This school is much larger than most primary schools. Pupils come from a range of backgrounds. Although one in four pupils speak English as an additional language, only a small number are in the early stages of learning English. Early years provision comprises a Nursery class for up to 78 three- and four-year-old children, and three Reception classes for four- and five-year-olds. The children in the Nursery attend part time or full time. The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. This provides for up to 10 pupils who have education, health and care plans and who are autistic or have complex communication needs. Across the school, the percentage of pupils with SEND is above that of most schools. Since the previous inspection in March 2014, there have been considerable staff changes. The headteacher joined the school in April 2016 and some other senior leaders joined in September 2016. Leaders and governors have commissioned additional support from external consultants, including one of the local authority’s school improvement advisers. Inspection report: Ferndale Primary School, 14–15 November 2018 Page 10 of 12 Information about this inspection Inspectors visited parts of lessons in every year group. Many visits were made jointly with the headteacher, deputy headteacher or assistant headteachers. Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work in books, assessment information and records of previous work, including work displayed on walls in classrooms and corridors. Inspectors considered a range of documentation including: leaders’ evaluations of the school’s effectiveness; the school’s improvement and strategic plans; assessment information and tracking data about pupils’ achievement, progress and performance; and some school documents and data relating to governance, teaching, attendance and safeguarding. Inspectors spoke to pupils during lessons. They met with three groups of pupils to hear them read and to discuss their work, behaviour and safety. Inspectors spoke to pupils during break and lunchtimes to ask them for their views about the school. Inspectors spoke to several parents to seek their views about the school and analysed the 126 responses to Parent View, as well as the 121 free-text comments. The lead inspector considered the 33 responses from staff and the five responses from pupils in Years 5 and 6 to Ofsted’s online surveys. Inspectors also talked to the staff team during the inspection to gauge their views about the support they receive. Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers. The lead inspector held a meeting with five governors, including the chair and vice-chair of the governing body. A meeting was held with a school improvement adviser from Sandwell local authority. The lead inspector also spoke with the school’s business manager to check safeguarding and staff vetting records. Inspection team Charalambos Loizou, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Clair McNeill Ofsted Inspector Gill Turner Ofsted Inspector Amarjit Cheema Ofsted Inspector Inspection report: Ferndale Primary School, 14–15 November 2018 Page 11 of 12 Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email [email protected].