Limbrick Wood Primary School

Limbrick Wood Primary School Inspection report

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133475 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 316127 Inspection number 21 °22 February 2008 Inspection dates Terry Elston 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 153 School The governing body Appropriate authority Joe Clifford Chair Nigel Read Headteacher 20 October 2003 Date of previous school inspection Bush Close School address Tile Hill Coventry CV4 9QT 02476 466744 Telephone number 02476 421180 Fax number

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3-11 Age group 21 °22 February 2008 Inspection dates 316127 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 a smaller-than-average school on the outskirts of the city of Coventry. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is much higher than in most schools, as is the number eligible for free school meals. Pupils' attainment on entry is well below that found nationally. The proportion of pupils entering or leaving the school at other than the normal times is higher than normally found.

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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: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school at the very heart of its community. Pupils make good progress and leave as responsible individuals well prepared for the future. They achieve well from a low starting point and standards by the end of Year 6 are broadly in line with those found nationally in English, mathematics and science. They do particularly well in mathematics because of the consistently good teaching that enables them to calculate quickly and accurately. In all subjects, however, few of the more able pupils move on to attain the higher levels of which they are capable because they are not always challenged enough in lessons. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress, and parents are thrilled with the way all adults help them settle quickly into school life. The youngest children, however, do not always get enough opportunities to work things out on their own and this affects the development of their independence.

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Grade: 2

Throughout the school, pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress because of the effective support they get from teachers and skilled teaching assistants. The pupils' success owes a lot to their positive attitudes to learning and strong sense of right and wrong. They behave well, concentrate hard and cover a lot of work in lessons. Most enjoy school but, despite the school's best efforts, some pupils' attendance is erratic, and this affects their progress. Pupils feel safe because bullying is rare and they take good care of one another. The good personal, social and health education provision helps pupils understand their feelings and see the importance of looking after their bodies. They take a full part in the community and do valuable work in the local area to make it safer and more attractive. They appreciate the good care, support and guidance provided by the school that make them feel valued and

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Grade: 2

well looked after. This, as one parent put it, 'does so much to help their self-esteem'. Systems to safeguard them are robust and reviewed regularly. The excellent support for pupils with emotional difficulties by highly skilled staff helps build up their confidence and makes them feel good about themselves. Pupils enjoy the varied curriculum and the wide range of visits and visitors that brings it to life. They speak animatedly about the 'brilliant residential visits' that help them work as teams and test them to the full. The curriculum provides very good opportunities for pupils to think deeply about issues such as poverty and the plight of people made homeless by floods. Many take good advantage of the wide range of clubs and activities after school that improve their skills in things such as sport and music. These many strengths are the result of strong leadership, not least by the headteacher, who

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Grade: 2

has gained the respect of pupils, staff and parents. He and other leaders have developed an outstanding partnership with parents and the local community, who take full advantage of the many opportunities to use the school's facilities. The leaders have a good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, gained from detailed assessment and tracking of pupils' progress. This enables them to set the right priorities to improve the school. This explains why the school has made good improvement since the last inspection and shows why it is well set to do even better. The leaders work closely with the governors, who play an important part in moving the school forward. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008

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Grade: 2

The provision in the recently formed Foundation Stage is good and children make good progress. The comprehensive home-school links ensure that children make a smooth transition to school. The detailed assessments provide accurate measures of children's strengths and weaknesses and adults use them well to plan activities at the right level for the children's abilities. Teachers and teaching assistants do everything to make learning fun and children love coming to school. The curriculum is planned carefully to ensure children have the right balance of academic work to improve their reading, writing and number skills and time to develop their social skills through play. In the Nursery, while expectations of children are generally high, adults sometimes move in to help children too soon and this hinders the development of their independence.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure that the teaching enables more-able pupils to develop their talents to the full.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide more opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage to develop their independence.

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Grade: 2

Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage but their attainments in all areas are still below those expected of children their age by the time they leave the Reception class. By Year 2, pupils achieve well but standards are below average in reading and writing and average in mathematics. By Year 6, while overall standards are broadly average, they are higher in mathematics and science than in English. This has been the case for some years. However, the good recent work done by the school to improve pupils' speaking and listening skills, and to introduce more drama and role play in lessons, have raised standards significantly this year. In recent years, pupils entering the school in Years 5 and 6 with low standards have affected national test results. An analysis of attainment by pupils who have been at this school since Reception shows that they attain far higher standards than the overall scores indicate.

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Grade: 2

At both key stages, whilst the majority of pupils attain the nationally expected levels in all subjects, few attain the higher levels. This is rightly seen by the school as the main priority for improvement. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities do well. They benefit from effective support in class and in small groups outside classrooms and make good progress, particularly in reading.

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Grade: 2

Pupils feel happy and very safe in school. They enjoy learning and always try to do their best. Attendance is satisfactory and improving. However, a few pupils still do not attend as often as they should, and this affects the progress they make. Pupils are right to feel proud of their achievements, although some say they find the work too easy. They take responsibility well, and the school council makes a valuable contribution to improving school life by, for example, suggesting ways to develop the outside play areas. Pupils think deeply about those less fortunate than themselves and have a good sense of right and wrong. Their behaviour is good and pupils of all ages say how safe they feel at school. They respond well to the school's strong focus on 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008 healthy living and many speak knowledgeably about the importance of exercise and diet to

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Grade: 2

keep fit. Pupils have a very good community spirit and relish the many opportunities to improve the local area by, for example, picking up litter and campaigning for traffic calming near the school. All of these strengths, together with their good progress in reading, number and computer skills, help to make the pupils good citizens who are well prepared for the future.

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Grade: 2

A consistent strength of the teaching is the high quality of the relationships between adults and pupils. This starts in the Nursery and Reception classes where children settle quickly into school life because all adults value their contributions and are quick to praise them for their successes. In all classes, teachers are very good at giving pupils confidence to answer questions without fear of failure. This makes for lively discussions, with all pupils willing to make their point. Teachers make clear at the start of lessons what learning is expected so that pupils can assess their progress accurately at the end. Pupils enjoy their work and learn quickly because teachers make lessons fun. This was illustrated well in one excellent lesson when pupils loved acting out the story of the Billy Goats Gruff in order to understand the feelings of the characters. Teachers generally have high expectations of pupils' work, but sometimes they ask too little

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Grade: 2

of more-able pupils and they do not always attain the high standards of which they are capable. They manage classes well, with clear expectations of how pupils should behave. As a result, lessons are calm and free from interruptions. Assessment is good. Teachers check on pupils' progress regularly and use the information well to show pupils how they can improve.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is planned well to make learning interesting and relevant to pupils' needs. The school is rightly working at linking subjects such as literacy, history and geography together more to give the pupils a deeper understanding of topics and improve their reading and writing skills. The good provision for personal, social and health education plays an important part in helping pupils understand how to look after their bodies and keep safe. The school extends the day successfully for some pupils through the popular breakfast club, 'Educare' for Nursery children and after-school activities. The recent introduction of role-play areas in classrooms has proved very successful, both in providing a focus for pupils' play and developing their language skills. The school's excellent links with the local community enhance the curriculum and give pupils the opportunity to show off their talents to the public. For example, the

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Grade: 2

'Community Day' last summer in a local shopping area was a great success, and pupils delighted locals with their performances.

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Grade: 2

The way that all staff care for pupils is a real strength and has a positive impact on pupils' enjoyment of school. The support for pupils who are anxious or lack confidence is outstanding, and parents speak very highly of the way it helps their children feel good about themselves. This provision is enhanced further by excellent links with other professionals to support pupils 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008 with more complex needs. The school is doing all that it can to improve attendance and with some success, but not all families support the school's efforts. Safeguarding procedures and checks, including those on health and safety, are robust. The school has effective systems to encourage good behaviour and there have been no recent exclusions or racist incidents. Teachers set clear targets for pupils to aim for and check regularly on progress towards them. Pupils'

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Grade: 2

long-term progress is measured carefully and teachers provide effective support for any pupils not heading in the right direction. Parents are quick to praise staff for their commitment to their children's well-being. As one parent wrote, 'I know I can always talk to staff if I have a problem and that means a lot to me.'

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Grade: 2

The headteacher leads well with a clear focus on raising standards and preparing pupils for the future. His high expectations of pupils, staff and himself encourage all members of the school to strive hard to succeed. He is not afraid to take on initiatives that will improve the school and has developed very good partnerships with other schools to make the best of each other's expertise. The headteacher is supported well by other senior staff, who share his vision and work well as a team. The leaders have good systems to evaluate the school's effectiveness based on rigorous analysis of pupils' progress and they use this information well to set the school's future priorities. For example, when test results showed that pupils' writing was relatively weak, the school focused on making writing fun, and suddenly pupils started saying, 'I love writing!' The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory, and parents speak

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Grade: 2

highly of the start the provision gives to their children. The school recognises, however, that there are still some inconsistencies to be ironed out before the two classes work as one. Governors are critical and supportive and have a thorough grasp of what needs to be done to raise standards. They play a big part in appointing staff of consistently good quality that adds much to the school's effectiveness. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 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: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 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 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: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Dear Pupils, Inspection of Limbrick Wood Primary School, Coventry CV4 9QT As you know, inspectors visited your school recently. We really enjoyed our time with you and found you very welcoming and friendly. It was good to see so many happy faces. Those who were kind enough to speak to us told us a lot about your school. You say yours is a good school and we agree! What we found out about the school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress, and your work is at a similar level to that in most schools.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are doing a good job. They make lessons interesting, and are quick to help you when you are stuck. ■ You behave well and you are very kind to each other.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know a lot about how to stay safe and keep healthy.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You enjoy the activities planned for you and love the many clubs after school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All the staff take good care of you and keep you safe.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The leadership of your school is good. Your headteacher and other leaders know how to improve the school and their plans to do this show they have the right priorities. What we have asked the school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Ensure that all teachers provide work that is hard enough for all of you. You can help by always trying to do your best work. ■ Give children in the Nursery more opportunities to work on their own and find things out for themselves. Yours sincerely, Terry Elston Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Limbrick Wood Primary School, 21 °22 February 2008

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Annex B

Inspection of Limbrick Wood Primary School, Coventry CV4 9QT

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Annex B

As you know, inspectors visited your school recently. We really enjoyed our time with you and found you very welcoming and friendly. It was good to see so many happy faces. Those who were kind enough to speak to us told us a lot about your school. You say yours is a good school and we agree!

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Annex B

• You make good progress, and your work is at a similar level to that in most schools. • Your teachers are doing a good job. They make lessons interesting, and are quick to help you when you are stuck. • You behave well and you are very kind to each other. • You know a lot about how to stay safe and keep healthy. • You enjoy the activities planned for you and love the many clubs after school. • All the staff take good care of you and keep you safe. • The leadership of your school is good. Your headteacher and other leaders know how to improve the school and their plans to do this show they have the right priorities.

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Annex B

What we have asked the school to do now .

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Annex B

• Ensure that all teachers provide work that is hard enough for all of you. You can help by always trying to do your best work. • Give children in the Nursery more opportunities to work on their own and find things out for themselves.

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