Marchwood Junior School

Age group 7- 11 Inspection date(s) 23–24 April 2012 Inspection number 379195 Marchwood Junior School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 116073 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 379195 Inspection dates 23–24 April 2012 Lead inspector Sonja Joseph

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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 268 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Peter Hoare Headteacher Laurie Anderson Date of previous school inspection 2 November 2008 School address Main Road Marchwood Southampton SO40 4ZH Telephone number 02380 863105 Fax number 02380 872892 Email address adminoffice@marchwood-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

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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 observed 14 lessons, amounting to about seven hours in total, taught by nine teachers. Learning walks comprising short visits to lessons in a range of subjects were carried out to assess the quality of behaviour and the work undertaken by specific groups of pupils. Approximately one third of lesson observations were conducted jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Discussions took place with representatives from the local authority, school improvement officers, senior and middle leaders, staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors, and different groups of 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 progress tracking and performance data, the school development plan, pupils’ work and numerous policies, guidelines, plans and reviews. The questionnaire

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Introduction

responses from 125 parents and carers, 100 pupils and 31 staff were also analysed.

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Information about the school

Marchwood is larger than most junior schools. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic heritages is in line with that found nationally and approximately half of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average. The percentage of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is above that found nationally. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average. The school meets the government’s current floor standards for primary schools, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. It has achieved Healthy School status.

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Information about the school

There have been significant changes in leadership since the last inspection, including the appointment of a new headteacher and deputy headteacher. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2010.The current deputy headteacher was appointed in April 2011. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a satisfactory school. Since the last inspection, the school has gone through a period of instability in terms of staffing and this led to a decline in attainment. However, significant improvements have resulted in an upward trend in standards over the past 18 months. The school is not yet good because some weaknesses in the quality of teaching remain and this limits the progress pupils make. Schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory may receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.  Achievement is now satisfactory through the school. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall and reach the levels expected by the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good over time and disruption to lessons is rare. Cooperative working is strong in all classes. Independence is promoted well. Attendance is above average.  The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school. Although some

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Key findings

good and effective teaching was seen during the inspection, some inconsistencies remain. Questioning and discussion are used well to promote thinking. However, in some lessons, teachers do not always set clear enough expectations or encourage pupils to be active learners, and activities are not always well matched to pupils’ needs, so the pace of learning slows. On a few occasions, weaknesses in the use of marking and feedback inhibit pupils from making more rapid progress.  Monitoring and evaluation of teaching are carried out accurately and school performance is managed satisfactorily. The headteacher, effectively supported by the deputy headteacher, has successfully brought about sustained improvements in spite of high staff turnover. However, systems to improve the quality of teaching are not yet fully embedded to have the best possible impact. Subject improvement plans are detailed but are not always sufficiently clear in

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Key findings

terms of the measurable impact on pupils’ learning. 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?

 By the end of the spring term 2013, move the quality of teaching from satisfactory to good, in order to raise attainment and accelerate progress, by :  making expectations for pupils of different levels of ability explicit and challenging, and provide learning activities that are well matched to these levels  making full use of marking and feedback to engage pupils in reflecting on and improving their own work, and checking that guidance is acted upon  increasing opportunities for pupils to be active learners  building systematically on pupils’ basic skills of literacy and numeracy, and insisting on work being presented well with correct spelling.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by:  extending the training of subject leaders in the techniques of monitoring and evaluation  devising and implementing subject plans that give enough detail about strategies to be used and include clearly defined, measurable outcomes for pupils  ensuring that all staff act promptly and effectively in responding to the outcomes of monitoring and evaluation, particularly of teaching.

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Achievement of pupils

The school has made effective strides forward in overcoming the underachievement related to staffing instability over recent years. Achievement is now satisfactory and the improving trend in attainment is being sustained.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ attainment on entry is broadly average in English and mathematics, and attainment in these subjects is average by the time they leave in Year 6. Pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress through the school from their starting points in Year 3. Improvements in the teaching of English have led to the dip in writing standards in the past being tackled well, largely as a result of specific targeted interventions, particularly for the more able. Pupils enjoy school and relationships are good. However, pupils do not always produce work of the highest standards of which they are capable because teachers do not make their expectations clear enough. As a result, pupils’ basic skills are not always effectively built upon. For example, the presentation of their written work sometimes lacks care and spelling is inconsistent. Pupils usually listen attentively to their teachers and their peers, and increasingly

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Achievement of pupils

speak pertinently in response to carefully framed questions. Sometimes, however, they are passive in lessons and not fully engaged in learning when tasks are not presented in an imaginative and fast-paced way. When given the opportunity, pupils work well collaboratively in group activities and enjoy the many opportunities for 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

discussion in pairs. Pupils increasingly take responsibility for managing and improving their own work by, for example, making use of reference resources, such as dictionaries and the internet.

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Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ progress in reading is satisfactory and standards are average by Year 6. There are good procedures to identify any pupils who have weaknesses in linking letters and sounds when they start school in Year 3 and to tackle these weaknesses. There is no significant difference in the progress that different groups of pupils make, although the rate at which all pupils learn varies between classes and year groups due to some remaining inconsistencies in the quality of teaching. Previous gaps between the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and that of other pupils are now being closed. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, some of whom are at an early stage of speaking English, make progress which is generally in line with that of their peers. They receive appropriate support from teachers and teaching assistants, ensuring that their literacy and numeracy skills are developed

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Achievement of pupils

systematically and applied regularly. Parents’ and carers’ responses to the questionnaires show that they feel that children make good progress. Inspectors judge that progress is satisfactory as the quality of learning is not yet consistently good enough to ensure good progress overall.

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Quality of teaching

Inspection evidence indicates that teaching overall is satisfactory. Evidence from pupils’ questionnaires and discussions with pupils indicate that most regard teaching as good. Parents and carers are equally positive about the quality of teaching. Inspectors found evidence of good teaching, but this was not consistent in all classes. Relationships are good and contribute well to pupils’ behaviour and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Teachers encourage pupils to respect each other’s ideas and opinions. This was very evident in an effective Year 5 English lesson on car advertisements when pupils were asked to consider the moral and social ethics of fuel economy. Teachers’ questioning skills are often good and used well to deepen pupils’ understanding. In the best lessons, teachers enthuse and motivate pupils in their learning and pupils of all abilities are set clear expectations. For example, in a Year 6 lesson on guided reading, all groups were given work

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Quality of teaching

throughout the lesson that was sharply matched to their needs, and were captivated by their teacher’s animated style that engaged their attention and secured their commitment to learn. Consequently, they all made good progress. In such lessons, teachers encourage pupils to be self-critical and measure their own achievement against agreed success criteria. However, in some lessons, teachers do not identify precisely enough what they expect pupils of different ability to achieve. For example, the intended learning outcomes in some lessons were the same for all groups of learners, such as ‘write a monologue’. Sometimes, the explanations teachers give are too long and consequently pupils lose concentration. Across the school, teaching assistants are deployed well to support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs; the overall quality of provision for these pupils is satisfactory. As part of the planned curriculum, opportunities for pupils to practise and extend

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Quality of teaching

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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Quality of teaching

their literacy and mathematical skills across different subjects are developing well, but staff do not always ensure that this builds effectively on pupils’ previous work. Pupils’ work is regularly assessed and marked. Although teachers often identify steps for pupils to improve their own work, they do not always ensure that this guidance is followed.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers usefully display examples of high-quality written work to demonstrate the levels pupils can achieve. However, they do not consistently reinforce these expectations in the pupils’ daily work. For example, some of the work in English books lacks the care and precision seen in the best examples. This limits the pupils’ ability to write fluently and accurately on every occasion.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Good relationships promote pupils’ positive attitudes to school. Pupils consistently show their willingness to respond promptly to their teachers in lessons, and work cooperatively with each other. Positive attitudes from pupils are seen throughout the school and are reflected in the good levels of attendance. Pupils are polite and courteous to each other and to adults. Discussions with pupils indicate that all, including those with identified behavioural difficulties, are aware of the school’s strategies for managing and improving behaviour, and think that these are appropriate and carried out fairly by staff. The great majority of pupils are happy to conform to these strategies.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

In replies to their questionnaires, the large majority of parents, carers, pupils and staff were very positive about behaviour over time and safety, commenting on the lack of bullying of all types. Pupils are well aware of different forms of bullying. Although a very small minority of pupils, parents and carers commented that behaviour is not always good, inspection evidence confirmed that any inappropriate behaviour and all types of bullying, mainly very occasional name-calling, are addressed quickly and effectively by the school. The school’s records show minimal recorded incidents of bullying or racist or homophobic behaviour, reflecting the effectiveness of specific personal, social and health education programmes. Pupils have a good understanding of the risks they face and how to keep safe. The curriculum provides useful opportunities for pupils to learn about personal safety, including issues related to drugs and alcohol awareness and road safety. Older pupils

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

in particular have a good understanding of internet safety.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, has led a concerted and successful team effort to tackle the school’s weaknesses. Staffing has been stabilised; new roles and responsibilities have been defined; underachievement is being rigorously addressed; and there are clear systems for managing the school. Staff are increasingly well motivated and ambitious for the school. The school 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

introduced effective new tracking systems to measure pupils’ progress. The headteacher has helped the relatively new senior leaders and middle managers to play a greater role in monitoring and evaluating teaching, and recognises the need for further training so that it has an even greater impact on ensuring all teachers act swiftly on the outcomes of monitoring activities. Subject improvement plans detail strategies but do not consistently have clearly defined success criteria to identify the expected impact on learning. Nevertheless, a secure awareness of strengths and weaknesses and the pace of improvement over recent years, together with an extensive programme of professional development of staff, show that the school has the capacity to sustain further improvements. There is no significant difference between the achievement of various groups in the school, and school leaders and staff satisfactorily promote equality and tackle discrimination.

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Leadership and management

The curriculum is satisfactory. It promotes pupils’ personal development, health and safety well. It is enriched by a good range of visits, visitors and clubs. The curriculum is successful at promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. This is reflected, for example, in pupils’ willingness to ‘have a go’ at new things, and in the way that pupils are sensitive to others’ needs. Members of the governing body are keen, enthusiastic and show high levels of commitment to the school. They provide a satisfactory level of challenge and have supported the school conscientiously during the high levels of staff turnover over the past 18 months. School leaders and managers ensure that the school’s procedures for safeguarding are robust and meet all statutory 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 54 42 2 2 Primary schools 14 49 32 6 Secondary schools 20 39 34 7 Special schools 33 45 20 3 Pupil referral units 9 55 28 8 All schools 16 47 31 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 to 31 December 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

Floor standards the national minimum expectation of attainment and progression measures.

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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 Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

Thank you for making us so welcome when we visited your school recently. We enjoyed meeting and talking to you. Thank you to those of you who completed the questionnaire for us. We found your responses very helpful. You go to a satisfactory school where adults work hard to prepare you for the future. The progress you make in lessons is satisfactory. Here are some of the things we found.

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Inspection of Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

 You reach average standards in English and mathematics by time you leave school.  You behave well, enjoy school and get on well with each other.  Your teachers take care of you and teach you how to stay safe from harm.  You are enthusiastic about all the different activities provided for you, including visits out of school and extra clubs out of school hours.  You learn best when you know exactly what you are expected to learn and are kept fully involved throughout the lesson.

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Inspection of Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

To help your school to improve further, we have asked your headteacher, staff and the governing body to make the teaching and learning even better by:

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Inspection of Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

 Making sure that you always know exactly what you are aiming for in all of your lessons and setting high expectations as to how you present your work.  Making full use of marking and feedback to involve you in improving your own work and helping you quickly reach the next step in your learning. You can help here by making sure you always follow your teachers’ guidance on how you can improve.  Making sure you are always actively and enthusiastically engaged in the lesson.  Keeping a close check on how well the school is doing so that it can improve quickly.

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Inspection of Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

Thank you to so many of you for coming to school every day and arriving on time. Keep this up as it is very important and will help you to be successful in the future. We send you our very best wishes.

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Inspection of Marchwood Junior School, Southampton SO40 4ZH

Sonja Joseph 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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