Millbrook Junior School

Millbrook Junior School Churchill Way, , Kettering, NN15 5DP

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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.  The school is much improved since the last inspection because of the determined leadership of the headteacher and the support of an effective governing body.  Because teaching is mostly good and at times outstanding, pupils achieve well and attainment in English and mathematics is above average at the end of Year 6. This prepares them well for secondary school.  The school accurately measures how well it is doing and what needs to be done next.  Skilled teaching assistants provide good support for any pupils who need additional help.  Pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes to learning contribute to the strong sense of community in the school. Pupils feel very safe and display a high level of respect for the feelings and well-being of others.  Pupils’ learning benefits from a wide range of experiences and activities that strongly promote their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 In a few lessons pupils have work that is too easy.  Occasionally teachers’ explanations are too long when higher ability pupils, in particular, could be getting on.  Sometimes, teachers are too quick to move the lesson on without questioning them carefully enough to ensure all pupils fully understand.  Several staff are new to leadership roles and are not yet experienced enough to make a strong impact on improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 28 lessons, four of which were joint observations with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. They also observed two school assemblies and made a number of other short visits to classrooms.  The inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other staff and pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, and some parents and carers at the start of the school day.  A telephone conversation was held with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors heard groups of pupils of different ages reading.  The inspectors took account of 39 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View).  They looked at the school’s policies, teachers' plans, school improvement planning and records on behaviour and safety, together with samples of pupils’ work. They also looked at tracking documentation on individual pupils’ progress, performance management documentation and

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Information about this inspection

minutes from meetings held by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Kenneth Thomas, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Joseph Peacock Additional Inspector Fatiha Maitland Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Millbrook Junior School is much larger than similar schools.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for extra funding, known as the ‘pupil premium’, is below average.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action is above average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is below average.  Incorporated within the school is a small unit, known as the Designated Special Provision, which caters for eight pupils with autism. These pupils are integrated into mainstream classes for most of the school day .  A very large proportion of pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below average. Very few have English as an additional language.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching so that pupils make consistently good and excellent progress by:  making sure that teachers make full use of assessment information in the planning of lessons so that work is suitably challenging for pupils of all abilities  providing more opportunities for higher ability pupils to engage in more challenging independent work  ensuring that teachers’ introductions and explanations of learning to the whole class are not too long  making sure that teachers constantly check, through questioning, pupils’ understanding and learning as lessons proceed.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen the effectiveness of staff with leadership roles by making sure they have the skills necessary to identify weaknesses in their areas of responsibility and can identify the actions that will lead to improvement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 There has been a rising trend in attainment over the last three years. Both boys and girls now reach above-average levels in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. This represents good achievement when pupils’ starting points are taken into account.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Evidence from pupils’ books, lesson observations and the school’s assessment information indicate that the improved rate of progress is set to continue as teaching is often good or better.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ good progress in English and mathematics is supported well through the extensive use of the library and the many opportunities they have to apply their basic skills in other subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In virtually all classes, pupils have positive attitudes to learning and work together very well to complete tasks. They are enthusiastic and interested learners and are keen to answer questions and contribute to class discussions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The close tracking of pupils’ progress ensures that gaps in learning are identified and addressed quickly. This reflects the school’s good promotion of equality of opportunity and freedom from discrimination.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The progress of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium is good because of the additional specialist support the school has provided to meet their needs and the careful way staff check that the extra help is making a difference

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school makes good use of teaching assistants to ensure that disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. The targets set for these pupils are particularly effective because they are well matched to their individual needs.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Well-organised, specialist, small group and individual support for pupils with autism ensures they, too, make good progress. If some pupils make slow progress despite the extra help, the school quickly changes its approach to help them understand what they have to do better.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve equally well whatever their ethnic heritage, and the few pupils who speak English as an additional language make progress similar to that of their peers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection and is now mostly good with an increased proportion that is outstanding, particularly in Years 5 and 6. Teaching in the unit for autistic pupils is consistently good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ good classroom management is based on excellent relationships between staff and pupils and between pupils themselves. This makes a real contribution to pupils’ learning because they listen, share ideas and try their best for their teachers.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers typically make good use of their knowledge of individual pupils to plan lessons that meet the needs of different abilities and ages, and especially for pupils who need extra support. However, in a small number of lessons, the work planned for different ability groups is too similar and does not offer enough variety for those working at higher levels. This restricts opportunities for these pupils to learn for themselves and slows the pace of learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers make good use of paired and small group work for pupils to talk with and learn from each other. This helps to promote their social, as well as their speaking and listening, skills. Occasionally, there is too much teacher-talk with all pupils being given the same explanations when higher attaining pupils are capable of moving on more quickly.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most teachers use questioning well to check pupils’ understanding as lessons proceed. Probing questioning was a feature of outstanding teaching in a Year 6 English lesson, for example, where rapid progress was made in story writing because the teacher was constantly checking and re- shaping pupils’ learning. However, in a few lessons, questions are too closely directed towards drawing out an expected answer and the lesson is moved on without checking that all pupils are keeping up.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Considerable attention has been given to the training of teaching assistants to obtain the maximum benefit for pupils’ learning. They are deployed exceptionally well to ensure that the work given to pupils with special educational needs, those eligible for the pupil premium and others who need extra help, is carefully sequenced so that they make good progress towards their learning targets.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teachers’ marking is good and pupils say that teachers’ comments are useful in helping them to improve their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In this safe and inclusive school, pupils from all backgrounds get on really well with each other. Their good behaviour around school and in lessons is a key factor in their good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Excellent relationships between adults and pupils ensure that pupils cheerfully comply with the requests of their teachers. They understand the need for school rules and follow them willingly. Staff, pupils, parents and carers agree that this is typical of pupils’ behaviour in the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are confident and polite in conversation with staff or visitors. They have very positive views of the school and talk enthusiastically about the many aspects of school life that they enjoy.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ enjoyment of school is demonstrated in their above-average attendance and the punctual and enthusiastic way they arrive at the start of the school day.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep safe and are confident that any issues they raise will be dealt with promptly by the school. They have a firm understanding of different types of bullying, including physical bullying and persistent name calling, and pupils spoken to were unaware of any incidents. They are also confident that should any ever occur, adults would deal with it quickly, fairly and firmly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a very wide range of opportunities to contribute to the school and local communities. They willingly take on responsibility and play a constructive role in the life of the school through, for example, the school and eco councils or as library monitors.  The caring nature of the school has resulted in barriers to learning being overcome for pupils who find some aspects of school life difficult. This is evident in the way in which pupils attending the designated unit are fully integrated into the life of the school. As one pupil said, ‘In this school they go the extra-mile for you’.

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The leadership and management are good

 Clear and decisive action by the headteacher has been the driving force behind the school’s significant improvement since the last inspection.

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The leadership and management are good

 Since taking up his appointment, the headteacher has been focused on improving teaching. Regular checks are carried out to improve teaching further, and systems are in place to make sure teachers are held to account for the progress of pupils in their classes. This indicates the school’s good capacity to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teachers and other staff say that they are well supported through training to achieve their targets. There is a clear understanding that decisions about pay rates will be based on the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 A number of staff have only recently been appointed to leadership roles. While they are all keen to support the drive to improve pupils’ achievements, they do not, as yet, have the necessary skills to accurately identify the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning in lessons.

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The leadership and management are good

 Effective leadership of the designated special unit together with the effective coordination of support for pupils with special educational needs ensures that the work of teaching assistants is regularly checked to make sure that they are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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The leadership and management are good

 The additional income received through the pupil premium is used to employ additional teachers who provide carefully targeted support to the most disadvantaged pupils and to provide extra teaching for underachieving pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Teaching and learning programmes are enhanced by the use of a well-stocked library, a variety of after-school clubs, visits out of school and residential experiences. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is nurtured well through, for example, good opportunities for pupils to undertake activities in music and the arts, and the acceptance of clearly defined boundaries of what is right or wrong.

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The leadership and management are good

 The support given by the local authority has had a positive impact on helping the school make the necessary improvements to teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is very supportive and fully committed to ensuring the school’s future success. Governors have a clear understanding of the link between progress and achievement and how these relate to the quality of teaching. They demonstrate a good understanding of the strengths and areas in which the school needs to improve and know how its results compare with those of other schools. The governing body oversees the management of teachers’ performance effectively and challenges any underperformance should it occur. It manages all its funding conscientiously and seeks assurances that the income received through the pupil premium is spent for the purposes intended. They are provided with accurate information on how effective the use of the extra funding is in narrowing any gaps in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. Governors ensure that training is up-to-date and that

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The leadership and management are good

all statutory duties are met, including those relating to the safeguarding of pupils. All necessary checks are carried out to ensure pupils’ safety.

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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 122109 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 406077

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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 Primary School category Foundation Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 470 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jed Queally Headteacher Marek Krzanicki Date of previous school inspection 18 October 2010 Telephone number 01536 517049 Fax number 01536 417467 Email address bursar@millbrook-jun.northants-ecl.gov.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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