Greenway Junior School

Greenway Academy Greenway, Horsham, RH12 2JS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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

 Achievement requires improvement because too few pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  There is not yet enough consistently good or better teaching to ensure that pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Information about pupils’ progress is not used systematically by all teachers to plan work that accurately meets pupils’ needs.  The aims of lessons lack clarity and the work set is not sufficiently challenging.  School systems to evaluate what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve are not yet established well enough and lack rigour.  Information about pupils’ progress is not used rigorously enough by all leaders, including the governing body, to check that all groups of pupils are making enough progress and to address weaknesses in teaching.

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The school has the following strengths

 The recent introduction of more frequent checks on the quality of teaching mean that leaders now have a clearer view of aspects which need improving. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving and pupils’ progress is accelerating.  The school’s ethos is strongly inclusive and welcomes all pupils, regardless of background or ability, and pupils feel safe. Pupils are extremely polite, behave well and are keen to do their best.  The curriculum provides a wide range of experiences to enrich pupils’ learning.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 17 lessons and part-lessons, including three lesson observations completed with one of the assistant headteachers.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, a group of governors, senior leaders, staff, parents and pupils.  The inspector took account of 104 responses to the on-line Parent View survey as well as e-mails and letters from individual parents.  The inspector observed the school’s work and analysed a range of documents and policies, including the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress, attendance records and safeguarding documents.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Roger Parry Additional Inspector Carol Worthington Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. (Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families.)  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for attainment and progress.  The school converted to academy status on 1 August 2012. When its predecessor school, Greenway School, was inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be satisfactory overall.  The school has a breakfast club, which was included in this inspection. There is also a privately run nursery on site which was not included in this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of good or better teaching and raise achievement by ensuring that:  teachers consistently use information about pupils’ progress to plan lessons and tasks which accurately meet pupils’ needs  teachers’ expectations of pupils are consistently high and work set provides sufficient challenge  the purpose of each lesson is sharply focused on learning and made clear to pupils  the pace of learning in lessons is brisk so that pupils make more rapid progress  pupils are more involved in learning, with increased opportunities to make contributions and decisions about their learning.  Ensure that systems to check how well the school is doing and to help it to improve further self- evaluation procedures are robust and have a sharp focus on pupils’ achievement.  Ensure that all leaders, including governors, use information about pupils’ progress rigorously to check the quality of teaching, to identify groups of pupils who are making slower progress, and

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

to use this information promptly to provide focused support for teachers and pupils. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress as they move up through the year groups is uneven because there are differences in the quality of teaching between different classes.  National data indicate that pupils’ attainment when they join the school in Year 3 is high and the school’s own assessments confirm that pupils’ attainment when they join the school is at least above average. Variations in the quality of teaching mean that some pupils do not make enough progress from their high starting points. A legacy of weak teaching has led to some pupils under- achieving.  Attainment at the end of Year 6 is typically well above average in English and mathematics. While improved attainment in mathematics and writing has been sustained this year, school information indicates a dip in reading to below average levels of attainment. This reflects ongoing variations in the quality of teaching in different subjects.  A drive to increase the proportion of girls attaining the higher levels in mathematics has been

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

successful because expectations have been high and the work set has been challenging. As a result, school information indicates that the above average levels of pupils attaining the higher levels in mathematics in 2012 have been sustained, with further gains in 2013.  The progress made by different groups of pupils, including disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and the few pupils for whom English is an additional language, varies according to the quality of class teaching. This means that some pupils make good progress in some classes but slower progress in others. Pupils who are new to the country receive good quality support so that they settle quickly.  Pupils who are eligible to receive support from pupil premium funding make similar progress to their classmates, with variations reflecting the quality of teaching across the school. In 2012, this group attained in line with their classmates and other pupils nationally in English and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Variations in the quality of teaching over time have resulted in pupils making uneven progress between classes in reading, writing and mathematics.  Learning is slows in too many lessons because: – information about pupils’ progress is not used systematically by all teachers to plan work which matches pupils’ needs – expectations of pupils are not always high enough and in some lessons there is an insufficiently sharp focus on what pupils will learn – teachers do not make clear to pupils what they expect them to learn – too many lessons are conducted at a slow pace – teachers talk for too long and there are too few opportunities for pupils to offer their ideas.  A recent drive to improve the quality of teaching has been successful. Teachers have a much clearer understanding of their responsibilities for pupils’ achievement. They are keen to act on the advice given by senior leaders about what they need to do to develop their practice.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Where teaching is most effective, teachers have high expectations of all pupils and they provide thought-provoking and challenging tasks so that pupils make good progress. For example, during the inspection, pupils in a Year 4 class made good progress in developing their understanding of how to make a scientific test fair, and why this is important, while investigating whether plants need light.  Initiatives to increase the proportion of girls attaining the higher levels in mathematics, including the use of questioning styles which encourage girls to make contributions more confidently during mathematics lessons, have been successful.  Teaching assistants provide caring and well-focused support so that the pupils they work with, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, are fully included in lessons and activities and make similar progress to their classmates.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils enjoy school and are very keen to learn. They respond very well when teachers expect much of them and relish the challenge of demanding work. They are extremely polite, keen to talk to visitors and are a credit to the school and to their parents.  Pupils told inspectors that school is ‘a fair place’ and that behaviour is good. Most parents who responded to Parent View agree with this view. Pupils are well behaved in lessons, during playtimes and when moving around the school. Relationships are strong and pupils demonstrate respect for pupils and adults alike.  Pupils report that they feel safe in school and most parents who responded to Parent View agree. The school’s strong commitment to inclusion and its determination to tackle discrimination is reflected in the fact that racist incidents are rare and there have been very few pupils excluded during the past three years.  Absenteeism is followed up appropriately and attendance levels are in line with national

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

averages.  Pupils have a sensible view about what bullying is and are confident that adults in school will look after them if they are concerned. School information indicates that any incidents of bullying are followed up appropriately.  The breakfast club provides a positive start to the school day and pupils enjoy the wide range of breakfast options provided.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because a few pupils lose concentration in lessons and their attention wanders, particularly where there are fewer opportunities for them to make an active contribution to the lesson.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because teaching and pupils’ achievement are not yet good. Systems to enable the school to identify and address variations in the quality of teaching promptly have not been strong enough and so some pupils have not made the progress they should have. Procedures to check what the school does well and what it needs to do to improve are not yet established well enough and lack rigour.  The school maintains a comprehensive range of information about pupils’ progress. However, in the past there has been an over-reliance on a few individual leaders to maintain this information. As a result, it has not been used robustly enough to analyse trends and patterns in pupils’ progress, provide prompt support for pupils who are falling behind and to identify weaknesses in teaching.  The headteacher and assistant headteachers are passionate about the school and, along with

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The leadership and management requires improvement

other leaders, are determined to build on recent improvements and to accelerate the pace of development. Senior leaders’ judgements about the quality of teaching are accurate and are being used with increasing rigour to drive developments. Improvements in teaching and in pupils’ progress demonstrate the school’s capacity to improve.  During the past year, leaders have looked more carefully at the quality of teaching and have acted robustly to eradicate elements of weak teaching. Better training and increased expectations of teachers mean that the quality of teaching is improving and pupils’ progress is accelerating.  For instance, recent improvements in systems to check the quality of teaching, including informal ‘drop-ins’, have alerted leaders to an elements of weaker teaching. Once identified, leaders acted quickly to address these weaknesses and to provide additional help for those pupils who had fallen behind.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The school is strongly inclusive and warmly welcomes pupils who join the school at times other than those expected so that they quickly settle. The school is committed to equal opportunities for all pupils and pupils’ interests are at the heart of the school.  The school provides a broad curriculum which successfully develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. For example, there is a wide range of high quality sporting and musical opportunities which are much enjoyed by pupils. Each morning, the school erupts into music, as pupils and teachers in every classroom sing along to popular songs with great enthusiasm. One said, ‘That’s the good thing about this school, they always try to make learning fun.’  The school works positively with other schools to share good practice and links with the local community are strong.  The governance of the school:  There have been improvements in the role played by the governing body. For example,

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The leadership and management requires improvement

meetings of the governing body are more focused and governors provide increasing levels of challenge for the school. However, lack of rigour in systems to check pupils’ progress have led to inaccuracies in evaluations of the school’s effectiveness, including achievement and the quality of teaching. Governors have identified the need for increased information about the management of teachers’ performance and how this relates to salary progression. They are well informed about the achievement of those pupils eligible to benefit from pupil premium funding. Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements and safeguarding training is up to date.

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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 138492 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 407184

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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 Academy converter School category Maintained Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 359 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Brian White Headteacher Keith Todd Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01403 252013 Fax number 01403 271840 Email address grwaykat@aol.com 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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