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Other · Ofsted report

St John the Baptist Church of England Junior School

Inspected 12 Dec 2014 · published 12 Jan 2015 · URN 102911

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Elizabeth Bowes (lead), Frances Bartlett

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection date verified

    12 Dec 2014

  • Inspectors verified

    Elizabeth Bowes, Frances Bartlett

  • Postcode verified

    KT1 4HQ

  • Name on report verified

    St John The Baptist Church of England Junior School

  • URN verified

    102911

Page 1 of 9
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Tone of the report

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+45Positivemore positive than 47% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectiveoutstandingmake good progressstrongvery wellexceptionallyenjoyhighly effective
Criticismnot alwaysinadequateweaknessesrequires improvementlowerseriousnot outstandingnot sufficiently

How the report reads, start to finish

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical
  • Findings1367w+34
  • Leadership582w+73
  • What needs to improve97w+67

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

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Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages
9
Words of findings
1,964
longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level
Fairly hard
Flesch 51, typical 45
Average sentence
15 words
Next steps
2
typical 5
Hedged sentences
6%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 50%Leadership 21%What needs to improve 4%About the inspection 25%

Full report text

St John The Baptist Church of England Junior School Lower Teddington Road, Hampton Wick, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 4HQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

 This is an effective school because, from their starting points, pupils make good progress. They achieve significantly above the national average at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment is rising year-on-year.  Those who are more able make good progress and achieve significantly above the national average. Nearly a quarter of pupils reached the highest level in mathematics.  As a result of the good support they receive, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve well and, in 2014, attained above the national average.  The headteacher and senior leaders are effective in ensuring that teaching and pupils’ achievement continue to improve.  Governors know the school well and have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement.  The promotion of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong due to the exciting and

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

varied range of subjects that the school offers. There are a large range of extra-curricular clubs offered in drama, sport and music.  The quality of teaching is good. Teachers ask questions which help pupils to think deeply about their learning.  Pupils behave well and say that they feel safe. Parents agree that their children are well looked after.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always have the highest expectations regarding what pupils can do in mathematics, particularly for those of lower and average ability.  Teachers’ marking and feedback does not always give pupils clear enough advice to help them improve.  Middle leaders do not regularly make good use of the information they have on pupils’ progress in every year group. They do not take enough responsibility for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  The targets set to help teachers improve are not focused clearly enough on pupils’ progress.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 15 lessons and part-lessons, one jointly with the headteacher. In addition, the inspectors listened to pupils reading in Year 6.  Pupils’ workbooks in every year group were examined.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, the Chair and other members of the Governing Body, and school staff. A meeting was held with a representative from both the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors took account of 66 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as holding informal discussions with parents in the playground at the end of the school day.  Inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a large range of documents and policies. These included the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress as well as planning and monitoring documents. Records relating to behaviour, attendance, risk analysis and safeguarding were also examined.

p.2

Information about this inspection

 The views of staff were analysed through the 28 responses to the staff questionnaire .

p.2

Inspection team

Elizabeth Bowes, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 St John The Baptist Junior School is an average-sized school. The school is expanding; there are now three classes in Year 3 and two classes in Year 4, 5 and 6.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for support through additional government funding called the pupil premium is lower than the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is average.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage .  In 2014, the school met the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching to outstanding by ensuring:  teachers always have the highest expectations regarding what pupils can do in mathematics, particularly for pupils of lower and average ability  pupils are given clear guidance to help them improve in marking and feedback.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management to outstanding by making sure that:  middle leaders regularly make use of information on pupils’ progress in every year group and are more accountable for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility  teachers’ targets for improvement focus more closely on pupils’ progress.

p.3

The leadership and management are good

 The school is well led. Effective leadership by the headteacher and senior staff has enabled the school’s results to steadily improve. The quality of teaching has improved due to regular additional training. Expectations of staff regarding management of pupils’ behaviour are high.  The school’s understanding of its strengths and weaknesses are accurate. Leaders regularly make effective checks to ensure the continued drive towards further improvements.  Middle leaders, while aware of how pupils have progressed overall since they joined the school, are less clear about progress in each year group. Middle leaders are not accountable enough for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  While most of the targets given to teachers to help them improve are effective, some targets only focus on the progress of pupils since joining the school and are not sufficiently detailed about the progress of

p.4

The leadership and management are good

pupils in each class.  The school promotes equality of opportunity well and does not tolerate any form of discrimination. There are good relations between staff, parents and pupils.  Additional funds to support the learning of disadvantaged pupils are well used. For example, pupils benefit from effective help from learning support assistants.  The local authority has provided a light-touch level of support for the school. Additional support has also been provided by the diocese.  Primary physical education and sports premium is well used to enable pupils to develop healthy lifestyles and to take part in a vast range of sports. When questioned, pupils were very enthusiastic about the numerous sporting opportunities that they were given. The school is proud of the various successes in sport, for example winning the local authority basketball championship for the last two years. Boys and girls enjoy competitive football.

p.4

The leadership and management are good

 Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain, for example they learn about going to university and the job market. Pupils learn about democracy through various initiatives such as the school council and pupil parliament.  Leaders have carried out academic research to ensure that pupils are provided with an extensive range of experiences to enthuse and engage them. There are numerous subjects that really enthral pupils; for example, in science, pupils reported how much they enjoyed their lessons about rockets. Pupils commented how much they enjoyed singing in the choir or performing in the orchestra. Drama is strong in the school. This year pupils will be filmed during their performance of Macbeth as part of 500-year celebrations at Hampton Court Palace. There is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural skills well because of the range of subjects and

p.4

The leadership and management are good

experiences on offer.  There are effective arrangements for safeguarding. The school meets statutory requirements.  The governance of the school:  Governors are very supportive of the school. They come in to school on a regular basis and therefore have first-hand knowledge of the quality of teaching and learning. They know what is being done to reward good teaching and how any underperformance is tackled. Governors are aware that targets set for teachers are based on monitoring visits by senior leaders, but the existing system does not focus clearly enough on the progress of pupils in each class.  Governors are fully aware of how the school performs against national standards. They ask relevant questions about pupils’ achievements.  The governing body ensures that the budget is used carefully. Additional funding for sport and pupil premium is used well.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Around the school, in the playground or the lunch queue pupils are polite and exhibit good manners.  In lessons, pupils usually listen attentively to the teacher and act quickly on instructions. Behaviour is not outstanding because, in some lessons, pupils can become distracted and lose concentration. This is usually when teachers’ expectations are not high enough.  Moral development is strong. Pupils enjoy the numerous opportunities that they have around the school to take responsibilities.  There are very few incidents of inappropriate behaviour and the school promotes good behaviour very well. For example, there is a Craigie prize each year for the pupil who best displays honourable and unselfish behaviour.  Spiritual and cultural development is strong. For example, pupils enjoy learning about the language, culture and traditional costumes of the people from Japan.

p.4

Behaviour

 Attendance has improved and is currently above the national average.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Parents report that their children feel safe in the school. Pupils who were spoken to said that they felt safe when at school.  Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations through the Junior Citizen scheme. They know about personal safety, e-safety and the dangers of strangers, and have a good awareness of fire, road and rail safety.  Pupils have a good awareness of the different forms of bullying such as cyber-bullying. They report that there is no bullying in the school and say that they would know who to go to if they had any concerns.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 The impact of teaching on achievement is positive. This is demonstrated by the gains in attainment year- by-year and the school’s own records on the quality of teaching.  Teachers know pupils well. Good relationships ensure that pupils are keen to learn.  Reading is taught effectively. There are opportunities for daily reading sessions with an adult for those who find reading more challenging.  The teaching of writing is well developed throughout the school. Pupils write at length about their experiences when taking part in the drama productions.  In mathematics, teachers have high expectations when teaching those who are more able. However, they do not always have the highest expectations of those who are of lower or average ability.  Pupils’ work is regularly marked. However, it does not always provide clear enough advice and guidance to enable pupils to quickly improve their work and hence, maximise their progress.

p.5

The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers know their pupils well. As one pupil said, ’My teacher really explains things clearly to me; things I find really difficult are easy when she sits down with me and goes through it.’ Throughout the school, there is a consistent method for pupils to tell teachers how easy or hard they found a piece of work.  In the hall and around the school, there are a variety of displays that celebrate pupils’ achievements. In classes, there are useful wall displays regarding key facts in literacy and numeracy.

p.5

is good

 From variable starting points, pupils make good progress throughout their time at St John The Baptist Junior School. By the end of Year 6, pupils attain significantly above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Attainment is improving every year.  Those who are more able do well. A significantly high proportion of pupils achieve the highest levels in reading and writing. Nearly a quarter of pupils reached the highest level in mathematics in 2014.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. They are well supported by both teachers and teaching assistants. There is good liaison between the school, parents and outside agencies. As a result, pupils’ needs are identified early and targeted support is quickly put in place.  In 2014, disadvantaged pupils in this school were over half a term ahead of other pupils nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. When compared to their peers, disadvantaged pupils in this school

p.5

is good

were over one term behind in reading. They were over two terms behind their peers in writing and mathematics. Remaining gaps are closing rapidly due to the fact that staff know the needs of these pupils very well.  Achievement in English is good. Pupils say that they are encouraged to read a variety of books in school and at home. As one pupil said, ’I am pleased with the new school library because I enjoy reading and can find interesting books on science and animals.’ Writing skills are carefully developed through interesting topics. For example, in Year 4, pupils had produced some interesting descriptive writing about being swept out to sea.  In mathematics, while many pupils achieve well, those who are of lower and average ability do not make the maximum progress of which they are capable.

p.5

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.7

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.7

School details

Unique reference number 102911 Local authority Richmond upon Thames Inspection number 449332

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 253 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sally Maxwell Headteacher Susan Sawyer Date of previous school inspection 27 January 2009 Telephone number 020 8977 4114 Fax number 020 8977 6960 Email address info@St-John.richmond.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.8

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.9

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.9

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.9

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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