Kingsland Primary School (NC)

Kingsland Primary School (NC) Inspection report

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103221 Unique Reference Number Birmingham Local Authority 308255 Inspection number 5–6 November 2008 Inspection dates Barbara Atcheson Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 240 School (total) 39 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Phillip Scarratt Chair Yvonne Willis Headteacher 27 June 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Bandywood Crescent School address Kingstanding Birmingham B44 9NA 01214 647707 Telephone number 01213 666358 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 5–6 November 2008 Inspection dates 308255 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is an average-sized school, situated on the northern edge of Birmingham. The vast majority of pupils are of White British heritage with only a small number of ethnic minority pupils. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average. In May 2008, the school moved into a new building on the same site. In the past, there has been a high turnover of staff but staffing is now more stable. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) consists of a Nursery and two Reception classes. An independent provider runs a breakfast club and an after-school club on the site. The school is part of a small Education Action Zone. The school benefits from an on-site community provision, the Bandywood Project. The school bid for 'Awards for All' (Lottery funded) has helped Bandywood provide healthy eating/cooking workshops for families. supports

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Description of the school

activities for school children (5 to 16) in the holidays, very young children and adults in the immediate locality.

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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: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. A new building and new staff have provided a surge of optimism and improved the climate for learning, pupils' behaviour and their attitudes to school. Progress is satisfactory overall. Children join the school with skills and knowledge below those expected of three and four-year-olds, especially in language development and personal and social skills. Some children in the Nursery go on to other schools and a few children enter the Reception class without having the benefit of the Nursery provision. Consequently, and because provision in EYFS is satisfactory, a large majority of children are still at below average levels when they transfer to Year 1. These children need constant consolidation in order to make their learning secure and, as a result, progress is slow and standards at the end of Year 2 are below the national average in reading and mathematics, particularly for boys and more able pupils. However,

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Grade: 3

unvalidated data show by the time they leave Year 6, progress has accelerated to such an extent that standards are above average in English and mathematics, with an above average number of pupils attaining higher levels, and in line with national standards in science. This represents a major improvement from 2007 when English and mathematics were in line with the national average but science had been below the national average for three years running. Teaching is satisfactory overall. It is good in Key Stage 2 and satisfactory in EYFS and Key Stage 1, where progress is slow. There are examples of good and outstanding practice, but these are not yet sufficiently widespread to ensure pupils' good progress in all parts of the school. Where teachers' expectations are not high enough and the use of assessment information is not effective, lessons lack sufficient pace and challenge, particularly for the more able. Pupils do

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Grade: 3

not always have clear information about how well they are doing or precise guidance on what they need to do next to reach challenging individual targets and this slows progress. Outings, extra-curricular activities and visiting artists bring a richness and enjoyment to the satisfactory curriculum. While developments in the science curriculum have improved standards, particularly for girls at the end of Year 6, initiatives to raise attainment in reading and mathematics in Years 1 and 2 have yet to be reflected in improved achievement and standards. Parents recognise that strong pastoral care results in pupils' good personal development and well-being. The school is a happy, harmonious community where behaviour is good. Pupils thoroughly enjoy school and are confident that staff will help them when problems arise. Systems are securely in place to ensure that pupils are safe and secure in school, and to support

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Grade: 3

those who are vulnerable or have particular needs. Reflecting the views of many others, one parent said, 'My son enjoys school and I am never worried about him because I know he is well looked after.' The headteacher has established a clear vision that has united everyone in a desire to get the best for pupils. The school has a secure view of its own strengths and weaknesses but does not yet have a strong enough system of monitoring and evaluation at all levels and this limits pace of school improvement. Despite the fact that attendance is still not as high as it could be, the school has worked hard to successfully address the issues of the previous inspection. This, together with improved achievement and standards at the end of Year 6, particularly in science, indicates the school's satisfactory capacity to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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Grade: 3

The strength of the welcoming environment, throughout the Nursery and Reception classes, successfully promotes children's welfare and gives children the security to become confident learners. Well-planned pre-school home visits provide vital links with parents, helping them to become increasingly active participants in their children's learning. Children quickly settle into routines and are keen to do what is expected. They enjoy the interesting activities on offer, for example using glitter with great delight to create a large, colourful picture of fireworks, but because the outdoor area is small and not covered, the amount of outdoor learning is limited. Relationships are good and this encourages children to have positive attitudes to learning. Staff interact well with children and encourage them in their work. However, there are times when children have to sit and listen for too long and so do not have enough time to practise

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Grade: 3

and experiment in order to consolidate their learning. Although the teaching of letters and sounds is well planned and the children are taught in small groups, teachers do not always check that all children can hear and say letter sounds before moving on to the next one and so learning is not always as secure as it could be. Although progress is satisfactory, the majority enter Year 1 below the expected levels for their age because so much work has to be done to ensure that the learning is secure.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate progress of all pupils in Key Stage 1, in reading and mathematics, with a particular focus on the achievement of boys and more able pupils. ■ Make sure that pupils have clear information about how well they are doing and have precise guidance on what they need to do next to reach challenging individual targets. ■ Develop the capacity of leaders at all levels to improve the quality of teaching and learning and raise achievement. 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.

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Grade: 3

Standards are average overall. Unvalidated data show that in 2008, pupils at the end of Year 6 attained above national average standards in English and mathematics and an above average number of pupils attained the higher levels in these subjects. Standards in science were in line with national average. This represents a major improvement from 2007 when standards in English and mathematics were average, but science had been below the national average for three years running. Children start school at a low base in all areas of learning, but particularly in language and personal and social skills. New knowledge, skills and understanding take time to be consolidated before these children are secure enough to move forward in their learning. Although progress is satisfactory in EYFS and Years 1 and 2, standards at the end of Year 2 are below the national average, particularly in reading and mathematics. Progress accelerates in

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Grade: 3

Years 3 to 6, particularly towards the upper end of the school in those classes where enthusiastic teachers deliver lively lessons which challenge and excite pupils. Effective programmes of learning and support from teaching assistants enable pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to achieve as well as other pupils. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils' moral and social development is good. They behave considerately and demonstrate positive attitudes to each other, creating a good environment for learning. The school takes their views seriously and they help to take decisions and influence policy, for example the school council. They take responsibility for each other on a day-to-day basis as well as through the 'buddy' system where they help their peers to socialise well and oversee each other's safety. Pupils learn about other cultures in Britain and the wider world, and their spiritual development is satisfactory. Attendance levels are average, although the school's current efforts to promote and celebrate good attendance have yet to have their full effect. Pupils adopt healthy lifestyles, both in the choices they make from the school lunch menu and in their enthusiastic take up of sports team and fitness activities such as trampolining. They contribute to the community

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Grade: 2

through fund raising for home and overseas charities and regular performances. They are well prepared for the world of work by their ability to cooperate and work together in teams, although this is not matched fully by their levels of basic skills.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and meets the needs of most learners adequately. The best teaching is in Key Stage 2. In good and excellent lessons, teachers have high expectations. They use a range of activities, lively questioning and friendly competition to engage pupils' interest and enthusiasm. They explain ideas clearly and pupils thrive when there are opportunities to think for themselves, or work in groups to investigate scientific or mathematical concepts. Where lessons are less successful, teachers talk too much, the pace of the lesson slows down, and pupils become restless because they are not being allowed to get on with work or to think for themselves. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities benefit from the help of additional staff in the classroom. Teachers monitor their progress carefully to ensure that work matches their needs. Here, the school works well with parents,

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Grade: 3

by helping, informing and involving them in their children's learning. Higher attaining pupils, on the other hand, do not benefit from a high enough level of work to draw them out and challenge them to achieve their best.

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Grade: 3

A satisfactory, broad and balanced curriculum meets the needs of most learners. Following its own analysis, the school has improved provision for writing and science, leading to higher standards. Weaknesses in art and music provision, identified in the last inspection report, have been tackled successfully. However, the curriculum in mathematics and reading at Key Stage 1 is not structured well enough to raise standards, particularly for boys and higher attaining pupils. The school reflects the needs of its local and wider community, for example by teaching about a range of cultural and religious practices, and learning about wider environmental concerns through off site visits to the specialist 'Forest School' organisation. The curriculum helps the community to be involved through literacy and numeracy workshops and contributes to it through projects such as planting bulbs on land in the area. Pupils learn about the

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Grade: 3

international community through supporting home and overseas aid charities. A strength of 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008 the curriculum lies in its range of extra-curricular activities and visits, including a wide range of sporting and fitness activities, visits to local businesses, and provision for pupils to enjoy playing a musical instrument.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. The school fully meets requirements for safeguarding pupils. The calm, well-ordered environment is checked for risk and proper safety procedures carried out, so that pupils are safe and secure. There is a low rate of bullying because pupils know how to seek help; any incidents are dealt with rapidly and effectively when they do occur. The school makes good use of outside agencies such as the police and social services and vulnerable children are cared for well. Staff monitor attendance, and make regular links with the minority of families which have difficulties in enabling their children to attend regularly. Pupils' books are marked conscientiously so that they often benefit from written teacher comments on what they have learned. However, they do not receive consistent and precise advice on how well they are doing, and what, specifically, they should be doing, in order to

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Grade: 3

move on and reach challenging individual targets.

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Grade: 3

The school has a strong sense of community under the effective leadership of the headteacher. Planning for improvement has the right priorities because of sound self-evaluation but is not always sharp enough to drive that improvement forward in the most effective way. The headteacher constantly analyses what needs to be done to raise pupils' achievement further. Other managers' skills in monitoring and evaluating are developing but are presently too limited to enable them to have a clear understanding of where strengths and weaknesses lie and so support fully improvements in teaching and learning. They have the data about pupils' achievement but they do not all have the analytical skills to see what it is telling them about pupils' progress. This restricts their ability to bring about change for the better for different groups of pupils. Governors are loyal supporters who work hard for the school but do not always

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Grade: 3

have the skills and knowledge to analyse information and so hold the school to account with regard to achievement and standards. The school sets realistic targets for pupils' performance in national tests and these are generally met, reflecting satisfactory progress for most pupils. Good links with parents and other agencies have a positive impact on community cohesion, while work with international charities provides a good opportunity to engage with a global community. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008 .

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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: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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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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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

7 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Kingsland Primary School, Kingstanding B44 9NA We really enjoyed coming to your school the other day, to find out how well you are doing. You told us how much you really enjoy coming to school and we think that your school gives you a satisfactory education and has several good features. The good things we found were:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you make satisfactory progress and reach the expected standards

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you are a very happy community and you get on with each other very well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you know how to treat people with respect and you behave well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the teachers look after you very well and make your lessons interesting

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ the school provides some interesting activities for you to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

The school is working hard to make things even better for you. We have asked the school to do three things to help you:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ to help those of you, particularly boys, in Years 1 and 2, to do even better, especially in reading and mathematics, and make sure that those of you who find work easy are able to try harder things ■ to tell you clearly how you can improve your work and what you can do in order to move to the next level in your learning. Finally, we want all the teachers who are in charge of different things in the school to help the headteacher to check that the teaching gets even better and helps you to improve even more. I hope that you will all continue to enjoy coming to school and to try your hardest so that you are successful in the future. Remember that it is important that you attend as often as you possibly can if you are to do your very best. Yours sincerely Barbara Atcheson Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Kingsland Primary School (NC), 5–6 November 2008

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