Pool Hayes Primary School

Pool Hayes Primary School Inspection report

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104191 Unique Reference Number Walsall Local Authority 301682 Inspection number 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates Ken Buxton HMI 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 205 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Tina Titley Chair Keith Page Headteacher 8 May 2000 Date of previous school inspection Bridgnorth Grove School address Willenhall WV12 4RX

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01902 368144 Telephone number 01902 368144 Fax number

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3 °11 Age group 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates 301682 Inspection number .

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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 of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This school is slightly smaller than average. Most of the children come from White British backgrounds. The percentage of children entitled to free school meals has increased slightly but is still less than the national average. Fewer children than average have learning difficulties and/or disabilities but the proportions vary quite considerably from year to year. There have been several changes of staff since the last inspection, including a change of headteacher and deputy headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school which is starting to improve. The leadership team is relatively new and is beginning to make appropriate changes. The children are encouraged by the developments taking place and clearly enjoy coming to school to learn. Parents' views demonstrate just how pleased they are with the school. One parent summed up the views of many by commenting: 'My children enjoy school immensely and are always keen to race in.' Children are supported sensitively when they start at the school and quickly settle into school life. Children's standards on entry are broadly in line with those expected for their age, but slightly below in the areas of speaking and listening and personal development. During the Foundation Stage children settle well and make satisfactory progress. The school's appropriate focus on improving children's language skills across the school is starting to show success, as

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Grade: 3

in 2006, the Year 6 children achieved standards above national averages. The teaching is satisfactory overall. Relationships are good and the pupils are keen to learn. Teachers' lesson planning has improved but not all lessons are focused carefully enough on children's interests and so do not always engage them fully and hold their attention. In some lessons there is insufficient pace and too much time is spent in discussion, which curtails that available for children to complete their work. The care, guidance and support given to the children are good and they are taught well about the importance of good behaviour and showing kindness to others. Their personal development and well-being are good and the children are keen to adopt healthy lifestyles, although the school council is aware that more needs to be done to encourage children to adopt healthy diets. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The headteacher has created

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Grade: 3

a good sense of teamwork with senior colleagues. He has encouraged a collective approach to identify appropriate improvement priorities for the school to achieve and, as a result, the school has a good capacity to improve. Current priorities include improving the school's curriculum. This is currently satisfactory but there are too few opportunities for creativity and lessons are not based closely enough on children's interests. A start has been made in strengthening the role of the governors and widening the leadership role to other teachers but these initiatives remain at an early stage of development.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve teaching in all subjects by ensuring that lessons engage the children's interests, move at a brisk pace and are better planned to allow them to finish their work. • Review the school's curriculum in order to provide greater opportunities in all subjects for children to express their creativity and so increase their enjoyment of learning. • Sharpen the leadership and management skills of staff so that they can monitor and evaluate children's progress more accurately. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Grade: 3

Children's achievement is satisfactory overall. However, the standards children achieve vary year on year reflecting the differing abilities of each cohort. By the beginning of Year 1 the children have made satisfactory progress ready for the start of Key Stage 1 as standards are broadly in line with those expected. Standards attained by the end of Year 2 in 2006 were above the national average and show improvement over the previous year's results. This improvement is most noticeable with children's reading, where their attainment is significantly better than the national average. This improvement is also reflected in children's writing, which is shown by an upward trend over the past three years reflecting the successful impact of the school's efforts to raise children's attainment in these areas. However, these successes have not been achieved in mathematics where children's attainment fluctuates year on year remaining just above or just below the

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Grade: 3

national average. Results at the end of Year 6 in 2006 improved, reflecting the more able year group. Children in Year 6 exceeded the school's targets and reached standards above the national average in English, mathematics and science. They were also more successful than those nationally in achieving the higher levels. However, the current picture is of broadly average achievement reflecting the abilities of the differing year groups. Children who have learning difficulties and disabilities gain in confidence because of the support they are given and make satisfactory progress. These improvements have been brought about by monitoring children's progress more accurately and focusing more precisely on the areas that they need to develop.

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Grade: 2

Children's personal development and well-being are good and by the time they leave school, they are confident and articulate with a strong sense of right and wrong. They make good progress in their moral, social and cultural development but their spiritual development is satisfactory. Children benefit from the school's increased emphasis on arts from other cultures and visits to places of worship. They enjoy coming to school and recognise the long-term benefits of a good education. When asked what they liked most, they said without hesitation, 'The best thing about school is the teachers.' Children's behaviour is good and older pupils are keen to set younger ones a good example. Attendance has improved and is now satisfactory. Children show a good and increasing understanding of healthy lifestyles and they have a good sense of how to take care of themselves and each other. Children make a good contribution to

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Grade: 2

the community through the school council where they put forward the views about improvements to the school playground and meals. They help to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves and are conscious of the needs of others. Children make good progress towards economic well-being as they learn the basic skills necessary for their adult life.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with some good and a few very good features. In all lessons children behave well, show positive attitudes and make satisfactory progress; teachers have good relationships with the children in their classes and plan their 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007 lessons carefully making satisfactory provision for the different ability groups. The activities planned are satisfactory although not always matched carefully enough to the children's interests. In some lessons teachers spend too much time on class discussions, which limits the time available for children to complete their work. Some teachers lack confidence in using the recently introduced teaching methods which reduces their effectiveness in helping children to learn. Where teaching is good children make good progress. This is because the lessons are

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Grade: 3

lively, delivered with pace and successfully engage the children's interest and curiosity, turning them into active and eager learners. Teaching assistants are deployed appropriately and they often make a significant contribution to the overall effectiveness of lessons. They frequently work with children who have learning difficulties and disabilities and so enable these children to make satisfactory progress. Teachers' marking of children's work is often good and in some classes it is very good. This is because teachers mark carefully against their lesson objectives, which helps the children understand which aspect of their work needs to be improved.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. It includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and meets statutory requirements. The school has focused appropriately on improving children's reading and writing by introducing a range of initiatives which are proving effective in improving standards in English. Literacy is used well to support learning in different subjects but more needs to be done to enhance the application of mathematics into real life learning situations. The curriculum is planned adequately so all groups of children are taught a satisfactory range of information and skills and learn music and a foreign language. The number of visits being planned has increased. These provide the children with first-hand experiences, which help to bring the curriculum to life. Plans to focus increasingly on children's interests and provide greater opportunities for creativity are at an early stage of development. The school makes

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Grade: 3

helpful arrangements for its oldest children to prepare for the move to secondary school. Provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory and those with social and emotional difficulties are given additional help. Gifted and talented children are identified and suitable extension work is planned but this needs further refinement. The school's provision for other activities to enrich the curriculum is satisfactory. Children enjoy the clubs organised by the school. Older children benefit from an annual residential trip. Many visitors come to share their knowledge and experience with the children and this helps them to learn about life in today's world.

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Grade: 2

The school provides good care for all its children and meets its statutory requirements. It provides a safe and happy setting where children's security is of the highest importance. Child protection arrangements are strong and reviewed regularly. The school buildings and grounds are well maintained and health and safety requirements are met. Policies to promote race equality and to encourage appropriate behaviour and to address incidents of bullying are working well resulting in a harmonious atmosphere across the school. The school has introduced an effective system to monitor children's progress which is helping to guide their development. However, the school recognises that its tracking systems are at an early stage of implementation and plans further refinement. Children are given clear targets to work towards so that they 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007 know what aspect of their work they need to improve. Children with learning difficulties and/or

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Grade: 2

disabilities are identified early and the school works well with outside agencies to make sure that they get the support they need.

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Grade: 3

The school's senior leaders have a sound view of its strengths and weaknesses. They are supported well in this role by the local authority adviser who has helped them to introduce focused monitoring activities to evaluate the effectiveness of the school's work. As a result of this initiative, the senior leaders are aware of the need to develop their monitoring skills further in order to identify future priorities for school improvement. The senior leaders are encouraging greater involvement from subject leaders in the overall leadership and management of the school. This development is still in its infancy but it is already showing signs of encouraging a more focused team approach to deliver the school's improvement priorities. However, the school's leadership recognises that more has to be done if the full benefits of widening involvement are to be derived. The headteacher consults parents and children annually on aspects of school life and analyses

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Grade: 3

the responses very carefully. This very thorough approach has proved extremely effective in addressing any matters raised and so meeting and exceeding parental expectations of the school. As one parent commented, 'Under the leadership of the headteacher the school is continually moving forward and I see no reason why it will not continue to do so.' The governors have a sound understanding of the school's priorities. Although they are becoming increasingly aware of their role to challenge the school's leadership, to ensure that the right priorities are being pursued, they are not yet sufficiently involved in this process. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 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 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?

2 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 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 June 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Pool Hayes Primary School, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV12 4RX Thank you for making Mrs Parkinson and myself so welcome when we visited you in your school. We noticed how well you behaved, how you get on well together and how proud you are of your school. Our report says that your school is satisfactory and is starting to improve. This is because your headteacher knows what he wants the school to be like and is working hard with the staff and governors to make it even better. We were impressed with your positive attitudes to school and for learning and want these to improve even more. Your teachers are already working hard to plan interesting lessons for you and they often include visits and trips which you enjoy as they help you to learn. Your enthusiasm for school is helping to improve attendance, and well done to Gold Class for achieving such a good attendance level in the week prior to our visit.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To help your school become even better we want you to continue working hard to improve standards across the school. In particular, we want you to listen carefully in class to both your teacher and to each other as this will help you learn. This is not always easy as noise travels between the open classes and can make it hard to hear what is being said in your own classroom. We have asked your headteacher to work with your teachers to make your lessons even better. They can do this by building lessons around your interests and giving you more opportunities to be creative. They can also make lessons move along more quickly and make sure that you have enough time to complete your work. We have also asked that all your teachers take a lead in checking how good teaching is across the school so that you have every opportunity to learn. This will help the teachers too, by developing their skills in helping to manage the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Work hard and have fun. Ken Buxton HMI 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Pool Hayes Primary School, 25 °26 June 2007

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