St Budeaux Foundation CofE (Aided) Junior School

St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School Priestley Avenue, Plymouth, PL5 2DW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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 Require improvement 3

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

 Actions taken to bring improvement have not been operating long enough to secure pupils’ good achievement. As a result, pupils’ rates of progress from their different starting points, especially in reading and writing, are not consistently good across the school.   Teaching is not yet consistently good or better in all parts of the school.   At times, teachers do not act quickly enough to strengthen pupils’ learning by moving them into activities matched to their ability and where they can receive closer adult support.   Teachers do not always emphasise the development of pupils’ basic writing skills sufficiently.   Reading books, work sheets and written texts used to support pupils’ learning are not consistently matched to their reading skills, constraining progress in reading and in enabling pupils to learn for themselves.   Some senior and middle leaders are new to the role and are not yet fully effective in checking

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

and improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility. 

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The school has the following strengths

 High levels of staff morale, refreshed governance and an improving partnership with parents are supporting a strengthened drive for improvement.  The dedicated headteacher is well supported by staff and governors and is respected by parents in ensuring that all pupils have their well-being securely safeguarded.  Pupils behave well, work hard and enjoy supportive relationships with each other and with adults in the school.  Teaching in mathematics is rooted in pupils’ learning through real-life investigations and is a developing strength across the school. Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited 14 lessons and made several other observations of teaching and learning. The lead inspector was accompanied by the headteacher during about half of his observations.  The inspectors observed morning playtime and lunch breaks and the team inspector also attended an assembly.  Meetings were held with members of the school council and many other pupils were spoken to during lessons and breaktimes. The inspectors also met with governors and a representative of the local authority . The lead inspector also had a telephone conversation with the school’s improvement partner.  The inspectors held meetings with school staff, including senior leaders.  The inspectors received 19 staff questionnaires. The team inspector also spoke informally with a number of parents as they brought or collected their children to school.  The inspectors also took account of 13 parents’ responses to the online questionnaire (Parent

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Information about this inspection

View) in planning and undertaking the inspection and also examined the school’s own surveys of parents’ and pupils’ views.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own information on pupils’ progress, planning and leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Dianne Jones Additional Inspector Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 This school is a broadly average-sized junior school.  Most pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average. The proportion supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, children from service families and those known to be eligible for free school meals) matches that found nationally.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good or better by:  ensuring that during lessons pupils are moved more quickly into work that is matched to their ability and that teaching assistants are better enabled to provide close support for them  making sure that when teachers mark pupils’ work they place the same high-quality emphasis on promoting the pupils’ basic writing skills as they do when checking the pupils’ understanding of lesson objectives.  Raise pupils’ attainments and achievements, especially in reading and writing, by:  ensuring that pupils’ reading books and the work sheets and texts used to promote pupils’ learning more closely match their reading skills, including to develop their ability to read and learn for themselves  more systematically developing pupils’ handwriting, spelling and punctuations skills as they move through the school.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 developing the roles of new senior and middle leaders in more rigorously checking the quality of teaching and learning and accelerating pupils’ progress in their areas of responsibility. Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 4 of 9

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Variations in pupils’ attainments at the end of Year 6 in national tests, and in pupils’ progress through the school as seen in school records, show that achievement is not good enough.  In recent years, pupils’ attainment on entering the school in Year 3 has been broadly average. Although the attainments of Year 6 pupils in National tests in 2013 showed positive improvement, particularly in mathematics, pupils’ attainment in reading remained below average.  Overall, alongside observations of pupils’ responses in lessons and a scrutiny of their work, this still shows that progress varies at times and leads to achievement that requires improvement, especially in reading and in pupils’ basic literacy skills.  An increasing number of pupils are benefitting from increased help at home with their reading and some more-able pupils are also making better progress than in the past in extending their vocabulary and understanding different texts. However, some pupils of average ability and some

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

who find reading more difficult are not helped by reading materials which do not match their level of skill and consequently lack confidence in tackling new words.  Even so, observations of pupils’ learning in lessons show quickening progress now, especially in mathematics and in the ability of pupils to write expressively. For example, in most classes, pupils are enthused by real-life problem solving in mathematics, as in Year 5, and accurately calculate the profit to be made from selling items in the school’s Christmas Fayre. Similarly in English, pupils confidently retell the story of Dick Whittington following a stimulating theatre performance.  Pupils’ work and responses in lessons also show that the proportion of pupils making expected progress matches that found nationally. This includes disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, who benefit from additional adult support that enables them to progress as

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

well as their peers.  Pupils supported by the pupil premium also receive additional adult support and by the end of Year 6 in 2013 had made good progress. They had closed the achievement gap with other pupils in writing and reduced it to about two terms in reading and mathematics. Earlier support for these pupils now continues to raise their achievement through the school, reflecting the school’s continuing commitment to equal opportunity.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching has varied across the year groups and the range of pupils’ abilities. School records of pupils’ progress show that teaching has generally not been as effective in Year 4 as in other years and pupils of average ability are not doing as well as other pupils.  Observations of teaching show improvement but still indicate some variation in the quality of teaching, with teaching being less effective in English than in mathematics.  For example, at times in English lessons introductory discussions led by teachers continue for too long, restricting the time left for pupils to work more independently during activities better matched to their abilities. Sometimes this also means that capable teaching assistants are not able to work as effectively with pupils to quicken their learning.  In contrast, teaching in mathematics more often moves at a faster pace, and because it is relevant to pupils’ real-life issues they are motivated, think for themselves and progress better.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 All teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and by developing warm, encouraging relationships are noticeably promoting enjoyment for the pupils and enhancing their attitudes to learning.  All teachers plan their lessons carefully and share clear learning objectives with the pupils. These Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 5 of 9

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

are then checked very carefully when teachers talk to pupils and especially when marking their work. Too often, though, pupils’ basic handwriting, spelling and punctuation skills are not picked up on in teachers’ marking and generally these skills are not emphasised systematically enough as pupils move through the school.  Inconsistency is also evident in the development of pupils’ reading skills as, on occasion, reading books and work sheets are not matched closely enough to pupils’ ability and inhibit rather than boost progress.  Even so, in recent terms, teachers have strengthened the way they check pupils’ progress and understanding and this is enabling them to set suitably challenging work and to provide additional group activities and individual adult support, both within and outside the classrooms. As a result, an increasing number of pupils are quickening their progress, especially the more

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

able pupils, and so too are pupils in receipt of the pupil premium because they are getting earlier and effective support from teaching assistants. Teachers are also mindful of the needs of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Teachers provide excellent care and plan appropriate work for them.  Increasingly, whole-school topics such as ‘Money Week’ and a consistent focus on developing pupils’ financial awareness and improving links with parents are also quickening progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils consistently show positive attitudes to learning. They are keen to work, show respect for their teachers and other staff, and work well together. Caring relationships typify the supportive atmosphere in all parts of the school. Pupils say they feel safe, have lots of friends and show confidence in offering their ideas. These qualities underpin pupils’ enjoyment of school and help to quicken their progress, especially during practical activities and when using computers.  Pupils’ behaviour is good. Overall, parents’ views expressed via Parent View, when speaking to an inspector and in the school’s own surveys strongly indicate improved and now good behaviour. The school’s surveys of pupils’ views, responses in Ofsted staff questionnaires and inspectors’ discussions with pupils and governors also mirror parents’ positive views.  Pupils show that they know how to keep themselves and each other safe and understand the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

different forms that bullying can take, including, for example, physical and cyber bullying. The headteacher and staff diligently record incidents of poor behaviour and rigorously deal with them. There have been no pupil permanent exclusions in recent years and the reduced, and now few, temporary exclusions have all led to improved behaviour.  As a result, pupils are confident that incidents of bullying are much reduced and that adults keep everyone safe at school. The low number of accidents such as trips or collisions during break times further shows the degree to which pupils show consideration of each other. At times, though, a few pupils are over reliant on close adult support and their attention slips when teaching is less effective in stimulating their interest.  Pupils on the school council take their roles seriously and are proud of their positive contributions to school life. For example, they have created a ‘friendship stop’ in the playground

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

where pupils can be supported if they feel lonely.  Attendance is strongly promoted and checked by the headteacher, and improved links with parents and pupils’ increasing enjoyment of school have also helped to bring attendance to a securely average level.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, following the unwavering determination of the headteacher, Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 6 of 9

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The leadership and management requires improvement

leaders and managers have identified appropriate strengths and areas for development within the school. However, not all steps taken to bring about improvement have been in place for long enough to impact fully; for example, the work of new leaders in securing equally good teaching and pupils’ progress across the school.  Senior leaders have recognised that previous arrangements to check pupils’ progress did not take place frequently enough and lacked the rigour to bring swift improvement. Consequently, in recent terms, pupils’ progress is checked more often and in a more detailed and collaborative way and this is helping to quicken progress. The information gathered is used well by the headteacher to link evaluations of teachers’ performance and salaries with efforts to raise pupils’ achievements.  Governors too are more questioning of the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and are also active in supporting the beneficial drive to involve more parents in their children’s learning.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The ability to secure further improvement is demonstrated by raised pupils’ attainments at the end of Year 6 last year, particularly by more-able pupils and pupils supported by the pupil premium, and especially in mathematics.  The school provides a good range of learning activities, including visiting theatre groups and thought-provoking assemblies that strongly promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school sustains a strong commitment to enriching pupils’ health and welfare, including by means of a parent support adviser, learning mentor and school counsellor. High-quality pastoral guidance and well-planned support of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs further demonstrate diligence in promoting equal opportunity and eliminating discrimination.  The headteacher has drawn up clear plans to make sure that additional funding for physical education extends pupils’ well-being. For example, the school is increasing competitive team

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The leadership and management requires improvement

sports activities and specialist coaching, including in basket ball and dance, to specifically involve more girls in clubs.  The local authority offers a range of training opportunities, for example to enhance governors’ skills, and has supported links with other schools. However, the ‘light-touch support’ provided since the previous inspection has not sufficiently accelerated the rate of school improvement.  The governance of the school:  Governors receive detailed reports from the headteacher and regularly question him, for example, to check that pupils in receipt of pupil premium support are closing the gap in achievement with other pupils. By working closely with the headteacher, governors know what needs to be improved but also recognise that several relatively new initiatives have not been in place for long enough to bring sustained improvement. The governing body, joined by several new members, has reviewed its structure and has recognised the need to challenge

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the school more rigorously. As a result, governors are now checking the impact of initiatives with increasing rigour. Governors take full advantage of available training opportunities and, for example, manage finances and safeguard pupils’ welfare more effectively and are now more familiar with performance data. Governors continue to visit the school regularly and this year are more specifically checking the impact of teaching on pupils’ achievement. Consequently, they ensure that deliberations about teachers’ performance and salary progression are linked with meeting pupils’ needs and are raising their achievements. Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 7 of 9

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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. Inspection report: St Budeaux Foundation Church of England Junior School, 28–29 November 2013 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 113483 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 429643

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 202 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Rachel Cain Headteacher Robin Jones Date of previous school inspection 23–24 April 2012 Telephone number 01752 365217 Fax number 01752 351011 Email address st.budeaux.ce.junior.school@plymouth.gov.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

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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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