Hollyfield Primary School

Inspection Report Hollyfield Primary School

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131672 Unique Reference Number Birmingham Local Authority 293809 Inspection number 12 °13 December 2006 Inspection dates John Lilly 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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Hollyfield Road School address Primary Type of school Sutton Coldfield Community School category B75 7SG 4 °11 Age range of pupils 0121 3780672 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0121 3111283 Fax number 406 Number on roll (school) Gill Shilton Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Sandra Bailey Headteacher 17 September 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293809 12 °13 December 2006 4°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

This is a larger-than-average primary school. The majority of pupils come from an area of significant social and economic deprivation. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is higher than average and increasing. Above- average numbers of pupils join or leave the school other than at the usual times. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds is broadly average, and English is the first language of almost all these pupils.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Hollyfield is a good school. The headteacher's strong leadership creates a close-knit and ambitious staff, and leadership and management at all levels are good. Comprehensive and accurate self-evaluation identifies ways to improve learning that staff implement rapidly. This sustains good improvement in the quality of education. Governance is satisfactory, although governors do not have a secure enough understanding of how to make the school even better. Teaching and learning are good, as is the curriculum, giving pupils many opportunities to succeed. Even so, teachers in some lessons do not show individual pupils of different abilities what they should achieve and then match the activities to pupils' needs so that they can reach these goals. Care, guidance and support are good, creating a very good place within which to learn. This is why pupils enjoy school so much and are keen to do well, and why

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Grade: 2

their attendance, behaviour and relationships are good. Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils feel very secure and know well how to keep themselves safe. They have a very good understanding of how to remain fit and healthy. They play their full part in the school's success, not only through the school council but also by taking part in all the school has to offer. Most are fully involved in agreeing and then thinking about how to achieve their targets. They look forward to the future with warranted confidence because they are gaining the skills they will need. These many strengths come together to support pupils' good progress throughout the school. The good provision in Reception supports good progress and most children meet the goals set for the time when they move on to Year 1. This good progress continues throughout the school and pupils attain above-average standards by the end of Year

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Grade: 2

6. This represents good achievement. Standards are improving year on year.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers always make clear what is expected in lessons of pupils of different abilities and then match the activities to pupils so that they achieve those objectives. • Ensure that governors gain a more secure understanding of how to move the school forward.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is good and standards are above average. There is a strong upward trend in standards because staff rigorously identify potential underachievement and quickly act to rectify its causes. Standards at the end of Year 6 in 2006 were an improvement on results for 2005. They were well above average in English, although high-ability pupils did not do as well in writing as they did in reading. The school recognised where improvement was needed and recent developments in teaching have improved the writing of high-ability pupils, although there is room for further improvement. Standards were above average in mathematics and science, although higher-ability pupils did 2 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006 not do as well in mathematics as they did in science. The school acted to rectify this weakness in mathematics and more-able pupils now attain almost as well as they do

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Grade: 2

in science. Although there has been significant improvement in the last term, even greater improvement is hindered because teachers do not always make it crystal clear to higher-ability pupils what they must do to achieve the higher grades. Children join Reception with lower attainment than expected of their age. The majority have weak speaking and listening skills, a narrow knowledge and understanding of the world around them and are emotionally dependent upon adults. This is balanced by their good social skills; for example, they can follow instructions and show concern for others. Staff address the weak areas and build upon the strong. Consequently, children settle quickly and make good progress. A large majority attain the nationally expected learning goals before they move on to Year 1. The transition between Reception and Year 1 is carefully managed and this is one reason why pupils continue to make good progress in Year 1 and then in Year 2. By the end of Year 2, standards

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Grade: 2

are above average in reading, writing and mathematics, and are average in science.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good and they make a significant contribution to how well pupils learn. Attendance is good. Pupils say how much they enjoy school because of the friends they make and the interesting lessons. One pupil echoed the views of many when he said, 'Lessons are great because teachers make them fun'. As a result, pupils are eager to learn and nearly all behave well. They usually concentrate very well in lessons, but more-able pupils sometimes lose interest when their targets are not demanding enough. Pupils have a very good awareness of how to stay safe and live healthily, and the school has recently received a Healthy Schools award. They maturely explore topics such as healthy lifestyles, personal safety, the dangers of fire and bullying. They are never afraid to ask questions to make things clearer. Pupils develop a good awareness of their community, particularly by making improvements to their school through the

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Grade: 2

school council, raising substantial funds for charities and using the 'buddy system' to support others. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They learn to think deeply about what makes life good, appreciating the wonders of the world. Pupils are well prepared for the future by their enthusiastic participation in the school's business partnership with a local transport company, by learning and using team skills and by gaining good levels of literacy and numeracy. 3 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning ensure that most pupils make the progress they should. Almost all teaching is at least good and sometimes it is outstanding. Teachers set a clear overall objective for each lesson that pupils understand well and work hard to achieve. Teachers plan lessons to support good learning rather than simply to cover content. As one pupil said, 'When I joined Reception I could not even write 7 ° and look at me now.' The pupils enjoy their lessons, and find them challenging, interesting and fun. This is in part because teachers teach with pace, enthusiasm and drive. Even so, in some lessons it is not clear enough to pupils of each level of ability what they need to produce to show how much they have learned. This is in part because the activity set for the whole class is not well enough matched to pupils' different abilities. This holds back, in particular, the most able pupils.

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum has a strong emphasis on reading, writing, number, science and information and communication technology (ICT). It prepares pupils well for the future. Support staff are well deployed to help pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to gain full access to the curriculum and to achieve well. The strong focus on speaking and thinking skills has helped pupils gain confidence in expressing their views and ideas. Appropriate interventions to address the relative weaknesses in writing and mathematical skills have successfully raised standards throughout the school this year. However, teachers do not always make enough use of ICT to support teaching and learning, a point recognised by the school. A well-designed personal, social, health and citizenship programme underpins pupils' good understanding of the need to adopt healthy lifestyles and stay safe. Many attend the fitness activities that are offered and

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Grade: 2

provision is being extended to increase participation. Very many visits to places of interest and regular visitors enrich pupils' experiences of creativity, work and leisure considerably. Many interesting clubs extend the curriculum well, promoting team skills and enabling pupils to develop and use their individual talents.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good and valued very highly by pupils and parents. Even so, some very able pupils say that when a whole class is praised they feel left out because their individual and very high achievements are not made clear and, therefore, not recognised enough. Teachers record pupils' academic and personal development regularly and accurately, and use this detailed knowledge well in their teaching and guidance. The school makes effective use of a highly trained team of teaching assistants, who provide very good support to pupils who need someone to help them 4 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006 with a problem. Health and safety procedures are good and are reviewed regularly. As a result, the school is a secure and happy place in which pupils enjoy learning. Child protection systems are robust and all staff are well trained. The school does much to encourage pupils to adopt healthy lifestyles. Teachers are very careful to emphasise

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Grade: 2

safe practices in lessons such as science and food technology. Links with other professionals such as educational psychologists, education welfare officers and health staff are very good and provide valuable support for the school.

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Grade: 2

Good leadership and management have underpinned a period of sustained improvement. The headteacher focuses the school firmly on the task of improving pupils' progress and raising standards. Staff, therefore, work as a close-knit and ambitious team that accepts nothing but the best. Self-evaluation is rigorous and is based upon comprehensive and valid evidence. It is tested and strengthened by seeking the views of pupils and their parents. Sometimes, however, the school takes too much account of the quality of the input staff make and does not evaluate the impact of their actions on pupils' achievement. Even so, it is a very secure foundation for an excellent school improvement plan. This plan is a key reason why the quality of provision and pupils' progress show a clear and improving trend. Evaluation and the school's values create a school within which pupils and staff have every chance to reach their

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Grade: 2

potential and to receive the support they need. Governance is satisfactory and there is good partnership between governors and staff. Governors, however, do not have a clear enough understanding of how the school could be even better. There is a supportive parent body, including a very active parent association. Partnership with other agencies and organisations is a strength that supports and advises improvement. Financial control and management are good. The school has good capacity for further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 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: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 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 2 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: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 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: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 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 when we visited your school. We enjoyed our two days with you very much, especially talking to you and being with you in your lessons. You go to a good school and you are very much a part of what makes it good. You told us, rightly, it is a 'great school' and that you enjoy your time here very much. Your headteacher, staff and governors are determined to provide you with only the best, working very hard to make the school better and better each day. The school and your families work closely together to help you. You are working well in lessons and make good progress because you have good teachers. The good curriculum gives you many interesting and important things to learn that you will need for your future lives. You say you find what you learn interesting and fun. We think you are well cared for and get the help you need. You get on with others and care for

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

them. You behave well and are very polite, and your attendance is good. You become thoughtful and mature young people. You told us you liked, in particular, the many activities after school, that adults value you as individuals and the way you can help improve your school through the school council. Some of you could make an even greater effort to join in with clubs and activities. To become an even better school, we have asked your teachers to: • Make sure your work is matched to your ability and that you all know exactly what you must do to show what you have learned by the end of each lesson. • Help governors to have a clearer idea of how to make Hollyfield an even better school. 9 Inspection Report: Hollyfield Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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