Park Hill Primary School

Park Hill Primary School Inspection report

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103666 Unique Reference Number Coventry Local Authority 323877 Inspection number 19 March 2009 Inspection date Ruth Westbrook 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 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 348 School (total) 89 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 Garry Blinco Chair J T Teago Headteacher 6 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Lower Eastern Green Lane School address Coventry CV5 7LR 02476 466669 Telephone number 02476 422425 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 19 March 2009 Inspection date 323877 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: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues:

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Introduction

■ the effectiveness of strategies to improve progress in writing at Key Stage 1 and mathematics at Key Stage 2 ■ the effectiveness of the school's tracking system and the quality of feedback which pupils receive on their work. The inspectors gathered evidence from lesson observations, discussions with pupils, staff and governors, scrutiny of pupils' work and the school documentation, parental questionnaires and national assessment data. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated 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 in this report.

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Description of the school

Park Hill is an average-sized primary school situated on the outskirts of Coventry. The number of primary age children in the school's area has been falling. Just over half of the pupils come from outside the immediate area. The Early Years Foundation Stage includes a Nursery class which children attend part time. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average, as are the proportions of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities or who speak English as an additional language. The governing body manages a before- and after-school club. The playgroup on the school site and a holiday care scheme are run privately.

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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: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. The excellent leadership of the headteacher sets very clear direction, so the school continues to improve. All members of the school community, including parents, share a commitment to providing a community where children can achieve their best. The school provides, in the words of one parent, a 'warm, caring, family atmosphere where children make good progress'. The school's outstanding curriculum promotes excellent personal development and well-being through its very-well-planned opportunities. Enjoyment levels are extremely high. Although the overall level of attendance is good, for most pupils it is excellent. Pupils' understanding of how to live healthy and safe lives is outstanding. This is demonstrated in their very active participation in physical exercise at break times and in the wide range of extra-curricular activities. Breaks and lunchtimes contribute well to pupils' excellent social skills. Pupils of all

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Grade: 2

ages play together safely, and older ones care very well for younger children. The school is a leader amongst primary schools in developing modern foreign languages. As a result, pupils' speaking and listening skills are accomplished as they communicate through video links with people in different countries. Its status as an international school supports excellent cultural and spiritual development. Pupils develop a keen understanding of their membership of the global community through a range of projects, such as a close link with a Japanese school, the current hosting of a Japanese intern and links with schools in Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Turkey and Germany on a healthy eating project. Enriching opportunities to visit other parts of the city on arts projects, and for pupils in Year 6 to attend a residential in Dorset, ensure that pupils develop an understanding of the diverse communities within their

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Grade: 2

city and the United Kingdom. Closer to home, pupils make an excellent contribution to the school and local community through projects which they organise fully themselves, raising considerable sums of money for charities of their choice. Throughout their participation in these activities, pupils impress the adults involved with their extremely positive behaviour and their excellent attitudes towards each other and the members of the communities they meet. A strong sense of moral responsibility is developed through assembly themes and opportunities for participation in, for example, the Eco-club. As a result of this strong emphasis on personal development, pupils make excellent progress in acquiring the skills and qualities required for the future. Pupils' achievement is good. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. This represents good progress throughout the school. In the

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Grade: 2

last two years, standards in writing have been well above average because of the greater emphasis on writing for a purpose, such as a film script or visit report. This has been particularly effective with boys. Pupils have made slower progress in mathematics. The school has identified the reasons for this. Strategies to accelerate their progress in mathematics have resulted in a substantial improvement at Key Stage 1 in 2008, with pupils reaching well above average standards. The work of current pupils indicates that strategies introduced at Key Stage 2 are also raising standards in mathematics. In science, standards are consistently above average. Pupils enjoy opportunities for investigation in science, such as the recent dissection of a daffodil which helped them to understand more clearly the parts of a flower. All groups of pupils make good progress. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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Grade: 2

receive excellent support because their needs are carefully identified and met. Teaching 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009 assistants support them well in classrooms. The few pupils learning English as an additional language make good progress. The school tracks the progress of different groups of pupils very carefully and is swift to act when underachievement is pinpointed. Good teaching helps pupils make good progress in their learning. Teachers manage their classrooms well, which promotes very positive attitudes to learning. Effective partnerships exist between teachers and other adults so that all pupils receive help if they need it. Lessons have clear learning objectives and teachers share clearly the steps which pupils need to make to achieve success. Most lessons are planned well with a range of stimulating activities. Pupils work particularly well when actively engaged in their learning through, for example, using

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Grade: 2

whiteboards for their answers, practical investigations or talking with a partner. Occasionally, progress slows down in some lessons because pupils spend too long listening to the teacher and when question and answer sessions involve too few pupils. The most able pupils make good progress. There are a few occasions, however, in lessons when their work does not challenge them enough and they achieve less than they might. Targets to move pupils from one level to the next are shared very clearly. Some excellent practice exists in the school, where pupils receive very clear personal feedback on their progress towards their targets and guidance on what they need to do next. However, the quality of feedback and guidance is inconsistent and, as yet, expectations that the pupil should respond to the feedback are limited. Care, guidance and support are good. Effective systems are in place to safeguard pupils. All

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Grade: 2

parents returning questionnaires agreed that pupils were safe and well cared for. Breakfast and after-school clubs are well run and make an effective contribution to the extended school day, so meeting families' needs. The system to set challenging targets and to track pupils' progress is being used well by senior and middle leaders to identify underachievement and plan intervention. The development of its use in the classroom is being supported well by the school's leadership as teachers use it to track an individual's progress. Good leadership and management focus well on raising standards and improving the school environment. There is a good level of understanding amongst leaders and governors of the school's strengths, and clear plans are in place to address areas for development. The good rate of improvement since the last inspection demonstrates the school's good capacity to improve further. Governors are fully involved in the life of the school. They are very much part

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Grade: 2

of the team, making a strong contribution to outstanding community cohesion by forging links with community groups in the locality.

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Grade: 2

The provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children achieve well. Their skills on entry to the Nursery are broadly as expected, although the literacy skills of some are weaker than other areas of their learning. By the end of the Reception, children are exceeding the expected level in all areas with the exception of linking sounds and letters, and knowledge and understanding of the world, where they are at the expected level. Children's personal development and well-being are excellent. They are polite and sustain their concentration extremely well. They cooperate and take turns willingly, bringing about an enthusiastic atmosphere within the classroom. They have exceptionally good attitudes to their work, are developing enquiring minds, and are very keen to explain what they are doing. Teaching is good overall. Lessons are well planned and build upon children's prior learning. Good intervention and sensitive support value each pupil's ideas. Sometimes, a child's idea

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Grade: 2

5 of 10 Inspection Report: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009 brings about a whole new theme, as in the launch of a circus performance in Reception, which was used extremely well to promote children's writing. Assessments are thorough and used well to plan future learning. Staff support and care for children well and the provision for their welfare is good. Healthy lifestyles are promoted effectively through the fruit scheme, ready access to water and regular exercise. Because adults act as good role models, children are sensitive to each other's needs. The leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage provides an exceptionally clear vision as newly implemented policies shape its future. The staff have been very well led through the introduction of the new framework and the establishment of effective assessment systems and procedures to promote welfare. There is a clear understanding of areas for development within the plans that are being implemented.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Include more challenges for the more able pupils at all stages so that their rate of progress increases. ■ Sharpen the quality of feedback to pupils so that it links clearly to the objectives of the work and pupils' individual targets, and explains clearly the response that the pupil should make. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 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: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 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? 1 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: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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 1 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? 2 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 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 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: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

20 March 2009 Dear Children Inspection of Park Hill Primary School, Coventry, CV5 7LR Thank you for the help you gave us when we visited your school recently. We received a very warm welcome and your comments were very helpful to us. This letter is to share with you what we found. You go to a good school, which has a few things that are outstanding. We particularly liked these things.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Good teaching ensures that you make good progress in your work and reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science. ■ You enjoy school very much indeed. Your lessons are interesting and there are some good opportunities to put into practice the things which you have learned. ■ The opportunities to learn languages and find out about and meet people from other cultures and countries are outstanding and you make excellent use of them. ■ The contribution you make to your school and surrounding community are excellent. You take responsibility sensibly and appreciate the opportunity to be involved in making decisions. ■ Your headteacher leads the school very well and all the staff care for you well. This makes you feel safe in school and able to turn to adults if you need help. ■ Your behaviour is excellent and impresses those people who meet you on school visits or who visit your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have an excellent understanding of how to lead a healthy and safe life. You put this into practice in the very energetic and enthusiastic way you take part in activities and sport. We have asked the school to improve two things so that you can make even better progress. You generally make good progress in lessons, but we think some of you are capable of doing harder work. We have asked your teachers to tell you whether you have met your target in a piece of work and if you have been successful with the learning objective in a lesson. We think that you could make more of a response to the feedback you receive about your work. I hope that you will do your best to help your headteacher and the staff to put these things in place and play your part in ensuring that your school continues to improve. Yours faithfully Ruth Westbrook Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Park Hill Primary School, 19 March 2009

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