Taverham VC CE Junior School

Taverham VC CE Junior School Taverham Road, Taverham, Norwich, NR8 6SX

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership at all levels is strong. Particularly strong is the leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher who provide a crystal clear direction for the school, to which everyone in the school community is committed.  Teaching is consistently good and, increasingly, some is outstanding. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning and achieve well from their individual starting points. As a result, attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is above the national average.  Pupils thoroughly enjoy the subjects and activities provided for them. The very well-planned curriculum ensures that pupils experience a wide range of subjects, including a strong emphasis on music, which is a strength of the school.  Pupils who struggle with their learning for a range of reasons are very well supported, this is enhanced by a skilled team of additional adults employed by the school.  Knowledgeable, articulate and active governors are

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

extremely effective partners in leading, challenging and supporting school improvement.  All aspects of pupils’ safety are given the highest priority so that they can learn and develop in a happy and stress-free environment. Pupils and their parents agree that the school is a safe place to be.  Pupils’ behaviour is very good and much is exemplary. Pupils learn well how to be polite, they listen to their teachers and to each other. They are very accepting of each others’ differences.  Pupils demonstrate great pride in their school, for example, when representing the school in sporting activities or singing in the cathedral. Attendance is above average.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Whole school targets are not yet sufficiently ambitious to ensure that pupils make outstanding progress from their individual starting points.  The most-able pupils’ responses to questions lack precision because teachers are not challenging them well enough to think more deeply and widely about their answers.  All teachers are not yet routinely ensuring that the most able pupils are being challenged at a high level from the start of lessons, especially in English and mathematics.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 18 lessons, 10 of which were seen together with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. Inspectors observed pupils moving around the school, in the dining room and at break and lunchtimes, and in assembly. They listened to pupils read and examined work in pupils’ books.  Discussions were held with pupils, senior, middle and subjects leaders, three members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked closely at a range of documentation, including the school’s data about the progress and attainment of pupils, leaders’ evaluations of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, improvement plans, safeguarding policies, behaviour and bullying incident logs and records relating to the management of teachers’ performance.  Inspectors took account of 80 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View), 53 responses to Ofsted’s free texting trial, the school’s own questionnaire analyses and they spoke to a small number of

p.2

Information about this inspection

parents.  Inspectors took account of the 37 questionnaires completed by staff working at the school.

p.2

Inspection team

Nichola Perry, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Inspection team

Peter Lacey-Hastings Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Taverham VC CE Junior School is almost twice the size of similar schools nationally.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action, at one tenth, is broadly similar to the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, less than one tenth, is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are supported by the pupil premium funding (additional funding given to schools for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or in the care of the local authority) less than one fifth, is significantly below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The headteacher has been providing support to two other local schools as a Local Leader of Education/

p.3

Information about this school

Systems Leader and Professional Partner, one of which has now been removed from a category.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure more rapid progress for all pupils, but particularly the most able pupils, in reading, writing and mathematics, by:  revising whole-school targets so that they reflect pupils’ current progress and attainment and provide even greater challenge  ensuring that the most able pupils work at the highest level from the start of every lesson so that they are not held back  providing a higher degree of challenge through teachers’ questioning so that the most able pupils are taught how to think more widely and deeply and are able to respond more precisely when responding to questions.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide outstanding leadership and are excellent role models for all staff as they develop their practice and skills. This has led to leadership at all levels being a strong feature of the school. Relationships throughout the school are excellent and staff rated all aspects of the school highly in the staff questionnaire. Everyone, including governors, parents and the pupils themselves, are fully committed to the headteacher’s vision for the school.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Procedures which check the performance of staff are extremely rigorous. Payments which reward performance are analysed rigorously against the Teachers’ Standards and against pupils’ progress. The system is applied particularly well to identify individuals’ strengths which are then used to benefit school improvement. Plentiful and wide-ranging training opportunities, either in-house or provided externally, are highly valued by staff who say that these have really inspired them and improved their practice.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Senior and middle leaders know the school very well. They all contribute to well-crafted school improvement planning which helps all leaders, and other staff, understand their role and precisely what they have to do next to bring about further improvement. Even relatively inexperienced leaders can confidently talk about the impact their leadership is having on the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Assessment of pupils’ achievement is regular and highly accurate. The headteacher ensures that school assessments are checked annually by external consultants and colleagues from other schools to maintain its quality and accuracy. Ongoing review of pupils’ progress is excellent. Half termly discussions with staff about progress have helped to eradicate the inconsistencies in pupils’ progress from their starting points, identified at the previous inspection. Current targets have successfully raised achievement to good but are not ambitious enough to ensure pupils, including the most-able, make outstanding progress. The school has a well-advanced system for future assessment which places increased focus on the performance of higher attainers.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The very effective curriculum places strong emphasis on the teaching of English and mathematics. Both are successfully woven through all other subjects so that learning is both interesting and stimulating for all pupils. There is very good emphasis through all subjects and teaching on ensuring that pupils develop excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. This includes many opportunities for pupils to learn about their own heritage and that of others. Music is also a strong feature of pupils’ learning. Singing is excellent and many pupils have opportunities to learn an instrument.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s planning for the new national curriculum is well-advanced. The school places high value on physical education (PE), with all pupils already receiving two hours of PE a week. Use of the primary sport funding has enhanced this by providing a range of more gender neutral activities. This has resulted in a significantly increased uptake, particularly by girls. Pupils derive much enjoyment and benefit from these additional activities.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school maintains a positive approach to supporting learning for all to ensure equality. Leaders have established many excellent links within the local and wider communities, particularly other schools and the church. These enhance pupils’ learning experiences and ensure that they are being well-prepared for life in modern Britain. Relationships with parents are excellent. The overwhelming majority of parents are delighted with the school. Procedures which ensure that vulnerable pupils remain safe and well cared for are rigorously maintained. Discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Use of additional funding, including the pupil premium funding, has enhanced already effective provision for disadvantaged pupils and for those who are disabled or who have special educational needs. This means that these groups, albeit small in number, are able to achieve as well as others. More recent additional provision for the most able pupils, for example sessions which focus on developing advanced reading and comprehension skills, is already having an impact on numbers of pupils working at the higher levels leading to improved levels of attainment for pupils in the current Year 6.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements and are effective.  The local authority has provided an appropriate level of support for the school, for example, by validating the school’s assessments.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is now an extremely effective partner in the leadership of the school, which represents good improvement since the last inspection. Governors have undertaken a considerable amount and range of training, which has helped them evaluate their own performance, leading to significant improvement in their practice and effectiveness. In addition to meeting regularly, they maintain close links with senior and subject leaders so that they experience at first hand the work of the school. Governors have a very clear understanding of the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement and how both have continued to improve. This, along with their excellent understanding of published data and pupil progress information, means that they are well-placed to challenge the school’s performance.  Governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to happen next

p.5

The leadership and management are good

because they are well involved in checking procedures. They are fully committed to becoming an outstanding school and are very active and willing to be involved in school activities. For example, recently, they have worked with parents and staff in planning the new curriculum which enables them to talk knowledgeably about recent innovations.  Governors manage the performance of the headteacher effectively and ensure that pay and promotion are used appropriately and linked rigorously to teachers’ effectiveness and pupils’ progress. They know what the school is doing to tackle any underperformance. Governors ensure that resources are spent well and are fully involved in decisions regarding additional sports funding and the pupil premium funding. They understand well the impact on pupils’ learning and progress.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. There have been no exclusions for three years. Pupils conduct themselves well wherever they are and this extends to helping each other to conform to school expectations.Their behaviour strongly reflects that modelled by all staff. Just occasionally staff are required to ‘manage’ behaviour when, for example, pupils who struggle with difficult situations feel unable to cope. When this occurs the pupil is treated with great respect and offered choices to help them recover on their own terms and maintain their self-esteem.

p.5

Behaviour

 Pupils speak with great pride about their school and thoroughly enjoy coming to school so that attendance is consistently above average. They are very keen to learn and are stimulated by the interesting subjects and activities provided - Year 4 pupils greatly enjoyed taking a pair of their teacher’s trainers for a ’walk’ when learning about diary writing. Pupils say that they are very clear about how well they are progressing and that their teachers keep them well informed about how to improve. They really enjoy it when their teachers set them more challenging work.

p.5

Behaviour

 There is a very strong focus on developing good social and moral values through all aspects of pupils’ learning and development. This is clearly reflected through their tolerance, their good manners and their willingness to listen to and help each other. Pupils are very quick to recognise and accept that some pupils experience difficulties and are always ready to help. Relationships throughout the school are a strength and the school provides a calm and purposeful environment where pupils are able to learn without stress or disruption.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The school focuses very strongly on all aspects of pupils’ safety and well-being, in both the school environment and through pupils’ learning and understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. This ensures that the pupils have a very good understanding of risk, including their own safety, for example, when using the internet at home or in school. Pupils say that they feel very safe in school and their parents agree. Parents spoken to during the inspection and those who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire also agree that the school is a safe environment for their children.

p.5

Safety

 Pupils say that they are not troubled by bullying, although they do know that it occurs occasionally. They are aware that bullying may take many forms, including internet bullying,because people hold different views, or because of gender or other differences. Pupils correctly have great confidence in their teachers because they know that any problems they may experience will be dealt with. Inspectors examined the school’s records on incidents of bullying and behaviour very closely and found that all incidents are fully and properly recorded and managed.

p.6

Safety

 The school provides extremely well for pupils who have a range of social, emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties. The special educational needs co-ordinator is highly skilled and works very closely with class teachers and other external support agencies. This ensures that pupils’ needs are quickly identified and managed so that disadvantaged pupils are able to achieve as well as their peers. Liaison with parents and carers is excellent and very much appreciated by them.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The school’s system, which regularly and rigorously checks teachers’ performance by senior leaders, year group leaders and subject leaders, is well-established. The school makes particularly good use of its own expertise, as well as that of external challenge partners, to coach and challenge individual teachers so that there is no inadequate teaching and the overall quality and consistency of teaching is good. Increasingly, teaching is outstanding.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers’ assessment is accurate. Teachers use information about what pupils know and can do effectively to ensure that learning activities are carefully adapted for pupils in different ability groups. This is helping pupils to achieve well from their individual starting points in all year groups, year on year.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Regular, positive and evaluative marking provides an effective dialogue with pupils and is contributing well to helping pupils understand how well they are performing and how they can improve. Pupils greatly enjoy the pink and green system and responding to their teachers’ comments. There are increasing examples of them assessing their own work, and that of others.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Learning is very well-structured. Teachers and additional adults provide clear guidance and support, often using examples, so that pupils are very clear about what they have to do. In both literacy and mathematics, many opportunities are given for pupils to plan and practise examples in a timely fashion. This helps pupils to reinforce their learning and ensures that those who struggle with their learning do not fall behind.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 The most able pupils, are, however, sometimes held back because they are ready to move on at a faster rate than others and do not require the same level of input or practice. This is particularly the case in writing and can be seen in pupils’ books where they are not sufficiently challenged to routinely produce a good amount of writing to a high standard.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils are developing their reading skills well. They read fluently and confidently and are taught well how to use a wide range of strategies to help them improve. Recent improvements in the teaching of reading are already leading to pupils making more rapid progress. There is now greater emphasis on pupils’ understanding of what they are reading and this is reflected in the way they are able to discuss texts. Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading and make excellent use of the school library.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Much good work has been done to improve questioning throughout the school. This is very well reflected in the skilful questioning, used by both teachers and additional adults. A wide range of strategies ensures that all pupils are involved, not just those who volunteer. This encourages pupils to think carefully about their answers. Plenty of time is given to allow lower attaining pupils to respond so that their self esteem remains high. Even those who are most reluctant, feel able to ‘have a go’ because they feel empowered to ‘ask a friend’ or simply say that they don’t know.

p.6

The quality of teaching is good

 Some teachers are starting to use effective ways of challenging and probing answers from the most able pupils, requiring them to think more deeply about what they are saying. This leads to more precise and focused responses. This is not yet a routine feature of teaching across the school.

p.6

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics from their starting points which are generally typical for their age at the start of Year 3. As at the last inspection, the school continues to work closely on moderation of attainment with all its feeder infant schools, the local authority and external moderators.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportions of pupils in all groups reaching expected levels of attainment are continuing to rise, as are those exceeding expected levels. More pupils than ever before are now working at higher levels throughout the school. Considerably more pupils in the current Year 6, including pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding, are working at Level 6 in reading, writing and mathematics.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Attainment at the end of Year 6 is above average in reading, writing and mathematics. School data and assessments, work seen in pupils’ books and observations confirm that progress is now at least good in all year groups. This represents an improvement since the previous inspection when progress was inconsistent.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 There was a dip in attainment in 2014 specifically in mathematics and reading because a few pupils underperformed in the tests in spite of high achievement earlier in the year. Attainment and progress for pupils in the current Year 6 is already on track to resume the upward trend in all three subjects. Achievement for all other year groups in the school reflects this too.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 School data, work in books and observations show that progress of the most able pupils is good in all year groups. The most able pupils in the current Year 6 are now making rapid progress in all three subjects, and especially in writing. Work in lessons is well adapted to their needs so that pupils have access to more challenging tasks.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Opportunities for the most able pupils to consistently work at a higher level are missed when they are not routinely expected to tackle the more challenging activities until later in lessons. Pupils recognise that teachers are increasingly challenging them. For example, the school is providing some excellent sessions extending their reading and comprehension skills so that already their progress has risen significantly, and which pupils enjoy greatly.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 While numbers are relatively low, the school has developed effective provision and support for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. Expert testing of pupils’ individual needs and close tracking of their progress ensures that their needs are well met.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupil premium funding is used well to help close the gap between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils by providing a range of additional sessions and one-to-one tuition for the relatively small number of eligible pupils each year. Outcomes for pupils in this group vary from year to year depending on individual needs. In 2014 the gap widened from the previous year, so that in all three subjects the proportion of pupils making expected progress was lower than that of both other pupils in school and pupils nationally.

p.7

The achievement of pupils is good

 The proportion of disadvantaged pupils exceeding expected progress matched that of other pupils in reading, and exceeded that of other pupils in writing. They were in the region of two terms behind other pupils nationally and their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. The data the school holds about current pupils and lesson observations show that eligible pupils now are making much better progress and are on track to reach similar standards to their classmates again in all three subjects by the end of Year 6.

p.7

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 failing

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

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.

p.8

School details

Unique reference number 121062 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 449241

p.9

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.9

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 438 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Wilson-Town Headteacher Paul Stanley Date of previous school inspection 2 December 2010 Telephone number 01603 867740 Fax number 01603 262452 Email address office@taverhamjunior.norfolk.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 .

p.9

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.

p.10

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

p.10

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

p.10

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’.

p.10

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10