Bishopswood Junior School

Bishopswood Junior School Barlows Road, Tadley, RG26 3NA

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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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The executive headteacher, well supported by other senior leaders and governors, has improved pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. Together, they are taking firm action to bring about further improvement.  Pupils make good progress and achieve well across the school. Standards have improved since 2013 and pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is now above average.  Teaching is typically good and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ learning.  Support for disadvantaged pupils and those who need additional is effective in helping them to catch up in their learning.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are proud of their school and show respect to staff and to each other.  Pupils feel safe in school and know how to keep themselves safe in different situations.  The vast majority of parents are extremely supportive of the school. They feel confident that their children are safe and well cared for, and agree

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

that pupils’ welfare and the development of their personal skills are strengths of the school.  The school provides pupils with an interesting range of subjects, topics and experiences which contribute strongly to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The governing body has a detailed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors play an active part in school improvement.  Strong cooperation between the school and its partner infant school helps pupils to settle quickly on arrival in in Year 3.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching does not enable all pupils, particularly the most able, to make the best possible progress in writing.  The rates of progress that pupils make vary between a few classes. Progress in writing, although good, is not as strong as in reading and mathematics.  Pupils do not always respond to teachers’ comments in marking in order to improve their written work.  Some teachers are new to their leadership roles. They do not check the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress across their subject areas.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed teaching and learning in 15 lessons, of which four were observed jointly with school leaders. In addition, the inspectors made a number of shorter visits to lessons.  Inspectors held discussions with school leaders, staff, governors and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including improvement plans, the systems for tracking pupils’ progress, the arrangements for safeguarding pupils and samples of pupils’ work. They heard groups of pupils reading and spoke with pupils about behaviour and the safety arrangements at the school.  The views of 42 parents were analysed through the Parent View website. In addition, inspectors spoke with a number of parents.  The views expressed by the 19 staff who responded to the staff questionnaire were also considered.

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Inspection team

Michael Bartleman, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized junior school.  The vast majority of the pupils are White British.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those with special educational needs is above the national average.  One pupil in five is supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils who are entitled to free school meals and children who are looked after. This is above the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school is part of the Bishopswood Federation, formed in September 2013, consisting of Bishopswood Junior School and the neighbouring Bishopswood Infant School.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2011, becoming executive headteacher of the new

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Information about this school

federation in September 2013.  During the inspection, Year 6 pupils were out of school on a residential visit.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise standards in writing, ensuring that the progress made by pupils is equally rapid in all classes, by:  ensuring pupils have high standards when presenting their written work  pupils being able to write at greater length, expecially the more able pupils  encouraging pupils to write independently in different subjects  pupils acting on their teachers’ written guidance to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to outstanding levels by:  developing the role of subject and year leaders in checking the quality of teaching and ensuring that it engages pupils and is matched to their varying needs, especially those of the more able  ensuring that subject and year leaders monitor the progress pupils are making in their area of responsibility, and take appropriate measures to drive improvement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides strong and focused leadership to the school. .All members of the senior leadership team work well together. They have a realistic view of the school and its priorities for improvement and all the staff feel that the leadership of the school is effective. The school development plan is appropriate and well planned.  Leaders use their knowledge and skills to raise standards. They also ensure that pupil behaviour is good by making sure that the school’s systems of managing behaviour are strictly followed.  The management of teaching and learning has been successful in improving teaching and learning. The school’s records of the checks on teaching are detailed and lead to a wide range of training which responds to the needs of staff. Senior leaders support newly qualified teachers well.  The system of teachers’ performance management is well organised and rigorous. Evidence shows that

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The leadership and management are good

this system has led to the improvements seen in teaching and achievement. Salary progression occurs only when merited by sustained good performance.  School leaders make good use of the additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils. For example, the pupils benefit from additional one-to-one and small-group teaching support when needed. Extra learning resources and funding ensure that they can participate fully in all school activities such as residential trips.  The curriculum is broad and well balanced, offering pupils a wide range of interesting topics and experiences. There are varied opportunities for pupils to develop their reading, writing and mathematical skills. The school enhances pupils’ experiences by providing a good range of art, music and sports activities. Pupils have many opportunities to engage in a wide variety of activities outside the normal school day.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is promoted well. A well-organised range of

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The leadership and management are good

visits to places of worship, museums and zoos engage and enthuse the pupils, and contribute to their positive attitudes to learning. The residential trips for pupils in Years 5 and 6 enable them to try challenging adventurous activities. They also promote and develop pupils respect for, and understanding of, each other. Assemblies provide pupils with opportunities to reflect not only on their own progress but on life and the world around them.  The primary school sport funding is used well. Staff have received training in the teaching of sports skills, and the outdoor ‘team challenge’ area has been completed. The variety of after-school sports clubs has increased and, as a result, more pupils are taking part in sporting activities.  A strong emphasis on valuing others and their cultures promotes good relations, and pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school also ensures equality of opportunity and that there is no

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The leadership and management are good

discrimination. All aspects of safeguarding are fully met.  The headteacher’s and deputy headtacher’s presence around the school throughout the school day is appreciated by parents and pupils. Parents rightly say that their children are well known by senior leaders.  Parents are very supportive of the school. A very large majority of parents who completed the Parent View questionnaire were very positive about the work of the school and would recommend it.  The roles of middle leaders, including subject and year group leaders, have only recently been consolidated. Accordingly, some of these teachers have not yet had a big enough impact in raising standards by checking the progress of pupils and the quality of teaching in their subjects or year groups.  The local authority shows detailed knowledge of the school’s current strengths and areas for improvement. It has provided valuable support during the school’s recent period of staffing and leadership

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The leadership and management are good

change, and during the formation of the federation. The level of support will now be reduced since the authority has rightly judged that the new leadership team has the capacity to improve the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors have effective structures in place for undertaking their statutory responsibilities and have benefited from a range of appropriate training. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weakness, and how the school’s performance compares with those of other schools nationally. As a result, they challenge leaders and are able to drive improvement. They are well informed of pupils’ attainment and progress measures, the quality of teaching throughout the school and how this is evaluated and underperformance is tackled.. They ensure that decisions about salary increases take account of teachers’ performance. Governors are rigorous in their oversight of the school’s finances, especially the sports fund and the use and impact of additional government funding for supporting disadvantaged pupils. They ensure that safeguarding procedures are rigorously applied in

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The leadership and management are good

the school and that all statutory requirements are met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are well mannered and courteous. In almost all lessons, pupils concentrate well, showing positive attitudes and a readiness to learn. Although usually cooperative in class, occasionally, when teaching does not engage them, they participate less well.  Pupils are proud of their school. Their behaviour in the dining hall and as they move around the school is calm and orderly.  Pupils understand and support the school’s behaviour code and the system of rewards and sanctions. They report that behaviour is usually good and that any poor behaviour is dealt with quickly and fairly. Records kept by the school show reported incidents of poor behaviour have decreased over time.  The small number of pupils with behavioural problems benefit from individual support plans which help them to improve their behaviour as they move through the school. Exclusions have been below national

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Behaviour

levels since the previous inspection.  Almost all parents who responded to the Parent View questionnaire consider that that their children are safe and happy at school. A small number thought that pupils’ behaviour was not well managed, but no evidence to support this view was found during the inspection.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Adults are fully checked before working in school. They undergo effective and regular training in safeguarding procedures. Safety audits, practices and risk assessments are robust and make sure that the activities children do are safe.  Pupils say they feel safe. They have a good knowledge of potential bullying situations, including racial and homophobic concerns and cyber-bullying. They understand that their behaviour affects others and understand that they should be kind and considerate. They comment that bullying is rare and that any unkind or inappropriate behaviour is successfully managed by the staff. This is confirmed by the school's record-keeping procedures. The large majority of parents agree with pupils’ positive views.  Pupils are well prepared for keeping themselves safe in later life. A regular programme of cycling proficiency and residential visits develops their awareness of danger through outdoor activities and safety

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Safety

discussions.  The school works well with pupils with limited social skills and those who sometimes find it difficult to manage their own emotions. Parents comment strongly on the effectiveness of the support that the school gives them and their children and how well prepared their children are for their next stage of education.  Pupils are keen to come to the school. Good use of pupil premium funding ensures that absence rates for disadvantaged pupils are not different to those of others. There are rigorous procedures to monitor pupils' attendance, which has improved and is now consistently above average.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching in reading, literacy and mathematics across the school is typically good. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and high expectations of their pupils. They ensure that tasks are demanding enough for all pupils and check that they understand what they have to do, helping them to learn quickly and make good progress.  Teachers make sure that lessons are interesting and provide stimulating activities to inspire pupils and promote positive learning. For example, in a Key Stage 2 literacy lesson, pupils were using the book ‘Where the poppies now grow’ to write their diary accounts. The teacher’s skilful input enabled all pupils to make good progress while developing their language skills and vocabulary extremely well.  Good relationships between pupils and staff help pupils develop the confidence to take part in discussions. New technologies are used effectively to engage pupils in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching assistants are skilled and diligent, and demonstrate a good understanding of the individual learning needs of the pupils they work with. They are well deployed and make a significant contribution in supporting pupils to do well. This is particularly evident with disadvantaged pupils, those who have recently moved to the school, and those learning English as an additional language. As a result, all of these groups of pupils make similar progress to their classmates.  Pupils needing extra help, such as those with special educational needs, are given well-targeted support to make the progress necessary to catch up with their classmates. Well-planned support sessions before the school day help pupils enter school calmly and have helped to encourage pupils to raise their attendance.  Teachers increasingly share good practice with their partner infant school in the federation. This is leading

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The quality of teaching is good

to close agreement on assessment, improvements in teaching, and a smoother transition for pupils.  Teachers mark pupils’ work frequently, praising what they have done well and providing detailed advice on the next steps they need to take. However, in some classes, pupils do not reflect on, or respond to, the guidance provided, which limits improvement. The school is aware of this issue and is working on it as an area for further development.  In some lessons, the work provided for the most able pupils does not move their learning on quickly enough.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils join Year 3 with standards which are typical for their age. They make good progress and achieve well across the school.  The school reacted promptly to disappointing Year 6 results in 2013 and introduced a range of clear actions to raise standards. The progress of the vast majority of pupils is now securely good. In 2014, pupils progressed well to achieve above average standards at the end of Year 6 in reading, grammar, spelling, punctuation and mathematics. Standards in writing were also above average, but the progress pupils made from their starting points was not as strong as in reading and mathematics.  An increasing number of more able pupils are achieving the higher Level 5 at the end of Year 6, demonstrating that they are well prepared for secondary school.  The school regularly checks the progress of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs. As a result of good support, these pupils are making progress equal to that of their peers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged Year 6 pupils was equal to that of their classmates and a year above other pupils nationally in mathematics, reading and writing. School information shows that these gaps are reducing further down the school because of good strategies that are now in place.  Pupils learning English as an additional language make similar progress to that of their classmates because they receive good support from teachers and teaching assistants.  Most pupils talk with great enthusiasm about their books they have read. Guided reading groups focus on stretching pupils’ ability to understand text through teachers’ challenging questions.  The recent improvements in attainment are a result of the strong teaching of older pupils, which continually challenges them to tackle harder work. The most able pupils are usually challenged well in lessons. However, some of them do not yet make as much progress as they could in writing because they

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The achievement of pupils is good

are not given opportunities to write at length in subjects other than English.  Although most pupils, including those who are more able, make good progress across Key Stage 2, the achievement that pupils make varies between classes. In some classes, pupils do not make as much progress as in others. In a few classes, presentation is not always as neat as it should be.

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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 failing

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 116013 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 444071

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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 231 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mary McCrae Executive headteacher Glen Golding Date of previous school inspection 11–12 November 2010 Telephone number 0118 9812738 Fax number 0118 9816515 Email address adminoffice@bishopswood-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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