Dinglewell Junior School

School report Dinglewell Junior School Dinglewell, Hucclecote, Gloucester, GL3 3HS

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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

p.1

This is a good school

 Pupils make good and sometimes outstanding progress during their time in school. They leave the school reaching standards which are well above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teachers explain new learning very clearly in lessons and they check that pupils have understood before moving on.  Teachers mark work very carefully and give pupils helpful information about what they have done well and how they can make their work even better.  Pupils enjoy reading because the subject is taught well and pupils are encouraged to read for pleasure.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. They like their teachers and the interesting work they are given to do.  The rich experiences pupils have contribute very well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  Leaders, including governors, have a clear understanding of what the school is doing well and what needs to improve. They have high

p.1

This is a good school

aspirations for the school and are taking the right steps to achieve their goals.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress and attainment of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is weaker than other groups in the school. Information about how well different groups of pupils are doing has not been used thoroughly enough to identify whether the gaps are closing.  Pupils are not always given opportunities to practise and develop their writing skills through writing at length in subjects across the curriculum.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 24 lessons and parts of lessons.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, other leaders in school, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, parents and pupils.  Inspectors took account of 59 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) as well as the views of parents from discussions in the playground.  Information about how well school leaders know how good the school is and their plans for school improvement, as well as assessment information, minutes of meetings with the governing body, teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and safeguarding procedures were examined.  Inspectors analysed 30 questionnaires completed by staff.

p.2

Inspection team

Jeanne Simpson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Shahnaz Maqsood Additional Inspector Lesley Voaden Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Dinglewell Junior School is a larger than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding (extra government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families) is lower than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is slightly higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is broadly average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum standards set for attainment and progress.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher have both been appointed since the time of the previous inspection.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Use information about how well pupils are doing more regularly to compare the achievement of different groups in order to:  identify at an early stage those groups which are falling behind, particularly for pupils supported through pupil premium  put in place strategies to make sure that they catch up rapidly.  Provide more opportunities for pupils to write at length in subjects across the curriculum.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 When pupils start at the school the standards they reach in reading, writing and mathematics are high. They make good and sometimes outstanding progress so that by the time they leave, their standards are significantly above national averages.  Reading is a strength. The subject is taught well and pupils of all ages are encouraged to read for pleasure. The pupils collect marbles in a jar when they have read at home during the week. This really encourages them and they enjoy working towards the rewards they receive when they have collected enough marbles.  The progress made by disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is much better than the national average and they reach standards which are above those of similar pupils nationally. This is because they receive regular extra help which is matched precisely to their needs and their confidence is helped by their feelings of success.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has recently introduced a new tracking system for checking on pupils’ progress and attainment and this is giving the school the information needed to help leaders to identify which groups of pupils are falling behind. This information has already resulted in some changes to the support that the pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding receive and the gap is narrowing, but more time is needed for them to be able to catch up completely.  The progress of pupils who are eligible for the additional funding through the pupil premium is inconsistent across the school. As a result, these pupils have not caught up sufficiently by the time they leave the school. The gap between the standards reached by pupils in Year 6 who left the school in 2013 and the standards reached by other pupils in the school was about a year. However, they still reach standards which are about a term ahead of similar pupils nationally.

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils leave the school with all the skills they need to be successful in the next stage of their education. However, though the percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels in writing is slightly above national average, it is lower than in other subjects in the school. This is because pupils are not always given enough opportunities to apply the skills they learn in writing lessons through writing at length in other subjects across the curriculum.  Pupils’ communication skills develop well because they are given lots of opportunities to develop their use of language. Teachers’ good subject knowledge means that the pupils are taught the correct technical language for each subject, and this helps the pupils when they are talking about their learning in lessons.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and some is outstanding, especially for the oldest pupils.  Teachers plan carefully so that learning builds well during the lesson. This is particularly effective in mathematics lessons where pupils need to be confident in one idea so that they can use that understanding in their new learning.  Teachers use questions well to make pupils explain their thinking. They use the pupils’ answers to decide who needs more help and who is ready to move on and they adjust their teaching accordingly.  Pupils know what they are expected to learn in the lesson and how they can show that they have been successful because the teachers share this information with the pupils during their explanations.  Teachers use lots of different ways of teaching which they vary, depending on the subject. Sometimes they show the pupils exactly what they have to do and at other times they provide pupils with open-ended opportunities to find out for themselves. In two outstanding lessons in

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

Years 5 and 6, pupils were given exceptionally challenging problems to solve. They tackled the problems with great enthusiasm and determination because they enjoyed both the satisfaction they got from succeeding and the encouragement and recognition they got from their teachers.  All teachers mark work carefully and they relate their comments to the new learning in the lesson so that pupils are clear about what they have done well and how they can improve their work next time. Frequently, as well as the comments, teachers give pupils additional short pieces of work and time to complete them so that pupils can show that they have understood where they went wrong.  Teaching assistants provide effective support for pupils. They work closely with the teachers so that they understand exactly how to help the pupils to learn well. There is consistency in the quality of the support pupils get, whether they are working with the teacher or a teaching

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

assistant.  Teachers have high expectations. Pupils are given work which is not too easy and not too hard and more-able pupils are able to continue to develop their learning through extension activities.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils feel safe in school and they have good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in their life outside school, including when they are on the internet. Parents agree that their children are safe.  Behaviour around school is polite and respectful. Pupils remember to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ without being reminded and in lessons they cooperate very well in the frequent occasions they have to work together.  The older pupils act as playground friends and help younger pupils to play well together by noticing if any of them are on their own. They then either play with them or help them to find other pupils to play with. They have training to help them act as mediators when there are minor disagreements in the playground and they enjoy the sense of responsibility this gives them.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are usually good, although teachers sometimes have to remind pupils about the need to follow instructions first time, especially the younger pupils.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 A few parents expressed concern about the amount of bullying in school and the way the school responds when it happens. Pupils say that bullying is rare and records kept by the school indicate that any cases which happen are dealt with quickly and appropriately.  The support for pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour is thorough. The school gives high priority to pupils’ personal as well as academic development, and behaviour logs indicate that the number of incidents is declining, indicating that the school’s systems are working.  Attendance is consistently above average and persistent absence is low. The school has good systems for contacting parents on the first day of a pupil’s absence.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher have high aspirations for the school. They lead by example and they have the trust and support of all staff, who recognise the improvements that leaders have brought about. Staff work together well and the headteacher provides good opportunities for other leaders to develop their skills by taking on responsibility for various aspects of the school’s work.  Leaders know how well the school is doing because they regularly check on the quality of teaching and they are starting to use the school’s new system for recording pupils’ progress to check on the impact of the changes they are making.  Their plans for improving the school focus on the right things and all staff are aware of what the school is trying to achieve because the main focus areas are clearly displayed around the school. Each area has a named governor who helps to monitor the improvements and who can hold

p.5

The leadership and management are good

leaders to account. The actions being taken are making a difference, showing that the school has capacity to continue to improve.  The school promotes equality of opportunity through the support given to individual pupils and their parents, particularly when families are going through challenging times. As a result there are no groups of pupils, apart from those eligible for the pupil premium, who are performing relatively less well than their peers.  Good links have been developed with the partner infant school and parents say that transition between the two schools has improved.  The school uses local and national expertise to make sure that all staff benefit from high-quality training, and teachers and teaching assistants are encouraged and supported to improve their practice to be the best it can be.  The government funding for sport is being used to involve more pupils in sport at a higher level

p.5

The leadership and management are good

as well as to develop the skills of teachers. This is making a difference to pupils’ attitudes to sport and their levels of fitness.  The curriculum is rich with opportunities for pupils to learn in interesting ways. The topics stimulate pupils’ interests and give good opportunities for them to apply their basic skills in exciting ways. The theme days, such as the day of dance, use expertise very well to raise pupils’ aspirations and learn at a high level.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. During the inspection a group of pupils demonstrated their excellent musical skills at the beginning and end of assembly, playing flute solos and duets, as well as piano and guitar, all without any adult intervention. This contributes strongly to their personal and cultural development.  Arrangements for the safeguarding of pupils are secure.  The local authority provides appropriate levels of support and challenge.

p.6

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have a wide range of expertise which they use to good effect to challenge and support the school. However, they are not complacent and they have carried out a skills audit and are attending training to improve their skills further. They recognise that the new tracking system is giving them the information they need to check on how well pupils are doing, including the impact of the pupil premium. They monitor the work of the school through regular visits to the school, and good links between teachers and subject areas have been established so that governors can look at different areas of the school’s work in more detail. They know about the quality of teaching and the link between performance and pay progression, including how underperformance is addressed.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 115495 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 426810

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

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 357 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Nick Ford Headteacher Lisa Harford Date of previous school inspection 3–4 December 2008 Telephone number 01452 617376 Email address admin@dinglewell-jun.gloucs.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9