Kings Heath Primary School

Inspection Report Kings Heath Primary School

p.1

134098 Unique Reference Number Birmingham LEA 282454 Inspection number 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006 Inspection dates Anthony Dobell AI Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Valentine Road School address Primary Type of school Kings Heath Community School category Birmingham, West Midlands B14 7AJ 3 to 11 Age range of pupils

p.1

0121 4649202 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 4649953 Fax number 705 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Headteacher Not applicable Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282454 17 May 2006 - 3 to 11 18 May 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by four Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Kings Heath is a very large school some four miles south-west of the centre of Birmingham. It opened in January 2004 as a result of amalgamation. Levels of understanding for children entering the Reception classes cover a wide range, but are broadly average. Almost half of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds and an above average proportion speak English as an additional language. The proportions of pupils eligible for free school meals and with statements of special educational needs are also above the national average. The school has a unit for pupils with a range of complex special needs.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This a good school giving good value for money. It judges its own effectiveness generally in line with inspection findings but, in some respects, too modestly. Pupils throughout the school, including those with disabilities and learning difficulties and those for whom English is not their first language, achieve well and make good progress. The standards achieved in national tests are above average, and sometimes well above average. However, progress, particularly for higher attaining pupils, is not always as good as it could be because work set does not always challenge them sufficiently. Teaching is good overall, and occasionally outstanding, and pupils’ enjoyment of learning benefits from an interesting range of activities. Whilst effective assessment systems have been introduced recently, they are not yet fully embedded across the school. This means that pupils are not always helped through assessment and marking

p.4

Grade: 2

to make the progress of which they are capable. The school is led and managed well, with the recently appointed headteacher playing a key role in moving it forward. Through this, the school is showing the capacity to improve even further. Care, guidance and support for pupils are good but information to parents about their children’s progress is not helpful in enabling them to support their children’s learning.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that all pupils, particularly higher attaining pupils, are consistently challenged by the work set for them. • Use assessment systems fully in all year groups to ensure that all pupils make the best possible progress. • Improve information to parents about their children’s progress so that they are better able to support their learning.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well overall. Children achieve well in the Nursery and Reception classes and virtually all reach the standards expected nationally by the time they enter Year 1. Half the children exceed these standards. Standards achieved in the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 in 2005 were significantly above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents good progress for pupils in Years 1 and 2. At the end of Year 6 in 2005, standards were significantly above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. These results were a marked improvement on those for 2004 for both Years 2 and 6. Pupils achieve well in Years 1 to 6, although progress is not as good as might be expected particularly in Years 3, 4, and 5 for higher attaining pupils. While these pupils make good progress overall, they could achieve even more if what they are asked to do always challenges them to work hard. Overall, pupils are set challenging targets

p.4

Grade: 2

2 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006 and these help them to make good progress. However, for higher attaining pupils in Years 3 and 4, targets are not always sufficiently demanding. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well because they are given good support by teachers and teaching assistants. However, for a few pupils extended holidays taken in term time limit their progress so that they do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those in the special unit, achieve well because they are well known to all staff and are supported effectively both in class and in individual sessions.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good. They have good attitudes to learning and their attendance and punctuality are also good. Relationships are positive and arrangements for the inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities in all the school’s activities are outstanding. All pupils show an awareness of, and careful consideration for, the needs of others. They are also sensitive to the needs of those less fortunate than themselves and suggest and plan fundraising events for charities. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Behaviour is good in lessons and during break times and any instances of bullying are dealt with swiftly. Pupils say that they feel safe. There are appropriate opportunities for pupils to take on responsibilities and many older pupils organise and play with the younger pupils during lunchtimes. There is a sound focus on the importance of healthy lifestyles and pupils are able to

p.5

Grade: 2

select healthy choices for lunch. Year 6 pupils have enjoyed making a DVD about healthy lifestyles as part of their information and communication technology (ICT) project. However, opportunities for exercise are limited. Pupils contribute well to charities and their involvement with their local community is satisfactory. Personal development is enhanced by involvement in a wide range of clubs and activities. Pupils develop a good range of skills for their future economic well-being through learning good social skills as well as good basic skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and, on occasions, outstanding. Most lessons are well taught so that pupils benefit from interesting and stimulating learning activities which motivate them so that they work at a brisk pace and give of their best. Throughout the school, relationships between teachers, teaching assistants and pupils are good. This gives pupils confidence to offer ideas knowing that their thoughts will be valued. This helps them to express themselves clearly and with 3 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006 imaginative vocabulary. For example, in a Year 6 lesson on poetry, one pupil described fear as ‘a heart beating at a mile a minute’, while another said it was like ‘a bullet from my Valentine’. This increasing confidence helps pupils to make good progress. Work is marked regularly. Comments made by teachers are generally helpful, but do not

p.5

Grade: 2

always help pupils to know how to improve their work. Overall, pupils describe their learning as interesting, and sometimes as fun, and they are proud of their good progress. Pupils with disabilities are given highly effective support by teachers and teaching assistants and make good progress. Pupils speaking English as an additional language achieve well because they are taught well. Pupils with learning difficulties are also taught well and make good progress overall.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum which meets all statutory requirements. This is enriched by a good range of visits and visitors into the school and by a good range of extra-curricular activities, although limitations on numbers restrict their availability to all pupils. Good opportunities are taken to develop literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. There are good examples of ICT being used to support learning in other subjects, but this is not always the situation in all classes because some computers are unreliable. There is a good programme for pupils’ personal, health and social education including sex, relationships and substance education. Library provision for Years 3 to 6 is inadequate but this is being addressed. The curriculum in the Nursery and Reception is of good quality. Pupils with disabilities get outstanding support in accessing the curriculum. Those with learning difficulties

p.6

Grade: 2

receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants, as do those who speak English as an additional language, so that they are able to benefit well from the curriculum.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides good care, guidance and support for pupils and this contributes well to their achievements. All staff are strongly committed to the care and support of pupils and, as a result, they are confident that any concerns are dealt with promptly and effectively. Child protection, health and safety, and risk assessment procedures are robust and are reviewed regularly, and first aid is dealt with efficiently and carefully. Good relationships between parents, carers, teachers and pupils contribute to effective care. The school’s efforts to fully include pupils with disabilities are outstanding. For example, they are often included in ball games at lunchtimes so that they feel fully integrated into the school. The school has introduced effective systems for assessing pupils’ standards and measuring their progress. However, these systems are not yet used consistently in all classes to help pupils to maximise their progress. Information

p.6

Grade: 2

for parents about their children’s progress is satisfactory, but not always useful in enabling them to help their children with their learning. 4 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006

p.6

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good with some outstanding features. All adults fully support the headteacher’s vision for the school, which is to enable all pupils to reach their potential in a caring but stimulating and challenging environment. The recently appointed headteacher is skilled at enabling colleagues to use their strengths and is developing effective teams of leaders in different areas of the school’s work. This demonstrates the capacity of senior staff to develop the school even further. Self-evaluation is very effective and, as a result, the headteacher has a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. She has extended links with parents and other groups in the school and is keen to establish and act on their views where possible. The leadership and management of the Nursery and Reception are outstanding. There is a very clear understanding of how young children learn, and a highly effective

p.7

Grade: 2

curriculum has been developed which enables all children to have an excellent start to their education. Governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and fully support the headteacher in her vision for the school. They are developing their role rapidly and are currently providing satisfactory leadership. 5 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006 .

p.7

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Kings Heath Primary School, 17 May 2006 to 18 May 2006

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 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 2 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 2 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

p.9

learners?

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

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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.

p.9

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 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us into your school, being so friendly and polite to us, and talking to us about your learning and your life in the school. We think that yours is a good school in many ways. This is because: You make good progress and reach above average standards because you are taught well. You are all treated equally and valued for what you can do. Relationships are good, you support each other very well and are rarely absent. All adults in the school take good care of you. Teachers try hard to provide you with interesting lessons and activities. Your headteacher is leading the school very well and planning to make it even better. All these things mean that you grow into confident young people, happy to say what you think in class and in assemblies. We think that three things would improve your school further: Some of you could be given work which would help you to make quicker progress. Marking and other assessments could sometimes show you better how to improve your work.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Your parents could be given better information about your progress so that they can help you more with your learning. We enjoyed our two days in your school very much and wish you well for the future. Best wishes Mr A J Dobell Lead Inspector

p.11