Foxhills Junior School

School report Foxhills Junior School Foxhills Lane, Colbury, Hampshire, SO40 7ED

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  The headteacher has created a strong team approach to rapidly advancing the school.  School leaders have put in place effective systems to check and improve the quality of the teaching which in turn is raising standards. As a result, pupils are now making faster progress.  Teachers have high expectations and challenge pupils. The support given to those who need extra help is of a good quality.  Learning support assistants are skilled and make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning through the support they provide both within the class and in small groups.  Pupils’ behaviour around the school is good and at times outstanding.  Pupils enjoy school and have very positive attitudes to their learning in class.  Bullying is rare and pupils say they feel safe in school.  The subjects taught are wide ranging and the project approach is really enjoyed by the pupils.  Governors have a very accurate view of the

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

school’s strengths and what needs to be done to make further improvements.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always make the best use of assessment information when planning work to match the needs of individuals and groups.  Occasionally, work in lessons is not challenging enough for the most able.  There is some inconsistency across the school in teachers’ marking and it does not always help pupils improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons or parts of lessons taught by 12 teachers, most of which were joint observations with senior leaders from the school. In addition, several short visits were made to lessons and small groups of pupils taught by learning support assistants were also seen. Two assemblies were also observed.  Inspectors looked at the work in pupils’ books and listened to pupils read from Year 3 and 6. Meetings were held with two groups of pupils. They also used lunch and break times to talk to pupils and observe them around the school.  Inspectors spoke to three school governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative from the local authority, members of the school management team and teachers with responsibility for key subjects. Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including school improvement plans and documents

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Information about this inspection

relating to safeguarding children, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors took account of 92 responses to the online Parent View survey during the inspection as well as letters, emails and a telephone call from a parent during the inspection.  Questionnaires were analysed from 21 staff.

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Inspection team

Sarah Jones, Lead inspector Additional inspector Huw Evans Additional inspector Tony Green Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Foxhills Junior School is a smaller-than-average junior school.  The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for pupil premium, the additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families, is below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is a breakfast and after-school club on the school site. This club is privately managed and subject to a separate inspection.  Over the last 18 months there have been significant changes in the school’s leadership. The

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Information about this school

headteacher joined the school in September 2012. The leadership team was expanded between April and September 2013 to include a newly appointed deputy headteacher and middle leaders to help raise achievement in all year groups.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding and help pupils make even more rapid progress by:  explaining to pupils how to improve their work to achieve the higher levels of attainment  providing pupils with work that is matched precisely to their learning needs, that is interesting and relevant, and sets them an appropriate level of challenge, whatever their ability  ensuring all teachers make the best use of assessment information when planning lessons, particularly for pupils who need extra support.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school has been successful in addressing the previous underachievement of pupils. Prior to the changes the headteacher made in 2012, published results show that pupils’ progress was not good. The rigorous approach taken by senior leaders and governors to improve the quality of teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress and achievement has had a clear impact, and pupils’ progress is now good.  Good progress is evident in all year groups; this is reflected in the pupils’ books and is the result of the good quality of teaching. As a result, pupils are achieving above average results. The proportion of pupils making good rates of progress by the end of Year 6 is rapidly improving in both English and mathematics.  School tracking data indicates that progress continues to accelerate and the current pupils look set to achieve above-average results in both English and mathematics and higher than those

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The achievement of pupils is good

achieved last year.  Pupils for whom the school receives additional funding are now achieving as well as – and some better than – others, especially in reading. The effective use of the additional funding has included one-to-one tuition and additional teaching hours to support pupils in both English and mathematics.  There is evidence of faster progress in the last year for those disabled pupils and those special educational needs. This has been secured with well-focused support and effective guidance delivered by teachers and learning support assistants.  The most able pupils generally make good progress because teachers and learning support assistants make sure the work is demanding. However, there are occasions when they find the work too easy to complete and do not make the progress they are capable of.  Pupils read a wide range of fiction and non-fiction books and use a range of strategies to read

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The achievement of pupils is good

more difficult words. Those in Year 6 spoke about how reading helps their written work, whether it is researching ideas or using new words to make their work more exciting. Pupils enjoy using the library and would like to have more challenging books to choose from.  Imaginatively planned projects ensure pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics are developed well in all subject areas, supporting the good progress being made.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Well-established routines and high expectations help pupils to settle to their work quickly. Teachers provide a wide range of interesting and demanding activities that motivate pupils to become involved in their learning and achieve well. Pupils enjoy the project work; a group of pupils in Year 5 spoke about their chocolate project that includes learning about Fairtrade. The project has provided opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy skills, for example, when writing a piece of persuasive writing based on fairness for cocoa bean farmers.  Team work throughout the school is excellent. Teachers keep support staff well informed of projects, which are planned jointly in year groups, to make sure there is consistency in all classes. Ideas are shared with learning support assistants, who in turn adapt the work well to meet the needs of the pupils they are supporting.  The strongest teaching is characterised by teachers who have strong subject knowledge,

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The quality of teaching is good

regularly check pupils’ progress and have an accurate analysis of pupils’ needs which supports planning. In these lessons, pupils make rapid progress in their learning and develop a range of skills to support their learning in different subject areas. As a result, the work displayed in classrooms and corridors is of a good quality. Pupils are proud of their work on display and younger pupils aspire to engage with projects in the future.  Teachers use a wide range of teaching methods effectively. ‘Talk partners’ help pupils to explore ideas with each other. A key strength in the good teaching is the way teachers and learning support assistants use questions to probe pupils’ understanding. This was evident in an outstanding Year 4 lesson in English. The questioning challenged the pupils to explain their understanding and use the correct vocabulary when providing the answers.  Where marking is most effective, pupils are provided with clear guidance on what to do next to

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The quality of teaching is good

improve their work. However, this is not consistent across all classes.  Pupils say they enjoy the challenges they face in the projects and how experiences help them with their writing. This was seen during the inspection when Year 6 pupils came to school dressed as Vikings. Their engagement and written outcomes reflected their motivation for the topic and the empathy they had for the Vikings, saying it helped with their diary entries as part of the written task.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils’ behaviour both in lessons and around the school is good. Pupils enjoy their learning and have positive attitudes when working. Pupils said they enjoy school and that teachers make the lessons fun and help them learn well.  Teachers set good examples of how to respect each other. This contributes to good relationships between pupils, and they happily celebrate each other’s achievement and success. This was observed during a celebration assembly, when pupils received certificates for achievements in school, as well as a time to celebrate achievements pupils have gained outside school.  Pupils have the opportunity to take on responsibilities which they enjoy. They are very enthusiastic about the work in the pupil voice group. They enjoy the role of librarians in the infant school and as Year 6 buddies for the Year 3 pupils when they transfer from the infant

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school next door.  A very small number of parents who responded to Parent View indicated some concern about behaviour and bullying at the school. However, pupils said that behaviour is good and bullying rare: ‘We don’t have bullying or name calling; we have respect for each other.’ Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying, and they know who to speak to if they have a concern.  Pupils are keen to come to school; this is reflected in their good attendance. The school has effective strategies in place to address rare instances of poor attendance.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel very safe in the school; they are aware of who they can talk to and report any concerns should they occur. Pupils are aware of how to keep themselves safe, especially in relation to internet safety when using electronic devices.

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The leadership and management are good

 The ambition of the senior leadership team, driven by the passionate and highly effective headteacher and deputy headteacher, has brought about considerable changes to the progress pupils are making. Senior leaders have focused on improving teaching and a coaching programme has been introduced to improve the quality of teaching in cases where this is weaker. A culture of rapid and sustained improvement has been achieved by regularly checking the progress pupils are making and adapting the work to meet their individual needs.  The school’s self-evaluation is accurate and provides clarity about the actions for improvement. The school has accurately identified the underachievement of some groups of pupils as a key priority. The effective partnership with the infant school has helped to support pupils who need extra help. This partnership has provided an opportunity to share expertise as well to support

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The leadership and management are good

transition when pupils move from the infant to the junior school.  Subject leadership is good. Staff with the responsibility for English and mathematics offer both expertise and support. The school is well organised for changes in the curriculum for September 2014. The additional funding for physical education is used to provide opportunities for pupils to experience different sports, both in lessons and at break times, and to develop teachers’ skills to create a far more sustainable approach to physical education and pupils’ health.  Links with the local authority are good. Support has included good quality training for teachers, support staff and governors as part of the school’s improvement programme.  Pupils’ spiritual, social and moral understanding is developed well through different subjects; they understand right from wrong and are supportive of each other. Pupils have a good knowledge of cultures through visits and projects that support their understanding. For example,

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The leadership and management are good

in the project ‘Come fly with me’, pupils enjoyed the opportunity to present their research findings on different countries to parents and governors.  Links with parents are good, overall. However, some commented that not all concerns were addressed quickly enough, while others were very happy and spoke about improved communication, for example: ‘The headteacher has improved communication with parents and has made clear his expectation regarding attendance and high standards.’  The work to improve teaching and pupils’ achievement has been effective. Attainment is rising. Progress has improved and the gaps between different groups is reducing. The school is demonstrating a strong capacity to continue improving.

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The leadership and management are good

 Governors are now far more challenging and supportive. This is especially important as challenging and holding leaders to account is an essential role of all governors, especially when supporting the headteacher with the ambitious targets he has for the school They bring a range of expertise to the school, which is enhanced by regular training. The governing body is clear about the school’s strengths, areas for development and the needs of the pupils, in relation to similar schools. They fully meet statutory requirements, including those for safeguarding. They know staff have clear targets for improvement and check that these are linked to rewarding good teaching, tackling any underperformance and the implementation of Teachers’ Standards, and salary progression. Governors monitor spending carefully and know how the school is using the pupil premium funding to improve 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 115956 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 441018

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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 345 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ann Arscott Headteacher Andrew Shore Date of previous school inspection 5 November 2010 Telephone number 023 8029 2126 Fax number 023 8029 3092 Email address school.enquiries@foxhills-jun.hants.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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