Harris Junior Academy Carshalton

Harris Junior Academy Carshalton Camden Road, Carshalton, SM5 2NS

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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

 The Principal provides inspirational leadership. He has developed a harmonious community to learn and work within.  The Principal and vice principal, supported by the federation, have led substantial improvements in teaching.  Teaching is now consistently good.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are improving as a result of the good teaching and rigorous assessment systems.  Disadvantaged pupils make rapid progress and are narrowing gaps in attainment quickly.  Behaviour has improved dramatically since the academy opened, so that it is now outstanding.  Attendance has improved and is now above the national average.  The academy is a very safe place. Bullying of any kind is rare.  The academy prepares pupils extremely well for the next stage of their education and for life in modern Britain.  The local governing body supports and challenges the academy very well.  The federation has provided very effective support

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and training for academy staff while maintaining a relentless drive for continued improvement and excellence.  Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the improvements they have seen since the academy opened.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 Teaching is not consistently outstanding, especially in subjects other than English and mathematics.  Achievement in writing, especially for some groups of boys, is not as strong as it is in reading and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 29 lessons. This included short visits to each of the mathematics sets in some year groups. Some of these lessons were observed together with the Principal or other senior leaders from the academy and federation.  Inspectors held meetings and discussions with the Principal and various other school leaders. An inspector also met with the Chair of the Governing Body and vice chair. The lead inspector met with the Director of Primary Education and the Primary Regional Director from the Harris Federation.  Inspectors held informal discussions with different groups of pupils around the academy and also met more formally with a group of pupils to discuss their views of the academy. They also attended two assemblies.  Inspectors examined various school documents relating to performance management, pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching, safeguarding and behaviour.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the responses of 81 parents to the Parent View questionnaire and spoke to some parents at the beginning of the inspection.  Inspectors also analysed the 15 questionnaires completed by staff.

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Inspection team

Lee Selby, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This academy opened in September 2013 under the sponsorship of the Harris Federation. The predecessor school, Camden Junior School, was judged to be inadequate at its last inspection in March 2012.  The academy is larger than the average-sizedjunior school.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs is above that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils eligible for additional funding through the pupil premium is above the national average. The pupil premium provides additional funding for disadvantaged pupils such as those eligible for free school meals.  Around three-quarters of the pupils are of White British heritage. Approximately one-quarter of the pupils are from minority ethnic groups, of which pupils from other White Backgrounds and those of Black African heritage form the larger proportions.  The proportion of pupils for whom English is an additional language is below the national average.

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Information about this school

 The academy meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6.  The Principal joined the academy in January 2014 and the vice principal was appointed in September 2014.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve teaching so that achievement across the academy is outstanding by:  ensuring that the best practice in teaching is shared throughout the academy, including in subjects other than English and mathematics  providing pupils with more opportunities to develop their writing skills in all areas of the curriculum.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The Principal, ably supported by the vice principal, has created a harmonious community within the academy where high standards, exemplary behaviour, mutual respect and the pursuit of excellence have become the norm. As a result, the academy is characterised by good relationships and the understanding that discrimination of any type will not be tolerated by anyone.  Senior leaders, together with staff from the federation, have ensured that the quality of teaching has improved rapidly since the academy opened. The outstanding support, training and challenge provided by academy leaders and federation staff have ensured that teaching is now consistently good with some practice that is outstanding.  Middle leaders have been identified by the academy and federation for their talent as teachers and have received appropriate training to carry out their roles stringently. They have developed robust plans for

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The leadership and management are outstanding

improvement which they are implementing effectively.  Academy leaders have developed a curriculum that rightly focuses on the essential skills needed in literacy and numeracy. It also provides a wide range of interesting and enjoyable opportunities to develop other skills and knowledge through a thematic approach, for example when learning about rainforests. Leaders are not complacent and aim to make further improvements to the curriculum in the year ahead as some themes covered have been less successful in truly stretching the potential of all pupils.  The impact of the academy’s work to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is impressive. For example, all pupils in the lower part of the academy have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument together as a class. The monthly academy-wide focus on a different value such as compassion, together with a relevant programme of personal, social and health education, ensures that

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The leadership and management are outstanding

pupils are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain.  Leaders, through their rigorous tracking of achievement, ensure that no pupil is allowed to fall behind, ensuring that there is real equality of opportunity and a culture where everyone can succeed.  Parentsare overwhelmingly positive about the current leadership of the academy. They recognise the improvements that have been made and would happily recommend the academy to others.  The pupil premium funding has been used constructively to enable targeted support for those who need it. Lerader use funding to provide setting in mathematics from year 4 upwards and for literacy in Year 6. As a result, disadvantaged pupils throughout the school are making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  The primary physical education and sports grant has been used effectively to improve participation in sport, most notably in girls’ football. There have been many more opportunities for competitive sport. For

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The leadership and management are outstanding

example, pupils recently competed successfully in an athletics competition against other academies in the Harris Federation at Crystal Palace Stadium.  The academy’s safeguarding procedures meet statutory requirements, are reviewed regularly and are very effective at keeping pupils safe.  The Harris Federation has provided extremely effective support to leaders and staff since the academy opened. Teachers greatly value the support, challenge and training they receive from the federation. The federation’s systems ensure that no time is lost in the drive to raise standards. Senior staff from the federation ensure that excellent performance by the Principal and other academy leaders is recognised through pay progression but also ensure that challenging targets for further improvement are set.  The governance of the school:  Governors are well qualified and selected appropriately by the federation so that there is an appropriate

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The leadership and management are outstanding

mix of skills and expertise to hold the academy leaders to account. Governors understand their role well and appreciate the excellent support and training they receive from the Harris Federation. They understand data about pupils’ achievements and ask searching questions of leaders when challenging targets are not met. They are confident that assessment procedures are robust because of the monitoring carried out by the federation. They know how the quality of teaching has improved since the academy opened and make regular visits to see for themselves the impact that actions taken by academy leaders have had on raising pupils’ achievement and aspiration.  Governors have ensured that the pupil premium has had a significant impact on improving achievement for disadvantaged pupils. They check that other financial and physical resources are efficiently managed. They have supported the Principal well in his effective work to ensure the curriculum

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The leadership and management are outstanding

prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.  Governors share the responsibility for managing staff performance with the federation. Together they ensure that successful staff are rewarded appropriately and any early signs of underperformance are tackled quickly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Older pupils eloquently describe the remarkable improvements in behaviour since the academy opened. They explain how everyone understands the high expectations of behaviour and how rewards and sanctions are respected by pupils and applied consistently by all staff.  Academy documentation shows that the need for exclusion has been virtually eradicated over the last two years and that incidents of poor behaviour have reduced significantly.  Behaviour in lessons is typically outstanding. Pupils enjoy their learning and are engaged in tasks for sustained periods of time. They work exceptionally well with their peers showing high levels of respect for the views of others. No disruptive or challenging behaviour was observed in classrooms during the inspection.  Behaviour is of an equally high standard when pupils move around the school, are in assembly or are part

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Behaviour

of small groups receiving extra help with their learning.  Pupils take care to present their work neatly and take pride in wearing their uniforms smartly.  Attendance has improved since the academy opened and is now above the national average. Punctuality has also improved significantly, demonstrating that pupils are keen to start their learning promptly each morning.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Staff complete regular and specific training to ensure they are able to identify concerns and prevent pupils from getting into danger. All staff receive update training on a termly basis and relevant leaders and governors are trained in safer recruitment procedures.  Pupils and parents say that bullying is extremely rare. One parent explained that concerns are dealt with quickly and professionally by staff and that further support is put in place to prevent any recurrence.  Every parent who completed the Parent View questionnaire was confident that their child is safe at the academy. Pupils say that the academy is a safe place and they know how to stay safe both in and out of school and when online. They know what to do if they see or hear anything that worries them and are confident that academy staff will listen to their concerns.

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Safety

 Comprehensive systems are in place to carry out regular health and safety checks, including risk assessments for school trips and visits. The federation oversees these processes to check that procedures meet the latest guidelines and are carried out rigorously.  The academy’s values-based curriculum works well to promote a tolerant and harmonious community and prevent any kind of extremist behaviour.  The school site is safe and secure and all visitors are checked on arrival.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved dramatically since the academy opened and is now consistently good.  There are some examples of outstanding teaching especially in English and mathematics where teaching is strongest. As a result, standards in literacy, reading and mathematics have improved over the last two years.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this to bring learning to life. For example, in a Year 4 science lesson the teacher carried out a practical demonstration of how the human digestive system works using everyday equipment that had the pupils engrossed.  Pupils say that teaching is very good. They say that teachers use the right words to explain things in a way they understand and that they learn something new every day. They appreciate that their work is always marked and that feedback tells them what they have done well and what their next targets will be.  Inspectors agreed that marking is effective, especially in English where pupils are fully involved in self-

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The quality of teaching is good

assessing the progress they have made towards achieving their targets.  Reading has a high status in the academy. Pupils enjoy reading and teachers inspire them to try different types of books and authors by linking set texts to curriculum themes. Pupils enjoy completing the academy-wide reading challenges and visiting the well-resourced library. As a result of these strategies, achievement in reading is improving.  Consistent approaches to teaching the fluent recall of number facts, problem-solving challenges and careful setting in each year group have all led to improved standards in mathematics.  Teachers plan activities that match the needs of pupils. For example, in a mathematics lesson for the most-able pupils in Year 5, the teacher used questioning effectively to challenge pupils to use their problem-solving and reasoning skills using algebra. Whereas in a lower set the teacher encouraged pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

to use visual and practical representations to solve the same problem. The use of setting from Year 4 upwards has had a positive impact on improving achievement in mathematics.  Teaching assistants provide good support to all pupils in class. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are given the support they need because teachers consider it carefully in their planning.  Observations during the inspection and pupils’ workbooks show that teaching over time is not as strong in subjects other than English and mathematics. Pupil do not always have enough opportunities to apply their writing skills in different subject areas.  Teaching is slightly less strong in subjects other than English and mathematics. Teachers have received less guidance and development from academy leaders and federation specialists in subject areas such as geography, history and science.

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is good

 Achievement has improved since the academy opened and is now good overall.  The stringent systems of assessment that are consistent across the federation give academy leaders the information they need to raise standards. As a result pupils, routinely make good progress in lessons, and all year groups are making good progress over time in reading, writing and mathematics.  Regular meetings to discuss pupils’ progress identify those who are at risk of falling behind. These pupils are tracked rigorously and some have their work checked on a weekly basis by the vice principal.  In 2014, attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 was broadly average. While the expected progress of pupils was below national figures in reading and mathematics, this measure is affected by the limited progress made by some pupils made before the academy opened. Academy data during 2014/15 demonstrate that these pupils made rapid progress in Year 6 under the current leadership and as part of

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is good

the federation.  Current academy data and work in pupils’ books show that attainment is rising. Nearly all pupils in the current Year 6 have made the progress expected in reading, writing and mathematics. More pupils than found nationally in previous years have made more than expected progress in reading and mathematics. Progress is not quite as strong in writing.  There are some gaps in attainment between girls and boys in some year groups for writing. Academy leaders are aware of the gaps and have implemented targeted strategies to address them. As a result, boys are now making more progress than the girls to close the gaps.  In 2014, the gaps in attainment for disadvantaged pupils in receipt of the pupil premium narrowed significantly due to effective intervention by the new academy leaders. As a result, disadvantaged pupils were approximately one term behind their peers in the academy in reading, two terms behind in writing

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is good

and half a year behind in mathematics. The gaps with all other pupils nationally were approximately two terms in reading, writing and mathematics.  Throughout the academy, current disadvantaged pupils in receipt of the pupil premium are making rapid progress in reading, writing and mathematics and consequently gaps in attainment are continuing to narrow.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress due to the well- planned provision.  The most able pupils make good progress in mathematics due to teachers in the higher sets providing challenging work that makes them think and develop their skills to solve problems. They also make good progress in English because teaching provides good opportunities for pupils to practice high-quality writing and deepen their comprehension in reading.  While pupils are making progress across the curriculum, the development and acquisition of skills in

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is good

subjects such as science, history, geography and physical education are not as strong as they are in English and mathematics.

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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 139965 Local authority Sutton Inspection number 450068

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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 Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 352 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Marvin Saverymuthapulle Principal Lee Robertson Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 020 8647 7324 Fax number 020 8669 8463 Email address info@harrisjuniorcarshalton.org.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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