Henley Green Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of Henley Green Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 25 September 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in February 2014.

This school continues to be good. The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Over the past six years, the school has grown from one to two forms of entry.

Leaders and governors have managed these changes effectively. Since becoming headteacher in April 2017, you have developed a team of aspirational leaders... who share your high expectations and ambition for pupils. Pupils are happy to come to school, where they work hard and behave well.

In 2016 and 2017, pupils' progress in key stage 2 was broadly in line with national averages. Leaders have taken effective action to improve pupils' progress. Teachers plan learning that builds on what pupils know, understand and can do.

Leaders make regular checks on pupils' progress and provide effective support for pupils at risk of falling behind. As a result, pupils who left Year 6 in 2018 made better progress in reading and mathematics. The school's assessment information shows that pupils in most year groups make strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Staff are proud to work at Henley Green. Those who responded to Ofsted's online questionnaire agree that the school has improved since the last inspection. Staff appreciate the professional development they receive and say that the school is well led and managed.

All agree that leaders support staff effectively to ensure that all pupils are challenged to make good progress. Most parents and carers are very positive about the work of the school. Many said that their children are well cared for and that teachers are helpful.

Pupils enjoy learning and appreciate the additional experiences that you provide. For example, pupils in Year 6 told me about a recent trip to Stratford-upon-Avon where they were able to investigate life in Tudor times. Pupils are keen to take on additional responsibilities.

For example, anti-bullying ambassadors are very proud of their role and say that there is no bullying at the school. School council members are elected by their classmates and have real opportunities to make changes. For example, the council members make decisions about the purchase of equipment.

This includes a friendship bench that has been installed on the playground. At the last inspection, leaders were asked to further improve the quality of teaching. Leaders have worked hard to maintain the good quality of teaching while the school has doubled in size.

You have made successful appointments to help achieve this. This includes experienced teachers and those who are newly qualified. Leaders carry out checks on the quality of teaching each half term.

They observe learning, look at pupils' work, hold meetings with teachers about pupils' progress and talk to pupils about their learning. Leaders use this information to identify the training needs of teachers and teaching assistants. Professional development is well matched to the needs of individual teachers.

As a result, most of the teaching throughout the school is effective. However, leaders are aware that they need to improve the consistency of teaching of phonics. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement.

They make regular visits to the school, for example through their roles as link governors, to make checks on what leaders have told them. Governors understand their role in overseeing and monitoring the effectiveness of the school's safeguarding procedures. Safeguarding is effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. All staff have a thorough understanding of the school's safeguarding policies and procedures. As a result, there is a clear culture of safeguarding.

All pre-employment checks for adults working at the school meet statutory requirements. Leaders ensure that all staff have appropriate training and that they receive regular updates through briefings and staff meetings. Staff know how to report any concerns they have.

You ensure that child protection records are stored securely. Pupils told me that they feel safe and well cared for at school. In addition, pupils said that teachers are kind and treat everyone fairly.

They said that teachers will always listen if they have a problem. Pupils know how to stay safe online and take this very seriously. Pupils in key stage 2 said that most of their classmates behave very well.

They explained that everyone understands the rules and the consequences of not following them. Pupils know what bullying is and say that it does not happen at Henley Green. Inspection findings ? The teaching of phonics was a key line of enquiry for this inspection.

Over the last two years, the proportion of pupils who have achieved the required standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been significantly lower than the national average. ? You have ensured that a structured phonics programme is introduced in Reception and that this built upon in Year 1. Dedicated time is given to daily phonics lessons.

Children in Reception and pupils Year 1 take home reading books that match the letters and corresponding sounds that they have been learning in phonics lessons. This means that they can practise applying the new learning when they read whole words. In addition, the books also allow pupils to practise reading words they recognise easily.

As a result, pupils build fluency, and the majority become confident readers. However, the school's assessment information shows that while some pupils make considerable progress from their starting points, some pupils do not make the progress needed to reach the expected standard at the end of Year 1. ? Adults model the sounds that letters represent accurately and expect pupils to repeat this.

In each phonics lesson, there is time for pupils to practise known sounds, learn new sounds and to apply this knowledge when writing whole words and sentences. However, the pace of some lessons is too slow, and time is wasted on the organisation of resources. As a result, pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable.

Additionally, some adults do not insist upon accurate letter formation and they allow pupils to make repeated mistakes. You have organised further training for some of the adults who teach phonics because you recognise that their subject knowledge is not as secure as it could be. ? I also wanted to find out about the reading culture at the school.

Leaders ensure that teachers have high expectations of all pupils. Teachers choose whole-class texts carefully so that they are interesting and provide appropriate challenge for all pupils. Additionally, teachers choose some texts because they are linked to the wider topics being studied; for example, 'Good Night Mr Tom' supports pupils in Year 5 who are learning about the Second World War.

This allows pupils to acquire more knowledge about the subjects they are learning about. Teachers ensure that pupils have a thorough understanding of the language in the text. Pupils enjoy this deep exploration of the meanings of previously unknown vocabulary.

They articulate this understanding clearly through whole-class discussions and through their written responses to questions. ? Pupils told me that they read every day. They talked confidently about the books they are reading and the wide choice they have because of the well-stocked school library.

Pupils can explain why they prefer one book to another and they are beginning to develop a wider knowledge of different authors and their individual style. For example, pupils in key stage 2 talked about the humour in stories by Roald Dahl and David Walliams. Older pupils showed that they are developing an awareness of Shakespeare's plays and some of the different themes.

• Leaders analyse pupils' progress carefully. The school's assessment information shows that pupils make strong progress in reading in almost all year groups. In 2018, there was an increase in the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard and greater depth in reading at the end of key stage 1.

• My third line of enquiry was about subject leaders and the contribution they make to school improvement. You ensure that leaders benefit from professional development that allows them to be effective in their roles. Leaders work alongside their peers in a local network of schools.

Additionally, they work in subject networks with leaders from across the local authority. Leaders' action plans set clear priorities that are put into place following checks on the quality of teaching and pupils' progress. Leaders provide subject-specific training for staff and give one-to-one support where it is needed.

This includes support for newly qualified teachers who, with this guidance, have successfully completed their first year of teaching. As a result, you and the deputy headteacher are well supported in your drive to bring about further improvement at Henley Green. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? phonics is taught consistently well so that the proportion of pupils who achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check increases ? they continue the work to raise standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Coventry. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Jo Evans Her Majesty's Inspector Information about the inspection During this inspection, I met with you and the senior leadership team, the business manager and other members of staff.

I met with two representatives of the governing body and I also met with the school's improvement partner. I scrutinised the school's single central record of recruitment and vetting checks, and I viewed a range of safeguarding documentation. I also looked at your self-evaluation and school improvement documentation.

Additionally, I looked at the school's assessment information. Together we visited classes, where we observed teaching and learning, spoke to pupils and looked at the work in some pupils' books. I observed pupils' behaviour in lessons and around the school.

I heard pupils from key stage 1 and key stage 2 read. I met informally with parents and I took account of the 10 responses to Parent View and the six free-text responses. I also took account of 46 responses to Ofsted's staff questionnaire.

Also at this postcode