Winterton Junior School

Winterton Junior School West Street, Winterton, Scunthorpe Lincolnshire, DN15 9QG

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching of writing and mathematics in Years 3-5 is too variable in quality and sometimes insufficiently demanding. As a results, pupils, especially the more-able, do not do as well as they should in these subjects.  Opportunities are missed in Years 3-5 to show pupils how to meet their targets and improve their own work. Also marking does not, in some classes, give clear guidance on the next step of learning.  Throughout the school, pupils do not often enough write at length or develop their writing skills in subjects other than English. Pupils are too rarely required to use and apply their mathematical skills, for example, to solve problems.  Leaders do not always give teachers clear enough guidance on how they should improve particular aspects of their teaching.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils, especially older pupils, enjoy school, feel safe in school, attend regularly and enjoy taking responsibility.  The governing body, working with the effective guidance of the local authority, has done much to reduce the effect of disruptions to leadership and management. Extensive and effective local authority support has helped leaders improve some aspects of teaching.  The teaching of reading has improved and is good throughout the school. As a result, rates of progress and attainment in reading are improving well.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed all eight full-time teachers for full lessons including a joint observation with the headteacher. In addition, inspectors made a number of short visits to lessons to see particular aspects such as the teaching of reading or pupils being taught in small groups. A range of other school activities including playtimes, lunchtimes and an assembly were observed.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ past and current work and heard pupils reading.  Meetings were held with school leaders and other staff, members of the governing body and with a representative of the local authority.  Documents, including school records of pupils’ progress, school development planning and self- evaluation reports, safeguarding documents and policies and records relating to behaviour, safety and attendance were inspected. A range of information on the performance of the school in comparison with other schools nationally was also analysed.

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Information about this inspection

 The views of 9 parents who completed the on-line Parent View questionnaire were noted. Discussions were held with 7 parents at the beginning of the second day of the inspection. The results of a recent school survey of parents’ views were also taken into account.  Inspectors received the views of staff through discussions and also through analysing 19 responses to the inspection questionnaire. They received the views of pupils through both informal and pre-arranged discussions.

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Inspection team

Roger Sadler, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Edward Price Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average size primary school for pupils aged 7-11 with almost all of its pupils from a White British background.  An average proportion of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is additional funding applied to the school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is average but a higher than average proportion of pupils are supported through school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs.  There have been considerable disruptions to leadership and management caused by long term illness or resignations.  The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching of writing and mathematics, especially in Years 3-5 by:  checking learning regularly throughout lessons and showing pupils how to avoid mistakes or correct the errors they make  ensuring that marking is fully effective in all classes and that pupils are expected to follow up marking and improve their work in the light of teachers’ comments  helping pupils be fully aware of their learning targets  ensuring that teaching is sufficiently demanding to meet the learning needs of all pupils  ensuring that leaders, after they observe teachers at work, consistently provide clear guidance on how to improve the weaker aspects of their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment and pupils’ progress in writing, especially in Years 3-5 by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length  planning to ensure pupils develop their writing skills in subjects other than English.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attainment and pupils’ progress in mathematics, especially in Years 3-5 by:  ensuring that work is consistently hard enough for more-able pupils  increasing opportunities for independent work, including investigations and problem solving.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils enter the school with attainment that is broadly average. Most pupils reached the nationally expected standard in their reading and writing tests last year but attainment was below average in mathematics. Pupils’ work and school records indicate that most pupils in 2012 made the progress expected of them overall, but rates of progress are inconsistent in different classes.  Pupils do best in Year 6 where teaching is good, but make less progress in Years 3 to 5 in their writing and mathematics. The slowest progress is made by more-able pupils in these year groups, especially in mathematics, because the work they are given is sometimes too easy for them.  Progress in reading is better than in writing and mathematics because reading is taught well in all classes. Daily guided reading, often in small groups, and the buddy reading system help pupils to enjoy reading and make good progress.  Although attainment in English is now rising, pupils’ progress in writing is slowed because

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

opportunities are missed to develop writing in subjects other than in English and also because they gain insufficient practice in writing at length. Progress in mathematics is slowed because pupils do not undertake work independently enough, especially on solving problems or carrying out investigations.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do as well as other pupils in their class. Thus when the quality of teaching is good in their class, they progress well, but this is not the case in all classes in Years 3 to 5 where teaching requires improvement.  The achievement of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is in line with that of others in their class. The school has introduced additional support for these pupils by increasing their support in lessons and by providing additional extra support in small groups. The school has yet to measure the impact of this work on their progress or the extent to which the gap is narrowing between

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

their attainment and that of others in the class. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are well organised and meet latest requirements.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is inconsistent and there is not enough good teaching in Years 3 to 5, especially in mathematics. In these year groups, sometimes, teachers do not take enough account of pupils’ starting points and occasionally more-able pupils are given work that they can already do.  Although the school has established a new system to provide pupils with targets, this work has not yet had the desired effect. Too few pupils know or understand their targets and many are vague on where to focus their efforts to improve. This is because the targets are not specific enough or are expressed in words that pupils find difficult to understand.  In lessons, teachers often use questioning well and useful opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss their answers and other ideas with one another. This has a positive effect on developing both their understanding and their speaking and listening skills.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Sometimes in lessons, teachers do not check work regularly to find where pupils are struggling. This means that chances are missed throughout lessons to give pupils clear guidance on exactly where and how to overcome any difficulties that could come to light. Ends of lessons in particular are not sufficiently focused on showing pupils how to address a particular problem that has emerged.  Reading is given high priority. The well organised reading programme, including daily guided reading sessions, helps pupils to enjoy reading and make good progress. Teaching assistants, especially when working in small groups with pupils who find reading hard, help pupils to make good progress in reading. The recent Roald Dahl day and World Book day at school helped to encourage pupils to enjoy books and reading.  Teaching in Year 6 is consistently very good and pupils make much better progress in this year than in other year groups. Teachers’ expectation for all pupils to do their very best work is

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

demanding and pupils rise well to the challenge of undertaking tasks they find quite difficult.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 In some classes in Years 3 and 4, when teachers expect too little, there are minor behaviour problems and poor attitudes to learning and some pupils do not listen carefully enough to the teacher.  Pupils express some concerns about bullying but mostly feel safe in school and say that if any incidents of bullying arise these are dealt with effectively. They show a sound understanding of different kinds of bullying and are able to think about how bullying can best be avoided. The school has worked effectively to eradicate poor behaviour over the last year or more so that behaviour has improved. Since this September there have been no exclusions. Few parents raised concerns over behaviour in school.  Behaviour around school is mostly co-operative and pupils interact well with one another. Pupils in Year 6 behave maturely and readily accept responsibility. They concentrate well in lessons and are keen to get on with their learning due to consistently high expectations and good quality

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

teaching.  Pupils are taught to act safely and show regard for the safety of others. Internet safety is effectively addressed and pupils know how to keep safe on the Internet.  Children’s enjoyment of school is reflected in a long track record of above average attendance which is being maintained this year. Year 6 pupils very much enjoyed and benefited from the visit to Eden Camp on the first day of the inspection.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have not made sure that there is enough good or better teaching in years 3-5. There is a sound programme to observe teaching and leaders know how well each teacher is doing. Staff training is also concentrating on aspects needing improvement, such as how pupils’ work should be marked or how assessment should be used to help pupils learn. Inconsistencies remain however, because feedback after observations is sometimes insufficiently clear or demanding and so has too little effect on addressing the weaknesses that are identified.  Staffing difficulties have led to some problems in school leadership. These disruptions have been reduced by the effective work of the governing body, working in close partnership with the local authority. Leadership has been more settled over the last year and governors have a good plan to deal with future changes. More settled leadership has resulted in some useful improvements.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Subject leaders have been trained well to take on their roles and are beginning to have an impact on raising attainment in their subjects.  The school has introduced a better way of assessing and tracking the progress of each pupil. Assessment results are carefully analysed by senior leaders and the headteacher holds half- termly meetings with each class teacher to consider how those at risk of not doing their best can do better. These meetings are beginning to have an effect on pupils’ learning throughout the school, especially the progress of those who find learning difficult. However, there is more to be done to ensure that all teachers, especially some teachers in years 3-5, fully accept their responsibility for ensuring that attainment by the end of Year 6 improves. Too much is still left until Year 6.  The school’s development plan concentrates on the aspects most in need of improvement. However, some of the targets in the plan are insufficiently demanding.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Some aspects of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are promoted well and quite strong. For example, pupils show a very clear idea of what is right and wrong inside and outside school. However, their cultural development is the weakest element and their understanding and experience of the wide range of different cultures and beliefs in modern Britain requires improvement.  Most parents regard the school highly and their satisfaction with the school has grown over the last two years.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils are well organised and meet latest requirements.  Because leaders have an accurate understanding of how well the school is doing and an accurate view of the quality of teaching and because some important improvements, such as rising standards of reading, are evident, leaders have shown that they are capable of continuing to make improvements.  The school gives appropriate attention to equality of opportunities and discrimination is not

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The leadership and management requires improvement

tolerated, but leaders are aware that there is more to be done to ensure that all pupils achieve equally well.  The governance of the school:  The governing body knows what is working well in the school and what is less effective. It has played an important part in minimising disruption caused by staffing difficulties and has worked well with the local authority to keep the school on an even keel. Governor training is comprehensive and the governing body has a very clear view of its own strengths and weaknesses. Its work is closely focused on improving the progress that pupils make and provides high quality challenge and support for senior leaders to help and ensure that they do their jobs well. Governors are skilful at using data to compare the performance of the school with others and make a strong contribution to the school’s ability to continue to improve in the future.

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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 117787 Local authority North Lincolnshire Inspection number 405721

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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 Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 193 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Catherine Kemp Headteacher Catherine Logan Date of previous school inspection 9 February 2011 Telephone number 01724 732223 Fax number 01724 735397 Email address head.wintertonjuniors@northlincs.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

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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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