Beeston Rylands Junior School

Beeston Rylands Junior School Trent Road, Beeston, Nottingham, NG9 1LJ

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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

 Year 6 pupils in 2012 did not make as much progress as they should have done, and left the school with standards that were below average in English.  Teaching requires improvement. The quality is not high enough to promote good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school.  At the start of some lessons all pupils are given the same work, so it is too easy for some and too difficult for others.  Teachers ask questions to check pupils’ understanding but only respond to those who put up their hands, so some pupils are not involved enough in learning.  Pupils are not always given time to respond to the guidance provided by their teachers through the comments made in marking.  Leadership and management require improvement before the school can improve pupils’ progress at the rate needed to raise standards.  Senior leaders check pupils’ progress, but not frequently enough to quickly identify pupils

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

who are not making enough progress and help them catch up.  Plans to improve the school do not have easily measurable targets, so it is difficult for leaders and managers to check accurately how well it is doing.  Governors do not always ask searching questions to hold the headteacher and senior leaders to account for improving the school and meeting the objectives and targets that they have agreed.

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The school has the following strengths

 Most pupils who need extra help with their learning make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Some teaching is good, and senior leaders have strong skills and expertise that could usefully be shared with colleagues.  Behaviour is good in and around school, and pupils know how to keep themselves safe.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is particularly good. It underpins all the school does, and is evident in lessons and in the way pupils behave.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed 12 lessons or parts of lessons, eight of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, staff including senior and subject leaders, and a representative of the local authority. Informal discussions were held with parents.  The inspector took account of 15 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), the school’s own pupil and parent questionnaires, 18 staff questionnaires and individual communcations from parents.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at: information from the school’s checks on its performance; school improvement plans; analysis and tracking of pupils’ progress; leaders’ records of classroom observations; safeguarding arrangements; and records of governing body meetings. She also sampled pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and checked information on

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Inspection team

Susan Hughes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average junior school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding to help particular pupils who need it, such as those known to be eligible for free school meals) is average.  The proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and of those who speak English as an additional language are both lower than average.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is average, but the proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs is lower than average.  No pupils are taught in alternative provision away from the school site.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching and progress so they are at least good, by making sure that:  work is always set at a demanding but achievable level of difficulty for all ability groups, right from the start of lessons  the questions teachers ask help pupils to think deeply about their learning and ensure that all pupils are involved in learning  the strong skills of senior leaders are shared and developed across all teaching staff  pupils are routinely given the opportunity to respond to teachers’ guidance on the next steps they need to take to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:  plans to improve the school have clear and measurable targets  information on pupils’ attainment and progress is used effectively to make sure that any underachievement is quickly identified and tackled  governors regularly check the progress that the school is making in achieving the objectives in the school improvement plan.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement. Standards are broadly average and although there are some areas of higher attainment, especially in reading, this is not consistent across all year groups. Progress is not consistently good in all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2012 some pupils did not make as much progress as they should. This meant that standards in Year 6 were below average in English and average in mathematics. Other year groups made better progress, with good progress made in Years 4 and 5.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are currently broadly average. They are above average in reading in Year 6. Most pupils read fluently and show a good understanding of the sounds letters make (phonics) to help them read words that are new to them. For example, a pupil in Year 5 was able to read ‘condescending’ even though he was unsure of its meaning.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress since September has continued to be mixed. Work in books shows that in some classes pupils make better progress in mathematics than in English, while in other classes better progress is made in English. This inconsistency is clear from the school’s own data, which show that progress is not consistently good in all classes.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the good support they receive. Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language also make good progress because effective individual help and guidance is quickly provided when they join the school.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding make at least as much progress as other pupils in the school. Test results and current school data show that pupils known to be eligible for free school meals make progress and reach standards that are broadly in line with similar pupils nationally. Much of the money has been spent on extra adults and learning programmes to provide individual or small group teaching and support for these pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching varies too much. There is some good practice, but not enough to ensure that pupils make good progress during their time at the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Occasionally the work set in lessons is too easy or too hard for some pupils. When teachers start the lesson with all pupils working at a similar task it can be too easy for more-able pupils and too difficult for others. For example, in a lesson on area, some less-able pupils became confused about formulas while other more-able pupils spent time counting squares instead of using the formula.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers regularly ask question to check pupils’ understanding. Where teaching is good, these questions help pupils develop their learning by making them think deeply about their answers. However, most teachers rely on pupils putting up their hands to answer questions, and the pupils who do not volunteer sometimes lose concentration and interest.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Books are marked regularly. In most cases teachers give good guidance on how pupils can improve their work, most effectively in English and mathematics. Pupils usually acknowledge the teacher’s comments, but are not always given the opportunity to act upon them.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is good, resources are used well to support learning. For example, pupils are encouraged to record their thoughts or answers on a whiteboard, and all are fully involved. When pupils in Year 4 were learning about note-taking, they made useful notes on these whiteboards about how to mummify a body, in preparation for writing instruction texts.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are well supported. Additional adults in the classroom, and those who work with pupils on a one-to-one basis, are well briefed and sensitively address pupils’ specific needs while also developing their independence.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium are also supported in small groups or individually as required. The progress they are making is starting to close the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Homework is set regularly and pupils say they get the right amount. It is closely linked to work that is done in the classroom, and pupils have clear guidance about when it needs handing in. Pupils say they particularly enjoy doing research or practical tasks in relation to the class topic.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers try to encourage an excitement for learning. For example, all Year 6 pupils were fully engrossed in designing a wedding dress linked to their study of The Wedding Ghost. They used tablet computers to research the effectiveness of different materials and eagerly discussed the challenges they would encounter when making the outfits, and how they might overcome them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and behave well in and around school. They readily thank each other for holding doors open and are quick to offer help in lessons. Although a few pupils occasionally lose focus in some lessons, they respond well to adult direction.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Older pupils are good role models for younger pupils. Peer mentors, reading buddies and ‘Playground Peacemakers’ all take their jobs very seriously and pupils say they work well. Parents spoken to during the inspection were very enthusiastic about the buddying system, which supports pupils moving from the infant to the junior school. They said it helped to ensure a smooth transition, and pupils look forward to being able to take on the role themselves.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a strong sense of what is fair. They take a mature approach to discussing moral dilemmas and seeing both sides of an argument. For example, Year 5 pupils were looking at whether it is right to have zoos, and whether animal testing should be used in medical research.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of what bullying is. The school council organised assemblies and competitions about bullying and pupils talk knowledgeably about the different forms it can take. They say there is very little bullying in the school and any ‘falling out’ is quickly dealt with.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Staying safe is another area where the school council is taking the lead. They are currently working on a ‘Stranger Danger’ presentation. Pupils talked about different people in the school who teach them about subjects such as internet, railway, road and fire safety.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure good attendance. From being average for the last three years, attendance has improved this year to just above average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because they have not yet made sure that progress and standards are improving enough. Although the leaders and managers have high expectations and ambition for the school, their planned improvements have yet to have a full impact on pupils’ achievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher and other leaders have a clear drive for improvement. Plans accurately identify what the school needs to do to improve but do not always include measurable targets. This means that it is not always easy to check whether the school is achieving the targets set for improvement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is checked each term. However, the timing of the assessments and the way the information is recorded mean that any underachievement may not be spotted and tackled quickly enough.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school has not ensured that all skills of senior leaders are effectively shared with other staff to help strengthen their own teaching. Teachers’ performance is judged against how much progress their pupils make and how well they fulfil their different roles in the school. Targets are used appropriately to measure whether promotion up the pay scale is justified by the results achieved.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The subjects pupils are taught are well planned and provide an interesting range of experiences. Pupils talked enthusiastically about residential visits, trips to London and dressing up as evacuees when studying the Second World War. The development of pupils’ key literacy, numeracy and communication skills is becoming planned for across different subjects.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development exceptionally well. It is working towards the Stephen Lawrence Award, which involves pupils in developing a good understanding and appreciation of different cultures and faiths. Class councils discuss moral dilemmas that occur in school, and wider issues such as how to combat racism.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Pupils develop social skills through close links with a local home for the elderly. Residents are regularly invited to school events and pupils visit the home to sing and entertain them. In a lesson looking at communities, pupils in Year 3 demonstrated a mature understanding of what values underpin their local community to make it so successful.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have ensured that national safeguarding requirements are met, and parents agree that their children feel safe and are happy at the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority has provided support for school leaders through headteacher and governor briefings. Since September, additional support of half a day per term has been provided to challenge the leaders on how to improve the school and raise standards.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school:  Governance requires improvement. The governing body supports the school very well, and has an appropriate understanding of its strengths and how it can improve. Governors visit the school on a regular basis. However, these visits are not always closely linked to school improvement priorities, and do not always focus on how well the school is doing to address them. The chair of governors appreciates that the governing body could be holding leaders more effectively to account for raising standards through questioning data and directly observing lessons. The school’s finances are well managed and governors are beginning to check the effectiveness of the pupil premium spending. Records of governing body meetings show that this was discussed recently, and governors are aware that much of the funding goes into pupils’ direct learning through small group support. Some is also used to ensure that

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The leadership and management requires improvement

all pupils can take part in trips and visits. Governors generally rely on the headteacher to inform them about the quality of teaching, but they have agreed a new policy to ensure that the performance of teachers is checked regularly and only good teaching is rewarded with an increase in pay.

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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 122540 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 406098

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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 149 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Keith Wilshere Headteacher Kevin G Briffett Date of previous school inspection 15–16 March 2011 Telephone number 0115 917 8355 Fax number 0115 917 8170 Email address office@rylands.notts.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

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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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