Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School

Inspection Report Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School

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132073 Unique Reference Number Walsall Local Authority 293935 Inspection number 6 March 2007 Inspection date Alison Grainger 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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The Green School address Primary Type of school Aldridge Voluntary aided School category Walsall WS9 8NH 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01922 743765 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01922 453968 Fax number 485 Number on roll (school) Christopher Blunt Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Raymond Hosking Headteacher 29 April 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 293935 6 March 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This large school draws most of its pupils from Aldridge, although some travel from further afield. Many pupils are from relatively advantaged backgrounds and most are White British. No pupils from minority ethnic families are at an early stage of learning English. The percentage of pupils with learning difficulties is below average. On entry to the Nursery, almost all children's attainment is at least at the level expected for their age. The school has a number of awards in recognition of its work, including an award for effective ICT practice and the Gold Active Mark. It is currently working towards the Healthy Schools award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school in which every child matters. It is highly effective in ensuring that pupils do as well as possible academically and that they also develop as well rounded young people. Pupils have an exceptional awareness of what it means to be a good citizen. As one parent commented, reflecting the views of many, 'Academic success is important but we are safe in the knowledge that our son is achieving much more than just this'. Pupils' progress from entry to the Nursery to the end of Year 6 represents outstanding achievement in relation to their starting points and capabilities. At each stage, pupils make substantial gains in knowledge, understanding and skills. As a result, standards are exceptionally high in Year 6. Particularly impressive is the steady increase, as pupils move up through the school in the number working above the level expected for their age. Great care is taken to ensure that pupils with learning difficulties do as well as

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Grade: 1

others. Even though standards and achievement are exceptional, the school is striving to close the gap between pupils' performance in reading and in writing. As is the case nationally, pupils reach higher standards in reading than in writing. Teaching of an outstanding quality overall, together with an exceptionally good curriculum, are major reasons for pupils' academic success. Teachers and teaching assistants work very effectively to ensure that pupils do well across the full range of the curriculum, not only in English, mathematics and science. All of this begins with the very strong start children are given in the Nursery and Reception Year. The high quality teaching and curriculum contribute much to pupils' personal development, as does the strong Christian ethos that underpins the school's work. Parents speak of the school's 'wonderful sense of calm' and value its family atmosphere. Pupils say that the praise they receive and teachers' positive attitudes make them feel

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Grade: 1

'special inside'. All these factors, together with the exceptional care, guidance and support, result in pupils' outstanding personal development and well-being. The headteacher, staff and governors form a highly effective team. They continually strive to make the school even better, analysing carefully each detail of provision. As a result of this rigorous self-evaluation, the school has an extremely clear educational direction. It knows what needs to be done next and recognises the importance of not only maintaining, but building, on its strengths. Consequently, it knows that to help pupils to do even better in writing, the range of opportunities for writing in subjects other than English needs to increase. The school has excellent capacity to become even better.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Increase opportunities for pupils to develop writing skills through their work in different subjects. 2 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

Pupils' achievement is outstanding and standards are exceptionally high. Children make significant gains across all the areas of learning in the Nursery and Reception Year. By the end of Reception, almost all children reach the goals expected and a good number exceed them. Many are already working within the expectations of the National Curriculum when they transfer to Year 1. Good progress is made in Years 1 and 2, with the result that standards in reading, writing and mathematics are exceptionally high. Over the period from the start of Year 3 to the end of Year 6, further substantial gains are made. Standards in Year 6 are currently very high in English, mathematics and science. Because the school is continually striving to be even more effective, it is working hard to get each pupil to reach standards that are equally high in reading and in writing. Pupils' attainment across the full range of the curriculum is higher than in most schools.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They gain a strong sense of social responsibility. The strength of their care for others is evident in their very positive relationships and commitment to raising funds for good causes. Pupils' contribution to the school and wider community is exceptional. Older pupils in particular have substantial roles in supporting others and in ensuring that pupils' views are heard. Almost all pupils enjoy school tremendously and the attendance rate is significantly above the national average. Behaviour is impeccable in lessons and around the school. In 'Squash Up' assembly, when the whole school squashes up together to fit into one of the halls, all pupils remain absolutely attentive and involved. Pupils have an excellent awareness of how to keep safe in and out of school. The School Council, for example, recently wrote and distributed a poem to increase parents'

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Grade: 1

awareness of the importance of traffic safety in the vicinity of the school. Pupils' knowledge of the importance of how to keep healthy is very good. Even so, too many choose to bring unhealthy snacks such as crisps to school. Pupils' excellent personal qualities and exceptional academic progress prepare them extremely well for their future lives.

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Grade: 1

Almost all teaching is good and a substantial amount is outstanding. A consistent approach to the organisation of lessons is evident throughout the school. The purpose 3 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007 of each lesson is explained clearly so that pupils know what they are aiming to achieve. Almost all lessons are well paced, keeping pupils on their toes. Many fun activities enthuse pupils, such as the use of games in mathematics lessons in Year 6. Interactive whiteboards are used effectively, reflecting the award the school has received for good practice in this area. Many interesting resources bring learning to life, such as the use of a puppet bird to demonstrate subtraction in Reception. The teaching of basic skills is exceptionally well focused. It really helps to give the youngest children and those in Years 1 and 2 a strong start. Throughout the school,

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Grade: 1

very competent teaching assistants make a significant contribution to pupils' learning.

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Grade: 1

Children in the Nursery and Reception Year experience a stimulating range of learning opportunities in all areas of learning. There is just the right balance of adult-directed activities and those that children select for themselves from a range provided. Good coverage of all the required subjects in Years 1 to 6 is enhanced by the additional teaching of Spanish in Years 3 to 6. The enrichment of daily lessons through visits and visitors is exceptional. These additional opportunities, together with an exceptionally wide range of clubs, sporting and musical events, contribute a great deal to pupils' personal development. Much is done to broaden pupils' knowledge and understanding of the world. The school is working hard to increase the international dimension of the curriculum to make pupils even more outward-looking. It also recognises the importance of extending the already good opportunities for writing in other subjects to help pupils to attain

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Grade: 1

Pastoral care is of a very high quality. As a result, pupils feel safe and valued and are sure that they have an adult to whom they can turn should the need arise. They really appreciate the way in which the pupil support worker represents them and works closely with the School Council to develop the pupils' voice in the school. A number of parents of pupils with learning difficulties or medical conditions emphasise how much they appreciate the care for their children. As one parent observed, 'Staff have often gone above the necessary to aid myself and my children'. Monitoring of pupils' progress is meticulous and ensures that swift action is taken should a pupil move on less well than expected. Guidance to pupils to help them to improve their writing is particularly helpful. Although marking is not quite as consistent in guiding pupils to do better in other subjects, pupils benefit from the focus they are

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Grade: 1

given for their work by knowing the purpose of each series of lessons. 4 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Grade: 1

One parent accurately described what lies at the heart of the school's effectiveness by saying, 'There is a strong sense of teamwork by a combination of the teachers, pupils and parents, encouraged and monitored by the very competent governors'. Everyone is sharply focused on doing the very best for the pupils. They work relentlessly to make the school outstanding and, as the headteacher says, 'to achieve the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow'. The sense of teamwork and commitment is tangible. The headteacher provides an exceptionally strong example for others and an outstandingly clear educational direction. He is very well supported by an able deputy and clear-thinking senior team, with all staff fulfilling their responsibilities well. Governors contribute fully to the school's highly analytical and effective self-evaluation. They provide just the right balance of support and challenge. It is no wonder that the

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Grade: 1

school has moved from being very good at its last inspection to being outstanding now and still moving onwards and upwards. 5 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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?

1 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: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 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: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making me welcome when I visited your school. I would especially like to thank the School Council who had a meeting with me and the other pupils that I spoke with during the day. The School Council told me a lot about what you think about school. I found out that your school is outstanding. It is highly successful in making sure that you do well with your school work and also that you develop as well-rounded young citizens. By the time you reach the end of Year 6, you have made a huge amount of progress. Your standard of work is exceptionally high. You are very well prepared for your next school and for your future lives. You do so well because the overall quality of teaching is excellent and you have many interesting learning opportunities. You have many extra activities, such as clubs, visits and visitors who share their skills and experiences with you. Your personal development and well-being are excellent. You do so much to help other people

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

and you behave impeccably and really want to learn. You know a lot about how to stay safe and why it is important to eat healthily and have regular exercise. Some of you are a bit too keen on crisps for snacks though. Please would you think carefully about choosing more healthy things for snacks. Your school looks after you very well. It cares about each one of you. You told me that all the adults are approachable and that there are good ways of telling them if you have any worries or concerns. Your school is exceptionally well led. Your headteacher, all the staff and governors are a really strong team continually making the school even better for you. The adults know what needs to be done to make the school even better. I have asked them to focus on one thing in particular. This is to give you more opportunities for writing across the different subjects. Your school is working to make sure that your writing is just as good as your reading.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Keep on doing your best and being the caring and considerate young people that you are. 9 Inspection Report: Cooper and Jordan Church of England Primary School, 6 March 2007

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