Henley Green Primary

133476 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 316128 Inspection number 11 °12 October 2007 Inspection dates David Carrington 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 223 School The governing body Appropriate authority Ken Schaffer Chair Joanne Murphy Headteacher 23 February 2004 Date of previous school inspection Wyken Croft School address Coventry CV2 1HQ 024 76613163 Telephone number 024 76603067 Fax number

p.1

3-11 Age group 11 °12 October 2007 Inspection dates 316128 Inspection number .

p.1

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

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 two Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

Henley Green Primary School was opened in new buildings in September 2004 and has not been inspected before. The headteacher joined the school in September 2006. There have been a number of changes to other staff in the last two years. Although White British children make up the majority of pupils, there are 11 minority ethnic groups and about 20 different languages spoken in school. Almost one in three pupils is at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is around a quarter, which is above average. When children start in the Nursery, they have low levels of skills and knowledge. Each school year, just over a third of the pupils leave or join the school part way through their primary education.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007

p.3

Grade: 2

Henley Green is a good and improving school. This is largely the result of excellent leadership by the headteacher and senior leaders. Together, they have set out a very clear course for improvement based on a thoroughly reliable understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses. They have high expectations of staff and pupils, and work effectively to make sure everyone does well. Pupils make good progress throughout their time at school. Standards on entry to the school are typically well below average. By the end of Year 6, standards are usually below average, but this represents good achievement. Last school year, standards were broadly average in Year 6, which was a substantial improvement on the three previous years, but standards in Year 6 are expected to be a little lower this year. Children enjoy their learning in the Foundation Stage and make good progress. The school provides well for the many different groups who attend. Teaching is good. Pupils

p.4

Grade: 2

with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported well and their progress is good. Pupils who join the school part way through their primary education settle well and make good progress. They are set challenging targets and are tracked carefully to make sure they learn successfully. Support for pupils at an early stage of learning English is outstanding, and, as a result, these pupils make great strides. They enjoy learning their new language and quickly grow in confidence as they talk to the other pupils and the staff. Because work for more able pupils is not always demanding enough, they make satisfactory rather than good progress. It is quickly evident that the school is a harmonious and welcoming community. Pupils of all different races work and play happily together. They are proud of each other's achievements. The great majority of pupils behave well. Teachers and other staff manage pupils' behaviour

p.4

Grade: 2

well. Pupils have a good sense of the school community and are keen to suggest sensible ideas for improvement. The adults listen to their ideas and work to build on them. Enjoyment of school is widespread amongst the pupils. Attendance is improving, although it is just below average. A few parents do not work with the school to make sure their children attend school when they are fit. These pupils miss much valuable work and this affects their progress. The school curriculum is good. It is well enriched by a popular programme of out of school activities. Nursery children love to take part in the excellent 'Soccer Tots' sessions. Basic skills of literacy and numeracy are covered in depth, which has contributed to rising standards. However, the curriculum is not yet focused enough on developing pupils' creativity. Arrangements for pupils' welfare are thorough and pupils are given good support and guidance.

p.4

Grade: 2

Senior leaders have developed good provision for the pupils. Governors have a realistic knowledge of how well the school is doing and are not afraid to challenge decisions to make sure they are the right ones. Because everyone pulls together, leadership and management are good. The school has moved forward well and has good capacity for improvement in the future.

p.4

Grade: 2

The Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Recent changes have been to the benefit of the children. Nursery and Reception children often play and work together, and staff make sure that learning is at the right level for each child. This is particularly necessary because of the very different range of experiences that children bring to school. Nursery children settle 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007 well. They quickly build confidence to have a go and experiment. They are adventurous learners under the watchful eye of the staff. Reception children are taught well, like their younger friends. They are happy to build word sounds, find their name on the snack list and explore the well equipped outdoor area. Although most children have not reached the expected levels in their six areas of learning by the time they join Year 1, they make good progress in the Foundation Stage.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Make sure that more able pupils have work that is demanding enough.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Give pupils greater opportunities to develop their creative skills across the curriculum.

p.5

What the school should do to improve further

■ Work with parents to improve attendance.

p.5

Grade: 2

In the four years since the school opened, standards by the end of Year 6 have tended to be below average. Last year, however, they rose sharply. Year 6 pupils reached broadly average standards, although relatively few pupils attained higher levels. English results were particularly good, which was a significant achievement, given the proportion that did not speak English as their main language or had learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Standards were not far below average in Year 2 last year. This was also a good improvement on previous years, although, again, very few pupils reached the higher levels. Nevertheless, the pupils made good progress from their low starting points. Although most groups of pupils achieve well, the more able do not progress at the same rate as other pupils. This is because the work set for them is not always challenging enough. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress because their work is well matched to

p.5

Grade: 2

their state of development. Their progress now is faster than it was for children in previous years.

p.5

Grade: 2

It does not take long to find a smiling face at Henley Green. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is especially marked for their moral and social development. Throughout the school, pupils have a good sense of right and wrong and work well together. Thus, the school is a settled, happy and enjoyable harmonious place of learning. Despite a few exceptions, which are dealt with well, behaviour is good. Pupils are keen to work and play as part of a very mixed group and they support each other well. Children in the Foundation Stage take rapid steps in their personal and social development. Health matters are well understood by the pupils. Nursery children happily move their name label from one column to the next to register that they have just enjoyed a healthy snack and drink of water. Pupils follow the rules about safe play. They feel at home in the secure surroundings of the school. The attendance of a few pupils is quite low and not all parents and

p.5

Grade: 2

carers make sure their children are in school when they are well enough. Their repeated absence means there are big gaps in their learning. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007 Staff encourage the pupils to become independent learners and to work in teams. Pupils' make steady progress in the development of their basic literacy and numeracy skills. In all, the pupils are prepared soundly for the future.

p.5

Grade: 2

Teaching has improved well over the last year and is good. New school leaders have helped give teaching a boost. Expectations have risen and are high. The pace of learning is generally brisk, and teachers plan and prepare their lessons well. Teaching assistants are a skilled group who support their pupils effectively. Their work is especially successful with pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and with those who are just beginning to learn English. The most able pupils do not meet with as much success as other pupils because their learning is not sufficiently different from that of the others. This means their work is sometimes too easy. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy good teaching from the talented staff team.

p.6

Grade: 2

The good curriculum has recently been adjusted to ensure pupils have more opportunities to develop investigation and problem-solving skills in science. The development of such skills and creative work in other subjects is not as well advanced. Information and communication technology is taught satisfactorily in separate lessons but school leaders have plans to improve the resources and curriculum for this subject. The attention given to literacy and numeracy is effective in enabling pupils to build basic skills well. The curriculum is planned successfully around the needs of the very diverse community of pupils. The provision for pupils just starting to learn English is outstanding and means that most pupils become quite fluent in a relatively short time. This work starts in the Foundation Stage, where the curriculum has been improved successfully to become good. All pupils' personal, social and emotional needs are well catered for. Out of school activities contribute much to

p.6

Grade: 2

this. Every class has a well-planned programme of lunchtime or after school activities focused on their care and well-being.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides a close watch on pupils' needs. Vulnerable pupils are carefully tracked to make sure they can benefit as much as the other pupils do from the good provision. Child protection procedures are well established. Newly arrived pupils, whatever their background, are welcomed warmly and they quickly settle to school life. Their progress is tracked carefully to ensure they immediately begin adding to their skills and knowledge. An effective partnership is built with parents that assists pupils to work with confidence and self-esteem. The guidance given to support pupils' academic progress is good. Their progress is tracked in detail to make sure they receive the support necessary to reach their targets. Their schoolwork is marked to show them how well they have done and how to improve. This is particularly noticeable in English. Whilst there are some opportunities for the pupils to comment in writing

p.6

Grade: 2

on their own progress, these are not consistent. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007

p.6

Grade: 2

School leaders work well to ensure that all pupils, whatever their background, get the same chances to succeed. They have done a good job, especially for those who have very little English, vulnerable children and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The key to their success has been the raising of expectations amongst staff and pupils, and their joint work to reach targets that are ever more challenging. Nevertheless, more able pupils are not challenged consistently enough to make sure they achieve their full potential. Senior leaders and governors play a good role in school leadership and management. Until now, middle managers have not had a substantial role in school improvement, but recent changes are beginning to have a positive impact. To start, school leaders focused on the Foundation Stage, which is now well led and managed. The provision for pupils with little or no English is

p.7

Grade: 2

led most capably. There have been many recognisable improvements since the school first opened, especially over the last year. Everyone is pulling together, so prospects for the future are good. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007 .

p.7

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: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 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? NA 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

p.9

Achievement and standards

2 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 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

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

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 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: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 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 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: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

16 October 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Henley Green Primary School, Coventry CV2 1HQ What a good time we had with you when we came to school recently! We really enjoyed meeting you and finding out about your work and play. Thank you for helping us do this. You were able to answer all our questions really well and this helped us to learn about your school. It is a good school and has many fine things.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress in your work and standards are improving.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is good and you are cheerful, polite and caring.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are taught well and you enjoy your learning.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Children in Nursery and Reception love finding out about new things.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ All children in school mix well and like sharing each other's successes.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are well cared for and helped to reach your targets.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your headteacher wants you to do well and expects the staff to help you do this.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We found many other things you can be proud of. We have written about these in our report. We have listed three things to be improved:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Some of you can be given harder work to make sure you reach the higher levels.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You could be given more opportunities to be creative in your work.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The school should work more with some of your parents to make certain that you all come to school if you are well enough. We know you will help your teachers make these improvements. You can start by being at school whenever possible and telling your teachers if your work is a bit too easy. Good luck in your learning. Yours sincerely David Carrington Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Henley Green Primary, 11 °12 October 2007

p.11

Annex B

Inspection of Henley Green Primary School, Coventry CV2 1HQ

p.12

Annex B

What a good time we had with you when we came to school recently! We really enjoyed meeting you and finding out about your work and play. Thank you for helping us do this. You were able to answer all our questions really well and this helped us to learn about your school. It is a good school and has many fine things.

p.12

Annex B

• You make good progress in your work and standards are improving. • Your behaviour is good and you are cheerful, polite and caring. • You are taught well and you enjoy your learning. • Children in Nursery and Reception love finding out about new things. • All children in school mix well and like sharing each other’s successes. • You are well cared for and helped to reach your targets. • Your headteacher wants you to do well and expects the staff to help you do this.

p.12

Annex B

We found many other things you can be proud of. We have written about these in our report. We have listed three things to be improved:

p.12

Annex B

• Some of you can be given harder work to make sure you reach the higher levels. • You could be given more opportunities to be creative in your work. • The school should work more with some of your parents to make certain that you all come to school if you are well enough.

p.12

Annex B

We know you will help your teachers make these improvements. You can start by being at school whenever possible and telling your teachers if your work is a bit too easy.

p.12