Hounslow Heath Junior School

Hounslow Heath Junior School Selwyn Close, Cambridge Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW4 7BD

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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 Require improvement 3

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

 Pupils’ achievement is not consistently good over time.  Attainment by the end of Year 6 in 2013 was below the national average in reading and mathematics. Progress in reading and mathematics is inconsistent.  Those who are eligible for the pupil premium funding make less progress in some year groups when compared to their peers. By the end of Year 6 in 2013, they attained lower standards in reading, writing and mathematics when compared to their peers  The quality of teaching is too variable to ensure that all pupils make good progress in every year group and in all subjects.  Marking in mathematics does not always provide clear enough guidance to pupils on what they have to do to improve.  Lesson observations by leaders do not focus clearly enough on the impact of teaching on the progress of different groups of pupils.  Governors have not received clear enough information from leaders about the impact of

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

the spending of pupil premium funds for all year groups.

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The school has the following strengths

 Leaders are now taking more effective action to raise achievement.  Pupils feel safe and behave well in lessons and around the school.  A wide range of activities and trips brings variety and enjoyment to pupils’ learning.  The governing body is holding the school more effectively to account for its performance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 26 lessons and part-lessons, including seven joint observations with the senior leadership team. In addition, inspectors heard children reading in Year 6. Books in Years 5 and 6 were scrutinised jointly with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, members of the governing body including the Chair, school staff, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 10 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View and communication from parents.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a large range of documents and policies, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress. Planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour, and safeguarding documents were also scrutinised.  The views of staff were analysed through the 29 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Olson Davis Additional Inspector Amrit Bal-Richards Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Hounslow Heath Junior is larger than the average-sized junior school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is higher than the national average. Pupil premium is additional funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and pupils with a parent in the armed services.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action is higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is much higher than the national average. Pupils come from a range of different ethnic backgrounds, including those of Indian and Pakistani heritages.  The school has a centre for 10 pupils with physical disabilities.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the current floor standards, which are the minimum standards for attainment and progress expected by the government.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by providing a clearer indication in mathematics marking about what pupils have to do to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all groups of pupils, including those who are eligible for the pupil premium funding, make consistently good progress in reading and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by ensuring:  lesson observations clearly focus on the impact of teaching on pupils’ progress, particularly for different groups of pupils  governors are provided with more information about the impact of pupil premium funding in all year groups.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ progress across the school is inconsistent. Results in the national tests have been varied. In 2012, for example, Year 6 pupils achieved well in all subjects, whereas in 2013 they attained lower standards in reading and mathematics.  Also, last year, Year 6 pupils eligible for the pupil premium attained lower standards in reading, writing and mathematics when compared to their classmates as well as when compared to national averages. They were approximately three terms behind their peers in reading, two terms behind their peers in mathematics and one term behind in writing. Recent school assessments show that the gaps are beginning to close. However, in writing and mathematics in Year 6 and in mathematics for Year 5, there are still some gaps in their progress in comparison with that of their classmates.  In some classes, slower progress in reading and writing can be linked to the quality of teaching.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

The school is now closely monitoring and tracking progress data to ensure that slower progress in any class is quickly tackled. Current assessments of pupils in all year groups show that progress is improving.  Disabled pupils, and those who have special educational needs, including those from the centre for pupils with physical disabilities, achieve in line with their peers. However, there are inconsistencies between year groups; for example, pupils in Year 5 made slower progress in mathematics, and in Year 3 progress in writing was slower. There are no discernible differences in the progress that pupils from different ethnic groups make, including those from Indian or Pakistani heritages.  More able pupils are usually sufficiently challenged by the work they are set in lessons. The school also runs sessions to boost the attainment for the most able in all year groups. Due to this support, these pupils achieved standards slightly higher than the national average.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress for those who speak English as an additional language is broadly in line with that of their peers, although in 2013 their attainment was slightly higher than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because over time it has not led to sufficiently consistent, rapid and sustained progress across all year groups.  Joint observations of teaching carried out by inspectors and the senior leadership team confirmed that although some teaching still needs to improve, much teaching observed was good.  When marking pupils’ mathematics work, teachers do not always provide a clear indication to pupils of what they have to do to improve.  Teachers make effective use of information and communication technology. For example, the interactive whiteboard and visualiser were being skilfully used in a Year 5 science lesson where pupils were investigating the parts of a flower.  Homework is given regularly in all year groups, and pupils agree that this has helped them to master some basic skills in spelling and multiplication tables. They also felt that the Bug Club, an online resource through which pupils can read a book and then answer comprehension

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

questions, was good fun and also helped them to develop their reading skills.  Teaching assistants are used effectively and contribute well to pupils’ learning, particularly for those who need additional help with literacy and numeracy.  Displays in class and around the school make a positive contribution to pupils’ understanding of writing. In the lower years, the displays focus on spellings and punctuation, and in the upper years, the displays show pupils how to develop their vocabulary skills and write with expression.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Typically, pupils are well behaved around the school site, at break and lunchtimes, and during lessons. Most parents who answered the questionnaire, and pupils during discussions with inspectors, agreed with this view.  Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are positive. They take pride in their work and ensure that it is neat and tidy. In most lessons, they are quiet and attentive when the teacher is speaking, and they respond well to instructions. Behaviour is not outstanding because, in some classes in Year 5, inspectors saw examples of poor behaviour which had an adverse impact on the progress of the other pupils in the class.  Pupils regard the school as a community where everyone matters. Those pupils in the centre for physical disabilities are fully included in all activities and well supported by their peers, who show them sensitivity and respect. The school has worked hard to ensure that behaviour is well

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

monitored and tracked. The school provides effective support for anyone with challenging behaviour as well as rewarding good behaviour.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils confirm this, saying not only that they feel safe but that they know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying such as cyber-bullying. A small number of pupils felt that there were some isolated incidents of name-calling; however, they all agreed that, should they have any concerns, these would be sorted out very quickly by the staff.  The school has a junior leadership team which is composed of pupils from each class. They are often consulted on school plans and also report back to staff and governors on various aspects.  Attendance is improving and is now slightly above the national average.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders have not ensured that achievement and teaching are yet consistently good enough throughout the school. Although there is a regular programme of lesson observations, they do not always focus on the impact that teaching has on pupils’ progress. There is also little mention of how effective teaching is in providing for the needs of different groups of pupils.  Pupil premium funding has been used to provide a range of different support strategies for eligible pupils. These have included small-group sessions and one-to-one support as well as a range of resources aimed at raising standards, particularly in reading and mathematics. However, these measures have not been wholly successful in ensuring that the achievement of eligible pupils matches that of others in the same year group, most notably in Year 6 last year.  Governors who are entrusted with monitoring the impact of the pupil premium funding have not

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The leadership and management requires improvement

been given the data for year groups other than Year 6. This limits their awareness in an important aspect of their responsibilities, and reduces the extent to which they can effectively fulfil their role in holding the school to account.  The local authority has provided light-touch support to the school. The school purchased additional external support after the 2013 results.  Middle leaders say that they feel that they are part of a team because they have identified the issues facing the school and are contributing to ensuring good achievement for all pupils. They are driving improvements in their particular areas of responsibility and are fully involved in the pupil progress meetings which happen three times a year. As a result, they are able to ensure that any pupil identified as falling behind is quickly given additional support.  The headteacher has worked hard to ensure that the staff team works well together and creates

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The leadership and management requires improvement

a supportive learning environment for pupils. Senior leaders are focused on ensuring that achievement improves and have clear plans to ensure sustained progress. Progress is already improving across the school and, as a result, there is capacity for further improvement.  The school uses its primary sports funding to good effect. There has been an extensive programme of physical education to enhance the well-being of all pupils, including those who attend the centre for physical disabilities. A range of sporting activities and competitions within the borough have enhanced pupils’ sporting activities.  Discrimination in any form is not tolerated in the school, and all pupils have equal access to the full range of different learning experiences offered.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. It has a strong focus on developing pupils’ basic skills, and, in particular, encourages pupils to develop their reading skills through special events such

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The leadership and management requires improvement

as World Book Day. Pupils have access to a wide range of clubs, and are provided with educational visits to such as to local businesses, places of worship, and cultural centres. This also enhances their spiritual, moral, and cultural development, while residential trips, for example to the Isle of Wight, are beneficial for pupils’ social development.  The governance of the school:  Governors bring a good range of expertise to the role. They are enthusiastic and supportive and are increasingly ready to challenge the school. Governors visit the school regularly and frequently ask the views of pupils who are on the junior leadership team. Governors are fully aware of the quality of teaching in the school and how staff performance is managed, ensuring that teachers’ pay is closely linked to the progress that their pupils make. Governors are keen to develop their own skills. They are undertaking more training, particularly in

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The leadership and management requires improvement

understanding achievement data so that they can better hold the school to account. They are also completing a skills audit to see how they can further improve. As yet, they are not sufficiently aware of how the spending of pupil premium funding aids achievement in all year groups. Governors ensure that all safeguarding procedures meet statutory 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 102489 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 431296

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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 518 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Randeep Basra Headteacher Ritu Aulakh Date of previous school inspection February 2009 Telephone number 020 8570 1332 Fax number 020 8577 9116 Email address office@hhjs.hounslow.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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