Wheelwright Lane Primary School

Wheelwright Lane Primary School Inspection report

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125510 Unique Reference Number Warwickshire Local Authority 315252 Inspection number 18 °19 June 2008 Inspection dates Ted Wheatley 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 204 School The governing body Appropriate authority Dave Grove Chair Anne Reading Headteacher 2 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Wheelwright Lane School address Ash Green Coventry CV7 9HN 02476 364505 Telephone number 02476 364581 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 18 °19 June 2008 Inspection dates 315252 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is smaller than the average primary school. Pupils are from mainly White British backgrounds and a smaller proportion than average come from minority ethnic families. A few of these pupils have English as an additional language and receive support. A very small proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals and a higher than average percentage have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children enter school at the age of four years, with almost half of them having attended a local playgroup.

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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: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good and improving school. Pupils start in Reception with skills below those typically expected for their age, especially in literacy, and leave in Year 6 with above average standards. They achieve well, and sometimes very well, and achievement is improving. By the time they leave, pupils' reading skills are well above average and although their writing skills are not as high, they are fast catching up as a result of recent strategies that are now showing good results. Standards are above average in mathematics, but pupils' skills in using and applying mathematics are not as good as they could be. In science, well above average standards are being maintained. The great majority of responses from parents show that they feel the school is well led and staffed by dedicated teachers who work hard for their children. They consider that parental concerns are dealt with sympathetically and effectively.

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Grade: 2

Improvements are a consequence of the sustained drive by the headteacher to raise standards and reduce underachievement. She provides very good leadership and is well supported by staff and governors. The school evaluates its own performance well and works hard to deal with weaknesses, though it has only just started to deal with those in mathematics. Given the successful achievement of higher standards in reading and writing, the school is well placed to continue improving. Teaching focuses successfully on meeting the needs of pupils. Teachers' subject knowledge is good, especially in literacy and science. The quality of marking and feedback to pupils is good in English, but is not quite so helpful in mathematics. Lessons are well planned, with teachers using assessment information well to make sure work matches pupils' learning needs. Relationships are good and pupils answer questions and discuss their

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Grade: 2

own ideas confidently. The curriculum is well organised to meet the needs and interests of pupils, although there are insufficient opportunities to use and apply mathematical processes to everyday life. The curriculum is enriched and enlivened by storytellers. Links with the local special school and many cultural activities. There is also a wide range of well supported out-of-school activities. Pupils really enjoy school and feel safe, secure in the knowledge that rare incidents of bullying and poor behaviour are dealt with well. Their attendance is good and they willingly take on responsibilities. They generally behave well and safely. They eat healthily and take part in physical exercise and are keen to help and take care of each other. They respect each other's opinions and have a good understanding of the different cultures found in Britain today. Pupils receive good academic guidance in English on how well they are doing and what they need to

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Grade: 2

do to make further progress. However, guidance is not as accurate in mathematics and pupils are not always sure how to make more progress. The school is safe and secure and responds quickly to safety concerns. The quality of care for individual pupils, including those with social and emotional difficulties, is good.

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Grade: 2

Children settle into the Reception class happily and quickly because there are very good links with home and the local playgroup. From a low starting point, especially in literacy skills, children make good progress and by the time they enter Year 1 their skills are broadly average, except in literacy where they are below average. There is a good range of activities, carefully organised 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008 to help pupils develop their skills and also their independence. Provision is improving, particularly in the outside area where there have been new resources and a continuing programme of improvement to the surroundings and surface. Adults provide sensitive support and guidance, ensuring children experience the range of activities available and helping them develop their speaking and listening skills in particular.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve achievement in mathematics by ensuring feedback to pupils and marking give clear guidance on how to make better progress. ■ Provide more planned opportunities for pupils to use and apply mathematics to situations from everyday life.

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Grade: 2

Standards have been lower in English than in other subjects for several years, but there has been rapid improvement and now they are above average, and well above average in reading. In writing, they are a little lower than in reading but are improving. The school selects activities that catch pupils' imagination and encourage them to write willingly and this is starting to be effective in aiding improvement. In mathematics, standards are above average and improving, although pupils' use and application of their mathematical skills is not quite so well developed. In science, standards remain well above average and pupils achieve well. Teachers' subject knowledge and the accuracy with which they use scientific terminology are important contributory factors in success in science. Pupils with learning difficulties and physical disabilities receive intensive support, achieve well and make good progress towards their individual targets.

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Grade: 2

Those learning English as an additional language make good progress due to effective well-planned support.

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Grade: 2

As one Year 6 boy, typical of many pupils, commented, 'Going to school is fun, because the lessons are interesting.' Pupils enjoy learning, behave well and respond with enthusiasm to challenging work. On rare occasions there is some low level disruption in lessons when teaching fails to engage all the pupils fully but, as a rule, pupils behave well and work hard. Pupils also enjoy the wide range of extra activities the school provides. Participation in sports teams, for example, helps pupils to stay fit. Pupils have a good understanding of how to live a healthy lifestyle and they develop sensible eating habits. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They take on a wide range of responsibilities in school, which they carry out with pride. For example, some Year 6 'Peer Mediators' help to sort out disputes between younger pupils. Pupils also make a good contribution to the wider community, such as performing

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Grade: 2

a play at the local secondary school. Pupils show respect for each other, behave safely and value the links they have with pupils at the neighbouring special school. Pupils' good basic and social skills prepare them well for the future. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008

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Grade: 2

Teachers and other staff have good relationships with pupils and this motivates pupils to learn. Lessons have clear learning objectives, which are understood by pupils. Pupils enjoy grappling with the interesting but challenging activities teachers provide for them. For example, a Year 2 class worked hard to improve the quality of a piece of writing because the teacher insisted they kept on trying to refine and improve what they wrote. Very occasionally, when the pace of the lesson is too slow, learning is slowed by low-level disruption. Marking and feedback in English are good and provide very clear and specific guidance to pupils on how to improve their work. Marking in mathematics is too inconsistent and is not as helpful.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is well planned to meet most pupils' needs, although there are insufficient opportunities for pupils to use and apply mathematics to everyday situations. There is a very wide range of activities that enliven the curriculum and effective links with a local special school that provide many opportunities for pupils to have experiences they would otherwise miss. For example, during a 'Roman Day', pupils and staff from both schools dressed as Romans, and explored what it was like to shop in a Roman city, live in a villa and make mosaics. There are also drama and sports activities, visits and visitors that enhance pupils' learning. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities and many pupils participate in them.

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Grade: 3

Secure systems are in place to ensure pupils are healthy and safe. The quality of care is good, especially for vulnerable pupils and those who have social and emotional difficulties. Care is enhanced by productive links with other agencies and professionals, such as the school nurse. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well, enabling them to make good progress. Academic guidance is satisfactory overall. It is good in English, where pupils have challenging targets and clear guidance on how to achieve them. Targets in mathematics are not always as appropriate to pupils' needs and guidance on how they can be achieved is too patchy.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides determined leadership and she is well supported by senior staff and governors. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and there is a generally good understanding of what it needs to do to become better. Plans for improvement focus clearly on driving up standards and raising achievement, for example to ensure pupils make better progress in mathematics. The skills of middle managers have been variable because of some inexperience but these staff are now better equipped due to good support and training. Middle managers have started to have a positive impact on school improvement. Governors provide strong support for the school. They work closely with the headteacher and set challenging targets. The school 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008 has dealt successfully with the issues from the previous inspection; it has improved provision

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Grade: 2

in the Foundation Stage and achievement and standards in English. The school's capacity to improve further is good. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 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 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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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and interests of learners?

3 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: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 June 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Wheelwright Lane Primary School, Coventry CV7 9HN Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We spoke to many of you in meetings and around school, sometimes because you came up to speak to us of your own choice. What you told us helped us to find out what your school is like. These are the main things we found out about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are at a good and improving school where teaching is good and you make good progress. Your progress in English has really improved. ■ There are lots of visits, visitors and activities that make your life at school interesting.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher, staff and governors know what the school needs to do to become even better and are getting on with making this happen. ■ You enjoy school, most of you behave well and your attendance is good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You treat each other with respect, help each other and behave safely.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You feel safe and know that the school will deal with any of your worries well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Most of you know about the importance of healthy lifestyles, eat sensibly and take part in physical activities. You also enjoy the out-of-school activities the school organises. To improve things further, we have asked the school to do these things.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure you do better in mathematics by giving you clear guidance on how to improve your work. ■ Provide more opportunities for you to use mathematics in everyday life problems.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

With best wishes Ted Wheatley Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Wheelwright Lane Primary School, 18 °19 June 2008

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