Newhall Community Junior School

Newhall Community Junior School Chesterfield Avenue, Newhall, Swadlincote, DE11 0TR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher provides clear and determined leadership. He is well supported by the school's leadership team and a knowledgeable governing body. As a result, pupils' achievement and the quality of teaching have improved well since the previous inspection.  Pupils of all abilities make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout school.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs achieve well because teachers accurately assess their progress and skilfully set them work which is of the correct level of difficulty.  The quality of teaching is good. It is sometimes outstanding. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils. They make good use of information and communication technology to motivate and engage pupils.  Teaching assistants make a valuable contribution to the progress that all groups of pupils make.  Pupils are well behaved and feel safe. They are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

proud of their school, hard working and take their many responsibilities seriously.  There are many exciting sporting, artistic and social opportunities for pupils to engage in including visits abroad.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally teachers do not provide all the challenge they could for the most-able pupils.  Teachers do not always make full use of marking to ensure pupils improve their own work.  Sometimes the pupils' writing in subjects such as history or science is not to the same standard of their work in English lessons.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 18 lessons, including a joint observation with the headteacher. The inspectors also made a number of shorter visits to classrooms. Inspectors also heard pupils read.  Discussions were held with a group of pupils, the Chair and other members of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority and members of staff including senior leaders and other leaders with particular responsibilities.  Inspectors took account of the 42 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View) and the outcomes from the school’s own consultations.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including information on pupils’ current progress, the school’s plans for improvement, the management of teachers’ performance, the use of pupil premium funding, and documentation and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and safety.

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Inspection team

Andrew Clark, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Mark Redmile Additional Inspector Wendy Davies Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school and the number on roll is increasing.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported by school action is well above average.  The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils who receive the pupil premium funding is above average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children that are looked after.  Most pupils are from White British families.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  At the previous inspection the school was removed from requiring special measures. Several of the teaching staff are new to the school since that time and some are new to the profession.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching in order to further improve pupils' achievement by:  ensuring all lessons fully challenge the most-able pupils  making full use of marking to set precise steps for pupils to improve their own work and making certain they are followed  ensure that pupils' written work in all subjects is to the highest standard they are capable of.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils start Year 3 with largely above-average results in reading, writing and mathematics from their infant schools. All groups of pupils achieve well throughout the school and make good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 This good achievement is not reflected in the results of national tests for Year 6 pupils particularly in 2013 which were below average for mathematics and average for reading and writing. This was largely because of previous significant staffing and other issues which affected the overall achievement of these pupils despite a strong boost to their progress in Years 5 and 6. The evidence from inspection shows these issues have since been addressed and the current Year 6 pupils are working at higher than normally expected levels in English and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The pupils supported by pupil premium funding achieve well. In 2013 these pupils attained higher levels than other pupils in the school in English and mathematics. In many classes, they are working at standards which are similar to their peers. This is a direct result of carefully planned and skilfully taught lessons to develop their reading, writing and number skills so that they achieve well in all subjects.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ reading skills are good. They take a keen interest in books and are knowledgeable about the writing style of different authors from the past and present. Pupils of all abilities read with fluency and accuracy. Pupils, particularly the most able, have a good understanding of the actions and decision made by characters in their books because of the in-depth study in guided reading sessions.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils write well. By Year 6 they sustain the development of an idea or argument well through extended writing in both fiction and non-fiction. They increasingly make skilful use of language to present persuasive arguments in topics they are studying in history or science. Pupils’ spelling, punctuation and grammar are increasingly accurate and these skills, especially for the less-able pupils, are underpinning the improvements made to their writing.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils acquire good mathematical skills and apply them well in investigations and problem- solving. By Year 6, for example, pupils are able to use a thorough knowledge of negative numbers and coordinates to set questions for others on transforming, reflecting and rotating complex shapes using a precise and accurate mathematical vocabulary.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress throughout school. The school takes careful account of their achievement in planning the support they need and encouraging them to make decisions and take a pride in their work.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The most-able pupils make good progress. They make good use of a wide range of literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects. For example, in science in Year 3, pupils work collaboratively to plan, construct and record investigations into magnetic forces with good levels of independence in the way they organise and report their ideas.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Lessons start promptly and efficiently. Classrooms are well organised and pupils know exactly what is expected of them.  Teachers make good use of precise and accurate assessments of pupils' progress to make sure that the work is hard enough for pupils of all abilities and builds on their skills particularly those of English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Literacy and numeracy skills are well taught. Teachers introduce new skills succinctly and clearly. They make good use of resources including information and communication technology to inform and hold the pupils' attention. For example, they use projected images of the pupils' own work to discuss calculation strategies in mathematics and the effectiveness of adjectives in their writing.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils' reading skills are well developed through regular guided reading sessions. Pupils take roles in their groups such as summariser, predictor, questioner and clarifier to develop their ability to read with deeper clarity and understanding. The pupils have many opportunities to read guidance and instructions during their lessons, use dictionaries and thesauri and research for information to improve their reading skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers' expectations are high. They set challenging targets for all pupils and are quick to intervene if achievement looks like it might fall below this standard. The school makes good use of daily teaching programmes for those who struggle to achieve in basic spelling, grammar and punctuation skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The most-able pupils also receive targeted English and mathematics lessons and work as a smaller group, sometimes led by highly trained teaching assistants, which are tailored to providing further challenge and contribute well to the higher levels these pupils are now working at.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants also make a strong contribution to many aspects of pupils' learning throughout the school day. In many lessons, they focus on pupils who just need an additional boost to reach the next level in their work whatever their ability. They support them through careful questioning, and well-structured guidance.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers place a great emphasis on pupils developing self-reliance and making decisions about their own learning. They increasingly involve them in assessing their own success and planning their own work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Occasionally, teachers do not challenge the most-able pupils as much as they could, particularly in mathematics. For example, by not asking more probing questions to help these pupils clarify and deepen their learning or by expecting them to complete work which is a little too simple before undertaking extended tasks.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Sometimes, teachers do not provide precise enough guidance in the regular marking to help pupils improve their own work or make certain they follow the advice given.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers do not always make sure that the pupils' writing in subjects such as history and geography is to the same standard it is in their English work.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is a key feature of all lessons and a marked improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils of all abilities take pride in presenting their work carefully.  Pupils are polite, calm and considerate towards others. They listen to teachers and their peers and are rarely inattentive. This is a direct response to the high expectations of the headteacher and all his staff.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils take responsibilities through the school council and roles such as prefects. They are especially proud that their good behaviour is recognised when they join the 'Respect' group and receive a number of special privileges.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school's work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils comment that they feel safe and are well looked after and their parents agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have a good knowledge of different types of bullying, including cyber bullying. They know what to do in the event of any incidents and feel that they would be quickly addressed.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is average. The school has successfully reduced the number of pupils who are persistently absent since the previous inspection particularly through the work of the school's pastoral support team.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides a very clear steer for the school. This is shared by staff and the governing body. There is a continuous pursuit of high standards in all aspects of the school's work. This is evident in the improvements to teaching and learning and to pupils' behaviour. The school has the capacity to improve further. Staff morale is consequently high.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior and middle leaders act as good role models for other staff through their own teaching and skills in improving the work of others. There are robust procedures for matching the quality of teaching to the progress pupils make and, as a result taking, steps to address the few inconsistencies in the quality of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The impact of the leaders approach to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils is reflected in the good progress made by all pupils. There is no discrimination throughout the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff are held accountable for the progress their pupils make and they have to meet stringent criteria in order to achieve the next salary level.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school receives good support from the local authority. Regular visits and detailed reports on the quality of the school's work have helped the school to focus its resources where they are most needed and to further develop staff's leadership skills.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school promotes pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. There are many very exciting activities such as residential visits to Switzerland and Moscow, in collaboration with other schools, to inspire the pupils. High quality art work based on Indian and Australian cultures acts as a spring board for further studies.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school makes good use of new sports development funding to improve teachers' skills and support pupils' sporting and other achievements. This has already contributed to success in sporting county championship competitions.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is well informed and well led. It is effectively informed through detailed headteacher’s reports, its own systematic checks on the school’s work and detailed analysis of pupils’ progress. Governors make good use of first-hand observations from regular visits to school, discussions with subject and other leaders to contribute to the school’s self-evaluation. They have a good understanding of pupils' achievement and regularly asking challenging questions to school leaders to ensure that they provide the best teaching and learning they can. Governors are fully involved in decisions as to whether teachers and staff should be rewarded with salary increases and review targets for the headteacher. They manage the

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The leadership and management are good

finances well by, for example, carefully scrutinising the use made of pupil premium funding and its impact on learning.

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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 112635 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 430576

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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 271 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Joanne Curtis Headteacher Peter Seargent Date of previous school inspection 12 March 2012 Telephone number 01283 217472 Fax number 01283 217472 Email address headteacher@newhall-junior.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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