Joseph Cash Primary School

Inspection Report Joseph Cash Primary School

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103673 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 286723 Inspection number 31 January °1 February 2007 Inspection dates Ted Wheatley 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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Owenford Road School address Primary Type of school Radford Community School category Coventry CV6 3FS 3 °11 Age range of pupils 024 76594851 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 024 76601657 Fax number 305 Number on roll (school) Philip Jackson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Campbell McKee Headteacher 20 January 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286723 31 January °1 February 2007 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is larger than average. The school takes its pupils from an area recognised as one of considerable disadvantage. More than half of the pupils come from minority ethnic groups and a large proportion do not have English as their first language. The other languages most commonly spoken are Urdu, Punjabi and Polish. About 40 per cent of the pupils have not been in the school for all of their primary education and most of these joined the school speaking little or no English. Many children have very poor literacy skills on joining the Nursery, and some have no English language at all. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory and improving standard of education. Given their low starting points and capabilities, the children make sound progress in the Foundation Stage. As a result of improvements to the provision for these children, their progress is beginning to increase, but standards are still very low when they start in Year 1. The school's results in national tests at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 have declined in recent years and pupils have made only slow progress. The decline in standards is in part as a result of the increasing number of pupils joining the school with little or no spoken English. The headteacher and senior staff have accurately identified where improvements are needed to raise standards and pupils' achievement. They have taken appropriate action to improve the way assessment information is used to plan lessons; to revise the curriculum so that it better meets pupils' needs; and to raise teachers'

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Grade: 3

expectations of what pupils can achieve. These actions are beginning to take effect, although there is not yet consistency across the classes. More investigative work and problem solving activities in mathematics and science have resulted in pupils making better progress in these subjects. In English the emphasis on teaching basic skills is helping pupils to develop sound literacy skills, but pupils' ability to write independently and express their own ideas is weak. In some classes, assessment information is used well to plan lessons that meet the differing needs of the pupils. In others, the work for the most able pupils is not sufficiently challenging and these pupils could achieve more. Staff are beginning to use assessment information to set targets, but pupils are not sufficiently involved in discussing these targets or how they can improve their work. The curriculum is satisfactory. The range of activities to make learning interesting and

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Grade: 3

relevant to pupils is good and there is a wide range of out of school activities that pupils readily take part in. These, together with a strong programme for personal, social and health education, result in the pupils' satisfactory personal development and well-being. Pupils enjoy school and some expressed their feelings saying, 'The teachers make lessons fun'. Nevertheless, the level of attendance is low, although recent actions are leading to improvement. Pupils have a good understanding of the benefits of healthy lifestyles. The care, guidance and support for pupils are satisfactory. There are particular strengths in the support for pupils who join the school speaking little or no English. This support ensures that these pupils make good progress in acquiring English so that they can participate fully in lessons. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities similarly make good progress because they are supported

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Grade: 3

well. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The actions taken to arrest the decline in standards and address pockets of underachievement are beginning to impact. Teaching and learning are now satisfactory, although not yet sufficiently consistent to ensure all pupils achieve as much as they can. Achievement, however, is satisfactory overall, although standards remain below average. The headteacher, senior staff and governors recognise what needs to be done to sustain efforts and drive standards up. The school demonstrates satisfactory capacity to improve further. 2 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve pupils' progress by making sure that teachers use assessment information to plan lessons that meet the needs of all pupils and, in particular, give more challenge to the most able. • Improve pupils' writing skills by ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to write independently. • Improve pupils' attendance by working with parents and the community to make sure the importance of regular attendance is understood as a means to improving achievement. • Make sure that pupils have a clear understanding about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' achievement and progress are broadly satisfactory. Their progress is good where work is matched to their needs and abilities. The relatively poorer progress, particularly among most able pupils, is a result of inconsistent use of assessment information to ensure work is challenging enough for all learners. In the Foundation Stage, children make satisfactory progress but the standards they reach are well below expectations by the time they enter Year 1. The school is dealing with underachievement successfully. In mathematics, increased opportunities to apply mathematical skills to real life tasks are effective in developing pupils' skills in problem solving. In science, pupils' investigative skills are improving as a result of more practical work. In English, standards of reading are improving, but writing skills are not developing quickly enough because pupils are not required to express their own ideas and write independently.

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Grade: 3

Pupils with learning difficulties make good progress because they receive effective and well planned support. Those pupils with little or no English language receive good support and their progress in acquiring English is good.

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Grade: 3

The great majority of pupils behave well, although a small proportion of pupils find it hard to maintain their concentration. Pupils are aware of dangers in their everyday lives and behave safely in and around school. Pupils are very welcoming to visitors; inspectors were greeted with smiles and 'hellos'. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is generally good. Their cultural development is satisfactory but improving through opportunities to learn about the cultures represented in the school. Pupils have a good understanding of right and wrong and show care and consideration for each other. The school council plays an active part in the school and is planning to open a healthy food tuck shop to contribute 3 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007 to pupils' healthy lifestyles. Pupils are effectively involved in the local community. For example, they raise money for charities, sing at other primary schools, and a group of

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Grade: 3

Diwali dancers performs locally. Preparation for the pupils' future life in and out of school is satisfactory. Their good interpersonal skills will stand them in good stead.

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Grade: 3

Teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory and leads to the children making sound progress. In Key Stages 1 and 2, teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers typically have good subject knowledge and relationships with pupils are good. Staff have increasingly high expectations about behaviour, so that pupils listen carefully and are keen to learn, although occasionally, teachers do not use effective methods of maintaining pupils' attention. Recent improvements in lesson planning mean that the content of lessons is better matched to meeting the diverse needs of pupils. This is not yet consistent, however, and in some classes assessment information is not used effectively to ensure that the work is suitably pitched, notably for the most able pupils. The support from teaching assistants is sympathetic and effective, and focused on individual learning needs, leading to good progress by pupils with learning difficulties

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Grade: 3

and for those who do not have English as their first language. Throughout the school, information and communication technology (ICT) is used effectively to support learning.

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Grade: 3

In the Nursery and Reception classes, there is a good range of activities that capture the children's enthusiasm. Elsewhere, the curriculum provides a satisfactory and improving emphasis on basic skills, although not enough attention is given to developing pupils' writing skills. Investigative work in science and mathematics is improving and the school is planning improvements to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. The personal, social and health education curriculum is good with a strong focus on supporting pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles. The school organises a good range of visits, visitors and resources that enliven the curriculum with music, sport and other activities. The range of activities outside of school time is good and the great majority of pupils are involved in these activities.

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Grade: 3

Procedures to ensure pupils' safety are secure. Pupils feel safe in school and know that someone will help them if they have any concerns. The school has good procedures to deal with bullying and racist incidents quickly and effectively. The school's 4 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007 procedures to deal with frequent absence are sound and improving and, with the support of outside agencies, attendance is slowly improving. Guidance to pupils about how to do better in their work is satisfactory overall but there are inconsistencies. While teachers know how well pupils make progress and targets for improvement are set, not all pupils are aware of them or how to achieve them.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and senior staff have a good grasp of what the school needs to do to improve. Sharp analysis of pupils' performance and evaluation of teaching are leading to improvements in teaching and learning. The impact is seen in improvements in pupils' progress although this is not yet consistent in all classes. Local authority support for senior staff is having a positive effect on how accurately the school evaluates its performance, and there is a gradual spread of these skills to other staff. Despite lower standards than at the time of the previous inspection, in part as a result of the changing nature of the school's intake, improvement has been satisfactory. Governors give sound support to the headteacher and school. They recognise the need to ensure improvements are sustained and to work with the community to improve pupils' attendance. Relationships and collaboration with parents and pupils are good

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Grade: 3

and the school takes their opinions and concerns into account. 5 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 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? 4 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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 4 The attendance of learners 3 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?

3 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: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 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? 8 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We very much enjoyed our time at your school. You made us feel very welcome and you and were very friendly and helpful to us as we moved round the school. We spoke to quite a number of you in meetings, lessons and around school and you helped us to build a clear view of your school. These are the main things we found out about your school: • Your school gives you a satisfactory and improving education. • Your progress is satisfactory as is teaching, and it is sometimes good. • Those of you who find learning difficult and those of you who start school without speaking much English make good progress. This is because you receive good help. • Most of you behave well and enjoy school, but some of you do not attend often enough, and this affects how well you learn. • The school is safe and you learn a lot about healthy lifestyles. • You enjoy all the out of school activities and trips and a very large number of you take part

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

in physical activities. To improve things further, we have asked the school to: • Make sure that the work you do is carefully planned to help you do even better, especially the most able of you. • Improve how well you write by making sure there are more opportunities to write about your own ideas and what you understand. • Improve how well some of you attend school by helping you, your families and local people understand how important it is to be at school if you want to do well. • Make sure that teachers keep you well informed about how well you do in school and what you need to do to get even better. 9 Inspection Report: Joseph Cash Primary School, 31 January °1 February 2007

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