Rood End Primary School

Rood End Primary School Inspection report - amended

p.1

103984 Unique Reference Number Sandwell Local Authority 308473 Inspection number 6 °7 December 2007 Inspection dates Graham Sims Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Primary Type of school Community School category 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 323 School The governing body Appropriate authority Jacki Marshall Chair Judith Green Headteacher 22 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Rood End Road School address Oldbury B68 8SQ 01215 521866 Telephone number 01215 521922 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 6 °7 December 2007 Inspection dates 308473 Inspection number

p.1

Amended Report Addendum

Report amended due to Ofsted notification

p.2

Amended Report Addendum

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.

p.2

Amended Report Addendum

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Rood End Primary School is larger than most primary schools. Almost three-quarters of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and almost half speak English as an additional language. Around a third of the pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and a similar proportion are entitled to free school meals. All of these proportions are well above the national average. The number of pupils who leave or join the school other than at the normal time is high. Standards of attainment on entry to the Nursery and Reception classes are very low, particularly in communication, language and literacy. At the last inspection in October 2005, the school was removed from special measures. Two terms later, the headteacher was seconded to work elsewhere and has subsequently resigned. An acting headteacher has now looked after the school for four terms. A new headteacher takes up her post in January 2008. In the last 18 months, there has been an almost complete

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.3

Grade: 3

The last two years have been a period of significant change at Rood End, during which time the leadership of the acting headteacher has helped the school to consolidate its position as a satisfactory school. The school's national test results improved markedly in 2006 and 2007, reflecting the fact that most pupils now achieve satisfactorily. However, even with this improvement, standards in English, mathematics and science are still very low throughout the school. One of the main reasons for this is that many pupils still have insufficient command of English. This is because the school does not have a person to coordinate the support and guidance it provides for pupils for whom English is an additional language. The quality of teaching and learning and the range of curricular opportunities are satisfactory. New staff have settled to their tasks well and nearly all of the teaching is at least satisfactory.

p.4

Grade: 3

There is a significant amount of good teaching, but teachers' assessments are not always as accurate as they need to be in order to ensure that work is matched accurately to the needs of individual pupils. A concerted effort has been made to improve pupils' English skills, but this has led to an imbalanced curriculum where very little time is spent on subjects such as art and design, design and technology, music, history and geography. Staff have not exploited the contribution these subjects can make to developing pupils' English skills. Recent efforts to improve the curriculum have been successful. Pupils' eyes light up when they talk about their residential visit or school trips. These opportunities broaden pupils' life experiences and contribute significantly to their enjoyment of school. Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory, but the standard of pupils' behaviour is an undoubted strength. Pupils are courteous, respectful and helpful. Their behaviour

p.4

Grade: 3

in lessons, albeit somewhat passive at times, is almost always good. The school is a racially harmonious and inclusive society, where pupils from a wide range of different backgrounds relate well to each other and to the staff. Pupils are well aware that these features, along with the education they receive from staff and a range of visitors, help them to stay safe. They have a good understanding of what they need to do to lead healthy lifestyles, making healthy choices at lunchtime and participating in at least two hours of physical activity each week. Whilst pupils like coming to school and enjoy special activities and being with their friends, they do not always show great enthusiasm for their work, and the level of attendance is still well below the national average. This is despite the school's efforts to promote good attendance and to follow up absences. The quality of pastoral care is good and this helps pupils to feel valued members of the

p.4

Grade: 3

community and to develop good relationships with the staff. It is one of the main reasons why most parents are pleased with the school. Academic support is improving, for example, through a better coordination of the school's provision for pupils with learning difficulties, but the needs of those who have little grasp of English when they join the school have not been given enough consideration. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The acting headteacher has kept the school running smoothly, introduced some new initiatives and developed a good team spirit amongst the staff. Although middle managers are still inexperienced in their roles, the senior staff show that there is satisfactory capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.4

Grade: 3

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. It is better in the Nursery class than in the Reception classes. The school has worked hard to improve the learning environment, especially outdoors, in order to provide a stimulating area in which children feel safe. The staff have increased the number of opportunities for children to visit nearby places of interest, which is helping them to gain an experience of the wider world which many of them do not receive at home. Overall, children achieve satisfactorily in the Foundation Stage, although standards are well below those expected by the time they start Year 1. The children make greatest progress in their personal and social development, but progress in developing reading, writing and speaking skills is too slow.. The teaching is generally satisfactory but, in some sessions in the Reception classes, the children are given writing tasks that are too hard for them, and are then left to

p.5

Grade: 3

play for far too long without sufficient focus and with little guidance from adults. Some of the teaching in the Nursery is good. This occurs in sessions where there is a good balance between activities provided by adults and opportunities for children to find out things for themselves. Whilst teachers provide a good variety of activities, these do not always fire the children's imagination well enough, nor do they focus sufficiently on developing their language skills. The staff have developed good links with parents and provide good pastoral care for the children. Their assessments of children's capabilities, however, are too generous, and teachers do not use their observations of children at play well enough to plan activities that will help children to make good progress.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ ■ Provide all pupils, but especially those in their early years at school and those who have English as an additional language, with a more secure foundation in the basic skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening. ■ Provide a broader and more interesting curriculum which motivates pupils to learn, deepens their understanding of subjects other than English and mathematics, and provides a wider range of contexts in which to consolidate their literacy and numeracy skills. ■ Improve the coordination and range of support for pupils with English as an additional language. ■ Improve the accuracy of assessments of what pupils can do, particularly in the Foundation Stage, so that teachers have better information from which to plan their lessons and meet the needs of individual pupils. ■ Work more closely with parents to raise the level of attendance.

p.5

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.

p.5

Grade: 3

Standards are very low when children enter the school and are still very low at the end of Foundation Stage, Year 2 and Year 6. However, a gradual improvement in the school's results at the end of Year 2 and a marked improvement in English and mathematics at the end of Year 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007 6 indicate that pupils are making better progress than before and that their overall achievement is now satisfactory. The school exceeded its targets in 2007. However, standards in science fell for the second year in a row, prompting a review of the science curriculum and corrective action, which has not yet had time to take effect. A small proportion of more able pupils reach above average standards in English and a larger proportion in mathematics. However, many pupils, especially those for whom English is an additional language, do not reach standards of which they are capable because the school does

p.5

Grade: 3

not develop their English skills well enough.

p.6

Grade: 3

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. The cultural diversity within the school is a natural resource which helps pupils to develop a good understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils' good behaviour and the good relationships amongst pupils and between pupils and staff help to create a harmonious community. Isolated incidents of bullying and poor behaviour are dealt with well. Pupils like coming to school because they feel safe there and they find their teachers friendly and helpful. However, they do not always show the same level of enjoyment in lessons and too many pupils are passive observers rather than active participants. Despite the school's best efforts to improve attendance, the level has fallen again after a period of improvement and is well below the national average. Pupils enjoy a limited range of opportunities to take responsibility within the school, such as being a playground

p.6

Grade: 3

buddy or a member of the school council, and to contribute to the local community through visits to the old people's home and singing in the local church. By the time they leave school, pupils are mature and sensible, but the basic skills of many are still well below the expected levels.

p.6

Grade: 3

The school has made some good new teaching appointments and almost eradicated inadequate teaching. There are instances of good teaching in most parts of the school, but this quality is not maintained consistently. This is partly because teachers' assessments are not always accurate enough to enable them to tailor their planning precisely to the needs of the pupils. Some staff underestimate the difficulties experienced by pupils for whom English is an additional language and do not give enough attention to the development of their language skills. Whilst it is important that children in the Reception classes learn through play, their play sessions last too long and activities often result in little learning because the teachers do not intervene sufficiently to move children's learning on. Throughout the school, teachers manage pupils well, establish good relationships and ensure a positive environment within their classrooms.

p.6

Grade: 3

In its efforts to raise standards in English and mathematics, the school devotes a disproportionately large amount of time to literacy and numeracy activities to the detriment of other subjects. Pupils receive very little teaching in art and design and design and technology and the coverage of history and geography is sparse. Some steps have been taken to redress 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007 the balance, for example, combining the teaching of literacy and topic work for one lesson a week. However, the school has yet to develop a coherent approach to consolidating the basic skills taught in English and mathematics lessons through all subjects of the curriculum. There is good provision for educating pupils about how to lead healthy lifestyles and adopt safe practices, and there is a good range of activities for pupils to participate in at lunchtime. An increasing number of educational visits, visitors and residential experiences provide important

p.6

Grade: 3

The school provides good pastoral care. Good new induction procedures help the school's youngest pupils to settle quickly into the school's friendly environment. The school recognises that many pupils have social needs and works well with their families to provide the necessary support. Health and safety procedures and safeguarding systems meet requirements. The care for vulnerable pupils and provision for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well planned, and there are effective links with external agencies. Not enough attention has been given to providing language support for pupils who do not speak English at home. Academic support and guidance are satisfactory. The school has an adequate system for keeping track of pupils' progress, but previous assessments were inaccurate, making it difficult to determine how much progress pupils have actually made. Pupils are given targets in literacy

p.7

Grade: 3

and numeracy, but some targets are too general and others are not fully understood by the pupils.

p.7

Grade: 3

The school has continued to improve since the last inspection in spite of the many staff changes. Under the guidance of the acting headteacher, the interim leadership team has worked well together and standards have risen. The team has identified appropriate areas for development and introduced new procedures and initiatives, such as a new programme to develop pupils' reading skills and a greater emphasis on the development of pupils' information and communication technology skills. These have not been in place long enough for their impact to be measured. Most middle managers are fairly new to their posts and have not yet had much impact on developing their subject areas. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language lacks coordination. Good support is provided for all staff, especially newly qualified teachers and those new to the school. Governors provide satisfactory support and challenge

p.7

Grade: 3

to the school. The current members of staff who will be part of the new leadership team in January have demonstrated that they have a satisfactory capacity to help the school continue its journey of improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007 .

p.7

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: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

p.9

Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 4 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

p.9

learners?

3 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 How well learners enjoy their education 4 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.9

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 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: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

My colleagues and I enjoyed our recent visit to your school. We really appreciated the way you greeted us and made us feel very welcome. Your school has continued to improve since it was last inspected and it provides you with a satisfactory education. These are our main findings.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Although many of you find it difficult to say exactly what you want to say and to write in English, you are making satisfactory progress in your work. ■ You behave well and you are polite, friendly and respectful. This helps to make the school a calm, welcoming and safe place for you to be. ■ You like coming to school, you enjoy some of the activities and you love going on visits and residential trips. You do not always enjoy the work you have to do. ■ You know what you need to eat and do to keep yourselves healthy, and you know how to keep yourselves safe. ■ There is some good teaching, but teachers do not always have an accurate understanding of how well you are doing and how to challenge you to learn. ■ A lot of time is spent teaching literacy and numeracy, but not enough time helping you to develop your understanding of other subjects. ■ The staff take good care of you, but do not provide enough support and guidance for those

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

of you who speak a language other than English at home. ■ The staff work together well and the acting headteacher has helped the school to improve whilst you have been without a permanent headteacher.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ In order to help the school become even better, we have asked the staff to:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ help you develop your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ provide you with a broader and more interesting curriculum

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ provide more support for those of you for whom English is an additional language

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ assess your work more accurately so they can provide the right challenge for you

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ work with your parents to improve the level of attendance.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help your school to improve by attending regularly, participating actively in your lessons and developing a real interest in learning. We wish each one of you every success and happiness in your future education. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Rood End Primary School, 6 °7 December 2007

p.11

Annex B

Inspection of Rood End Primary School, Oldbury B68 8SQ

p.12

Annex B

My colleagues and I enjoyed our recent visit to your school. We really appreciated the way you greeted us and made us feel very welcome. Your school has continued to improve since it was last inspected and it provides you with a satisfactory education. These are our main findings.

p.12

Annex B

• Although many of you find it difficult to say exactly what you want to say and to write in English, you are making satisfactory progress in your work. • You behave well and you are polite, friendly and respectful. This helps to make the school a calm, welcoming and safe place for you to be. • You like coming to school, you enjoy some of the activities and you love going on visits and residential trips. You do not always enjoy the work you have to do. • You know what you need to eat and do to keep yourselves healthy, and you know how to keep yourselves safe. • There is some good teaching, but teachers do not always have an accurate understanding of how well you are doing and how to challenge you to learn. • A lot of time is spent teaching literacy and numeracy, but not enough time helping you to develop your understanding of other subjects. • The staff take good care of you, but do not provide enough support and

p.12

Annex B

guidance for those of you who speak a language other than English at home. • The staff work together well and the acting headteacher has helped the school to improve whilst you have been without a permanent headteacher.

p.12

Annex B

In order to help the school become even better, we have asked the staff to: • help you develop your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills • provide you with a broader and more interesting curriculum • provide more support for those of you for whom English is an additional language • assess your work more accurately so they can provide the right challenge for you • work with your parents to improve the level of attendance.

p.12

Annex B

You can help your school to improve by attending regularly, participating actively in your lessons and developing a real interest in learning. We wish each one of you every success and happiness in your future education.

p.12