Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School

Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School Inspection report

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103252 Unique Reference Number Birmingham Local Authority 308264 Inspection number 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates Alison Cartlidge 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 404 School (total) 0 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 Adrian Dence Chair Peter Hopkins Headteacher 18 April 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Severne Road School address Acocks Green Birmingham B27 7HR 01217 062743 Telephone number 01217 062756 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 2–3 December 2008 Inspection dates 308264 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: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Pupils come to this large primary school from Acocks Green and the surrounding area. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is very high. The school has a broadly average proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is in one Nursery class and two Reception classes. Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and the proportion of pupils with English as an additional language is very high, with most being at an early stage of learning English. The most common first languages of these learners are Urdu, Punjabi and Somali. The headteacher has been at the school just over two years and there have been a number of long-term staff absences over this time. An independently run after-school club meets at the school.

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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: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Grade: 3

This is a satisfactory school. It is improving and pupils are very enthusiastic about coming to it. A good curriculum contributes well to pupils' thorough enjoyment of learning and is successful in teaching them to behave well and become good citizens. Children make a sound start to their education in the EYFS. Teaching is satisfactory overall and there are good features to teaching in all classes. As a result, most pupils build steadily on what they have already learnt. Pupils' achievement is satisfactory and, by the end of Year 6, standards are slightly below average. Pupils are now doing better in English than in mathematics. Standards in writing are rising, and are broadly average by the end of Year 2. The school has concentrated well on increasing opportunities for pupils to practise writing skills. In mathematics lessons, teachers do not always match work closely enough to the wide range of needs in each class, and when this happens, learning slows. The school is

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Grade: 3

aware that too few opportunities are provided for pupils to practise what they have learnt in mathematics when working in other subjects. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because they receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants to help them reach their individual targets. The school runs a good number of intervention programmes to help pupils who find learning difficult. An increasing proportion of pupils who are learning English as an additional language are attending the school and are supported well by teachers and multilingual assistants, enabling them to learn to speak English quickly. The school's tracking information shows, however, that teachers do not always expect enough from pupils of average ability. These pupils do not always make as much progress as they should. Pupils' good personal development and well-being are evident in their healthy lifestyles and

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Grade: 3

thorough knowledge of how to stay safe. They develop good spiritual, moral, social and cultural values and are particularly polite and friendly. They make a significant contribution to the community through the school council and by carrying out many jobs in school and in the local community. The school prepares the pupils satisfactorily for the next stage of education and later life. This is evident in pupils' satisfactory progress in developing basic skills and in their good range of social skills. Care, guidance and support are good and contribute hugely to pupils' good personal development and well-being. Members of staff are very caring and support the pastoral needs of pupils and their families very well. Pupils' progress is checked carefully, although this information is not always used well enough when planning lessons. The school has started to set challenging targets for all pupils to ensure that their progress is more even

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Grade: 3

across the school. Teachers mark pupils' work conscientiously but do not always ensure that their advice is followed up quickly. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher is caring, friendly and approachable. He is focused on raising standards and, together with other members of staff, makes sure that pupils' well-being is prioritised. Leaders know how to improve the school and recent initiatives are already speeding up the rate of pupils' progress, especially in English. The school is demonstrating that it has the necessary capacity to improve further, although several long-term absences of staff have slowed the pace of change over the past two years. Leaders have started work on sharing good practice in order to improve provision across the school. The school has a good partnership with parents. Parents make positive comments such as, 'My children really enjoy coming to this school.' They point out that, for example, 'Members of

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Grade: 3

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008 staff do extra things to support children who are less able.' These comments identify what the school is already doing well.

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Grade: 3

Provision for children in the EYFS is satisfactory. On entry to the EYFS, a third of children are working at the levels typically expected for this age group. Other children are working at lower levels. Standards are below average overall when children move on into Year 1. These standards represent satisfactory progress in relation to children's starting points. Children make good progress in personal, social and emotional development and physical development because these skills are promoted especially well. Children learn quickly in the Nursery because teaching is good. They are given a wide range of activities that are matched well to their differing needs. They settle into school routines well and are given a lot of support to learn and understand new vocabulary. Teaching and learning in Reception are satisfactory and there are some good features. Members of staff ensure that children's welfare is a priority and provide calm and sensitive support as needed. They manage

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Grade: 3

behaviour well and explain tasks clearly. However, there are occasions when adults do not intervene enough to help move the children's learning forward at a quick pace in Reception. Not all activities in Reception ensure that children are fully involved in learning. Satisfactory leadership and management of the EYFS provision ensure that it continues to develop. Leaders have correctly identified the need to expand the use of the newly refurbished outdoor area and veranda.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide work that meets all pupils' needs consistently, particularly in mathematics, and ensure that the average ability pupils progress fully. ■ Increase opportunities for pupils to use and develop mathematical skills in other subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Increase the impact of marking by ensuring that pupils respond quickly to written advice.

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What the school should do to improve further

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

Pupils' achievement is satisfactory. Children make satisfactory progress in the EYFS and in the rest of the school. Standards are below average when children start in Year 1 and are slightly below average by the end of Year 6. Pupils make more rapid progress in the Nursery and Year 6, where teaching is most effective. Recent strategies have helped improve pupils' writing, and standards are rising in this subject and are now broadly average by the end of Year 2. In mathematics, teachers do not always meet pupils' differing needs closely enough or provide opportunities in other subjects for the development of mathematical skills. Good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enables them to make good progress and the school has effective intervention programmes to help pupils who are struggling to reach the nationally expected levels for their age group. However, pupils of average ability do not

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Grade: 3

always make enough progress towards their targets. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language do well and learn to speak English quickly. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Grade: 2

Pupils are very pleased that they come to this school. Attendance is average because some pupils are absent when celebrating religious festivals at home. Pupils are keen to take part in lessons and clubs and enjoy answering teachers' questions. Pupils particularly enjoy working on practical activities. They are polite, behave well and develop good self-esteem. One group of pupils ranked behaviour as being, 'about eight or nine out of ten'. Pupils work hard and cooperate with each other well. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils show self-discipline by following the school rules well and respect each other's cultures. They make a good contribution to the community by raising funds for charity, planting trees and helping each other as playground buddies. They carry out a wide range of tasks around school responsibly. The school council is proud of the way it helps to improve the school. For example, councillors have helped

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Grade: 2

to improve playtime facilities. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and healthy. They take part in several sports and understand the merits of eating sensibly. They have a good knowledge of fire and road safety.

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Grade: 3

Teachers manage behaviour well in lessons because they form good relationships with the pupils and use praise well to support and encourage. Teachers use information and communication technology and other resources effectively to support learning. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution towards helping pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school has been successful in improving the quality of teachers' marking and most write comments to help pupils to improve their work. However, not all teachers ensure that pupils follow this advice quickly and, as a result, some pupils carry on making similar mistakes in subsequent work. Teachers in each year group plan work together and this helps them to provide pupils with interesting activities. They give clear explanations to help pupils understand what to do and consequently pupils are keen to work hard. One pupil spoke for others by saying, 'Teachers try to make the subjects really fun.' However, teachers do not

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Grade: 3

consistently adjust planning to suit the needs of all pupils within their class. This is especially the case in mathematics and it is also a factor that prevents average ability pupils from making more progress towards their targets.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of valuable experiences, helping them to enjoy school. Joint planning enables pupils in parallel classes to have equal opportunities. Successful intervention programmes help to break down barriers to learning for less able pupils and for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and promote good progress. The school has recently been successful in strengthening opportunities for pupils to write across the curriculum and this is a significant factor in the rising standards in this subject. Leaders are aware that there are currently too few chances for pupils to make similar use of their numeracy 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008 skills in subjects such as science. The creative arts are promoted well in music, art and drama, contributing hugely to pupils' confidence and self-esteem. The curriculum includes good opportunities for pupils to boost their personal development.

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Grade: 2

Much is done, for example, to help pupils to make sensible lifestyle choices. A good range of clubs, visits and visitors support pupils' personal development well and broaden their experiences. The outward bound activities are effective in developing teambuilding skills.

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Grade: 2

Pupils say that they feel safe at this welcoming school. As one pupil said, 'Everyone gets on well with each other.' The school works well with parents and outside agencies to safeguard pupils' well-being. Pupils say that they know what to do if they have a worry and are confident that members of staff will deal with any concerns quickly. Systems for safeguarding pupils are robust. Partnerships with outside agencies to support vulnerable pupils and to meet the specific needs of those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are good. Thorough assessment procedures provide teachers with good information about how well pupils are doing, including those who are learning English as an additional language. The information from these systems is used to provide clear targets for pupils to aim for. As a result, pupils talk knowledgeably about what they need to do to improve their work. However, teachers do not

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Grade: 2

always do enough to ensure that this advice is heeded. The school also recognises that assessment information is not used fully to fine tune activities in lessons to pupils' needs. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are given good support in lessons and in relation to their welfare to ensure that they make good progress.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher, governors and subject leaders are committed to increasing pupils' progress and have a shared understanding of what they should do next. The school's systems for self-evaluation are satisfactory. The headteacher has brought together members of staff as a willing and hard working team following the many staffing absences. There have been several recent changes in senior managers and collectively senior leaders are starting to move the school forward more quickly. Many changes are too new to have had a sustained impact on standards and pupils' progress. Even so, standards in writing are rising, demonstrating that the school has a sound capacity to improve further. The school's contribution towards community cohesion is good. Leaders provide good opportunities for pupils to learn about life in multicultural Britain and members of staff from various ethnic minority backgrounds provide good role models for all pupils. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and

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Grade: 3

knowledgeable about the school and are becoming more proactive in discharging their responsibilities. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 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: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 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 2 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: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 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 2 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? 2 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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 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: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

4 December 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Severne Junior, Infant and Nursery School, Birmingham, B27 7HR Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for sharing your work with us. Your school provides you with a satisfactory education. Here are some points about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make satisfactory progress during your time at the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You behave well and enjoy school very much.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You take responsibility well. The school council is doing a good job.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teaching is satisfactory. Teachers work hard to make learning fun by giving you interesting things to do. ■ You study a good range of topics, and benefit from interesting visits, visitors and clubs. The outward bound teambuilding activities sound good fun. ■ The adults in the school care for you well and help you when you are finding your work hard.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher and other leaders know what needs doing next to make the school more successful. What we have asked your school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Always give you work that is just right for you, especially in mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Give you more opportunities to use and develop your mathematical skills in other subjects such as science. ■ Make sure that you follow the teachers' advice on how to improve your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help by making sure that you read and follow the teachers' advice on how to improve your work, straight away. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you about your work and watching you learn. We are glad that you enjoy coming to this happy school and wish you well for the future.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alison Cartlidge Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Severne Junior Infant and Nursery School, 2–3 December 2008

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