Nyewood CofE Junior School

Nyewood Church of England Junior School Brent Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 5NW

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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.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and achieve well.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have risen every year since 2011.  In 2013, attainment was substantially above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing.  Teaching has improved. Most teaching is good and some is outstanding.  The religious ethos of the school is at the core of this caring and inclusive school.  Pupils behave well and feel very safe. Pupils’ behaviour when moving around the school is exemplary.  Leaders and governors have been highly effective in securing improvements in teaching and in raising pupils’ achievement.  Staff and governors share the headteacher’s determination to sustain the drive to improve and work very effectively as a team.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Pupils’ make slower progress in writing than in reading and mathematics.  There is not yet enough outstanding teaching.  Occasionally, teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work are not high enough.  Work is sometimes too hard and at other times too easy for pupils.  Pupils do not always have time to read teachers’ comments in their books and use these to improve their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in 14 lessons or part-lessons, including three observations carried out jointly with the deputy headteacher.  Discussions were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers, members of staff and pupils. Meetings were also held with 10 representatives of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body, and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 40 responses to the online Parent View survey. Inspectors also took account of the 28 staff questionnaire responses.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a range of documents and policies, including the school improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress, attendance records and safeguarding policies and procedures.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons as well as a sample of pupils’ work provided by the school and listened to pupils reading.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Keith Homewood Additional Inspector Christine Dickens Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is average. Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and children with a parent or carer in the armed forces.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is average.  The proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The majority of pupils join the school from Nyewood Church of England Infant School, which is on the same site.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise teaching and achievement to the highest levels by making sure that:  teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work are consistently high  the work set for pupils is not too easy and not too hard  there are more opportunities for pupils to use their English skills in longer pieces of writing  pupils read and learn from the comments that teachers write in their books.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well and are effectively prepared for the next stage in their education. Pupils’ progress is more even across the school than at the time of the previous inspection so that pupils in Year 6 are no longer making up for lost time. Inspection evidence indicates that improvements in pupils’ achievement are likely to be sustained.  Pupils’ attainment when they join Year 3 varies from year to year, from below average to average. Improved links with the infant school mean that pupils settle quickly when they join Year 3 and make better progress.  Pupils make good progress in mathematics. Calculation skills are taught confidently and consistently across the school. As a result, pupils are able to solve mathematical problems with increasing confidence.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) has improved and is taught consistently well across the school. Teachers and leaders regularly check and discuss how well pupils are learning

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The achievement of pupils is good

so that they can identify pupils who may be falling behind and provide help. Any gaps in pupils’ knowledge when they join the school are identified and the extra help provided ensures that these pupils catch up quickly. As a result, pupils make good progress in reading.  Pupils make slower progress in writing than in reading and mathematics. This is because the school focused initially on improving pupils’ achievement in reading and mathematics, to very good effect. Staff have already identified writing as the next area for improvement and plans are in place to achieve the same high standards in writing as in mathematics and reading. For example, the school is looking at ways of giving pupils more opportunities to talk about and improve their ideas for written work.  More-able pupils make good progress. The school’s work with local secondary schools is helping teachers to teach pupils the skills they need to attain the higher levels in mathematics and

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The achievement of pupils is good

English. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in 2013 was substantially higher than average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. This represents a marked increase on the previous year.  Pupils in receipt of support provided by pupil premium funding are making faster progress than they have in the past because teachers are more aware of their needs. Evidence indicates that they are making similar progress to their classmates. In 2013, these pupils attained above the national average overall. When compared with the school average, they attained in line with their classmates in reading but behind their classmates by about a term in mathematics and about four terms in writing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make similar progress to that of their classmates overall. School data indicate that progress for these pupils is accelerating, in line with other groups in the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils and this is effectively supporting learning. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very rapid progress because the school establishes very good links with their parents and carers. Specialist training for teaching assistants means that they provide knowledgeable and confident help for pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The school’s focus on improving the quality of teaching has been very successful. More teaching is consistently good than at the time of the previous inspection and some is outstanding.  Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ work have increased and, in most cases, pupils are given work which is at the right level of difficulty. However, in a few cases the work is too hard for some pupils while not demanding enough for others, particularly the more-able, so that their progress slows.  Pupils’ expectations of themselves have also improved and they take more care with their work. During the inspection, for example, pupils were keen to show their work to inspectors and to explain how their work had improved.  In mathematics, teaching builds well on pupils’ learning during Key Stage 1. Successful training for teachers means that they are more confident about assessing pupils’ learning and about how to move pupils to the next level.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The teaching of writing is generally planned well so that pupils use and practise their English skills for a wide range of different purposes. However, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to use their skills to write longer pieces of writing and this has limited progress. The school’s leaders have rightly recognised this as an area for development in their forthcoming review of how subjects are taught.  Reading skills are taught effectively. Improvements in the teaching of phonics are ensuring that pupils are equipped with some of the basic skills they need to read successfully. Skilful teaching is making sure that those pupils who need extra help are catching up with their classmates. For example, during the inspection a small group of Year 6 pupils made rapid progress in their reading and understanding of The Magician’s Nephew. This was because the teachers and adults understood pupils’ needs very well and frequently checked their understanding.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ work and progress are accurate. Teachers’ advice for pupils is clear about what they have done well and what they need to do next to improve their work, both during lessons and in their books. However, pupils do not always read and learn from teachers’ written comments in their books.  Teaching assistants provide valuable support for pupils, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Resources to help pupils when they get stuck are used well so that most pupils are able to complete the work set successfully.  While teaching is sometimes outstanding, there is not yet enough consistently outstanding teaching to raise achievement to the highest levels.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils told inspectors that behaviour is usually very good in the school. Most parents and carers who responded to Parent View or who spoke with inspectors agree with this view.  The school is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all pupils. Teachers expect all pupils to behave well and there is a consistent approach to behaviour management across the school. For example, pupils say they like the ‘behaviour ladders’ and the ‘traffic light’ system, which have been introduced into every classroom. They feel that these have helped to improve behaviour because pupils have a visual reminder of how well they are behaving.  Pupils treat adults and each other with respect and work together well during lessons. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to learn. Pupils arrive punctually at the start of the day and are ready to start lessons on time so that no learning time is lost. Attendance is above average.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have an accurate view of what ‘bullying’ is and know about some of the different forms it can take. They say it happens rarely in school and school records support this view. Pupils told inspectors that teachers and other adults in school look after them very well.  Pupils’ behaviour when moving between lessons and around the school is excellent. For example, at the beginning of lunchtime pupils entered the hall very sensibly and they listened and reflected in silence during the prayer. Their good behaviour is evident in the fact that the full dining hall is very quiet as pupils eat their lunch and chat to their friends.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils feel very safe in school and have a sensible view of how they can help to keep themselves secure.  Behaviour is not yet outstanding because occasionally some pupils lose interest during lessons, particularly when the work is too easy or too hard, and their progress slows.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher has very effectively created a culture in which teachers and leaders consistently look for ways of improving practice. The introduction of new approaches or developments is carefully considered, and once introduced they are regularly checked to make sure they are making a positive difference and adapted if they are not working to raise pupils’ achievement.  The headteacher has ensured that each development in the school is thoroughly secure before moving on to the next priority. As a result, improvements in pupils’ achievement have been sustained each year.  Links with the local infant school have been strengthened so that learning builds more securely on what pupils already know when they join the school in Year 3. Regular meetings and events such as joint training days are helping teachers to gain a better understanding of pupils’ learning in Key Stage 1 and allowing them to learn from effective practice. Middle leaders are playing an

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The leadership and management are good

effective role in making sure that subjects are taught consistently across the school.  Teachers are determined to develop their practice and well-focused training is helping them to do this successfully. Teachers support each other very well by, for example, sharing ideas and good practice. As the Chair of the Governing Body commented, the headteacher ‘brings people on’ very successfully, recognising potential in staff and giving them opportunities to develop their careers.  The local authority knows the school well and recognises the extensive improvements made in the school since the current headteacher was appointed four years ago. The local authority has provided a range of support for the school such as training for the governing body and visits to the school to review the quality of teaching with leaders.  Subjects are taught in an interesting way and visits and trips add to pupils’ enjoyment of school.

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The leadership and management are good

The religious culture of the school contributes very well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and is reflected in the strength of relationships between pupils and their teachers. Discrimination is not tolerated and the school is a cohesive and positive community.  Primary school sports funding has been allocated appropriately. For example, a specialist gymnastics teacher is working alongside teachers in the school. The headteacher and sports leader have completed observations of physical education (PE) lessons to check that the quality of PE teaching is improving as a result.  The governance of the school:  The role played by governors has developed rapidly and expectations of their role have increased. For example, all reports are now produced in advance of governors’ meetings, so that governors have the time to read and consider what they say and are better prepared to

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The leadership and management are good

ask questions during meetings. Governors’ visits to the school are more frequent and have a clear focus on aspects of learning. Governors know how additional funds are being spent, such as pupil premium and primary school sports funding. Their view of pupils’ achievement is accurate because information about pupils’ progress is analysed and discussed regularly. The headteacher provides comprehensive information about the quality of teaching. As a result, governors know how salary progression is being used to support developments in teaching and to reward effective practice. Safeguarding procedures are rigorous and meet statutory requirements. Leaders are presently in the process of strengthening procedures for routines at the end of the school day. The governing body has arranged a review of its work by the local authority to check progress and to help governors to identify aspects of their work which

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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 126021 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 431066

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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 Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 302 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mike Broad Headteacher Jon Williams Date of previous school inspection 21−22 June 2012 Telephone number 01243 825871 Fax number 01243 841581 Email address office@nyewood-jun.w-sussex.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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