Lyng Primary School

103968 Unique Reference Number Sandwell LEA 277037 Inspection number 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 Inspection dates Susan Morris-king HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Horton Street School address Primary Type of school West Bromwich Community School category West Midlands B70 7SQ 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 0121 5531480 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 5531480 Fax number 377 Number on roll Cllr Gurcharan Siddu Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Andrew Moore-Stow Headteacher 22 January 2001 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277037 4 July 2006 - 3 to 11 5 July 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves an area of socio-economic disadvantage in Sandwell. Just over half of the pupils are White British; just less than half are from a mix of other ethnic groups. Around 18% of the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is a little above average. A slightly higher proportion of pupils than average are eligible for free school meals. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is average. Since the departure of a long-serving headteacher four years ago, the school has had two acting headteachers and two substantive headteachers. During this period the school has also experienced high staff turnover. The headteacher has been in post for approximately eighteen months.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006

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Grade: 3

Lyng Primary School provides pupils with a satisfactory education. The headteacher’s leadership is good. He is well supported by a senior team and staff whose practice has become increasingly effective over the past eighteen months as they have taken on more responsibility for various aspects of the school’s work. The school is a harmonious community: staff have created an ethos where relationships are good, where pupils are safe and well cared for, and where the majority of pupils share a mutual respect for each other’s cultures, faiths and traditions. Pupils like coming to school; they behave well, feel supported, and enjoy their lessons and a variety of enrichment activities. Children make a good start in the Nursery, and continue to succeed in Reception, where they are well taught and have a broad range of experiences which help them to develop. Children in the Foundation Stage particularly enjoy their frequent

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Grade: 3

opportunities for learning outdoors. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress and generally attain average standards in writing, reading and mathematics. The headteacher’s leadership has been instrumental in halting the decline in standards and progress which had been occurring in Key Stage 2. He has implemented rigorous systems of monitoring, evaluation and support which have improved the quality of teaching. Pupils in Key Stage 2 now benefit from teaching which is satisfactory overall, with a growing proportion that is consistently good. As a result, most pupils have made satisfactory progress over the past year. Standards remain below national averages overall, although an increasing number of pupils in Years 3 to 5 are reaching standards which are at least average. The work for pupils with learning difficulties is not always matched well enough to their needs; consequently, some struggle with the work they

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Grade: 3

are given to do in lessons. Pupils learning English as an additional language receive support but its effectiveness is not regularly monitored. Over the past eighteen months, tests have been introduced to enable the senior team to track how well each class is doing. This data is not yet used to monitor each pupil’s progress in detail. Assessment has begun to develop but often does not inform teachers’ planning on a day-to-day basis so that they consistently plan the right next steps for each pupil’s learning. The best marking tells pupils how they can improve, as well as giving them positive feedback, but this practice is not widespread. The improvements made in recent terms, and the growing strength of the senior team, indicate that the school has good capacity to improve. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Use data about the pupils’ levels of attainment to ensure that any underachievement is quickly noticed and that appropriate intervention is made. • Use assessment more effectively to ensure a consistently good match between what is being taught and what the pupils need to learn next 2 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 • Ensure that marking helps the pupils to understand what they need to do to improve as well as giving them positive feedback on their achievements. • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the support for pupils with learning difficulties and those who are learning English as an additional language, and the extent to which the work they are given in lessons consistently meets their needs.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, although it is uneven across the school. Children enter the Nursery with attainment which is below average. By the end of Reception they have made good progress and an average proportion reach the expected goals for pupils of their age. During Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress and generally reach average levels by the end of Year 2 in writing, reading and mathematics. Standards by the end of Key Stage 2 have been below average for several years, and pupils have not made enough progress. However, the school’s tracking, the results of standardised tests, and samples of the pupils’ work indicate that progress in Years 3 to 6 has undergone significant improvement recently and is now just satisfactory. Standards are beginning to rise accordingly, albeit unevenly across subjects and year groups. Reading standards have shown the most rapid improvement, and the school’s

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Grade: 3

focus on extended writing is also beginning to have an impact. Pupils are making better progress in mathematics than they have in recent years and standards are beginning to rise in Years 3 to 5. Most pupils with learning difficulties and those who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress but at times adult intervention is not timely or effective enough.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. Pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory but their moral, social and cultural development is good. Visits to places of worship, celebration of important festivals and attractive multicultural displays enhance their understanding and awareness. Relationships between all adults and pupils are good; pupils say that Lyng is ‘a friendly place and teachers are really nice.’ Pupils feel valued and safe because staff know them so well. Pupils are proud to be members of the school council. They talk enthusiastically about the changes they have made: for example, organising the refurbishment of the toilets and planning the introduction of a healthy tuck shop. Behaviour is good and there are effective strategies in place to support those with behavioural difficulties. Attendance is satisfactory. The school effectively encourages parents to ensure that their children attend regularly and punctually. Pupils understand

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Grade: 2

the need for a healthy lifestyle. Successful participation in the Young Enterprise scheme and the ‘penny party,’ where Year 6 pupils organise games and prizes to raise funds for the school, are good examples of how the pupils are given valuable skills to help 3 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 them in the future. A good contribution is made to the community through links with the local church and involvement with local senior citizens. Charities are well supported, helping pupils to realise that many are not as fortunate as themselves.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching is improving: teaching is satisfactory overall, with an increasing amount that is good. The school recognises that teaching needs to be consistently good in order to accelerate the pupils’ progress and thereby raise standards. The school and classroom environments are bright and stimulating, particularly the Egyptian-style library and the ‘enchanted forest’ area. Lessons are well structured, and teachers manage their classes well. Information and communication technology (ICT) is increasingly well used to support teaching and learning. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good, especially when teachers make learning fun through practical activities: pupils are lively, questioning and interested and have a receptive attitude to being stretched. Nevertheless, the senior management team has correctly identified that there is too much inconsistency in providing appropriate challenge, and that sometimes

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Grade: 3

the work for pupils with learning difficulties is insufficiently matched to their needs. In Key Stage 1, worksheets are over-used, which sometimes inhibits the pupils’ learning. Assessment is generally underdeveloped and does not sufficiently inform teachers’ planning. In the Foundation Stage, the regular assessment of pupils’ achievements is sound, but assessment of the levels they reach by the end of this stage are over-generous.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. The Foundation Stage curriculum is good, providing many interesting activities for the children and a range and balance of provision in all areas of learning that leads to good achievement. The curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2 focuses on improving attainment in literacy and numeracy. Because the school has identified the need to raise standards in the core subjects, the broader curriculum satisfies statutory requirements but does not provide a particularly rich variety of experiences. The school is keen to develop a more integrated and imaginative approach to extend pupils’ learning, including a greater focus on ICT. A good variety of events, such as a recent visit to Stratford-on-Avon to experience first-hand the Shakespearean theatre world, residential trips, and extra-curricular activities such as dance and football enrich the pupils’ experiences and personal development.

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Grade: 3

4 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006

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Grade: 3

The care, guidance and support provided by the school are satisfactory. The care given to the pupils is good; as a result, they know that they are safe and feel confident they can always ask for help and advice. Staff know the pupils well and have a strong commitment to ensuring the school is safe, secure and well maintained. The school is taking a range of appropriate measures to improve further the safety and security of the site and its surroundings. Child protection procedures are securely in place and staff are fully aware of the guidelines. Risk assessments are carried out regularly both within the school and for visits. Academic guidance is less secure. Although assessment procedures have improved, they are not sufficiently robust to ensure that pupils have enough information about how to improve their work. Some pupils have individual targets but they are unable to recall the detail. Support for pupils who have additional

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Grade: 3

needs is not always wide ranging or effective enough.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher’s good leadership has enabled the school to make progress over the last eighteen months. He is clearly focused on improvement; he realises that there is much still to be done and communicates this to staff. The school’s self-evaluation is thorough and provides a sound basis for improvement; this has been well supported by the local authority adviser and consultants who have carried out observations and scrutinies of pupils’ work. The leadership team has made a positive contribution to the school’s recent development. The deputy headteacher leads the Foundation Stage well. The literacy and numeracy coordinators have secure plans for the next stages of their work and understand the need to develop greater consistency in the way these core subjects are taught. However, the responsibilities of each member of the senior team are not yet clear enough to enable them to influence practice throughout the school, and to

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Grade: 3

ensure appropriate accountability. Newly qualified teachers have been well supported during their first year by their mentors as well as by the senior team. Parents are positive about the school and several mentioned the additional support which their children have received. Governance is satisfactory. Governors have previously lacked a realistic understanding of the school’s performance. This has recently been addressed and, as a result, the governors have been able to increase the level of challenge and support they give to the school. They are now keen to become more involved in visiting the school and in making links with members of staff. 5 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Lyng Primary School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 3 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for the help you gave us when we visited your school. We felt very welcome at Lyng Primary School! Thank you to those of you who told us about your views and experiences, and talked to us about your work. We were glad to hear that you enjoy your lessons. We could see that you were enjoying your learning when we visited your classes, too: you are keen and interested and want to do well. You are well cared for at your school; your teachers and other staff know you well and work hard to help you to be successful. It was good to see some pieces of high quality work on the walls, as well as in your books. Your headteacher is doing a good job at Lyng. Plenty of things have improved at your school recently and you now have lots of good lessons. This is helping you to make better progress. We have asked him and your teachers to make some more improvements by: quickly spotting if you are not doing too well so that they can give you help and support which

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

is right for you making sure that your work is always suitable for you – not too hard and not too easy marking your work well and giving you clear targets to help you to improve, as well as telling you when you are doing good work. In return you will need to make sure that you read, or listen to, your teachers’ comments and do what they say so you help yourself to improve. I am sure that you will keep working hard so that you make good progress during your time at Lyng.

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