Roseacre Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 26–27 January 2012 Inspection number 379691 Roseacre Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 118849 Local authority Kent Inspection number 379691 Inspection dates 26–27 January 2012 Lead inspector Helen Hutchings

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Type of school Junior School category Foundation Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 410 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Wood Headteacher Elaine Watson Date of previous school inspection 12 July 2007 School address The Landway Bearsted Maidstone ME14 4BL Telephone number 01622 737843 Fax number 01622 631034 Email address office@roseacre.kent.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and ski lls for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

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after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

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You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed different aspects of the school’s work including 24 lessons involving 18 teachers. Inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, and looked at documents including those relating to safeguarding, pupils’ assessment information and pupils’ work. They held discussions with the Chair of the Governing Body, staff and groups of pupils, and analysed questionnaires from 92 parents and carers, as well as those completed by a sample of staff and pupils.

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Information about the school

The school is larger than most primary schools. Most pupils are of White British heritage, with a number of other ethnic backgrounds represented in small numbers, including a few who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is low. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below that found nationally. The proportion of pupils with statements of special educational needs has increased since the last inspection and includes a few pupils with complex additional needs. The school holds a number of national awards, including Activemark and International School awards and local recognition for its Peer Mediation Service. The school meets current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Key findings

 This is a good school which has effectively consolidated and built on the many strengths evident when it was previously inspected. Parents and carers are extremely supportive of it, with almost all indicating that they would recommend the school to another parent or carer. Many written comments refer to the school’s pleasant, friendly atmosphere and high expectations of standards of work and behaviour.  Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding; pupils are considerate of one another so that they are happy and feel very safe. They have excellent attitudes to learning and thrive personally and academically. Their enjoyment of school and the interesting curriculum are reflected in high attendance. The school safeguards the pupils well.  The strong learning ethos in lessons results in pupils making good progress during their time in the school. Attainment in the Year 6 English and mathematics tests is consistently above average, and an above-average

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Key findings

proportion of pupils attain the higher levels. Throughout the school, pupils listen carefully to their teachers, and enjoy sharing their ideas because they are valued by other pupils in the class.  Teaching is good; lessons are well organised and teachers use their good subject knowledge to make learning interesting, with many hands-on, practical activities. Occasionally, the start to lessons is not sufficiently challenging, particularly for higher-attaining pupils, because all pupils undertake the same activity. Opportunities for pupils to respond to teachers’ comments to improve their work are inconsistent across the school.  The calm and determined leadership of the headteacher and senior leaders has effectively ensured an improvement in already high levels of attainment over the last four years. The school has successfully tackled the issues raised in the previous inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen teaching so that pupils are helped to make even faster progress, by:  ensuring that no time is lost during the introductions to lessons by giving all pupils, particularly the most-able, challenging activities to take learning forward from their prior attainment  giving pupils more opportunities to respond to points for improvement identified in teachers’ marking.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils build well on their above-average starting points when they join the school in Year 3. Parents and carers recognise that pupils make consistently good progress throughout their junior education which equips them well for secondary school. More pupils make the expected rates of progress through the school than is the case nationally. Pupils currently in Year 6 are on course to reach even higher standards this year than in previous years, and a number are already working at Level 6 which is recognised for the first time in the tests this year. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs do well and make good progress from their starting points. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to developing staff expertise to ensure that the needs of pupils with complex needs are met effectively. Apart from some minor variations because of the differing abilities in year groups, the improvements in English since the last inspection are largely a result of a focus on

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Achievement of pupils

improving pupils’ writing, particularly their creative writing. In lessons, pupils respond well to the interesting way in which teachers present work. For example, in a lesson on Theseus and the Minatour, pupils thoroughly enjoyed using their knowledge of the characteristics of different animals to work out how animals might cross a river. The activity resulted in perceptive, imaginative writing. Although pupils’ literacy skills are marginally stronger than their numeracy skills, attainment in mathematics has also improved. Pupils benefit from working in numeracy ability groups, where tasks are closely matched to their earlier understanding.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils particularly appreciate that learning is often practical and that group work gives them opportunities to discuss their ideas. In these instances, conversation is focused and mature, showing pupils’ sense of responsibility and positive attitudes. This was seen in a science lesson where pupils worked collaboratively on a series of tasks, listening and talking together well, investigating how vibration gives rise to different sound pitch. Attainment in reading is above average throughout the school and by the time pupils leave in Year 6. The introduction of guided reading lessons is further developing pupils’ already strong reading skills. Additionally, a wide range of activities are effectively boosting reading skills for those pupils who have made slower progress. All pupils are encouraged to read, and reading records show pupils’ wide range of interests and progression in their skills since the beginning of the

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Achievement of pupils

academic year. Because pupils’ basic skills are developed well and teachers have high expectations of them, pupils use their literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills confidently in other subjects. For example, in history and geography, pupils write at length, and in science, they use their literacy and numeracy skills to devise frameworks and record findings for themselves.

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Quality of teaching

The inspection findings of good teaching match the school’s own assessments, the extremely positive parental views and those of pupils. Teaching is consistently good so that pupils make steady progress through the school. Teachers ‘grab’ pupils’ interest quickly to develop curiosity and make learning fun, often using a range of visual images to stimulate pupils’ imagination. Similarly, pupils learn from seeing examples of the work of others when teachers use the electronic ‘visualiser’. Teachers and teaching assistants question pupils effectively, making sure that all are involved and deepening understanding through probing questions. Teachers know pupils and their capabilities well, and set tasks which match their needs closely. In a few lessons, while the introduction challenges most pupils effectively, it does not take learning forward quickly for those pupils who are capable of taking on more complex concepts. In these instances, a little time is lost for these pupils before they

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Quality of teaching

begin the independent or group tasks set for the main part of the lesson.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers ensure that pupils know what they are going to learn, and then give pupils opportunities through the lesson to review their success, giving pupils a strong sense of achievement. Work is marked regularly and, together with oral feedback, is helping pupils to understand the quality of their work and what they have to do next to improve. Some good practice has developed which requires pupils to try out teachers’ suggestions for improvement, for example by trying a few additional calculations or incorporating suggestions to rewrite a paragraph. However, opportunities are missed to make the best use of marking as this practice is not fully consistent across the school. Teaching assistants are well briefed about their role in the lesson and provide good levels of support because they have high expectations of what pupils can do for themselves. Teachers use the curriculum themes well to make links across subjects and promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Quality of teaching

development. For example, pupils developed their understanding of social issues when they applied their numeracy skills to understand that more deaths occur at times of very cold or hot weather.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A culture of safety and consideration runs through the school as letters through a stick of rock, and is reflected in the overwhelmingly positive response by parents and carers that the school is a safe and happy place to learn. Pupils’ exemplary behaviour and positive attitudes make a very strong contribution to their learning. Pupils respect one another and are reflective about their beliefs and values, seen in their responses in lessons and in assembly. They have an understanding of right from wrong because it is promoted so well by teachers. Consequently, the ethos of care stems from pupils themselves. Incidents of bullying or inconsiderate behaviour are very rare and, when they do occur, are dealt with swiftly and resolved well. All incidents are dealt with seriously, no matter how minor. Teachers manage behaviour in classrooms very well, often through non-verbal communication such as hands up

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

or musical chimes, and pupils respond instantly to this. Pupils learn to manage risk well for themselves, for example peer mediators are highly valued by pupils and sport leaders take responsibility for playground games. Attendance is high and pupils have a purposeful approach to their activities, being punctual to school and as they move between lessons.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher provides strong, supportive leadership, reflected in high expectations across the school. Parental comments indicate their appreciation that the headteacher is visible at the beginning and end of the school day so that minor concerns can be addressed quickly. A broad set of backgrounds and skills are represented within the governing body, and governors use their expertise effectively to challenge leaders by asking questions which help to drive improvement and developments. A clear sense of direction is promoted well by senior leaders and leads to effective teamwork. Staff morale is high because staff see the impact of the changes they make. For example, joint planning across year teams has improved lesson planning and the curriculum because teachers share their expertise. Teachers have gained confidence in moderating the quality of pupils’ work so that assessment information is accurate and gives teachers useful information about pupils’ progress.

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Leadership and management

The school’s commitment to equality of opportunity and addressing any discrimination is evident in the way pupils are given additional help and support at an early stage. Teachers use their discussions with senior leaders well, to develop detailed plans to fill any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The impact of teaching is monitored regularly, supporting teachers to identify areas of relative weakness and giving them help to address these. The introduction of peer observation is a positive development within the school’s approach to identifying and disseminating the most effective practice. The steady progress made by the school since its previous inspection shows its capacity for development in the future.

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Leadership and management

The governing body and school leaders place a strong emphasis on pupils’ safety and security, including those relating to child protection, and the school’s systems meet requirements fully. The school provides a good, broad and balanced curriculum which promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development well within the classroom and through an extensive range of extra-curricular clubs and school visits. For example, the personal, social and health education programme and whole-school ethos gives pupils a good awareness of moral issues and respect for diversity within society. Extensive links with other schools are used to provide additional interest for pupils across the ability range, seen during the inspection when a group of gifted and talented pupils attended a secondary school for Latin and a mathematics workshop.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

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carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Roseacre Junior School, Maidstone ME14 4BL

Thank you for the warm welcome you gave us recently when we visited your school. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and found the information you gave us very helpful. This letter is to explain to you what we found out.

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Inspection of Roseacre Junior School, Maidstone ME14 4BL

We judge that your school is good and these are the things it does particularly well.  Your behaviour is excellent and you are extremely considerate of one another which makes the school a pleasant place for you to learn.  You are safe and secure in school because adults take good care of you and take any concerns you have seriously.  Teachers make learning interesting and fun, and help you to know what to do to improve further.  Your attendance is high and this helps you to make good progress because you do not have gaps in your learning.  Your headteacher leads the school well and all the staff are keen to make it even better.

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Inspection of Roseacre Junior School, Maidstone ME14 4BL

We have asked the headteacher and your teachers to work at two things.  Teachers should make sure that the introductions to lessons are challenging for you all, so that some of you do not waste any time doing work that is too easy for you.  We think that you all need to respond to the comments teachers make when they mark your work so that you can check that you have understood their suggestions.

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Inspection of Roseacre Junior School, Maidstone ME14 4BL

We are glad that you enjoy school and hope that you will continue to work hard to make sure that the school stays as successful as it is now.

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Inspection of Roseacre Junior School, Maidstone ME14 4BL

Helen Hutchings Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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