Fair Oak Junior School

Botley Road, Fair Oak, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO50 7AN

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leadership and management are outstanding. The expertise and very strong partnership of the new headteacher and deputy headteacher have effectively and quickly improved teaching and achievement since the last inspection.  The enhanced skills of all other leaders, including the challenge and support now offered by governors, have ensured that the determined drive to secure better standards has been very successful.  As a result, teaching is now good and sometimes outstanding. Standards have risen rapidly and are above average in reading, writing and mathematics. All groups of pupils make good progress.  Pupils quickly acquire good literacy and numeracy skills, knowledge and understanding. This prepares them well for their future education.  By the end of Year 6, a significant number of the most able pupils reach standards that are much higher than other pupils nationally, especially in mathematics. A growing number is doing so in

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

writing.  The gap in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and all other pupils has closed by Year 6 because funding is well used to support their needs.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs receive well-organised provision and skilled support. Their learning needs are well met; consequently, they too make good progress.  The school’s vision and aims are underpinned by the strong provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The excellent relationships that exist between pupils and staff are clearly visible in the exemplary role models all adults demonstrate for pupils to follow.  As a result, pupils’ behaviour is outstanding. Their very good attendance and eagerness to learn make a significant contribution to their good progress.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school. This view is supported by parents. The school’s rigorous safeguarding procedures keep pupils safe and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

secure, ensuring that they are well looked after.  The school is well on the way to realising its vision of becoming an outstanding school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teachers are not sufficiently skilled in adjusting tasks in lessons so that pupils make the best possible progress. This is particularly the case for pupils of average ability.  There are not enough opportunities for pupils to develop a good understanding of the diverse cultures that exist in Britain today.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at pupils’ learning in 29 lessons and observed 23 teachers. Teaching assistants were observed working with individual pupils and small groups. The headteacher and deputy headteacher accompanied inspectors during some visits to lessons.  Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes. They talked to pupils about their work and heard individual pupils from Years 4 and 6 read.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including systems for checking progress, records relating to behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is doing and how it plans to improve. Records of checks on the quality of teaching were examined, along with records of visits to the school made by the local authority.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, school staff and groups of pupils. Individual pupils were spoken to in lessons and around the school. A meeting took place with the school adviser from

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Information about this inspection

the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the views expressed in 147 online responses from Parent View, and informal meetings with parents at the school during the inspection.  Inspectors also took account of the results of 12 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Anna Sketchley, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Fair Oak Junior School is much larger than the average-sized junior school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is lower than the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is below that found in most schools. The pupil premium is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The school organises a breakfast club.  A new headteacher and deputy headteacher have been appointed since the last inspection.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement and the quality of teaching, especially for pupils of average ability, by:  using the outstanding teaching in the school as a model of best practice  ensuring that all teachers have the skill to adjust tasks in lessons that might otherwise be too easy or too hard, so that all pupils are challenged at the right level and make the best possible progress.  Provide more opportunities for pupils to learn about, and develop, a better understanding of the diverse cultures that exist in Britain today.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The new headteacher’s considerable expertise and decisive action since the last inspection have ensured very effective and rapid improvement. Through the appointment of an experienced deputy headteacher and prompt changes made to the school’s leadership team, the headteacher has established a relentless and effective focus on securing good teaching. This has successfully improved achievement quickly, especially in English and mathematics.  Training for governors has been very effective in ensuring that they robustly challenge the school, supporting it fully in its desire to become outstanding.  Good advice from the local authority for subject leaders has helped the school to quickly improve the teaching of basic skills and raise standards considerably in reading, writing and mathematics.  Leaders have introduced extremely well-devised systems to check on the effectiveness of all aspects of the school’s work. Middle leaders use these systems rigorously to ensure the quality of teaching and that

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupils’ progress is maintained at the best possible level.  Senior leaders check teachers’ performance regularly. Teachers are very clear about the quality of teaching required and the rates of progress set for pupils. Leaders are quick to provide help where it is needed to improve teaching.  Teachers now use the school’s system to check pupils’ progress for themselves and quickly address issues where achievement is not fast enough.  The school uses extra funding for disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs to provide exceptionally well planned and focused individualised programmes in basic skills. Opportunities for them to develop socially also help them to enjoy their learning and make good relationships with adults and pupils alike. The school’s approach to the educational needs of these pupils is sensitive and personalised.  Pupils are not discriminated against and enjoy equal opportunities to access all that the school offers

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The leadership and management are outstanding

alongside all other pupils. As a result, these pupils demonstrate increased confidence, motivation and good attendance.  The popular breakfast club is well organised and well staffed. Caring adults follow the behaviour expectations of the school, allowing pupils to feel safe in an orderly and enjoyable environment. Pupils are sensible, happy and content as they play and eat together.  Leaders have adopted a systematic approach to the review, development and coverage of the curriculum, ensuring that the new National Curriculum requirements are being fully met. Carefully planned themes include the various skills needed to study different subjects. A significant strength is the interweaving of English and mathematics skills so that pupils have many opportunities to practise these across other subjects. For example, pupils used their mathematical skills to present graphs in a study of the leisure facilities in a nearby town, and wrote clear instructions for building a Celtic round house in their history

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The leadership and management are outstanding

topic.  Subject leaders present exciting curriculum themes. These provide a very positive climate in which pupils learn and in which exemplary behaviour and eagerness flourish. The pleasure they show in learning is demonstrated by the high quality and quantity of their work and the immense pride they take in its presentation.  Pupils take on many responsibilities at school, such as being members of the school council, house captains, and play and sports leaders. These provide them with good opportunities to learn about democracy and British values.  The school has begun a process of forging partnerships to develop links where other ethnic minorities dominate. However, this work is in its infancy and pupils do not currently have enough opportunities to learn about, and understand, the extent of the diverse cultures that exist in Britain today.  Leaders ensure that extra funding for sports is exceptionally well used. Teachers are fully supported by

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The leadership and management are outstanding

the way the curriculum is planned to provide them with suitable development opportunities. They are well equipped with the skills they need to teach a very wide variety of sporting activities. As a result, 85% of pupils attend sports clubs, and over half of the pupils in every year group take part in competitive sports during the school year. Many pupils really appreciate working for their sports ‘caps’ across an extremely wide range of activities. They demonstrate a very good understanding of what it means to live a healthy lifestyle. Sport is a strength of the school.  The results of the parent questionnaire and discussions with parents during the inspection demonstrate that the vast majority are extremely satisfied with the school. Several parents mentioned the significant improvement they have seen in the school since the last inspection. The school engages with parents very well, as demonstrated by the changes made to the pupils’ meticulously kept home-school reading records.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Policies and procedures for the safeguarding of pupils are regularly reviewed by governors and leaders, and fulfil all requirements. All staff and governors strictly adhere to these well developed systems, ensuring that pupils are safe at all times. Parents fully support the view that pupils are safe and well cared for.  The governance of the school: − Since the last inspection, governors have undertaken extra training to ensure that they are fully knowledgeable about measuring how well the school is performing. These new skills, together with their considerable professional skills from the world of work, enable them to check all areas of the school’s work and challenge it to improve further. They carry out their duties diligently by visiting the school regularly. This provides them with a very good knowledge of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They gather performance information about how well pupils are progressing and ensure

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The leadership and management are outstanding

that this is applied to the quality of teaching, checking that all pupils are achieving well. Governors are fully aware of the management of teachers’ performance and how this is has been used to eradicate weak teaching. They also ensure that it is used to reward good teaching in relation to pupils’ progress.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Well-established and consistent routines, together with high expectations from all staff, result in impeccable behaviour around the school and in assembly. Pupils show respect and courtesy towards each other and to adults as they move calmly and purposefully, in considerable numbers, to their classrooms.  Pupils show very caring attitudes and politeness towards each other, especially on the playground where they enjoy being play leaders and get on very well together. Adult leaders keep careful records of incidents of pupils ‘falling out’, but these are very minimal. Pupils are appreciative of ‘twitter time’ that allows for any concerns to be aired.  Serious incidents of challenging behaviour or bullying are extremely rare. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection. Pupils are very aware of the different types of bullying and know that name-

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Behaviour

calling and the use of derogatory language is forbidden. They say, ‘There is no bullying at our school.’ If it did happen they are confident that it would be dealt with immediately. The eldest pupils displayed considerable maturity, describing school as ‘a place of equality’.  Pupils fully recognise the benefits of behaving well, explaining that ‘good behaviour means good learning’. In class they work extremely well together, whether cooperatively in supervised groups or when unsupervised. They enjoy the rewards that good behaviour brings, and are very proud of their school and opportunities to take on responsibilities. They thoroughly appreciate educational visits and visitors, and the excellent range of clubs on offer. Their attendance is very good.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. The annual parent meeting for e-safety was well attended, enabling the school to explain how computer safety is built into the curriculum for pupils.  Effective risk assessments ensure site and visit safety, and pupils are fully involved in calculating their own risk. For example, the school council was influential in drawing up risk assessments for the new building work, considering safety for everyone.  Pupils say they feel very safe in school and that the school helps them to keep safe. An example of this was seen during the inspection when the whole of Year 5 took part in a ‘Bikeability’ assessment.  School systems for vetting staff and reporting concerns are fully in place. Pupils know they can talk to an adult about anything that is worrying them and they will be listened to.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils’ good progress confirms that teaching over time is consistently good, and sometimes outstanding. Well planned and stimulating teaching quickly engages pupils’ interest, deepening their knowledge and understanding and ensuring that pupils develop a range of skills across many different subjects.  Teachers’ expectations are high and relationships with pupils are strong, creating a positive climate for learning in which pupils have high expectations of themselves.  Teachers explain tasks clearly. Pupils’ excellent behaviour means that pupils pay attention and listen carefully. They know and understand what they are expected to learn and are keen and eager to start work without delay.  Tasks are usually well matched to pupils’ abilities, and suitably challenging. As a result, pupils make good, and sometimes rapid, progress. This is especially true for the most-able pupils and those who find learning

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The quality of teaching is good

difficult. However, sometimes, especially for pupils of average ability, tasks are either too easy or too hard. Teachers do not always adjust tasks quickly enough in lessons. This means that pupils do not, at times, make the fastest progress of which they are capable.  Teachers emphasise basic literacy and numeracy skills well and demonstrate good subject knowledge. Good questioning probes pupils’ understanding and enables teachers to verify how well their pupils are learning.  A dedicated daily allotment of time for pupils to study and understand different texts ensures pupils make good progress with their reading. For example, through careful questioning, pupils were observed developing their comprehension and research skills. They were able to analyse how the key points of a story affect the plot.  Pupils were observed making good progress with their writing skills when learning to write a balanced

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The quality of teaching is good

argument. Less-able pupils were particularly well supported by using a framework around which they could construct their ideas.  Evidence of good prior learning and competent mental skills was observed when pupils were learning to solve mathematical problems. Classroom walls and equipment are consistently used throughout the school, with ideas and information to support learning, both in English and mathematics, encouraging pupils’ independence.  Teachers mark pupils’ work thoroughly, often linking comments to pupils’ targets and ensuring that pupils know what to do next to improve their work. Pupils are given time to respond and correct errors and this supports their good progress.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Since the previous inspection there has been a sharp rise in attainment. In 2014, standards in Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics rose to above average. School information for Year 6 this year shows an even greater percentage of pupils working at a level higher than that expected in all three subjects. The good teaching promoted by strong leadership is securing this rise in attainment. This momentum of improvement has been sustained this year, especially in reading.  The new home-school reading record with a focus for each week, and developed with parents, supports regular reading practice outside of lessons, enhancing pupils’ ability to read well. This improvement since the last inspection helps pupils to achieve as well in reading as they are in writing and mathematics.  A considerable number of the most-able pupils are making outstanding progress, ably working at a level much higher than is expected in mathematics. Pupils were observed competently working at algebraic

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The achievement of pupils is good

equations and applying this knowledge to solving problems in geometry. A few pupils are also reaching a much higher level in writing.  Graphs of pupils’ progress across the school show that the achievement of all groups of pupils is now growing quickly year on year.  In 2014, the attainment of disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 was four terms behind other pupils in the school in mathematics, two and a half terms behind in reading and two terms behind in writing. Compared with other pupils nationally, disadvantaged pupils were two and a half terms behind in mathematics and two terms behind in reading and writing.  This year, school information shows that strategies to improve the attainment of disadvantaged pupils have been very successful. This group of pupils is reaching the same above-average level of attainment in all three subjects as all other pupils in the school. Their attainment in all three subjects exceeds that of

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The achievement of pupils is good

other pupils nationally. Throughout all year groups they are making accelerated progress from their various starting points, catching up quickly with other pupils. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and others has closed by the time they reach Year 6.  Good provision for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs ensures that they make the same good progress as all other pupils.  Pupils’ competent basic skills and developing confidence and maturity prepare them well for secondary 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 115997 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 462427

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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 552 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Julie Chambers Headteacher Jane Laurie Date of previous school inspection 2–3 May 2013 Telephone number 023 80693195 Fax number 023 80601731 Email address admin@fairoak-jun.hants.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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