Woodville CofE Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 8–9 March 2012 Inspection number 378588 Woodville CofE Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 112865 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 378588 Inspection dates 8–9 March 2012 Lead inspector Derek Aitken

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 262 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sebastien Castel Headteacher Roger Averis Date of previous school inspection 20 January 2009 School address High Street Swadlincote DE11 7EA Telephone number 01283 217680 Fax number 01283 817950 Email address info@woodville-jun.derbyshire.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. Inspectors visited 17 lessons taught by 12 teachers. Scrutinies of pupils’ work in mathematics were carried out. Inspectors listened to two groups of pupils in Year 6 reading. Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection. They observed the school’s work, and looked at documents, including policies and procedures relating to the safeguarding of pupils, self-evaluation records and assessment information. The inspectors analysed responses to questionnaires from 85 parents and carers, 125 pupils and 14 staff.

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Information about the school

Woodville Junior is similar in size to most primary schools, but the school roll has recently increased as a new estate has been built locally. The vast majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. The percentage of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is broadly average. Pupils are taught in 10 mixed-age classes, five in lower Key Stage 2 and five in upper Key Stage 2.

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Information about the school

The school meets the current government floor standard, which sets minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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Information about the school

The school has Healthy Schools status and the Eco- schools Silver award. 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. Its overall effectiveness is not yet good because there are inconsistencies in pupils’ achievement, although pupils’ attainment has risen overall since the school was last inspected.  Pupils achieve satisfactorily throughout their time in this school. They leave at the end of Year 6 with average levels of attainment. Progress is better in English than in mathematics where opportunities are missed across the curriculum to extend pupils’ skills.  Several of the lessons observed had good elements; teachers asked focused questions which made pupils think hard and moved their learning on. Imaginative approaches and resources were also noted which sparked pupils’ enthusiasm and engaged them fully in their learning. Overall, teaching is satisfactory rather than good because on some occasions planning is not sharp enough to ensure a brisk pace of learning and sufficient challenge for all groups

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Key findings

of pupils, including more-able pupils. Assessment and pupils’ personal targets are used more productively in writing to support pupils’ learning than in mathematics.  Pupils’ behaviour has improved since the last inspection and nearly all pupils behave well. Pupils are keen to help each other, are polite and well mannered, and take a keen interest in visitors. Pupils, and their parents and carers, believe that they are well cared for and that the school is a safe place for all to learn. The school works successfully to maintain attendance at above average levels.  Pupils’ achievement is closely tracked and this contributes well to accurate and realistic school self-evaluation. Some actions taken by leaders to tackle weaknesses have been conspicuously successful, for example in improving pupils’ writing. The skills and accountability of leaders other than the headteacher for driving improvement are not fully developed which means that

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Key findings

gains in pupils’ attainment have not been completely consolidated.  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?

 Raise pupils’ achievement by: – ensuring expectations for pupils’ progress are consistently high and that all lessons move at a brisk pace – ensuring teachers always match work precisely to pupils’ different capabilities and, in particular, challenge more-able pupils to do their best – making more effective use of teachers’ marking and pupils’ personal targets to involve pupils more productively in contributing to their progress in mathematics – developing a better range of opportunities for pupils to practise and extend their mathematical skills, for example in solving problems, in other subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:  developing the roles and skills of leaders other than the headteacher to monitor and review provision in their curricular areas in greater depth and thereby enable them to contribute more fully to school improvement.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ attainment on entry to Year 3 is broadly average. They make satisfactory progress over Key Stage 2 so that, by the end of Year 6, attainment is average. Pupils’ attainment has improved markedly since the last inspection. Gaps between the attainment of boys and girls at level 4 have closed but girls perform better than boys in English at the higher level 5. Pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs also make satisfactory progress, but, in keeping with their classmates, their progress is better in English than in mathematics. Pupils’ attainment in reading is average. Pupils enjoy practising their reading skills and read regularly at home. Lower-attaining pupils use appropriate phonic strategies to decode words. Where this process is more successful they refer to the context confidently to work out meanings. Middle-attaining pupils read with greater fluency and understand most

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Achievement of pupils

of the language, but on a few occasions do not correct their mistakes. Pupils are able to recount the plot of the texts accurately and pass simple opinions on the characters.

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Achievement of pupils

All groups of pupils make satisfactory progress in lessons. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make sound progress. They make faster progress when they are required to listen carefully and are faced with more structured tasks. For example in a good lesson for pupils in Year 5 and Year 6, these pupils analysed and amended their own work effectively, using ‘super sentences’ to enhance their writing. Almost all parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire are 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

pleased with their children’s achievement. A very few expressed concerns that their children were not being stretched and inspection evidence confirms that this is sometimes the case. On a few occasions teachers do not provide pupils with sufficient high-quality guidance before they embark on their independent activities. This slows pupils’ progress when pupils do not fully understand what they have to do or when the tasks themselves are undemanding. Older pupils incorporate descriptive vocabulary sensitively, for example, in their written accounts based on the video-film ‘The Piano’. They are less able to produce complex language and think creatively if the stimulus is less well developed, for example when they construct their arguments for and against school uniform. Pupils’ calculation skills in mathematics are sound. They sometimes make mistakes when required to apply their knowledge to word problems or to produce estimates.

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Quality of teaching

Nearly all pupils and parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire stated that pupils were taught well. Inspection findings do not support this view, because there is not enough consistently good teaching to enable all groups of pupils to achieve their potential, particularly in mathematics. In all lessons teachers’ good expectations for pupils’ behaviour foster secure relationships and pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The curriculum provides a satisfactory framework for teachers’ planning, but it is further developed in literacy than in numeracy. Opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical skills are not consistently well planned across the curriculum. This reduces possibilities for pupils to deepen their understanding of concepts or rules in new contexts.

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Quality of teaching

In the better lessons, teachers challenge pupils well and make expert use of searching questions to move pupils’ learning on. Teachers plan carefully and produce varied lessons which motivate pupils and provide them with good opportunities to work imaginatively and collaboratively. This was demonstrated in a good Year 5 and Year 6 lesson when pupils successfully used their detective skills to infer and deduce information from a crime scene to build up character profiles on potential suspects. Sometimes, insufficient use is made of prior assessment information to plan lessons to stretch all groups of pupils, especially more-able pupils in the upper years of the mixed-age classes. Some weaknesses in planning reflect lower expectations and limit opportunities for pupils to share findings effectively or exercise independence and creativity.

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Quality of teaching

Teaching assistants and other external specialists support disabled pupils and those pupils who have more complex special educational needs well, enabling them to gain confidence and take the small steps necessary for their learning. Less-able pupils and other pupils with special educational needs are supported satisfactorily. One-to-one sessions are more consistently effective in enabling these pupils to work out things for themselves, develop their ideas and improve the standard of their work. Teachers’ marking provides pupils with useful feedback in English, but the use of marking and targets are not sufficiently inter-linked in mathematics to involve pupils actively in reviewing and improving their work. 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’ hardworking approach and positive attitudes are important factors in their enjoyment of school. As expressed in their responses to the questionnaire, parents and carers are almost unanimous in their views that their children are safe and well looked after in school. Pupils concur with these opinions and have a clear sense that the school is a cohesive community. Pupils behave well in the playground, respecting each other’s need for space during ball games, and in other public areas in school. Older pupils, in particular, display mature attitudes. They concentrate well and are keen to support each other to learn well, for example in pair-work tasks. They respect each others’ ideas and approve their contributions to lessons. On a few occasions, which are not picked up smartly by teachers, individual pupils lose focus and indulge briefly in non-disruptive, time-wasting activity. This is more usually the

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

case when teaching methods lack the variety or challenge to sustain pupils’ attention.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils are self-disciplined nearly all of the time and respond promptly to staff’s guidance and expectations, as reflected in the rare incidence of any forms of exclusion in the school records. These records also indicate that a very few troubled pupils misbehave but appropriate action is taken to deal with these situations. Pupils report that any form of bullying is rare, with no homophobic or racist intent. Pupils acquire a good understanding of situations that might endanger their personal safety as these matters are explored effectively in the curriculum. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to contribute to school life, for example as councillors, prefects and house-captains. Pupils’ sense of well-being in school is reflected in their consistently above-average attendance.

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Leadership and management

School self-evaluation, conducted largely by the headteacher, is accurate and purposeful. Successful actions have been taken to raise pupils’ attainment since the last inspection. A robust tracking system has been established to monitor the progress of all groups and to inform useful support programmes for pupils. These now include, for example, after-school classes to boost the learning of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. The provision map for pupils requiring extra support, including disabled pupils and those pupils with special educational needs, contributes satisfactorily to the broad and balanced curriculum. The impact of actions taken as a result of these support strategies has not been fully assessed to refine provision. The headteacher’s judgements on the quality of teaching and learning align closely with inspection findings. Staff training has been used effectively to develop new initiatives for teaching and assessment, particularly in writing, and to

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Leadership and management

improve the skills of less experienced teachers. These positive elements reflect the school’s satisfactory capacity for sustained improvement. Several parents and carers commented encouragingly on the upward trend in the quality of provision since the last inspection. The expertise and roles of other leaders have not yet been developed to enable them to play a full part in monitoring and evaluation activities. This has 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

resulted in some lack of prioritisation in the school development plan and inconsistencies in consolidating fully the gains in pupils’ attainment.

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Leadership and management

The school promotes equalities and tackles discrimination satisfactorily as reflected, for example in academic outcomes for pupils. The curriculum fosters pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development satisfactorily, but some opportunities are missed to develop pupils’ creativity and links with other communities nationally and globally are not exploited fully. Governors support and challenge leaders satisfactorily. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet current requirements.

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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 Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

I would like to thank you for your help when the inspection team visited your school recently and for sharing your views with us, including through the questionnaires you completed. Yours is a satisfactory school with some very positive features in its work.

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Inspection of Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

 You are well cared for by the staff.  Your behaviour has improved since the last inspection; you behave well and cooperate quickly with staff. You enjoy working and playing together and act safely. This gives everyone the sense of feeling valued and respected.  Your attainment, especially in writing, has improved since the last inspection.  The headteacher has clear ideas for improving the school.

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Inspection of Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

You make satisfactory progress and, by the end of Year 6, your attainment is average. We have asked the staff to do a number of things to help you make faster progress. The following are the most important.

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Inspection of Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

 Make sure lessons move at a brisk pace and match work more carefully to your abilities to ensure that all of you, especially those pupils who find learning easier, are stretched to do your best.  Make better use of teachers’ marking and your personal targets in mathematics to help you improve your work.  Give you better chances to develop your mathematical skills in other subjects.  Make sure all senior leaders play a full part in checking up on your achievement and improving further the quality of education the school provides.

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Inspection of Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

You can help by continuing to work hard, especially in mathematics, and by keeping up your above-average attendance.

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Inspection of Woodville CofE Junior School, Swadlincote, DE11 7EA

Derek Aitken 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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