Calmore Junior School

School report Calmore Junior School Calmore Drive, Calmore, Southampton, SO40 2ZZ,

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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 Good 2

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

 Pupils’ progress has been slow for two years and was very slow in 2013. Despite actions taken by senior leaders, progress is still variable in the different year groups and for different groups of pupils. Not enough pupils are making rapid progress.  Work set is sometimes too easy or too hard for those who have special educational needs or disabilities. As a result these pupils do not progress as well as they might.  The school recognises that the quality of teaching over time has been inconsistent. Teachers do not always provide sufficient challenge in lessons, particularly for those who are more able. The number of pupils reaching the higher levels of attainment is lower than the national average.  Although improving, progress is still inconsistent for those who are eligible for additional funding called the pupil premium.  Teachers’ feedback and marking do not always give pupils clear advice about the next steps to

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The school has the following strengths

 Behaviour is good. Pupils enjoy school and they feel safe.  Leadership and management are good. The school has detailed plans to make further improvements and hence raise pupils’ achievement.  Effective use of performance management procedures are contributing towards improvements in teaching.  Governors bring a breath of experience to their roles and now challenge the school robustly about pupils’ performance.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 19 part lessons including five joint observations with the senior leadership team. In addition, inspectors heard pupils read in Year 6.  Meetings were held with two groups of pupils, members of the governing body, including the chair and school staff. A meeting was held with representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors took account of 20 responses to the questionnaire, Parent View, as well as holding informal discussions with parents who were collecting their children from school.  Inspectors looked at a large number of pupils’ books across the different year groups.  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 and its planning and monitoring documents. They also examined records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The views of staff were analysed through the 23 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited the school’s breakfast club which is run by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Keith Homewood Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Calmore Junior School is smaller than the average-sized school  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is higher than average. Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government for looked after children and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  Pupils are predominately White British. The proportion of pupils who are learning English as an additional language is much lower than the national average  The school meets the government floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  There is a breakfast club that is run by the governing body.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2012.

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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 and hence raise the rates of progress by ensuring:  pupils make consistently good progress in each year group  those who have special educational needs or disabilities have work set for them that is at the right level of difficulty in order to achieve well  those who are more able are fully challenged to achieve as best they can  inconsistencies in the progress of those who are eligible for additional funding are tackled  marking and feedback by teachers clearly shows pupils the next steps so that they can improve their work.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress for pupils has been slow. In 2013 progress in reading, writing and mathematics was in the lowest 20% of all schools nationally. Current pupils’ progress is better than last year because of actions taken by senior leaders. However there are still inconsistencies across the year groups. For example nearly half of the pupils in Year 3 are not making good progress in mathematics. Uneven progress continues throughout Years 4 and 5. In Year 6 progress is better, due to the well-targeted support that is specifically tailored to pupil’s needs. However apart from Year 6 not enough pupils make rapid progress.  The number of pupils reaching the higher levels of attainment is lower than the national average. For example in 2013 it was below national figures in reading, writing and mathematics. This year the number of pupils reaching the higher levels has improved but is still low in writing. In Years 4, 5 and 6 many more-able pupils are not making good progress, consequently they do

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

not do as well as they could.  The progress of those with special educational needs is also very variable across the different year groups. For example in Year 5 progress is slower than expected, particularly in mathematics. One of the reasons for this uneven progress is that until recently there was limited oversight for the progress of these pupils. There has been recent improvement because a member of the senior management team has taken responsibility for this area. The local authority’s special educational needs advisor has also provided support. The result is that the organisation of support and resources for these pupils is becoming more effective. However work is still set that is sometimes too easy or too hard and as a result these pupils do not progress as well as they might.  In 2013 pupils eligible for additional funding were about a term behind their peers in reading and mathematics. They were a year behind their peers and all pupils nationally in writing. In

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

reading they were two terms behind all pupils nationally. In mathematics the gap was over four terms. The school’s data show that gaps are closing, however eligible pupils are making inconsistent progress across the year groups.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is overall in line with the national average, although it dipped in 2013 in mathematics. Recent test results show that attainment in mathematics is once again more in line with the national average. This is because pupils are becoming more confident in applying their skills to solve problems.  Most pupils read regularly at home. Parents report that they like the reading diaries that the school has introduced as they provide a clear record about the amount their child has read over the month. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books they have read.  Pupils are now given more opportunities to write in all subjects. Spelling has also had more of a

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

focus, due to the advice from the local authority, which has supported the school in making these improvements.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching over time has been inconsistent. Not all teachers provide sufficient challenge to ensure that pupils make progress at rapid rates. The work in some lessons is too easy for pupils and this affects their progress, particularly for those who are more able.  The school recognises that progress last year for some year groups was hampered by ineffective teaching. However external advice and training are underpinning emerging improvements in pupils’ learning. For example, support from the local education authority advisor for mathematics has ensured that pupils have more opportunities to solve real-life problems in mathematics and have access to a variety of practical resources.  Some pupils who have special educational needs or disabilities do not benefit from work that is of just the right level of difficulty to ensure that they can make maximum progress.  While feedback and marking of pupils’ work is regular it does not always give pupils clear advice

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

about the next steps they need to complete to help them improve their work.  Teachers now have very precise information on pupils’ progress. They regularly discuss with senior staff strategies they can apply for those who need extra help.  Homework builds effectively on the work pupils have been doing in school. The school newspaper helps pupils to develop their writing skills in an exciting way.  Displays in the classroom support learning well. Pupils use the displays to remind themselves of important facts in English or mathematics.  Teachers have a good relationship with pupils and manage them well. All parents who responded to the questionnaire Parent View consider that their children are well taught at the school.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They are polite and show respect for adults and each other.  There are very few recorded incidents of pupils who find managing their own behaviour more difficult. This is because the school has effective procedures to tackle poor behaviour.  In lessons pupils usually listen attentively and usually respond well to the teacher’s comments. As one pupil said,’ the school is a nice place to be and learning is fun.’ Occasionally pupils do not respond quite so well and this is the reason why behaviour is not outstanding.  The schools’ work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The majority of parents who completed the questionnaire Parent View consider that the school makes sure that its pupils are well behaved and safe. All pupils who were spoken to felt very safe at the school. Pupils have a good understanding of risk.  Pupils report that bullying of any kind is rare and that staff deal quickly with any unkind

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

behaviour such as name calling. Pupils have a good awareness of the different types of bullying, including cyber bullying on social networking sites and prejudiced based bullying.  Pupils have the opportunity to take responsibility. For example running the school office at lunchtimes. Pupils report that they enjoy acting as play leaders in the infant school. Pupils are encouraged to learn about keeping healthy and the school council has worked with the adjacent infant school to develop a leaflet on healthy eating.  Attendance is in line with the national average and the school does all it can to encourage good attendance.  Pupils report that they take pride in their school and work. Their books are neatly kept and school resources are well looked after.  Pupils are well cared for in the breakfast club which provides a nourishing and welcoming start to the school day.

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The leadership and management are good

 The new headteacher has placed a strong focus on school improvement. Supported by local authority advisors in English, mathematics and special educational needs the school has made considerable changes in a relatively short space of time. Pupils’ progress is now much more carefully tracked and this has been pivotal in raising awareness of how all pupils are achieving. The impact of these changes is shown by the fact that progress is improving from the very low levels seen in 2013.  Discussions with leaders show that they have an accurate vision for the way ahead and the school has a strong capacity to improve. Whilst the quality of teaching has improved considerably since the headteacher arrived there is an awareness that more needs to be done. The school correctly identifies that it needs to ensure that all teaching is consistently good. Leaders frequently check on the quality of teaching. Rigorous targets have now been introduced

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The leadership and management are good

so that teachers are only given pay increases based on the progress of all the pupils in their classes.  In the last two years there have been some significant staff changes. Many leaders are new to their roles but are keen to ensure that in their areas of responsibility they are successful in raising achievement.  The range of subjects the school teaches promotes pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils learn to live in a diverse world and celebrate different cultures. All have equality of opportunity to participate in the various activities and events run by the school.  The additional government funding for sports has been used effectively to buy into a sports partnership. This is providing both training for teachers as well as giving access to a variety of sporting competitions. Specialist sports coaches in football, athletics and dance have all contributed to increasing pupils’ well-being and involvement in sport.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding procedures and child protection arrangements all meet statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Although many governors are relatively new their skills have enabled them to hold the school rigorously to account for the outcomes of its pupils. They are aware of the data on pupils’ progress and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and what it needs to do to improve. Governors are aware of the quality of teaching in each class and how teachers’ pay is linked to the progress of pupils within their class.  The governors are aware of the pupils who are entitled to support for additional funding and that some of these pupils are making inconsistent progress. They are carefully tracking spending to make sure that the funds are spent in raising attainment.

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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 116483 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 442459

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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 Foundation Age range of pupils 7−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 200 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Slater Headteacher Lisa Marshall Date of previous school inspection 25 September 2012 Telephone number 02380 865354 Fax number 02380 872946 Email address adminoffice@calmore-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 and 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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