Padnell Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 7–8 February 2012 Inspection number 379177 Padnell Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115964 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379177 Inspection dates 7–8 February 2012 Lead inspector John Stewart

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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 Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 235 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr David Clannachan Headteacher Mrs Sandra Lawlor Date of previous school inspection 10 March 2009 School address Padnell Road Cowplain Waterlooville PO8 8EA Telephone number 02392252752 Fax number 02392232084 Email address adminoffice@padnell-jun.hants.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills 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 thi nk 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. Inspectors observed 18 lessons taught by 12 different teachers. They held meetings with representatives of the governing body, staff and pupils and had a telephone meeting with the local authority Leading Learning Partner. Inspectors observed the school’s work, and looked at a range of school policies and documentation relating to safeguarding and strategic planning, examples of pupils’ work, assessment data about pupils’ progress, monitoring records of lesson observations and the school improvement plan. They also scrutinised 53 questionnaires returned by parents and carers as well as 96 from pupils and 18 from staff. No responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) were available to assist in planning the inspection.

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Information about the school

Padnell Junior School is an average-sized primary school. The percentage of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is average and the proportion entitled to free school meals is below average. Few pupils speak English as an additional language as most are from a White British heritage. Numbers have declined recently as a result of the school moving from three-form entry to two-form entry. The school’s senior leadership has experienced a period of significant turbulence in recent years and a new team has been in place since September 2011. The school shares a site with the infant school. A before-school club operates daily on the school site and there is a privately-run after-school club which is not managed by the governing body. The school has gained the Activemark award. The school meets the current floor standard.

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Key findings

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement.

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Key findings

 The overall effectiveness of the school is inadequate because achievement, the quality of teaching and leadership and management are inadequate. The attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 in 2011 was below average in English and mathematics, especially for boys. Attainment in reading is now better than in writing and is improving in mathematics. However, current attainment in writing is below expectations, andpupils’ progress, especially in writing, is not good enough.

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Key findings

 The quality of teaching has improved recently and was mainly satisfactory in lessons observed during the inspection, but over time has become inadequate. Teaching is currently enabling pupils to make broadly satisfactory progress in reading, but the improvements to teaching have not been sufficient to ensure that all pupils develop basic skills well, especially in writing.

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Key findings

 The school’s systems to provide feedback to pupils do not provide consistent or specific enough help to enable pupils to understand exactly what they need to do to improve their writing.

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Key findings

 The behaviour and safety of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils are polite and courteous and work willingly in lessons when tasks are engaging and interesting. The concentration of a minority of pupils drops when the pace of lessons is not brisk.

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Key findings

 Although there have been recent improvements in teaching and attendance, leaders and managers have not demonstrated the capacity to secure sufficient essential improvement since the previous inspection. Some aspects identified in the previous report remain as priorities for the school to improve further. Lessons still do not provide a consistently high challenge for all pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement, especially in writing and mathematics, so that attainment by the end of Year 6 is at least average and pupils make at least the expected progress,by: - making consistent use of assessment data so that the level of challenge is better matched to the needs of all groups of pupils - ensuring that writing tasks engage all pupils, especially boys - ensuring that teachers have consistently high expectations for pupils’ handwriting and presentation - giving pupils clear and precise feedback on what they need to do to improve the quality of their writing - setting high expectations for the quality of writing in all subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and learning so that all pupils make the levels of progress of which they are capable in all areas by: - providing teachers with clear guidance about strengths and areas for development in their teaching - ensuring teachers check on pupils’ progress during lessons and make any necessary adjustments to meet their needs - using targeted questions effectively to check pupils’ understanding, extend their thinking and provide greater challenge - making sure that the pace of lessons is brisk and that pupils are fully engaged at all times - sharing good practice and setting clear expectations for all staff.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the work of all leaders and managers, including the governing body, so that they all play an effective role in driving the school’s improvement by: - rigorously monitoring the impact of actions which seek to bring about improvements - monitoring the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress, especially on boys’ writing - ensuring that the governing body is more rigorous in holding the school to account.

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Achievement of pupils

The published results for the end of Year 6 show that overall attainment in 2011 was below average. This was a significant decline from 2010 when standards were above average. National test results show that girls are doing better than boys in English and mathematics. In the present Year 6, pupils are attaining average standards in reading and mathematics. However, attainment and progress in writing are weaker than in reading and mathematics. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs made satisfactory progress, although their progress is better in English than mathematics. Although most parents and carers are satisfied with their children’s progress, the 2011 Year 6 cohort made less than expected progress in English and mathematics, mainly due to boys making significantly less progress than expected.

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Achievement of pupils

Despite the upturn in attainment this year, the current rates of pupils’ progress is too variable through the school. It is mostly only satisfactory, although some good and inadequate progress is evident. The impact of the better lessons is clear. For example, pupils made good progress in a Year 4 English lesson because of the teacher’s high expectations and use of assessment to plan tasks that were suitably matched to pupils’ needs. Good modelling of the sounds that letters make enabled pupils to write purposefully and the teacher promoted their independence and confidence. However, when the tasks do not match pupils’ needs and teachers do not provide sufficient guidance or intervene quickly to check on pupils’ progress, they underachieve.

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Achievement of pupils

Scrutiny of pupils’ work and the school’s tracking data indicate that almost 30% of boys currently in Year 6 are not on track to make the expected progress in writing, thus continuing the trend of underachievement. This lack of progress is especially evident in topic books and in other subjects. Expectations are not high enough when pupils use their literacy skills the quality of handwriting is poor, as is the presentation in too many books. The school has introduced strategies to engage boys more effectively in writing but there is no evidence that these are yet having an impact.

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Quality of teaching

The pupils’ work in books and the school’s own assessment information indicate that the quality of teaching has been inadequate over time although most of the teaching observed during the inspection was satisfactory. There have been improvements recently and teaching now enables pupils to make satisfactory progress in reading and better progress in mathematics. However, teaching across the school has not been strong enough to have had a significant enough impact on attainment and pupils’ progress in writing. Where teaching is good, this is enabling pupils to move forward in their learning. For example, good teaching in a Year 3 mathematics lesson enabled pupils to gain new skills and an understanding of fractions. The teacher recapped on prior learning and ensured that pupils were clear about their tasks. The practical nature of the tasks enhanced their learning and the lesson proceeded at a good pace, engaging and enthusing pupils. Accurate use of assessment information

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Quality of teaching

was used to inform planning in a different Year 3 mathematics lesson and this ensured that challenges were suitably matched to the needs of pupils. Here, practical activities encouraged pupils to work and think independently and the teacher used questions that provided additional challenge and extended pupils’ thinking. More generally, these sorts of strategies are not consistently applied in lessons across the school as teachers do not always check on pupils’ progress during lessons or make the necessary adjustments to meet their different needs.

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Quality of teaching

Warm relationships are a feature of lessons and help pupils to collaborate well with their partners. They show a willingness to participate in tasks and answer questions. Most pupils display good behaviour and attitudes to learning when the pace of lessons and active nature of tasks keeps them interested. However, when the pace drops a minority of pupils lose concentration and focus, and this slows their learning.

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Quality of teaching

Although teachers have started to use stamps in books to indicate that pupils have achieved the lesson’s objective, there are too few comments or guidance to help pupils so that they know exactly what they need to do to improve their writing. Marking concentrates too much on subject content and not enough on pupils’ writing skills. Most parents and carers consider that their children are well taught, but a few highlighted concerns to inspectors about their children’s progress and the inconsistent management of behaviour. Inspectors share their concerns about pupils’ progress but found that behaviour was managed effectively.

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Quality of teaching

The school’s curriculum promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development satisfactorily. It has been redesigned so that topic work is now used to ‘bring learning to life’, such as when pupils dressed up for a Tudor day during the inspection. However, currently, there is insufficient focus in the curriculum on developing pupils’ awareness of the diverse cultures in the United Kingdom.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Typically, behaviour in lessons and around the school is satisfactory and there have been no exclusions for the past four years. Pupils are polite and courteous to staff. They stay on task most of the time, but when lessons do not fully engage them they start to lose concentration or fiddle with resources. Most parents and carers consider that there is a good standard of behaviour in school and that the staff deal with any cases of bullying effectively. Bullying is infrequent and a large majority of pupils consider the behaviour is good most of the time. There have been no exclusions for the past four years. The vast majority of parents and carers consider that their children are safe at school and most pupils demonstrate a good understanding of how to keep safe. The school promotes internet and e-safety effectively and this enhances pupils’ awareness of the risks of putting personal information on social

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

network websites, in emails and text messages. Pupils’ attendance is average and is improving.

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management are inadequate. There are some strengths. Leaders at the school have developed a caring and welcoming atmosphere in which most pupils are happy. In addition, the school knows its strengths and weaknesses and is clear about the issue of underachievement. However, the pace of school improvement related to the issues raised at the previous inspection has been too slow and the leaders and managers have not been able to demonstrate capacity for sustained improvement. Senior leaders are putting into place a range of strategies for improvement but although some improvements can be seen, leaders have not been rigorous enough in improving aspects of teaching and the use of assessment, or in tackling underachievement, especially in boys’ writing. Leaders monitor the quality of lessons but do not provide teachers with clear guidance or support to improve their teaching skills. Monitoring does not focus sufficiently on the impact of teaching on

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Leadership and management

pupils’ progress. There is some good teaching evident but the school does not share good practice well enough or set clear expectations for all staff.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is relatively stable after past difficulties in recruitment and now plays an active role in monitoring the school, but does not hold it to account sufficiently rigorously. The governors appreciate that leadership has improved recently but know that the school has not tackled all the areas for improvement successfully. School procedures to improve attendance have been successful and unauthorised absence has decreased. The curriculum is satisfactory and has been redesigned to make it more interesting and engaging to pupils. Nonetheless, its delivery in lessons does not ensure all groups of pupils are consistently challenged. The school makes suitable arrangements for safeguarding. Pupils are treated equally at a personal level, but equality of opportunity is inadequate because of the variation in achievement between boys and girls and the underachievement in writing.

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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 Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

Thank you for welcoming us to your school recently, talking to us and showing us your work. We enjoyed meeting you and thank you for sharing your thoughts with us in your questionnaires.

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

Your teachers have provided you with a welcoming school in which you feel safe. Most of you think your teachers are doing a good job so that you gain new skills and knowledge. Your parents and carers agree with this and consider that you are well looked after. You are polite and enjoy good relationships with staff and work well with other children.

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

We found that while there are things that are going well, the school needs to ensure that it provides you with a better quality of education because not all of you achieve as well as you should. We have decided that the school needs ‘special measures’ in order to help you all achieve your potential in all your work. Inspectors will be keeping an eye on how well the school is doing and will visit the school regularly to check its progress.

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

We have suggested that the school makes some improvements and have asked the school’s leaders to:

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

 ensure that you all achieve well, especially in your writing, by helping you to know exactly what to do to improve your work, by having high expectations for how well you can do and by helping you to use your writing skills in all subjects  make regular checks on the school’s progress and taking action to help it improve.

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

All of you can help by trying very hard at all times and taking note of what teachers are saying to help you to improve your work.

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Inspection of Padnell Junior School, Waterlooville, PO8 8EA

John Stewart 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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