Arley Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning by:
  • building on the recent positive initiatives to raise the profile of reading across the school, so that pupils make better progress and outcomes in reading continue to rise.
• Improve pupils’ personal development by:
  • developing their knowledge and understanding of other cultures, building on the good work already done in relation to promoting British values.
• Improve leadership and management by:
  • developing the music curriculum to ensure that pupils are provided with varied musical experiences and good-quality teaching in this subject.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has a clear and ambitious vision for the school. This dovetails with the school’s vision of ‘inspire to excel’. She is keen for the school to succeed and other leaders, staff and pupils share this vision. She states that staff ‘work together as one’ and so do their very best to help pupils learn effectively.
• Staff speak positively about the school and are proud to work there. They respect the leaders of the school and feel supported. Staff particularly value training opportunities which have enabled them to improve their teaching skills.
• Parents are positive about all aspects of the school. They comment that their children are safe and making progress. Almost all say that the school is supportive of families and that bullying is dealt with appropriately.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. There is clear evidence in pupils’ books and around the school to reflect the range and quality of subjects being taught. Pupils talk about their favourite subjects and give reasons why they enjoy them, such as ‘learning new things’ and ‘getting fit’. Physical education (PE) is given a high priority within the school’s curriculum. There are many opportunities to reinforce English skills in other subjects across the school. However, music is an area of the curriculum which needs to be developed and this was commented upon by pupils.
• The curriculum is enriched through a range of trips, including visits to Stratford and Bosworth, which pupils speak enthusiastically about. A residential visit to ‘Dunfield’ is also arranged for pupils in key stage 2. A range of after-school clubs is offered, including recorder, football, ‘mathletico’ and ‘bananagrams’. These clubs are popular with the pupils.
• The school is very inclusive. The leadership of the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Identification of pupils and their particular needs is effective. There is effective collaboration between school staff, parents and external agencies. The leader for this area has a good knowledge of the pupils’ needs and oversees the interventions taking place throughout the school and their impact.
• Middle leaders are ambitious and enthusiastic about their areas of responsibility. They are aware of strengths and areas for development in their subjects and have improvement plans in place. Leaders can also talk confidently about the impact of training which they have organised.
• Leaders have identified the barriers to learning for disadvantaged pupils. Additional funding is used to ensure that these pupils are included in all aspects of school life and that they are provided with extra support with their learning, where appropriate. Expenditure of pupil premium is managed effectively and the impact of this is measured, where possible.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils can talk articulately about the differences between right and wrong and they understand the consequences of their actions. They have a growing fascination with aspects of their learning.
• Pupils have a developing understanding of British values, particularly with reference to democracy, where they can give examples of when this has been demonstrated in school. However, they have a limited knowledge and understanding of other cultures, both in Britain and in the wider world.
• There is a clear rationale for behaviour systems, which are applied consistently across the school. Incidents are well recorded and followed up with parents in a manner which is proportionate to the incident.
• Leaders make good use of the primary school sports premium. Leaders are aware that this funding is time-limited and hence they are working to create sustainability. Training has empowered staff to feel more confident and competent when teaching physical education and this has had a positive impact on pupils. Effective use of the funds enables pupils to engage in a range of sporting activities outside of the normal school day. Funds are having an impact on other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils who attended the ‘Coventry City Premier Stars Club’ now run a lunchtime reading club.
• Although the majority of pupils are making good progress in writing and mathematics, pupils are not making as much progress in reading. Leaders are aware of this and have formulated good improvement plans in order to address this.

Governance of the school

• Governors are clear about their responsibility to keep pupils safe and this is their highest priority. They have clear systems for monitoring safeguarding within school. Governors monitor policy and practice carefully.
• Governors have an ambitious vision for the school, which is shared by leaders, staff and pupils alike. They are mindful of pupils’ starting points and are aware that outcomes will only continue to improve as a result of a continued focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning.
• Governors have a good understanding of the school’s current priorities. They provide a good balance of support and challenge to school leaders. They use information gathered through visits to the school, as well as that from reports provided by leaders, to ask pertinent questions in order to bring about improvements.
• Governors know how the pupil premium is spent and the general impact this has. They are clear about how the sports premium is used and the benefits this is having on improving pupils’ health and fitness.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a culture of safeguarding which permeates the school. Staff are aware that safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. They undertake regular training in relation to safeguarding and, as a result, they understand fully their roles and responsibilities. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding have undertaken relevant training at an appropriate level to ensure that they fulfil their roles effectively.
• Detailed and accurate records are kept securely in school and timely action is taken when necessary to support vulnerable pupils. The school has clear systems in place if a pupil makes a disclosure or an allegation. Leaders work well with external agencies to provide the appropriate level of support and intervention required to keep pupils safe.
• Procedures for the recruitment and checking of staff are accurate and updated regularly.
• Pupils report that they feel safe and can explain why this is so.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have a secure subject knowledge. They consistently model language linked to mathematics and English grammar, which is mirrored by the pupils. This supports pupils when they explain their understanding of a concept in lessons.
• Teaching staff work closely together. They share their expertise in planning interesting learning experiences for the pupils.
• Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants use open questions effectively to encourage pupils to think, deepen learning and correct misconceptions. As a result, pupils are confident learners, who are keen to improve their ability to deal with challenging tasks. They are not afraid to make mistakes.
• Pupils with SEND are effectively supported to engage in whole-class teaching. They are provided with appropriate support materials and adult support is effective. These pupils are fully included in all aspects of learning. Interventions such as ‘catch-up’ and ‘extra challenge’ are used to provide extra help for these pupils, and this has proved to have a positive impact.
• The school recognises that the teaching of reading is its main priority. It is working successfully to raise the profile of reading across the school, implementing a range of improvement plans. Although leaders can provide a range of evidence to show that pupils are now making better progress, pupils’ attainment is not yet matching the national average.
• Across the school, pupils are given opportunities to apply their writing skills in a wide range of contexts and genres. The teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is effective and pupils apply these skills successfully in their writing. There are opportunities for extended writing across the curriculum, in a good range of subjects.
• In mathematics, pupils are taught a range of mathematical concepts and pupils across the school can recall basic numeracy facts and use these in problem-solving activities. Pupils are given opportunities to reason mathematically.
• In most cases, teachers have high expectations of behaviour and plan exciting lessons to engage pupils fully in their learning. Pupils are focused, on task, take responsibility for their learning and make good progress.
• Homework is set regularly to reinforce learning and pupils comment that they enjoy it when they are supported at home.
• Adult support is used effectively to provide for the needs of all learners, but particularly for those who require extra support and who are in danger of falling behind.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are positive and happy at school. Most try hard to reflect the school’s core value of ‘inspire to excel’. Pupils are proud to attend Arley Primary School and they speak fondly of their school.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and they attribute this to the caring nature of the staff. Pupils have positive relationships with staff, which are underpinned by mutual respect. Teachers know their pupils well.
• Generally, pupils work effectively as a team because teachers have supported them to develop skills of collaboration. Positive relationships are evident in the school.
• Pupils are keen to take on roles and responsibilities in the school and they have a growing sense of pride in relation to their roles, such as running clubs and being playleaders.
• Older pupils have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe online and they speak confidently about how to keep healthy. However, this knowledge is not as well developed with younger pupils as it could be.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good and there is a calm atmosphere around the school.
• Attendance has improved and is now in line with the national average. The number of pupils who are regularly absent is reducing. The school has clear systems in place to promote good attendance. Key members of staff have well-defined roles in relation to following up absence. The school has put in place a good range of initiatives to improve attendance and these are proving to be successful.
• Pupils have a clear understanding of the different types of bullying. Most pupils say that when bullying does occur, staff deal with it swiftly. This view is also held by the majority of parents, who feel that staff deal with behaviour issues promptly. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection.
• Pupils who struggle to make appropriate choices about their behaviour are supported in line with the school’s policy, which includes graduated sanctions and restorative actions. Support from outside agencies is utilised where appropriate.
• In less structured contexts, such as lunchtimes, pupils play cooperatively. Pupils say they enjoy breaktimes because they can ‘play together with their friends’.
• In the main, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive and they enjoy coming to school. During the inspection, they were keen to talk to inspectors about their learning. However, in some classes a few pupils became disengaged when teaching did not challenge them or meet their needs.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The school’s assessment information and work in pupils’ books indicate that the majority of current pupils, across all year groups, are making good progress and working at the standards expected for their age in both writing and mathematics.
• The school’s assessment information shows that progress is weaker in reading. However, there is an upward trend for all pupils towards the standards expected for their age.
• School achievement information and work in books indicate that the progress of current pupils with SEND is in line with that of pupils nationally with similar starting points.
• In the majority of year groups, disadvantaged pupils are now making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The school is working well to diminish the difference between disadvantaged pupils and those who are not disadvantaged.
• There is evidence in books that pupils’ literacy skills are being reinforced in other areas of the curriculum, such as in history. This is consistent across all year groups and is having a positive impact on standards, particularly in writing.
• The proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check increased in 2017 and was in line with national standards. There was a dip in 2018 and the school provided evidence to suggest that this was due to the characteristics of the pupils in that year group.
• In 2018 at key stage 2, pupils made good progress in writing and mathematics. As a result, attainment was at the level expected for pupils nationally. Progress in reading was weaker. As a result, attainment in this curriculum area was below what is expected for pupils nationally.

Early years provision Good

• Children enter early years with skills and abilities that are broadly typical for their age. By the time they leave Reception, the proportion of children who have achieved a good level of development is in line with the national average. Children in the early years make good progress.
• Key staff, who are responsible for leadership, are enthusiastic, skilled and knowledgeable. Staff use assessment information effectively to plan and deliver teaching which is tailored to meet the learning needs of different groups of children.
• When children begin their learning journey in the Nursery and Reception year, they are calm, happy and ready to learn. This is a result of an effective transition process that enables them to transfer into school from home and other settings. Children are supported effectively at the end of the Reception Year through a range of activities that help to prepare them for Year 1.
• Children are busy learners and engage in purposeful learning activities. Teaching is exciting and lessons flow seamlessly, building on previous learning. Children are developing well into independent learners. Adults use open questions appropriately to encourage children to think, guide learning, develop language skills and maximise progress. The indoor learning environment is welcoming and supports learning. The outdoor learning environment is used effectively to develop learning in different contexts.
• Children are happy, confident and keen to share their ideas with others. A positive ethos has been established within the setting. Strong relationships are evident and there is a strong sense of nurture and pastoral care. Children are very confident to talk to visitors because they feel confident that their ideas are valued.
• Links with parents are developing. The school is establishing good links with families, which in turn is having a positive impact on children’s learning. Parents are fully encouraged and supported to play a part in their child’s development. Staff are using these links in an attempt to further improve the attendance of children in the early years.
• Safeguarding arrangements in the early years are effective. Children feel safe and secure. They follow safeguarding procedures with the same rigour as the rest of the school. Welfare requirements in the early years are met.

School details

Unique reference number 139913 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 10058484 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 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 220 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Emma Hunt Headteacher Brigitte Letts Telephone number 01676 540347 Website www.arleyprimaryschool.co.uk Email address admin2012@welearn365.com Date of previous inspection 27–28 September 2016

Information about this school

• Arley Primary is a smaller-than-average primary school.
• The school has a Nursery providing morning places.
• Pupils are predominantly from a White British background.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below average.
• The school has a breakfast club and an after-school club. This provision is not managed by the governing body.

Information about this inspection

• The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other key leaders. The lead inspector spoke with six members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector met with a representative from the local authority.
• The inspectors made visits to classrooms on both days of the inspection. Some of these visits were with the headteacher and other senior leaders.
• The inspectors scrutinised a wide selection of pupils’ books from different subjects. This was carried out during visits to classrooms and in a formal book scrutiny of pupils’ books.
• The inspectors spoke to pupils formally and informally. Two separate groups of pupils each met with an inspector to discuss a range of issues. Another group of pupils accompanied an inspector on a walk around the school. A number of pupils read to an inspector. The inspectors observed behaviour in classrooms, in corridors, in the hall at lunchtime and outside on the playground.
• One inspector attended an assembly.
• One inspector talked to parents before school. The lead inspector also considered the 68 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.
• The lead inspector considered the 11 responses to the staff questionnaire.
• Various school documents were scrutinised, including the school’s self-evaluation, the rapid action plan, records of monitoring and governing body minutes. Information about pupils’ progress, behaviour, attendance and safety was also analysed and discussed with a number of leaders.
• Documents relating to safeguarding were checked and the lead inspector looked at published information on the school website.

Inspection team

Wayne Simner, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Sarah Ashley Ofsted Inspector