Grange Farm Primary School

Grange Farm Primary School Inspection report

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103664 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 323876 Inspection number 29 April 2009 Inspection date Arnalena (Nina) Bee Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 214 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Colin Marsheider Chair Ben Whelan Headteacher 16 May 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Dewsbury Avenue School address Coventry CV3 6NF 02476 411098 Telephone number 02476 417150 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 29 April 2009 Inspection date 323876 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. 2 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school, including the Early Years Foundation Stage provision, and investigated four main issues:

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Introduction

■ whether all groups of pupils make good progress

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Introduction

■ whether the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is good

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Introduction

■ whether pupils are well prepared for the diverse society in which they live, in terms of their cultural development ■ how well senior managers and leaders are involved in the evaluation process.

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Introduction

Evidence was gathered from observing pupils in lessons and during their break times, discussions with staff, pupils and parents, and scrutiny of pupils' work and the systems used to track pupils' progress. Other documentation, including parents' questionnaires, was also examined. Other aspects of the school were not looked at in detail, but the inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified and these have been included where appropriate.

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Description of the school

Grange Farm is slightly smaller than the average primary school. Just over half the pupils come from White British backgrounds. The remainder come from a number of minority ethnic groups, the largest being pupils from Indian backgrounds. The number of pupils who are at an early stage of learning to speak English as an additional is above average. The proportion of pupils who are identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average. The school provides for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage in one Reception class. During the inspection, the acting deputy headteacher was managing the school. There is on-site childcare which is managed by an external provider.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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Grade: 2

Grange Farm provides a good education for its pupils. It is a welcoming school where all pupils, and the adults who work there, are made to feel part of one big happy family. Teamwork is strong. Everyone's contribution, whether it be from the pupils, teachers or non-teaching staff, is valued. As a result, pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school so that many of them in Year 6 say that they do not like the school holidays. This is reflected in the above average attendance figures. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of all the school does. A large proportion of them took the time to write and say so. They rightly feel that the care and personal support that the pupils receive is good. Good attention is paid to health and safety arrangements and the school meets all current safeguarding requirements. As a result, pupils play and work in a calm, happy and caring environment. Pupils know that if they have a problem, it will be sorted

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Grade: 2

out because they say the teachers are kind and look after them well. Pupils' personal development is good overall and their behaviour is outstanding. There are a number of different religions in the school and all are widely celebrated. Pupils learn to be proud of their own beliefs and cultures but are also respectful of the views of others. They talk maturely and confidently about what they have learnt. Pupils are kind, not only to each other but also to others who are less fortunate than they are. Older pupils spoke of sponsoring a child in Africa because 'she is not very well off and doesn't live in a safe area'. They raise money for local and national charities and have a good understanding of why they do this. Pupils' cultural development is good and prepares them well to live in modern diverse Britain. The work of the school council and the Eco-Squad is impressive. Recent successful projects include

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Grade: 2

putting a case to the governors to develop the playground area, encouraging the school to recycle plastic as well as paper, and developing compost heaps. Pupils in Year 6 speak knowledgeably about why it is important to eat sensibly and take regular exercise. They appreciate the large number of out-of-school sporting clubs that are offered. Pupils have a good idea of why they should keep themselves safe and the dangers they may come across as they get older. By the time they leave in Year 6, they are well prepared personally and academically for their next school. Achievement is good for all pupils. Children get off to a good start in the Reception class and achieve well. Standards in Year 2 are above average. This is a recent improvement and represents good achievement as they move through Years 1 and 2. Improving standards are due to the school adopting a new system which tracks pupils' progress more rigorously, to a focus on

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Grade: 2

writing, and to teachers' growing confidence at assessing the levels at which pupils are working. Standards at the end of Year 6 are above average. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well because teachers are well aware of their individual needs. Their progress, in particular in relation to how well they are developing their English skills, is tracked carefully. The few pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make good progress. They are supported effectively in class. External agencies are used well to support pupils with specific needs. One of the main reasons for the school's success is that teaching and learning are good. Teaching is effective because in lessons, pupils are clearly told what they are going to learn and why, and this is reinforced as the lesson goes on. Teaching assistants are plentiful and contribute well to learning. Planning is generally well matched to pupils' needs. As a result, pupils are well

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Grade: 2

motivated and keen to learn. Occasionally, teachers' questioning does not address the wide 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009 ability range within some classes. When this happens, the higher attaining pupils dominate discussions. Pupils are given writing targets but these are not always used effectively. Consequently younger pupils are unsure what theirs are and older pupils are not always sure how near they are to achieving them. As a consequence, while pastoral care is a strength, academic guidance has some shortcomings, and care, guidance and support are satisfactory overall. Marking is satisfactory. There are some examples of good marking which informs pupils what they need to do to improve. All marking is supportive but much lacks guidance for improvement and little refers to any targets pupils have been set. The curriculum is good. Strong links with people in the local community and the wider world

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Grade: 2

enhance many subject areas. A good range of visits out and visitors invited into school enrich the curriculum well and bring learning to life. Older pupils spoke enthusiastically about what they learnt when they visited 'Safeside' which taught them about personal safety, and the Islam Centre where they learnt about the Muslim way of life. The school is well led and managed. The headteacher, his staff and the governors have a clear idea of how the school is doing in all its areas because they are well involved in the self-evaluation process. The acting deputy headteacher has a very good idea of day-to-day procedures. As a result, the school runs smoothly in the absence of the headteacher. The school makes a good contribution to the development of community cohesion. The wide range of visits and visitors invited into school, positively enrich pupils' multicultural experiences and underpins their high levels of respect for other faiths and cultures. Governors know the school

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Grade: 2

well and so are able to support and challenge the school effectively. Issues from the previous inspection have been effectively addressed. Higher attaining pupils are now sufficiently challenged and the role of the subject leaders has been successfully developed. Senior and middle managers have a good understanding, within their areas of responsibility, of the progress pupils are making and the standards they are reaching. In addition, good achievement has been sustained in the core subjects. Pupils adore their school and continue to demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. These many successes indicate that there is a good capacity for the school to improve further.

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Grade: 2

The cheerful, smiling faces of children show how much they really enjoy coming to school. Parents are pleased about this and say children settle in quickly and easily. This is because induction procedures are good. When children enter school, their attainment is generally as expected for their ages. By the end of Reception, almost all children reach, and many exceed, the expected levels. This represents good achievement. Teaching is good. Both the classroom and the outdoor area are used well to promote learning in all areas. Interesting activities are well planned to suit the individual needs of the children. Children spoke very excitedly and knowledgeably as they identified the potato, carrot, bean and pea plants they have grown. Others spoke of why they had to make a scarecrow to frighten the birds away from their crops. Children confidently use pencils as they begin to develop early writing and number skills. At

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Grade: 2

times, children are allowed to write letters and numbers incorrectly and are not shown how to improve. Occasionally, higher attaining children take over class discussions because the teacher's questioning does not address the range of abilities within the class. Individual needs are well catered for and children's progress is tracked carefully. All adults have high expectations regarding behaviour. As a result, behaviour is very good. There are good arrangements to ensure 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009 that children work and play in a safe environment and develop good personal and social skills. The Early Years Foundation Stage is well led and managed. Sessions run smoothly because the adults are well organised and have a good understanding how young children learn.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the quality of teachers' marking so that it gives all pupils clear guidance on what they need to do to improve their work and reach the personal targets they are given. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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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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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 capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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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 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

30 April 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Grange Farm Primary School, Coventry CV3 6NF You may remember we came to visit you recently. Thank you for making us so welcome. It was good to talk to so many of you and see how well you are doing. It was lovely to see you all playing so nicely together outside during lunchtime. The new playground equipment looks so good that I really wanted a go myself! We think your behaviour is outstanding and you are very polite to the adults who work in school and to visitors. We know you all enjoy coming to school because you told us so. Those who look after you at home told us you go to a good school and we agree. 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

■ Teaching is good and because of this you learn well.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have a good range of clubs and extra activities as well as good opportunities to go on exciting visits out of school. ■ You have learnt lots about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and keeping yourselves safe. ■ The school council, along with help from the rest of you, have done a good job in making it more fun to be outside during break times by instigating the development of new playground equipment. ■ Similarly, we are impressed with how the Eco-Squad has got everyone recycling plastic and paper, and developing compost heaps. ■ Not only are you kind towards each other, you know that some people are not as lucky as you are and you take time to raise money to help them. ■ By the time you leave in Year 6, you reach standards that are above average, having made good progress because of effective teaching. We have asked the school to do one thing to improve the education you receive.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that when teachers mark your work, they give clear advice on what you need to do to improve and reach the targets you are given. You can help by working hard and always trying your best. Best wishes Nina Bee Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Grange Farm Primary School, 29 April 2009

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