Reinwood Community Junior School

Reinwood Community Junior School Burfitts Road, Oakes, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD3 4YL

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

 A large proportion of teaching requires improvement. Too often, teachers do not take account of what pupils already know, and understand. This slows pupils’ learning and progress, particularly that of the most able.  Although leaders analyse the progress of individual pupils, they have not measured progress accurately enough, or set ambitious targets, based on the end of Key Stage 1 performance. This has resulted in pupils only making expected progress over the key stage and less than expected for the most able.  Although leaders are ensuring continuity and sustainability and are providing effective support for newly appointed middle leaders, they have an over-generous view of teaching and learning because their checks do not focus on what pupils learn and achieve within lessons and over time.  Governors are not checking carefully enough on how well additional funding, such as the pupil premium, impacts on pupils’ progress.

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

Nor do they check robustly enough on decisions about teacher’ pay progression.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported, especially those with behavioural, social and emotional barriers to learning.  The school’s curriculum is engaging pupils effectively in their learning and helping to develop key skills, especially in writing.  The school provides extremely well for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. It ensures all pupils have equality of opportunity to access a wide range of enrichment activities.  Behaviour is good because all staff work hard to ensure pupils are treated fairly and they apply policies and procedures consistently.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons, three of which were conducted jointly with the acting headteacher.  They analysed work in pupils’ books and heard pupils read, including the most able pupils.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils, the acting headteacher, senior leaders and teachers who lead subjects, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 49 responses from the online questionnaire (Parent View), as well as a recent consultation undertaken by the school. They also spoke to parents during the inspection.  They took account of 41 questionnaires completed by staff.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including pupils’ achievement data, the school improvement plan and self-evaluation, external reports by the local authority, minutes of governing body meetings and documents relating to behaviour, safety and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Anne Bowyer, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Stefan Lord Additional Inspector Sharon Bruton Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Reinwood Community Junior School is larger than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs at school action is similar to the national average, but the proportion with a statement of special needs or at school action plus is below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is broadly average, but is increasing at a greater rate than schools nationally. In this school, the pupils eligible for free school meals are the same as those eligible for pupil premium funding. This is additional funding provided by the government to help raise the achievement of these pupils, as well as those who are looked after by the local authority or whose parents serve in the armed forces.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above the national average.  The proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language is broadly average.

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Information about this school

 The number of pupils joining and leaving the school partway through their education is lower than the national average.  Most pupils entering the school in Year 3 come from the infant school, which is in the same building.  Since the last inspection, the school has been through a period of turbulence in staffing. A number of experienced staff are currently on, or have recently returned from, maternity leave. Vacancies have been filled by newly qualified teachers. Currently, half the teaching staff are newly or recently qualified.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards. However, the unvalidated 2013 data indicates there are weaknesses in attainment in mathematics and progress in both English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by making sure teachers:  do not waste time going over prior learning, but plan lessons that build on what pupils can do, in order to provide the challenge that is needed for them to make progress, especially in the case of the most able pupils  encourage pupils to be more self-sufficient and independent in their learning, particularly in English and mathematics, by asking questions that enable them to think more deeply, and challenge their thinking so that they can explore, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding  make better use of assessment information to inform their teaching and ensure that progress is at least good for all pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the achievement of pupils by ensuring more pupils make and exceed expected progress by:  ensuring leaders analyse data more robustly, taking account of pupil progress from Key Stage 1 and the progress of key groups, such as the most able and those in receipt of the pupil premium funding  targeting interventions precisely on pupils who are not making sufficient progress, for example, the most able and those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding.  Ensure leaders and governors share a realistic and robust view of the quality of teaching and learning and achievement of pupils by:  checking and evaluating the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and the progress they make in lessons and over time  using this information more precisely to inform their decisions about the pay progression of teachers  providing governors with the precise information they need to check how well the school is

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

doing, so that they can challenge underachievement, hold leaders to account and target resources more effectively.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

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 enter and leave the school with attainment levels that are higher than the national average. Despite this, the progress of some groups of pupils, such as the most able and those who are eligible for pupil premium funding, is below that of their peers and the national average by the time they leave in Year 6. This is because analysis of pupils’ performance does not focus precisely on the progress of groups. Consequently, leaders are unclear as to which groups are underachieving and are unable to address this accurately and effectively enough.  Pupils’ targets for progress in Year 3 are limited to expected progress. This lowers teachers and pupils’ expectations. Consequently, a number of pupils underachieve from the start.  Attainment in reading is improving through the introduction of a whole-school reading strategy. Despite this, the gap is not closing fast enough for some groups of pupils and as a result,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress remains below the national average. Although pupils enjoy the new approaches to reading and books are well matched to reading levels, staff are not using questioning well enough to focus and stimulate thinking. This is not developing the reading skills necessary to deepen pupils’ understanding of text in order for pupils to achieve the higher levels of which they are capable.  Over time, the school has effectively addressed underachievement in writing, so that overall, pupils’ progress is in line with the national average. However, in 2013, the performance of the most able pupils at Level 5 has fallen. This is because there was not sufficient evidence in books to show that pupils were consistently achieving this higher level.  Overall, pupils’ progress in mathematics has been in line with national averages, but data indicates that the most able have been underperforming over time. These pupils do not make

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

the same progress as pupils of similar ability locally or nationally.  The school is closing the gap in English for those pupils eligible for pupil premium funding because of the gains made in writing. However, this is not the case in reading and mathematics. These pupils attain as well as pupils nationally because of their high starting points in Year 3, but they do not make the same progress as their peers.  The progress of pupils with special educational needs is improving because of the strong leadership of the additional needs coordinators. Inspectors found that this group were well- supported in lessons and through interventions. Consequently, they make progress that is broadly in line with the national average in reading and mathematics, but not in writing.  Pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve in line with their peers.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 There is evidence of good teaching but too much requires improvement.  Teacher’s expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough because targets for pupils’ performance have not been sufficiently challenging.  Teachers plan together in year groups to provide consistency and to support less-experienced teachers. However, some teachers are not adapting this planning sufficiently enough to meet the needs of specific groups of learners, nor do they use daily assessment consistently to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning. This means that learning is pitched at a level that is too low for the most able learners. As a result, some of these pupils disengage.  The use of ‘I can’ targets in pupils’ books is too general and not tailored to individual need. Pupils are unclear as to the ‘next steps’ they should take in their learning in order to improve.  Teachers take too much control of learning. There are missed opportunities to promote

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

independence by planning activities that allow pupils to investigate concepts, or to extend their thinking through problem solving and questioning. This is particularly the case in mathematics. Pupils say that the best lessons are when they are actively engaged in practical learning.  Teachers use effective strategies to enable pupils to read with expression. For instance, in a guided reading session, some young pupils were looking at how to read phrases in brackets as ‘asides’. They learned how to change their voices to provide interest. However, teachers’ questioning does not always probe deeply enough, in order to develop pupils’ understanding of what they have read. Some teachers are too quick to prompt or provide the answers.  The school has a clear marking and feedback policy. Nevertheless, scrutiny of pupils’ books, and discussions with pupils, show that opportunities to respond to feedback are inconsistent.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

Teachers do not always address misconceptions before moving on to new learning. When they do, too often, it is with the whole class, rather than targeted groups or individuals. This limits the progress of some pupils.  Pupils with special educational needs and low ability pupils are generally well supported, especially those with social and emotional barriers to learning. This means they engage positively in lessons and make progress. Inspectors found some good examples of learning being tailored to these pupils’ individual needs in lessons and in books.  Teaching assistants are deployed effectively to support learning in some classes. In others, they spend too much time supervising pupils and checking they are getting on with their work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour and safety are strong aspects of the school because leaders have worked hard on systems and procedures to ensure all pupils behave well, feel safe and are well cared for. Parents value this and see this as important. Pupils like having staff they can talk to when needed. This ensures that some vulnerable pupils are able to focus better on their learning.  Pupils are courteous and respectful. They are generally well behaved in lessons despite the length of time they spend listening to the teacher and going over things they already know. Because of this, some of the most able pupils disengage with learning and staff do not always see or check this.  Good transition arrangements with the infant school ensure pupils settle well.  Pupils have a good understanding of bullying and the different forms it can take, including bullying based on homophobic, racist, gender or physical characteristics. They feel that should it

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

happen, the school will deal with it. They are aware of cyber-bullying and how to keep safe when using the internet and social media.  Parents agree that the school deals well with behaviour issues.  Attendance is above the national average and improving. Leaders know they need to analyse this data in more depth to investigate possible connections between the absence of groups of pupils and underachievement.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because there is an overgenerous view of teaching and pupils’ performance. Leaders’ checks focus on teaching, rather than the learning and progress pupils make in lessons and over time. Consequently, teachers do not have a realistic understanding of their own teaching and this does not help them improve.  Pupils’ targets are based on end of year achievement and are not addressing slippage in pupils’ progress from the end of Key Stage 1. This is lowering teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve.  Although leaders analyse the progress of individual pupils, they are not identifying if any groups are underachieving. This is not helping to close the gaps in achievement for some groups, such as the most able and those who are eligible for pupil premium. Consequently, funding for these pupils is not targeted as effectively as it needs to be.  Performance management and action plans lack ambitious and measurable targets for

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The leadership and management requires improvement

improvement. They do not indicate precisely enough the progress pupils should make in order to evaluate performance accurately and hold leaders and staff to account.  Turbulence in staffing, and senior leadership, since the last inspection has limited the school’s ability to build on the strengths and successes identified. Training and support from senior leaders is helping new subject leaders for English and mathematics to develop their roles, but this is at an early stage of development. They monitor planning and have a limited role in monitoring teaching and learning. They are at an early stage of using data to analyse performance. Consequently, they do not have an accurate and precise view of the impact of initiatives in English and mathematics. Rightly, leaders are ensuring continuity and sustainability, by setting up teams of staff to work with subject leads on particular aspects of school development.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The curriculum is a strength and leaders have worked hard to develop this. Pupils are excited by being able to shape their own learning and apply skills in reading and writing, such as researching and presenting information using the recently purchased electronic tablets.  There is a clear focus on using the school sport’s funding to provide a quality, progressive, sport curriculum taught by specialists and to support staff development. Extra-curricular provision is targeting pupils to develop skills further. There are clear methods in place to monitor the quality of teaching and impact of this funding. Pupils value the range of opportunities to promote their health, including preparing and cooking food in their new food technology room.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is given high priority. As a result, relationships in this school are excellent. Leaders’ investment in this aspect of the school’s work

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The leadership and management requires improvement

has ensured that some very vulnerable pupils remain calm and are ready to learn. Leaders have not yet evaluated the impact of this on pupils’ progress and achievement. The school has been working towards the ‘Rights and Responsibilities’ award. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their music skills in the curriculum and through extra-curricular activities. The school has received the ‘Sing Up Gold’ award.  The local authority provides a very useful and detailed summary of the school’s data and performance over time, as well a visual data dashboard for governors. It does not use this information effectively enough to challenge the school about any underperformance. The local authority has only provided ‘light touch’ support to the school despite a period of turbulence in leadership.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has been through a period of change but has the skills and knowledge to

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The leadership and management requires improvement

support and challenge the work of the school.  Governors have plans in place to improve the checks they make on the quality of provision and teaching and learning. However, they have not been robust enough in holding leaders to account for pupil achievement. They recognise that pupils attain high levels but do not tackle diligently enough issues surrounding the progress pupils make. Furthermore, they recognise that leaders do not provide them with the right information to do this accurately.  The governing body has a plan of how it wants to spend pupil premium funding but does not evaluate the impact of this on pupils’ progress and achievement.  The governing body has systems and procedures in place to check on the work of the headteacher and other senior leaders in order to make decisions about their pay progression. However, they are unclear about how they will check and agree on the pay progression of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

other staff.  The governing body ensures safeguarding meets requirements.

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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 107621 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 427367

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 354 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Massey Headteacher Susan Spooner (Acting Headteacher) Date of previous school inspection 5 July 2011 Telephone number 01484 222207 Fax number 01484 222283 Email address office.reinwoodjun@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 .

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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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