The Iver Village Junior School

School report The Iver Village Junior School

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High Street, Iver, Buckinghamshire SL0 9QA

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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, together with an increasingly strong staff team, has transformed the school.  Leaders have successfully tackled weaker teaching and behaviour. The school is now a happy, caring community. Pupils enjoy learning and behave well.  Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s performance and hold leaders tightly to account.  Pupils, including the most able, disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs, make good progress.  Teachers plan well-crafted lessons that help pupils enjoy learning. Pupils work hard. They tackle and succeed at tasks that capture their interest and make learning fun.  Pupils value the support provided by skilled, helpful support staff. Pupils who were behind are catching up quickly.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site is exemplary. The three ‘golden rules’, ‘follow instructions straight away, good manners at all times and care for everyone and everything’, have

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This is a good school

become ingrained in school life.  Pupils know to treat one another with respect whatever their background or differences. Bullying is rare. It is tackled effectively when it happens.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective. Pupils feel safe and learn how to keep themselves safe online and beyond school.  The headteacher has worked effectively in partnership with the local authority and a local outstanding school to secure the support necessary to develop strong teaching and leadership.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ skill in reviewing and editing their writing is not consistently developed to a high level. Non- fiction writing is not as well taught as creative and persuasive writing.  The most able do not routinely tackle work at the level of challenge necessary to master every subject to an outstanding degree.  Although most of the curriculum is very well planned and taught, a few subjects need further attention.  Assessment in foundation subjects and science is not fully developed.  Attendance is improving but remains below the national figure.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that teaching enables pupils to develop their writing skills to a high standard by making sure that pupils: consistently take responsibility for evaluating the accuracy and effectiveness of their writing learn to tackle writing in different genres equally well so their non-fiction writing is consistently fit for purpose.  Ensure that the most able pupils routinely tackle work with a level of challenge that enables them to hone skills and deepen knowledge to the utmost extent in all subjects.  Further develop the curriculum and assessment to secure outstanding learning across all subjects and prepare pupils exceedingly well for their next steps in education and life in modern Britain.  Continue to improve attendance, taking every possible step to ensure no pupil misses school without very good reason.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher, ably supported by her increasingly effective leadership team, has transformed the school. Staff have bought into the headteacher’s belief that if the school is to succeed, learning should be fun. The school now exudes a culture of learning and high expectations. Pupils make good progress and behaviour is exemplary.  Leadership has improved rapidly over the last 18 months. The headteacher brought in a skilled leadership team and attended to their further development, enabling them to learn from other leaders in other schools and undertake nationally recognised leadership programmes and in one case a master’s degree.  Leadership of teaching is strong. Leaders gain an accurate view of teaching through regular visits to lessons, scrutiny of work and reviews of pupils’ progress. Leaders meet frequently with each class teacher to check how well pupils’ are grasping learning, exploring any ways teaching could improve and arranging extra

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

teaching or support for any pupil who needs it.  Teachers’ performance is tightly managed. The headteacher sets clear expectations for each teacher in line with school priorities and national teachers’ standards. Regular dialogue with teachers, coupled with performance review meetings, ensures a shared understanding of areas for attention and a strong focus on improvement. Teachers receive helpful training and support including opportunities to observe strong practice in school and in other schools. Teachers who need it have benefited from intensive coaching.  Leaders swiftly adapted their assessment approach to 2014 national curriculum requirements. Assessment of English and mathematics is fully developed and effective. Work with other schools has helped ensure that teachers’ assessments are accurate. Leaders are well-placed to evolve this approach so assessment of all subjects is suitably rigorous.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders maintain a sharp overview of achievement in English and mathematics. They regularly collect and analyse information about pupils’ achievement so they can see at a glance the proportions of pupils meeting or exceeding the expectations for their age. As a result, they and governors have an increasingly exact understanding of pupils’ achievement and the impact of teaching.  Leadership of provision for special educational needs is now strong. The senior leader for inclusion (INCo) has tackled previous insufficiencies. Weekly meetings with support staff ensure support strategies are shared and any emerging issues tackled. Support staff’s skills in supporting pupils with specific needs have been developed through expert training. The INCo regularly observes support staff at work to check their effectiveness. A suitable appraisal process is now in place to hold support staff to account for their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

performance. As a result, pupils with special educational needs have their needs met increasingly well.  Leaders make wise use of pupil premium funding. Literacy and numeracy catch-up sessions and individual support to develop pupils’ social skills and encourage good attendance are proving effective. The progress of each disadvantaged pupil is closely tracked to check that teaching and support is making a difference. Support staff listen to these pupils read on a weekly basis and teachers report to the INCo on the progress of disadvantaged pupils in their class each Friday. As a result, any further support needed is swiftly put in place.  The physical education and sport premium is spent effectively. Sports coaches bring specialist skills and teachers have developed their own skills by working alongside them. Pupils benefit from an increased range of sports activities and improved sports equipment. Involvement in competitive sports has increased.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leadership of behaviour is effective. Leaders recognised the need to adapt the school’s approach to managing behaviour so that staff and pupils alike find it easy to understand and simple to follow. The introduction of the three ‘golden rules’ and a behaviour chart in each class that clearly links to behaviour rewards and sanctions has helped raise expectations and improve behaviour.  The school engages increasingly well with parents. Parents are invited to coffee mornings and events. They are encouraged to contribute ideas and find out about the subjects being taught. Parents with children who have special educational needs or disability are more included in decisions about their children’s education through regular meetings and telephone conversations. Improved communication with parents whose children have poor attendance is making a difference.  The Buckinghamshire learning, trust together with the headteacher of Great Missenden School, has played a

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

crucial role in driving school improvement, providing rigorous challenge and support, working in partnership with the headteacher and leadership team. The impact of support has been reviewed regularly against a sharp plan to ensure any further areas for attention were picked up. A teacher for Great Missenden School working alongside teachers to model good practice and support their planning and development has proved to be particularly valuable.  Leaders have worked effectively to develop the curriculum to meet new national requirements. Most subjects are now planned in detail and pupils experience a rich range of stimulating activities that enable them to learn well. However, the need to prioritise securing high-quality English and mathematics has left a few subjects less well attended. For example, design and technology was put on hold for a few months to provide time for development of other subjects. Leaders are now working to ensure that curriculum planning

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

enables teaching to promote strong progress in all subjects.  The curriculum contributes well to students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils learn to respect people of faith and no faith in religious education. Pupils develop their social skills well in day-to-day lessons and themed days on British values and ‘the rights of the child’ help pupils learn about rights and responsibilities. A range of educational visits and clubs such as gardening club enrich learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The governance of the school Governance is strong. Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s performance. They routinely ask searching questions and check that all is being done that can be to improve the school. They make sure the information they consider is accurate by gaining the views of external experts. Governors have attended to their own development. New governors have been appointed to fill skills gaps. Each governor now takes responsibility for a subject or aspect of the school’s work. They visit the school to find out more about the area they oversee and question areas of weakness. The headteacher values the additional support and challenge provided at the weekly meetings with the chair of the governing body, which were introduced last autumn.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders have made sure that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. Checks on the identity and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

suitability of staff are robust, well managed and recorded. Staff references are followed up to check they are genuine. Staff are fully aware of their safeguarding duties and receive appropriate training. Leaders work in partnership with outside agencies when needed. Posters in the staff toilets remind staff exactly what to do if they have any concern. Leaflets at the front desk do likewise for parents. The governors are suitably trained and make sure the safeguarding arrangements are sound.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 Teaching has improved considerably. Older pupils who have seen the most change remark on the ‘amazing teaching and great support staff’. Pupils say that changes in teachers have caused some confusion in the past but that is behind them. They are now learning consistently well and enjoying it.  Teachers skilfully plan engaging lessons that capture pupils’ curiosity and enable them to progressively build their skills and understanding. Interesting examples draw pupils in. Tasks are clearly explained and demonstrated so pupils know what is required and can work with confidence. Teachers make good use of questions to check pupils’ understanding. A learning support assistant is at hand, providing extra help for those who may be stuck. Lessons are calm, orderly, purposeful and productive.  Teachers routinely set tasks with different levels of challenge so all can make good progress. Pupils select which challenge to go for depending on their ability. They can start with the hard task if it suits, when that is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

completed successfully the ‘Herculean’ challenge is awaiting. However, this approach is not quite so well developed in some foundation subjects as it is in English and mathematics.  Skilled support staff work effectively alongside the teacher in lessons and with small groups. They foster very positive relationships with pupils who value and respect them.  Teachers and learning support staff make good use of questioning as they listen to pupils read – checking pupils’ understanding and helping the development of comprehension skills. When reading on their own, pupils show stamina and concentration. They enjoy reading for pleasure and are equipped with strategies including use of phonics (the sounds that letters make) to help them tackle tricky words.  Mathematics lessons are challenging and fun. Pupils develop mathematical understanding as they tackle absorbing tasks. For example, Year 4 pupils developed their skills in estimating as they used a set budget to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

design a ‘Jurassic world’. This was developed further the next day with pupils calculating staffing costs for the whole year. Pupils had to determine the calculation method best suited to the task. Pupils used practical apparatus when needed to support their thinking.  Teaching of writing is increasingly effective. Pupils develop their ideas through discussion and learn to plan and organise their writing before they write a final piece. They learn how to structure writing in different genres by analysing existing examples. For example, pupils in Year 5 analysed a text about Salvador Dali before undertaking their own biographical piece about Sir Edmund Hillary. Special themed weeks such as, ‘an alien has landed in the playground’ capture pupils’ imagination and stimulates them to write creatively. Pupils write engaging, descriptive pieces using increasingly sophisticated vocabulary and grammar as they

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

progress through the school. However, teaching of non-fiction writing is not consistently sharp and pupils are not routinely developing editing skills as strongly as other aspects of writing.  Although, typically, teaching is effective, some isolated pockets of variable practice remain. Leaders are acutely aware of this and making sure that teachers who need it are effectively supported.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Leaders, teachers and pupils alike have bought into the school pledge to, ‘do all that I can so that we can all learn and be happy in school’.  Pupils know to treat people from different backgrounds equally. They are clear that name-calling and prejudiced behaviour is now uncommon. Pupils say that when it does happen it is dealt with. Bullying is similarly rare.  Pupils learn to keep themselves safe and healthy. Pupils know to block and report anything suspicious on the internet and only communicate online with friends they know in person. They learn to keep safe in the wider world through assemblies and sessions on such things as road, rail and water safety.  Sports activities at lunchtimes and after school promote pupils’ physical health. The ‘shake up’ sessions which mix dance and aerobics are encouraging pupils more reluctant to get involved in active sport to

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Personal development and welfare

change their habits. Pupils also now start each day with a short run, which they enjoy.  The school places a high emphasis on developing pupils’ resilience in the face of difficulties. Pupils know that part of learning is about not giving up when work is difficult. They know they can get out of ‘the learning pit’ by looking first to themselves and then to neighbours or adults for support.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning is infectious. Pupils arrive at lessons equipped and ready to learn. They listen attentively to the teacher, eager to find out more.  Pupils conduct themselves in an exemplary manner around the school. They play and socialise well together and are polite and friendly to staff and each other.  Older pupils report that behaviour in the school has changed dramatically. They are clear that poor behaviour happened in the past but not now. Teachers now manage classes without the need to stop to remind pupils of how to behave.  The ‘Simply behave’ system introduced this school year is working. The number of behaviour incidents has dropped notably. The ‘golden rules’ are easy for pupils to understand. A highly visual chart in each class enables pupils to see exactly how well they are behaving. Each child has a peg clipped to the good point on

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Behaviour

the chart at the start of school. They know it can be moved down as well as up; gently reminding any pupil who may have misbehaved of expectations and encouraging pupils to behave well. Leaders keep a tight watch on the number of behaviour incidents that occur over time to check the system is working.  Suitable extra support is provided for pupils who find it hard to behave well. Where necessary, involving outside specialists. Exclusions have decreased notably. No pupils have received a fixed-term exclusion this year, whereas four pupils did in the previous year.  Pupils’ attendance and the proportion of pupils with poor attendance were notably lower than the national figure in 2015 and lower than in 2014. Leaders have successfully halted this trend and attendance has improved notably this year. However, it is still lower than the 2015 national average.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 As a result of improved teaching and support, pupils typically learn well and make good progress. They are increasingly well prepared for the next stage of education and life in modern Britain.  Pupils achieve well in English and mathematics. Many pupils have made rapid progress in the last year and the proportions of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age has increased markedly.  Pupils’ progress in mathematics by the end of Year 6 has increased significantly over the last three years. In 2015, on average, pupils’ progress was higher than that seen nationally and the proportion reaching the expected standard for their age was in line with the national figure. Whereas in 2013, average progress was below the national figure and standards were low. Pupils currently in the school enjoy mathematics and relish the interesting challenges posed. They are confident to ‘have a go’ and apply their mathematical

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Outcomes for pupils are good

understanding in different contexts. As a result, they learn increasingly well.  Pupils make good progress in reading. The proportion making expected and more than expected progress by the end of Year 6 has been line with the national figure for the last two years. However, the proportion reaching and exceeding the expected standard was below the national figure in 2015 because pupils had not made the rapid progress needed to catch up from low starting points. Pupils in the school with these starting points now make strong progress.  Leaders’ strong focus on meeting the needs of disadvantaged pupils has made a difference. Over time, disadvantaged pupils have made increasingly strong progress in mathematics. In 2015, the proportion of pupils who made expected and better progress by the end of key stage 2 in mathematics was higher than other pupils nationally. Whereas previously it had been much lower.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Achievement of these pupils in English has not improved so well. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils making expected progress in reading and writing was above that of other pupils nationally in 2015. However, the proportion making more than expected progress was low. Disadvantaged pupils currently in the school make strong progress in English and particularly in writing, as well as mathematics. As a result, attainment gaps are closing fast.  Pupils who have special educational needs make increasingly good progress. Well-targeted support in lessons, coupled with individual support beyond class is increasingly meeting these pupils’ needs.  The most able pupils make good progress. They delve with confidence and enthusiasm into diverse mathematical challenges and write with sophistication. Most-able pupils in Years 5 and 6 attend nearby grammar schools for a period of time each week. This has enriched their learning experience and moved

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Outcomes for pupils are good

their understanding and achievement to another level. Nevertheless, they are not routinely challenged to the degree needed to develop their skills and knowledge to an outstanding extent.  Over time, pupils’ progress in writing has been variable. By the end of key stage 2 in 2014 the proportion of pupils making expected and more than expected progress from their different starting points was in line with the national figure and overall progress was high. Whereas, in 2015, progress was average – with the proportion of pupils with middle starting points making more than expected progress being low. Because of pupils’ variable progress from low starting points, the proportion meeting or exceeding the expected standard for their age was also low.  Pupils currently in the school and in the upper school in particular are making strong progress in writing. Pupils’ attainment in writing is not yet as strong as it is in reading and mathematics but the gap is closing

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Outcomes for pupils are good

fast.  Despite marked improvements in pupils’ writing, some aspects are not so routinely well developed. Instructional and technical writing in subjects such as geography and science is, at times, unsuitably flowery. Additionally, pupils, and the most able pupils in particular, are not yet taking full enough responsibility for reviewing and editing their own writing.  Prior to this academic year, high staff turnover has led to variable progress between classes and years. Leaders have worked astutely to minimise disruptions to learning during this time. At times, deploying skilled teachers to different classes to ensure all pupils received as good a learning experience as possible. Over the last year, staffing has been more settled and many pupils have made increasingly rapid progress, benefiting from an increasingly skilled teaching and support team. However, pupil’s achievement in Year 3 remains

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Outcomes for pupils are good

more variable than in other year groups.

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School details

Unique reference number 110239 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 10012272

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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 Maintained Age range of pupils 7–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 166 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair George Howard Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Jill Digweed Telephone number 01753 653059 Website www.ivervillage-jun.bucks.sch.uk Email address office@ivervillage-jun.bucks.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 May 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than the average-sized school for primary-aged pupils.  Most pupils are White British. About one in three pupils come from a minority ethnic background. This is higher than the national average. The largest proportions being Indian, Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Travellers of Irish heritage.  The proportion of pupils that speak English as an additional language is higher than average.  The proportion of pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium (additional government funding for children who are looked after by the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families) is higher than national average.  The proportion of pupils with special educational needs or disability is average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The

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Information about this school

sports and physical education funding statement does not include a statement about the effect of the spending on participation or how leaders will make sure these improvements are sustained. The pupil premium funding statement does report on how spending in 2014/15 made a difference.  The school has undergone considerable staff turnover in the last two years. The senior leadership team is relatively new. The current deputy headteacher joined in January 2015. The senior leader for inclusion (INCo) and the leader for the lower school and English joined in September 2015.  The school receives support from Great Missenden School, a local outstanding school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 16 lessons, two of these jointly with headteacher. An inspector also made short visits to two lessons, one in physical education the other in computing. In addition, inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ writing, mathematics, and science work and listened to pupils read.  Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders, pupils and parents. The lead inspector also met with members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and the headteacher of Great Missenden School.  Inspectors reviewed documents including safeguarding policies, behaviour and attendance records, self- evaluation and planning documents and the schools’ records on performance management and teaching and learning.  Account was taken of 10 staff survey responses, 20 responses to the pupil survey and 30 responses by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. In addition, inspectors considered 14 parent

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Inspection team

Diana Choulerton, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Andrew Clark 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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