Nether Green Junior School

Nether Green Junior School Fulwood Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S10 3QA

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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

 Pupils’ progress varies from class to class and for some is not fast enough. As a result, too few pupils make better than expected progress in writing and mathematics from their starting points.  Teachers do not always have high enough expectations of what pupils are capable of achieving in lessons.  During lessons which require improvement, teachers do not adjust activities quickly enough to enable all pupils to make the best possible progress in the time available.  Pupils are not provided with enough opportunity to practise their mathematical skills in open-ended investigations.  The quality of marking is not consistently good. As a result, some pupils are not given clear enough guidance about how to improve the content or presentation of their written work.  Leaders have not ensured all teaching is good or better.  School improvement plans are not focused with enough precision on how pupils will make

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

better than expected progress.  Not all leaders use assessment data well enough to enable them to act quickly if pupils are not making the best possible progress.

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The school has the following strengths

 There is some good teaching, for example in Year 6, where pupils make good progress in their lessons.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 is above average. Pupils make good progress in reading.  Pupils in the specially resourced provision for special educational needs make consistently good progress in their classroom and for some it is outstanding.  Across the school, pupils’ behaviour is good and they encourage one another to try their best in lessons.  Attendance is above average and pupils feel safe and secure at school.  Pupils benefit from a wide range of fun and exciting clubs and residential trips. The orchestra is outstanding.  The governing body has recently been strengthened by new appointments. Governors understand their own strengths and the role they have in holding leaders more robustly to account. This is helping the school to improve.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 22 lessons and small group activities.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, senior leaders, school staff and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their work in lessons, looked at books, listened to pupils read and met with a group of pupils from Year 5 and Year 6.  Inspectors took account of the 92 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View), a recent school survey and received a number of letters and e-mails from parents during the inspection.  Inspectors took account of the 27 questionnaires returned by members of the school staff.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, looked at progress data, performance management information, records relating to behaviour and safety as well as documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Jim Alexander, Lead inspector Additional Inspector James Reid Additional Inspector Diane Buckle Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized primary school and there are three classes in each year group.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium funding is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided for children in local authority care, those from armed service families, and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils with a minority ethnic heritage is also below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported by school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school has specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs. This is referred to by the school as the integrated resource provision. It provides for 10 pupils with significant learning difficulties and complex needs. However, currently it caters for 12 pupils at

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Information about this school

the request of the local authority. All have a statement of special educational needs.  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?

 Improve the quality of teaching so it is consistently good or better by:  raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in lessons  adjusting activities during lessons so pupils of all abilities make at least good progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement by the end of Year 6 by:  ensuring pupils make better than expected progress in writing and mathematics  providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their mathematical skills in problem-solving activities  improving the quality of marking so pupils receive clear guidance about how to improve the content and presentation of their written work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership at all levels by:  refining school improvement plans to focus more precisely on what will be done to help pupils make better than expected progress  using achievement data more robustly to monitor pupils’ progress as they move through school and respond quickly if they are not making really rapid progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because the proportion of pupils making good progress is not high enough, particularly in Year 3 and Year 4. While pupils generally make the progress expected of them, too few make really rapid gains in their learning.  Pupils typically start Year 3 with attainment which is above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 is also above average. However, this does not always represent good progress from pupils’ starting points.  While the proportion of pupils reaching average attainment in writing and mathematics improved in 2013, the proportion of most-able pupils who attained the highest Level 6 did not improve.  Pupils are encouraged to enjoy a wide variety of literature and are provided with regular opportunities to develop their reading skills in lessons.  In the mainstream classes, pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs make

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

progress similar to others, which can vary from class to class.  Pupils who attend the integrated resource provision all make consistently good progress in their class and for some it is outstanding.  The progress made by pupils from minority ethnic groups is also variable. For example, they made good progress in Year 5 last year developing their reading skills, but it was not good enough in Year 4.  The pupil premium fund is used to provide a range of additional support. The one-to-one activities are particularly effective. As a result, pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals tend to make good progress during their time at school. Gaps in their attainment are closing and now many are only a few months behind where they are expected to be. This is one example of the school’s commitment to tackle discrimination and promote equality of opportunities.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Although there are examples of good and outstanding lessons, the quality of teaching is still judged to require improvement because it is not consistently good enough in every class to ensure all pupils make at least good progress over time from their individual starting points.  In lessons that require improvement, teachers’ expectations are not always high enough. For example, all pupils can be given the same activity and then expected to work at the same pace, regardless of whether they have fully understood the task or not. This means that the most-able pupils can sometimes find the work too easy, finish quickly and then wait for others to catch up.  Across the school, the quality of marking is inconsistent. Where it is good, pupils are keen to respond very quickly which helps them make rapid gains from one lesson to another. However, pupils in some classes are not always given clear enough guidance about how to improve the

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

content or presentation of their written work, which limits the progress they make.  Teaching assistants generally make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly so in one-to-one or small-group activities. However, in some whole-class lessons, support staff are not always used so effectively and opportunities are missed to make the most of their time to work with pupils that may require individual support.  Where teaching is good, an example of which was observed in a Year 6 mathematics lesson, pupils are given a range of exciting activities. No time is wasted and pupils quickly settle to independent work pitched at just the right level.  Teaching in the integrated resource provision is consistently good and some is excellent. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high, support staff are well deployed, relationships are positive and everyone has a very clear understanding of what should be achieved in each

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

session. This means that lessons can move along at just the right pace for each individual pupil.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils look forward to coming to and enjoy school. As a result, attendance is above average. The overwhelming majority of parents who completed the on-line survey agreed that their children are happy to come to school and that they feel safe.  Behaviour around the school is good and pupils say they get on well together. They are well informed about all types of bullying and know how to keep themselves safe, for example when using the internet. School records confirm that incidents of racism or bullying are rare and well managed.  Pupils have a high regard for their teachers, are keen to learn and generally make positive contributions to their lessons.  When pupils are required to listen to a teacher for a lengthy period, most are very respectful, although some can become distracted. On other occasions, when pupils are presented with work that is too easy, they are polite and try their best.  There are clear systems in place to manage any low-level problems and pupils respond well to a

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

quiet word.  Pupils who attend the integrated resource provision, who have complex needs and may need more support to manage their own behaviour, respond very well. Relationships are positive and incidents of unacceptable behaviour are rare.  Older pupils often provide very good role models for younger pupils in school and accept responsibility well. By the time pupils leave Year 6, they are confident young people ready for the next stage of their education.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management are judged to require improvement because leaders have not ensured that all teaching is at least good and that pupils achieve consistently well.  Leaders have developed systems to check pupils’ attainment on entry. These now provide a firm foundation on which to measure pupils’ progress as they move through school.  Assessment data are collected, but not always monitored regularly enough to enable curriculum leaders to step in quickly if pupils are not making at least expected progress.  Senior leaders know what is working well and what needs to improve. As a result, the school’s improvement plans generally identify the right priorities. However, these plans lack a sharp focus on what precisely will be done to ensure pupils make good or better progress in their writing and mathematics.  A new leader has recently been appointed to manage the integrated resource provision. Quick

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The leadership and management requires improvement

evaluation has been made of the provision’s effectiveness and plans for further improvement are being implemented. Examples of these include the development of a new sensory room and improvements to the way sounds and letters are taught to help pupils’ reading skills.  Senior leaders are taking action to accelerate the drive for improvement. Recent developments to performance management procedures are now providing clearer links between teachers’ pay and their performance in class.  Leaders have allocated the pupil premium fund well and ensured that the one-to-one support is particularly effective.  The curriculum is enhanced by a variety of residential visits and trips out. Appropriate plans have been developed and are now being implemented to use the new primary school sports funding to further enhance the school’s already strong sporting success by increasing the number of pupils who take part in extra-curricular gymnastics. This is proving very popular with the pupils.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

Leaders are focusing on improving teaching and coaching skills to ensure the long-term benefit of this current funding.  The overwhelming majority of parents speak very highly of the school and appreciate all the school does to help their children benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular activities.  However, a very small number of parents have explained that on occasions they do not feel leaders respond quickly enough to concerns which are raised. Inspectors found that while correct procedures are followed, the speed with which actions are taken has not always been quick enough.  The local authority has provided appropriate support, specifically for special educational needs, and leaders speak positively about the help they have recently received, for example to bring further improvement to the specially resourced provision.  The governance of the school:  Within the past two years, a number of new governors have been elected and a new Chair of

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the Governing Body appointed. As a result, the governing body now provides a much greater level of challenge and support to leaders. This is because they are now better informed about the school’s performance, for example regarding the pupil premium funds. Training has helped them to better understand the school’s performance in comparison with other schools. Consequently, governors have a more accurate understanding of what needs to be done to improve the school further. This has enabled the governing body to hold the school more robustly to account. Governors ensure safeguarding arrangements meet 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 107004 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 425914

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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 383 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Steve Middleton Headteacher Susan Jackson Date of previous school inspection 20 November 2008 Telephone number 0114 230 2461 Fax number 0114 263 0189 Email address enquiries@nethergreen-jun.sheffield.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

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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