Bursledon Junior School(CA)

School report Bursledon Junior School Long Lane , Southampton, SO31 8BZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Bursledon is a good school that has improved since its previous inspection.  Most pupils make good progress from their slightly below average starting points and achieve well, and especially in their reading and mathematical understanding.  The experienced executive headteacher, ably supported by the head of school, sets a clear direction for the school’s work and all staff are committed to even further improvement.  School leaders and the governing body have been successful in their efforts to improve the quality of teaching, now good. This has been instrumental in improving pupils’ achievement over time.  Pupils’ behaviour over time, both in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils are courteous and have positive attitudes to learning.  Pupils feel safe in school as the quality of safeguarding is good.  Those parents, who indicated their views on the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), were

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

almost unanimously positive about pupils’ progress, the standard of teaching, pupils’ good behaviour and the positive leadership of the school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Although there is some outstanding teaching, this is not consistently the case across the school. Occasionally some lessons require improvement.  Assessment is not always used effectively to identify those pupils who need extra help with their literacy work.  Pupils’ achievement in writing has improved, but pupils, particularly boys, do not always have exciting and stimulating reasons for writing. Some pupils, who receive the pupil premium, do not always attend regularly enough to take advantage of good teaching.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. They visited 16 lessons. Two of the observations were made jointly with senior leaders.  The inspection team held meetings with governors, staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspection team observed the work of the school and studied a range of documents including: the school improvement plan, recent local authority reviews, details of the work of the federation, safeguarding information, assessment records, attendance information and the details of the monitoring of teaching and learning.  The inspection team took into account the views of 22 parents who completed the on-line questionnaire (Parent View). They also scrutinised the responses of 23 staff who completed the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Gavin Jones, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jennifer Cutler Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Bursledon is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well-below what is typical nationally, as most pupils are from White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by school action is above average, while the percentage of pupils supported by school action plus or with a statement of their educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils in receipt of the pupil premium is above average.  The school was federated with its adjacent infant school in 2009, with the current executive headteacher being appointed in 2010.  The school meets the current floor standards, which are the government’s minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 By July 2013, to ensure that there is an increased proportion of outstanding teaching and no lessons that require improvement, in order to accelerate pupils’ progress further by:  ensuring that the monitoring of teaching is carried out by a wider range of middle leaders and identifies clear agreed actions for improvement  giving teachers opportunities to observe outstanding practice and where appropriate, work with a mentor or coach  through staff meetings and mentoring ensure that teachers understand the qualities of best practice in the teaching of writing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the progress pupils make in writing, to match the better progress found in reading and mathematics by:  completing, as soon as possible, the school’s proposed plans for developing writing in the same successful way as that for reading  reviewing topic themes and the resources used in literacy lessons to ensure they interest and excite boys enabling them to make faster progress in writing  making even better use of pupil progress meetings to highlight more clearly where and why some pupils are not making sufficient progress in their writing at a class and individual level  ensuring the small proportion of pupils whose attendance is low, attend more regularly so that they might make quicker progress in literacy lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Standards achieved at the time of the most recent Year 6 national tests, for mathematics and reading, were judged by teacher assessments and confirmed by the inspection, as above average. Pupils across the range of abilities and across the different year groups generally make good progress and achieve well, as a result of improved teaching and learning.  In a particular lesson in Year 5 English lesson, where all pupils were engaged by the subject matter, they were writing their own personal accounts, discussing ideas with friends and each group of pupils were using their writing targets ensuring that the lesson was pitched correctly for all pupils.  Both reading and mathematics have been the focus of a good deal of additional support and special initiatives, in order to ensure better progress. As a result of this, for example, about a quarter of pupils achieved at the higher level 5, with a small number of pupils reaching level 6 in

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics. The school has plans to implement the same rigorous approach to aid improvement in writing.  A very small proportion of boys, in particular, find aspects of writing somewhat uninteresting and as a result their attitudes and overall engagement is less positive, with some slower progress being made in comparison to girls.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress and some make accelerated progress especially the pupils in years 5 and 6 and reach the expected levels for all pupils nationally in reading and mathematics, in particular.  An effective nurture group ensures that the needs of pupils with social and emotional needs are well met and as a result, these pupils grow in confidence and self-esteem to ensure their learning is maintained to a good level. Other pupils, whose circumstances make them vulnerable, have their needs met effectively because their progress too is carefully tracked.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils, who have a particular gift or talent, are identified at an early stage and provided for through a range of initiatives, some linked to the local secondary school. As a result, their progress is often accelerated further.  The achievement of most pupils, known to be eligible for extra funding, known as the pupil premium, is good overall. However a very small minority of these pupils do not attend regularly enough and as a result their progress slows.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good. This judgement is supported by the views of parents and carers, the school’s monitoring and inspection evidence. Occasionally there are instances of outstanding teaching, but there are also lessons which require improvement.  Teachers have good relationships with their pupils and as a result lessons are typified by good behaviour and opportunities for discussion on a range of issues which support their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Pupils generally make good progress because teachers and support staff know them well and are able to match tasks well to their abilities.  Teaching assistants are well-deployed, well-trained and make a valuable impact on learning, whether with individual pupils or small groups. The small numbers of pupils, who are supported at school action plus level or through statements of their educational needs, are identified at an

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The quality of teaching is good

early stage and good intervention programmes are put into place, resulting in them making good progress.  In the few lessons that require improvement, no single feature for improvement was noted as common to all. In an English lesson, pupils did not have enough time to write as time in the lesson was not well-used. In another, the teacher’s questions did not always check on the learning of different groups of pupils, focusing rather too much on pupils who put their hands up.  An outstanding lesson in English for the oldest pupils in the school, on the other hand, ensured that pupils were fully engaged throughout. Their work had been carefully marked to ensure they knew how to improve. Pace and challenge were both high and pupils knew how to judge the quality of their own work.  The assessments that teachers make about their pupils are usually accurate and several successful strategies are used to help pupils themselves to assess their own standards and plot

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The quality of teaching is good

their own progress. However, on occasions teachers do not always make best use of information from pupil progress meetings to plan exciting writing activities.  In guided reading lessons, pupils are keen to show their book marks which act as their guides to the progress they are making. Activities are varied and interesting and because they often change each day, pupils are able to maintain interest and make good progress.  Targets are often displayed on classroom walls and sometimes in books, but not all pupils were able to refer quickly to their personal targets to remind them of what areas they are working on.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

 The vast majority of pupils behave well both in lessons and around the school over time. Where lessons are outstanding or show strong aspects of good teaching, pupils’ behaviour is often exemplary. This has a very positive effect on the progress they make in those lessons.  Pupils show good attitudes to work. They work well both in groups and independently and try hard to complete the tasks they are set.  Most parents agree that behaviour is typically good. A group of pupils discussed behaviour with an inspector and confirmed that this was normally the case and older pupils confirmed that it had improved considerably over the past three years.  Although pupils generally like attending, a small number of pupils, whose circumstances make them vulnerable, do not always attend regularly, despite various initiatives to encourage better attendance. This hinders their progress.  Pupils have a good understanding of keeping safe and are articulate about the need for safety

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The behaviour and safety of pupils is good

when using the internet. The school has two pupil road safety officers who take their role very seriously in encouraging others to keep safe. Pupils say they know who to turn to if they need help. They report that bullying in any form is minimal and is more often boisterous behaviour.  Pupils recognise and are justifiably proud of the improvement made in their school over the recent past. In discussion a Year 6 pupil said of the work they were given, ‘being challenged is the whole point of school’. Typical of the mature attitudes of many of the oldest pupils.

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The leadership and management is good

 The headteacher and head of school provide strong leadership for the well-motivated staff team who demonstrate a shared sense of commitment to continuing to improve provision. The high expectations of the senior leaders are a major factor in the improvements that have taken place over the last three years. Their capacity for further improvement is strong.  Priorities for development arise from the school’s good quality self-evaluation. This is supported well by action plans devised by middle leaders. The effectiveness of these leaders has improved since the previous inspection, although not all monitor and influence improvements in teaching to the same degree. Staff, with responsibilities for English and mathematics, are closely involved in checking standards in their areas, although other subject leaders in other areas are not yet sufficiently involved in this process.  The monitoring of teaching and learning takes place regularly and is focusing increasingly on

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The leadership and management is good

how pupils learn rather than how teachers teach. Performance management activities are in place which has contributed to improved teaching. On occasions however, not all teachers have the opportunity to observe each other in order to see best practice and whilst the teaching of both reading and mathematics has been the subject of much professional development, the same is not the case for the teaching of writing.  Robust and embedded tracking systems ensure that accurate assessments are used effectively to monitor pupils’ progress, point to where additional support may be required and help teachers to provide for the wide range of abilities in their classes. As a result, all groups of pupils make similar good progress.  The very recently revised curriculum, successfully links subjects together and provides interesting and memorable experiences for pupils. It is beginning to have a positive effect on

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The leadership and management is good

creating more opportunities for pupils to use their basic literacy and mathematical skills along with other skills within other topics.  The allocation and use of the pupil premium funding has been used innovatively and wisely in a wide variety of ways to raise attainment and the social and emotional well-being of those pupils targeted for support.  Safeguarding procedures are secure. For example, checks on staff appointments are regularly updated and covers all adults who come and spend time in the school.  Parents and carers are involved in many aspects of school life and the small number of them (21) who have accessed the on-line questionnaire, show that they are very supportive and appreciative of the work of the school. The 23 members of staff who completed the staff questionnaire were equally positive.  The local authority continues to provide regular, good quality and valuable advice and support

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The leadership and management is good

for the school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a good strategic grasp of what the school does well and what is still to be improved and is increasingly able to hold the school to account and has held firm in its commitment to improvement over the period of change to a Federation.  It plays a growing active role in the school’s self-evaluation, monitoring and improvement planning activities.  There is an after-school club, but this is not managed by the governing body.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 116027 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 405616

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Junior School category maintained Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 200 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Hilary Bax Executive Headteacher Alec Smith Date of previous school inspection 15–16 September 2010 Telephone number 02380402738 Fax number 02380407545 Email address headteacher@bursledon-jun.hants.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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

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School details

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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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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