South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School

South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School Moor Lane, Netherton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD4 7HF

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

p.1

This is a good school

 Leaders, managers, staff and governors know their school well and lead it effectively. They know what they need to do to improve and have a clear strategic direction to support them in achieving their aims.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well. By the time they leave school the vast majority of pupils reach at least the expected level of attainment for their age in both English and mathematics.  Teaching and learning across the school are good, some teaching is outstanding. All school staff have high expectations of pupils and ensure that lessons are interesting and exciting.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  Pupils are eager to learn and attend school regularly. They enjoy coming to school and get on very well with staff and with one another.  Pupils work very hard and their behaviour in lessons is outstanding. They are responsible and mature and conduct themselves

p.1

This is a good school

exceptionally well at all times while moving around the school and at play.  The curriculum is well planned and contributes towards pupils’ good achievement.  Parents are very positive about the school and are satisfied that their children are safe and well taught.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching. Pupils do not always have enough time to work on their own so as to learn at a faster pace. On occasions, when teachers spend too much time talking, some pupils do not make the progress that they are capable of.  Governors’ understanding of the impact of pupil-premium funding on those who are eligible for it is limited. Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 2 of 9

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons. They also visited parts of lessons across the school and listened to pupils read from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.  Inspectors took account of the responses of 32 parents who completed the online survey, Parent View, and considered findings from questionnaires and surveys organised by the school.  Two parents contacted the inspection team. A telephone conversation took place between the lead inspector and one parent, a second parent left a message for the attention of the inspection team.  Inspectors analysed 23 questionnaires completed by staff and held meetings with two groups of pupils, including those benefiting from the pupil premium.  Inspectors met with a number of school staff including the headteacher, senior leaders and six governors, including the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body.  A telephone conversation took place between the lead inspector and a representative from the

p.2

Information about this inspection

local authority.  Pupils’ books were examined in lessons and through a detailed scrutiny.  Various documents were scrutinised as part of the inspection. These included the school’s self- evaluation and development plan, curriculum materials, local authority monitoring reports, behaviour logs and records relating to safeguarding, teachers’ performance and their monitoring files.

p.2

Inspection team

Lenford White, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Steve Rigby Additional Inspector Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 3 of 9

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than average-sized junior school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average; a small proportion speaks English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is lower than the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is lower than the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The school has achieved a number of awards including the Artsmark Gold Award and the Eco Bronze Award and has been recognised as a Rights Respecting School.  The school meets current floor standards, which set the government’s minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since the school’s last inspection the school grounds have been developed and now include disabled access. The school has also benefited from new windows and doors and an outside

p.3

Information about this school

classroom area. Classrooms have recently been refurbished.  The school makes use of provision at Castle Hill Specialist College for Communication and Interaction.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all pupils make the progress that they are capable of and achieve to the best of their ability by improving teaching and learning to outstanding by:  giving pupils as many opportunities as possible to work independently and find things out for themselves  ensuring that all lesson planning clearly outlines how the needs of all learners will be met and that pupils spend as much time as possible actively engaged in their learning.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that governors are fully aware of the impact of the pupil premium on those who benefit from it by providing regular information to governors which outlines how funding is spent and indicates what impact this has on raising levels of achievement. Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 4 of 9

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Achievement is not outstanding because standards for pupils in 2012 were not as good as in the previous four consecutive years which were all significantly above the national average in both English and mathematics.  In 2012 pupils made good progress to attain standards just above the national average in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6. However, the school has identified where it needs to make improvements. Due to a well-thought-out programme to accelerate achievement, standards are rapidly improving and the school’s own tracking data show that pupils are on target to exceed national expectations by the end of the academic year.  The school’s tracking system allows it to focus any additional support for groups of pupils where it is most needed. Through assessing pupils on entry to Year 3 the school identified that a substantial number of pupils, mainly boys, required additional support in developing their

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

reading skills. An intensive reading programme was developed. This is skilfully taught and is successfully raising standards for this group of pupils.  Pupils’ work and the school’s records on progress show that the vast majority of pupils are making better than expected progress and are on track to reach challenging targets. The school has been especially successful in ensuring that any differences between boys and girls in their achievement in English and mathematics are quickly identified and addressed.  The school helps all pupils to achieve their best and ensures that, whenever possible, additional support is provided to pupils within the classroom and that pupils never miss out on English or mathematics sessions. The school can point to examples of outstanding achievement where pupils who are disabled and who have special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs, have progressed beyond all expectations.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 As part of its Middle Leaders’ Development Programme the school has provided additional support for pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language in Year 6. This is raising their levels of attainment in writing and mathematics.  The school promotes reading well and has a well resourced library and many avid readers who read on a regular basis and can express their preferences for authors and specific styles of writing.  The school is quick to identify and track any individual or group of pupils that could achieve more, including pupils who are eligible for support through the pupil premium.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is consistently good, with some that is outstanding. This enables pupils to learn well. Teachers make lessons as enjoyable and engaging as possible.  Teachers have very high expectations of pupils and most push them to achieve to a very high standard. In a challenging new area of mathematics pupils in Year 6 made outstanding progress in their learning while working on different algebraic formulas because their teacher provided a wide range of high-quality teaching materials and expected them to do well.  Teachers are very skilled in asking questions which require pupils to think. In a lesson where pupils were plotting a series of events on an historical time-line the teacher asked a pupil to say how well he had understood what he had done in the lesson. Not satisfied with his short response, she probed further in order to get him to think more deeply about his work.  In all lessons there are good relationships between pupils and teachers, and pupils work well

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

with one another and in small groups.  The vast majority of parents agree with inspectors that teaching is good. Pupils enjoy almost all aspects of their learning and enjoy the many enrichment opportunities that are available to them during the afternoons when they study a broad range of subjects including French, history, design and technology, and science. Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 5 of 9

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Good quality marking and regular feedback to pupils ensure that pupils know when they have achieved their targets and what they need to do to improve their learning further. Pupils are skilled at assessing their own work and the work of others and listen to the views of their class- mates in a considered and mature way.  In the vast majority of lessons teachers plan activities which are challenging for all pupils. However, there are shortcomings in some of the planning. Opportunities are not always provided for pupils to work independently, for example, by using the internet to research topics of interest.  Learning support staff are well trained and work very effectively with individual and small groups of pupils in most lessons. However, where there is too much teacher talk in lessons, support staff are not used to best effect and pupils do not make the progress that they are capable of.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Attendance is high, and the school has worked hard to ensure that absence is rarely authorised during term time. Pupils know the importance of regular attendance and the vast majority attend school every day and are punctual.  Behaviour in lessons is outstanding. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are very excited about their lessons. Pupils say that the best things about their school are their lessons and their teachers.  All pupils and all staff strictly adhere to the school’s behaviour code and pupils take great delight in acquiring stickers and awards for themselves and their teams for good behaviour. The headteacher recognises good behaviour through the Pupil of the Week Award and lunchtime supervisors nominate pupils for the Marvellous Manners Award.  The overwhelming majority of parents think that pupils behave well in the school and that staff do all they can to ensure that a very good standard of behaviour is maintained in the school at

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

all times.  The school offers a number of programmes to ensure that pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and the risks they may face in certain situations. The school’s Bikeability, SPICED drugs education programme, Pedestrian Training and Junior SAFEMark all help in ensuring that pupils stay safe.  All pupils sign up to an internet agreement and have a well-developed understanding of how to stay safe while using the internet; they are aware of cyber-bulling.  Pupils say that their teachers and friends make them feel safe and older pupils demonstrate a strong sense of responsibility towards younger pupils through their play leader and buddy roles. During discussions, pupils said that they were very confident in reporting any concerns to adults and that any such concerns were always dealt with swiftly.  Pupils take on board their responsibilities very seriously and regularly organise lunchtime clubs,

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

sporting events and lead on intra-school activities.  The school’s own records show that incidents of bullying and poor behaviour are very rare. The school has not had an exclusion of any kind for at least the last three years. Prejudice-based bullying is rare and pupils are adamant that name calling on the basis of skin colour or religion is unheard of and, that if it were to happen, the perpetrator would be instantly punished.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, well supported by her deputy headteacher, staff and governing body, is very clear about the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to improve further. Recent improvements in attainment in English and mathematics in Year 6, and the improvements in reading and writing in Year 3 are testament to the effectiveness of the school’s tracking system and small-group teaching.  The senior leadership team ensures that professional development opportunities are available to Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 6 of 9

p.5

The leadership and management are good

all staff. Those staff who are on the Middle Leader Development Programme say that this has supported them in raising levels of attainment for their classes and the small groups of learners they are responsible for. Less experienced teachers say that they are happy with the formal and informal support that they received as newly qualified teachers as well as ongoing support and advice.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher observe teaching and check on its quality on a regular basis. Areas for improvement and good and outstanding features are identified from these observations. The school has a clear process which links how well teachers are performing to individual targets.  Good leadership means that the school has a good sense of collective purpose; all members of staff are committed to ensuring the best for all pupils and to the school’s values of ‘friendship, forgiveness, honesty and respect’. Staff form a tightly-knit and cohesive team. All members of

p.6

The leadership and management are good

staff who completed the school questionnaire stated that they enjoy working in the school.  The school’s work on promoting pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. A good curriculum, a well thought-through programme for personal, social and health education and regular collective worship ensure that pupils have many opportunities to think about their own situation and the situations of others. They empathise with those less fortunate than themselves within their local and global community.  Leaders manage all requirements relating to safeguarding well. The school does not tolerate discrimination of any kind and uses its tracking systems well to ensure that all pupils have equal access to educational opportunities.  Provision at a local specialist college is used effectively to support pupils with specific additional needs.  The local authority has provided effective light touch support for the school since its last

p.6

The leadership and management are good

inspection.  The governance of the school:  Governors are aware of the school’s performance and know what the school needs to do to improve further. However, their knowledge and understanding of the impact of pupil-premium funding on those who benefit from it are still developing. Governors are fully involved in checking the performance of the headteacher and engage in annual and interim reviews based on agreed targets. Governors perform an effective role as critical friend to the school and are regularly presented with information on the performance of all school staff who share their work through governor’s meetings. Governors are well trained and play an active role in the life of the school. Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 7 of 9

p.6

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.7

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. Inspection report: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School, 9–10 January 2013 8 of 9

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 107734 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 403047

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 217 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair C Jones Headteacher Carolyn Booth Date of previous school inspection 5 November 2007 Telephone number 01484 222814 Fax number 01484 222828 Email address southcrosland@edukirklees.net 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.8

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.9

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.9

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.9

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.9

School details

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

p.9