Kineton Green Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Kineton Green Primary School

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104048 Unique Reference Number Solihull Local Authority 286842 Inspection number 27 °28 September 2006 Inspection dates David Collard 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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Kineton Green Road School address Primary Type of school Olton Community School category Solihull B92 7EB 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0121 7063873 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 7072723 Fax number 239 Number on roll (school) Isobel Ford Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Charmian Birch Headteacher 8 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286842 27 °28 September 2006 3°11

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Amended Report Addendum

Report updated to resolve formatting inconsistency

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Amended Report Addendum

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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Amended Report Addendum

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

Kineton Green is an average-sized urban primary school. It changed from an infant school into a primary school just prior to the last inspection and so numbers increased until 2004. This is the third year that there have been pupils in all year groups. The number of pupils with learning difficulties is broadly average, as is the number of pupils who receive free school meals. The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups has been rising steadily for the last two years and is now above the national average. Most of these pupils speak English fluently when they start school.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

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Grade: 2

This is an effective school providing a good quality of education. As a result, pupils progress well from the time they start school and gain above average standards when they leave in Year 6. The school has a good capacity to continue to improve because of the strong leadership and consistently good teaching - a fact also recognised in the recent local authority annual review. The school has grown considerably in size and this has meant organising new buildings, staff and resources. Despite the work that this has involved, it has not been at the cost of the pupils' academic and personal success. This is a tribute to the good leadership and management. The headteacher provides a decisive and strong lead and has the confidence to allow others, including the governing body, to play their part in developments. The senior and middle management teams are expected to work together, use their initiative and then be accountable for their actions. As a result,

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Grade: 2

there is a shared purpose and an understanding about what will make the most difference. For instance, as the school has grown, new teachers have been given very clear guidance about what is expected of them so that their teaching ensures that all pupils make the progress they should. As a result, the pupils and parents rightly recognise that teaching has remained consistently good. Planning for work in different subjects is good and linked to extensive and well used assessment procedures. This means that pupils are challenged by their work and achieve well. They have very positive and increasingly mature attitudes to their learning. Children enter the Nursery with standards similar to those expected for their age. Through the Foundation Stage, they make good progress and enter Year 1 well prepared for more formal work. Standards at this point vary from year to year, but are at least in line with those expected and sometimes above this. Pupils continue to make good

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Grade: 2

progress until the end of Year 6. Those presently in Years 2 and 6 are reaching above average standards. This is a similar pattern to the national test results. In a very enjoyable discussion, older pupils were clearly very proud of their school. They knew what was expected of them and could talk excitedly about topics and projects they have been involved in. They knew exactly what they needed to do to improve and understood how this would help them as they get older. They are actively involved in many projects, especially in the performing arts. As the new fields, hall, computer suite and playground have all come into being so the standards in physical education (PE) and information and communication technology (ICT) have also improved. Pupils feel safe and secure because of the very good procedures for their care and welfare. Consequently, they know any bullying will be dealt with effectively. These are key factors in ensuring the good personal development of pupils and their

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Grade: 2

excellent behaviour. The school has developed good improvement plans that have focused on its changing priorities. Last year, for the first time, the school was able to track the progress of pupils through the whole school using national comparative data. As their performance had been closely scrutinised each year before this using internal assessments, there 2 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006 were few surprises and all groups performed equally well. However, monitoring systems do not provide enough information about the needs of the rising numbers of pupils from minority ethnic groups, especially in relation to acquiring knowledge of subject-specific language. In addition, the school needs to raise standards even further in practical subjects such as science and art and design by using more investigative work which will develop pupils' independence.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Monitor the progress and provision for the increasing numbers of pupils from minority ethnic groups, particularly to ensure that, while they might speak English fluently, they can understand and can write the more technical language with which they are unfamiliar. • Develop the independence of pupils through providing more opportunities for experimentation and investigation in practical subjects such as science and art and design.

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Grade: 2

Assessment of children in the Foundation Stage shows that they make good progress, particularly in their social, language and mathematical skills. This good progress carries on right through the school. In the 2005 national tests, results in Years 2 and 6 were above average in reading, writing, English, mathematics and science, with over half the pupils gaining the higher Level 5 in Year 6. A similar level of attainment was achieved in both the Year 2 and Year 6 results in 2006 and these above average standards are also apparent in the present classes. All groups, including those with learning difficulties, boys and girls and those from different minority ethnic groups, make good progress. While standards are above average, the school is correctly focusing on the more practical subjects to ensure that even more pupils are able to think for themselves. More needs to be done to develop this independence, but a good example of its early success was

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Grade: 2

seen in one class where the teacher asked very searching questions about how to work out some complicated multiplication.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and are very positive about all aspects of school life. This is evident in the smiles of the youngest children in the Foundation Stage right through to pupils in Year 6. Attendance is good. Pupils' behaviour is excellent, both in lessons and at playtimes. They work hard and are pleased about the increasing opportunities to show independence and use their initiative, such as the very successful drama events staged in conjunction with the local specialist performing arts and language college. 3 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006 Pupils make good progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. This provides a firm foundation for the very good relationships that exist between all members of this multicultural community. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay healthy and safe. Older pupils particularly are looking forward to the increased

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Grade: 2

opportunities for exercise that the new field will provide. Pupils make a good contribution to the community through their work on the class and school councils and by raising money for a range of charities, for which they keep their own accounts.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is based on the principle that it is 'cool to learn'. Teachers successfully use innovative methods to excite and interest their class. For instance, in one science lesson, pupils used chopsticks, lollysticks and cups to pick up chocolate buttons and discover why birds had different types of beaks. Objectives for each lesson are shared and planning is realistically linked to an array of different subjects and real life experiences. Assessments are used to move learning on and centrally collated so that strengths and weaknesses can be quickly dealt with. These organisational methods ensure that all pupils are aware of how well they are doing and by using the well established class and individual targets can gauge whether they need to do better. While teaching is good, the school recognises that the inexperienced teachers still need high levels of support to ensure that pupils in these year groups are consistently

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Grade: 2

This area of the school's provision is good. Interesting work helps pupils of all abilities enjoy learning and make good progress. Consequently, children make a good start in the Foundation Stage and remain enthusiastic learners until they leave in Year 6. Staff have worked hard to develop planning for the older pupils and made good use of links with the local specialist performing arts and language college to enhance work in PE and music. Great strides have been made in the provision for ICT, which is now used well across a range of different subjects. The school's drive to improve pupils' independence is focused on improving the planning for the investigative and experimental aspects within subjects. Parents commented upon the time that had to be spent using other facilities to ensure that a full curriculum could be provided for PE because the school did not have a field and only a very small hall. With the new buildings completed last month, these issues

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Grade: 2

have now been resolved. There is a good range of clubs and visits which supports pupils' good personal and academic development well. 4 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Pupils thrive and grow in confidence in a caring and supportive environment. The staff take all reasonable steps to make sure that pupils are kept safe. They know the pupils well and the children feel very well supported by both teachers and assistants. A good example of this is the introduction of the SEAL project (Social and emotional aspects of learning) which is now starting to provide better opportunities to discuss issues of concern. Pupils are given clear guidance about how well they are doing academically and are well informed about what they need to do to improve their work, which ensures they make good progress. The school is acutely aware of the need to continue close monitoring because of the lack of previous comparative data. In particular, the increasing numbers of minority ethnic pupils are a high focus as the school, so far, has had little experience of supporting pupils who speak English as their second language.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management underpin the continual drive to improve what the school offers its pupils and has been at the core of the successful integration and achievement of the older year groups. The headteacher and the other two members of the senior management team are passionate in their commitment to improve the provision for pupils in order to raise standards even further. They are supported well by other staff and governors and there is a real sense of a cohesive team pulling in the same direction. The school is managed effectively and is well organised. A good example of this is the recently introduced school self-evaluation booklet, which demonstrates that the school knows itself well. It sets out clearly how, at all levels, staff and governors are to check how well the school is running. It has already provided a clear view of the strengths in the school and has provided all staff with the opportunity to shape the development

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Grade: 2

and improvement of the school. As part of this, the governing body has instigated better review systems and more regular consultation with parents. While the plan is yet to be embedded fully into the everyday life of the school, the consistent good quality of education is a tribute to the way the school has been managed through its recent rapid growth. 5 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 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: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 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? 2 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? 2 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 1 The behaviour of learners 2 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 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?

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. 7 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 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: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for looking after both of us so well during our recent visit. We very much enjoyed joining you in your lessons and talking to so many of you. I have highlighted below the main points that we discussed with your teachers. • You told us how proud you are of your school and we can see why. We think that your behaviour is outstanding and that you always try hard to do your best. • You told us that you are expected to work hard but enjoy all the challenges you are given. We have said that you make good progress right through until Year 6. The reason for this is because you are taught well. • By the time you leave in Year 6, many of you are reaching above average standards. You may not know but, in the Year 6 SATs tests, over half of you are achieving standards above Level 4 and this is much better than a lot of other schools. • Your teachers work hard to make sure that all of you are given work that will help you

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

improve. This is not only in subjects such as English and mathematics but also in things like science and art and design. Your teachers know that, to make this even better, they have got to try and make you think more for yourselves. • We think you are also cared for well and feel safe. You told us there was very little bad behaviour or bullying but that it is dealt with quickly on the rare occasions it happens. • Your headteacher, along with the other senior staff, have led the school well. We realise that your school has been growing in numbers for the last few years. However, the staff have managed this very well and it is clear that there has been a very smooth move from being a small infant school into being a much larger primary school. • Now that there are many more pupils who come from different backgrounds, we have said that it is now time to check that everybody is doing as well as they can.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Finally, can we wish you all the best for the future. 9 Inspection Report: Kineton Green Primary School, 27 °28 September 2006

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