Tanworth-in-Arden CofE Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the progress made by all pupils, especially the most able and pupils with SEND.
• Improve the early years provision by:
  • developing the quality of teaching so that children, especially the most able, make the progress of which they are capable
  • ensuring that all staff contribute to assessments of what children can do so their next steps in learning are clearly identified and planned for
  • improving staff’s use of questioning to support and develop children’s learning.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • governors understand their roles and responsibilities, including checking on how well additional funding is being used and whether statutory safeguarding requirements are being met
  • the curriculum is further developed so pupils’ skills and knowledge in all subjects are built on and developed over time
  • pupils have a deep and secure understanding of other faiths, fundamental British values and the dangers of radicalisation and extremism in order to better prepare them for life in modern Britain
  • the leadership of provision for pupils with SEND is clarified and the provision for these pupils is checked more carefully
• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across the school and, in particular, ensure that teachers consistently:
  • raise expectations and the level of challenge for all groups of pupils, especially the most able
  • plan work that meets the needs of pupils, especially pupils with SEND
  • match reading books to pupils’ abilities
  • provide high-quality phonics teaching for all groups of pupils
  • correct pupils’ basic mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling
  • ensure that pupils form their letters correctly and present their work neatly. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The headteacher provides strong and highly effective leadership of the school. On her appointment, she quickly identified the significant weaknesses in the school at that time. She swiftly implemented a range of improvement strategies that successfully prevented any further decline in pupils’ outcomes. Although the school is now improving rapidly, the headteacher has a realistic and precise understanding of where weaknesses remain. She has clear action plans in place to address and improve the school further.
• The deputy headteacher has strengthened the leadership team considerably. The headteacher and deputy have high expectations of all staff and lead by example. They provide staff with carefully targeted support to help them improve their practice. Staff appreciate this support and understand where further improvements need to be made. The headteacher and deputy have successfully helped teachers to improve their teaching. However, they are also very clear about what needs to be done to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good.
• The school has engaged the services of a local authority consultant to develop the provision for pupils with SEND. The consultant has developed a detailed overview of the whole-school support for these pupils and ensures that the additional funding received to support them is used appropriately. She has ensured that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified correctly and that teachers receive this information, along with targets for the pupils to achieve. Training has been provided to improve the skills of teaching assistants. As a result, the support that these pupils now receive when in small group settings has improved and they make good progress. However, in some classes the work and support provided for pupils with SEND are not checked carefully enough and do not meet their needs. When this is the case, the progress these pupils make is considerably limited.
• The leaders of English and mathematics have improved the quality of teaching in these subjects in a short space of time. The introduction of new resources to help teachers plan means that they have a better understanding of the expectations of what pupils should be learning in their year groups. In addition to this, leaders ensure that, when planning future work, teachers take account of what pupils have achieved previously. Nevertheless, leaders know that there is still variability in the quality of teaching in English and mathematics and have clear plans in place to improve the teaching further.
• The physical education (PE) and sport premium is used effectively. Leaders have successfully raised the profile of the teaching of PE across the school. A sports coach provides training to help teachers improve their teaching skills in PE. In addition to this, pupils now have access to a wider range of sporting activities after school, such as Zumba. Walking a ‘daily mile’ has also been introduced to further enhance pupils’ health and well-being.
• Leaders have redeveloped the curriculum, which is now of a higher quality. Leaders ensure that the full range of national curriculum subjects are taught. The subjects are planned so as to provide pupils with interesting and exciting learning experiences. However, the curriculum is not yet planned well enough to ensure that pupils’ knowledge and skills in all subjects are developed progressively over time.
• Pupils do not have enough opportunities to learn about fundamental British values or how to protect themselves from the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. While pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is well supported, their understanding of different cultures, including other faiths, is limited. This does not prepare pupils well enough for life in modern Britain.
• Pupil premium funding is used well to support disadvantaged pupils’ social and emotional well-being. For example, the school employs the services of a counsellor. Funding is also used to ensure that all these pupils are fully involved in enrichment activities, such as trips and visits. The leader responsible for the pupil premium ensures that the funding is carefully targeted to support individuals and checks disadvantaged pupils’ academic outcomes.

Governance of the school

• Governance is ineffective. Governors lack a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and do not take full advantage of training opportunities to improve this. In particular, their understanding of governors’ statutory responsibilities in relation to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018’ is weak. The headteacher has ensured that safeguarding policies and procedures meet requirements, but governors show little understanding of them.
• Governors do not monitor the school’s performance well enough. They did not identify the school’s declining performance previously and did not hold previous leaders to account for this. Although monitoring processes are being developed, governors lack the necessary skills to hold leaders to account fully. They do not know how additional funding is used, or what the impact of its use is.
• Despite the clear and accurate information the headteacher provides, governors have an overgenerous view of the school’s performance and of their own effectiveness in contributing to improving the school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding and all staff report any concerns they may have about a pupil quickly. All concerns are followed up and the headteacher ensures that all necessary steps are taken to keep pupils as safe as possible.
• The headteacher makes sure that staff receive regular safeguarding training and additional updates when needed. She also checks that staff understand the training. Detailed risk assessments are in place, including for pupils with individual needs. Any potential dangers are identified, with plans put in place to mitigate them when needed.
• Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a range of ways. For example, internet safety days teach pupils the importance of not disclosing personal details when using the internet. Pupils also learn how to cross the road safely and not to talk to strangers.
• While pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe in the local community, they have little understanding of how to protect themselves from radicalisation and extremism.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is not consistently good across the school.
• Where teaching is highly effective, teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve. They use what they know about what pupils can do to plan work that is precisely matched to their needs. Questioning is used well to check pupils’ understanding and teachers are very adept at spotting quickly when pupils’ learning can be moved forward, and where further help is needed. This enables pupils of all abilities to make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• However, where teaching is weak, pupils are not provided with work that supports and develops their learning in writing and mathematics. Pupils often receive the same work, which is either too hard for some pupils or too easy for the most able pupils. Consequently, some pupils make weak progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Basic mistakes in grammar, punctuation and spelling are not addressed well enough and, as a result, pupils’ skills in these areas do not improve. In addition to this, pupils are not always guided well to form their letters correctly. This leads to poor presentation and limits pupils’ progress in writing.
• The teaching of phonics is inconsistent. Some teaching is very effective at developing pupils’ understanding of letter sounds and how to use them to help them read unfamiliar words. However, not all staff pronounce sounds correctly or have secure subject knowledge of phonics teaching. Pupils’ progress in phonics is, therefore, variable.
• Pupils say that they enjoy reading and generally show a strong interest in the books they read. Over the last year, the reading texts have been revised and are now matched more appropriately to pupils’ ages and abilities in different year groups. However, some teachers do not check that pupils’ individual reading books are suitably challenging. Some pupils are unable to read their books because they are too hard. This means that pupils do not make as much progress in reading as they should.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The vast majority of pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are keen and eager to learn. Pupils collaborate well together and happily support one another when needed.
• Pupils feel that staff look after them and that they are well cared for in school. Pupils say that bullying is not an issue. They are confident that if it did occur it would be dealt with quickly.
• Pupils say that everybody ‘is treated exactly the same’, and show a high level of respect and tolerance for all. However, pupils’ understanding of other faiths is limited. They learn about the faiths, including where different people worship, but this does not help them to have a deep awareness of the beliefs of different faiths.
• Leaders place a high priority on ensuring that pupils’ mental health and well-being are well supported. For example, the school provides counselling for individuals where needed. Pupils also say that they use the ‘worry monster’ box where they can put their worries in, and someone will help them.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Both inside and outside the classroom pupils behave well, are polite and confidently talk to visitors about their school. Pupils socialise well together and say, ‘It’s a friendly school.’ Playtimes are active and provide pupils with positive social experiences. Pupils say that behaviour is good. They like being rewarded for showing good behaviour. While pupils say that there is rarely any poor behaviour, they are adamant that if there was a serious incident it would be addressed immediately by staff.
• Although very few behaviour incidents occur, leaders track these and record them in a behaviour log. Where concerns do arise, the headteacher follows up the incidents, including meeting with parents and carers and through discussions with pupils.
• Currently, attendance figures are above the national average. Detailed tracking systems allow leaders to monitor pupils’ attendance closely. The headteacher addresses attendance issues quickly to ensure that some pupils do not miss too much school. Pupils’ punctuality has improved significantly over the last two years. The headteacher introduced new procedures to ensure that pupils are ready to learn quickly at the start of the day. The headteacher ensures that parents understand the importance of regular attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Previous assessment systems were underdeveloped and did not accurately reflect pupils’ achievements. Consequently, some historical assessments made at the end of key stage 1 prior to 2018 are unreliable.
• The headteacher and deputy headteacher have revised the school’s assessment systems and check that teachers use them correctly. This means that there is now a realistic overview of pupils’ attainment and progress. In addition to this, leaders and teachers have a detailed understanding of where pupils have gaps in their learning. While pupils’ attainment and progress are improving, some pupils have made weak progress from their different starting points in reading, writing and mathematics, especially pupils with SEND and the most able pupils.
• Work in pupils’ books shows that pupils currently in upper key stage 2 have made strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics from the beginning of this academic year. However, leaders have accurately identified that some of these pupils have not made the progress they should have from the end of key stage 1. This is as a result of previous weak teaching and unreliable assessment information. Teachers in upper key stage 2 are now helping these pupils to catch up, but there is still some way to go before all pupils achieve the standards they should by the end of key stage 2.
• Pupils’ work in Year 2 also shows that they are making strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils of all abilities in Year 2 are achieving well because teaching is highly effective.
• The proportion of pupils who achieved the required standard in the phonics screening check fell in 2018 and was below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils attaining the expected standard at the end of key stage 1 in 2018 was in line with, or above, the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils attaining greater depth in reading, writing and mathematics was above the national average. This was also the case in 2017.
• Pupils’ progress at the end of key stage 2 in writing and mathematics was significantly below the national average in 2017 and 2018. The most able pupils in particular made weak progress by the end of key stage 2 in 2017 and 2018. Pupils’ progress in reading was broadly in line with the national average.
• Pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 2 in 2018 was in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher standard in reading and mathematics was also in line with the national average. However, the proportion of pupils achieving greater depth in writing was below the national average.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching in the early years is not consistently good. Some staff are skilled at developing children’s learning. They encourage children to share what they know, and then use questioning very effectively to move children’s learning forward. Children are provided with purposeful learning activities that motivate them to remain engaged in learning for sustained periods of time. Children working with these adults make strong progress.
• However, not all staff have a deep enough understanding of how to support learning within the early years. Where this is the case, staff do not model learning well enough or spot where they can move children’s learning forward. This results in some children becoming distracted and not maintaining focus in their learning.
• Not all staff contribute to the assessments of children’s learning. This means that children’s next steps are not planned for well enough, which limits the progress they make, especially that of the most able children.
• Most children enter the early years with skills and abilities in line with, or above, those typically expected for their age. The proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year has been broadly in line with, or above, the national average for the last three years. Children are generally prepared well for Year 1, both academically and socially.
• The leader of the early years has successfully developed positive working relationships with parents. Parents appreciate the ‘open door’ policy. Close communication is maintained with parents and effective transition arrangements help children to settle quickly when they start school.
• Leaders have developed the provision for two-year-olds well. For example, a ‘sleep room’ provides a quiet and calm space for the youngest children to rest. Leaders ensure that all early years welfare and safeguarding requirements are met. Leaders also work closely with a range of external agencies, such as speech and language and occupational therapy, to support children with additional needs.

School details

Unique reference number 138909 Local authority Warwickshire Inspection number 10058658 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Primary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 2 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 201 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Robert Perks Headteacher Mrs Shelley Bamford Telephone number 01564 742284 Website www.tanworthschool.co.uk Email address tanworthschool@welearn365.com Date of previous inspection 11–12 September 2014

Information about this school

• Since the last inspection, a new headteacher, deputy headteacher and key stage 2 coordinator have been appointed.
• There is currently no member of staff in school with leadership responsibility for provision for pupils with SEND.
• Tanworth-in-Arden Primary School is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average.
• The school runs a breakfast and after-school club for its pupils.
• The school has provision for two-year-olds.
• Tanworth-in-Arden is a Church of England Primary School. The last section 48 inspection took place in June 2015.
• As there is a very small number of disadvantaged pupils in each year group, their progress and attainment are not reported on in order to ensure that individual pupils are not identified.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. Some of the observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher.
• Inspectors met with pupils, heard a selection of pupils read and observed pupils in the after-school club, and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, the consultant responsible for the provision for pupils with SEND, the early years leader and senior leaders with subject responsibilities. The lead inspector met with two members of the governing body and had a telephone conversation with the school improvement partner.
• A range of pupils’ books from all year groups and a range of subjects were looked at.
• Several documents were considered, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans. Inspectors also considered information about pupils’ progress, behaviour, attendance and safety.
• At the time of the inspection, there were no responses to Parent View, the Ofsted online survey. Inspectors spoke to parents before school. No online pupil or staff questionnaires were issued. The lead inspector considered the responses from the school’s own parental questionnaire.

Inspection team

Ann Pritchard, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Sue Parker Ofsted Inspector