Caldmore Village Primary School

Inspection Report - Amended Caldmore Community Primary School

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104193 Unique Reference Number Walsall Local Authority 286876 Inspection number 21 °22 September 2006 Inspection dates Lois Furness 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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Carless Street School address Primary Type of school Walsall Community School category WS1 3RH 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01922 721359 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01922 721359 Fax number 225 Number on roll (school) Zahid Nawaz Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Elizabeth Barratt Headteacher 18 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 286876 21 °22 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

Caldmore Community Primary School serves an area of significant social deprivation. The majority of pupils are of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Indian heritage. When children first start school, many of them are at an early stage of learning English. A high proportion of pupils have learning difficulties. In the past 16 months, there have been significant staffing changes with a new headteacher and deputy, and six new members of staff, four of whom are new to teaching. In September 2006, a Foundation Stage Unit was opened, providing education for children in the Nursery and Reception Years.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory education. It is rapidly improving and has good potential to improve further. The headteacher provides strong leadership and has an accurate and realistic view of the school's strengths and weaknesses. Through very thorough evaluation, the leadership identified that some key areas needed improvement to engage pupils' interests and to boost their achievement. A narrow curriculum had resulted in too little time spent in teaching subjects other than English, mathematics and science. However, this has changed and pupils are offered a much more interesting curriculum. 'It was really good fun when artists and musicians came to work with us,' said one group of pupils. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children start from a low base when they enter school and make sound progress, although standards are below average by the end of Year 6. However, there is some variation in how well they do in different subjects.

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Grade: 3

Standards in science and mathematics are close to the average but in English, standards are low because there are weaknesses in pupils' speaking and writing skills. The school has introduced good measures to improve these aspects, but as yet there has been too little time to make a significant difference. Even though the majority of staff are inexperienced, they are enthusiastic and willing to take advice, trying hard to make learning better. New systems of tracking progress are helping teachers to plan activities that are carefully matched to the range of needs within the class. As a result, pupils' progress is improving. However, pupils themselves do not have a clear enough view of what they need to do to improve their work. The progress of pupils with learning difficulties is satisfactory. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English make steady progress in their understanding and use of the language.

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Grade: 3

The quality of education in the new Foundation Unit is satisfactory and improving as the staff work closely together to plan interesting activities both inside and out of doors. Children make sound progress, particularly in developing their understanding of English. A key strength throughout the school is the good relationships between adults and pupils. This means that pupils feel safe, they enjoy school and behaviour is good. When asked, pupils say, 'We all get on with each other really well!'.

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What the school should do to improve further

• raise standards in English by improving pupils' speaking and writing skills • involve pupils more in knowing how to improve their work so that they understand how to achieve their targets.

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Grade: 3

Achievement is satisfactory. Attainment on entry to the Nursery or Reception Year is low, particularly in communication, language and literacy. By the time children enter 2 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006 Year 1, they have made satisfactory progress in all areas of their learning. Good targeted support is given to those children who are at an early stage of learning English, ensuring they are involved in all activities. By the end of Year 2, standards remain well below average in reading and writing. However, in mathematics, standards are below, rather than well below, average. Recent performance data has suggested that pupils make very good progress in Years 3 to 6. However, these gains have largely resulted from very strong teaching in Year 6 and an over-emphasis on preparing pupils for the national tests. In other year groups, pupils do not progress so well. In English, standards

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Grade: 3

are low throughout the school with marked weaknesses in speaking and writing. In mathematics and science, standards are better, being close to the average by the end of Year 6. Pupils with learning difficulties benefit from carefully targeted support and make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils behave well. They enjoy learning and willingly take part in most activities. Pupils are keen to come to school but attendance is below average because of the number of families that take extended holidays. Pupils know how to look after themselves, and are aware of dangers involved in, for example playing on the roads, or talking to strangers. However, they do not know enough about the risks associated with sex or drugs. Pupils know about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, but do not always apply what they know and still bring fizzy drinks, chocolate and crisps for their lunches. Pupils have sound basic numeracy and computing skills but their speaking and writing skills are much weaker. They are not as well prepared for the next stage of education as they should be. Pupils enjoy the

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Grade: 3

responsibility of being class representatives on the school council or acting as friends for lonely or upset children. They actively join in community events such as a local street carnival.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and there are some good features. The enthusiasm of the teaching motivates the pupils, who are well informed of what they are expected to learn. Good relationships ensure that pupils are willing to ask and respond to questions, even when unsure of the correct answer. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well to engage pupils' interest and to demonstrate new learning. Teaching assistants are used carefully in lessons to support and involve those pupils who are at an early stage of learning English. Planning is improving, as teachers use assessment information carefully to plan activities that 3 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006 meet the needs of all pupils. Work is marked regularly and comments are often detailed, but not always specific enough to help pupils to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory as pupils learn skills and knowledge across an increasingly wide range of subjects. There is good emphasis on English and mathematics and, along with science, these subjects are well planned throughout the school. English has benefited from a great deal of reorganisation recently, as the school has identified how to develop literacy skills more effectively. New strategies are already starting to improve pupils' writing skills. Personal, social, health and citizenship education are taught satisfactorily but do not include sex education or raising pupils' awareness of the dangers of drug abuse. Pupils' learning is made more exciting and interesting by a good variety of extra activities, such as football and netball, after-school clubs, visits to the seaside, and visitors, including musicians, dancers and artists. The teaching of French is particularly enjoyed. 'I can speak another language now,' said one pupil, 'Un, deux, trois!'.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. Pupils feel safe because staff have their well-being at heart and are well trained in matters to do with child protection. The school makes extremely good efforts to improve pupils' attendance having, for example, a prize cup and incentives such as trampolining and bowling for the classes with the best attendance. Strong measures are taken where concerns persist, including fines for the worst offenders. Pupils with learning difficulties are given sensitive support. As one pupil said, 'Teachers are really nice, and they help you, especially if you can't do things'. The new individual learning plans for these are good but have had too little time to influence significantly pupils' progress. A recently established inclusion team is effective, ensuring that all pupils, particularly those who are at an early stage of learning English, are involved in all lessons.

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Grade: 3

Academic support for pupils is satisfactory and improving. New tracking and target setting systems are providing staff with more information about what pupils need to learn next. A system of setting targets for pupils has been introduced but these are early days and pupils are not sufficiently clear about how to achieve the targets that they are given.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. During the recent period of change, senior staff have been firm in their resolve to improve provision and pupils' achievement. They have been successful in establishing a team that shares the same 4 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006 clear sense of direction. Regular checking of performance enables the leadership to provide helpful advice about how to improve pupils' learning. Monitoring and evaluation is very thorough, giving an accurate view of how good the school is. Firm action is taken when issues are identified. For example, innovative ways have been introduced to improve pupils' vocabulary and to address weaknesses in their speaking skills. The senior managers provide clear direction and, with good support from the local authority, they are enabling teachers to get to grips with their roles in subject leadership. Staff are taking on their responsibilities with enthusiasm and have already

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Grade: 3

identified key strengths and development areas in their subjects. Governors are supportive and they know what is working well and what needs to be changed. The recent improvements in provision indicate that the school has good capacity to improve further. 5 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006 .

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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: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 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? 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

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?

3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 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: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 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: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much for making us so welcome at your school. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking with you. Your school is giving you a sound education. • The things that we particularly liked about it are • your good behaviour and your enthusiasm for lessons and other activities • the good relationships you have with one another and with the staff • the way that the staff look after you. You feel the school is a safe, friendly place • your school is getting better all the time. What we have asked the school to do now • to help you to improve both your speaking and writing skills • to tell you how well you are reaching your personal targets when your work is marked and what you need to do to improve even further. We hope you continue to work hard and enjoy your time in school. 9 Inspection Report: Caldmore Community Primary School, 21 °22 September 2006

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