Regents Park Community Primary School

Inspection Report Regents Park Community Primary School

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103193 Unique Reference Number Birmingham Local Authority 286589 Inspection number 24 November 2006 Inspection date Bogusia Matusiak-Varley Reporting inspector

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

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Arthur Street School address Primary Type of school Birmingham Community School category B10 0NJ 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0121 4646746 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 4642544 Fax number 495 Number on roll (school) M Simpson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Tina Ireland Headteacher 24 September 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 286589 24 November 2006 3 °11 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 Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

The school is in an area of high social and economic disadvantage. It is a multicultural school within a community where many languages are spoken. An above average percentage of pupils are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language and nearly all of the pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds. Over half of the school is eligible for free school meals. An average number of pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities although the number with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school has the Healthy Schools Award. The school belongs to the Saltley Plus Consortium of Schools and, through this, has access to a learning mentor, staff training and out of school activities. During the time of the inspection three of the senior leaders were absent on maternity leave.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with outstanding features. The school rightly deserves the good reputation it has within the community because it embraces and nurtures the many different backgrounds, religions and languages of pupils and parents. Pupils leave Regents Park School confident, well educated and with high self-esteem. Standards are average when pupils leave school and, in relation to their low starting points, pupils' achievement is good but it is better in Years 3 to 6 than in Years 1 and 2. Children enter the Foundation Stage with standards which are well below those expected nationally. A high percentage of these children have virtually no English. Pupils make good progress in the Nursery and satisfactory progress in Reception and Year 1. This is because in Reception and Year 1 teaching does not keep pupils sufficiently focused when they undertake independent activities and their achievement over time is only satisfactory. Also, insufficient emphasis is placed on ensuring that

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Grade: 2

pupils form their letters and numbers correctly. In Year 2, teachers rectify this shortcoming through good teaching although the more capable pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not sufficiently challenged routinely. Standards at the end of Year 2 are just below average and pupils' achievement is satisfactory overall. Throughout the school, the vast majority of pupils make outstanding progress in speaking and listening. In Years 3 to 6, rates of progress accelerate and examples of outstanding teaching were seen in Year 6 with more capable pupils being effectively challenged. Pupils with English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and disabilities make good progress because of the good quality of support that they receive in lessons from teachers and support staff. However, pupils' presentation skills in their written work are weak and need attention. Teaching and learning are good overall with outstanding features. Staff use consistent

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Grade: 2

approaches in teaching pupils who are bilingual. Classrooms are hubs of enquiring youngsters supporting one another using their home language, talking with partners and researching information. 'We don't just sit on the carpet listening to our teachers; it's our job to find things out' said one of the pupils interviewed 'We are creative learners'. The curriculum is outstanding because of the way teachers make links between subjects using drama, dance and art. An exceptional range of extra-curricular activities, visits and visitors supports learning and this contributes to pupils' good achievement. Displays around the school are of a very high quality and exhibit pupils' efforts in the best light. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding because of the high quality of care, guidance and support that these pupils receive. Pupils have exceptionally good attitudes to learning and their behaviour is exemplary both in

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Grade: 2

lessons and at play times. The school is successful because of the good leadership and management by the headteacher, senior management team and governing body. There are rigorous systems to track pupils' progress, monitor teaching and learning and target any underachievement. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership in her quest of ensuring that 'a can do' culture permeates all aspects of school life. 2 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006 The excellent work of the Flourishing Neighbourhoods co-ordinator has created exceptional links with parents and the community resulting in pupils enjoying learning and understanding how to achieve economic well-being. Pupils have a keen sense of awareness of what it means to stay healthy and understand the importance of staying safe because of the high emphasis that is placed on their emotional well-being. School self-evaluation is accurate and capacity for improvement is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the rates of pupils' progress in Reception and Year 1 by ensuring that teachers plan appropriately for independent activities and give more opportunities and guidance to ensure pupils form their letters and numbers correctly. • Ensure that more capable pupils are sufficiently challenged in all activities in Years 1 and 2. • Improve the presentation of pupils' written work across the school.

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Grade: 2

Standards are average and pupils' achievement is good. By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for secondary school and to achieve economic well-being by being literate, numerate and self-confident. Achievement in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory although aspects of it in Year 2 are good where teachers have higher expectations of their pupils. Throughout the school, achievement in speaking and listening is outstanding. Pupils make exceptional progress because a high emphasis is placed on ensuring that they are given plenty of opportunities to acquire vocabulary through the use of challenging texts, 'talk partners' and home language. Standards are average in English, mathematics and science with more capable pupils doing particularly well in Years 3 to 6. The national tests of 2006 show an improved picture in Years 1 and 2 where more pupils attained average levels but no pupils attained the higher levels. In Years 3 to 6, average standards were

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Grade: 1

Pupils' personal development, as well as their spiritual, moral and social development, is outstanding. Attendance is now satisfactory and the Flourishing Neighbourhood co-ordinator and learning mentors have worked very well with parents to reduce the number of extended holidays. 'Our children love school' said one of the parents, 'They want it to be open during the holidays'. Pupils are excellent ambassadors for their school. They love their school because they are consulted on all aspects of school life: 'We try to solve our own problems, if we can't we ask for help, it's always available' said one of the peer mediators. Pupils value 3 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006 their teachers and one another, have excellent relationships and are independent thinkers. Pupils know about healthy lifestyles and really value the school salad bar; they are aware of the harmful effects of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. They represent the school

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Grade: 1

in Children's Parliament and three Year 6 pupils gave a PowerPoint presentation on healthy eating at a recent Every Child Matters forum. The school council and peer mediators go through rigorous interviews to be elected and this helps them to understand and prepares them to achieve social and economic well-being. Pupils have outstanding links with the community, they support local charities and have worked with the local safety forum to improve play facilities in the community.

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Grade: 2

All teachers have good awareness of the National Curriculum requirements and are therefore skilled at making links between subjects. This has a positive effect on learning as pupils are given good opportunities to apply their skills to a range of different situations. For example, pupils in Year 5 were learning how to write persuasive texts in their English lessons and followed this up in a history lesson where they wrote up interviews between Lord Shaftesbury and a Victorian working child. An outstanding feature of teaching is the way in which all teachers cater for the needs of bilingual learners. They model key words and correct sentence construction and give pupils plenty of opportunities to talk in their home language to secure understanding. The use of 'talk partners', continuous checking of pupils' understanding and expert use of information and communication technology (ICT) are further features

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Grade: 2

of outstanding teaching. Where teaching is less secure in Reception and Year 1, too few opportunities are provided for pupils to extend their learning in independent activities and more capable pupils in Years 1 and 2 are not sufficiently challenged.

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Grade: 1

Pupils have excellent opportunities to develop enterprise, financial skills and team work through role play and drama activities. Links are made throughout the curriculum to encourage healthy and safe lifestyles, in particular through science and design and technology topics. Exceptional learning opportunities in personal, social, health and citizenship education encourage pupils to resolve conflict, solve problems and develop their awareness of emotions. The school is in an Extended Schools Network and pupils are given opportunities to take part in clubs for sports and arts. Links with secondary schools are outstanding; regular visits are made by secondary school teachers to maximise learning in mathematics and sports coaches enhance the 4 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006 physical education curriculum encouraging pupils to stay healthy. Excellent opportunities are provided for pupils to work with theatre groups and develop their

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are exceptionally good because staff know their pupils very well and encourage them at every opportunity to 'reach for the stars'. This contributes significantly to pupils' high self-esteem. The school has a very good range of strategies to ensure that 'no pupil falls through the net' and any underachievement is quickly rectified. Regular target setting is shared with parents, and pupils are clear as to what they need to do in order to achieve well. Child protection procedures are robust and the vast majority of staff and lunchtime supervisors have received training on how to deal with any suspected abuse and also how to resolve simple playground conflicts.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher has been the driving force in maintaining good achievement. She leads by example and knows exactly what needs to be done in order to move the school from strength to strength. The leadership and management by the senior management team are good and rigorous, accurate self-evaluation is carried out. Although many pupils seem to be learning as well as they can, the school has the capacity to raise the levels of achievement and standards even further. Governance of the school is good. Governors fulfil their statutory duties and support the leadership and management of the school well. 5 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for spending time with me during my visit to your school. You have so many things to be proud of. You go to a good school with outstanding features. Learning in your school is fun and you are creative learners. You are right about your teachers and your headteacher, they really do care about you. They offer some exceptional learning opportunities and teach you well. They know lots about you and give you outstanding care, support and guidance so that you can learn at a fast rate. You are confident, happy and responsible pupils. Well done for representing your school in the community, particularly at the Every Child Matters forum and Children's Parliament! The displays around the school of your work are fantastic, particularly the imitations of Turner's paintings. You are exceptionally well behaved and have outstanding attitudes to learning, persevering even when you find the work challenging. Those of you who were learning about bullying in a

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

literacy lesson really paid attention exceptionally well even when the text was difficult. I have asked your school to improve a few things in order to enable you to learn even more. Those of you in Reception and Year 1 need to have more opportunities to write down what you have learnt and when you choose activities I have asked your teachers to help you stay more focused so that you learn more. I have also asked your teachers in Years 1 and 2 to give even more challenge to those of you who find learning easy even more in lessons. Last, but not least, you can all try a bit harder to present your work neatly in your exercise books. 9 Inspection Report: Regents Park Community Primary School, 24 November 2006

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