Riddings Junior School

Riddings Junior School Church Street, Riddings, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 4BW

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Since the previous inspection, leaders, including governors, have not ensured that teaching is good and that outcomes for pupils are good.  Subject leaders do not monitor and evaluate outcomes for pupils or the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects in order to enable pupils’ learning to improve.  Teachers do not challenge the most-able and least- able pupils to make faster rates of progress in writing and mathematics.  Expectations teachers have of all learners are not high enough; nor are they well matched to age- related expectations through use of effective assessment.  Pupils’ mathematical reasoning skills are insufficiently developed.  Pupils’ writing is underdeveloped, especially in the skills required for extensive writing.  Handwriting and presentation of work in pupils’ books are not good and there is a lack of consistency in how teachers approach these aspects of pupils’ work.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ personal development and behaviour is good. They work well together and have positive attitudes to learning.  The headteacher has had a positive impact on the whole school community and has secured the strategic vision and direction for the school. As a result of this the school is now improving.  The school offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities and after-school clubs which are well attended. These promote the development of pupils’ physical and emotional well-being.  The school is a happy place where pupils feel safe and secure.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management at all levels by developing appropriate whole-school and subject improvement plans which are then systematically monitored and evaluated against outcomes.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in order to accelerate pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics by:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

enabling lower-attaining pupils and higher-attaining pupils to make good progress from their entry to the school by developing transition work already established with the feeder infant school ensuring that pupils are set appropriately challenging work ensuring teachers use assessments to inform planning in order to better support pupil progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ writing, especially their ability to write at length, through ensuring that teachers have clear and consistent expectations of high-quality presentation, including handwriting.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve outcomes in mathematics by developing pupils’ reasoning and using better resources to support pupils’ understanding of problem solving.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because leaders have not secured good teaching and good outcomes for all pupils. While some progress has been made since the previous inspection, improvements are not complete. The quality of teaching and learning is not yet consistently good or better in order for pupils to make accelerated progress.  The headteacher has identified, in a school improvement plan, a clear vision and long-term strategic view for the school. However, the actions to realise this vision do not set out clear enough steps to improve the quality of teaching.  Leaders have not evaluated the impact of the curriculum thoroughly. Middle leaders do not have a clear overview of the progression of skills that pupils learn from year to year. Subject leaders’ action planning does not show enough evidence of monitoring and evaluating of the skills being taught by teachers. This affects the progress of all pupils but in particular the higher-ability and lower-ability pupils in mathematics

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and writing. Enrichment opportunities for music are good and skills to develop singing and playing a musical instrument are taught effectively.  Performance management is not precise enough to develop good teaching in order to secure good progress in mathematics and literacy.  Leaders have restructured the leadership team. The deputy headteacher leads literacy and has made a significant impact on the outcomes for pupils in spelling, grammar and punctuation. Pupils have a good transition programme over three days on entry to the school. They complete written work in books that are then used at the beginning of their first term. However, this is not used effectively to ensure pupils’ progress in writing develops rapidly from their starting points on entry.  Middle leadership is not as effective in mathematics as it is in literacy and is not helping to develop good- quality teaching in this subject. Other curriculum areas are beginning to develop action plans but middle

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

leaders do not yet have a deep enough understanding of the role of subject leader so that they can hold teachers to account for the progress their pupils make.  The local authority carries out regular reviews of the school’s work and has provided support to leaders through the development of a reading comprehension programme and opportunities to moderate pupils’ work with other schools. However, support for a mathematics mastery programme has been less effective. As a result, some teachers do not have a clear understanding of the new mathematics curriculum or how to teach pupils the skill of reasoning.  Following discussions with pupils, leaders used the physical education (PE) and sport premium funding to offer a wider range of sporting after-school clubs. Currently, more than half of all pupils take part in these clubs and attendance continues to grow. A sports coach works alongside staff to improve their skills, and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

additional equipment has been purchased to enable a wider range of skills to be taught. Leaders have rightly identified that teaching is of a higher quality as a result of the funding. A good example of this was in a tennis lesson where pupils used skills previously learned to extend forehand strokes and began to develop backhand strokes supported by the sports coach and the teacher.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is supported by a coherent set of values that are well understood by all members of the school community. The headteacher presents awards each week to pupils who have demonstrated evidence of acting on the school’s values. Prominent displays on British values are testament to the importance leaders place on this aspect of their work.  The governance of the school Following the review of governance carried out after the previous inspection, a new governing body

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

was formed. These governors are becoming more effective in holding leaders to account. In particular they have a clear vision that has been shared with parents, pupils and staff. This vision promotes strong values in the school and supports the good personal development and welfare of the pupils. Governors have ensured that headteacher performance targets link to the school improvement plan. They visit the school regularly and are involved in monitoring performance data, and the quality of teaching, learning and marking of pupils’ work. Governors are aware of the range of quality of teaching in the school and that there is a need to further improve the teaching. Governors check the pupil premium and sport premium spending and its impact on outcomes for pupils. Governors are very supportive of the strong leadership and high-quality work of the special educational needs and disability coordinator and the resulting good outcomes in reading progress,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

overall, for these pupils.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Parents feel leaders are approachable and listen to their concerns. Governors and all staff have completed safeguarding training including ‘Prevent’ training on raising awareness of risks of radicalisation and extremism. This understanding has not been fully transferred to pupils.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Leaders have begun to bring about more consistency in the quality of teaching. However, it is still too varied and some requires improvement. Teachers often do not know if deep learning has taken place.  Teachers are continuing to develop their understanding of assessment without levels and meet regularly to discuss pupil progress. However, this is not accelerating progress quickly enough and some teachers’ expectations are too low.  Teachers do not assess pupils’ ability accurately enough on entry to the school and this often results in lower expectations and not enough challenge for higher- and lower-ability pupils as they move through the school.  Not all teachers provide feedback in line with the school’s policy. The teaching of mathematical reasoning is not fully developed so that pupils are confident to discuss their thinking.  Reading comprehension is supported by a method to develop the skill of using inference. This is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

particularly successful in Year 6. A good example of this was pupils thinking about guide dogs before reading a non-fiction article and making inferences about what they knew and what might be in the text. However, lower-ability readers are not fully supported to build on their phonics learning and knowledge.  Spelling, punctuation and grammar are taught well but teachers’ expectations of the quality of presentation of written work and approaches to handwriting are inconsistent. Pupils’ skills in extended writing are underdeveloped.  Teachers involve pupils in peer assessment and self-assessment and pupils use success criteria to inform their writing. However, this practice is used extensively and often stilts the flow of writing, particularly for higher- and lower-ability writers.  In some classrooms the layout of desks does not enable all pupils to engage fully with demonstration by the teacher or allow them to see the interactive whiteboard. The layout often impedes opportunities for

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

teachers to make informal assessments and observations of learning captured on mini-whiteboards. Too often in mathematics lessons, resources to support mathematical thinking and deepen pupils’ understanding are not readily available. Where resources are used effectively, good learning takes place; for example, where pupils were accurately estimating angles using straws.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Pupils have a good knowledge of how to keep themselves safe and how to be safe on the internet.  Leaders and teachers focus clearly on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. Pupils particularly like art and music, including learning to play African drums. They raise funds to support a school in Uganda with which they have strong links. The school has a value system called ‘PRIDE’, which pupils proudly explained stands for progress, respect, independence, determination and excellence. Weekly assemblies use rewards from PRIDE to acknowledge pupils who have shown these values.  Pupils have good knowledge of other faiths and understand the importance of tolerance of the beliefs of others. A pupil spoke about an example, in a drama lesson, where playing the part of the groom in a Muslim wedding had helped him to understand the faith and customs. Pupils gave examples of showing

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Personal development and welfare

tolerance and respect through not using derogatory language. A lot of this learning comes through the headteacher’s weekly assemblies, which pupils look forward to. A moral example that pupils gave was that ‘just because someone is mean to you doesn’t mean you have to be mean back’.  Pupils who talked to inspectors were not aware of any bullying in the school.  Enrichment activities are enjoyed by the pupils and create a very calm start to a busy morning. The activities include choir, learning to play an instrument such as the trombone, drumming, and revision of skills in addition and writing. Displays in the hall and in the school entrance link with British values and make connections with the school’s house point system, named after local soldiers who died in the First World War. British values are well known and understood by the pupils. Pupils were excited that they were having a visitor in to speak to them later in the week of the inspection and that this was their local

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Personal development and welfare

Member of Parliament, who would talk about his role and democracy. The school councillors have responsibilities, as part of a democratic system, to put forward other pupils’ ideas and views. This system is highly valued by the pupils.  Pupils work well together in pairs and in larger groups and listen well to their peers. They show tolerance of others with difficulties and support them well.  Parents have no concerns about personal development or welfare and some parents could not praise the school and headteacher enough for the quality of communication, which keeps them well informed about how well their child is doing at the school.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Lessons are calm and orderly and pupils respond quickly to instructions and requests from teachers so that lessons run smoothly. Pupils said that behaviour is good but that very occasionally talking when the teacher was talking and calling out by a small number of pupils interrupted learning.  The school has been successful in supporting pupils with behaviour difficulties and bringing significant improvement over time in both behaviour and attitudes. Pupils with plans to help them to improve their behaviour are supported well and, as a result of the support they receive, those pupils with challenging behaviour are not disrupting other pupils.  Bullying is taken seriously and followed up. A case study showed that the school deals effectively with concerns and that it has a robust system to record incidents and concerns. Inspectors saw no evidence of bullying.  Pupils line up in an orderly fashion after break and staff remind pupils of their expectations, which are

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Behaviour

acted upon immediately.  The vast majority of parents are very happy and positive and say they agree that behaviour is good. Most parents agree that bullying is dealt with promptly when or if it occurs.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes for pupils require improvement because not enough of them make good progress over time. Too few of the most-able pupils reach higher levels of attainment by the time they leave the school.  Although most pupils in Year 6 last year made the progress expected of them, and a third made more progress than expected, figures were lower than those achieved nationally. This is because a small number of lower-attaining pupils and some of the most able did not make enough progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Some pupils are not as fully prepared for their next stage of education as others. Analysis of a sample of pupils’ work books showed that progress in writing and mathematics is not yet building fast enough on their starting points in Year 3.  Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have remained broadly in line with the national average over the last two years. This is also the case for English grammar, punctuation and spelling, where a

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

notable improvement in 2014 was followed by a marginal improvement in 2015.  In 2014, disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 made better progress than other pupils. However, the most-able disadvantaged pupils did not do as well as others nationally in reading and mathematics. The disadvantaged pupils currently in school are making progress at the same rate as other pupils, apart from in one year group. There is little difference in the attainment of this group and others across the school.  Outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs or disability in 2015 were broadly average. The pupils with special educational needs currently in school make similar progress to other pupils. Their progress in reading is stronger than it is in mathematics or writing. It is well tracked by the special educational needs coordinator and analysed thoroughly, which is having an impact on the quality of intervention to support their progress. However, the outcomes for these pupils also require improvement

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School details

Unique reference number 112497 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 10001850

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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

Type of school Junior School category Community Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 197 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr Chris Housden Headteacher Mr David Cates Telephone number 01773 528 492 Website www.riddings-jun.derbyshire.sch.uk Email address info@riddings-jun.derbyshire.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3 December 2013

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are of White British background.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above average. This funding is received for pupils who are, or who have been, eligible for free school meals, or who are looked after by the local authority.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 15 lessons and a selection of enrichment activities. Three observations were carried out jointly with the headteacher. The inspectors also observed some teaching of small groups of pupils. In all, 10 members of staff were seen teaching.  Inspectors observed playtimes, lunchtimes and after-school activities.  Inspectors looked at a range of work across the curriculum, spoke to pupils about their work during lessons and listened to pupils read.  Inspectors held meetings with a group of pupils and pupils from the school council, members of the governing body, leaders and staff. An inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority and a school improvement adviser.  Inspectors analysed 46 responses from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and took account of written comments. Inspectors spoke with parents during the inspection.  Inspectors observed the school’s work. They looked at progress and attendance information, school

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Information about this inspection

improvement planning, the school self-evaluation document, middle leader action planning, anonymised performance management information and documentation relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Fiona Parr, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Angela Kirk 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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