Riverside Junior School

Riverside Junior School Holme Street, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, HX7 8EE

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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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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Strong leadership of the school has been secured with the appointment of a very effective interim headteacher and new leadership team. They work well together and changes are having a positive impact on improving teaching and achievement.  Governors are very effective and play a major role in making this a good school. They have taken positive steps to gain stability in leadership and to ensure the school has a firm foundation to improve even more.  Warm and friendly relationships underpin the supportive ethos that is such an important feature of daily life at Riverside. Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe and happy.  Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They show great respect for each other and the local environment. They recognise their role in society and value the opportunities offered to help others.  Effective teaching sustains pupils’ enthusiasm for learning. Activities are often practical and involve

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

collaboration. Pupils enjoy sharing their ideas and learning from each other.  Parents and pupils appreciate the richness of the experiences provided. The amazing array of photographs of success in sport and the high- quality art work show the variety of opportunities on offer to the pupils.  Pupils make good progress. Attainment is rising and is well-above average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive effective support. They make good progress. The most able pupils are challenged. An increasing number of pupils in Year 6 are on track to achieve the above average Level 5 and the even higher Level 6.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not always give enough attention to handwriting and the presentation of their work. In mathematics, the lack of care in measuring and setting out work leads to errors.  Although recent alterations have improved resources for computing in the computer suite, there is a lack of resources for pupils to exploit modern technology during lessons.  The recently adopted policy for marking pupils’ work is not fully embedded to ensure pupils always know how to improve their work.  While the leadership of English is strong, the leaders of other subjects are new or their roles have not been fully developed. As a result the impact of their actions on learning is not sharp enough.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in all classes. They observed pupils at play, in the dining room and attended an assembly.  Pupils’ work was scrutinised with a focus on writing and mathematics in Years 3 and 6.  Pupils read to inspectors.  A range of documents was reviewed including the school’s development plan, subject action plans, the checks made on pupils’ progress, the minutes of meetings held by the governing body and information about safeguarding.  Inspectors took account of the 27 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the results of the school’s recent parent questionnaire. They also spoke to parents who attended the school assembly and others who dropped their children off at school.  Ten responses to the staff questionnaire were analysed.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Platt, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and eligible for support through the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is much smaller than the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which is the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The majority of pupils join the school from two local infant schools.  There have been several new staff appointments since the previous inspection. The interim headteacher has been in post for one term although was working with the school and the previous headteacher before

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Information about this school

she retired. The interim headteacher is in school for four days per week and the school is led by the deputy headteacher for the other day.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching even further and increase pupils’ progress by:  raising expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work, especially in writing and mathematics  embedding the school’s policy on marking to ensure that marking is always effective  providing more resources for computers to support learning in the classrooms.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by extending the good practice of the leadership of English to the leaders of other subjects so that they have a detailed picture of pupils’ skills and use this information to set priorities for their subjects.

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The leadership and management are good

 The interim headteacher provides very effective leadership. She has promptly carried out an audit of teaching and pupils’ progress and set out the future for the school based on her high expectations of teaching and achievement. Leadership has been further strengthened by a stronger senior leadership team, including the deputy headteacher. Although parents expressed some concerns about the uncertainty of the future leadership of the school, it is clear that currently the school is in safe hands and well placed to move forward.  The headteacher’s audit has provided an accurate overview of what is working well in the school as well as aspects that require attention. Changes are identified in the school’s improvement plan. Currently, the determination to move forward is leading to a long list of actions which rather clouds the key priorities for the school. Nevertheless, the actions are clear and precise and success is easy to measure. Initiatives are

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The leadership and management are good

reviewed carefully and training provided. For example, teachers have been guided successfully in implementing the new approach to guided reading, which is encouraging pupils to work in groups to predict and summarise their reading.  The monitoring of teaching is based on a range of activities including observations of teaching, reviews of pupils’ work and discussions with pupils. Staff receive feedback on their practice. Advice and training is offered when required.  Pupils’ progress is tracked stringently. Extra help is provided where it is most needed. An additional teacher works in Year 6 so that the most able pupils receive additional challenge to reach the very high Level 6. The promotion of equal opportunities for all to make as much progress as possible is successful.  English is managed effectively with the close monitoring of progress leading to actions to improve attainment. The leadership of mathematics has very recently been taken over by the deputy headteacher

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The leadership and management are good

with insufficient time to draw up a plan to lead the subject forward. Other leaders share their enthusiasm and skills with staff but their roles are not fully developed. They are not fully effective in identifying priorities linked to increasing pupils’ progress. Nevertheless, in practice, actions are often raising attainment and leaders have ensured that the new National Curriculum is in place.  Visitors identify quickly the richness of the curriculum. Displays are vibrant. Art work is of a high quality. Full size models of different characters greet you as you tour the school. The sound of violins echoes around the old building both inside and in the garden areas. Skills in literacy and mathematics are promoted in other subjects. For example, in history pupils write about the effect of the war on evacuees during the First World War.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. The focus on right and wrong is very

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The leadership and management are good

evident. Pupils write about how their conscience helps them to make correct choices and consider the welfare of others. They enjoy being together with their friends and recall with great pleasure the day the whole school went to the beach. Pupils learn about other faiths in religious education and show respect for other beliefs. Subject leaders are looking to adapt the curriculum to raise pupils’ knowledge of wider aspects of other cultures. Staff foster good relations most effectively and ensure any discrimination is tackled.  The current national election is being exploited to raise pupils’ understanding of British values. They understand the importance of voting and having a say about changes. Members of the school council give speeches to gain votes before the election. In assembly, they learn about respect and in groups learn to value the ideas of other pupils. All classes take part in an enterprise week where they learn the skills of

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The leadership and management are good

managing a budget and the importance of raising funds for special events.  The spending of pupil premium has become more effective following closer examination of the impact of the spending on the progress of these pupils. The focus is not only on support for academic progress but also helping pupils to overcome emotional difficulties by funding play therapy and a learning mentor to help with anger management if needed.  The range of sporting activities has increased because the primary school sport funding is spent wisely. A detailed plan shows a breakdown of spending and the difference it makes for the pupils. Pupils enjoy visits to the Velodrome in Manchester and ‘bouldering’ using a climbing wall is a new adventure for many. Professional coaches for tennis and dance have raised pupils’ skills. Teachers observe sports coaches and so increase their skills for future lessons.  The local authority provides effective support. Governors benefit from training on recruitment and leaders

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The leadership and management are good

benefit from termly reviews and an analysis of data. Support has been readily available to support leaders with mentoring others and this has been an important factor in moving the school to good.  Leaders give close attention to guidance on health and safety issues. As a result the school’s safeguarding procedures are effective and meet requirements. Close attention is given to ensuring all staff are vetted closely for their suitability to work in school. Staff are provided with clear guidance about how to detect and record any concerns about the pupils’ welfare.  The governance of the school: Governance is very effective. Much has been done to improve the impact governors have on leading the school. Links with subjects have been extended so that governors are more informed about daily life at Riverside. They have played a key role with the local authority in securing stability in leadership. Governors have requested that data on achievement is now presented in a more easily understood

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The leadership and management are good

format that allows them to compare the school’s progress with national data. They challenge any dips and can explain in detail the reasons for a dip in the progress figures in mathematics for Year 6 pupils last year. They have queried some previous lack of progress on a termly basis and played a role in resolving this. Half-termly reports combined with reviews of pupils’ progress keep governors well informed about the quality of teaching. Any teaching that does not meet the current high expectations is followed up and governors play a role in actions to addressing this. Governors are knowledgeable about teachers’ targets and link these not only to pupils’ progress but also to the compliance of staff to implement new policies and procedures. Salary awards are linked to achievement of targets. The Chair of the Governing Body now shares his expertise with other governing bodies. It is clear that governors play

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The leadership and management are good

a more active role in deciding priorities and leading the school forward. As one governor said, ‘The ‘we’ in school now includes the governors.’

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils recognise there are consequences if they misbehave and identify that their behaviour has improved. Older pupils value the focus on accepting responsibility for your actions and feel this has helped them to become more mature. Discussions identify that many in Year 6 feel well prepared to move to secondary school.  Behaviour is excellent in assembly and also when during the inspection a visitor talked to pupils about e- safety. The most positive feature of pupils’ behaviour is their willingness to listen attentively, be involved and respect the opinions of others.  The atmosphere at playtime is exciting but friendly. Games are organised alongside quieter activities in such a way that all have space to select to be energetic or sit and chat.  Older pupils are fully attentive in lessons because tasks are challenging and they know they may be selected at any moment to contribute to the lesson. Younger pupils have not achieved this level of

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Behaviour

attention to learning and at times fail to give full attention to their teachers and other pupils. Examples of work in books in all years indicate that at times pupils do not give enough attention to the presentation of their work.  The rate of attendance fluctuates, particularly because of the small numbers of pupils involved, but is broadly average. Despite the efforts of staff, one or two pupils are absent without a legitimate reason.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Pupils who met with the inspectors identified bullying was not a concern in their school. They understand the different types of bullying and feel that the odd ‘name-calling’ occurs but this is resolved quickly. The curriculum covers relationships and pupils’ safety in depth. They understand homophobia and displays of work show respect for all family settings.  Hazards in daily lives are recognised and pupils value the advice given to keep them safe. The school is very close to a river and a canal, and swimming skills and safety in water are priorities for all. Discussions show pupils are aware of how to keep themselves healthy and to avoid hazards such as being approached by strangers as well as the dangers of drugs and alcohol.  Pupils are clearly happy in school and found it difficult to say what they would change. The pupils who spoke to the inspector provided this quotation, ‘We love our school because we have many friends, clubs

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Safety

and visits. Art is popular and we enjoy learning because it is fun.’

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The quality of teaching is good

 The consistency in the quality of teaching is improving and overall it is now good. A review of work in pupils’ books and records of their progress show that good teaching is evident in every subject and across year groups.  Teachers make lessons interesting for pupils by including a variety of approaches. They work individually, ‘On your own without talking as you need to concentrate.’ and in groups to share their ideas. In the mixed Year 5 and 6 class this variety of approaches was most effective. Pupils worked in teams to plan a debate around the advantages/disadvantages of living without possessions. The resulting debate was very intense with pupils clearly having strong points of view that they put over very eloquently.  Learning builds successfully on what has gone before. Year 3 pupils built on their knowledge of representing information in bar charts and then using their data to find out facts. Although some struggled

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The quality of teaching is good

with writing a question for their partner they clearly recognised how to apply their knowledge of handling data.  Leaders have recently introduced a new approach to marking pupils’ work. This sets out a clear requirement for teachers to identify how work can be improved and includes an expectation that pupils will respond. This is used very effectively in some classes but is not fully embedded, leaving some lack of precision about what pupils need to do to improve work.  Reading is taught effectively. The new approach to guided reading sessions seems initially overcomplicated but the pupils have grasped the idea that they all have a role linked to the shared text. Some predict what will happen next, others raise questions and some draw up a summary. This approach adds interest to their reading sessions as well as deepening their understanding of the text.  Teachers raise pupils’ enthusiasm for writing by ensuring tasks have a clear purpose that interests pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

For example, Year 6 pupils were keen to write a radio advertisement to sell the ‘smoothies’ they had made. Good attention is given to teaching pupils’ basic skills of spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Mathematics is taught successfully including the daily sessions to extend pupils’ numeracy skills. Year 4 pupils responded well to the use of a pendulum to help with their multiplication tables. As the pendulum swing increased so did the pace of reciting their tables. Pupils’ accuracy increased and they enjoyed the challenge. Questions are used effectively to extend pupils’ skills of reasoning. They were asked to explain how success in their four times table could help with the more difficult eight times tables. Using a square with numbers 1 to 100 pupils identified swiftly patterns to help them with their calculations.  A weaker aspect in the teaching of writing and mathematics is teachers’ expectation of the presentation of

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The quality of teaching is good

work. This is not always high enough and leads to some work being untidy and not easy to decipher.  On the other hand, teachers’ expectations of behaviour are high. Management is based on good relationships but it is made clear to pupils what is expected of them. Learning is rarely disturbed by behaviour although at times younger pupils are not reminded of the importance of listening attentively when other pupils present their ideas.  Teachers have adapted quickly to the change in assessment procedures. Work is matched accurately to pupils’ ability. This is very effective for the most able pupils who are given challenging tasks. Teaching assistants are used successfully although occasionally they provide too much support and keep the lower ability pupils all working together rather than pushing them on to try out their own ideas.  The school has just completed refurbishing the computing suite to improve connection to the internet.

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The quality of teaching is good

This has resolved this issue but resources to support the use of technology in class are limited.  Teachers have good knowledge in a wide range of subjects. This is used effectively in the new cross- curricular themes that add interest to learning and allow teachers to be more creative with their approaches.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The results of national tests at the end of Year 6 have been rising and were above average in 2014 in mathematics and reading and well-above average in writing. Current attainment is rising to well-above average in reading, writing and mathematics, with an increase in the proportion of pupils on track to reach above-average levels including the high Level 6.  Attainment on entry to school fluctuates from average to above average with few being below average. Numbers on roll have fallen and, over the last two years, attainment on entry has been closer to average. Regardless of their starting point, pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Many older pupils are confident mathematicians. Daily sessions in multiplication table and basic number skills have raised pupils’ confidence in solving problems. For example. In Year 5, pupils used dice to select different numbers and then used their knowledge of place value to solve problems.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Many pupils write with confidence and enthusiasm. Books in Year 6 show the majority spell correctly and structure their work well. The most able pupils write at length and use paragraphs correctly. They write to capture the interest of the reader with dialogue and phrases such as ‘You’re in for a treat.’  More attention is given to teaching specific skills in mathematics and English lessons as well as across other subjects. However, in writing and mathematics pupils do not always take as much care with the presentation of their work as they do with accuracy. For example, in Year 3, diagrams are not accurate and the lines in bar charts are not neat enough to ensure accuracy. Numbers are not always set out in the correct columns and this leads to unnecessary mistakes. Similarly, handwriting is not always neat and easy to read.  Reading is a strength throughout the school. If pupils are struggling with their letters and sounds when

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The achievement of pupils is good

they start school they receive help to close any gaps. By the time they leave, many pupils are working at above-average levels. They read fluently and with confidence. Pupils use the text to locate answers and recognise what the author is inferring. Pupils enjoy reading, have many favourite authors and are waiting eagerly to loan books from the newly refurbished library.  The most able pupils make good progress. This success has been pivotal in raising overall attainment at the end of Year 6. Current data shows a high proportion of pupils are on track to reach above-average levels especially in reading.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress. New leadership of provision for these pupils has sharpened their individual plans and ensures their needs are fully met. Pupils value the support of the learning mentor so that help is available to overcome any social or behavioural

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The achievement of pupils is good

difficulties.  Disadvantaged pupils play a full part in all activities. The pupil premium is spent wisely to enable these pupils to make good progress from their individual starting points. The numbers of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 have been small over the last three years and this makes a detailed analysis of their attainment and progress compared with that of other pupils in school and nationally, insecure.  Examples of work in art are of high quality and pupils achieve success in many aspects of physical education. Although pupils show competence in the use of computers there are insufficient opportunities to practise their skills in lessons. Nevertheless, the overall high standards in reading, writing and mathematics combined with the focus on ensuring pupils grow in maturity means they are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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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 107529 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 462285

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 157 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair John Hairsine Headteacher Cathy Greenaway Date of previous school inspection 10 July 2013 Telephone number 01422 842154 Fax number 01422 842154 Email address admin@riverside.calderdale.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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