainment on entry to the school is broadly average, although a significant number of children have below average personal and social skills. The school received the ‘Investors in People’ award in July 2002.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a highly effective school that gives very good value for money. Standards are consistently at least above, and frequently well above, the national average. All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and the school meets the academic and personal needs of all pupils well. The school is a caring and safe environment in which pupils develop their personal qualities very well. The quality of teaching is good throughout the school. The governing body has a very good understanding of the school’s needs and strengths. The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher, who is well supported by her colleagues. They form an effective team that is fully committed to further improvement.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully supported by the governors and the staff of the school. • The school makes very good use of a wide range of measures to judge and improve its effectiveness. • Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage them very well. • All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good results. • The personal development of pupils is successfully given a high priority.

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What could be improved

• The opportunities given to pupils, especially the potentially higher attainers, to use their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in other subjects of the curriculum. 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 October 1997. Since then the rate of improvement has been very good. Standards have improved at a rate that, overall, matches the improvements made nationally. The length of the teaching day now meets the national recommendations. All the key issues of the previous report have been addressed effectively; as a result, the work of the school is evaluated with more rigour and co-ordinators are more involved in the process. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning has improved, with a higher proportion of good or very good lessons. In addition, there have been important improvements to the provision for pupils’ personal development, including their personal, social and health education. The amount of extra-curricular activities has grown considerably. Parents are more Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 5 appreciative of the efforts the school makes for their children. The governing body is more fully involved

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

in the work and direction of the school. The school is well placed to continue this rate of improvement.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

reading C A B B well above average above average A B writing C A A A average below average C D mathematics C A B A well below average E

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Key

The table shows that in the national tests in 2002, results, which currently are not validated, in writing were well above the national average and the average for schools with similar proportions of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals; in reading, they were above both averages. In mathematics, results were above the national average and well above the average for similar schools. There was no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls within school but both genders performed better than their peers nationally. Teacher assessments indicate that standards in science were in line with those expected nationally. The school’s trend of improvement over time matches the national picture. Standards of attainment on entry to the reception class in 2002 were broadly in line with those expected nationally, although there were some weaknesses in personal, social and emotional development and

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Key

their knowledge and understanding of the world. The findings of the current inspection are that reception class children are making good progress and are currently already well on their way to meeting the Early Learning Goals 1 in all areas of learning 2 , except in their knowledge and understanding of the world. Standards are above those expected in both Year 2 and Year 4 in English, mathematics and art and design; they are above average in science and history in Year 2. However, few higher attaining pupils are currently achieving the standards they might in writing in Year 2 or Year 4. Because of the nature of the inspection, it was not possible to judge standards in other subjects. All pupils, including those with learning difficulties, achieve good results in relation to their prior attainment, although there is room to challenge the higher attainers more effectively by developing the skills of literacy, oracy, numeracy and

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Key

information and communication technology within all subjects.

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Key

1 The Early Learning Goals are the levels expected nationally of pupils as they enter compulsory education in Year 1. 2 There are six areas of learning – personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and physical development. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 6

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are keen and polite learners who participate enthusiastically in the life of the school. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are polite and friendly. The school is a safe and orderly environment. Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships are very good throughout the school. Pupils accept a range of responsibilities willingly. They develop into mature and respectful individuals. Attendance Very good. Attendance rates are well above the national average and there is almost no unauthorised absence.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 and 2 Years 3 and 4

Quality of teaching 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 and 2 Years 3 and 4

Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. In over three-quarters of lessons, the quality of teaching and learning was at least good; in just under one quarter of all lessons, it was very good. The teaching of English, mathematics and of pupils with special educational needs in withdrawal groups is good; in these lessons the skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. However, there is room to develop these skills, together with those of oracy and information and communication technology, more systematically in other subjects. An early and successful emphasis on developing children’s personal, social and emotional qualities in the reception class is highly influential in establishing the good work habits, concentration and effort that characterise learning throughout the school. Teachers manage pupils very well and plan work thoroughly to ensure that it interests pupils. The needs of all

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 and 2 Years 3 and 4

pupils are met well, including those with English as an additional language, the potentially higher attainers and those with learning difficulties. Where teaching is most effective, lessons are characterised by a swift pace that sustains pupils’ interest in relevant and meaningful tasks and teachers’ subject knowledge is good so that they are able to attend to pupils’ needs and questions promptly. This ensures that pupils work for a large proportion of the available time and make good or better progress. Where learning, while satisfactory, is not as swift, it is because teachers’ management of pupils is not persistent enough to ensure that they listen consistently, insufficient resources are used to enable all pupils to work continually, and teachers’ questioning techniques do not encourage sufficiently the development of literacy, oracy or numeracy skills. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 7

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a good balance and breadth to what is on offer. National strategies for literacy and numeracy have been implemented well. The range of extra-curricular activities is very good, as is provision for personal, social and health education. The needs of all pupils are met well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. All available resources are targeted towards those with the greatest need. Pupils’ needs are assessed continually and their individual education plans clearly identify appropriate and achievable targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. As a result, pupils become responsible young citizens.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Information gained from annual assessments is used very well to identify areas to improve as well as successes. An ethos of caring for, and valuing, each individual permeates the work of the school; together with a very good system of rewards and sanctions that is consistently applied, this forms a good basis for pupils’ personal development. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ attendance and personal development are very good. Racial equality is promoted successfully, although the written policy is still in draft form.

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Aspect Comment

Parents support the work of the school very well and are highly appreciative of all it does for their children.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher leads the work of the school very well and has a very clear vision for its future development. She has successfully moulded a supportive team who are committed to further improvement. Co-ordinators manage their subjects well.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. They are fully involved in directing the work of the school and have a very good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. They fulfil their statutory duties well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Good procedures to check on teachers’ peformance, relevant staff training and focused and regular evaluations of the work of the school are integrated into the very helpful school improvement plan, which addresses relevant priorities for development.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. Financial management is good. The principles of best value are applied well. All available resources are used effectively. The level and expertise of the staffing is well matched to the demands of the curriculum. The accommodation is very good. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 8

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The school has high expectations of their children. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • The school is led and managed well. • Their children are helped to become mature and responsible. • Their children make good progress. • They are comfortable approaching the school with questions or problems. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The amount of information they receive about their child’s progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with all the positive comments made by parents. The team judges that the amount of information offered to parents about their children’s progress is good. The range of activities outside lessons is very good. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 9

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

supported by the governors and the staff of the school.

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

1. At the time of the last inspection the headteacher had just taken up her post. Her contribution to the work of the school was judged then to be very good. She has maintained this high standard and successfully leads the work of the school with vision, determination and sensitivity. Parents are very appreciative of all the efforts she makes on behalf of their children.

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

2. The headteacher has a strong vision for the school that includes developing the academic and personal qualities of all pupils and the professional expertise of all staff as fully as possible. Having been required recently, as have all schools, to concentrate on literacy and numeracy, she is now determined to widen the provision for pupils further to re-emphasise, for example, creative subjects. Her monitoring of the work of pupils and staff is regular and insightful. The school’s emphasis on this aspect of its work has led to the recent receipt of the ‘Investors in People’ award.

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

3. She encourages collective decision-making, for example, by sharing the results of annual testing with governors and all staff, focusing clearly on the need to raise standards. This process makes sure that everyone knows what has been accomplished and what remains to be done. She is skilled at recognising and utilising the talents of all her staff. As a result, there is a good sense of teamwork among all staff and a happy and purposeful air about the school; this extends to the pupils, who clearly like and respect the adults who work with them. These are important factors in establishing a very good ethos in the school and a shared determination to improve still further.

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

4. Subject co-ordinators for the Foundation Stage and the core subjects of English, mathematics and science lead and manage their subjects well, sometimes very well. They make an important contribution to the development of their subjects and improvements more generally in the school. This key issue of the last inspection report has been addressed well. Through the school’s monitoring and evaluation systems, described in paragraphs 6 to 8, they have a secure grasp of the strengths and areas for development in their subjects.

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The headteacher sets a very good agenda for the school’s work and is fully

5. The governing body receives regular, honest and clear information from the headteacher about the work of the school. All governors also liase with specific subject co-ordinators regularly and visit the school regularly to monitor practice, providing reports on their findings. They analyse thoroughly, with the headteacher, the results of an annual survey of parents’ views of the work of the school and oversee any necessary action, such as the consideration of extra-curricular clubs for the younger pupils. As a result, they have a very good grasp of what the school has accomplished and what is still needed. The governing body is fully involved in setting the direction for the school, for example, approving the employment of extra teaching assistants to meet pupils’ needs. Governors monitor the effects of their spending decisions closely to ensure the school gets very good value for their money. They fulfil their statutory obligations well, which is an

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The school makes very good use of a wide range of measures to judge and improve

6. The school analyses closely the results of initial testing in the reception class and subsequent annual testing to identify the attainment and achievements of individuals and groups of pupils, for example, year groups and boys and girls. From these results, they set challenging targets for further improvement for all pupils, including the higher attainers, those with learning difficulties and those for whom English is an additional language. The results are also used to identify areas of common weakness, for example, aspects of writing, especially spelling. These areas become priorities on the relevant subject development plan, which is subsumed into the school improvement plan. This results in the school improvement plan being both a thorough document Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 10 and a highly relevant tool for continuing development, although it would benefit from having more precise criteria by which success could be judged. It is this relevance, together with the shared

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The school makes very good use of a wide range of measures to judge and improve

determination to succeed, already identified in paragraph 3, which contribute to a powerful and coherent system that has ensured that improvements since the last inspection have been very good.

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The school makes very good use of a wide range of measures to judge and improve

7. The quality of learning is monitored effectively by subject co-ordinators through a regular scrutiny of pupils’ work and their colleagues’ planning. Subsequent written reports identify any strengths and set clear expectations of further improvements, generally linked closely to whole-school priorities, such as noting specific evaluations of individual pupils’ achievements. These subject priorities are funded according to whole-school priorities and available finances, each subject becoming a main focus for the school according to a pre-determined rolling programme of review. This has had a beneficial impact on the quality of teaching and learning. Co-ordinators also monitor the results of termly or half-termly assessments of units of work to check that the work set for pupils has been of a suitable standard and complies with what is expected, and that groups of pupils are making the progress that they should.

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The school makes very good use of a wide range of measures to judge and improve

8. The headteacher and some members of the senior management team evaluate the quality of teaching regularly, providing written and confidential reports. The headteacher’s evaluations are sharp and insightful, giving appropriate praise to colleagues’ strengths and good practice. Areas for development are clearly identified and some helpful ideas given. Other evaluations are sound but would benefit from focusing more closely on the impact of teaching on learning. Where necessary, relevant training is given to enable teachers to improve practice, sometimes as a whole-school staff, for example, in art and design or writing. Systems for judging the professional performance of teachers are thoroughly integrated into the overall evaluation process and are used well to support and challenge teachers, leading to improvements in the quality of provision and teaching.

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

9. The quality of teaching and learning is good and has improved since the last inspection. All teaching and learning are at least satisfactory. Of the 22 lessons observed, 12 were taught well while teaching and learning were very good in five lessons. This is a higher proportion than at the time of the last inspection. Very good lessons were observed in all three key stages – Foundation Stage, Years 1 and 2, and Years 3 and 4.

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

10. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs in withdrawal groups is good. Because pupils’ individual education plans have targets that are precise and attainable, based on a close and detailed assessment of their developing needs, work is matched tightly to their abilities. The Special Needs Assistant has established very good relationships with each individual and has an encouraging manner. This means that pupils are confident to have a go at their tasks. They respond well to the prompting and support, resulting in good levels of effort and achievement.

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

11. Throughout the school, teachers’ planning is thorough and lessons build well on what pupils already know, understand and can do. National guidance is used effectively, especially in literacy and numeracy, and the teaching of the relevant skills in these lessons is good, which ensures that pupils make good progress over time. The developments necessary to capitalise fully on this good progress are dealt with in paragraphs 32 to 35 below. Teachers adopt a good variety of teaching and learning styles, in accordance with the school policy. However, there is room to utilise pupils’ English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT) skills more effectively in other subjects; this is also dealt with below.

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

12. Lessons are organised well and have a logical structure, which helps pupils to understand their purpose and, by the end, to have a good idea of how well they have done. Teachers’ expectations of their application to work and their behaviour are high, resulting in purposeful and focused learning; this has improved since the last inspection and is appreciated by parents. The very high Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 11 quality of relationships throughout the school means that pupils are confident learners who respond well to the adults they work with and interact effectively with each other.

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

13. Where teaching is most effective and learning is swift, it is because:

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

• the lesson is conducted at a brisk pace that keeps pupils fully involved. In a withdrawal lesson for pupils with special educational needs, for example, the teacher’s questions left just enough time for the pupils to consider their answers but also used all the time available to very good effect, ensuring that pupils achieved good results in relation to their prior attainment;

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

• teachers’ subject knowledge is high, enabling them to deal with pupils’ questions and problems easily and promptly. For example, in a Year 4 English lesson, the teacher successfully prompted individuals to read text aloud with more expression and to appreciate the humour in it, resulting in very good progress;

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

• extra staff are used effectively to ensure that pupils are fully occupied at well-planned activities, for example, in the reception class when they first arrive in the mornings;

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

• resources are used very well to promote interest and learning, as in a Year 2 history lesson where, for example, a Victorian tub was used to show pupils how washing was done in the past. This vivid demonstration caught pupils’ imagination and they sustained very good levels of interest throughout the lesson;

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Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ application to their work and manage

• individual responses are encouraged and high levels of challenge are established, enabling pupils to develop at an individual rate that is helped by teachers’ subject knowledge and the very good relationships. This was evident in a Year 3 ICT lesson and a Year 4 art and design lesson, and resulted in very good progress by a significant proportion of each class.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

14. When children enter the reception class, they do so with a wide range of abilities. Overall, however, their attainment on entry is as would be expected nationally for children of their age, although there are some weaknesses in their personal, social and emotional development.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

15. Because children settle quickly into school routines, they make good progress in the reception class, particularly in their personal, social and emotional development, and are currently already well on their way to meeting the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning, except in their knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, they settle to activities quickly, often working independently without fuss, and behave very well. They interact well with each other and with adults, and talk confidently, for example, about the colours they see or about simple mathematical shapes.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

16. Pupils sustain good progress in relation to their prior attainment throughout the school as a result of the thorough and logical planning systems and the quality of teaching. Parents recognise and appreciate their children’s good progress.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

17. In the national tests for seven-year-olds in 2002, which are currently not validated, pupils’ standards in writing were well above the national average and those for schools with a similar proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. In reading and mathematics, they were above both sets of averages. Teachers’ assessments of science standards indicate that they were in line with those expected nationally. There was no significant difference between the performance of boys and girls within school but both genders outperformed their peers nationally. The school’s trend of improvement matches the national picture over the last five years.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

18. School data, based securely on the results of annual testing, show that pupils make good progress, overall, from Year 2 to Year 4. Progress is especially good in reading and mathematics. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 12 In writing and spelling, which have been recognised as priorities for development in the school improvement plan, progress has improved over the last year as a result of improvements in curriculum provision, and is now broadly satisfactory.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

19. The findings of this inspection substantiate the information above and also judge that standards in science and history are above the levels expected in Year 2 and are above expectations in art and design in both Year 2 and Year 4. Because of the nature of this inspection, it was not possible to judge attainment and achievement in other subjects and year groups. All pupils, including those with learning difficulties, those with English as an additional language and the higher attainers, achieve good standards in relation to their prior attainment.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

20. Pupils’ reading is above the levels expected because of the high focus given to it and the help that many pupils receive at home, recorded regularly and frequently in the good home/school reading diaries. In Year 1, pupils read confidently and accurately, with higher attainers reading with expression. This develops well and, in Year 3, pupils correct themselves when they stumble over unfamiliar words and retell the story they have read in some detail. By Year 4, nearly all pupils read accurately and expressively and talk in simple terms about their favourite stories and characters; higher attainers sensibly compare the books they have read.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

21. In writing, Year 2 pupils sequence stories effectively, with higher attaining pupils beginning to use correctly a good range of punctuation, such as speech marks. By Year 4, this has developed well and pupils are beginning to write stories in chapters, sometimes using computers to present their work attractively. A good example of powerful writing and apt choice of words is to be found in work entitled ‘The Sleeping Potion’ when a pupil writes, “She heard a stamp and a roar and the ground shaking”.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

22. In mathematics, Year 2 pupils read and write three-digit numbers correctly and show a good understanding of place value. They are beginning to organise and present their work clearly and logically. Higher attainers understand the value of each digit in a four-digit number and recall basic number facts swiftly and accurately. They use their knowledge of place value confidently to add large numbers accurately. This is developed well in Year 4, where pupils separate two- and three- digit numbers correctly before multiplying them accurately. They solve simple problems accurately, with higher attainers tackling two-step problems effectively and confidently.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

23. Year 2 pupils have a secure scientific understanding of how to complete an electrical circuit to light a bulb, and higher attainers know that electricity flows along the wire to enable this to happen. They represent their findings in individual drawings, with higher attainers labelling them correctly and clearly. Nearly all experiment effectively to find, for example, that one battery can light a number of bulbs. In history, they have a very clear idea of what life was like for a scullery maid or a boot boy in Victorian times because of the imaginative use of role-play, and they make insightful comparisons with present-day life.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

24. The school regularly has an artist in residence and has set aside a room especially for artwork. This successfully gives the subject a high profile and stimulates a good range of work, such as willow sculptures, self-portraits in pastel, water colours or paint, sponge paintings and printing. Consequently, by Year 4, pupils choose the materials and medium to use to portray, for example, a chair to best effect. They use a good variety of media, for example, charcoal, chalk or pencil, and show good drawing techniques to produce detailed drawings with good attention to form, shape and proportion.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

The personal development of pupils is successfully given a high priority.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

25. As previously mentioned in paragraph 14, when children enter the reception class, their levels of development in personal, social and emotional terms are, overall, below those expected of their age nationally. The school places a great deal of emphasis on developing these aspects as a matter of priority. This they do successfully through establishing a well-planned and supportive environment that encourages independence, social interaction and increasing responsibility for themselves. For example, children are expected to put away their own coats and lunch boxes and Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 13 to ‘mark’ themselves as being present each morning. The level of adult help is good and relationships are very good. Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to prepare suitable activities and to give consistent messages about what is and what is not expected. Consequently, the children settle quickly into school routines and develop their self-confidence and

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

independence rapidly. They behave very well, share resources sensibly and interact effectively. They become thoroughly involved in all that is going on in the class, for example, making pictures using the computer, completing a jigsaw puzzle, dressing up in the role-play area and using construction kits.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

26. The benefits of this very good start are felt throughout the school. High standards of relationships, attitudes to work, independence and behaviour characterise the work of the school and make a considerable contribution to the standards pupils achieve in academic and personal terms. In the 22 lessons observed, pupils’ attitudes to work and each other and their behaviour were never less than satisfactory; in nine lessons they were good and in another 11, they were very good.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

27. As explained earlier, teachers’ consistent management and expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are a significant contributory factor to these standards. These are supported by a further raft of measures that include a good personal, social and health education programme that is given a high priority in school. ‘Circle times’ 3 are used effectively and are timetabled in every class each week. Pupils are actively involved in the life of the school through, for example, establishing class rules and through representation on the pupil council, whose members are elected by their classmates twice a year. Improvements brought about by the council include the establishment of playground rules, which are well known and understood by all pupils.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

28. Pupils develop their citizenship and sense of responsibility very well, which is appreciated by parents, who feel that their children develop their maturity and sense of responsibility well. Pupils are fully involved in raising money for those less fortunate than themselves, for example, through collections for charities such as Comic Relief and Children in Need. They invite members of the community into school, for example, to the Christmas play and to occasional tea parties, as well as holding a tea party for all the parent helpers in the school to say ‘thank you’. They willingly and effectively undertake a good variety of responsibilities around the school, for example, helping to clear up after dinner and acting as playground friends. Additional measures, such as the celebration in assemblies of achievements both within and outside school, and the recognition of the ‘pupil of the term’ further promote pupils’ sense of responsibility and emphasise citizenship

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

29. All pupils have a clear understanding of what is and what is not acceptable behaviour, which is reinforced and monitored very effectively both informally through positive praise for work well done and formally in assemblies to celebrate pupils’ achievements both in and out of school. Parents and others comment favourably on the good standards observed both in school and when pupils are on an outside visit. Pupils work together very well and respect each other’s ideas, talents and points of view.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

30. Teachers plan thoroughly and effectively to ensure that pupils are given the opportunities to learn in a variety of different ways, which is an improvement since the last inspection. This includes individual work and work in small and large groups, which makes a good contribution to their social development. Pupils enjoy coming to school, a fact that was recognised by all parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire to the team. Consequently, attendance rates are well above the national average and unauthorised absence is very rare.

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

31. A number of parents felt that the amount of activity outside lessons could be improved. While it is true that most, but not all, clubs are limited for safety and practical reasons to those pupils in Years 3 and 4, eight clubs are held each week. Teachers and others give generously of their free time to run these clubs. During the inspection week, 88 pupils attended those clubs; take-up rates were excellent. The range and amount of extra-curricular activities, which includes a full and

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All pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment and attain good

3 Circle times are sessions when pupils discuss in class and in confidence matters of importance to themselves and their development as people. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 14 appropriate programme of visits and visitors, are very good for a school of this size and type and have significantly improved since the last inspection. It is greatly aided by the very good accommodation. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 15

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their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication

technology in other subjects of the curriculum.

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their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication

32. Pupils’ speaking, writing, mathematical and information and communication technology skills are developed fully in individual subject lessons. There are some examples of good links between subjects, for example, art and design and science or history, and English and history. However, these are not widespread.

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their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication

33. Opportunities to make meaningful and relevant links to utilise these key skills are not written into the school’s planning systems. Because of this, it is not possible to ensure with any rigour that the English, mathematics or ICT skills required in, say, history have already been taught in the subject-specific lessons. In addition, it is not possible to use other subjects with any certainty to reinforce and extend these key skills. The school has already recognised this weakness and has identified it as a priority to be addressed in the current school improvement plan.

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their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication

34. The overuse of worksheets in, for example, history in Year 4 limits pupils’ ability to develop their writing skills fully because they concentrate on a narrow range of ‘correct’ answers rather than enabling an individual response. This especially limits the response of those pupils who are potentially higher attainers. In addition, there are too few examples of pupils writing at sufficient length.

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their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication

35. Although all teaching is at least satisfactory, there is room to improve teachers’ questioning skills to promote pupils’ speaking skills and to probe their understanding. All teachers pose relevant questions generally to the class or group; however, they are too ready to accept the first correct answer and rarely challenge pupils to explain their reasoning or involve other pupils in validating or discussing the original answer. This limits pupils’ opportunity to develop their speaking and listening skills.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to improve standards still further, the headteacher, staff and governors should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Provide more opportunities for pupils, especially the potentially higher attainers, to use their skills of speaking, literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in other subjects of the curriculum.

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NB The school has already identified this as a priority and has included it in the

current school improvement plan. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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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 almost five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 258

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 34

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 33

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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 8

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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 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Attendance

School data 4.3 School data 0.0 Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 17 National comparative data 5.5 National comparative data 0.4

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 18

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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 2002 30 30 60

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

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (98) 97 (95) 97 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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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 26 27 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 29 29 29

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (95) 93 (95) 90 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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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. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, 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) 11.2 Financial year 2001 - 2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y4 Total income 511, 083

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 517, 797

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 96 Expenditure per pupil 2, 489

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 22, 814

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 16, 099 Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 20

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tenacres First Schooll, Redditch - 21

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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. 68 26 1 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 35 0 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 41 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 48 36 10 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 22 1 1 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. 67 30 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 62 33 2 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 75 21 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 28 1 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 29 11 2 11

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