Oakhill Primary School

Inspection Report Oakhill Primary School

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124166 Unique Reference Number Staffordshire LEA 281649 Inspection number 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 Inspection dates Edward Wheatley AI Reporting inspector

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

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Hawksworth School address Primary Type of school Glascote Heath Community School category Tamworth, Staffordshire B77 2HH 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01827 475020 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01827 475023 Fax number 169 Number on roll Mrs Carol Dean Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Beverley Dandy Headteacher 2 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281649 5 July 2006 - 3 to 11 6 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a small school with pupils from almost entirely White British backgrounds and no pupils are in the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and statements of special educational needs is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals is well above average and some families have particularly difficult personal circumstances. The headteacher joined the school in April 2005 and the deputy headteacher after Easter 2006.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with some good features. The leadership of the headteacher is very strong and is leading to significant improvements. She is well supported by all staff. The school’s evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses is accurate and has led to changes in teaching that are starting to result in improved achievement. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory and the school has the capacity for further improvement. Governors are supportive and the school gives satisfactory value for money. Pupils make satisfactory progress. Children in Nursery and Reception classes make good progress because of good teaching. Elsewhere teaching is satisfactory. It is improving as a result of the school’s efforts to match work closely to pupils’ learning needs but the most able pupils do not make enough progress because the work set for them is not always sufficiently challenging. Writing is the weakest of pupils’ skills

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Grade: 3

and, along with frequently poor spelling, impedes learning in other subjects. Pupils’ information and communication technology (ICT) skills are underdeveloped because pupils do not follow the full ICT curriculum. Good support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities ensures they make good progress. The school offers a wide range of extra-curricular activities, and there is a high level of involvement by pupils. Pupils’ personal development is good. Most pupils behave well and have good attitudes. A very small number do not, but the school has effective procedures to deal with unacceptable behaviour. Overall attendance rates are below average because there are a small number of pupils who do not attend regularly. The great majority of pupils attend regularly, enjoy school and are enthusiastic learners. The school provides good care and guidance and is particularly supportive of pupils and families with personal difficulties.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve standards of pupils’ writing and spelling and increase pupils’ opportunities to write in other subjects. • Ensure that all pupils experience the full ICT curriculum. • Ensure work is consistently challenging for the most able pupils. • Improve the attendance of the small number of pupils who do not attend regularly.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress overall as they move through the school. Children have very low communication and literacy skills, personal, social and emotional skills (PSED) and physical skills on entry to the Nursery and they make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes. They make very good progress in PSED. When they enter Year 1 standards have improved, but are still below average in all areas. 2 Inspection Report: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 By the end of Year 2 standards are still below average, but pupils make satisfactory progress. The recent downward trend in end of Year 2 national tests has been reversed, with marked improvements this year. This is because of efforts to match work more closely to pupils’ needs, although for a few higher ability pupils this is not always effective. By the end of Year 6 standards are below average and pupils make satisfactory

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Grade: 3

progress from their very low starting points. Some pupils have made good progress and standards in science are higher than in English and mathematics. Throughout the school writing and spelling are pupils’ weakest areas. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress. Targets for pupils’ achievements are challenging and the school did not quite meet them, owing to the absence of a small number of pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good. When first joining the school, the children settle in happily and quickly and make new friends. Although a small proportion of pupils show poor behaviour at times the great majority of pupils behave well. Parents welcome recent improvements. Exclusions have reduced significantly and most pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe. They are confident that adults will listen to them if they need help. Although improving, attendance is below average because of the persistent absence of a few pupils. Pupils are beginning to have a good knowledge of what is a healthy lifestyle. Healthy breakfasts in the Foundation Stage are starting to improve eating habits. Pupils are increasingly involved in physical activities. Pupils are learning to become responsible citizens – a result of successful work with pupils and parents. Pupils make a good

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Grade: 2

contribution to charitable collections for a number of good causes. The school council helps to promote pupils’ views and develop their confidence to take part in new initiatives. Pupils are acquiring the basic skills they need for their future lives, and the school is working hard to improve this further, particularly in literacy and ICT.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching is good in Reception and satisfactory in the rest of the school. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and manage pupils’ behaviour effectively. Work is often well planned and at times matched to pupils’ learning needs but teachers do not always fully address the needs of all higher attainers and as a result a few of them are not sufficiently challenged. Teachers usually share the purpose of lessons with pupils and by the end of lessons pupils have a good idea of what they have learned and how well they are progressing. Activities generally interest and motivate pupils but there are too few occasions when they engage in 3 Inspection Report: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 investigative work and opportunities for them to use computers in their learning are limited. The teaching of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is good, with

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Grade: 3

good support for individual pupils. Marking is satisfactory, and can be sensitive with good use of praise and encouragement to pupils. Occasionally it does not give enough guidance to pupils on how to improve what they do. Teachers rightly focus on improving pupils’ literacy skills, and these are improving, but there are still basic weaknesses in writing and spelling that impede their learning.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and meets the full requirements of the National Curriculum except in ICT, where pupils do not cover all they should. The school recognises pupils have weaknesses in writing and is working hard to increase the opportunities they have to write in all subjects. Good additional activities support the core curriculum well. A wide range of clubs and out of school activities promotes enjoyment and enhances achievement. Pupils are enthusiastic about trips and visits to places of interest, for example to mosques and annual camps. The wide curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage meets learning needs and leads to good progress. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties is good.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Pupils are well cared for, the school is a safe place and parents appreciate this. Child protection arrangements are good, and there are good links with outside agencies, for example speech therapists and educational welfare officers to promote pupils’ welfare. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are skilfully supported in lessons. The school has good procedures for monitoring academic progress. They have improved, with the noticeable impact of significantly better results at the end of Year 2 and improving progress in Years 3 to 6. However, for a few of the most able pupils targets are not challenging enough. The school works hard with families to improve attendance, and there is steady improvement. Behaviour policies are clear and there are good rewards and sanctions and effective methods to deal with unacceptable behaviour. Some families experience

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Grade: 2

personal difficulties and the school works hard to support them and their children.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, with good support from the deputy headteacher, provides decisive leadership. After accurate evaluation of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, developments designed to improve teaching and raise standards have been carefully introduced. They are leading to improved 4 Inspection Report: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 July 2006 achievement but still have some way to go. Staff give wholehearted support but they are not all fully involved in evaluating the impact of their work and initiating improvements. As a result, there are still variations in the quality of provision in some subjects. There have been significant changes in the governing body, but governors give satisfactory support based on their improving knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Parents and pupils are consulted effectively and their suggestions and concerns are taken into account. The school works extremely hard to support

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Grade: 3

parents, many of whom experience personal difficulties. The school has dealt with the issues from the previous inspection and is in a good position to make further improvements. 5 Inspection Report: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 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: Oakhill Primary School, 5 July 2006 to 6 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 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 3 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 4 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 2 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 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 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 2 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 2 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

Dear Pupils We very much enjoyed our time at your school. You made us feel very welcome and many of you spoke to us in meetings, lessons and around school and helped us to gain a clear impression of your school. The best things about your school are • You make good progress in Nursery and Reception, and your progress is improving in the rest of the school. • You enjoy being in school and you behave well. • The school takes good care of you and works well with your families to make sure you get the most out of school. • The headteacher gives good guidance on how the school could improve and she is well supported by all staff. • Those of you who find learning difficult are particularly well supported. To improve things further we have asked the school to Make sure standards in writing and spelling improve for all of you. • Make sure you all use computers regularly in all subjects to help improve your information

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and communication technology (ICT) skills. • Make sure that the work given to the most able pupils among you is challenging • Try to improve the attendance of those among you who do not attend school regularly. With best wishes T Wheatley Lead Inspector

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