Church Crookham Junior School

Church Crookham Junior School Tweseldown Road, Church Crookham, Fleet, Hampshire, GU52 8BN

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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

 While pupils’ achievement is improving, it has been too varied during the past three years.  Pupils have not always made enough progress from their above average starting points, particularly in reading and writing.  In 2013, Year 6 results were only average in reading, writing and in grammar, punctuation and spelling.  While teaching is improving, some weaknesses remain.  There are some inconsistencies in the teaching of reading skills.  Pupils’ handwriting and presentation vary and pupils do not always have sufficient opportunities to write extended pieces.  In some lessons, pupils’ learning does not proceed at a fast enough pace.  Learning tasks are not always pitched at the right level for the differing abilities of pupils and this hinders their progress.  In reporting the school’s performance, leaders are not taking sufficient account of the school’s published data on achievement and they are not checking sharply the impact of new

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The school has the following strengths

 The new headteacher, staff and governors are taking positive action to accelerate pupils’ progress and, as a result, pupils’ progress is improving.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics and attainment is above average by the end of Year 6.  The school has a positive and welcoming atmosphere.  Pupils are enthusiastic learners and their behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. They feel very safe and very well cared for by adults.  Pupils enjoy the wide range of clubs and visits.  Attendance is consistently above average.  Good partnerships have been formed with parents who hold very positive views about the school.

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Information about the inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 21 lessons. Some of these lessons were seen jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, staff, a representative from the local authority, governors and pupils; pupils were heard read.  The inspectors took account of the 70 responses to the online survey (Parent View) and correspondence from parents.  Responses to an inspection questionnaire from 27 staff were analysed.  The inspectors examined school policies, information about pupils’ attainment and progress, teachers’ plans, pupils’ work and the school’s development planning.

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Inspection team

Robert Eyre-Brook, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Derek Watts Additional Inspector George Logan Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized school.  Most of the pupils are White British.  A below-average proportion of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils in local authority care, those known to be eligible for free school meals and other groups.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs is also above average. There are no identified pupils with disabilities.  The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The headteacher took up his post in September 2012.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that it is good or better in all classes by:  ensuring that the learning in the lesson maintains a good pace and that pupils are swiftly moved on to new learning as soon as they are able  making sure that teachers always set tasks at the right level of difficulty for individual pupils.  Accelerate progress and raise attainment to at least above average in reading and writing by the end of Year 6 by:  ensuring that the teaching of reading skills is consistently good in all classes  improving pupils’ handwriting and presentation  making sure that there are frequent opportunities for pupils to write at length.  Strengthen leadership and management by:  rigorously checking the impact of improvement strategies and the use of learning time  making sure the evaluation of the school’s performance, including teaching, uses a wide range of evidence and refers to the school’s published data.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ achievement has varied too much over the last three years, especially in reading and writing. Year 6 results in 2013 were above average in mathematics but only average in reading, writing and in grammar, punctuation and spelling.  Year groups usually enter Year 3 with above average attainment in reading, writing and mathematics, but the school has not consistently built on these starting points. In particular, pupils had not been making enough progress in Years 3 and 4 because of weaknesses in the teaching. Leaders and staff are taking positive action to accelerate pupils’ progress and this is working. In particular, most pupils are now making good progress in Years 3 and 4.  Pupils show positive attitudes to reading and read a wide range of texts. While progress in reading is improving, there are some inconsistencies in the teaching of reading skills. Most classes acquire and practise reading skills on a frequent and regular basis, but this is not the

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

case in all classes.  Pupils’ achievement in writing is improving. Pupils write for a range of purposes and for different audiences in English lessons and in other subjects. However, in some classes, pupils spend too long planning their writing and have insufficient opportunity to write extended pieces. There is variation in pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work.  In 2013, an above average proportion of Year 6 pupils attained the higher than expected levels in mathematics. However, this was not the case in reading, writing and in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Action is being taken to accelerate the progress of the most able in English, but in some lessons pupils are not moved on quickly enough to demanding tasks.  In recent years, pupils who have special educational needs have not made enough progress. Their progress is improving because learning tasks and support are now more closely matched

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

to needs. These pupils are now making similar progress to other pupils.  In the 2013 national tests for Year 6, the few pupils supported by the pupil premium attained much lower standards than the others. These pupils were about 18 months behind the others in reading and writing and six months behind in mathematics. More recent data show that the school is narrowing the gap between eligible pupils and the others through specific support.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. They acquire mathematical knowledge, understanding and skills well. They apply these effectively to solve problems. In a successful Year 6 lesson, pupils made good progress in ordering a set of fractions by converting them to fractions with a common denominator.  Pupils are developing healthy lifestyles and physical fitness through the school’s physical education programme and the extensive range of sports clubs and sports fixtures. For example,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

during the inspection, about 20 pupils made good progress in practising and refining their dance routines in an early morning club.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Over time, the quality of teaching has not been consistent enough to ensure that most pupils in all year groups make good progress.  Improvements to teaching are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress. However, some shortcomings in teaching remain.  The pace and rate of learning in lessons decline when pupils spend too long listening to the teacher or consolidating learning that is already secure. For example, in some writing lessons, pupils spend too long consolidating ideas and planning rather than being moved on to the main writing task.  In some lessons, tasks are not pitched at the correct level of difficulty so pupils are not suitably challenged. In particular, the most able are not moved on to more demanding work soon enough.  Teachers do not consistently promote good handwriting and presentation skills in all classes. Some pupils take care and pride in their work, while with others their presentation is untidy.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Throughout the school, teachers and support staff have established strong relationships with pupils. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils work well independently, in pairs or in small groups.  Teachers make the purpose of the lesson clear so pupils understand what they are expected to learn. Explanations and instructions are informative and successfully engage the pupils. Pupils are given clear guidance as to what they need to do to succeed in their work.  Teachers use discussion and questioning well to promote pupils’ learning. Pupils effectively apply their speaking and listening skills.  In an outstanding mathematics lesson in Year 4, pupils made rapid progress in solving a range of addition and subtraction problems. They were fully engaged and responded extremely well to the teacher’s high expectations and to the challenging tasks that were well suited to pupils’

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

different abilities and needs. The teacher ensured that the learning moved on at a good rate.  Pupils who have special educational needs are generally taught well and supported. Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning.  Pupils find teachers’ marking and feedback helpful. Good work is praised and there is clear guidance to help them improve.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour and safety are strengths of the school. Parents and carers who responded to the online survey, Parent View, strongly agreed that their children are happy, feel safe and are well looked after at school. They were also impressed with the school’s promotion of good behaviour. The findings of the inspection reflect the parents’ positive views of behaviour and safety.  Pupils show enthusiasm for learning and participate well in the activities provided. They told the inspectors, ‘We learn different things.’ ‘While we are learning we have fun too.’ In most lessons pupils were engaged and focused on their learning. Occasionally, pupils can be less positive and engaged when the pace of learning is not fast enough.  Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. In some lessons, pupils displayed outstanding attitudes to learning and impeccable behaviour. Records of incidents show that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

behaviour is typically good over time and that effective steps are taken to deal with any unacceptable behaviour. Pupils say that they feel safe at school because they are extremely well looked after by adults.  In discussions, pupils showed a good understanding of bullying and the different forms it can take, including persistent name calling, physical bullying and cyber bullying. They reported that there was no bullying in their school. They added that, should it occur, they were certain that the staff would quickly sort it out.  Pupils are considerate, friendly and responsible members of the school community. Their views of the school included, ‘We learn in a friendly atmosphere.’ ‘This is a happy place.’ ‘We all get along with each other.’ Through their studies and events such as International Week, pupils have acquired a good understanding of different cultures and faiths.  Pupils enjoy coming to school and receive encouragement and good support from their parents.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

As a result, attendance levels are consistently above average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and managers have not promoted good achievement for pupils and consistently good teaching over time.  The new headteacher, key leaders and staff have implemented a range of measures to improve teaching and to accelerate pupils’ progress. An improved system for checking pupils’ attainment has been implemented. The purpose of lessons is more sharply focused and pupils have clear guidance on how to succeed. These changes are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress.  The use of teaching time and how well strategies to improve reading are consistently implemented are areas that are not sufficiently well checked by senior leaders. The quality of teaching is checked by senior leaders and the local authority. However, the school’s view is that teaching is stronger than the findings of inspection. The quality of teaching is not always checked against pupils’ progress.  In evaluating and reporting the school’s performance, both leaders, and the local authority in

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The leadership and management requires improvement

their reports, do not take sufficient account of the published achievement data or the school’s performance over time, and there is insufficient reference to the performance of different groups. The school’s self-evaluation reports focus mostly on recent improvements. As a result, the school’s and local authority’s view of the school’s effectiveness is stronger than the inspection conclusions.  Leaders of English, mathematics and special educational needs make positive contributions to improving their areas of responsibility. The school makes good use of the effective local authority support through their consultants for developing the teaching of English and mathematics.  There are clear procedures for checking the performance of staff. Targets to improve teachers’ practice and skills are closely linked to improving pupils’ progress in reading and writing. Staff promotion and salary increases are carefully based on performance and the progress that pupils

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The leadership and management requires improvement

make.  The pupil premium funding has been properly used to provide eligible pupils with additional support and learning opportunities. The progress of pupils supported by the pupil premium is improving.  The school’s curriculum provides a good range of subjects and topics to promote learning and pupils’ personal development. An extensive and impressive range of additional clubs, visits and sporting opportunities are much appreciated by the pupils. Special events, such as Book Week, Science Week and International Week, further enrich the pupils’ learning experiences. The sports grant is used well to increase the skills of staff through training and to extend the activities for pupils.  The headteacher and staff have created a caring, safe and positive community. All pupils have equal access to the full range of learning activities provided. There are no signs of discrimination in the school.  Strong partnerships have been established with parents. The results of the Parent View survey

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The leadership and management requires improvement

and correspondence received indicate that parents hold positive views about the school and that their concerns are few.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body are supportive and bring a range of expertise and skills to the school. They recognise the improvements being made and acknowledge that these are too recent to have had a full impact on pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6. Governors have not been sufficiently informed of the school’s performance over time and the impact of this on overall effectiveness. Regular reports are provided about improvements to teaching. Governors understand recent requirements relating to the management of staff performance and the importance of promotion and salary increases being linked to pupil progress. They ensure that pupil premium funding is properly spent and check how well the pupils supported are progressing. The governors have benefited from a range of useful courses and training.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

All safeguarding procedures 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 115976 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 426588

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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 388 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Karen McManus Headteacher John Abbott Date of previous school inspection October 2008 Telephone number 01252 617664 Fax number 01252 626736 Email address adminoffice@crookham-jun.hants.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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