Jubilee Wood Primary School

Jubilee Wood Primary School 1 Fishermead Boulevard, Fishermead, Milton Keynes MK6 2LB

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a good school

 The school’s efforts to care for, nurture and educate its pupils are wide-ranging and effective. As a result, pupils, including many facing enormous obstacles, flourish and learn well.  Highly effective teaching is helping pupils make strong, and in many cases very strong, progress from their very low starting points.  2015 published information shows that pupils attained well below the national average in key stage 2. Published information is affected by the substantial proportion of pupils who join late. One third of those who took key stage 2 tests in 2015 had no key stage 1 results.  In key stage 1, in 2015, pupils made very strong progress from their very low starting points, attaining in line with the average in mathematics and writing.  Leaders’ monitoring ensures that all pupils are well supported in their learning. Teaching assistants’ contributions are very effective.  Better teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds

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This is a good school

that they make) has led to an increase in the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics check.  The teaching of writing is a strength and enables pupils to make strong progress.  The most-able pupils and those who speak English as an additional language are supported well to make strides in their learning.  Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. Most champion the school’s values, which are firmly based on British values of tolerance and respect.  The school is a haven for its pupils. Specially trained mentors work very closely and effectively with individual pupils, their families, and external agencies to ensure pupils are safe.  Approaches to improve pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school are successful.  The early years setting is well led and children make strong progress from very low starting points. There is a rising trend in the proportion of children reaching a good level of development.

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This is a good school

 Governors make a significant contribution to improving the school. They use their expertise and local knowledge to great effect and are unstinting in their focus on supporting those most in need.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some pupils, especially those who speak English as an additional language, have not developed their reading comprehension skills consistently well.  Leaders’ checks to ensure that electronically set targets promote accelerated progress are not always systematic enough.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

systematically checking that pupils who need to catch up (including boys in early years) are given targets to promote accelerated progress in all subject areas improving the reading comprehension skills of pupils, especially those who speak English as an additional language.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Effectively guided and directed by the headteacher, leaders successfully ensure that pupils, many of whom have significant barriers to surmount, learn well. As a result, pupils make strong, and in many cases very strong, progress from much lower than average starting points. While staff understand the significant difficulties some pupils face, expectations of pupils’ conduct, work ethic, and levels of achievement are nevertheless high.  Leaders ensure that the very diverse pupil body gels together well. Pupils are united by a strong sense of pride in their school and their adherence to the school’s effectively promoted values, which are firmly founded on British values of tolerance and respect. These are highly visible throughout the school, clearly depicted in the ‘Jubilee Jigsaw’.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning (SMSC) is a well-integrated strand throughout the school curriculum, and threaded through the additional creative and cultural experiences provided. No

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

opportunity is missed to promote SMSC, including through assemblies, wall displays and the school song.  Leaders have not been complacent and teaching has continued to develop since the previous report. Of particular note is the way leaders rigorously monitor the range of new approaches introduced to ensure they lead to better outcomes. As a result of highly effective teaching, a good proportion of pupils make rapid progress.  Senior leaders have ensured that improvements are not derailed by difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff. The school provides good opportunities for all staff to develop their practice. In response to difficulties in recruiting new teachers, the school has ‘grown its own teachers’. The provision of additional opportunities for assistants to gain qualified teacher status exemplifies this approach.  The most-able pupils are very well catered for. The school expertly identifies pupils who have academic

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

potential, even if, having joined the school from abroad, their skills in English are not yet fully developed. These pupils access a well-planned programme of masterclasses, which include lectures at the local museum and at secondary schools. Progress of the most-able pupils is tracked carefully and they are making purposeful strides in their learning.  Leaders have used funding for disadvantaged pupils very well, ensuring it is targeted where it is most needed. Leaders rigorously evaluate the impact of projects subsidised by the additional funding. For example, leaders meticulously monitor the extent to which subsidising laptops for Year 4 pupils is developing pupils’ reading skills and strengthening their attitudes to learning. Disadvantaged pupils currently in school are making strong progress from their starting points.  Sport premium funding is used effectively to fund classes led by coaches, in which class teachers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

participate to strengthen their expertise. This has led to an increase in teachers’ confidence and now the majority teach physical education. The school has its own fitness award to promote healthy lifestyles.  The designated leader ensures that those with special education needs (SEN) or disability are very well supported. They make strong progress, which is in line with the strong progress of other groups. Leaders’ monitoring ensures pupils are not placed erroneously on the SEN register, for example because their progress is slow due to upheavals in their home life. Learning assistants work very effectively with pupils who have special educational needs or disability, ensuring they are given both the support and the challenge needed to complete the demanding tasks they are set.  Leaders carried out a precise and insightful evaluation of the ways in which they assessed pupils’ learning without levels. They then implemented a more flexible online system which enables pupils’ progress from

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

starting points to be carefully tracked using internal tests and teachers’ assessments of pupils’ classwork. The new system also enables gaps in pupils’ learning to be identified. However, leaders are still in the process of checking that the targets generated online for those pupils who are very far behind will deliver the accelerated progress needed.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Pupils’ learning is especially strong in science because teachers have worked well with the subject leader to strengthen their expertise. As a result, there is a consistent approach to writing about scientific experiments, which has accelerated pupils’ progress in science. Leaders ensure that there are opportunities for pupils to develop strong knowledge in a range of subjects and a raft of relevant skills, such as computer programming. Pupils’ reading, writing and numeracy skills are therefore successfully enhanced through non-core subjects.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The local authority has supported the school well by helping to strengthen teaching and leadership, including by assisting in funding an additional senior leader to oversee the planned Nursery provision. The authority rightly recognise that they have a role to play in monitoring the impact of the expansion.  The governance of the school Governance is a strength. Very effectively led by the committed and determined chair, governors make a significant contribution to improving the school. Many have relevant expertise and local knowledge, using these to help the school overcome the many obstacles to learning that pupils face. Governors rigorously evaluate actions aimed at supporting those most in need. They often challenge leaders to do even more to improve outcomes. Governors have used their financial acumen to ensure there is sufficient funding available to employ the specialist staff required. Governors oversee the disbursement of pupil premium funding very well, requiring the school to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

account for the impact of additional activities and projects, for example the impact that subsidising laptops for all Year 4 pupils has had on their learning. Consequently, those eligible for additional funding make very strong progress. Governors are clear that their role is supervisory. Therefore they use their detailed knowledge efficaciously in holding leaders to account and checking the school’s systems are sufficiently robust. These include procedures for managing the performance of staff, and for safeguarding.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and governors have successfully ensured that designated staff have the necessary expertise and training to help pupils with their welfare needs. Half of the pupils in the school have a level of need that requires additional support, including a significant number with support from external welfare agencies and social services. They are very effectively

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

supported by members of the behaviour and welfare team.  The school engages parents well in ensuring their children are kept safe. No opportunity is lost to promote children’s safety to parents. For instance, the safeguarding section on the school’s website is bespoke to the school and the community, and invites parents to call the school for support. Parental approval ratings for the school are high.  The headteacher very ably oversees all aspects of procedure and policy. To streamline referrals, combine local knowledge and expertise, and ensure no child slips through the net, the school helped to set up a local safeguarding group. As a result of the school’s very active participation in this, the school is very well informed about current, local concerns. Leaders effectively use their up-to-date knowledge to ensure child protection training for all staff is closely linked to pupils’ current needs.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching is very effective and some practice is excellent because of the way it enables pupils to gain the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to make very strong progress. One parent commented that strong teaching had ‘got the potential’ out of her son.  A significant feature of the school is the number of pupils who join from abroad, some new to English. These pupils are very well supported. Consequently, they learn English quickly and make strong progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language do especially well in writing and mathematics, but not as well in reading comprehension. This is because they struggle to understand the nuances in vocabulary.  Teaching in non-core subjects is effective because class teachers are well supported and guided by subject leaders. They successfully ensure that planned learning extends pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding, for example how best to write up scientific experiments.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Effective teaching enables pupils to think hard, reflect, and synthesise their ideas, providing them with resources that arouse their intellectual curiosity. Pupils respond well to this and relish the opportunity to think deeply, exchange ideas and make connections within and between topics.  The teaching of writing is highly effective and pupils make very strong progress from their starting points. Of particular note is the way pupils are helped by models of good writing. For instance, the opening of a short story that left pupils curious about what happened next, prompted pupils to debate with each other how this was achieved. In so doing they applied their grammatical knowledge well. The teacher’s effective questioning enabled pupils’ initial ideas to become refined and sharper.  The teaching of numeracy leads to strong progress because teachers make good use of their substantial subject knowledge to set tasks that are challenging. Teachers’ explanations effectively enable pupils to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

learn from their mistakes, as does their precise questioning. Pupils make good use of this when they check their own work. Pupils’ learning benefits from the opportunity to use resources to test out how new concepts work.  Pupils’ learning and attitudes are successfully enhanced by the use of laptops, being piloted in Year 4. The laptops enable pupils, especially, but not solely, boys, to consolidate their learning, by accessing revision programmes (especially mathematics revision programmes) while at home. Pupils are making good use of laptops to extend their knowledge base and reading skills through researching topics that interest them.  Teaching assistants make a very effective contribution to pupils’ learning, including by teaching phonics to small groups. When providing pupils with additional assistance outside lessons, and when supporting in class, they consistently use agreed approaches, including careful questioning to help pupils learn from

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

misconceptions. This is leading to stronger progress.  The most-able pupils are well served because teachers carefully plan learning activities that are demanding enough to challenge and stretch them, often requiring pupils to connect and apply different strands of their learning. Masterclasses provided at local secondary schools, museums and libraries ensure the most-able pupils are exposed to additional challenge and inspirational role models. Their additional learning is consolidated effectively through opportunities to work with highly skilled teaching assistants.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Through carefully planned learning, pupils acquire the skills needed to cooperate, negotiate and compromise. The teaching of personal and social education is particularly effective because leaders monitor the subject well and have high expectations of its impact on pupils’ sense of well-being and ability to work effectively with others.  Though pupils hail from diverse communities they are united by the pride they feel for their school and their adherence to the school’s strongly promoted values. Pupils try hard and there is a palpable energy generated by the enthusiasm for learning displayed by the vast majority.  Pupils commented on the high turnover of pupils, including those new to the United Kingdom and to English. Pupils view those new to the school as ‘new friends’ and feel it is their duty to help them settle

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Personal development and welfare

in.  The school successfully develops pupils as leaders and ensures that pupils know how they can make a positive contribution to society. Year 6 pupils undertake the role of school ambassadors. They carry out their duties very well and feel they are leaving a ‘legacy’ by training new ambassadors.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is because staff strongly and consistently apply agreed sanctions and rewards.  Leaders sensibly recognise that the hugely diverse and mobile school population means there is the potential for disharmony. They minimise this risk effectively by vigilantly monitoring all disputes between pupils. Specially trained well-being mentors mediate successfully between pupils, making good use of the school’s values as the basis for building consensus.  Consistently employed agreed approaches to managing the extremes of behaviour have helped reduce the number of serious incidents. There have been no pupils excluded this year and the number of pupils spending time in isolation following very poor behaviour has decreased. The number of restraints has also fallen drastically. On the very rare occasions when restraint is used, it is as a last resort, for a short period of time and under very close supervision.

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Behaviour

 Persistent absence remains above average. The school does everything possible to ensure pupils attend, including applying fixed penalty notices. Attendance figures are affected by circumstances beyond the school’s control. For example, a number of pupils’ housing arrangements are very turbulent, and some live in temporary accommodation a long way from school. Leaders are scrupulous in their monitoring and, despite high levels of mobility, every pupil who leaves is accounted for, and no pupils are identified as missing.  According to the school’s very detailed and thorough logs, there is a small amount of bullying, which is dealt with very well, especially by trained assistants who supervise at playtimes. The school insists that every incident is logged, no matter how small. By carefully tracking and consistently responding to these, more serious incidents are prevented. Pupils say they feel safe and are confident that staff will deal with

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils who join the school often face considerable obstacles but overcome them, making strong, and often very strong progress from their lower than average starting points. Approximately four in 10 pupils join the school after Reception, many joining midway through a key stage. A significant number of this group are new to the United Kingdom and new to English. As a consequence, approximately one third of key stage 2 pupils who took the tests in 2015 had no key stage 1 results. A number of them joined Year 6 from abroad, some as late as the start of the summer term. This has a substantially negative effect on published performance information.  According to published data, effective teaching and support has led to progress from significantly below average starting points that is broadly in line with average in reading and writing but below average in mathematics. Targeted support and strong teaching are leading to better progress and a rising trend in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

attainment in reading, writing and mathematics for current pupils.  Published information shows that in 2015 key stage 2 tests, from significantly lower than average starting points, pupils attained below average in reading and mathematics. However, Black African pupils’ attainment overall was in line with average.  The school’s own calculations, based on pupils who have key stage 1 results, indicate that pupils’ progress is better than shown in 2015 published information. In particular, the teaching of writing is particularly effective and leading to well above average progress.  Pupils who took key stage 1 tests and asessments in 2015 made strong progress from their much lower than average starting points. Due to effective teaching, pupils’ attainment was in line with expectations in mathematics and writing. Published information shows pupils’ starting points were over 20 percentage points below average in reading and in writing, based on the early learning goals. In addition, over a

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Outcomes for pupils are good

quarter of pupils joined the school not having achieved the early learning goals and therefore their significantly lower starting points are not included in published information.  Assessments of pupils when they join in Reception and in other years are accurate. Children enter Reception at a stage of development which is significantly lower than might be expected. Effective approaches to teaching phonics enable pupils to make very strong progress in learning to read. As a result, there is a rising trend in the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics check.  The majority of pupils in the school speak English as an additional language. Due to excellent support, this group achieved more highly in the phonics screening check when compared to pupils for whom English is their first language, both within school and nationally.  The progress of pupils currently in key stage 2 who speak English as an additional language is very

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Outcomes for pupils are good

strong. From often very low starting points the vast majority of this group are on track to at least meet expected standards in mathematics and writing, and some to exceed them. The school ensures that pupils new to English rapidly gain phonics knowledge, which they apply well. However, some pupils in Years 5 and 6 who recently joined the school are not yet confident in reading comprehension. This is a focus for well-targeted additional reading support.  In Year 3, pupils are provided with well-planned additional support because over one third of the year group joins at the start of the year. All pupils who join make on average strong progress over the course of Year 3, and a number make very strong progress. Teachers take time to ensure Year 3 classes cohere and newcomers settle in well. This initially slows pupils’ progress in Year 3, but is nevertheless crucial to ensure pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and go on to make strong progress.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 The most-able pupils make very strong progress. The school closely monitors this group to ascertain the impact of the programme of masterclasses that are accessed by the most-able pupils. These pupils successfully consolidate and build on the additional knowledge, skills and understanding they acquire by attending masterclasses and by working in small groups with teaching assistants.  Disadvantaged pupils make very strong progress in phonics because of well-targeted support and effective teaching. As a result, the gap in the proportion of disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standards in phonics compared with others was narrow in 2014 and even narrower in 2015.  Disadvantaged pupils across the school make very strong progress and gaps are closing with other groups in the school. In some cases disadvantaged pupils make more rapid progress than others. For example, a greater proportion of disadvantaged pupils achieved level 3 in key stage 1 in mathematics

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Outcomes for pupils are good

than others. Gaps in progress for disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are improving in comparison with the progress of others nationally based on 2015 figures.  Pupils leave school with positive attitudes to their education, as well as having developed key learning skills. They therefore have the foundations upon which to make a good start at secondary school.

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Early years provision is good

 Early years leaders have successfully developed the provision. They carefully ensure that assessments of children’s learning and development are accurate, including assessments conducted when children first join the setting. Leaders make good use of this information to gain a clear picture of the strengths and weaker areas in the setting, which they use to inform future developments.  Assessments indicate that children join early years with levels of development that are significantly below what might be expected for their age. From their very low baselines they make strong progress because teachers and assistants work well together and are effective.  Effective leadership has resulted in better teaching, including improvements in assessment. Due to the strong, and in some cases very strong, progress children make, there is an improving trend in the proportion of children reaching a good level of development. This rose significantly in 2015 (compared to

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Early years provision is good

2014 figures) and was just below average. There were wide gaps between boys and girls, which are closing more rapidly in some areas of learning than others.  In 2015, gaps narrowed between the proportion of disadvantaged children reaching a good level of development and others in the setting. The school’s own information from assessments is carefully checked and suggests that in 2016 results will improve further and gaps will continue to narrow.  Adults support children well by providing them with carefully planned opportunities to practise and consolidate key skills. The most-able children are appropriately stretched and have the opportunity to join phonics classes in key stage 1. The teaching of phonics is generally strong, and those who need additional support are targeted effectively by assistants.  The outdoor play area is used well to support children’s learning and there are ample opportunities for

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Early years provision is good

mark-making, reading and counting. Teachers and assistants’ use of the wooded area is creative and helps stimulate children’s language skills. For example, children in the wood spotted a spider and were prompted to discuss why spiders spin webs. Children, especially boys, made progress because the assistant skilfully questioned the children so they had to think deeply, but did not thwart their enthusiasm.  Adults know each child well and provide those children identified as having the capacity for self-discovery with the time and space to develop their own activities. This approach is of particular benefit to girls.  Children are able to cope very well when they change activities, including moving into their phonics groups, many of which are located outside the early years setting. Children behave well and are able to follow instructions. They listen respectfully to each other as well as to adults. Procedures to keep children

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Early years provision is good

safe are rigorously followed by adults and checked by leaders. Children are safe and consistently nurtured in the setting. The vast majority leave ready to cope with the challenges of Year 1.

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School details

Unique reference number 136929 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10002407

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School details

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

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School details

School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 469 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr David Giles Headteacher Mr Tony Berwick Telephone number 01908 257 810 Website www.jubileewood.milton-keynes.sch.uk Email address office@jubileewood.milton-keynes.sch.uk Date of previous inspection February 2014

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Information about this school

 The school was opened in 2012 following the closure of two schools, Penwith Infant School (in special measures when it closed) and Meadfurlong School. It is a larger-than-average-sized school.  The percentage of pupils eligible for additional pupil premium funding is significantly above average.  The school has a diverse community, with the largest group being Black African pupils, who make up just over a third of the school population, with White British pupils making up just below a third.  The majority of pupils speak English as an additional language.  There is higher than average mobility in the school. A significant number of pupils join the school without information on their prior attainment. This affects published performance information.  The school does not meet floor targets, which indicate minimum expectations for pupils’ progress and attainment.  The proportion of pupils who have special education needs or disability, supported in school, is slightly

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Information about this school

below average. The proportion with a statement or an education, health and care plan is above average.  A higher than average number of pupils qualify for support from external agencies due to their level of safeguarding need.  The school is undergoing an expansion programme.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in approximately 30 part lessons. A number of shorter visits were made to observe the teaching of phonics. Pupils were also observed in assembly, at breaktimes and around the school and heard to read.  An inspector met formally with a group of pupils. The team spoke to many other pupils informally.  Inspectors examined a variety of documentation related to the school’s improvement plans, evaluations of its own work, pupils’ progress and how the school keeps pupils safe.  The team held meetings with members of staff, leaders, and with several members of the governing body. They also met parents informally at the start of the school day. An inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.  The team took note of 46 replies to the online survey, Parent View, as well as 31 parental comments on free text, and the 136 responses to the pupil questionnaire. The results of 36 returns from a survey of

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Inspection team

Sarah Hubbard lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Chris Crouch Ofsted Inspector Margaret Wolf Ofsted 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 .

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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.

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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

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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,

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Inspection team

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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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