Long Buckby Junior School

Long Buckby Junior School South Close, Long Buckby, Northampton, NN6 7PX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 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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This is a good school. Select

 The headteacher, senior leadership team and middle leaders, supported by the governing body, have improved all aspects of the school. They have improved teaching and so raised standards in reading, writing and mathematics.  There are positive partnerships between the junior school and its neighbouring infant and high schools. This ensures positive transitions both into and out of the school.  The governing body has improved markedly since the last inspection. They have a full understanding of the school and how it compares to similar schools nationally. This in turn allows them to both challenge and support the school effectively.  Behaviour across the school is good and pupils, staff and parents are all positive about how well pupils behave.  Pupils feel very safe and have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations.  Progress rates and attainment in reading, writing

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This is a good school. Select

and mathematics by the end of Year 6 have risen sharply.  Teaching is consistently good and the proportion of outstanding teaching is rising rapidly.  The subjects pupils are taught are creative and encourage a positive attitude to learning.  The school provides a wide range of opportunities to promote the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teachers do not always ensure pupils are clear about what they are going to learn and why. This occasionally slows pupils’ progress in lessons.  The senior leadership team has not as yet increased the amount of outstanding teaching sufficiently to raise levels of achievement to outstanding.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed lessons across the school and was joined by various members of the senior leadership team during each of the observations.  The inspector scrutinised a range of pupils’ books and the pupils’ work during lesson observations. He listened to several pupils read and discussed their attitudes to reading with them.  The inspector held meetings with members of the governing body, a group of pupils, senior leaders and managers and he held a telephone conversation with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector studied a range of documentation relating to the progress and attainment of pupils, the work the school does to keep pupils safe and records regarding the quality of teaching. Other documentation scrutinised related to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and the results of the primary physical education sport premium. Documents relating to the use of the pupil premium were also

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Information about this inspection

examined.  The results of the 66 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, and the eight responses to the staff questionnaire were taken into consideration for the inspection.

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Inspection team

Ronald Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Long Buckby Junior School is a much smaller than average-sized school.  Although the headteacher has been in post since the last inspection the senior leadership team has been appointed in the past eighteen months. There have also been significant changes in the teaching staff of the school.  Most pupils are from White British backgrounds and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is average. None are in the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is about one in eight of the school population, which is below average. These pupils are supported through the pupil premium, which is the additional funding provided for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is also about one in eight, which is below average.

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Information about this school

 The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the proportion of outstanding teaching further by:  ensuring that all teachers are clear about exactly what pupils will learn by the end of the lesson  making the intended learning clear to pupils to help them make swifter progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management further by ensuring that subject leaders have a clear focus on pupils’ progress during lesson monitoring and so enable them to support improvements in teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, senior leadership team and governors have created a culture of improvement and this has helped raise the quality of teaching. In turn, achievement across the school is rapidly improving and behaviour is good. All staff follow policies and procedures consistently and this creates a school in which pupils are safe and all aspects run smoothly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team has a clear and accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Tracking and monitoring systems ensure they accurately know how each pupil is doing and can and do react quickly to any underachievement.

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The leadership and management are good

 The management of teaching and learning in Long Buckby is good. Teaching is monitored by the senior leadership team and subject leaders. Their judgements are regularly moderated through the external support they use. This external moderation matches the school’s evidence that teaching over time is good and has rapidly improved over the past twelve months.

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The leadership and management are good

 Subject leaders contribute well to school improvement. They monitor their subjects effectively through scrutiny of pupils’ work and data analysis. They act in a mentoring role and support staff to improve their practice. However, a lack of experience in observing learning means that they are not always focused on how well pupils progress during lesson observations. This means that they do not consistently provide teachers with feedback which enables them to improve their teaching rapidly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The senior leadership team sets challenging targets for the school as a whole and for each individual pupil. These targets are closely monitored and teachers are accountable for ensuring their pupils make at least good progress. This in turn is helping the rates of pupils’ progress to improve rapidly.

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The leadership and management are good

 The subjects the pupils are taught have been adapted to include new national initiatives and have been made highly practical and creative, allowing teachers to be imaginative in their approaches. For example, this term the pupils have been studying a range of aspects related to space and all pupils spoken to stated they were really enjoying their learning. Reading, writing and mathematical skills are well developed in both specific lessons and across all the other areas of learning the pupils experience. The school has also developed a range of arts subjects with music, drama, craft and art lessons. All this is further enhanced through a wide range of lunchtime clubs, visits and visitors to the school. Pupils are eager to attend school and senior leaders have worked hard to raise attendance to above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The whole culture of the school is one of mutual respect and consideration for others. This is due to the school’s excellent provision to enhance the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils were eager to tell the inspector of their work on a wide range of religions and cultures, and how these affected their own lives. Pupils have studied political systems both within their own society and others. This has given them an excellent understanding of living in British society.

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The leadership and management are good

 The use of the pupil premium funding has been very effective. 2014 national data on the school’s pupils indicated gaps between pupils supported by this funding and their peers in school. However, school data, validated by external moderation clearly show these gaps have now been closed and these pupils are making at least good progress. This is due to extra adult support, new resources and close monitoring by the senior leadership team.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sports premium is being used effectively to provide special coaching for a range of sporting activities. It is also used to provide further training for staff, leading to improved teaching skills. Pupils were keen to point out that they have a wide range of sporting opportunities, which in turn has encouraged them to exercise more out of school.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding aspects to protect pupils meet current requirements. The senior leadership team has ensured that all staff are trained above the minimum requirements. They have also ensured that there are a number of staff who are fully trained in child protection and a number of governors are also fully trained.  The senior leadership team and governing body ensure that there is no discrimination in the school and the pupils fully support this view. As one pupil stated, ‘We are all treated the same and all given the chance to participate in things and to do our best.’ This also means that everyone promotes equal opportunities.

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The leadership and management are good

 Parents, staff and pupils all rightly feel very positive about the school. Parents feel that communication is good and the fact that the headteacher is available each morning and after school helps create this positive view. A regular newsletter and informative website also help keep parents fully informed.

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The leadership and management are good

 Links with the local infant and secondary schools are very positive and this has led to effective transition arrangements when pupils enter and leave the school. This means the school is able to utilise the expertise of both schools to help develop the pupils’ skills and understanding.

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The leadership and management are good

 Links with the local authority are good. Representatives of the local authority have monitored and supported the school to help it improve.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body has undergone a number of changes since the last inspection resulting in a stronger, better-trained and much more challenging and supportive body. They use the information they gather on the performance of teachers to reward good performance and to ensure action is taken to change any underachievement. They have supported the senior leadership team in eradicating poor teaching and ensuring it is now at least good and improving rapidly. Governors know the school well including how the performance of the school and its pupils compares to that of other schools nationally. They monitor the various groups in the school and ensure that funding is used effectively. The governing body carries out its statutory duties effectively and ensures that safeguarding requirements are fully met.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils work, play and respond to each other very well. They have great respect for each other and adults alike. As one pupil stated, ‘We all respect each other, it doesn’t matter what colour or sex you are, we are all the same.’

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Behaviour

 Pupils and parents feel behaviour is good and observations of pupils during lessons, at break and lunch times confirm this is a valid judgement. School documentation regarding behaviour also clearly shows that behaviour has improved rapidly. There has been only one exclusion in several years. Logs show that there have been no racial incidents and bullying is rare. This is a point that pupils were very keen to ensure the inspector was aware of.

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Behaviour

 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive and this has aided their rapid improvements in achievement. They clearly enjoy their learning and this was seen in many of the lessons observed. Pupils enjoy working together and challenging each other to improve their work. This also creates a calm and relaxed atmosphere across the whole school.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils were very clear that they felt very safe in school. As one pupil stated, ‘We all feel safe because the staff look after us and we take care of each other.’

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Safety

 Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe in a range of situations and they have a particularly good understanding of e-safety. They know about the various types of bullying and what to do should it occur. They are confident that members of staff deal with these rare events effectively.

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Safety

 The senior leaders ensure that all pupils are taught about how to stay safe, how social sites can be potential sources of danger and what to do in a range of situations. They teach pupils how to avoid dangers outside school and how their attitudes and behaviour can have an effect on such situations. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in general.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has steadily improved since the last inspection and due to this pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is rapidly improving. Pupils’ books across a range of subjects show that teaching over time has been consistently good and in some cases outstanding. The quality of writing and presentation has improved as teachers’ expectations have risen markedly since the last inspection.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading, writing and mathematics are taught well and teachers find a range of ways to engage pupils in their learning. Teachers ensure that all pupils, whether they be pupils with disabilities and special educational needs or the most able pupils, are fully challenged and work matches their needs and ability levels.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers know their pupils well and use ongoing assessment of their pupils’ learning during lessons to ensure they constantly change and modify their lessons so that pupils make good progress. Teachers make good use of information communication technology to enhance the pupils’ learning and to enable pupils to use a wide range of recording methods.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking has improved across the school and comments provide useful ideas for pupils to improve their work. Discussion with pupils indicates that these comments are constructive and that they know how to improve their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils supported through pupil premium are provided with extra help and teachers ensure that resources are well matched to each pupil’s needs. This has resulted in these pupils making at least good and at times outstanding progress. The good use teachers make of the other adults who support learning also enables these and all pupils in their classes to do well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The interesting and fun manner in which teachers present work engages the pupils effectively. In all classrooms the space theme was evident, with control centres, space men, creative stories and research areas. As one pupil summed it up, ‘It’s great, learning has never been such fun, and we never know what we will find in our room. We always want to learn.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 Parents and pupils rightly feel that teaching in the school is good. It is not yet outstanding because in a small number of lessons teachers have not clarified precisely enough in their planning what they want pupils to have learnt by the end of the lesson. As a result, pupils do not always progress as quickly as they could.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils enter Long Buckby with skills and understanding that are broadly average. They make good progress from their various starting points and achievement by the end of Year 6 is good.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School information on current pupils’ attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 shows pupils to be on track to achieve well above the national average. 2014 data showed pupils’ attainment to have been above average in reading and writing but broadly in line with the national average in mathematics and overall, which was a result of poor historic teaching, especially in mathematics. The senior leadership team reacted quickly to try to overcome this issue, but did not have enough time to enable pupils to catch up by the time they reached the end of Year 6.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 School data show that across the school all groups of pupils make at least good progress. School records show that in reading, writing and mathematics improvements are occurring rapidly. This is down to better teaching and an improved curriculum. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress, in line with their peers in school.  The school’s effective tracking and monitoring systems ensure that the senior members of staff have an accurate view of pupils’ progress. They also ensure that teachers can plan effectively for all their pupils regardless of their ability and/or needs and so are fully challenged.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Reading is a strength of the school and achievement has risen steadily. Pupils enjoy reading and do so for both pleasure and information. The pupils who read to the inspector were very eager to discuss their books and demonstrated good reading skills, with the most-able pupils having outstanding skills.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In all classes the most-able pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers challenge the pupils and provide a range of ways in which they can learn. During discussions with pupils about their work, all pupils stated they felt the work stretched them and was matched to their abilities.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ rates of progress are positive and the proportion of pupils achieving and exceeding expected rates of progress compare favourably with national figures. School information clearly shows that pupils across the school and especially in Year 6 are on track to be well above the national averages.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress in line with their peers in school. The school has provided a positive range of learning opportunities to meet the needs of these pupils. They have ensured they have extra support in lessons as well as individual and small group teaching in reading, writing and mathematics. Therefore, the school has met the needs of these pupils very effectively.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disadvantaged pupils have rapidly closed the gap on their peers and school information shows that this is the case across the whole school. In 2014, disadvantaged pupils were about a term behind other pupils in school in mathematics, three terms in reading and two in writing. Compared with other pupils nationally, they were about a term behind in mathematics, two in reading and at much the same level in writing. This was due to poor historic teaching which has now been eradicated. Positive interventions for these pupils have resulted in rapidly increased rates of progress and these pupils often make outstanding progress. School information shows that there are currently no gaps between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in school in reading, writing and mathematics and they are above their peers nationally.

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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 121843 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 453562

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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 144 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jenny Pollard Headteacher Tony Cox Date of previous school inspection 20 February 2013 Telephone number 01327 842445 Fax number 01327 843856 Email address head@longbuckby-jun.northants-ecl.gov.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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