Purbrook Junior School

Purbrook Junior School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 116022 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 357868 Inspection dates 3–4 March 2011 Reporting inspector Joy Considine

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 384 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jacqueline Coonie Headteacher Kevin Parfoot Date of previous school inspection 26 March 2008 School address Aldermoor Road East Purbrook Waterlooville PO7 5NQ Telephone number 023 92254577 Fax number 023 92255552 Email address headteacher@purbrook-jun.hants.sch.uk

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Age group 7–11 Inspection dates 3–4 March 2011 Inspection number 357868 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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 .

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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 documentation 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'. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. They visited 23 lessons taught by 14 teachers and held meetings with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff. They observed the school's work and looked at school development plans, the governing body minutes, pupils' assessment and tracking information, and other documentation relevant to the inspection. They analysed the outcomes of 123 questionnaires received from parents and carers as well as responses from staff and pupils. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.  The quality of teaching and how it enables all groups of pupils to make progress in English and mathematics.  How well teachers use assessment information to plan their lessons to meet the needs of all pupils.  What school leaders are doing to ensure that pupils make the best possible progress

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Information about the school

The school is much larger than most primary schools and serves the local community. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is much lower than average. Most pupils are of White British heritage and few pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average. The school has gained a number of awards including Healthy Schools status and Gold Artsmark. There is a breakfast club which is managed by the governing body.

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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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Main findings

This is a good school. Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their high attendance. School leaders have high expectations for all pupils and consequently pupils' behaviour and attitudes are excellent. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They have a keen sense of right and wrong and they are able to reflect sensitively on moral issues. They have an excellent knowledge and understanding of different faith groups and they respect the beliefs and cultures of those from backgrounds different to their own. Staff have created an attractive learning environment in which the health, safety and well-being of pupils underpins all aspects of their work. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe and healthy within a range of situations and they thoroughly enjoy selecting the healthy options available to them at lunchtimes. The school has achieved Healthy Schools status in recognition of its

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Main findings

work to promote healthy lifestyles for pupils. All adults who come on to the site are carefully checked and arrangements for safeguarding pupils are outstanding. Pupils work hard in lessons and they make good progress in reading and in mathematics. Progress is slower in writing because pupils do not have enough opportunities to practise their writing when studying other subjects. The quality of teaching is good overall with some that is outstanding. In many lessons, teachers make good use of assessment information to plan lessons that are well matched to the needs of pupils. Usually, the pace of lessons is brisk and keeps pupils engaged and stimulated. However, just a few lessons are too long and this slows the rate of learning because planned activities do not consolidate or develop pupils' skills. There has been a significant change to the senior leadership team since the last inspection and new leaders have quickly established themselves as drivers for improvement. They

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Main findings

are ambitious, enthusiastic and work closely as a team to raise standards and improve the quality of teaching. Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. They value the wide range of opportunities provided for their child and feel that the school is approachable at all times. School leaders are reflective and their self-evaluation is accurate. They have a clear view of the strengths of the school and what more needs to be done, although actions to improve pupils' attainment and progress in writing have yet to raise standards. The school has built on its good performance at the time of the last inspection and has good capacity to improve further.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards and achievement, particularly in writing, by: providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills when learning about other subjects

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

making sure that learning intentions explicitly describe what pupils are to learn rather than what they are going to do encouraging higher standards of presentation and handwriting.  Improve the quality of learning for pupils by: reducing the use of photocopied resources encouraging teaching assistants to support pupils during whole-class teaching reducing the length of some lessons so that learning activities are more relevant and focused.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Attainment in English and mathematics is satisfactory overall, although it is better in reading and mathematics than it is in writing. In lessons, teachers expect pupils to work hard so that by the end of Year 6 they make good progress in these subjects. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points because the school uses assessment information to identify their specific needs and to provide targeted support to meet these needs. More-able pupils make good progress overall and respond well when teachers provide challenging activities that extend and develop their understanding. For example, in one lesson, the teacher challenged pupils to measure the angles in triangles and to use the results to establish the rule that the angles in all triangles add up to 180 degrees. In most lessons, pupils take an interest, enjoy their work and are keen to ask and respond to questions. Scrutiny of pupils' work shows

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

that, although there is good progress overall, poor presentation and handwriting prevents pupils from making better progress. Pupils get on well together. They are thoughtful and considerate, and show respect towards the feelings and opinions of others. They show a strong sense of community in regard to the school, local and international context, although their understanding of the United Kingdom as a diverse culture is less well developed. Pupils have raised funds to support local and national charities such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Children in Need and have supported parents and carers in raising money for incubators for prematurely born children. Pupils enjoy their opportunities to influence decision making in school through the democratically elected school council. Pupils are well prepared for their future economic well-being by developing their financial enterprise

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

skills through operating the school bank and by running the tuck shop and a stationery shop, but their slower progress in writing means this aspect is good rather than outstanding.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 2

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 2

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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2

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

Teaching is mostly lively and enthusiastic, and engages the interest of pupils. Lessons are usually well planned and are linked to previous learning so that pupils can develop their skills sequentially. Teachers set clear learning intentions, although in writing, these relate to what pupils are to do rather than what they are to learn, and this slows their progress. Most teachers use good questioning skills to extend and develop pupils' learning. Teachers mark pupils' work thoroughly, showing them what they have done well and what they need to learn next. Relationships between adults and pupils are good and make a significant contribution to their outstanding outcomes. Teaching assistants provide good support to pupils when they are working independently, but a small number do not provide enough assistance to pupils during whole-class teaching. The curriculum is effective. It is broad and balanced, and is enriched by a wide range of

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How effective is the provision?

additional activities, including specialist music, drama and sports teaching. The high quality of art and design was recognised by the award of gold Artsmark. Although teachers make good links between subjects such as art and history, many use too many commercially produced worksheets which limit pupils' opportunities to practise their literacy and numeracy skills when learning about other subjects. There is an extensive programme of visits to support the curriculum. These include Marwell Zoological Park, The Mary Rose Ship and Museum, as well as more local visits to the church and the local area

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

for field study activities. Pupils are also offered the opportunity to take part in a residential visit. Bullying and racism are rare and reflect the school's work to promote kindness and consideration towards each other. Provision to meet the needs of those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is now good because staff use data more effectively to provide these pupils with tailored programmes of support. The school makes good use of partnerships to support its good work with youngsters whose circumstances make them more vulnerable. There is a 'drop off' club, which also serves breakfast for pupils in the mornings, and this provides good care for pupils at the start of the day. There are very effective arrangements in place to support pupils as they move through the school and on to the next stage of their education.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 2

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

School leaders share a common sense of purpose based on high expectations for staff and pupils, and a drive to get the very best out of everybody. The school's annual development plan is based on thorough analysis of the school's strengths and areas for development. New middle leaders have had comprehensive training which has equipped them well for their roles and responsibilities. There are opportunities for teachers to observe each other and learn from some of the outstanding practice that exists, and this has led to improvements in the quality of teaching. There are robust systems in place for senior leaders to monitor the quality of teaching and this has resulted in improvements in pupils' learning, although more needs to be done to improve the progress pupils make in writing. The governing body has a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development. It provides effective monitoring and challenge to school leaders and has

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How effective are leadership and management?

plans in place to extend its monitoring role by governors visiting classrooms more regularly. Arrangements for safeguarding pupils are excellent. There are three trained child protection liaison officers who provide all staff with relevant up-to-date training. The school seeks to develop links with schools from communities different to their own to broaden the experiences for pupils. These currently include an inner city junior school and a school in Japan. Although the school is committed to equal opportunities, differences in experiences that some pupils have between classes means this is good rather than outstanding. Nevertheless, all pupils are valued for the unique contribution they bring to the school, and discrimination on any grounds is not tolerated.

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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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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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2

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Views of parents and carers

The majority of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire were overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school. They said that the school cares for pupils, and staff will often go out of their way to support pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable and their families. Parents were very appreciative of the approachability of the staff and all agreed or strongly agreed that the school keeps their child safe. A very small minority of parents and carers felt that their child was not making enough progress, although inspectors found during this inspection that overall, pupils make good progress, particularly in reading and mathematics.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 123 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 384 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 59 48 59 48 4 3 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 78 63 45 37 0 0 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 49 40 72 59 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 53 43 58 47 11 9 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 60 49 59 48 1 1 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 58 47 63 51 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 45 37 74 60 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 56 46 60 49 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 54 44 61 50 3 2 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 57 46 60 49 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 46 37 70 57 3 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 88 72 30 24 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 78 63 39 32 3 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary schools, special schools and pupil referral units.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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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

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on 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 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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Purbrook Junior School, Waterlooville PO7 5NQ

Thank you very much for making us so welcome when we visited your school. We enjoyed meeting you all and hearing what you had to say about your school. Yours is a good school. Your understanding of how to stay safe and healthy is excellent, and most of you attend school regularly and on time, and this helps you to make good progress in your lessons. We were very impressed with your outstanding behaviour and attitudes, and the way in which you all get on well together. We also liked the way in which your teachers plan lessons that are interesting so that you can make good progress. Your school leaders have a good idea about what the school does well and where it needs to improve. Some things that would make your school even better are listed below.  We have asked school leaders to improve standards and progress that you make in writing by encouraging you to take more care with your handwriting and

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Inspection of Purbrook Junior School, Waterlooville PO7 5NQ

presentation, and by giving you more opportunities to practise your writing skills when learning different subjects.  Improve the way in which you learn by reducing the length of some lessons so that your learning activities are more sharply matched to what they want you to learn. I am sure that you will do your best to make Purbrook Junior School even better by taking more care when working in your books and practising your writing to make it better. With very best wishes for the future

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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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