Duncton CofE Junior School

Duncton Church of England Junior School Willet Close, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 0LB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governors and school leadership team, together with the staff, have created a positive learning environment where pupils thrive and achieve well.  Progress has become more consistent. It is good across the school and is improving. Standards are rising in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils benefit from good teaching and high-quality resources. Teachers provide a wide variety of activities that capture pupils’ interest.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school. They are very reflective and show great consideration for each other and the adults around them.  Pupils say they feel absolutely safe in school. They feel very valued as individuals and appreciate the excellent care they receive from staff.  Teamwork is a strength of the school. Staff are unified in feeling proud to be part of the school.  The headteacher’s enlightened and skilful leadership is complemented by the effectiveness of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

governors. Governors work closely with senior leaders and challenge and support them equally well.  Pupils’ excellent spiritual, moral, social and cultural development inspires their tolerance and compassion for others.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Work is not always at the right level of difficulty for pupils and this sometimes hinders progress, including for the most able.  Leaders are not always consistent in keeping a sharp focus on pupils’ progress when they check the quality of teaching.  Pupils do not always respond to the guidance they are given in marking.

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Information about this inspection

 Teaching and learning were observed in seven lessons. An assembly was also observed. Some observations were joint visits with either the headteacher, deputy headteacher or the special educational needs coordinator.  An extensive sample of pupils’ work from all classes was examined.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils and five members of the governing body.  Informal discussions with pupils took place at breaks and lunchtimes.  The inspector took account of 33 responses to the questionnaire (Parent View), and the 10 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Parents’ involvement in school life was discussed with senior leaders.  Informal conversations were held with parents in the playground at the end of the school day.  A range of documentation was looked at including records relating to pupils’ progress, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Jacqueline White, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 In this smaller-than-average junior school, most pupils are from White British backgrounds.  Very few pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after).  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have 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 school is part of a federation with Graffham CE Infant School. The headteacher runs both schools and there is one overarching governing body.  The school is a Forest School. Forest Schools promote learning outdoors in a natural environment.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that pupils’ progress continues to accelerate by ensuring:  work is always appropriately challenging, including for the most able pupils  pupils respond consistently well to the guidance they are given in marking  Strengthen leadership and management by ensuring leaders at all levels maintain a sharp focus on pupils’ progress when checking the effectiveness of teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders are ambitious and have high expectations of themselves, their pupils and the staff. They regularly review the work of the school and know its strengths and weaknesses well. Their response to recent fluctuations in pupils’ progress, most notably in reading, has been swift and effective. Pupils’ accelerating progress and rising standards across all subjects demonstrate leaders’ capacity to secure further improvement.  Senior and subject leaders visit classrooms regularly to check the quality of teaching. Staff are responsive to the constructive guidance they receive about how to improve their practice. However, leaders are not all equally skilful at checking the impact of teaching on learning and pupils’ progress.  Subject leaders work well as a team and make a valuable contribution to developing a curriculum that stimulates and involves pupils.  The curriculum meets pupils’ needs well and prepares them to lead a full life in modern Britain. Pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is given a high priority and nurtured extremely successfully.  The school is in a rural setting and a strong emphasis is given to learning outdoors. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the ‘Forest School’ approach, showing respect and appreciation for the natural environment, and gaining confidence and independence through outdoor activities.  The school’s comprehensive range of clear and well-thought-out policies and systems ensure that all leaders, teachers and pupils understand what is required of them. Notably, procedures for assessing pupils have been strengthened so that any underachievement is detected early on and tackled quickly.  The school has an excellent partnership with parents. Parents and staff have very positive relationships and work together closely to promote pupils’ well-being and achievement.  The sharing of resources and expertise across the federation broadens the experiences of pupils at

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The leadership and management are good

Duncton and enhances their learning.  The school is outward looking and pupils’ horizons are extended by some productive partnerships with other schools, including a school in Bangalore in India.  Sport funding has supported a partnership with a local secondary school which gives pupils access to more facilities and a wider range of activities, such as basketball. The funding has also been used effectively to increase pupils’ participation in competitions. Pupils thoroughly enjoy these sporting activities that help to keep them fit and healthy.  The school promotes equality of opportunity successfully. Discrimination is not tolerated. Whatever their background or needs, pupils learn well and are fully involved in school life.  The arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet requirements and are maintained meticulously.  The local authority provides ‘light-touch’ support to this good school.  Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. Those who responded to the online questionnaire

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The leadership and management are good

(Parent View) were unanimous in agreeing that they would recommend the school to others.  The governance of the school:  Governors provide effective support and hold the school firmly to account. They are knowledgeable about the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement, and use performance information to ask challenging questions. Governors visit the school very regularly, observe teaching alongside senior leaders, and have a good understanding of what pupils are experiencing. They ensure that the management of staff’s performance, including that of the headteacher, is thorough. They make certain that targets set for staff are challenging, and that any progression or increased pay is dependent on them being achieved. Governors monitor closely the use of the school budget and extra funding. For example, they ensure that pupil premium funding is used prudently to secure improvements in pupils’ learning and well-being.

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The leadership and management are good

Governors give high priority to pupils’ safety. They fulfil their statutory duties with great diligence, including those relating to safeguarding.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils display consistently positive attitudes to learning. They are thoughtful, and unfailingly respectful towards each other and the adults in the school. They love coming to school and take a pride in their work, their smart appearance and the well-kept environment.  Relationships throughout the school are warm and trusting. Pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds work and play together very happily.  Pupils take on responsibility with great enthusiasm and seriousness. Participation in the sports leadership scheme and school council is very high. Pupils’ understanding of rights and responsibilities is extremely well developed through assemblies, the curriculum, visits to the Houses of Parliament and programmes such as ‘Magistrates in the Community’ where the role of magistrates is explored.  Pupils’ behaviour outside the classroom is exceptionally considerate and orderly. They often go out of their

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Behaviour

way to help each other. At playtimes they were observed sharing equipment in a very mature way. The older pupils show great kindness and sensitivity to their younger peers.  All the staff and nearly all the parents who responded to the online questionnaire agree that pupils behave well. All the parents who talked with the inspector said they were completely happy with all aspects of school life.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Pupils say they feel absolutely safe in school. They thoroughly understand different forms of bullying, although they say it just does not happen at this school. They are confident about how to keep themselves safe from potential dangers outside school, including when using the internet and social media.  Attendance has improved and is above national averages.  School staff follow robust procedures to make sure the school site is secure. Visitors’ details are checked properly on entry to the school. Preparations to keep pupils safe and well supervised when they go on trips are painstakingly thorough.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers know their pupils well. The excellent relationships between adults and the pupils in every class are an important factor in pupils’ enjoyment of learning. Most pupils express themselves with confidence and are not afraid to learn through making mistakes.  Classrooms are very well organised with bright, well-presented displays that promote learning. Resources are of high quality and are used creatively by teachers to make activities interesting. Pupils have good access to computers and use them well as a tool to help them learn.  Teaching assistants support teachers effectively. They usually work with small groups of pupils and use well-tested methods to develop their understanding and skills. Strong teamwork between teachers and their assistants enables them to work well together to ensure that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  Teaching stimulates pupils’ imaginations. For example, Years 4 and 5 pupils enjoyed sharing their ideas

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The quality of teaching is good

when asked to predict how a story they were reading might end. The process enabled them to give flight to their imaginations and improve their storytelling skills.  Teachers’ good subject knowledge ensures that pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills are developed successfully.  Reading is taught well. Most pupils have a good grasp of phonics (the sounds that letters make) and are able to spell and read words accurately.  The school has a strong and successful focus on encouraging pupils to read. Leaders have set up a ‘reading hub’ at the heart of the school which provides pupils with a wide selection of books and reading activities. Pupils are excited about this new facility and it is already used extensively.  Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are developed well through participation in purposeful, structured discussion.  In mathematics, carefully planned tasks encourage pupils to apply and secure their skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ work is marked regularly, and generally there is clear guidance for improvement. However, pupils do not always improve their work in respond to teachers’ written guidance.  Occasionally, pupils find that work is either too hard or too easy for them and they do not learn to the best of their ability.

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is good

 Pupils’ progress has previously been stronger in writing and mathematics than in reading. The most recent assessment information and scrutiny of pupils’ work show that pupils are making good progress from their broadly average starting points in all three subjects.  In 2014, pupils’ attainment overall at the end of Year 6 was broadly average. Standards are rising because pupils’ make increasingly rapid progress. Current Year 6 pupils are on track to achieve their challenging targets in reading, writing and mathematics in 2015.  As a result of individualised support, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress and achieve well from their starting points. High-quality care and guidance ensure these pupils enjoy and make the most of school life.  More-able pupils make good progress. However, some of the most able pupils do not always achieve the exceptionally high standards they could. This is because the work set for them is not always sufficiently

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is good

challenging.  The school has very few pupils regarded as disadvantaged so it is not possible to comment on their achievement in detail without identifying individuals. However, those currently in the school make the same good progress as their classmates in reading, writing and mathematics. Any gaps in attainment in these key subjects, with either classmates or pupils nationally, are closing rapidly.  The school is as committed to promoting pupils’ personal development as it is to securing their academic success. Pupils’ talents are fostered successfully through a variety of activities that embrace art, music, drama, dance, sport and outdoor pursuits. Consequently, pupils mature into well-rounded individuals who are well equipped for the next stage of their education.  All the parents who responded to the online questionnaire agreed that their children were making good progress.

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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 125980 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 449330

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Junior School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 68 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marie Bracey Headteacher Helen Martin Date of previous school inspection 15–16 June 2011 Telephone number 01798 342402 Fax number 01798 344290 Email address office@duncton.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 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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