The Raglan Junior School

The Raglan Junior School Raglan Road, Bush Hill Park, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 2RG

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

p.1

This is a good school

 Since the previous inspection leaders have worked rapidly to improve teaching and to address underachievement. Pupils now make good progress.  The visionary headteacher supported by a strong leadership team have aspirations of excellence for their school and the pupils. As a result the school has improved since the previous inspection.  Standards in English have risen; in particular, pupils produce writing of a high quality.  The gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has narrowed. In writing, disadvantaged pupils perform higher than other pupils nationally.  Teaching is good because teachers plan interesting and enjoyable lessons. Pupils value the precise and detailed feedback given to them on their written work.  Attendance is above the national average. Pupils enjoy coming to school.  Governors ensure that all pupils benefit from a good education. They ask challenging questions of senior leaders and effectively hold them to

p.1

This is a good school

account for the quality of teaching and its impact on achievement.  The personal development of pupils is outstanding. Pupils flourish in their learning due to the school’s caring and nurturing approach.  Pupils behave well. Their attitudes to work and enthusiasm for learning are, at times, exemplary. Pupils feel safe in their school and respect its values.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. The engaging curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The progress of the small group of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is not improving in line with other pupils.  Some teachers lack confidence in assessing with the new assessment system; some of the school’s data does not match the high quality of work seen in books.  A few staff do not use programmes of study effectively in mathematics and lack the confidence to adjust planning to match pupils’ requirements. In some classes, pupils are given too few opportunities to deepen their mathematical understanding, solve problems and explain how they solved them.

p.1

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Continue to improve the quality of teaching so that pupils’ progress and outcomes improve further by ensuring that: – work completed by pupils who have special educational needs or disability is scrutinised more frequently so that needs are more readily identified and addressed – teachers have more opportunities to practise assessing with the new assessment materials so that their judgement of ‘age-related expectations’ reflects the quality of work produced in books – teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence in mathematics is increased – there are more opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding and use of mathematical skills, solve problems and explain their reasoning.

p.2

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, governors and leaders have shaped an ethos based on values where pupils are encouraged to strive for their best, develop their talents and become responsible young citizens. Pupils enjoy learning and participate actively in the life of a happy, caring school community. Standards are rising in many areas, and the personal development of pupils is excellent.  Teachers appreciate the exemplification material the school has developed to assess mathematics. These materials are shared with other local schools. The school has ensured that judgements of what constitutes ‘age-related expectations’ have been moderated both internally and in partnership with other schools. As yet there has not been enough time for all staff to be confident with assessing for the new assessment system.  Senior leaders are ambitious for the school and have successfully tackled the weak standards in writing

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

seen at the previous inspection. Extended writing is frequent and pupils are proud of the quality of their work. Notably, Year 3 pupils were able to talk at some length about the technical vocabulary in their writing.  Detailed scrutiny of exercise books and ongoing performance information enable leaders to identify key groups of pupils that need additional help, so that extra support can be offered where needed. Pupil premium funding is used well to provide further support. As a consequence, the achievement of disadvantaged pupils is rising and a high number of pupils now perform as well as their peers.  Since the previous inspection there has been vast improvement in the support given by teaching assistants in lessons. Intervention programmes are in place to improve the learning of pupils with special educational needs or disabilities. These are well delivered by the special educational needs team. Senior

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leaders recognise that the scrutiny of performance information for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is not timely or sharp enough.  Middle leaders are developing well. They have a good grasp of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. Lead teachers have been put in place to demonstrate excellent practice and to coach others in their skills. The latter is in the early stages of development.  Pupils benefit from a rich and varied curriculum. They enjoy the half-termly topic work as well as the many challenges offered by the wider curriculum. Pupils participate in a range of clubs where the quality of work is high. They are proud of their art work which is on display around the school. All pupils have access to music tuition and they enjoy two hours of physical education a week.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They are quickly becoming responsible citizens and

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

have an active influence upon decision making through their role in the school council. It was the school council’s idea to have stickers to celebrate The Raglan Values. The pupils are delighted to be a part of celebrating success in the school. The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Pupils value diversity, one Year 4 pupil commented: ‘I would be really bored if there were lots of me.’  The school makes good use of the primary school physical education and sport premium in order to promote pupils’ physical development and to help them experience wider sporting opportunities. For example, Year 6 pupils attended the cycling world championships. There are a number of sports clubs that pupils can attend. The school has their own dance troupe that performs locally.  Parents are very supportive of the school. Those who spoke to inspectors, as well as those who

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, confirm that they are confident that their children are safe at school, are well taught and are making progress. One parent commented: ‘My child is progressing very well and this is a reflection of the diligence and commitment of the teaching staff’. A few parents expressed concern that mathematics homework was online rather than completed in exercise books. When questioned, pupils said that they liked the opportunity of completing homework on the computer.  The school has a strong relationship with the local authority and has received effective support in improving teaching and self-evaluation.  The governance of the school – Governance is highly effective. Their work with school leaders has been instrumental in bringing about the significant improvements since the previous inspection. They regularly scrutinise the school’s work and its impact on achievement. As a result the governors are well informed and have an excellent

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

understanding of the performance of the school. – Governors are well briefed about the quality of teaching and the impact it is having on pupils’ outcomes; they check the quality of performance management information alongside the headteacher. – Governors visit the school regularly through their monitoring activities and ask challenging questions of senior leaders to ensure that they are satisfied that everything possible is being done to ensure that pupils achieve well. They have made good decisions about the deployment of resources so that the headteacher has further administrative support to help him discharge his duties.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are appropriate and the right checks are made on the suitability of staff to work at the school. The school works well with a range of outside agencies to ensure that any concerns are quickly followed up with the appropriate

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

authority. Staff and governor training are up to date. All staff have been trained in the ‘Prevent’ duty (the requirement to keep pupils safe from the risk of extremism). They know the correct procedures for communicating to the police any signs that pupils may be at risk of radicalisation.

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Stronger teaching is ensuring that pupils are now achieving better outcomes than was the case at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils are highly motivated and are keen to learn.  High-quality relationships between teachers and pupils, and between pupils and their peers, foster a positive climate for learning. Pupils work hard, engage well with tasks, and collaborate effectively with their classmates to share ideas. Pupils are resilient when attempting challenging activities; a Year 3 pupil commented in her English lesson: ‘We normally do something a bit tricky.’  Teaching assistants offer effective support to pupils who have special educational needs or disability. They move around the classroom providing explanation and prompts, and they help to move pupils onto challenging tasks.  Questioning is often used to probe pupils’ thinking and encourage them to develop their ideas. Teachers are encouraging but they will also make sure a pupil knows when they have not got something right. For

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

example, in a Year 4 music lesson the teacher insisted they play again until they understood how to play in time. More-able learners in the lesson helped other pupils to play the ukulele exceptionally well.  Pupils are clear about how to improve their work as they receive helpful comments from their teachers. Pupils actively use their checklists in the front of their books to see what they need to do to improve. Pupils learn from their mistakes. They are given time to reflect on corrections made by the teacher. It is routine for pupils to write comments back to teachers on their work showing them where they have made their improvements.  Reading is given a high profile and pupils are helped to develop a keen and competent interest in books. There are lots of opportunities to read throughout the day, including during registration time. Writing is well supported by teachers; pupils have access to high-quality examples of writing and are encouraged to

p.4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

review their work so that it can be improved further. As a consequence they are knowledgeable about how to create interest in their writing.  The teaching of science helps prepare pupils well for secondary science teaching. Pupils use scientific language knowledgeably and are developing their ability to hypothesise and explore scientific ideas. There were some excellent examples of discovery through practical lessons. This was documented by pupils via engaging photographs and notes in books.  Inspectors’ checks on pupils’ books found that opportunities for pupils to solve problems and deepen their understanding in mathematics are more frequent in some classes than in others. In a few lessons teachers’ mathematical subject knowledge was not as strong as in English. There were a few examples of mathematics teaching where teachers did not correct misconceptions or incorrect usage of mathematical terms. As a result pupils did not learn from their mistakes.

p.4

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. A parent commented: ‘They teach emotional intelligence well and my children always talk about being kind to each other and looking after each other.’ This is an accurate reflection of the pupils, who are thoughtful and caring towards one another. In several lessons pupils could be heard commenting: ‘I will help you.’ Inspectors were impressed by Year 6 pupils’ supportive reactions to hearing the news of secondary place allocations: ‘Don’t worry you’ll be fine’ and ‘You’ll make friends quickly.’  Pupils are cheerful, polite and happy in their learning. They take a keen interest in helping others and are aware of those less fortunate than themselves. They enthusiastically take part in fundraising activities; they regularly collect for a children’s charity and have recently donated toys to children in Nepal. The

p.4

Personal development and welfare

choir visited a local old people’s home to sing to them.  Pupils understanding of democratic values is promoted through the school’s procedures and systems. Pupils vote for their house captains and their school council representatives. This is taken seriously as their positions of responsibility play a vital role in school life. Pupils feel their views and ideas are listened to and valued.  Pupils are well informed about how to keep themselves safe. In lessons and assemblies pupils learn about how to minimise risks to themselves, such as keeping themselves safe online. They understand about the different kinds of bullying. Pupils say that bullying is rare in school and when it happens it is dealt with swiftly.

p.5

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  In lessons, pupils’ attitudes to their learning are positive. They participate enthusiastically in learning tasks. Pupils like their ‘Golden Time’, which is a privilege that they earn every week. This ‘Golden Time’ to undertake their own activities can be reduced if behaviour is not as expected. In a few lessons pupils talk too much when they are asked to work independently and this can disturb others.  Movement around the school is calm and orderly. During lunchtimes pupils sit and converse with their friends or they will play with the equipment provided. Pupils and teachers agree that behaviour in school is good. Almost all parents who completed the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, believe that pupils are well behaved. Some parents indicated that they did not know what the school’s procedures are for tackling bullying.  Pupils enjoy coming to school. Attendance at the school is above average. High attendance is valued and

p.5

Behaviour

this is reflected in the rewards system where high-attending pupils receive awards.

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

 The achievement of current pupils is good and improving, considering their different starting points.  Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 in reading, writing and mathematics is above average.  The school’s intensive focus on improving pupils’ writing has had noticeable impact in all year groups. At the end of Key Stage 2 attainment in writing has significantly increased two years running. Standards of writing in current pupils’ books are high and progress is good. Pupils read aloud their stories with pride and can show you where they have improved technically. They use technical language well and they are generally accurate with their spelling, punctuation and grammar. Presentation is of a high standard.  In 2015 attainment in reading at the end of Key Stage 2 also significantly increased. The school has recently invested in developing their fiction range; the breadth and depth of reading is appropriate for

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

pupils’ abilities. Pupils demonstrate a wide range of strategies to decode unfamiliar words and this helps them understand more difficult texts. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they are reading.  Pupils are making good progress in mathematics over time. More-able pupils are frequently asked to demonstrate their reasoning and how to apply methods to calculations. Current work completed by more- able pupils demonstrates that they are moved on in their working at a rapid rate; once a concept is understood, demonstrated and applied, pupils are moved onto the next learning point. In some books in lower Key Stage 2 there were a number of pages of sums where pupils could have been moved on in their learning sooner.  More-able pupils attain extremely well in their reading and writing. This is due to the range of challenging resources that are used in lessons as well as the range of interesting questions that teachers ask. High-

p.5

Outcomes for pupils are good

quality work was seen in pupils’ exercise books, demonstrating that they make good progress over time.  Disadvantaged pupils’ work is of an equal standard to their peers’ work. Gaps in attainment are disappearing rapidly and current pupils are making good progress. In 2015, disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 achieved higher standards in writing than their classmates.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make expected progress, especially when they are included in an extra intervention. Progress is not always fast enough as assessment has not been used swiftly enough to identify and respond to the needs of these pupils. As a result, their progress dips before support is in place to solve their specific needs and increase their progress.  Improved standards in 2015 at the end of Year 6 and the current accelerating progress demonstrate that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.5

School details

Unique reference number 102003 Local authority Enfield Inspection number 10002005

p.7

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.7

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 477 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Anna Williams Headteacher Martin Kelsey Telephone number 020 83605121 Website www.raglanschools.org Email address office@raglanschools.org Date of previous inspection 19–20 November 2013

p.7

Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The school federated to The Raglan Infant School in 2011, with one headteacher and governing body. The current headteacher has been in post since April 2012. He appointed a new leadership team in 2012 and the current deputy headteacher joined the school in 2014.  The school has undergone significant changes with staffing.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below average. The proportion of pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is in line with the national average.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding (additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority) is in line with the national average.  The percentage of pupils from a broad range of minority ethnic groups is above average. Of these, the

p.7

Information about this school

proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.  The school is supported by a school improvement consultant working on behalf of the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

p.7

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors made a series of visits to lessons to observe teaching and learning, undertook two learning walks, looked at work in pupils’ books and evaluated the school’s performance information. Several observations were undertaken with senior leaders.  Inspectors spoke with a representative from the local authority; met with the Chair of Governors and a number of governors, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior leaders, middle leaders and four groups of pupils. Inspectors also spoke informally to pupils around the site and in lessons.  Inspectors listened to a small number of pupils from Year 3 and Year 4 read.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including: planning and monitoring documents; the school development plan; records relating to behaviour and attendance; safeguarding information and staff training.  Inspectors took account of 14 pupil responses to the online questionnaire, 27 staff questionnaires and

p.8

Inspection team

Liz Smith, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Helen Morrison Ofsted Inspector Nicholas Hunt Ofsted Inspector Victoria Linsley Seconded Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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

Inspection team

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

Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.9

Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

p.9

Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.9

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Inspection team

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

p.9