Anstey Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 13–14 March 2012 Inspection number 379151 Anstey Junior School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 115851 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379151 Inspection dates 13−14 March 2012 Lead inspector Joy Considine

p.1

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

p.1

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 213 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Geraldine Dawson Headteacher Jenny Jones Date of previous school inspection 11 November 2008 School address Eastbrooke Road Alton Hampshire GU34 2DR Telephone number 01420 84486 Fax number 01420 542740 Email address schooloffice@anstey-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

p.1

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’.

p.2

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.

p.2

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

p.2

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Inspectors visited sixteen lessons or parts of lessons taught by eight teachers. They also listened to pupils read and they observed reading activities. They held discussions with staff, governors and pupils. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work and looked at school development plans, pupils’ assessment and tracking information, pupils’ work and other documentation, including that regarding safeguarding. They also analysed the responses to questionnaires received from 85 parents and carers as well as those received from staff and pupils.

p.3

Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average-sized junior school. Most pupils are of White British heritage with few who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is lower than usual. There is a higher than usual proportion of pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs. There is an after-school club which is not managed by the governing body and will be inspected separately. A new headteacher joined the school in January 2012. The school exceeded the current floor standards for academic performance. 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

p.3

Key findings

 This is a good school. School leaders are ambitious and have built on the strengths of previous leadership and created a climate for learning in which pupils learn and flourish. The school is highly inclusive and places pupils’ achievement and well-being at the heart of what it does. The school is not yet outstanding because expectations of pupils are not always high enough and as a result, a very few pupils, usually those who are more able, do not always achieve as well as they should.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils develop good communication skills and reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are above average at the end of Year 6. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because they receive well-targeted teaching to help them to overcome their difficulties.  The quality of teaching is good. It is usually lively with lessons planned to

p.4

Key findings

interest and inspire pupils. The curriculum is well planned, with a wide range of activities that make learning purposeful and relevant. The variety of enrichment activities makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils enjoy school and this is reflected in their attendance, which is high. They behave well in their lessons and around the school. They are friendly and polite and they get on well together. Safeguarding is of high priority and there are good systems in place to ensure that pupils are safe.  School leaders, including governors, are ambitious. The effective leadership of teaching is supported by a robust programme of monitoring and professional development. This, together with systematic procedures for performance management, is having a positive impact as the proportion of outstanding teaching is beginning to increase. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

p.4

Key findings

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of pupils reaching Level 5 in reading, writing and mathematics by July 2013 by: - reducing the number of photocopied resource sheets to give pupils more opportunities to record their work independently  improving the quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation skills.  Improve teaching from good to outstanding by:  improving teachers’ questioning skills so that teachers are better able to probe pupils’ knowledge and extend their understanding  ensuring that all pupils clearly understand how much work they are expected to complete within a given time limit.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Inspectors agreed with the large majority of parents who believe that their children are making good progress. One parent or carer wrote, ‘My daughter enjoys every part of her school life and she is making good progress in all aspects of her learning.’ In lessons, pupils are enthusiastic and they enjoy working hard. Their attitudes to learning are positive and they behave well.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Pupils start school with standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are broadly average. They make good progress so that, by the end of Year 6, their attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above average. All groups of pupils make good progress. In the past a few individuals did not always do as well as they should because systems to monitor their progress were not consistently used by all teachers and this led to some gaps in their learning. This has now been rectified. Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs learn well because work is tailored to meet their needs and they receive good support to help them to achieve their individual learning targets.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Pupils enjoy reading and attainment is above average at the end of Year 6. They have well-developed skills to tackle unfamiliar words. They read frequently in school both for pleasure and to research classroom topics. They talk knowledgeably about books and discuss their favourite authors and give reasons for their preferences.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Most pupils write fluently with imaginative choices of vocabulary to engage the interest of the reader. However, a few higher attaining pupils have poor handwriting and presentation skills and this spoils the overall quality of their work. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that pupils are challenged in most lessons and they are expected to work hard, and this helps them to make good progress. However, in a few lessons, teachers provide pupils with too many photocopied resource sheets and this is not always appropriate as it stunts pupils’ creativity and prevents higher attaining pupils in particular from developing independence in choosing different ways to 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

p.5

Achievement of pupils

In the lessons observed there were many opportunities for pupils to use their communication skills when learning about other subjects and this helps them to develop confidence. In one lesson, for example, pupils discussed the moral issue of whether or not animals should be used as entertainment. This provoked a lively debate in which they respectfully listened to each others’ views whilst demonstrating the ability to draw upon evidence to support their own argument. Their responses were thoughtful and reflective and inspired a further debate about the use of animals for medical research.

p.6

Achievement of pupils

Pupils across the school have well-developed numeracy skills which they apply to solving real-life problems. In a Year 5 lesson they looked at photographs of the construction of the Olympic park to consolidate their understanding of the need to measure lines and angles accurately. In another lesson, they used their good knowledge of multiplication to solve problems involving fractions.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teachers are enthusiastic and they use interesting methods to capture pupils’ attention and inspire pupils to work hard. Pupils said that the lessons inspectors observed were typical of how they were normally conducted and the work in their books confirmed this. The large majority of parents and carers believe that teaching is good. Most teachers are skilled at asking questions that require pupils to explain their ideas and probe their understanding, but this good practice is a little inconsistent across the school. Occasionally, teachers do not make clear to pupils how much work they are expected to do, or how much time is available for them to complete their work.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teachers set clear learning objectives and involve pupils in setting their own success criteria so that they understand what they are expected to learn. They use assessment information well to plan lessons that are closely matched to the needs of pupils. Teachers are skilled at assessing pupils’ understanding and adjusting their planning accordingly and this helps pupils to make good progress. Teachers mark pupils’ work carefully and constructively showing pupils what they have done well and what they need to learn next. Pupils understand how well they are doing. They know their targets and say these help them because they know what their next steps are.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teachers plan interesting lessons using a variety of resources such as video clips, drama and photographs. Scrutiny of pupils’ work showed that the curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to extend their literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) skills when learning about other subjects. For example, pupils used their literacy skills to read a historical text containing a large amount of data which they then used to solve numerical problems based on the text. In another lesson, pupils were using their ICT skills to create patterns and designs. The planned curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ 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

p.6

Quality of teaching

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, encouraging them to explore their feelings and develop empathy towards others. For example, in one circle time, pupils passed a wrapped gift around the group and gave an imaginary gift to their partner. One pupil gave her partner the gift of ‘courage’, whilst another gave the gift of ‘friendship’.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Inspectors confirm the view of the majority of parents and carers who feel that behaviour is good and that lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils also report that they consider that behaviour is good. They behave well in lessons and around the school. They are friendly and helpful and get on well together. One parent or carer wrote, ‘The children are warm and welcoming and my child has made many new friends.’ Pupils say there is no bullying and they have a good understanding of different forms of bullying such as physical, emotional or cyber bullying. On the rare occasions that disagreements occur that pupils are unable to resolve them for themselves, pupils are confident that adults will listen to their concerns and intervene quickly. Exclusions are rare and there are few recorded incidents of poor behaviour. Pupils have a good understanding about how to stay safe and say that they have been well prepared to resist peer pressure associated

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

with risks such as smoking and substance abuse.

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Staff have consistent approaches to managing pupils’ behaviour, and pupils behave well nearly all the time because they enjoy learning. Pupils value the opportunities they have to work and play with those from other backgrounds and they show respect for their different cultures and beliefs. This demonstrates their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents and carers believe that their children are safe in school. They say that staff are approachable and that issues are dealt with promptly but sensitively.

p.7

Leadership and management

The change in leadership has been seamless owing to the strength of senior leaders and governors in providing continuity and consistency. School leaders are ambitious in their belief that all pupils are entitled to an outstanding education, and this is what they are aiming to achieve. Teamwork is strong and staff morale is high. Inspectors agreed with the views of most parents and carers who are positive and appreciative of the work the school does. Procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching are robust and are successfully used to improve the quality of teaching. All staff have appropriate performance management targets that are closely related to school priorities for development and linked into a well-thought-through programme of professional development that ensures their skills are kept up to date.

p.7

Leadership and management

School leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and use the outcomes of self-evaluation well to improve provision. Issues from the previous inspection have been appropriately addressed. The school development plan has clear success criteria and leaders ensure these are used 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

p.7

Leadership and management

effectively to measure progress towards them. Systems to record and track pupils’ progress have significantly improved and this allows senior leaders to monitor effectively pupils’ progress over time. All staff understand that they are responsible for pupils’ progress and are held to account by senior leaders and governors. This demonstrates that the school has good capacity to improve further.

p.8

Leadership and management

The governing body is actively involved in many aspects of the life of the school. It is provided with high-quality information which governors use effectively to monitor and challenge the work of the school. Along with senior leaders, they provide a clear direction and ensure that statutory requirements for safeguarding and protecting pupils are met. The school ensures that all pupils have equal opportunities and that discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.

p.8

Leadership and management

The good curriculum has been developed to promote learning by showing how pupils are to develop their skills in subjects as they move through the school. It is well organised and provides a range of stimulating experiences for pupils. Those in Year 6 spoke enthusiastically about the Victorian Day in which they dressed up as Victorians during a visit to Manor Farm. The curriculum makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are given many opportunities to reflect on moral issues as well as abstract concepts, such as ‘what freedom means to me’.

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

p.9

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

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

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.11

Inspection of Anstey Junior School, Alton GU34 2DR

Thank you very much for making my colleague and me feel so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed meeting you all and listening to what you had to say about your school. You told us that you enjoy your lessons and that you feel safe in school. You told us that most pupils behave well and that there are very few incidents of bullying.

p.11

Inspection of Anstey Junior School, Alton GU34 2DR

We found your school to be a good school. Your teachers make lessons interesting and you make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. You behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. You show respect towards adults and to each other. Your school leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and they have good plans for further improvement. However, we found that some of you could be doing even better with your learning and reach even higher standards. There are three things we have asked your school leaders to do to make your school even better.

p.11

Inspection of Anstey Junior School, Alton GU34 2DR

 Ask you harder questions in lessons so that you have to think and reason more.  Provide you with more opportunities to record your work independently instead of completing photocopied worksheets.  Make sure that you all present your work well and write neatly in lessons.

p.11

Inspection of Anstey Junior School, Alton GU34 2DR

You can all play your part in making Anstey an even better school by trying very hard to improve your work. I am sure you will do all you can to help your school leaders and I would like to wish you every success in the future.

p.11

Inspection of Anstey Junior School, Alton GU34 2DR

Joy Considine 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 .

p.11