Hove Junior School

Age group 7–11 Inspection date(s) 15–16 November 2011 Inspection number 378854 West Hove Junior School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 114403 Local Authority Brighton and Hove Inspection number 378854 Inspection dates 15–16 November 2011 Reporting inspector Richard Potts

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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 508 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jeff Nixon Headteacher Janis Taylor Date of previous school inspection 28–29 January 2009 School address Portland Road Hove East Sussex BN3 5JA Telephone number 01273 295484 Fax number 01273 295483 Email address enquiries@whovejun.brighton-hove.sch.uk

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by four additional inspectors. Inspectors visited 26 lessons taught by 16 teachers, looked at pupils’ books, held meetings with governors, staff and groups of pupils and spoke to some parents and carers. They observed the school’s work, looked at a range of school documentation, including improvement plans, safeguarding policies and procedures, school data about pupils’ progress, monitoring reports and curriculum plans. In addition, inspectors considered 248 parental questionnaires as well as 25 questionnaires from staff and 109 from pupils.

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Introduction

The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school’s work. It looked in detail at a number of key areas.

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Introduction

 The effectiveness of the school’s leadership and management at all levels and the extent to which they are actively monitoring the quality of provision.  How well the school promotes pupils’ progress by ensuring that work is exciting and well matched to pupils’ learning needs.  The accuracy of the school’s assessment procedures and how well the information is used to plan next steps for potentially underachieving groups.

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Information about the school

West Hove Junior School is a larger than average-sized school serving 508 pupils. The school roll has risen since the previous inspection.

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Information about the school

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is broadly in line with the national average, but very few are learning English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils with some form of special educational need and/or disability is in line with that found nationally. Of these, most are experiencing difficulty with speech, language and communication. The number of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is less than the national average.

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Information about the school

The school buildings are used by a private provider for breakfast and after-school club activities that are not managed by the governing body and this provision was not inspected.

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Information about the school

The school has gained a number of awards, including ‘Active Mark’ and ‘Healthy Schools’ status. 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 that has improved in almost every aspect of its work since the previous inspection. Attainment and attendance are high, pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning are exceptional and a very large majority of parents and carers are happy with their child’s experience at the school. Better procedures for identifying pupils’ learning needs have brought about an improvement in the quality of teaching, so that most pupils make good progress. There is, nevertheless, some variation between classes, because not all teachers use assessment consistently well to build on pupils’ prior learning and to set challenging learning goals.

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Main findings

Determined action over the last three years has resulted in accelerating rates of progress and improving behaviour, which is now good. Leaders and managers at all levels have established rigorous systems and procedures to evaluate the school’s effectiveness and this has led to an accurate analysis of its strengths and areas for improvement. As a result, action to improve teaching and learning is better focused, so that the rate at which pupils make progress is accelerating and the gap in performance between boys and girls is narrowing. All of these factors, together with good quality support and challenge from the governing body, contribute to the school’s good capacity for sustained improvement.

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Main findings

The results of Key Stage 2 tests, the school’s detailed and accurate assessment information and evidence drawn from pupils’ books confirm that pupils attain levels in English and mathematics that are well above those in similar schools. Pupils’ ability to innovate, negotiate and work collaboratively to solve problems demonstrates that they have exemplary skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being. Pupils enjoy coming to this caring school and were keen to tell inspectors about the interesting things they do. Pupils feel safe because of the good care, guidance and support provided by adults.

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Main findings

Teaching and learning is effectively guided by detailed plans which ensure that most pupils benefit from a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum and every lesson has a stated goal. The school has implemented useful target-setting procedures to involve pupils in assessing their own progress. Marking is regular and thorough, with an emphasis on motivating learning. The best marking is closely linked to learning objectives, helps pupils to understand how they can improve their own work and points towards their next learning steps. Appropriate use of information and communication technology (ICT) enriches lessons, but resources are limited 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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Main findings

ICT does not consistently extend the learning for all pupils. Senior leaders have worked successfully to embed and consolidate common working practices though not all teaching encourages pupils to extend their own learning through practical activity and exploration. This is because, occasionally, teachers spend too much time describing tasks, so that pupils have fewer opportunities to extend their learning and this limits the progress they make.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and learning from good to outstanding by:  better use of assessment to match work more closely to pupils’ learning needs  ensuring that all lessons comprise an appropriate balance of teacher explanation and pupil activity.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By September 2012, improve provision in ICT so that it can be used consistently to enrich and extend pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

The work seen in lessons and in pupils’ books confirms that attainment is high by the time pupils reach Year 6. A very large majority of pupils make good progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good quality help, which allows them to make good progress towards their individual learning targets. The school has introduced effective systems to monitor pupils’ progress and this has resulted in better-targeted teaching. As a result of the school’s effective action, pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning is excellent.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Pupils enjoy their learning in most lessons because of the interesting activities that teachers prepare for them. The quality of pupils’ work reflects the high standards expected of them and has been recognised through national awards. For example, in a lesson focusing on the artist Andy Warhol, linked to the ‘America’ theme, pupils were keen to investigate his artistic techniques, which led to an exploration of how upbringing and social circumstances had influenced his work. This, in turn, led to perceptive and interesting biographies in which pupils demonstrated a mature journalistic style. There remains, however, some variation within and between year groups. Occasionally, attainment is lower and progress is limited because work does not have enough variation in the activities or it is not well matched to pupils’ different learning needs. When this happens, tasks can be either too hard or too easy for some.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

Positive, respectful and caring relationships between staff and pupils result in high rates of attendance, good behaviour and a readiness to learn. Pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good and they are understanding and tolerant of each other’s views. The school council is proud of its initiative to engage pupils in 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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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

deciding which topics are to be studied and pupils’ good attitudes to learning bear testimony to the effectiveness of this collaborative approach. The school’s accreditation as a Healthy School affirms pupils’ adoption of good, healthy lifestyles. Pupils make a good contribution to the local community and many are engaged in charitable work, for both local and international organisations.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 1

These are the grades for pupils’ outcomes Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning Taking into account: Pupils’ attainment 1 The quality of pupils’ learning and their progress The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress The extent to which pupils feel safe 2 Pupils’ behaviour 2 The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community 2 The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being Taking into account: Pupils’ attendance 1 The extent of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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How effective is the provision?

Teachers make clear what each lesson is about and use their secure subject knowledge to provide a range of interesting activities. They know their pupils well and have high expectations of them. In one of the best lessons, the teacher’s excellent subject knowledge and meticulous preparation enabled the skilful use of open-ended questioning to exploit spontaneous learning opportunities and to challenge pupils’ thinking. As a result, pupils were keen to learn, sustained concentration and made good progress. While interactive whiteboards are used effectively to support teaching, a lack of resources restricts opportunities to extend and enrich pupils’ learning by the appropriate use of ICT in lessons. Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support pupils’ learning and well-being and make a good contribution to their progress. Pupil assessment and tracking systems are accurate and detailed, providing a useful foundation on which to plan next steps,

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How effective is the provision?

although this information is not universally well used. For example, in lessons where the lyrics of a popular American song were used to explore social division, few pupils were able to understand the concepts involved and this limited the progress they made. Nonetheless, in most lessons, pupils’ increasing ability and confidence to

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How effective is the provision?

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4 is low 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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How effective is the provision?

evaluate their own work and their engagement in planning for next steps is having a positive impact on the progress they make.

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How effective is the provision?

The school has developed a well-planned and exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ skills in an integrated, topic-based approach. It is enriched by a wide range of visits and by the involvement of partner organisations. For example, the ‘America’ topic was enlivened by ‘rock and roll’ dancing led by a visiting dance teacher, in which the suitably attired pupils participated with energy and enthusiasm.

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How effective is the provision?

Positive and respectful relationships characterise the school and pupils benefit from strong and effective pastoral support. Parents and carers confirm that they are kept well informed about the school through newsletters, curriculum evenings, a texting service and the parents’ council. The school successfully encourages parents and carers to bring their skills and interests into the school to enrich the curriculum, such as the recent literacy topic involving a parent who is a Shakespearean actor.

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How effective is the provision?

These are the grades for the quality of provision The quality of teaching Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils’ needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships The effectiveness of care, guidance and support 2

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How effective are leadership and management?

Under the skilful and determined direction of the headteacher and supported by effective governance, the leadership team has acted successfully to establish a good foundation on which to base the school’s further improvement. This work is ongoing, because there are still inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning and in the progress that pupils make in some lessons, but both governors and staff have ambitious targets for the future and the school has made significant advances in almost every aspect of its operation.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The leadership team is committed to increasing the percentage of high-quality teaching throughout the school. Regular checks of lesson planning and of the work in pupils’ books, augmented by lesson observations, have contributed to better provision and accelerating progress and there is a shared and realistic understanding of the school’s priorities for development. Staff and governors subscribe to the leadership team’s strategic vision for the school and are committed to its achievement. Morale throughout the school is high. The governing body has overseen significant improvements. It has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and is developing appropriate procedures to systematically evaluate its effectiveness. Governors demonstrate a high degree of commitment to the school, are sensitive to the needs of the community it serves and Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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How effective are leadership and management?

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

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How effective are leadership and management?

and are appropriately proud of the advances it has made. The governing body has made good arrangements to ensure the safety and welfare of pupils and staff. At the time of the inspection, safeguarding arrangements were found to be good.

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school is mindful of the different cultural and ethnic groups represented in the wider community and ensures that there is no discrimination or inequality. Action to promote community cohesion is effective and pupils acknowledge and value the culture and heritage of their peers, and of those in their local and national communities and beyond.

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How effective are leadership and management?

These are the grades for leadership and management The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and supporting the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met The effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers 2 The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures 2 The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion 2 The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money

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Views of parents and carers

The proportion of parents and carers who returned questionnaires was well above the national average for a primary school and a very large majority were positive. Most parents and carers are pleased with every aspect of their child’s experience at school. A small minority of parents and carers expressed concern about the way incidents of misbehaviour were handled and commented that they were unsure about how much progress their children were making, but the inspection confirmed that behaviour is good and that the school’s engagement with parents and carers is good, with effective procedures and systems to report progress.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at West Hove Junior School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school. The inspection team received 248 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 508 pupils registered at the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

Statements Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree Total % Total % Total % Total % My child enjoys school 139 56 98 40 9 4 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 144 58 101 41 2 1 0 0 The school informs me about my child’s progress 97 39 130 52 19 8 1 0 My child is making enough progress at this school 89 36 136 55 16 6 1 0 The teaching is good at this school 104 42 126 51 12 5 1 0 The school helps me to support my child’s learning 104 42 124 50 12 5 1 0 The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 80 32 137 55 20 8 1 0 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) 117 47 108 44 6 2 1 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school meets my child’s particular needs 86 35 130 52 17 7 2 1 The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 80 32 132 53 19 8 4 2 The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 89 36 128 52 11 4 1 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

The school is led and managed effectively 119 48 111 45 4 2 1 0 Overall, I am happy with my child’s experience at this school 144 58 84 34 12 5 0 0

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted’s questionnaire

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. 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 43 47 10 0 Primary schools 6 46 42 6 Secondary schools 14 36 41 9

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Sixth forms 15 42 41 3 Special schools 30 48 19 3 Pupil referral units 14 50 31 5

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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 2010 to 08 April 2011 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 2010/11 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.  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 West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

Thank you for being so helpful and friendly during our visit. We can understand why you enjoy coming to school, because it is a safe, welcoming and caring place, where you are well looked after. We found that your school gives you a good education.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

Here are some of the best things about your school.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

 Very few of you have time off school.  You do better in English and mathematics than others do in similar schools.  Most of you make good progress in your learning.  Teaching is good and teachers give you interesting things to do.  The headteacher and her team are good and are making your school a better place.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

These are the things we have asked your school to do next to improve.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

 Make sure that the things you have to do are neither too hard nor too easy, so that you can make more progress in your learning.  Ensure that teachers give you more opportunities to research and investigate, as well as listening to them, so that you can improve the quality of your own work.  Improve information and communication technology (ICT), so you can use technology better to improve your work and extend your learning.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

Thank you again for talking to us about your school and for showing us your work. You can help your teachers by making sure that you always listen carefully to their advice about how you can do better work.

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Inspection of West Hove Junior School, Hove, BN3 5JA

Richard Potts 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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