Paulton Junior School

Paulton Junior School Plumptre Close, Paulton, Bristol, BS39 7QY

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The attainment of pupils year on year in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently above national averages at the end of Key Stage 2.  Teaching throughout the school is at least good and much is outstanding. This ensures pupils’ make consistently high rates of progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary at all times. Pupils have a natural pride in their school and confidently explain to visitors what they are learning and how they work together to achieve this.  Different aspects of staying safe are extremely well understood by all pupils. The school makes sure that they are safe and secure.  All pupils show a real thirst for knowledge and love of all that they learn. Through effective leadership, the school’s ethos of teamwork is shared by staff and pupils alike and this supports pupils’ high levels of achievement.  The headteacher, school leaders and governors are all determined and committed to seeing the school

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

raise its standards even further.  Parents, carers and staff are all highly positive about all aspects of the school’s work.  Pupils really like participating in the wide range of competitive sporting events offered. They are keen to show visitors their many awards and trophies.  Excellent links with other local schools ensure that pupils develop wider friendships and social skills.  Pupils value the wide range of educational visits and extra-curricular activities that teachers and other adults provide. These help them to be well prepared both for the next stage of their education and as future British citizens.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed lessons in all year groups of the school and observed four lessons jointly with the headteacher.  Inspectors talked to pupils about their learning and their views about school life. Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ work across the school, including in English and mathematics.  Inspectors considered the 94 responses to Parent View, the online questionnaire, and also letters submitted to them by parents and carers during the inspection. Inspectors took into account the 20 responses by members of staff to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors observed behaviour during morning break and at lunchtime. They attended a whole-school assembly.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders and with members of the governing body. They spoke to an officer from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a wide range of school documentation. This included information about how the

p.2

Information about this inspection

school checks on pupils’ progress, how the quality of teaching is monitored by senior leaders and information related to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.

p.2

Inspection team

Marion Hobbs, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized junior school. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. This is additional government funding to give support to those known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is slightly above the national average.  The headteacher is a Local Leader in Education (LLE) and a member of the local authority’s Strategic Forum group supporting school improvement for other schools in the area.  In 2014, the school met the government’s current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  The school holds many awards. These include the Active Mark, Healthy Schools Plus, Platinum Outdoor

p.3

Information about this school

Play and Learning and RHS Gardening 5 Star School awards.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Enhance the role of subject leaders so that:  they contribute fully to the school’s development of its new curriculum  this supports all pupils’ wider achievements.

p.3

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The school is characterised by its team ethos. The headteacher, school leaders, staff and governors all work as one to ensure that the school provides a rich learning experience for every pupil. This ensures that pupils’ achievement and personal development are outstanding.  The local authority recognises the qualities of the headteacher through his appointment as an LLE and as a member of the authority’s Strategic Forum. This means that he provides support to other schools requiring improvement in the local area, all of which has a beneficial effect on this school’s continuous improvement.  Senior and subject leaders work closely with the headteacher to continue to raise standards. Strong links with other local cluster schools allow for a sharing of good practice that supports all pupils’ high levels of achievement. However, the school already recognises that the next step forward for subject leaders is to

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

take an even more active role in helping to develop its new curriculum. Plans are in place to provide pupils with and an even greater range of experiences.  A rigorous system is in place to manage teachers’ performance. This is linked to pupils’ outcomes and the school development plan. Governors ensure that there is no automatic progression up the pay spine and that pay awards are used to reward good practice.  School staff are constantly reviewing the range of subjects they offer and respond quickly to pupils’ needs and interests. Pupils are well prepared as citizens of modern Britain through their community work as well as their many educational visits and wider experiences.  Diversity, tolerance and equality of opportunity are all completely embedded in the school’s ethos. This is realised most vividly in the Playscape area of the school grounds where pupils happily self-manage their play and exploration.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The additional funding that the school receives to support disadvantaged pupils is used effectively to address any identified need.  A wide range of competitive sporting events with other schools along with many cultural and social opportunities mean that pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.  Good use is being made of the government’s additional primary sports funding. Specialist sports coaches work with both staff and pupils to enhance the quality of delivery of physical education (PE) lessons and to facilitate competitive events. The many after-school clubs are well supported and enjoyed by all. As a result, pupils’ health and well-being are greatly enhanced.  The school’s arrangements for safeguarding meet current statutory requirements. Child protection and safety are central to the school’s work and strong systems are in place to underpin this. Any potential

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

vulnerability is acted upon swiftly and effectively by senior staff.

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is a highly effective team who are completely committed to the school and its place within the community. They have a very strong understanding of the school’s performance in relation to others and, when slight underperformance occurred in 2013, were proactive in taking steps to address this immediately. As a result, school performance has improved strongly.  Members of the governing body are a visible presence in the daily life of the school. They visit classes regularly and meet with subject and senior leaders to provide strong challenge and support. They attend staff training days and appreciate the presentations given to them by members of staff at governing body meetings on new aspects relating to teaching and learning.  Governors are fully aware as to how teachers’ performance contributes to the overall performance of the school and monitor this closely. They ensure that the link between teachers’ performance, pupils’

p.4

The leadership and management are outstanding

progress and salary progression is secure. Governors manage school finances extremely efficiently. They have a strong understanding of how additional funding, the pupil premium and primary sports grant particularly, is used and its impact on pupils’ high levels of achievement.

p.4

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils throughout the school show a genuine love of learning and are keen to engage in everything put before them, as the high quality of work on display around the school demonstrates.  In all classes, attitudes to learning are highly positive. Relationships are a strength and disruptive incidents of any kind are rare.  The school takes a proactive approach to ensure that all pupils have a sound understanding of what constitutes different forms of bullying. For example, the whole school worked with a qualified artist to create the Graffiti wall in the playground with their own slogans such as ‘Spot it, share it’. This proactive approach ensures that pupils confidently state that bullying in any form is not an issue for them.  Difference is celebrated through topics such as ‘Different families, same love’. Reflection of this kind helps pupils to understand diversity and, in turn, be well prepared to live in modern Britain. Opportunities for

p.4

Behaviour

pupils to take responsibility in different ways, for example as class ambassadors, playground leaders and members of the eco or school council, support their considerable understanding of respect and care for others.  Parents and carers, pupils and staff are all unreservedly positive about behaviour and safety. One parent or carer wrote to praise the school’s ‘thriving community with a terrific atmosphere and ethos’.  Over 40 extra-curricular clubs that regularly offer new and interesting challenges every week are much appreciated by all pupils and parents and carers. These include gardening, origami, cricket, chess and glockenspiel clubs as well as different sporting opportunities. Pupils are very well supported in their preparation for the next phase of their education.

p.5

Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Systems relating to child protection are rigorous and robust. The school works closely with external partners when necessary to support any form of potential vulnerability.  Pupils speak confidently about how well they understand how to stay safe in a wide range of situations, including their use of the internet and smartphones. The extensive Playscape facility within the school grounds enables pupils to explore and take risks outdoors in a safe environment.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching throughout the school is consistently good and much is outstanding. This helps all pupils to achieve particularly well.  Teachers and teaching assistants plan and work closely in their delivery of activities that are rich and varied. The open-plan layout of the school means that individuals or small groups can work near their class on specific tasks that support any particular kind of need.  Both teachers and teaching assistants are highly skilled in using a wide repertoire of techniques that check effectively for pupils’ understanding and their progress.  Along with discrete literacy and mathematics lessons, wider literacy, numeracy and communication skills are taught imaginatively through the topic-based approach used across the school, all of which brings their learning to life. An example of this was seen in Year 6 where pupils’ understanding of musical harmony and rhythm was linked to their work on North America.

p.5

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Marking in all classes is regular and thorough. Increasingly as they move up the school, pupils are encouraged to respond to their teachers’ comments and show that they both understand next steps for success as well as improve their work.  The school website is used effectively to communicate with parents and carers about work for each class every term and ways in which they can support their child’s learning. Regular meetings about pupils’ attainment and progress are supplemented by ‘Open Fridays’ when all parents and carers are welcomed to look at their children’s work at the end of the week. This weekly event is a valuable opportunity for parents and carers to come into school and celebrate success as well as discuss any concern.  Homework is set across the school at an appropriate level. Each year group benefits from activities which support their development of reading, writing and mathematics skills as part of their wider learning.

p.5

is outstanding

 Pupils make rapid gains in all their learning across the school, including in English and mathematics.  Attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is consistently above national averages over time. A slight dip in reading results for 2013 was robustly managed by governors and senior leaders and their highly effective strategies ensured a sharp rise the following year so that this is no longer an issue.  The most able pupils achieved significantly better in 2014 than their peers nationally in reading, writing and mathematics. Governors and school leaders make sure that there is a rich programme of additional educational activities and visits available to this group to help them realise their full potential. This includes the opportunity to learn Latin and visit Oxford University and local museums and art galleries.  Disadvantaged pupils achieve well over time in reading, writing and mathematics. Test results in 2014

p.5

is outstanding

show that they are a term ahead of both their peers in the school and those nationally for all subjects. Gaps have closed rapidly.  Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported to achieve in line with their peers in reading, writing and mathematics. Provision for these pupils is closely matched to individual need and delivered by highly skilled teaching assistants.  The school places the importance of reading and reading for pleasure at the centre of its work. Daily reading sessions for the whole school help to develop a range of reading skills, and both class libraries and the school library are well stocked to cater for pupils’ interests. Reading, communication and numeracy are also threaded through pupils’ wider learning in other subjects.  All pupils benefit from the breadth of opportunity that the school provides which supports their high levels of personal achievement. A parent or carer wrote about her daughter’s experience: ‘She is always so

p.6

is outstanding

enthusiastic about what she has done each day and what she has learnt. Not only are they taught the academic subjects but they are taught important values and life skills.’

p.6

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 109089 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Inspection number 453232

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 Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 239 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jim Crouch Headteacher Matt Grosvenor Date of previous school inspection 18 September 2007 Telephone number 01761 418137 Fax number 01761 415418 Email address paulton_jun@bathnes.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 .

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’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9