Wallisdean Junior School

Wallisdean Junior School Wallisdean Avenue, Fareham, Hants, PO14 1HU

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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 Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The strong and determined leadership of the headteacher, with the support of staff and the governing body, has led to the school improving well since the last inspection.  Pupils’ achievement is good, including that of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is rising.  Pupils with a hearing impairment are exceptionally well included in all activities, with most reaching average attainment levels and often exceeding them.  Teaching is at least good and occasionally outstanding. Consistency in practice ensures all pupils benefit from demanding activities that help them to do well.  Teachers’ high-quality marking and assessment and their constant reference to pupils’ personal targets ensure that pupils are very clear about their progress and what they need to do to improve.  Pupils’ behaviour and safety awareness are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outstanding. The school is a very happy and harmonious place.. Pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning has a big impact on their progress.  Staff and members of the governing body monitor the quality of teaching andprogress effectively. As a result, they are fully aware of how well the school is doing and where it still needs to improve.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils are not given enough opportunity to use their mathematics skills in a range of subjects. They cannot easily explain the methods they use.  Not all lessons maintain a brisk enough pace, especially when pupils are working on their individual tasks.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons of which seven were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspectors made a number of other short visits to lessons and heard a sample of pupils read.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff, including senior managers and subject leaders.  Inspectors took account of the seven responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the views of a small number of parents and carers they spoke to during the inspection. They also evaluated the responses from the school’s own surveys of pupils, their parents and carers, and staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s records on current pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to planning, monitoring and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Diane Wilkinson, Lead inspector Additional inspector Gary Kirkley Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Wallisdean is a smaller than average-sized junior school of seven classes. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are taught in three mixed-age classes.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is below average. The proportion supported by school action plus or by a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school manages The Ark, a unit for hearing impaired pupils.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups or who speak English as an additional language are well below average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding (the pupil premium) is above average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Provide more opportunities for pupils to solve mathematical problems in real-life situations in a wide range of subjects, and ensure they can explain how they worked out their answer.  Make sure there is more outstanding teaching by July 2013; by increasing the pace of learning and the impact independent learning activities have on developing pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment on entry has risen recently, but for current older pupils, was below average. Pupils achieve well in all classes. By Year 6, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is average and rising. Parents and carers acknowledge that their children are well-prepared for secondary school.  All pupils make at least two levels of progress by Year 6, more than seen in most schools, including those from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language. More pupils than seen nationally attain the expected Level 4 in national tests. An increasing proportion exceeds this, with attainment well on course to rise further.  Pupils who might be at risk of underachieving, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, achieve well, as do those in receipt of the pupil premium funding which is allocated well to support them.  The specific needs of pupils who have a hearing impairment are met especially well so their

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The achievement of pupils is good

academic achievement is good. These pupils enjoy their full integration into the main school classes and all learn well together. Most reach average attainment levels and increasingly exceed them, which prepares them especially well for the future.  Strong promotion of reading skills, including extra support for phonics (linking letters and sounds) for pupils who need this and good reading resources, means pupils read fluently and often. In younger year groups, the proportion of pupils exceeding the levels expected for their age is rising rapidly.  The presentation of pupils’ written work is of a consistently high standard. They focus on writing effectively in different formats such as poetry or letters. Good use of interesting vocabulary and differing sentence-order enlivens their work. This was evident, for example, in retelling a traditional story in a different setting, such as ‘Goldilocks and the Three Polar Bears’.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 By Year 6, virtually all pupils have a good understanding of the place value of numbers and can calculate well. They record their work accurately and neatly including when working with measures and data. They are less confident at applying their skills in solving mathematical problems. This is partly because they have too few opportunities to do so in real-life situations, including in other subjects, and they cannot easily explain the method used.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved since the last inspection. Inadequate teaching has been eradicated and across the school it is at least good and occasionally outstanding. Pupils and their parents and carers are appreciative of how well teaching supports learning.  The consistency of approach seen in all classes benefits pupils well, especially when moving year groups.  The recently revised government Teachers Standards are usually fully met: reading, writing and mathematics skills are well-taught.  Well-planned and organised lessons provide a range of demanding activities for pupils working at different ability levels, meeting the needs of pupils in the mixed-age classes as thoroughly as in others. During lessons teachers and learning support assistants are exceptionally good at checking how well pupils are doing so they can correct errors or provide extra support.  Assessment and target setting are of the highest quality. Marking helps pupils to recognise what

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The quality of teaching is good

they do well and how to improve. Throughout lessons pupils are reminded about their personal learning targets and have to identify what they need to do in each activity in order to achieve them.  Excellent behaviour management ensures lessons are rarely interrupted by unacceptable behaviour so pupils remained focused, especially in whole class or group activities when working with an adult.  In a few lessons, strict time limits to achieve a rigorous pace are not set. Although pupils maintain very high levels of behaviour, this leads to a more leisurely rate of progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Excellent behaviour is seen in lessons, around the school and on the playground.  Pupils form very positive relationships with adults and each other so that group work in lessons and behaviour at playtimes are very positive.  Pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying and report that it is very rare and always dealt with well by staff. They know adults look after them especially well and feel very safe and happy in school, consequently developing excellent attitudes to learning. Parents and carers are confident that their children are safe in school.  Pupils have an excellent awareness of how to keep safe, including when using the internet, and are very good at looking out for others. They are uniformly polite and helpful, a strength which is commented on by parents, carers and adults who pupils meet during their off-site visits.  All pupils’ behaviour and safety are promoted exceptionally well, including through the nurture

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

group, partly funded through the pupil premium, which has significant success in improving the behaviour of pupils with behavioural, social and emotional needs. This helps ensure that these pupils are rarely excluded from activities and achieve well, a strength which is praised by parents and carers.  Rigorous monitoring of behaviour and pupils’ excellent attitudes to learning have resulted in attendance levels rising well to above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has led the school very skilfully to improve in all areas since its last inspection. She has the total confidence of staff and members of the governing body who she has to support to increase their expertise in helping to drive forward improvement.  Leadership and management are good at all levels. There is a strong awareness of what still needs to be done and an excellent commitment to improve further, ensuring the school is well placed to do so.  Very strong monitoring and self-evaluation procedures keep a regular and comprehensive check on the school’s work and its impact on pupils’ achievement and behaviour. This ensures weaknesses are quickly identified and addressed.  Targets set for teachers’ performance are well-focused on supporting pupils’ progress and in increasing staff expertise. These are monitored effectively, with good training opportunities provided to enhance professional development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subjects link together in a way that engages pupils’ interest and ensures they develop important literacy and numeracy skills well. There is a good range of activities for pupils to use their literacy skills in a wide range of situations, but fewer for applying their numeracy skills in solving mathematical problems. Special programmes, partly funded by the pupil premium, help those at risk of falling behind to close the gap with other pupils well.  The support provided for hearing impaired pupils is outstanding and they are fully included in all school activities. High priority given to developing reading skills ensures they take full advantage of written communication, including reading subtitles when watching television. Other pupils are encouraged to learn British Sign Language as observed in The Signing Choir, which significantly supports and fosters good relationships between all pupils, and ensures that all pupils have an

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The leadership and management are good

equal chance to succeed and that there is no discrimination.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted especially well and their respect for and courtesy towards others prepares them well for life in a democratic and diverse society.  The school fully complies with government requirements for safeguarding including in the vetting of staff, child protection arrangements and health and safety audits.  Staff work closely with parents and carers to help support their children’s education and praise the way in which the school responds to their concerns. They are consulted well as to how they can support children at home.  The local authority has provided good challenge and support since the last inspection, helping set up courses to increase staff expertise and raise the quality of teaching. It is rightly confident that the school requires reduced support in the future.  The governance of the school:

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The leadership and management are good

 Members of the governing body fulfil their statutory duties well. Training, for example, in evaluating data, has helped them to hold the school to account well for teaching quality and pupils’ achievement and helps them to understand how the school’s performance compares with other schools both locally and nationally. Governors keep a careful check on how well pupil premium funding, allocated to provide resources and small-group support for pupils’ achievement or behaviour, is improving these aspects. Their strong commitment to value for money is evident in the way they carefully check staff performance in relation to raising achievement when agreeing salary increases. They share other leaders’ and managers’ strong determination to address remaining areas for development.

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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 115889 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 405609

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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 Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 172 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joy Preston Headteacher Natasha Farrell Date of previous school inspection 19 July 2011 Telephone number 01329 232571 Fax number 01329 231822 Email address adminoffice@wallisdean-jnr.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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