Innsworth Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection dates 6–7 March 2012 Inspection number 379098 Innsworth Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 115562 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 379098 Inspection dates 6–7 March 2012 Lead inspector John Eadie

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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 145 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Allen Robson Headteacher Lynfa Jenkins Date of previous school inspection 10–11 June 2009 School address Rookery Road Innsworth Gloucester GL3 1AX Telephone number 01452 730377 Fax number 01452 730377 Email address office@innsworth-jun.gloucs.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 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 inspector visited nineteen lessons and observed seven teachers. He spent 75% of the available time observing teaching and learning. He met informally with parents and carers and had meetings with pupils, staff and the Chair of the Governing Body. The inspector took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and the school’s website in planning the inspection. He observed the school’s work, and looked at the school’s self-evaluation, policies and procedures, particularly those relevant to keeping pupils safe. The inspector scrutinised the school’s information on the progress that pupils are making. Questionnaires returned by 57 parents and carers were analysed, as were those completed by 140 pupils and 20 staff.

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Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. A majority of the pupils are White British. A number of other ethnicities are represented, including other White heritages, most of whom are from other European countries and represent almost 10% of the school. Around 17% of pupils speak English as an additional language; three years ago there were no pupils who spoke English as an additional language. More than 30% of pupils are from service families. A much higher-than- usual proportion of pupils joins or leaves the school at times other than the normal joining or leaving stages. Much of this mobility is because the school serves a forces base locally, which until two years ago was an RAF station and then an army base. It is now a base where service personnel from NATO countries are posted for periods of between one and three years. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free schools meals is below average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those

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Information about the school

who have special educational needs is above average. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. Government floor standards were met in 2011. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. It has several strengths, particularly in the management of the change brought about by the conversion of the local military base. The school is improving but is not good because pupils’ achievement and teaching are no more than satisfactory. Leadership and management are also no more than satisfactory because, although there have been improvements in teaching and achievement, they have not been significant enough to raise achievement to a higher level.  Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Some pupils underachieved in the national assessments last year in both English and mathematics, but inspection evidence shows that this has been addressed and all are now making at least satisfactory progress. Pupils who speak English is an additional language make particularly good progress in their development of English.  The quality of teaching is satisfactory. All lessons observed were at least

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Key findings

satisfactory, with several good. Pupils say that they enjoy their learning and that teachers make it ‘fun’. There are times in lessons when pupils spend too long sitting listening rather than actively learning and also times when pupils are not given work that precisely matches their needs and abilities.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety are good. They are considerate and polite and their attitudes to learning are particularly good. They said that all types of bullying are rare, minor and dealt with very well when they occur.  Leadership and management are satisfactory. Although the school has a clear direction and a shared determination between all staff and governors to drive up standards, the rate of improvement has not been as quick as it could be. This is partly because self-evaluation is not a shared exercise and development planning is not sufficiently precise. Leadership and management are focused

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Key findings

well on improving the quality of teaching and on the performance of the school and this has been successful in eradicating the inadequate teaching of the recent past.

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Key findings

Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in English and mathematics, by:  ensuring that the clear targets that are set for pupils’ next steps in learning are referred to regularly in lessons and in teachers’ marking  working together with the infant school to ensure that records that come to the school enable a smooth transition so that pupils can make good progress from their first day.  Improve the consistency of the quality of teaching so that the vast majority of it is at least good by:  ensuring that pupils of all ability levels are always given work that closely matches their needs and abilities  shortening the whole-class sections of lessons so that pupils spend more time actively learning rather than sitting and listening  increasing the pace so that all lessons move briskly and pupils are engaged throughout.  Improve strategic planning by:  ensuring that there is more involvement of governors and staff in the

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

school’s self-evaluation  refining development planning so that areas for improvement are specific and success criteria are measurable.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils join the school with broadly average attainment. They make satisfactory progress. The cohort that left in 2011 had average attainment. This situation is improving and the group of pupils currently in Year 6 are working at levels higher than average in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment in reading by the time pupils leave is above average. Almost all parents and carers, on their questionnaires, regard their children as making good progress. However, inspection findings indicate that pupils’ achievement is satisfactory rather than good because their progress in English and mathematics is not sufficiently consistent. In the national assessments last year girls’ performance was below average and many of the girls made inadequate progress from their scores at Key Stage 1. This has been addressed well and girls were observed to be doing at least as well as boys in all year groups. For instance, in the mathematics group for higher attainers in Years 5 and 6, the girls

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Achievement of pupils

were enthusiastically tackling complex problems alongside the boys.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress in their development of English. Many strategies have been put in place to ensure this, including effective support from a teacher of English as an additional language from the local authority. The purchase of a range of English/home language dictionaries has been especially helpful. These were observed being used effectively so that Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Achievement of pupils

these pupils could understand the technical terms being used in mathematics and science lessons.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ achievement in a minority of lessons is good. For instance, in literacy lessons in classes in Years 5 and 6, the pupils were enthused by the task of writing a leaflet to persuade parents to send their children to the school. Their subsequent writing was a good example of the salesman’s technique! Similarly, in classes in Years 3 and 4, the pupils were really enjoying working in groups with assigned roles, such as team representative and facilitator, as they prepared reports on a range of marine creatures.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress relative to their abilities as their needs have been identified clearly and precise plans put in place to aid their achievement. In many cases, teaching assistants play an effective role in aiding their progress. For instance, in one class small recording devices were used so that these pupils worked with a teaching assistant to prepare a presentation despite their limitations with written English. They were rightly proud of their results, which were applauded by their classmates. These good levels of support are recognised by parents and carers, one of whom summed up the common view by saying, ‘The school gives my child, who has special needs, and me very good support’.

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Quality of teaching

All parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire regard their children as being taught well. Most of the teaching observed was good in English and mathematics, although satisfactory in other subjects. Data, school records and pupils’ work indicate that teaching over time has improved and is typically satisfactory. Teachers use questions and paired and group discussions well to enable pupils to talk and think about their learning and move this learning on. These times also help to provide variety in lessons and so retain pupils’ interest and engagement. Pupils say that they find lessons interesting. For instance, the planned curriculum is effective in providing a range of first-hand experiences, such as a visit to a tourist attraction, which was observed being used well as a stimulus for pupils’ writing. Other experiences, such as the links with a school in Kenya, promote pupils’ spiritual,

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Quality of teaching

moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils have very precise targets for their next steps in learning and say that they know how well they are doing and how to improve. However, these targets are not often referred to in lessons or in teachers’ marking. Although success criteria are used in many lessons, so that pupils can check on the effectiveness of their learning, this is not consistent.

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Quality of teaching

In less successful lessons, where progress is slower, teachers spend too long keeping the class together, when many could be doing tasks to extend their learning. There are also times when the pace of lessons drops and too long is spent on one activity. Although in most lessons tasks are provided at a range of levels of difficulty, they are not always matched well to the wide range of needs in each class. This means that some are finding the work too easy, whilst others are struggling. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are caring, considerate and polite. They behave well in class and around the school. Playtimes are particularly happy events, where younger pupils play with older ones, boys play with girls and different racial groups mix extremely well. Pupils said that behaviour observed was typical and they regard it as good. They have a keen awareness of potential risks and handle these sensibly. Almost all parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire consider that pupils behave well, although a very few expressed concerns about lessons being disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils spoken with said that, although there had been problems in the past, disruption was now very rare and short term and did not affect their learning.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils said that bullying of all types is rare, minor and dealt with well. All parents and carers who responded to the questionnaires confirmed this view. Analysis of records for the last two years confirms the view that bullying is rare and minor. Despite this, the school is planning a campaign to raise awareness of racist bullying. Pupils regard the school as taking a strong stand against bullying.

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Leadership and management

One of the strengths has been the way that the considerable change brought about by the conversion of use of the local military base has been managed. The arrival of pupils from other nations has been particularly well-handled. This is recognised by parents of these children, who say such things as, ‘The school has gone out of its way to make our child’s transition as easy as possible’. Leaders and managers have also been effective in improving the quality of teaching. Any inadequate teaching has been eliminated and staff say that there is a supportive ethos which enables them to develop well as teachers. They say that training provided in school has been particularly useful in helping them improve their performance in specific subject areas. A good example of this is the improvement in writing, brought about by a focus on speaking and listening and specific training in ways of teaching writing.

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Leadership and management

The school was judged satisfactory at the last inspection. Although there have been improvements, progress has not been sufficiently rapid in improving pupils’ achievement. Progress in this area has been diverted somewhat by the need to manage the changing catchment of the school. Governors are supportive, knowledgeable about the school and challenge well. They ensure that safeguarding is treated seriously and all procedures are thorough. The school’s self-evaluation paints an accurate picture of the school, although neither governors nor staff have a significant input into its construction. The school development plan has identified appropriate areas for improvement, such as pupils’ skills in speaking and listening, but the areas to be developed are not sufficiently precisely defined and the criteria to evaluate the success of initiatives are rarely measurable. At this stage, bearing in mind the improvements in pupils’ achievement and the effectiveness of the

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Leadership and management

management of teaching and continuous professional development in raising the quality of teaching, the school has a satisfactory capacity for improvement.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is satisfactory, providing pupils with a relevant and interesting range of experiences, focusing appropriately on developing their literacy and numeracy Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Leadership and management

skills in the lessons allocated for them. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to develop these skills in other subjects. The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The moral code within the school is strong and social development is particularly good. In what was, until recently, an almost entirely monocultural environment, the school has worked hard to widen pupils’ experiences, for example by developing links with a school in a more culturally diverse area. The possibility of celebrating the variety of cultures now in the school has been recognised but this is in its early stages. The school is extremely inclusive, ensuring that all enjoy equal opportunities and none is discriminated against.

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Leadership and management

Extremely good links have been built with parents and carers, particularly those who might find this difficult. Parents and carers appreciate this and the support they receive. Many made very positive comments such as, ‘Teachers are dedicated, friendly and approachable and act on any queries seriously and quickly’. Another said, ‘The headteacher is always ready to help us and our children with any problem’. However, parents and carers also recognise that links between the school and the feeder infant school are not sufficiently effective. This has a negative impact on pupils’ continuous progress.

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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 Innsworth Junior School, Gloucester GL3 1AX

Thank you so much for welcoming me so warmly when I visited your school recently. I very much enjoyed talking with you and hearing how much you enjoy school and are proud of it. At present it is giving you a satisfactory education, but things are improving.

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Inspection of Innsworth Junior School, Gloucester GL3 1AX

These are some of the things I found.  You are making satisfactory progress in English and mathematics, although this is improving and some of you are making good progress.  The school helps those of you who speak English is an additional language learn English very quickly.  Those of you with special educational needs make good progress as very careful plans are made for your learning.  The quality of teaching is satisfactory, although it is often good in English and mathematics.  You behave well, care well for each other and are polite and welcoming to visitors.  Your headteacher, staff and governors are keen to make sure that the school continues to improve.

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Inspection of Innsworth Junior School, Gloucester GL3 1AX

There are three things that I have asked the headteacher, governors and staff to do.  Help you make faster progress by constantly reminding you to use your targets in lessons and check on the progress you are making.  Your teachers need to make sure that you spend more time on tasks and less time sitting listening in lessons and make sure lessons go at a good pace. They also need to make sure that the tasks they set you are matched well to your abilities.  Improve the way the school is managed by involving governors and staff more in helping the headteacher.

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Inspection of Innsworth Junior School, Gloucester GL3 1AX

I am sure you will do your best to help by continuing to work hard.

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Inspection of Innsworth Junior School, Gloucester GL3 1AX

John Eadie 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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