Croftlands Junior School

Croftlands Junior School Oakwood Drive, Ulverston, Cumbria, LA12 9JU

p.1

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher has successfully led the school’s good improvement since the previous inspection. Almost all the pupils now make good progress in their learning.  Pupils experience a wide range of enrichment activities which strengthen their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Art and music are taught particularly well.  Good-quality professional training for staff has ensured that teaching is consistently good in the large majority of lessons, with some now outstanding.  Pupils’ good behaviour ensures that lessons flow fluently with minimal disruption. Pupils appreciate the help and support they get from their teachers and other staff. They feel safe in school and free from all forms of bullying.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress due to effective teaching and the skilful support they receive.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement is good rather than outstanding. While an increasing number of pupils make better than expected progress, the proportion doing so in writing is not yet high enough.  Teaching is not yet outstanding because the teaching of writing and aspects of marking still need further improvement.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 13 lessons. In addition, the inspection team made a number of visits to lessons.  Inspectors met with pupils, one member of the governing body, the school improvement partner and members of the senior and middle management teams.  There were 26 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) to take into account in planning the inspection. Fifteen staff questionnaires were also scrutinised.  The inspection team listened to pupils read, spoke to them about their learning and looked at work in their books. They looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own tracking data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and those documents relating to attendance and safeguarding.

p.2

Inspection team

Robert Pye, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Pauline Piddington Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Croftlands Junior School is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The overwhelming majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school has achieved awards, such as Healthy School status.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in order to raise pupils’ achievement in writing by:  providing more opportunities for pupils to write across the curriculum  ensuring that pupils in all subjects and classes use correct grammar and punctuation whenever they write  ensuring that teachers introduce a wide range of vocabulary that will add greater interest, meaning and fluency to pupils’ writing.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Most pupils start the school in Year 3 with skills that are typical for their age.  Throughout the school, the quality of learning is good. Pupils say they enjoy school and take pride in the work they have produced.  By the end of Year 6 attainment is in line with the national average but improving rapidly, as shown in the school’s own data, inspectors’ lesson observations and the scrutiny of pupils’ work.  Progress is good overall. Reading is a particular strength because the pupils read extensively across all subjects, in addition to their home reading books.  Pupils quickly grasp the basics of mathematical calculation skills, including quick mental recall. Progress in mathematics is exceptional in Years 5 and 6 because pupils apply a wide range of mathematical skills in their work.  Since the previous inspection pupils have learnt to present their work with a neat, fluent handwriting style. Pupils’ progress in writing is improving rapidly and the gap between pupils’

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

attainment in writing and that in reading is narrowing. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to improve their writing skills further by practising them in different subjects or by applying new, more exciting words to their work.  Throughout the school, pupils display good speaking and listening skills. They use these well to work collaboratively with their peers or during individual discussions with the teacher.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs do as well as other pupils because of the good support they are given in lessons.  The school provides effective support through additional staffing resources for those pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium. This ensures that they also make the same good progress as other groups.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Good achievement is the result of consistently good teaching. There are outstanding elements to teaching. This represents considerably stronger teaching than seen at the time of the last inspection.  All lessons include positive features, including the firm and friendly management of pupils’ behaviour and learning that ensures lessons run smoothly. Classrooms are attractive with displays showing quality artwork, as well as displays that celebrate pupils’ achievements and those that offer prompts to guide them.  The best lessons enable pupils to make rapid gains in their understanding. For example, in one outstanding mathematics lesson pupils learned how to change improper fractions to mixed numbers. The lesson built strongly on what the pupils had already learnt. Teachers provided interesting tasks, skilfully adapted for pupils working at different levels, and so pupils of all abilities were challenged to do their best.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and are clear about what they want to teach. They are making the best use of the school’s revised curriculum to make work interesting. This inspires pupils so they are motivated to learn well.  Since the previous inspection teachers have improved how they track how much progress pupils are making. Staff know how well pupils are doing and what they are expected to achieve by the end of each school year. Regular checks on pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics enable any underachievement to be spotted quickly and acted upon swiftly. In a few classes teachers do not always insist that pupils use the correct punctuation and grammar across all subjects, which limits pupils’ progress in writing.  Teachers are skilled in teaching pupils how to improve their reading. However, they are less effective at ensuring pupils enhance their writing by using a wider range of words and

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are confident and outgoing. They report that they enjoy school and its friendly atmosphere. Pupils say behaviour in the past was not good, but comment on how much better behaviour has been during the past year.  Pupils are courteous and helpful. They are proud of their school and take on responsibilities such as school councillors. Their respect for each other was clearly demonstrated in the Years 3 and 4 production of ‘Are We Nearly There Yet?’ During this performance pupils cooperated well with the teacher and supported each other’s efforts when singing and acting.  Pupils have no concerns about bullying and have a good understanding about how to stay safe. The parents who responded to Parent View agree their children are safe and happy in the school.  In lessons pupils are very attentive and respond well. They talk enthusiastically about their work with teachers and the visits in which they have taken part. These include a visit to the local town

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

of Ulverston and the Haverthwaite Railway to discover their local industrial heritage.  Regular personal, social and health education lessons encourage pupils to reflect deeply on a range of themes. For example, in one excellent lesson pupils discussed what being prejudiced meant, whilst exploring what they liked and disliked.  Attendance is average and punctuality is good.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has effectively managed to remove a significant budget deficit which was apparent at the time of the last inspection. She is highly ambitious for the school and has managed to maintain high staff morale, whilst ensuring improvements to pupils’ achievement.  The school’s leaders have put in place clear systems to improve the quality of teaching. The headteacher accurately assesses all teachers’ performance and provides appropriate training to ensure they continue to develop their skills. Likewise, an assistant headteacher closely checks on the performance of teaching assistants, providing tailored training to ensure that they too have a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.  Middle leaders are becoming more effective in their work. For example, they have taken into account pupils’ interests and, when evaluating the quality and relevance of the curriculum, have made positive changes that have enhanced pupils’ range of experiences since the previous

p.5

The leadership and management are good

inspection. The curriculum provides art, music and sports clubs that are well attended.  The school plans well to ensure all pupils have equal opportunities to take part in what it has to offer. The school’s excellent systems to track pupils’ progress are used well to identify and check up on the effectiveness of the support provided for pupils at risk of falling behind in their learning, those identified as disabled or having special educational needs and those pupils eligible for the pupil premium.  All elements for safeguarding pupils’ welfare and safe recruitment are in place.  The local authority provides good support for the school.  Leadership and management are not outstanding, because pupils’ writing is not as good as it could be.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has a clear overview of how the school is performing. It contributes well to the management of the school and challenges the headteacher to account for actions taken

p.5

The leadership and management are good

to improve the quality of teaching through the professional training of staff, and how effectively the pupil premium funding has been spent in order to raise achievement. Governors receive relevant training that helps to improve their skills. Financial management has improved significantly and effective steps have been taken to eliminate the past deficit.

p.5

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

p.6

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.

p.6

School details

Unique reference number 112198 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 405380

p.7

School details

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

p.7

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 176 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Glenn Rhodes Headteacher Cathy Styles Date of previous school inspection 8 February 2011 Telephone number 01229 585211 Fax number 01229 586759 Email address office@croftlands-jun.cumbria.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 .

p.7

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.

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

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’.

p.8

School details

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

p.8