Talavera Junior School

Talavera Junior School Gun Hill, Aldershot, Hampshire, GU11 1RG

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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 Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Good leadership and management have significantly improved teaching and achievement since the previous inspection. Governors have provided strong support to further improve the school.  Those pupils who have stayed at the school for the whole four years achieve well and make good progress. The large numbers of pupils who join the school at different times make good progress from their starting points. Overall standards by the end of Year 6 are in line with national averages.  There are comprehensive systems to monitor pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is a positive and harmonious community. New pupils are helped to settle in quickly. Behaviour is good and pupils enjoy coming to school. As one said, ‘This is a great school and I don’t want to leave.’  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, together with those who speak English as an additional language,

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achieve well.  Teaching is good and teaching assistants provide good support. Lessons are well planned so that there is a close match of tasks to pupils’ different abilities. The curriculum provides lots of opportunities for pupils to do exciting things.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not enough teaching is outstanding. In a few lessons there are inconsistencies in marking and insufficient challenge offered for some pupils.  There are not enough opportunities to write extensively in other areas of the curriculum.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 16 lessons, two of which were seen jointly with the headteacher. All teachers were seen teaching. Inspectors looked at samples of books with senior staff.  Meetings were held with school leaders, two groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor. A representative of the local authority was also interviewed.  Inspectors took account of the 117 responses to the Parent View questionnaire. They also had informal discussions with parents at the end of the school day.  The 28 replies from the staff survey were also examined.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documentation, including records of school checks on the quality of teaching, the school improvement plan, and records relating to behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and pupils’ progress.  Inspectors also listened to pupils read in Year 3 and Year 6.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Barron Additional Inspector Michael Elson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized junior school.  The school serves its local area and over three quarters of children are from service families at the local garrison. Approximately 50% of pupils come from minority ethnic groups, especially from a Nepalese heritage. Over a third of pupils speaks English as an additional language, and of those approximately 10% are at an early stage of learning English. A significant number of children enter and leave the school at different times during the school year.  Most pupils are eligible for pupil premium funding. Pupil premium is additional funding for children who are known to be eligible for free school meals, looked after children or children from service families.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action is around the national average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational

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Information about this school

needs is well below the average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching by:  ensuring that marking consistently provides pupils with a clear indication on how they can improve their work and also gives sufficient opportunities for pupils to respond  ensuring all lessons proceed at a good pace and that all pupils are fully challenged to the best of their ability.  Providing more opportunities for pupils to write more extensively in other subjects of the curriculum.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Overall, pupils’ progress has improved rapidly and is now good.  Pupils’ attainment on entry into Year 3 has varied over the years. Those who joined the school in 2012 had average standards of attainment at Key Stage 1 and are achieving well. However, those who entered the school in previous years had significantly lower levels of attainment. As a result, the school has needed to provide targeted support to fill gaps in knowledge for those who had not mastered basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics. By the time they leave in Year 6, standards of attainment are in line with national expectations and the school’s data show that this trend of improvement is set to continue. This is confirmed by lesson observations, scrutiny of work and hearing pupils read.  The 2012 published data does not provide a full picture of the school due to the very high number of children who enter and leave at different times during the school year. The school’s

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The achievement of pupils is good

population consists of 76% of children from service families. In one Year 4 class 77% of pupils had either left or joined the school during the year. The result of this is that those pupils who leave are replaced by those who may not have had such a good standard of education and this affects the overall data. Those pupils who have remained at the school for the four years make good progress. New entrants, many of whom are entitled to pupil premium funding, also make good progress from their starting points due to the well-targeted support.  Whenever a child enters school they are given a rigorous assessment so that work can be set for them that exactly meets their needs. They, in common with all the other pupils, are then carefully tracked throughout the year and their progress is regularly assessed. Those who are seen to be falling behind are given well-targeted interventions by the experienced learning

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The achievement of pupils is good

support assistants.  The progress of those pupils who speak English as an additional language is good, particularly in Years 4, 5 and 6. The school ensures that those who are new entrants are given a pupil mentor who speaks the same language. Because of this, and the individual attention from learning support assistants, the progress of those who are at an early stage of learning English is good.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress because of the high quality support they receive, both in class and in small groups outside. Work is carefully modified to match their particular needs.  The school has a strong commitment to promoting equal opportunities and pupil premium funding is used successfully to provide resources, individual teaching support, and small group work to promote pupils’ success in English and mathematics. As a result, eligible pupils in 2012

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The achievement of pupils is good

attained better than their classmates and better than pupils nationally.  By Year 6, pupils are enthusiastic and able readers. This is because of the school’s focus to encourage a love of reading. Throughout the school there are rows of book reviews written by pupils with their parents.  Although pupils make good progress in writing, teachers miss opportunities for pupils to write more extensively in other subjects of the curriculum.  Mathematics attainment and progress are also good, and for the first time this year a pupil reached the highest level in this subject.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ planning is thorough and teachers make good use of assessment data to ensure that all learning is closely matched to pupils’ different levels of ability. An example of this is that in Years 5 and 6, and more recently in Year 4, pupils are set. Careful use of setting by ability in mathematics assures that each pupil has work which fits their needs exactly and, as a result, they progress well. Mathematical skills are also developed well in a range of subjects.  Usually, teachers ensure that pupils work at a brisk pace and have high expectations for learning and, as one pupil said, ‘We all want to do our best.’ However, occasionally the pace of learning slackens and pupils are not fully challenged to the best of their ability.  Pupils work with high levels of independence and know what to do if they have difficulties by making reference to the range of useful learning prompts around the classroom.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers successfully insist on high standards of presentation in pupils’ books. Written work is regularly marked; however, it does not always provide clear information on how pupils can improve their work for next time, neither are there sufficient opportunities for pupils to respond.  Teachers have a clear understanding of pupils’ academic and personal needs and they adjust their practice to ensure that all, including those new into the school, learn effectively.  Support staff are appropriately deployed and know the pupils well. In a Year 6 lesson the support assistant changed the lesson plan so that it would fit in more with a pupil’s needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well and show courtesy to visitors. The Talavera Values are integral to every aspect of school life, and pupils say that these values contribute well to the sense of community within the school.  Parents are very supportive of the school and agree that their children feel safe and that behaviour is good.  Much of the school’s population is transient, often having recently come from other countries. The school is very welcoming to all newcomers and in the reception area a world map helpfully displays the different countries where pupils have either come from or have links to. Boys and girls from different backgrounds work and play happily together. This contributes well to their social and cultural development.  Assemblies provide good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils reflect thoughtfully about important issues and show great respect for the views of others.  Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe, including when using computers. The school

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

ensures that pupils are alert to potential risks from crossing the road, substance abuse and alcohol.  Pupils say there is very little that could be called bullying, occasionally there is some name calling. They are aware of the different types of bullying and are confident that teachers would be able to help if any bullying did occur.  Pupils develop a very strong social and moral understanding. This is because the school aims to develop responsibility in all pupils through various roles including play leaders, monitors, prefects and the school council.  Pupils enjoy the vast range of clubs, including the Camouflage Club, for those whose parents are in the army.  Attendance is average and staff have worked effectively with parents to promote regular attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 Good leadership and management are demonstrated in the school by the way in which every child is valued as an individual and everyone is encouraged to achieve as best they can. The headteacher, ably assisted by her deputy, has built a harmonious community where staff morale is high and teachers are keen to improve their practice.  The school’s checks on how well it is doing are accurate. Outcomes from the monitoring of teaching and pupils’ progress are used effectively to set well-focused priorities for improvement across the school.  Performance management for staff is thorough. The school uses a variety of methods to check quality including data about the progress in each class as well as observations of lessons. Challenging targets are set for teachers that closely link to pupil achievement within their class. Year leaders have targets regarding the progress of all within the year group. The effectiveness

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The leadership and management are good

of performance management is demonstrated by the good, and improving outcomes in pupils’ achievements.  The school provides an exciting curriculum across a range of subjects. Special weeks, such as maths week, are popular with pupils. The outdoor environment has been well developed and pupils like the outdoor classroom, adventure playground and the wildlife area.  The school has used the pupil premium funding to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Additional teaching assistants and intervention groups support learning well; as a result, eligible pupils make better progress than their peers.  Middle leaders are enthusiastic, many are new to their roles and have exciting plans to improve their areas of responsibility.  In the past the local authority provided a medium level of support to this school. Leaders took heed of the advice from specialists and have created a dynamic school that serves its pupils well.

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The leadership and management are good

Now the local authority provides a light touch level of support.  The school meets its statutory safeguarding requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide a good balance of support and challenge to the school. They have a clear awareness of the school’s performance, including a thorough understanding of the school’s data and the quality of teaching. They are well trained and challenge leaders to ensure further improvements. They make sure that pupils are given an equal opportunity to participate in all aspects of school life. Governors have carefully monitored the school’s finances, including the extra pupil premium funding, and understand how it is helping these pupils to succeed. They ensure that the performance of the headteacher is clearly linked to whole-school improvement priorities and that teachers’ pay is linked to their performance.

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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 116149 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 400096

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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 274 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Carol Renshaw Headteacher Helen Barden Date of previous school inspection July 2011 Telephone number 01252 322156 Fax number 01252 350978 Email address office@talaverajunior.co.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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