Lanesfield Primary School

Lanesfield Primary School Inspection report

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104327 Unique Reference Number Wolverhampton Local Authority 324019 Inspection number 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates Gerald Griffin 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 283 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 Stan Barnet Chair David Farrar Headteacher 1 July 2006 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Newman Avenue School address Lanesfield Wolverhampton WV4 6BZ 01902 558950 Telephone number 01902 558951 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 19–20 May 2009 Inspection dates 324019 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: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Lanesfield is a larger-than-average primary school. Half of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and half are from White British families. The proportion of pupils who do not speak English at home as their first language is above the national average. None of them is at the early stages of acquiring the language. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is similar to the national average. The school's Early Years Foundation Stage provision comprises a part-time Nursery and a Reception class. The on-site 'Aces' club, which caters for the school's children and pupils before and after school, is privately managed and so is reported on separately.

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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: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

Lanesfield is a good school. Achievement in Key Stages 1 and 2 is good and pupils reach average standards by the time they leave school at the end of Year 6. The achievement of children in the Nursery and Reception classes is also good. Rising standards in the Early Years Foundation stage, in Years 1 and 2 and in reading show the school is continuing to improve rapidly under the outstanding leadership of the headteacher. Staff enthusiastically share his unrelenting drive to make the school even better. Good teaching provides interesting work that challenges pupils well and, as a result, they make good progress. Pupils' progress is not outstanding because teachers do not always ensure pupils sustain a rapid pace of learning throughout the lesson. This happens, for example, when the teacher does not explain the lesson targets clearly enough and pupils are not entirely sure about what they need to do next.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school is outstanding. They are extremely polite to each other and to adults. They thoroughly enjoy school because the good curriculum provides them with a wide variety of interesting activities that broadens their horizons. Pupils are cared for very well and feel very safe in school. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who do not speak English at home as their first language receive sympathetic support which enables them to make the same good progress as their peers. Teachers provide pupils with clear guidance on how they can make their work better, and care, guidance and support is good. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Attendance overall is only satisfactory. Although most pupils come to school very regularly, a minority have below average attendance records and their progress is often slower than their peers.

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Grade: 2

Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. One parent wrote, 'My child enjoys coming to school. The lessons are interesting and he is making good progress. The school takes good account of parents' views and suggestions.' Subject leaders provide the headteacher with valuable support by checking standards in their areas of responsibility, and leadership and management overall are good. The record of recent gains shows the school is well placed to improve further.

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Grade: 2

Children's skills and experiences when they start Nursery are below those typically expected. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes and currently reach average standards by the time they start Year 1. Children's personal development is good. They really enjoy school and behave very well. Children take turns and readily share toys and learning resources. They are very keen to support each other. For example, children in the Reception were helping each other spell their names to put on a party invitation. Children are cared for well and are very safe in school. There are many opportunities for parents to talk to teachers, and parents appreciate the clear guidance staff give them on how they can support their child's learning. Progress has improved this year because teaching is now good. Adults provides a wide range of exciting and challenging activities for children to do. For

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Grade: 2

example, children were fascinated with their study of bees and learning about different kinds of honey and using it to make sandwiches. Adults ensure pupils make good progress in all areas of learning by planning work that matches children's needs well. Progress occasionally slows 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009 when children spend too long on the carpet listening to the teacher rather than finding things out for themselves. There is an appropriate balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities. However, children do not always have enough opportunities to work outdoors in the morning to develop their independence. Leadership and management are good. Adults use assessments effectively to plan children's next steps in their learning.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Sustain a rapid pace of learning throughout lessons so that pupils make even better progress.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the attendance of the minority of pupils who have below average attendance records so that they make the same progress as their peers.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' achievement, including for those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, is good. This year, children entered school with skills and knowledge below those expected for their age. Children make good progress in Nursery and Reception to reach broadly average standards. However, standards vary from year to year, reflecting differences in the proportion of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The current Year 6 started Year 1 with standards that were well below average and they have made good progress to reach average standards. The progress of girls in Year 2, which was slow last year, has accelerated and is now similar to that of the boys. This is because teachers ensure that the girls have challenging and interesting work. Pupils' ability to links letters with the sounds they make and their understanding of the meaning of the text they read has improved significantly this year. When writing, pupils' spelling and

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Grade: 2

punctuation are often accurate, but their ability to express their ideas clearly in longer pieces of written work, such as stories and accounts, is a relative weakness. In mathematics, pupils calculate quickly and accurately on paper, but their mental arithmetic is sometimes too slow. Standards in Year 6 in science and information and communication technology (ICT) are average.

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Grade: 2

Pupils reflect maturely on their feelings. A crystal-clear understanding of right and wrong underpins their outstanding behaviour. Pupils cooperate well in groups and are keen to help each other. They have a well-developed understanding of the diversity of British society, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils feel very safe because the school takes prompt and effective action to deal with the rare incidences of bullying. Pupils take care to ensure others come to no harm and have a well-developed understanding of how they can keep themselves safe, for example on the internet. Pupils understand clearly the need to maintain healthy lifestyles and do their best to eat a balanced diet and take plenty of exercise. Their knowledge of the physical and emotional changes associated with growing up is relatively weak. Pupils really enjoy lessons, school clubs and the rewards they receive for good work and

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Grade: 2

this leads to good attendance by most pupils. Although attendance is improving, a small minority of pupils still do not come to school often enough and have below average records. Progress for these pupils is not usually as quick as it is for others. Pupils are keen to take responsibility as prefects and members of the school council. They generously collect for charity and eagerly take part in local events such as music and multicultural festivals. Average standards, good 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009 progress and positive attitudes mean that pupils' preparation for secondary school and future employment is good.

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Grade: 2

In lessons, relationships are positive and pupils are keen to learn. Teachers use computers and other resources well to engage and extend pupils' learning. Teachers ensure pupils are challenged well and make good progress by asking them demanding questions and by planning work that stretches all members of the class. This is especially so in Years 1 and 2, where teaching has improved this year. Occasionally, teachers do not explain clearly enough what pupils must do next and this temporarily slows the pace of learning and prevents progress from being even better. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to learning, especially for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Grade: 2

Activities, such as science days, learning a musical instrument, dance, a wide range of clubs, educational visits and residential holidays provide pupils with rich and varied learning experiences that add to their enjoyment of school. The school recognises that it needs to provide more opportunities for pupils to practise mental arithmetic in mathematics and to write longer pieces of work in such subjects as geography and history. Pupils have good opportunity to develop their computer skills in ICT lessons, but do not have as many opportunities to use these skills in other subjects. The curriculum supports aspects of pupils' personal development well. For example, lively assemblies promote their spiritual and moral development. The school has firm plans to provide relationships education early in the autumn term for Year 6.

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Grade: 2

Teachers know their pupils well and use this information effectively to provide a good standard of pastoral care. Child protection arrangements and health and safety checks are robust and regularly updated. The assessments of the needs of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who do not speak English at home as their first language are accurate and are used well to plan learning programmes that match their needs closely. The school works effectively with outside experts to support pupils' education and welfare. For example, home visits by the education welfare officer are reducing the number of pupils who are persistently absent from school. Marking and other feedback provides pupils with clear guidance about what steps they need to take next to improve their work so that they can reach their challenging targets. However, teachers do not always check that pupils have put this good advice into action.

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Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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Grade: 2

Robust and regular monitoring and evaluation provide the school with a largely accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development. Development plans are appropriate and effective in bringing about improvements. For example, progress in Years 1 and 2 is now good because the plans to improve the quality of teaching in these years have proved successful. Most subject leaders take full responsibility for progress and standards in their areas of responsibility. They are effective in improving teachers' skills. For example, the training they have provided to sharpen staff's skills in helping pupils to link letters to the sounds they make has raised standards in reading. A few subject leaders are new in post and their role in improving standards is still developing. The school rigorously checks the progress that pupils make towards their challenging targets. If their progress slows, prompt extra help is provided so that pupils can catch up. The school

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Grade: 2

uses staff well to make teaching groups smaller so that pupils get more individual attention and this is improving their progress, especially in reading. The school is a harmonious and well-integrated community and has a good number of links with the local community. Community cohesion is satisfactory because international links are not yet fully established. The governors work hard on behalf of the school. They understand data well and are not afraid to hold the school to account. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 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: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 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? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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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/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: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 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 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 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? 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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

21 May 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Lanesfield Primary School, Wolverhampton, WV4 6BZ Thank you for being so polite and friendly when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed our visit and having the opportunity to talk to some of you and to see you in lessons and at play. I especially liked seeing Year 1 working so hard and enjoying their mathematics lesson. You are rightly proud of the school's happy atmosphere in which you all get on so well together. We think Lanesfield is a good school and it is continuing to improve. Here are some of the things we found out.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make a good start to school in the Nursery and Reception classes.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Good teaching helps you make good progress in your lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ In Year 6, standards are average in English, mathematics and science.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You really enjoy school and feel very safe and secure.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You behaviour is outstanding and most of you attend very regularly.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have good relationships with your teachers and you work hard for them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The curriculum provides you with exciting clubs and the chance to learn to play musical instruments, which you enjoy. ■ Adults look after you well and are always ready to help you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You have a good understanding of how you can improve your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher and adults are working hard to make sure the school gets better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have asked the school to do two things to help you do even better in your learning.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure teachers keep you working hard throughout lessons so that you make even better progress. ■ Improve the attendance of those of you who do not come to school as regularly as most other pupils so that you make the same progress as they do. You can help the school by continuing to behave well, trying your best in lessons and attending very regularly. We wish you all success in the future. Yours faithfully Gerald Griffin Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Lanesfield Primary School, 19–20 May 2009

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