Harrington Junior School

Harrington Junior School Derby Road, Long Eaton, Nottingham, NG10 4BQ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Inadequate 4 Achievement of pupils Inadequate 4 Quality of teaching Inadequate 4 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Inadequate 4

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires special measures.  Pupils’ achievement in reading, writing, and particularly mathematics, is inadequate. Many pupils do not make enough progress, and leave the school with levels of attainment that are below average.  Too often, teaching is not good enough. This is because work in lessons is often too hard or too easy.  Weaknesses in the use of questions to develop understanding, and in marking and feedback to show pupils how to improve, restrict pupils’ learning.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and those for whom the school receives additional government funding, do not make adequate progress.  Pupils’ attention wanders when lessons fail to hold their interest.  Over time, leaders, managers and governors have not made rigorous judgements about pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching, so too much underachievement still remains.  Leaders have not been successful in improving

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils show respect and tolerance for each other. There are good relationships between pupils and adults.  Pupils have a good understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Their conduct in lessons and around the school is good.  Pupils enjoy coming to school, and their attendance is good. They say they feel safe.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 15 lessons, two of which were observed jointly with school leaders. In addition, they visited some lessons to look at how pupils who needed extra help are supported, and to listen to pupils read.  Inspectors spoke to pupils in lessons, at lunchtimes and at playtimes. They also interviewed a randomly selected group of pupils.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documents, including the school’s own data about pupils’ current and recent progress, planning and monitoring documentation, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.  Meetings were held with the Chair of the Governing Body, representatives of the local authority, and senior and subject leaders.  The views of 28 parents were analysed through the Parent View website. Inspectors also took account of additional comments made by parents whom they met informally at the start of the

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Information about this inspection

school day.  The inspectors considered the views expressed in questionnaires returned by members of staff.

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Inspection team

Stephen Palmer, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Michael Onyon Additional Inspector

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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Information about this school

 Harrington Junior is smaller than most primary schools.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and the proportion who speak English as an additional language are both below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus, or with a statement of special educational needs, is slightly above average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. This is additional government funding for particular groups, including those eligible for free school meals.  The school does not meet the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The deputy headteacher and the mathematics coordinator joined the school in September 2013.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club, which are not managed by the governing

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Information about this school

body and were not part of this inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that all pupils make at least the progress they should by:  ensuring that teachers know how well all their pupils are doing, and use this information to make sure that pupils do not repeat work they can already do and that those who need extra support are given it  making lessons more demanding for more-able pupils  making better use of lesson time so that pupils get more work done  marking pupils’ work effectively so that pupils know what they have done well and what they need to do to improve further  developing teachers’ use of questions to check on and deepen pupils’ understanding  identifying quickly those pupils who are not making enough progress, and using effective ways to help them to catch up.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the impact of school leadership by:  looking closely at how well teachers are teaching, with specific reference to the progress that pupils make, and giving recommendations to teachers on how they can improve  identifying rigorously the school’s weaknesses  making action plans which clearly show what difference the actions will make, how quickly, and who will be responsible for implementing them.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Ofsted will make recommendations for action on governance to the authority responsible for the school. When writing to the responsible authority, the recommendations for actions will include an external review of governance to include a specific focus on the school’s use of the pupil premium.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Pupils join the school in Year 3 with standards in reading, writing and mathematics which are above average. Since 2011, pupils have left the school at the end of Year 6 with standards in these subjects that are well below average. Standards have been on a downward trend. Standards were particularly low in mathematics in 2013, and, overall, pupils left the school the equivalent of around a year behind pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Boys achieve lower standards than girls, though the achievement of both girls and boys remains below average.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The standards achieved by pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium are still too far behind those of pupils across the country. In 2013, in Year 6, these pupils were the equivalent of a year behind other pupils in the school in mathematics and reading. They were around eighteen months behind their classmates in writing. The attainment gap is not closing.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The attainment of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is below that of similar pupils nationally. Their inadequate progress is similar to that of other pupils in the school because, over time, the work set for them in lessons has not been targeted accurately to meet their specific learning needs.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 The school’s own data about pupils now in the school show that their progress is inconsistent, but still falling behind expected levels, especially in mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 Over time, progress in lessons has been hindered by teachers not using information about what pupils can already do when planning activities, so pupils often repeat work or are not sufficiently supported to enable them to make the progress expected of them.

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The achievement of pupils is inadequate

 There are signs that teaching has improved since September 2013, and that this is beginning to have a positive impact on how well pupils make progress. However, it is too early to be sure that this very recent improvement will be sustained.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Over time, teachers have not used accurate information to plan lessons which build on what pupils know and can do. Too often, all pupils in a lesson are given the same task to complete with varying degrees of support from adults. This results in some pupils needing too much extra support, or the work not being challenging enough for others, especially the more able.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Adults’ use of questions is often superficial. Questions do not probe deeply enough to develop pupils’ understanding by challenging their responses or extending their thinking. For example, questions often just require a one-word answer and do not offer pupils opportunities to explain a process or give reasons for the answer they are giving.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work includes encouraging comments and makes good use of praise. However, it does not tell pupils exactly what they have done well and what they need to do in order to improve their work further.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Over time, teachers have not identified pupils who are not doing as well as they should, and so they have not put in place the appropriate support to help them to catch up.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 Disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those pupils who are supported by the pupil premium are frequently taught in small groups. However, the work set for them is not matched closely enough to their specific needs in literacy and numeracy, so they do not make enough progress.

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The quality of teaching is inadequate

 There have been some recent improvements in the quality of teaching, but it is too early to be sure that these will be sustained.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement because pupils do not always give their full attention to the lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The recent improvements in the quality of teaching have enabled pupils to show more positive attitudes towards learning. When given the opportunity, they set to work enthusiastically on the tasks set for them. Inspectors did not see any instances in which a lesson was disrupted by poor behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils show respect and courtesy for each other and for adults. Their conduct in and around the school is generally good. They move around the building, and come in from playtimes, in an orderly fashion, and arrive at the next lesson ready to learn. They show care and respect for school property and for others’ belongings. Pupils show concern for each other’s well-being, and are aware that their behaviour can affect others. Year 6 pupils act as good role models of behaviour for younger pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Adults manage behaviour at playtimes and lunchtimes to promote the safety and well-being of pupils. The playground has both quiet areas and areas where more energetic activities can take place. Pupils respect these boundaries, and understand the value of them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school responds appropriately to the conduct and attitudes of pupils, who understand the system of rewards and sanctions. In lessons, teachers use positive rewards to motivate pupils.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school provides effective support for pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties. For these pupils, the school maintains records of patterns of their behaviour, and the effectiveness of actions taken to improve it.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 There have been no exclusions in recent years.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school maintains records of incidents of bullying, racism, homophobia and poor conduct, which indicate that such incidents are rare.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 The school has taught pupils about the different forms that bullying may take, and has given them advice on what to do if they feel they are being bullied. On the few occasions when bullying does occur, the school deals with it promptly. Pupils show some understanding of the different forms of bullying, such as name-calling, racist abuse and homophobic comments.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils, parents and carers agree that pupils are safe. Pupils are taught about aspects of keeping safe, such as how to be safe on the roads, and how to be safe while using the internet.  Attendance is above average.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Not enough has been done to improve pupils’ achievement in the last three years. Leaders have not reacted with enough urgency to correct weaknesses, particularly in the quality of teaching, much of which has been of poor quality.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The school leaders’ assessment of its performance has not been rigorous in identifying important weaknesses.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The school’s plans for improvements have not identified what the impact on the pupils’ achievement should be. As a result, the leaders of the school have been unable to judge the effectiveness of their actions.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The topics and themes which pupils study do not identify what pupils should learn each year, nor do they identify how pupils’ skills and understanding should develop as they progress through the school.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 There is limited evidence that the school has measured the impact that pupil premium spending has had on the progress made by eligible pupils.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 In the past, checks on the performance of staff have not led to improvements in teaching. Leaders have not held teachers accountable for the progress of pupils in their care. While more rigorous procedures have been introduced recently, it is too early to measure their impact. The school’s leaders have not yet linked teachers’ progression on the pay scale to the progress made by their pupils.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The school promotes opportunities for pupils to reflect on their relationships with other people and the world around them. It also encourages them to take on responsibilities around the school. Pupils have a good sense of what is right and what is wrong.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The school cares well for its pupils and does not tolerate any discrimination.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 Over time, without effective support from other leaders, the headteacher has tried unsuccessfully to improve the quality of teaching. However, there are early signs that the recently strengthened leadership team are more effective in supporting her to bring about the necessary improvements.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The local authority identified the school’s weaknesses and has recently offered more support to the headteacher in improving the quality of teaching. This is beginning to have a positive impact this term.

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The leadership and management are inadequate

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has not sufficiently challenged and questioned the school’s leadership team about pupils’ achievement. However, in September 2012, the governors were informed of the school’s underperformance and are now taking steps to monitor more robustly the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching.  Governors now have an accurate picture of the achievement of pupils through data provided by the headteacher. They have analysed the data to look at the comparative achievement of different cohorts and groups of pupils, and understand how pupils’ achievement compares with the national average. They are now beginning to use this information to question and challenge the school’s leaders.  Governors have been slow to establish a link between teachers’ pay progression and their performance. The school has not yet introduced the required performance management

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The leadership and management are inadequate

arrangements which make this link.  Governors now have a breakdown of the expenditure of the pupil premium funding, and know the progress and attainment of eligible pupils compared with the progress and attainment of other pupils in the school. However, they do not know which items of expenditure have had the most impact on eligible pupils’ achievement.

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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 112582 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 424961

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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 230 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Richard Tidmarsh Headteacher Rachael Wilmot Date of previous school inspection 20 October 2011 Telephone number 0115 9732963 Fax number 0115 9732963 Email address headteacher@harrington.derbyshire.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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