Uplands Manor Primary School and Nursery

Uplands Manor Primary School Inspection report

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131184 Unique Reference Number Sandwell Local Authority 315743 Inspection number 7 °8 November 2007 Inspection dates Andrew McDowall 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 3 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 705 School The governing body Appropriate authority David Davies Chair Sue Gormley Headteacher 23 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Addenbrooke Road School address Smethwick B67 6HT 01215 581602 Telephone number 01215 556082 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 7 °8 November 2007 Inspection dates 315743 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 four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a large primary school. It serves an area where levels of social disadvantage are well above average. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is above average and the percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is increasing, and is well above average. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is well above average, as is that of pupils who have English as an additional language. The school has lottery-funded sports facilities on site and a Sure Start Children's Centre has recently opened in part of the school building. A breakfast club is provided for the pupils each day.

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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: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. Aspects of its work are improving because of the effective leadership and clear direction provided by the headteacher. This is increasingly being supported by good management systems that are starting to raise standards. The school has a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. The plans for improvement are rightly focused on raising standards in English and mathematics and improving the quality of teaching and learning. When they start at the school, children have skills and abilities that are generally below, and sometimes well below, the levels expected for their age. Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage are below those expected at age five. Children have too few opportunities to develop their writing skills in the Foundation Stage classes and consequently make too little progress. Standards are below average at the end of both key stages, especially in English and

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Grade: 3

mathematics. This represents satisfactory progress considering the starting points of many pupils. Those pupils capable of reaching the higher levels do not always do so because the work they are set is sometimes too easy. Pupils make least progress in writing. New developments in the way writing is taught are beginning to have some impact, but there is more to do in this area. The satisfactory progress pupils make in the acquisition of literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills provides them with a sound basis for their future economic well-being. The quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent but satisfactory overall. The proportion of good teaching has increased in the past year, but too much is still only satisfactory. This is the reason why pupils' progress is satisfactory and not good. Another reason is that the quality of teaching is variable from class to class and expectations of what all pupils can do are sometimes

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Grade: 3

not high enough. As a result, pupils make uneven progress as they move through the school. Well-organised pastoral care and good relationships however, enable the pupils to make good gains in their personal development. They enjoy school and behave well. Vulnerable pupils are well supported and make good progress in their personal and social development. The curriculum provides good opportunities for exercise, and pupils are well informed about how to adopt a healthy lifestyle. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good. This enables them to have a good understanding of their place in the community. The pupils know how to keep themselves safe and are confident that the staff will help them if they were worried about anything. The school is well placed to move forward. The newly formed leadership team has a good overview of the school. The quality of leadership and management is improving and the systems

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Grade: 3

that have been introduced to check on quality are beginning to bear fruit. For example, the quality of teaching in the school is much improved and the way in which the school is now checking on the progress of every pupil is resulting in more decisive action where it is needed to tackle under achievement.

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Grade: 3

The strong focus the school gives to personal and social development ensures the children settle well and make good progress in this area of learning. The curriculum for the youngest children is broad and covers all the areas of learning. Leadership and management of the 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007 Foundation Stage are satisfactory, as is the quality of teaching and learning. However, some of the creative activities are too directed by the staff. As a result, opportunities for children to make choices and suggest solutions for themselves are missed. Assessment is good and is used well to plan activities for the children. Work on early reading starts quickly and children make steady progress in recognising sounds. However, the teaching of early writing does not provide enough opportunities for the children to write or make marks for themselves.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in English and mathematics across the school, particularly those of higher-attaining pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2, and all pupils in writing at Key Stage 1. ■ Ensure all staff provide sufficient challenge and have high expectations of the pupils in order that the good progress seen in some year groups is replicated across the school. ■ Provide more opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage to practise their early writing skills. 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 the next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Standards have been falling in recent years in Key Stage 1 owing to the increasing number of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Standards are below average in reading and mathematics, and well below average in writing. Considering their starting points, pupils make satisfactory overall progress in Years 1 and 2, although some potentially higher-achieving pupils do not do as well as they should. Standards at the end of Key Stage 2 have fluctuated in recent years. From being broadly average in 2006, standards in English and mathematics fell to below average in 2007. This still represented satisfactory progress for these pupils. Standards in science are average. In recent years, not enough pupils have reached the higher Level 5 in English and mathematics. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress, as do those from minority ethnic groups. Although some pupils achieve well, overall achievement is only satisfactory

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Grade: 3

because there is too much variation in the progress pupils make from class to class.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are enthusiastic and enjoy coming to school, and this is reflected in their improving attendance. However, despite the best efforts of the school, a number of pupils arrive late each day. Strengths in their moral and social development are demonstrated in the way they work collaboratively and move sensibly about the building. Pupils display positive attitudes to school and this helps them to learn more effectively. The strong links with the local community and the work pupils do to raise money for charities enable them to have a good understanding of their place in the community. Assemblies, which celebrate different cultures and festivals, contribute well to the pupils' good cultural and spiritual development. The school council has an effective voice within the school. For example, it was instrumental in bringing about the healthy Tuck Shop and establishing playground Buddy Stops to help other pupils. Older pupils willingly take on responsibilities and

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Grade: 2

5 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007 are proud of their school. The school has achieved the Sport England Active Mark and the many sports activities offered by the Sports Centre staff successfully promote good attitudes to health and exercise.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching varies considerably across the school, but it is mainly satisfactory. In the best lessons, the teachers know the capabilities of the class well and plan work that challenges pupils of all abilities. As a result, in these lessons pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress. This degree of challenge is not apparent in all lessons. Consequently, higher-attaining pupils are sometimes less motivated to learn and spend time coasting, or very occasionally misbehaving, when the work is too easy for them. The pace of some lessons is too slow. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support from well- qualified learning support assistants that enables them to make satisfactory progress. Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well. Pupils like and respect their teachers and good relationships are apparent throughout the school. As a result, pupils' learning is satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Teachers mark pupils' work promptly and many give good points for improvement. In some classes, pupils are encouraged to assess their own progress and compare it with that of others in the class. This helps them to understand what it is they need to do next to improve.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum provides a broad range of learning experiences, with a strong emphasis on developing pupils' literacy and numeracy skills. However, the curriculum does not yet ensure that higher-attaining pupils are sufficiently challenged in English and mathematics. The school works well with staff from other agencies to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the significant minority of pupils with social and emotional difficulties. As a result, they make good progress in their personal development. Good opportunities are provided for those pupils with special talents in sport, music and dance. Pupils speak highly about what the school offers and appreciate the good range of enrichment activities and school clubs. Specialist staff teach music, physical education and modern foreign languages, and this enhances pupils' learning and enjoyment. The good personal, social and health education programme helps the pupils to consider choices and act responsibly. This

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Grade: 3

makes a good contribution to their personal development.

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Grade: 2

Some aspects of the school's pastoral care are of exceptional quality. For example, the care and guidance given to its most vulnerable pupils in the nurture classes, promotes their social development exceptionally well. This enables these pupils to begin to learn effectively. Procedures for child protection and health and safety are fully in place and of first class quality. Levels of supervision and relationships in the school are good. Pupils say they are able to speak to staff if they are worried about anything. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007 Academic guidance is developing well in the school and is having an increasing impact on the progress pupils are making. The pupils are familiar with the challenging personal targets they are set by the school and are keen to reach them.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory and improving. Systems to check on the progress pupils are making and the quality of teaching in the school are clear and developing well. These involve all members of the senior leadership team and have been very successful in raising expectations in the school. The work in the pupils' books indicates that standards are beginning to rise, and the quality of teaching in the school is much improved from that reported in a local authority review of the school conducted in October 2006. Challenging targets are being used well to hold staff to account when pupils do not do as well as they should. An example of how the school is better evaluating its own effectiveness is the way in which the impact of teaching programmes designed to help pupils catch up in their reading and writing are carefully measured and assessed. The governors are well informed about the working of the school and know where it needs to

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Grade: 3

improve. They provide good support to the headteacher and are becoming more involved in monitoring the work of the school. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007 .

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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: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007

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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? 3 The effectiveness of the Foundation Stage 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 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 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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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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007

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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 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: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

9 November 2007 Dear Children Inspection of Uplands Manor Primary School, Smethwick, West Midlands B67 6HT Thank you all very much for being so friendly and welcoming to us all when we visited your school recently. We think your school is providing you with a satisfactory education. We were all very pleased to see how much you enjoy school. We saw you behaving well in lessons and we were delighted to see how sensibly you moved around school. You all get along well together and, by the time you leave the school, you have developed into sensible, mature young people. Keep it up! Your school has been working very hard to improve attendance and it is getting better. We noticed that quite a few of you were late for school. See what you can do to improve this, as it is very important to be on time every day. We think you make satisfactory progress in your work. We have asked the school to make sure those of you who find work easy are given more difficult things to do in lessons. This will help

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more of you to reach the higher levels in your literacy and numeracy. Everyone is trying very hard to improve your writing. You can help by always remembering your targets whenever you are asked to write anything. Your lessons are getting better, but sometimes, in some classes, the work you are set is too easy. So we have asked the staff to make sure that this is not the case in the future. The last thing we have asked the school to do is find more ways for the youngest children to have a go at writing for themselves. All the staff work hard to make sure you are cared for and, because they do, you told us you feel safe in school. Thank you all again, and good luck for the future. Yours sincerely Andy McDowall Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Uplands Manor Primary School, 7 °8 November 2007

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