Whitley Abbey Primary School

Whitley Abbey Primary School Inspection report

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103655 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 286719 Inspection number 15 °16 May 2007 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 155 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority William Foulks Chair Nancy Starritt Headteacher 3 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection Ashington Grove School address Whitley Coventry CV3 4DE

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024 76303392 Telephone number 024 76303541 Fax number

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4 °11 Age group 15 °16 May 2007 Inspection dates 286719 Inspection number .

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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

Attainment on entry to the school varies and has been below average in the last two years. Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average. The school has had a high turnover of teachers in the last two years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school with good features. Approachable and welcoming members of staff are particularly successful in supporting pupils' good personal development and well-being. As a result, pupils behave well and are attentive in lessons. Satisfactory teaching and learning help pupils to make sound progress throughout the school and their achievement is therefore satisfactory. Children make a satisfactory start to their education in the Reception Year, although there are occasions when more-able children could be challenged more. Most children are working below the levels expected for their age when they start in Year 1. Standards by the end of Year 6 are also below average, with writing standards being the weakest aspect of the curriculum. Teaching is improving with the headteacher's accurate monitoring and sensitive support. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and the positive management of behaviour

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Grade: 3

is successful in helping pupils to develop confidence. Not all teachers make full use of the detailed assessment information to ensure that pupils' differing needs are consistently being met. In addition, they do not always show pupils clearly what they need to do better. This mainly affects the more able pupils, especially in writing, and their progress slows when they are not expected to do hard enough work. The satisfactory curriculum has a wealth of exciting additional activities, including visits and visitors. These contribute well to pupils' enjoyment of school. Older pupils are soundly prepared for the next stage of their education because they are responsible and well adjusted. Good procedures for care, guidance and support enable pupils to feel safe. Good links with outside agencies support members of staff in improving provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Leadership and management are only satisfactory because the pace of change has been affected

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Grade: 3

by the high turnover of teachers. The headteacher has carried out an accurate school self-evaluation and consequently has a clear understanding of what needs to be improved. She provides calm, purposeful leadership. Members of staff and governors are hard working and want the best for the pupils. Subject leaders are new to their roles and have not yet had sufficient time to have had an impact on improving pupils' progress and standards. Most parents are pleased that their children come to this school. Typically they say, 'Members of staff are always helpful and friendly' and 'pupils feel valued by them all'.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise achievement in writing, by providing pupils with clearer guidance on how they can improve their work. • Ensure that teachers make more effective use of information on pupils' progress to challenge pupils of different abilities, especially the more able. • Develop the role of subject leaders so that they have an increased impact on pupils' progress. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next Section 5 inspection. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children make a sound start to their education in the Reception Year, although most are working below the levels expected for their age by the time they start in Year 1, particularly in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Pupils continue to make satisfactory progress in Years 1 to 6. By the end of Year 2 and Year 6, standards remain below average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in writing are a particular weakness and not all pupils, especially the more able, make enough progress in this subject. Pupils make good progress in speaking and listening, and standards in this aspect of English are broadly average. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make satisfactory progress, although occasionally their progress slows when they are given work that is too difficult. The school sets challenging targets, although these are not achieved by all pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy being at school, behave well and have good attitudes towards learning. For example, one pupil said, 'We like our teachers because they make learning fun'. Occasionally, play is a little too boisterous at playtime for the quieter pupils. Secure routines enable children in the Reception Year to be confident when choosing activities for themselves. Attendance is only satisfactory because, despite the school's best efforts, a few pupils are persistently absent from school. Activities such as visits to a local supermarket enable pupils to gain a good understanding of healthy eating. This knowledge is further developed in their healthy choices of food from the salad bar at lunchtime. Pupils keep fit and healthy through their involvement in the wide range of sporting activities provided. They have a good knowledge of how to stay safe. For example, the school council was responsible for carrying out a risk assessment when choosing suitable

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Grade: 2

playtime equipment. Pupils' good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development makes a significant contribution to the caring and friendly atmosphere in school. Pupils gain a good knowledge of community faiths from their visits to local places of worship. Although pupils' standards are below average, they make sound progress in developing basic skills, especially in speaking and listening. In addition, their confidence grows well. For example, some pupils have made presentations to governors about various aspects of school life. Pupils make a satisfactory contribution to the community by raising funds for children's charities and by interviewing parents about their views on the village. Activities such as these help prepare pupils satisfactorily for the next stage of education and later life. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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Grade: 3

Members of staff in the Reception Year are successful in encouraging children to try out new things, although some activities provide insufficient challenge, especially for more-able children when recognising and writing letters. In Years 1 to 6 teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain activities clearly, enabling pupils to get on with their work sensibly. Wall displays are used well to provide supportive information for topics being studied. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils and as a result behaviour is managed successfully. They make learning meaningful by putting tasks into real-life contexts and promote speaking and listening well by making good use of 'talking partners'. Teachers do not always provide work that matches pupils' needs well enough. This is particularly the case for more-able pupils, who are not consistently being challenged. At these times their pace of learning slows down. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities

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Grade: 3

are given suitable support in most lessons, enabling them to learn at a steady rate.

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Grade: 3

There is a satisfactory curriculum for children in the Reception Year. There is a wide range of interesting activities but it is not always clear how these support learning. The curriculum in Years 1 to 6 is broad and balanced, with good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. It is enriched well with visits, visitors and good opportunities to promote citizenship. For example, pupils in Year 6 showed a good understanding of civil rights and racial equality when discussing the life of Martin Luther King. These activities contribute well to the pupils' enjoyment of school. Provision for improving literacy and numeracy skills are only satisfactory because opportunities are missed to extend these skills in other subjects such as science. In addition, planning does not always take into account the wide range of pupils' needs in each class. As a result, there are occasions when more-able pupils do not learn quickly enough, particularly in writing, and

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Grade: 3

when the work is too hard for some pupils with learning difficulties.

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Grade: 2

Pupils benefit from good support and guidance for their personal development, and satisfactory support for their academic development. Members of staff are caring and know and support each child well. One pupil spoke for many by saying, 'We are known as individuals and not just as a class'. There are good arrangements to help pupils settle at each stage of their education, including in the Reception Year. Procedures for safeguarding pupils and links with outside agencies are good, enabling pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, to become involved in all aspects of school life. Whilst there have been some concerns raised by parents about bullying, pupils report that this is mostly dealt with quickly and they know whom to approach when they have a concern. Academic support is satisfactory. Assessment information is used to set targets for groups of pupils and these are well understood. Sometimes this information is not used well enough to

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007 guide and challenge all pupils. For example, teachers do not always show in their marking how pupils can improve their work. This particularly affects more-able pupils and, as a result, too few pupils reach the higher-than-expected levels.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher provides strong leadership for the school. She has a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses from her thorough analysis of pupils' progress and of teaching and learning. Procedures for monitoring school effectiveness are satisfactory. A wealth of information is used to identify whole- school priorities and to put into place strategies for improvement. The impact of this accurate self-evaluation and the capacity to improve are satisfactory. This is because the high turnover of teachers in the last two years, including senior members of staff, has slowed the rate of progress. The headteacher has been successful in ensuring the smooth running of the school during this period of rapid change and leads by example by ensuring that pupils' pastoral needs are being met well. The roles of subject leaders are developing and are satisfactory. Members of staff are new to their roles and are enthusiastic and hard working. They are not yet fully involved in monitoring

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Grade: 3

provision. As a result, they do not have a complete picture of provision and standards across the school so that they can become instrumental in driving up standards quickly. Governance is satisfactory. Several governors are actively involved in the work of the school and are increasing their role in finding out for themselves how well the school is doing so that they can hold the school to account more fully. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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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 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 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

3 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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?

2 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

17 May 2007 Dear Children, Inspection of Whitley Abbey Primary School, Coventry, Warwickshire CV3 4DE Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for sharing your work with us. Your school provides you with a satisfactory education. We found some good things in the school but also some things that need improving. Here are some other things about you and your school. • Most of you make sound progress, although you could do better in writing. • You are polite and friendly and enjoy school. • Your teachers work hard to make lessons interesting, although they do not always make sure that you are given work that is hard enough for you all. • You are given a suitable range of things to do. You have some good additional activities. We especially liked the way you were working with a visiting author. • All adults in school are kind and caring and they look after your personal needs well. • The school checks on how well you are learning, but it does not always use this information

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

to help you learn quickly enough. • Your parents and carers are pleased that you come to this school. What we have asked your school to do now. • Give you more help in improving your writing. • Help teachers use information on how well you are doing to give you hard enough work, especially those of you who learn quickly. • Help teachers who look after subjects to improve the progress you make. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you about your work and watching you learn. We wish you all well for the future. We hope you continue to help your teachers by listening carefully and trying your best, and that those of you in Year 6 enjoy the residential visit to Plas Dol-y-Moch. Yours sincerely, Alison Cartlidge Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Whitley Abbey Primary School, 15 °16 May 2007

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