Manor Junior School

Manor Junior School Fernhill Road, Cove, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 9DX

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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 headteacher and senior leaders have successfully addressed the key issues for improvement identified at the time of the previous inspection.  Leaders have significantly improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and have accelerated pupils’ progress. Teaching is good with some outstanding features.  Standards in English and mathematics at the end of Year 6 have increased substantially over the past two years.  Good leadership and effective teaching have narrowed the gaps in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and that of others nationally since the previous inspection.  By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared, with the academic and personal skills needed, to be successful in the next stage of their education.  Pupils enjoy school. They feel safe and well cared for in school.  Pupils’ behaviour continues to be good. Pupils attend regularly and work hard. They are polite, courteous and welcoming.

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This is a good school

 Subject and year-group leaders have more responsibility for leading aspects of the school’s development and do so with increasing success. This has been a significant factor in strengthening the school’s capacity to sustain and build on improvements made over the past two years.  Governors play a more influential role in supporting and challenging senior leaders than at the time of the previous inspection. They are knowledgeable about the school’s work and committed to ensuring that all pupils achieve well.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils do not make fast enough progress in reading and science.  Some teachers do not always give the most able pupils sufficiently demanding work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise pupils’ achievement to secure the highest outcomes by ensuring that all teachers: develop and extend pupils’ reading and science skills more effectively regularly give the most able pupils work which challenges their thinking sufficiently.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders and governors make sure that pupils benefit from good-quality teaching and achieve well. They have challenged and eradicated an element of weaker teaching which has, until relatively recently, hindered pupils’ learning and progress.  Senior leaders have built a strong staff team whose members work positively together. Staff say that they feel valued and morale is high. All members of staff who completed the online questionnaire say that they are proud to work in the school.  Developments in middle leaders’ roles have been key in strengthening leadership and in making sure that the school continues to make rapid improvement during a period of numerous staff changes. Middle leaders effectively support their colleagues by, for example, demonstrating ways to teach different subjects and by helping teachers to plan lessons.  Senior leaders, middle leaders, teachers and teaching assistants are all more accountable for pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

achievement than at the time of the previous inspection. They understand the responsibility they have for ensuring that all pupils do their best. Senior leaders provide strong role models for their colleagues, leading with thoughtful determination.  Senior and middle leaders regularly check pupils’ progress. They analyse and identify aspects of teaching which are working well, working alongside teachers to improve teaching where pupils’ progress slows. They have an accurate view of teaching and speak confidently and knowledgeably about improvements since the previous inspection.  Leaders have improved the quality and clarity of information given to parents about their child’s learning. Most parents who completed Ofsted’s online questionnaire feel that they receive valuable information about their child’s progress.  Leaders ensure that pupils learn about a broad range of subjects. They have made sure that pupils make

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

at least good progress in developing key English and mathematical skills and have closed gaps in pupils’ learning caused by historical weaknesses in teaching. This has successfully reversed the declining trend in standards identified at the time of the previous inspection. Leaders now recognise the need to increase pupils’ progress in science.  Leaders have accurately identified reading as a focus for school development. They have already begun to improve the teaching of reading by, for example, introducing a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) and by employing a speech and language therapist to address pupils’ specific language and vocabulary needs. Some pupils have made dramatic progress as a result.  The school successfully nurtures the development of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils regularly reflect on their own experiences, as well as those of others, during personal

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

development and health lessons. They listen attentively to stories and readings during assemblies.  British values are taught throughout the curriculum and alongside the school’s own values, which underpin school life. Pupils put these into practice on a daily basis during lessons and around the school. For example, they listen respectfully to differing opinions and consider these carefully alongside their own views.  Leaders use pupil premium funding with increasing success to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers. They match support to pupils’ individual learning and personal needs, often finding creative ways to help pupils to catch up in their learning. For example, they make good use of pupils’ particular interests to motivate and reward hard work.  The inclusion team keeps careful records of the support put in place for those pupils who find it more difficult to behave well. They regularly check and review whether the steps taken are working, keeping

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

parents regularly informed.  The family liaison worker plays a significant role in supporting pupils’ personal development and achievement. For example, she provides a valuable link between parents and the school, putting parents in touch with useful organisations where appropriate.  Staff and parents recognise substantial improvements in the school since the previous inspection. Most parents who completed the online questionnaire feel that the school is well led and managed. They say that leaders are open and approachable and that staff respond well to the few behavioural issues which occur.  Local authority representatives have worked very productively with the school since the previous inspection. For example, good-quality training for subject and year-group leaders has helped them to play a stronger role in the school’s development. The local authority’s reports give leaders high-quality feedback about the school’s work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders’ carefully considered use of the primary school physical education and sports premium contributes well to ensuring pupils’ health and to developing their confidence. Pupils say that they like to get involved with the wide range of well-attended clubs offered, including sports clubs.  Effective leadership of the specially resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairment ensures that these pupils participate fully in school life.  The governance of the school Substantial improvements in governors’ roles mean that they now play a robust and effective part in the school’s development. They ask leaders challenging and searching questions about pupils’ achievement, backing up information provided by the school with their own observations of the school’s work. Governors often visit the school, focusing on particular aspects of teaching and learning, such as support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability. They regularly write reports about

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

their visits and review previous reports to check that senior leaders have followed up any agreed actions. Governors are well qualified in safeguarding issues, including awareness of the risks of extremism and radicalisation. They are alert to safeguarding issues and follow up any concerns fully and appropriately. Governors regularly talk to pupils to check that they feel safe in school. They liaise closely with the family link worker to discuss pupils’ attendance and punctuality.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders make sure that recruitment checks are rigorously completed when appointing new members of staff and are efficiently maintained. They work well with the local authority and quickly contact agencies, such as social services, if they have any concerns. Leaders ensure that staff and governors are well qualified and clear about what to do in case of emergency. The school site is attractive, tidy, well maintained and secure.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The quality of teaching has improved substantially since the previous inspection. Teachers are more accountable for pupils’ learning and have a better understanding of their responsibility in making sure that all pupils achieve their best. Effective coaching and support for teachers ensure that the quality of teaching continues to improve.  Well-established mathematics teaching progressively builds pupils’ skills and understanding. Teachers are knowledgeable about teaching mathematics. They confidently build links between aspects of mathematics, such as fractions and division, to reinforce and extend pupils’ mathematical understanding.  Improvements in the teaching of writing since the previous inspection have accelerated pupils’ progress substantially. Teachers give pupils frequent opportunities to express their ideas in writing and make sure that they are aware of the different ways they can use language to engage readers’ interest.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 While the teaching of reading has undoubtedly improved since the previous inspection, it is not as strong as the teaching of mathematics and writing. For example, sometimes pupils make slower progress in reading lessons because the activities are not sufficiently demanding. Recent improvements, such as providing more challenging books for the most able pupils, are increasing pupils’ interest in books, but are too recent to have made a significant difference to pupils’ progress in reading.  Teachers in Year 3 liaise well with their colleagues in the infant schools. This ensures that they quickly and accurately gauge pupils’ needs when they join the school and have appropriately high expectations of their pupils. Teachers plan learning which builds well on pupils’ prior learning, setting increasingly challenging work as the term progresses.  In most classes, teachers use assessment well to check pupils’ understanding and to plan activities to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

meet pupils’ needs. However, this is not always the case in reading, particularly for the most able pupils. At times, the work set is not sufficiently demanding to ensure that the most able achieve their full potential in this subject.  Teaching assistants play a more effective role in supporting pupils’ learning than at the time of the previous inspection. Training ensures that they are increasingly well informed about how to reinforce pupils’ learning and they work effectively alongside teachers in the classrooms.  Teachers and teaching assistants make sure that pupils who have special educational needs or disability participate fully during lessons. They regularly give pupils opportunities to get on with their work with and without adult support, so that they do not become over-reliant on help from adults to be successful. Pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairment participate fully in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

all aspects of the school’s work.  Science teaching is less well developed than that of other subjects. While leaders have ensured appropriate coverage of scientific knowledge, activities are not sufficiently challenging to ensure that pupils achieve their full potential.  Teachers effectively plan physical education lessons which develop pupils’ sports skills well. They ensure that pupils are motivated, busy and active.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Most pupils do their best in school and are keen to learn. They dress smartly in their uniforms and speak proudly about their school.  The quality of pupils’ work has improved substantially since the previous inspection. Pupils work carefully and neatly in their books. Their work is well organised, clear and attractive.  Pupils’ enjoyment of physical education lessons, combined with high levels of participation in the school’s sports clubs, contributes well to their fitness and to their mental well-being.  Pupils speak confidently about what they can do to keep safe. They play sensibly with the play equipment during playtimes, sharing and cooperating. Pupils often use computers in school and know how to use the internet safely.  Pupils attend regularly. Pupils’ attendance is consistently in line with national averages and has improved

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Personal development and welfare

since the previous inspection. Persistent absenteeism rates have steadily reduced over the past few years, with further improvement evident for pupils who are currently in the school.  Well-thought-out personalised plans for pupils with more significant behavioural needs mean that they are well supported. Some pupils make dramatic steps forward in their attitudes to learning and behaviour as a result.  Pupils say that teachers help them to settle and feel comfortable when they join the school in Year 3, and that this helps them to get to know each other, feel confident and learn well.  Pupils carry out responsibilities maturely and seriously. For example, the sports leaders regularly help to organise the playground equipment and help teachers by keeping an eye on pupils’ behaviour in the corridors. Pupils are proud of their choice of the school councillors, saying that they are reliable and trustworthy.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils behave sensibly and thoughtfully and respond quickly to adults’ requests and instructions. Pupils conduct themselves very well during playtimes and assemblies, and in the lunch hall and when moving around the school.  Most pupils behave well and work hard in lessons. However, a few find it more difficult to concentrate as fully as their classmates, becoming fidgety and disengaged. Pupils say that occasionally this disturbs their learning, but that teachers deal with any incidents quickly and successfully.  Pupils are clear about the school’s behaviour management system and say that teachers consistently follow this in all year groups.  Records indicate that bullying is rare. Leaders respond promptly and seriously to the few incidents of bullying which occur over time.  Pupils feel comfortable speaking to their teachers if they have any concerns. They say that adults check

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Behaviour

the ‘worry boxes’ regularly for pupils’ comments, and sort out any issues.  Most parents who completed the online questionnaire feel that pupils are well behaved and safe in school.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils’ progress and outcomes have improved substantially over the past two years. In 2015, standards at the end of Year 6 were significantly higher than at the time of the previous inspection.  Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics. They make particularly rapid progress in writing and mathematics. In 2015, pupils’ attainment was in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils produce much higher quality written work than at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils’ handwriting is consistently well formed, legible and neat, so that they write clearly and fluently. They learn how to check and improve their writing successfully, acting on teachers’ good-quality advice to develop their writing skills. Recent improvements in the teaching of English have made a striking difference to the quality of pupils’ work during the past term.  Pupils of all abilities make rapid progress in mathematics, so that they develop reliable mathematical

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Outcomes for pupils are good

knowledge and skills. Effective teaching ensures that pupils recognise the relationship between different aspects of mathematics and strengthens pupils’ understanding. Pupils learn how to select and use different strategies to solve mathematical problems and to check their answers efficiently. For example, they know how to use multiplication to check that they have completed division calculations correctly.  Pupils make slightly slower progress in reading than in writing and mathematics. While pupils learn to read efficiently, they do not always develop more sophisticated skills, such as interpreting different meanings in texts.  The most able pupils achieve well in writing and mathematics because teachers have high expectations and set challenging work. However, they do less well in reading because teaching in this subject is not always sufficiently demanding. In 2015, the proportions of pupils attaining the higher levels increased in

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Outcomes for pupils are good

writing and mathematics to levels in line with the national average. However, the proportions in reading declined and were much lower than the national average.  Effective teaching ensures that pupils make substantial progress during Year 3. Increasingly demanding work during the first term ensures that pupils’ progress quickly accelerates. Rising attainment at the end of Year 3 ensures that pupils are well placed for the next stage of their learning.  Disadvantaged pupils make faster progress than at the time of the previous inspection in all subjects. The gaps between disadvantaged pupils’ attainment and that of other pupils have narrowed over the past two years. Work scrutiny and information about pupils’ progress indicate that this improving trend continues in all year groups.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability make the same good progress as their classmates. They learn well, becoming increasingly confident about tackling tasks and activities as they move up

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Outcomes for pupils are good

through the year groups.  Pupils make slower progress in science than they do in other subjects. While the work in their books indicates appropriate coverage of scientific topics, the work set does not challenge and extend pupils’ understanding sufficiently to ensure that they achieve their full potential.

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School details

Unique reference number 116146 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10012287

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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 351 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair George Clement Headteacher Mark Sammes Telephone number 01252 544072 Website www.manorjunior.com Email address adminoffice@manor-junior.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 11–12 June 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported by pupil premium funding is higher than that found in most schools. The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above the national average.  Most pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school shares its site with a children’s centre and an infant school, both of which are inspected separately.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with hearing impairment. There are five pupils

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Information about this school

aged between four and 11 currently on roll.  The school meets the requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed learning in 16 lessons or part-lessons, including three observed jointly with a senior leader.  The inspection team held discussions with the headteacher, senior leaders, a local authority representative, teachers, members of staff, parents and pupils. A meeting also took place with the chair of the governing body and two other governors.  The inspection team took account of the 38 responses to Parent View. In addition, they considered the views expressed by parents who spoke with them informally during the school day. They also took account of the views expressed in 22 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspection team observed the school’s work and considered a range of documents, including the improvement plan, information about pupils’ progress and attendance, and safeguarding policies.  The inspection team looked at a sample of pupils’ work provided by the school, as well as looking at

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ work in lessons. They also listened to pupils in Year 3 and Year 6 reading.

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Inspection team

Julie Sackett, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Douglas Brawley Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Morrison 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

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

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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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