Highfields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since her appointment in September 2017, the headteacher has provided strong, determined leadership. She and the senior leadership team have identified the correct priorities to improve the school further and are working hard to address them. Governors provide effective strategic direction to support the senior leadership team.

New governors are developing their skills to ensure that leaders are held to account. Teaching is typically good across the school, resulting in positive pupils' attitudes and good learning. However, in a few classes, expectations are not consistently high enough.

Attainment in the early years is above the national... average. At the end of key stage 1 it is broadly in line. Pupils are now building on this learning more successfully in key stage 2.

Leaders have successfully improved mathematics teaching across the school. As a result, pupils are now making stronger progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged are making strong progress from their different starting points, as a result of appropriate support.

Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities to extend their writing across the curriculum. Many older pupils take pride in their work, but others do not take the same care with their handwriting, spelling or punctuation. There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school.

Leaders make sure that support for vulnerable children and their families is appropriate and timely. Pupils enjoy studying a wide range of different subjects. They develop their skills well across the curriculum in subjects such as science, history and geography.

The curriculum is well planned by leaders. Recent changes in the early years are enabling children to get off to a good start at school. They are well cared for and settle quickly to their learning.

Pupils' personal development and welfare are good. They behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and helpful.

They enjoy talking to visitors about their learning. Although improving, the teaching of phonics is not yet consistently good. Many leaders are new to their roles and are still developing the skills they need to be fully effective.

Information about this school

The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is similar to that found nationally. There are fewer pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds than national levels, and fewer pupils speak English as an additional language when compared nationally.

There are more pupils with SEND than are found in most primary schools. However, the number of pupils with an education, health and care plan is lower than that found nationally. Since the last inspection, a new headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed.

They were all previously staff at the school. The chair of the board of governors role is shared between two governors. The school is part of an early years project through a teaching school and is supported by Sandwell local authority.