Perry Hall Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Perry Hall Primary provides a good education for its pupils.

Following a period of considerable change and consolidation it is now improving rapidly. This is because of the vision, drive and determination of its headteacher and the effective senior leadership team, well supported by staff and the governing body. From starting points that are consistently well below those expected of three year-olds, children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

In Key Stages 1 and 2 pupils make good progress because they are taught well. By the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6, standards are broadly in line with national expectations. Senior leaders keep a very close check on the... performance of each individual and ensure that extra help to tackle specific weaknesses is provided whenever it is needed.

Underpinning the school's success are the changes made in staffing and a strong commitment to the continuous professional development of the staff team. The school provides a good learning environment. Pupils' attendance rates have improved significantly over the past 18 months.

They enjoy being at school because of the wide range of interesting activities provided for them, and because they are well cared for and feel safe. The teachers are generally good at managing pupils' behaviour, and pupils' conduct in lessons, at play, and when moving around the school is testimony to this. The teachers successfully develop pupils' personal and social skills and are particularly good at building pupils' confidence as learners.

However, lessons do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to develop skills as independent learners. The quality of teaching is good in most classes, but remains satisfactory in some. Teachers do not always develop the pupils' skills in reflecting on and evaluating their own progress, and when marking pupils' work their comments do not always bring about the improvements needed because they do not ensure that pupils correct their work, particularly in mathematics.

There is also inconsistent practice in the way teachers manage the pupils' use of the 'My Targets' books to record progress in achieving the targets set for them. Although most parents and carers expressed positive views about all aspects of the school's performance in the inspection questionnaires, there were some negative comments. Most related to lack of information from the school, for example: 'I feel that I don't know enough about the levels that my child is working toward or achieving…' This is not the case in the Early Years Foundation Stage, where parents and carers are more involved.

A recent initiative encourages them to contribute to the 'learning journals', which record their children's progress and achievements. The school's evaluation of its own effectiveness is accurate because of the rigour with which managers monitor all aspects of its performance. The acceleration in pupils' progress in all key stages as a result of effective developments in provision demonstrates the school's good capacity for further, sustained improvement.

Information about the school

This is a large primary school located on the eastern outskirts of Wolverhampton. Three-quarters of the pupils are White British. Most of the other pupils are of Indian heritage, and the majority of these pupils speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly in line with the national average. Most of these pupils have general learning difficulties, including speech, language and communication, and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average.

Over the past 18 months there have been significant changes in staffing at all levels. The headteacher took up post in April 2010. The school achieved Healthy School enhanced status in 2010.