Ibstock Junior School

Ibstock Junior School Melbourne Road, Ibstock, LE67 6NP

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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

 Teaching, though it has improved recently, is not consistently good. Not all teachers plan work that is hard enough for all pupils; sometimes teachers miss opportunities for pupils to work things out for themselves  Not enough pupils make good or better progress in reading, writing and mathematics while at the school and too few reach the higher levels.  Teaching assistants are not always used to best effect in lessons, so that pupils’ learning is enhanced.  The new curriculum is still developing and sometimes lessons are too concerned with completing activities rather than what pupils will learn as a result of doing them.  The school’s improvement slowed after the last inspection. Changes in the leadership team, in the governing body, and in the ways in which the performance of staff is managed have reversed much of this but have not yet had their full impact on teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, governing body and leadership team are determined to improve the school. They know exactly what needs to be done. They use local authority and other external support well, particularly to address previous deficiencies in teaching so that there is an increasing proportion of good or better teaching.  The leadership is trying hard to involve parents more in their child’s learning through a range of activities such as Wednesday learning walks and home school books.  Progress and standards are improving throughout the school. In the last two terms, the proportion of pupils making more than the expected progress in English and mathematics has accelerated.  Behaviour is good because staff manage this well; pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also good.  The school is meticulous in keeping pupils safe and well cared for and works well with partner agencies to secure pupils’ wellbeing.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 25 lessons, almost half of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. In addition, they heard pupils read, talked with them about their learning and scrutinised their books.  Inspectors held meetings and telephone discussions with: pupils; parents and carers; senior leaders; members of the governing body; local authority representatives; and the school’s partners, including the National Leader in Education and the National Leader in Governance who advise the school.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents including: the school’s self-evaluation and planning for improvement; the data the school keeps on pupils’ current progress and achievement; records relating to behaviour and attendance; and the school’s policies and practice such as that relating to keeping the pupils safe  Inspectors took account of 32 responses to the on-line survey Parent View. They talked with

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Information about this inspection

parents as they collected their children or attended on site events, such as the Wednesday learning walks and cookery sessions. They scrutinised 24 staff questionnaires, as well as talking with teachers and groups of support staff.

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Inspection team

Susan Lewis, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jane Johnson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Ibstock Junior is an average-sized school of its type. Most pupils are White British and the proportion of pupils from other ethnic backgrounds or who have English as an additional language is low.  An average proportion of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium (the additional government funding for those pupils in the school who are eligible for free school meals). There are currently no pupils in the school who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have a statement of educational needs or are school action plus is average, but varies considerably in year groups.  All pupils are educated on-site.  The school runs a range of other after-school activities and clubs.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Since its last inspection, the school has undergone a period of instability in the senior leadership

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Information about this school

team, a turnover of staff and changes in its governing body. The school is working in partnership with a National Leader in Education and a National Leader in Governance to strengthen these.  The Chair of the Governing Body was elected in September 2012. A new deputy headteacher also joined the school in September 2012, following a long period without a permanent deputy.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better by:  ensuring that, in each part of the lessons, planned activities challenge all pupils and particularly more-able pupils so that more consistently exceed their expected levels and more achieve the higher levels in English and mathematics  improving the balance of teacher talk and pupil talk in some lessons and particularly the use of questions and resources so that pupils are challenged more to work things out for themselves  checking that marking makes clear to pupils what is good about what they have done and how they can improve their work further  making sure that all staff are trained to support pupils’ phonic skills  ensuring that the role of teaching assistants is clear for all parts of lessons and that they understand their roles and the skills the learning activities are meant to promote.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the key skills and understandings the school’s new curriculum is meant to develop are identified for each term and for each subject and topic, including how these should be tracked.  Continue to develop the role and understanding of the governing body in holding the leadership team to account for the school’s outcomes and in checking on how this is improving.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils enter the school with skills and abilities broadly in line with those of others of their age, although these are sometimes lower in writing. When they leave, their skills are still broadly average, although there were fewer pupils achieving the higher levels in English and mathematics compared with others of their age in 2011 and 2012. The school’s current data shows that more should achieve these levels in 2013.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Instabilities in the leadership and weaknesses in teaching led to pupils’ progress slowing after the last inspection in both English and mathematics. The new leadership team, with the help of the local authority, its National Leader in Education and partner schools, has worked hard to improve progress and make up this ground. This has been spearheaded through staff training and coaching, and the more rigorous management of performance. Careful grouping of pupils in Year 6 and good teaching of this year group means that the work is more accurately matched and better challenges these pupils, including those who are capable of attaining higher levels.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress and achievement has accelerated over the last year. Records that track pupils’ progress are now rigorously analysed to identify those who are not making the expected progress and additional support is quickly put into place. For example, the large majority of pupils made better than the expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics last term. However, some pupils still have ground to make up because of poorer progress previously in these areas.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 All pupils are now making better progress in their reading, writing and mathematical skills because they have more planned opportunities to practise these in different subjects, as well as in English and mathematics. For example, they keep a Victorian Journal in history or use spider diagrams to jot down their ideas in science.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve similarly to others. They have made at least the expected progress from their starting points, and their rate of progress has increased recently. This is because of the good tracking systems and careful evaluation of any special programmes put into place, so that any slowing of progress is quickly picked up and acted upon.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The pupil premium funding has been used to provide additional support and tuition, as well as for activities with parents, such as cookery afternoons, so that several say they are now more active in their child’s learning. The school is successfully closing the gap in achievement between pupils eligible for the pupil premium and others in the school. These pupils’ attainment in both English and mathematics is now similar to others because support is well targeted and teaching is improving.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Despite recent improvement, the quality of teaching is inconsistent and not yet good. There is some good teaching and, occasionally, teaching is outstanding when it really challenges pupils and makes them think. For example, in a Year 3 English lesson, pupils helped to identify ‘success criteria’ and what would be good examples of their learning if they wrote instructions well. They then checked their work against these and, as a result of well-targeted questions from their teacher, made excellent suggestions as to how they could improve it.  Marking is not used effectively by all teachers to make clear to pupils what is good about what they have done and what next steps should be. Although pupils do generally know their targets, not all know how they might achieve these and marking is not used consistently to exemplify this.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Not all teachers share with pupils what they are meant to be learning in a lesson or identify different outcomes linked to pupils’ targets or needs. This means that some pupils are unclear as to why they are doing a particular activity and do not learn as much from it as they could.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 When teaching is good, teachers make lessons interesting and plan carefully around what they want pupils to learn rather than what they want them to do. They check constantly through well-targeted questions or activities how pupils are doing, expecting them to be able to explain their learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Sometimes teachers explain things to pupils they could have worked out for themselves or use resources that do not readily illustrate the ideas they want the pupils to focus on. Some teachers talk for too long and pupils become passive, showing later that they have not necessarily understood what it is they were meant to have been thinking about

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where pupils are still learning how to sound out, read and spell words through phonics, support for this is inconsistent and not all staff that are helping pupils have been trained to do this.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. They are polite and respectful to each other and adults, and quick to offer help and a friendly word. They say that everyone gets on with each other and that bullying is rare. If there are problems, then they say their teachers always deal with these fairly. They say behaviour has improved since the teachers and school council agreed a better system to reward those who do not misbehave.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils value the new rewards systems and understand any sanctions that might be applied. They are proud to be a class champion or star of the week, and pleased that this involves being a good friend rather than how clever they are.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe and cared for at school. The large majority of parents agree that behaviour is good and that pupils are well cared for at the school. Attendance and punctuality are also good. Pupils talked with said they really like school and almost all of their parents agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying, how to deal with it and keep themselves safe. A strong personal, social and health education programme and themes in assemblies and other subjects support help them understand and celebrate different views and cultures.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In most lessons, pupils are given opportunities to talk and work together and these develop their social skills and awareness of others’ needs well. Lessons encourage them to think carefully about others’ views, for example Year 6 pupils use the word ‘empathy’ appropriately when talking about a character they are reading about.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The headteacher, governing body and senior leaders are determined that standards should improve, and that pupils’ progress accelerates so that they make up any lost ground since the last inspection and exceed this. They know exactly what needs to be done and have already improved the rate of progress across the school in English and mathematics.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Highly effective support from the National Leader in Education and partner teaching schools has enabled the leadership and staff to improve teaching. Good use has been made of visits, coaching and staff training. The proportion of good or better teaching has improved and recent pupil progress improvements reflect this.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders carefully manage staff performance, and pay progression is closely linked to how well staff help pupils to achieve. Systems for checking on how well pupils are doing are rigorous, analysed carefully and linked to staff performance management targets.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum has been redesigned to use a more topic and theme-based approach, rather than be linked to specific textbooks or schemes. Pupils say they find their lessons interesting but wish they could do even more practical things. Inspectors agree that the curriculum does not always offer activities that enable pupils to think and find out for themselves, and to develop skills systematically. This is because teachers focus more on what pupils will do rather than what they will learn.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The lunchtime and after-school clubs and visits give pupils opportunities to learn together in more relaxed ways and to sometimes lead clubs themselves. These contribute very well to their good spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils show a ready interest in other cultures and histories, and a good understanding of each others’ differing needs. They have a keen sense of fairness and of right and wrong, and of the need to look after the world’s resources.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Good use is being made of the pupil premium to help targeted pupils who may be disadvantaged by their circumstances to catch up. They build their learning and confidence and help engage their parents even more in the school’s life.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Safeguarding procedures are all compliant with requirements. The school works well with other agencies and with parents and carers to ensure that pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable, together with disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, have the support and opportunities that they should.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The local authority gives the school appropriate support, reviewing its performance and facilitating its access to partner schools and initiatives, such as the National Leaders in Education and Governance, which are making a positive difference.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the school: - Governors have very specific responsibilities and the new committee structure reflects these well. Through their work with the National Leaders in Education and Governance, the Chair and members of the Governing Body now have a good grasp of what needs to be done. Governors are already holding the school’s leadership to account much more effectively. They have recently been trained to analyse data on pupils’ progress and attainment and now check carefully on the impact of additional support, such as the use of the pupil premium on pupils’ progress. Governors check on how teaching is improving and now make sure that staff pay is justified by teachers’ performance and the results they achieve. However, much of this work is new and therefore its impact not yet fully felt.

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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 119931 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 405893

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under Section 5 of the Education Act 2005 Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 220 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Lee Sheldon Headteacher Joanna Parkes Date of previous school inspection 22 March 2011 Telephone number 01530 260481 Fax number 01530 264292 Email address administration@ibstock.leics.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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