Perryfields Primary School

Perryfields Primary School Inspection report

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103953 Unique Reference Number Sandwell Local Authority 323931 Inspection number 20–21 May 2009 Inspection dates Doris Bell 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 209 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 Stuart Carter Chair Terry Jones Headteacher 22 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 Apsley Road School address Oldbury B68 0QY 01214 222848 Telephone number 01214 225262 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 20–21 May 2009 Inspection dates 323931 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 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This average sized school has more girls than boys. Its Early Years Foundation Stage caters for 30 Reception-aged children. At the time of the inspection, the two teachers who usually share the teaching of Reception pupils were on maternity leave. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. A smaller proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities than is found in most schools, although this varies from year to year. The proportion from minority ethnic groups is above average, but the proportion who speak English as an additional language is below. The headteacher was new in September 2008, at which time four other members of staff also joined the school. Before- and after-school clubs and a Nursery, all of which are privately run, share the school site. The school has achieved the Healthy Schools award.

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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: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. The good quality of education it provides for its pupils enables them to achieve well and reach above average standards in Year 6. Test results last year were significantly above average in English and science and above average in mathematics. Data in school, supported by evidence from pupils' work, show that the high standards in English and science have been sustained, and that standards have risen in mathematics. Pupils are now making equally good progress in all three subjects because they are taught well. The exceptionally good care, guidance and support the school provides for its pupils ensure that their personal development and well-being are excellent. This has a positive effect on their progress. Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school, as their above average attendance shows. They look forward to the many exciting things their teachers prepare for them. These includes

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Grade: 2

the effective use of drama to promote speaking and listening skills, and provide effective stimuli for writing, and teaching pupils a range of strategies to help them calculate efficiently and recall number facts rapidly. Teachers also make effective use of the many opportunities to promote literacy skills in other subjects, as part of the well-planned curriculum. Pupils feel safe in school, confident that 'nothing threatens you here'. Those from different cultures and backgrounds get along really well together because the school successfully teaches them to respect and value each other's differences. Pupils make an excellent contribution to the school community. They have a really good understanding of the different cultures in the United Kingdom and across the world, and of how key people have changed attitudes in society, for example, to equality. This underpins the school's effective approach to promoting community

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Grade: 2

cohesion, which is outlined clearly in a well-focused action plan. Pupils have a really good understanding of how to improve their work. This is because, at every stage of their learning, their teachers involve them fully in checking how well they, and other pupils are doing. Teachers' marking helps because, in most cases, it provides pupils with good guidance on how to improve their work as well as celebrating what they have done well. Parents are pleased with the school, commenting typically that 'help is at hand' when they or their children need it, that the school has a 'committed staff' and that they always feel welcome. The school is led and managed well. The headteacher, supported effectively by the governors, gives it a very clear educational direction that is wholly focused on enabling pupils to do their very best. She leads by example, and is successfully training and empowering key leaders and

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Grade: 2

managers to do the same. Understandably, the focus has been on literacy and numeracy, and on ensuring that every pupil in the school makes equally good progress. As a result, the roles of other leaders and managers are underdeveloped, although they do provide clear direction that ensures at least adequate coverage of their areas. This is a school that knows itself really well. Its self-evaluation is exceptionally sharp, accurate and well focused, and is beginning to have a good impact on overall provision and on pupils' progress, especially in mathematics. This and the strong teamwork evident throughout the school, along with the recent improvements in writing and mathematics, demonstrate the school's good capacity for further improvement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009

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Grade: 2

Children start school with skills and experiences lower than the levels expected for their age. They enjoy school and most throw themselves wholeheartedly into the many interesting tasks provided for them. Children work and play happily together, sharing, taking turns and sometimes helping each other. For example, following good input from an adult, they showed each other how to use a ruler to check whether their snakes were longer or shorter than their neighbour's. Overall, they make good progress and standards are broadly average by the end of Reception, though still slightly weaker in language and numeracy. Staff assess children's learning regularly. They use the information in their planning, and are successfully helping the children to begin to assess their own learning. Good attention is paid to children's personal, social and emotional development. Effective links with parents contribute to this and ensure children settle quickly into school routines. Children's welfare and safety

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Grade: 2

are promoted very well in most respects, although inspectors drew some minor health and safety issues to the school's attention during the course of the inspection. Despite the positive outcomes, leadership and management are currently only satisfactory. This is because there is a lack of clear understanding of how to plan most effectively for this age group. Activities are compartmentalised into teacher-chosen activities indoors in the morning, covering all areas of learning, and those chosen by the children outdoors in the afternoon, mainly comprising play and physical development. This rigid approach prevents the free flow of continuous learning recommended for this age group throughout the school day. It also limits the opportunities children have to become more independent. Nevertheless, some good links are made between different areas of learning. This happened following a visit from 'Medusa's sister' which enthralled the children. The school, through its work on linking letters

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Grade: 2

and sounds, is successfully developing the children's ability to read and write, to pronounce letter sounds accurately and to speak clearly.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ In the Early Years Foundation Stage, provide a better balance between adult-led and child-selected activities, and between indoor and outdoor learning, throughout the school day. ■ Consolidate and extend the roles of senior and middle managers in checking teaching and learning and their impact on pupils' progress.

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Grade: 2

Improvements in pupils' progress, particularly in writing and mathematics, have resulted in higher standards of work in both areas. Standards are average overall in Year 2, though above in writing, and above average in Year 6. Here, standards in writing are significantly above average, as they were in last year's tests. Progress is good overall. Pupils write well throughout the school, seizing the many opportunities they have to do so in different subjects. By Year 6 they use vocabulary imaginatively, for example to show empathy and to express their feelings. This was particularly evident in some of their poetry, where they considered what they might put in a 'magic box', from 'the first kiss' they gave their parents to the 'shiny dazzling star in the sky'. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009 Pupils successfully learn how to solve mathematical problems using a range of strategies. They

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Grade: 2

realise the importance of learning multiplication tables and work hard on this. They can explain clearly why it is important to learn different methods of calculation so that they can choose the best one to help them solve problems more quickly.

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Grade: 1

Every pupil spoken to said they thoroughly enjoy school and appreciate what it does to help all of them develop well. Behaviour is good, marred only by the difficulties a small minority of boys have when working in groups, which sometimes disrupts their learning. Pupils feel very safe and well looked after and they have an excellent understanding of why it is important to follow a healthy lifestyle. The achievement of the Healthy School award is testimony to this, as is the healthy nature of the pupils' packed lunches. Conversations with pupils demonstrate their outstanding contribution to the school and wider community. They readily undertake a wide range of responsibilities and carry them out well. For example, involvement in an Eco project and a spring clean project around the area and, more recently, in a business enterprise fundraising project to buy more equipment for the school. School councillors, whom pupils elect by secret ballot, take their roles very seriously.

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Grade: 1

They are particularly proud of the way they help to diffuse arguments in the playground. All pupils are confident that staff will always help them. They report that there is no bullying and that staff deal quickly and effectively with any form of harassment when it is brought to their attention, and they feel very comfortable doing this.

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Grade: 2

As lessons begin, most teachers explain clearly to pupils what they are expected to learn. They then help them, during the lesson, to check where they are up to, and at the end, to assess how well they have done overall. This good practice, alongside mostly well-focused marking, contributes greatly to the pupils' good progress, and most teachers use the information well in their planning. It was evident in Year 6 where, in response to what the teacher had found when she marked their work, pupils engaged in role play to gain a deeper understanding of how people might have felt during the Second World War. This good use of drama, speaking and listening provided pupils with effective stimuli for writing. A further example was observed in Year 4, where pupils created scenarios to persuade someone to adopt a particular viewpoint, as preparation for persuasive writing. Occasionally, lessons are not as well planned and pupils,

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Grade: 2

particularly the more able, do not do as well as they might, as happened in one mathematics session. Also, the introductions to lessons are sometimes a bit long and pupils begin to get restless because they want to get down to their own work. Overall, however, the management and organisation of pupils' learning and behaviour are good.

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Grade: 2

The well-planned curriculum successfully links different subjects together and includes good provision for personal, social and health education. A wide range of well-attended activities, visits and visitors in and beyond the normal school day enrich pupils' learning in many ways 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009 and contribute to their enjoyment of school. For example, pupils happily chatted about the need for good hygiene as they washed their hands in preparation for cooking club. Mathematical skills are promoted satisfactorily in subjects such as science and design and technology, but they are not as well embedded as literacy skills in all planning. The school is working on this.

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Grade: 1

All aspects of care are strong and extend to pupils of all backgrounds and abilities. Safeguarding procedures, including those for child protection, meet current requirements. Pupils receive high levels of guidance and support, both personally and academically. They know their targets and how to improve their work. Checklists and techniques such as the 'traffic light system' enable them to show their teachers how they feel they have done. Teachers note particularly any pupil who indicates they are struggling and they provide additional support as soon as is practicable after a lesson. This happened, for example, in an excellent mathematics lesson with pupils in Year 3. All of this, plus the excellent links the school has with external agencies and other schools, contributes greatly to pupils' good progress and their excellent personal development and well-being.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides excellent guidance for all staff and governors. She has successfully created an effective team, drawing together those new to the school with her in September 2008, and those already established when she arrived. She undertakes rigorous checks on teaching and learning, identifying clearly for staff the areas in which improvement is needed. Bit by bit, she is empowering other leaders and managers to fulfil their roles. For example, subject leaders for literacy and numeracy, having analysed teachers' planning and pupils' work, have influenced the improvements in writing and mathematics this year. They are set to undertake direct observations of teaching and learning in the next half term alongside the headteacher, to empower them further in their roles. The systems for assessing and tracking pupils' progress are rigorous. The school uses them effectively to identify which pupils, from the least to the most able, need further support in

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Grade: 2

different aspects of their learning. When necessary, it seeks and acts on advice from external agencies and uses the expertise available, for example in the local high school, to take pupils' learning further. All of this enables pupils to leave the school well prepared for the future. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009 .

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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: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 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? 3 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 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 2 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? 1 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

22 May 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Perryfields Primary School, Oldbury B68 0QY Thank you for the warm welcome you gave us when we visited your school and for talking to us about what you do there. It was good to see that you really enjoy school and want to learn, that you behave well, and feel safe and well cared for at all times. We were impressed with the way you care for and help each other and respect each other's differences, and by the knowledge and understanding you have of the different cultures in this country and abroad. We concluded that you go to a good school that has your best interests at heart and wants you to do well. You and almost all of your parents think the same. Your teachers plan your work well and this enables all of you, from the youngest to the oldest, to make good progress. We particularly enjoyed watching the sessions where your teachers encouraged you to make up little plays to help those of you in Year 4 improve your persuasive

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

writing skills, and those of you in Year 6 understand how people might have felt during the Second World War. It was good, too, to hear how those of you in Year 3 understand the importance of being able to calculate in different ways so you can choose the method best suited to solving mathematical problems quickly. Something else that helps you make good progress is the way teachers help you to understand how to improve your work. You therefore check your own learning, and take heed of the comments in their marking. The headteacher also keeps a close eye on how well each one of you is doing, and helps the teachers to help you. Those responsible for leading and managing English and mathematics are beginning to do the same. We have asked the school to help all other teachers to do it in their subjects too. We noted that those of you in Reception do not have enough opportunities to choose what to learn, or to play outside all through the day. We

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

have asked the school to sort these things out as well. You can help to improve your own learning too, by continuing to work hard and listening to your teachers. We hope that by doing so, you will all continue to enjoy learning for the rest of your lives as much as you do now. Yours faithfully Doris Bell Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Perryfields Primary School, 20–21 May 2009

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