Whitgreave Primary School Inspection report Unique Reference Number 124082 Local Authority Staffordshire Inspection number 328047 Inspection dates 5–6 November 2008 Reporting inspector Andrew Watters HMI This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number on roll School (total) 225 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jo Dunn Headteacher Caroline Jobling Date of previous school inspection 26–27 September 2007 School address The Avenue Featherstone Wolverhampton WV10 7AS Telephone number 01902 734167 Fax number 01902 727502 Age group 3–11 Inspection date(s) 5–6 November 2008 Inspection number 328047 © Crown copyright 2008 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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. 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. Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 3 of 11 Introduction The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and one Additional Inspector. Description of the school During the last year, there has been a significant turnover of teaching staff and the number on roll has fallen from 254 to 225. The headteacher took up her post in January 2008. On 3 November 2008, extended services opened at the school, comprising a family learning programme, adult learning and community access, and after school homework clubs. The proportion of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is 21%, which is slightly above the national average of 19%. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is in line with the national average. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) provision is located in the Nursery and Reception classes. Key for inspection grades Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 4 of 11 Overall effectiveness of the school Grade: 3 In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement. After a turbulent time, the school is in a more secure position than previously and its overall effectiveness is satisfactory. While standards are beginning to rise and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, the more able pupils are capable of making faster progress in lessons and achievement in writing and mathematics is too slow. The progress made by the pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities is satisfactory. The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Some of the teaching is of good quality but too much is fragile and some is inadequate, for example, when the pace of learning is slow and pupils’ work is either too easy or too difficult. The pupils’ personal development and well-being is good and is a strong feature of the school’s work. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They respect each other and the adults who work with them and relationships are very good. They feel safe and know how to keep healthy. The response to inspection questionnaires shows that most parents are supportive and appreciate the school’s work. One parent said, ‘All staff are very approachable and caring towards the children. I have nothing but praise for them all.’ Children in the EYFS get off to a good start and achieve well because provision is good. The curriculum is broad, balanced and satisfactory. A good range of after school clubs and activities, particularly to promote the benefits of taking regular exercise, enriches the curriculum well. The quality of care, support and guidance is satisfactory. Pastoral care is stronger than the pupils’ academic guidance. The latter ranges from good to inadequate, but is satisfactory overall. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils have a good understanding of cultures and faiths different from their own. The quality of the school’s collective leadership and management is satisfactory. The headteacher has managed a number of challenging issues well, such as numerous staff changes, and kept the school on course through a challenging period. Monitoring and evaluation are satisfactory but not always rigorous enough, and sometimes there is a lack of urgency about tackling important areas for development. The school’s improvement since the previous inspection and its capacity to improve further are satisfactory. Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage Grade: 2 The quality of teaching in the Nursery and the Reception class is good. By the time the children start in Year 1, their attainment is broadly average. This represents good achievement in relation to their below average starting points. Effective planning enables children to learn well through a selection of adult-focused activities and those that children choose for themselves. Children’s behaviour is good, reflected in their improving personal and social skills. Children get on well with each other, for example when playing with toys in the Nursery. Children in the Reception class co- operate well when playing games to develop their knowledge of letters and sounds Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 5 of 11 and they have many opportunities to improve their writing skills. However, adults do not always pay enough attention to helping the children form letters correctly and, as a result, early handwriting skills are not as well developed as they might be. Children are well cared for and come into school happily each morning. Induction procedures are good and, as a result, parents say that their children settle in quickly to new routines. The EYFS is well led and managed. All adults have a good understanding of how young children learn. What the school should do to improve further • Raise standards in writing and mathematics and increase the rate of progress for all pupils, particularly the more able. • Improve the quality of teaching and learning, ensuring that it is consistently good and better, and that pupils’ work is always planned carefully to match their different learning needs. • Improve the rigour and effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation, particularly to eliminate weaknesses in teaching and learning. A small proportion of the schools whose overall performance is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. Achievement and standards Grade: 3 Standards are slowly rising and pupils’ progress is accelerating. The proportion of pupils reaching levels above the average for their age is increasing, albeit from a low base. Achievement in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 is satisfactory. Some pupils have recently made good progress in a relatively short period. For example, during the first half of the autumn term 2008, there has been a 32% rise in the number of Year 3 pupils who are attaining higher levels in writing and mathematics. Similarly, rates of progress are becoming faster in Years 5 and 6, although this is not always the case for the more able pupils. The results of the 2008 assessments for Year 2 pupils show that standards are broadly in line with the national average in reading and mathematics but below in writing. At Key Stage 2, standards in the 2008 national tests for 11-year-olds are below the national average in mathematics and English. Standards in science are close to the national average. Personal development and well-being Grade: 2 Pupils behave well and have good attitudes. They make a good contribution to the community, for example leading events to celebrate the school’s recent 80th birthday. Pupils speak sensitively about raising money for different charities and sponsoring a child in India. In addition, the work of the school council is impressive. It has improved pupils’ and parents’ awareness of the need to develop a healthy lifestyle and eat food that is healthy and nutritious. As a result, pupils have a good awareness of why they should eat healthily. School councillors have introduced buddy-benches in the playground and there has been an effective focus on anti-bullying. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue and they feel safe in school. They know that if they have a problem an adult will help them. By the time pupils leave the school, in Year 6, Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 6 of 11 they display good personal and social skills. However, their academic skills are not as strong and so they are satisfactorily prepared for their next stages of learning. Attendance is average and most pupils attend regularly. When pupils’ attendance is poor, they make slow progress and their achievement is unsatisfactory. Quality of provision Teaching and learning Grade: 3 The quality of teaching and learning ranges from good to inadequate and is satisfactory overall. In a few good lessons, assessments are accurate, pupils’ work matches their different learning needs well, the pace of learning is brisk and pupils work hard with enthusiasm and enjoyment. Teaching assistants work effectively with groups of pupils, for example helping raise achievement in reading and writing. In one lesson in Year 6, the pupils cooperated extremely well in mixed gender groups when discussing the emotions and actions of characters in a story. Nevertheless, inconsistencies in teaching remain and persistent weaknesses continue to impede pupils’ progress. In some lessons in Years 1 and 2, expectations of pupils’ behaviour are not high enough. On other occasions, in Key Stage 2, there is insufficient challenge for the more able pupils and lesson introductions are too long. Curriculum and other activities Grade: 3 The curriculum is satisfactory. The recent introduction of a new curriculum, which teaches some subjects through themes, is under review to evaluate its impact on raising standards. Long-and medium-term planning is satisfactory. Weekly and daily planning gives greater emphasis to pupils’ different starting points and capabilities, although there is still much to do to ensure a consistent approach in each year group. Provision for literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. A significant focus on teaching phonics is beginning to make a positive difference in some year groups, but this is not consistent. In each key stage, weaknesses in spelling and punctuation persist. Provision for science and information and communication technology is satisfactory. Well-organised trips, including residential visits, extend learning in many subjects. These have a positive impact on improving pupils’ personal and social skills as they learn to live alongside each other, for example their growing respect and tolerance of different points of view. Care, guidance and support Grade: 3 The quality of care, guidance and support is satisfactory. Ensuring pupils’ health and safety has a high priority and arrangements for safeguarding pupils are secure. External agencies, such as the welfare officer from the local authority, police and social services work well in partnership with the school to support the needs of all pupils, particularly those with specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The quality of academic guidance is variable. Some of the teachers’ marking is good. It is supportive and informs pupils what they need to do to improve and shows them how near they are to reaching their targets. However, this is not a consistent feature. There are very few written comments on some of the pupils’ work, and occasionally work is unmarked. The use of targets to support learning is satisfactory. Some pupils Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 7 of 11 know their targets well, and how they might achieve them, while others are unsure what they should achieve and this restricts their progress. Leadership and management Grade: 3 The quality of the school’s collective leadership is satisfactory. Under the careful guidance of the headteacher, the senior leadership team is developing its role well. Strategic planning and self-evaluation are satisfactory and there is an increasingly clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Arrangements for tracking pupils’ progress are secure. Monitoring procedures are satisfactory, although sometimes, important weaknesses in teaching and learning are not followed up with sufficient rigour and sense of urgency. End of key stage targets for improvement are challenging, although year group targets are not always realistic and based sufficiently on what the pupils know, understand and can do. The headteacher and senior staff, some of whom have only been in post for a short period, are committed and determined to bring about improvements at an even faster rate. Their ability to do so, until now, has been partly impeded by the many changes in teaching staff experienced in recent months. The chair and vice-chair of governors give good leadership to the governing body, who keep a watchful eye on the school’s progress. Governance overall is satisfactory. The school’s contribution to community cohesion is satisfactory. There are good links with the local community and the wider world, helping pupils understand the importance of tolerance, fairness and justice. Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 8 of 11 Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 9 of 11 Annex A Inspection judgements Keytojudgements:grade1isoutstanding,grade2good,grade3satisfactory,andgrade4inadequate. SchoolOverall Overall effectiveness How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of 3 learners? Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the Yes last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote 3 learners’ well-being? The capacity to make any necessary improvements 3 Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage How effective is the provision in meeting the needs of children in the 2 EYFS? How well do children in the EYFS achieve? 2 How good is the overall personal development and well-being of the children in 2 the EYFS? 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? 2 Achievement and standards How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations 3 between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress 3 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. Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 10 of 11 Personal development and well-being How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the 2 learners? 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 2 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to 3 their future economic well-being The quality of provision How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of 3 learners’ needs? How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of 3 needs and interests of learners? How well are learners cared for, guided and supported? 3 Leadership and management How effective are leadership and management in raising 3 achievement and supporting all learners? How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading 3 to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise 3 Standards The effectiveness of the school’s self-evaluation 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 3 How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to 3 achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their 3 responsibilities Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government Yes requirements? Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? No Inspection report: Whitgreave Primary School, 5–6 November 2008 11 of 11 Annex B 7 November 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Whitgreave Primary School, Featherstone, WV10 7AS Thank you for welcoming us to your school when we visited you recently. We spoke with many of you and appreciated the friendly and open way you told us about your school and your work. We were impressed with the work that your school council does on your behalf and the way in which you all have an opportunity to say how you feel about your school life. Many of you told us how much you enjoy coming to school and we could see that in your lessons and on the playground. You certainly appreciate all the after school clubs and visits to places of interest. We think your school looks after you well and makes sure you are safe and happy. We were impressed by how well you work together in lessons, particularly in pairs and small groups. While your school does a lot to make sure you are happy and confident, there are some important things that we have asked Mrs Jobling, the governors and all the teachers to do better. These things need to be improved: • your achievements and standards in writing and mathematics, particularly for those of you who are doing well and need to be challenged even more • the quality of your lessons to make sure that you all have work to do which is interesting and helps you improve on what you have already achieved • the way in which Mrs Jobling, governors and the other senior teachers check how well all your lessons help you improve as much as possible. You can help by always doing your best and asking teachers when you don’t understand your work or when it is too easy. Thank you again for being so friendly and helpful. Yours faithfully Andrew Watters Her Majesty’s Inspector