Cannon Park Primary School

Cannon Park Primary School Inspection report

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103667 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 308375 Inspection number 27 February 2008 Inspection date Mike Capper 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 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 187 School The governing body Appropriate authority Carol Davies Chair Myra Clarke Headteacher 2 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Bransford Avenue School address Coventry CV4 7PS 024 76414683 Telephone number 024 76693048 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 27 February 2008 Inspection date 308375 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 Additional Inspector. The inspector evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: pupils' progress in writing and science, the quality of teaching and pupils' personal development and well-being. Evidence was gathered from observations of pupils at work and play, discussion with staff, governors and pupils, scrutiny of documentation and an analysis of parents' views. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but the inspector found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in this report.

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Description of the school

Pupils come from a wide area that includes both owner-occupied and rented housing. The University of Warwick is in the school's catchment area; students from overseas send their children to the school resulting in there being a larger than average proportion of pupils in the early stages of learning English. Some of these pupils stay at the school for only a short time. Children's attainment on starting school in the Reception Year is below average. Home languages in the current Reception Year include English, Urdu, Korean and Mandarin Chinese.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school, where pupils from many different backgrounds have their needs met well. Pupils' achievement is good because they are taught well. Teachers make good use of resources such as the interactive whiteboard to introduce new skills and pupils' behaviour is managed very effectively. Teachers plan interesting and engaging work that leads to high levels of motivation among pupils. Consequently, children get a good start in the Foundation Stage and then continue to make good progress in the rest of the school. This means that from below average starting points, standards rise to above average levels by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. In English, standards in writing are behind those for reading. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good overall progress because they are given good support by able teaching assistants. However, there are occasions in some literacy lessons

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Grade: 2

when the needs of less able pupils are not met well enough, slowing the pace at which writing skills improve. In contrast, more able pupils are challenged well, with teachers planning carefully for their needs. Bilingual support assistants ensure that children in the early stages of learning English are able to make rapid progress in improving their speaking skills. Pupils make excellent progress in science because they are curious and inquisitive, and teachers encourage them to think like scientists by giving them many opportunities to carry out investigations and experiments. The care, guidance and support given to pupils are good, with pastoral support being especially strong. This contributes well to pupils' good personal development. One pupil rightly commented that, 'Teachers are very kind and caring and there is always someone to help us if we have a worry.' Throughout the school, pupils behave well and they have a good understanding of how

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Grade: 2

to stay safe at school and in the wider community. Pupils are sociable and articulate and are keen to talk to visitors. They work hard in lessons, although a few do not always take enough care with their written work. Pupils greatly enjoy school, especially the outstanding way in which the good curriculum is enriched by activities outside lessons. As one parent noted, the very large number of clubs reflects the willingness of staff to 'go the extra mile to make learning fun'. These activities significantly enhance learning and provide every child with a wide range of experiences. Creativity is fostered very imaginatively through visits from artists and strong links with a local art centre, and this means that pupils produce high quality artwork such as the superb three-dimensional pictures on display in the Year 5 classroom. Pupils have an outstanding understanding of how to live healthy lifestyles and they participate enthusiastically

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Grade: 2

in physical exercise. Pupils in Year 2 explain very clearly how 'eating a balanced diet helps you to stay healthy'. The school's good efforts have improved attendance since the last inspection. Rates of attendance are now broadly average, despite the impact of some pupils going on extended holidays during term time. Pupils are very proud of their school and they are right when they say that it helps them to become responsible citizens. School councillors speak confidently about the things that they have done to improve the school by buying new equipment for the playground and by helping to review the school's behaviour policy. 'Playground Pals' are very enthusiastic about the way that they ensure that playtimes are usually calm and harmonious. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the community by taking part in local events and raising funds for charities. They speak very knowledgeably about the importance of taking care of the local environment

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Grade: 2

and the school has an 'Eco Schools' award that reflects this commitment to looking after the 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008 planet. Activities such as these, as well as their good levels of confidence and self-esteem, prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education. The school is well led and managed. The hard work and commitment of the headteacher and other senior managers has ensured that the school has continued to move forward quickly since the last inspection. Members of staff and governors work well as a team and there is a clear understanding of what still needs to be done, based on good systems for checking how well the school is doing. The school has already begun to take decisive action to improve progress in writing by making better use of targets to help pupils understand how to improve their work, although this is not yet consistently good across the school. Senior managers make good use

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Grade: 2

of information about pupils' learning to set challenging targets and to identify any who need additional support. The school has very detailed plans for development but these do not clearly identify the main priorities in each year or show how success is to be measured. This makes it difficult to check the impact of initiatives. Nevertheless, the school has shown in the way that it has maintained good achievement and has tackled weaknesses from the last inspection that it has a good capacity for further improvement. The school has outstanding links with a range of partners, most notably parents, other local schools and agencies that support pupils in the early stages of learning English. Parents make a significant contribution to the school's success by supporting their children's learning at home. One parent summed up the views of many by commenting that, 'the school does a great job of managing and teaching a very varied and constantly changing group of children'. This

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Grade: 2

comment accurately captures the essence of this successful school.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching helps children to make good progress in the Foundation Stage. Consequently, by the time children start in Year 1, most are working securely at or beyond the levels expected for their age. Children make especially good progress in personal, social and emotional development because of the high expectations of all adults and the sensitive way that they are helped to settle when they start school. Teaching is good because members of staff explain tasks clearly, enabling children to gain good knowledge and to become confident about asking questions. Whole-class sessions are well organised, although there are occasions when work is not pitched at the right level for all children, resulting in one or two becoming restless and inattentive. Children who are in the early stages of learning English are supported well by adults and their classmates, ensuring that they can take a full part in lessons. There is a good range

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Grade: 2

of indoor and outdoor resources and children are given good opportunities to choose where they are going to work. Provision is well led and managed. There is effective teamwork with teachers in Years 1 and 2, enabling children to adapt easily to a slightly more structured approach to learning when they leave the Reception Year.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that in literacy lessons, writing activities are pitched at the right level for all pupils, especially the less able. ■ Sharpen school development planning so that it more clearly identifies the priorities for each year and shows how success towards meeting objectives is to be measured. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 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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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the 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? 2 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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?

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 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

28 February 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Cannon Park Primary School, Coventry, CV4 7PS Thank you for welcoming me to your school and for showing me your work. You were very polite and friendly and were well behaved. I agree with you that your school is good, and that there are many exciting things for you to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Here are some of the things I found out about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are supported well and good teaching helps you to learn new things quickly. This means that you reach above average standards by the end of Year 6. At the moment, in English, you do slightly better in reading than in writing. ■ Younger children get a good start in the Reception class, where you work together well and quickly become independent. ■ You really enjoy school because adults make learning interesting by planning fun activities, and by providing many clubs and visits. You have an excellent understanding of how to stay healthy. ■ You behave well and are very keen to take responsibility. The school council and playground pals do a very good job in helping to improve the school. The way that you all support new arrivals to the school is great and this helps them to settle quickly and to make new friends. ■ Your teachers and other adults are very kind and caring; they look after you very well and

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

give you help when you need it. ■ Your headteacher and teachers lead the school well and are doing the right things to make it even better. ■ Almost all of your parents and carers are very pleased that you come to this school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ What we have asked your school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that teachers always plan written work at the right level for all pupils, especially for those of you who find writing difficult. ■ Make sure that written plans for improving the school are clearer about the most important things to develop and show how senior leaders are going to check that they have been achieved. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you about your work and watching you learn. You can try to help your teachers by making sure that you always write as neatly as you can. I wish you all the best for the future. Yours sincerely Mr M Capper Lead inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Cannon Park Primary School, 27 February 2008

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