Sun Hill Junior School

Sun Hill Junior School Sun Lane, Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9NB

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 There is insufficient capacity within the leadership team to secure school improvement.  Pupils make insufficient progress in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2016, unvalidated information shows that too few pupils achieved the expected standard or a high score in mathematics by the end of key stage 2.  The most able pupils, disadvantaged groups, and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve less well than their peers nationally.  There are too many weaknesses in teaching. Teachers do not take enough account of the different ways in which pupils learn.  Teachers do not take sufficient responsibility for the learning and progress of disadvantaged groups, the most able and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Pupils’ knowledge of the different people who live in multicultural Britain is underdeveloped.  Disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

not attend school regularly enough.  Pupils do not take enough responsibility for their own learning and behaviour.  Procedures for managing the performance of teachers and eradicating weaknesses in teaching have not been rigorous enough.  School self-evaluation has been overly generous in the past, and the assessment of pupils’ work has not always been accurate.  Governors do not hold leaders sufficiently to account for the progress made by different groups of pupils. They have not ensured that additional funding through the pupil premium has been used effectively or that the school’s website is up to date. Governors do not check rigorously enough the school’s administrative systems for recording the required information about new staff.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 In just a few weeks, the interim headteacher has brought about positive changes in the school. A good example is the improvement to the quality of teaching and learning in Year 3.  Teaching and support staff told the lead inspector that they feel well led and managed since the arrival of the interim headteacher.  Under the effective leadership of the interim headteacher, communication between the school and parents has significantly improved.

p.1

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.2

Full report

The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in order to raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics by: – developing a curriculum that promotes a good level of progression in pupils’ understanding, knowledge and skills, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics – ensuring that the work set for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities takes account of their starting points – helping pupils to develop the technical language they need in order to talk about their work and what they are learning in mathematics – ensuring that pupils know what they need to do to improve their work, including how to improve the way they present it – strengthening teachers’ subject knowledge – raising teachers’ expectations of what their pupils, particularly the most able, can achieve – developing teachers’ understanding of the different ways in which pupils learn

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that teachers assess pupils’ work accurately and take account of assessment information to plan lessons that cater appropriately for the different needs and interests of pupils – ensuring that pupils read regularly.  Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by: – helping pupils to develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves healthy – improving pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, including pupils’ understanding of fundamental British values – educating pupils about the wide range of different people who live in multicultural Britain – ensuring that pupils learn to take responsibility for their learning and how they behave – ensuring that additional support provided to pupils for their emotional needs is effective – working more closely with parents, so that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those that are disadvantaged attend school regularly.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leaders, managers and governors by: – developing capacity within the leadership and management team so that leaders and managers all contribute effectively to accelerating and sustaining school improvement – ensuring that the management of teachers’ performance is rigorous and eradicates weaknesses in teaching – monitoring more closely the behavioural issues that arise in the school and how effectively they are dealt with by staff – ensuring that school self-evaluation is thorough and accurate – developing the role of governors so that they hold leaders and managers fully to account for the learning and progress of different groups of pupils across the school – ensuring that governors check how effectively additional funding through the pupil premium is used, and the impact this is having on raising the achievement of disadvantaged groups – ensuring that administrative systems for recording the details of new staff

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

employed by the school are checked regularly and that the school’s website is kept up to date.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should also be undertaken to assess the effectiveness with which this additional funding is used.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The poor quality of leadership, management and governance at the school has led to a decline in the school’s overall effectiveness since 2014.  Until very recently, school self-evaluation has been inaccurate and overly generous. This was compounded in the past by ineffective systems for checking on the learning and progress of pupils.  The management of staff performance as well as their professional development has been weak. It has not helped teachers to develop and improve their practice.  The capacity of the school to secure further improvement is overly dependent on the external support provided by the interim headteacher, his staff at Berrywood Primary and subject specialists who work for the local authority.  Leaders have not done enough to tackle weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment. This has limited the learning and progress of pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged and who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The curriculum, although creative, does not promote a good level of progression of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the range of people, including the different faiths and cultures within multicultural Britain, is underdeveloped.  The high turnover of staff, including at leadership level, has not been managed well. New and less experienced staff have appreciated the support they have received from their colleagues. However, some of the staff said that until the arrival of the interim headteacher, there has been a lack of leadership and direction for staff.  The role of leaders and managers at all levels in the school is underdeveloped. Many are relatively new in post. They do not contribute well enough to raising standards in their areas of responsibility.  The single central record was not compliant at the start of this inspection. Although the

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

required information was added by the end of the inspection, the initial shortcoming highlighted a lack of rigour over time by leaders and governors in checking that the school records contain all the information they should about the suitability of staff to work with children.  Leaders, managers and governors do not monitor closely enough the effectiveness with which the pupil premium is used to meet the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Nevertheless, there is some evidence of impact last year, especially in raising standards in reading and writing for pupils in Year 6. During the inspection, some effective additional support, funded by the pupil premium, was observed for pupils in Year 6, in mathematics.  The quality and impact of intervention strategies are very variable across the school and are sometimes weak. This includes the additional provision for pupils’ ‘emotional literacy’ provided by teaching assistants, which is not always effective in helping pupils

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

to manage their behaviour and attitudes to learning.  Leaders and managers have made effective use of additional funding for primary sport to increase pupils’ participation in sporting activities and increase their levels of fitness. The school has made effective use of specialists from a local secondary school to enhance the provision of physical education (PE) at the school. This expertise is contributing well to developing teachers’ ability to deliver PE lessons.  The interim headteacher has quickly identified the significant weaknesses in the school. He is taking swift action to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Although it is early days, some green shoots are already evident, for example in the progress made in improving the quality of teaching and learning in Year 3.  As of September 2016, the school is developing a more rigorous system to check on the progress made by pupils. This is helping staff to identify more accurately pupils at

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

risk of underachieving. Although this assessment system focuses on different groups of pupils, it does not focus sharply enough on those pupils who are disadvantaged and in the most able group.  Links between the interim headteacher’s school and Sun Hill Juniors are developing well. Consequently, the newly appointed special educational needs coordinator has already received helpful support in identifying how provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities at this school should improve.  The effective support provided by the English specialist from the local authority last year led to improved outcomes for pupils in reading and writing by the end of Year 6. However, the evidence seen on inspection showed that this progress is not being sustained well enough this year.  Staff who met with the lead inspector highlighted that they feel empowered since the arrival of the interim headteacher. They highlighted the noticeable improvement in the

p.5

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

quality of leadership and management in the last four weeks.  The interim headteacher is building effective links between the school and parents. There are now weekly newsletters which parents appreciate and which provide timely information and communicate the school’s priorities for improvement clearly.  The school provides effective specialist teaching for music and a range of extra- curricular activities. These include football, netball and rugby as well as clubs for drama and mathematics. However, the impact on pupils is not closely monitored.  The majority of parents who responded to the online questionnaire do not believe the school is well led or managed. A large minority would not recommend the school to another parent.  Of the staff that responded to the staff questionnaire, more than half believe the school has got worse since it was last inspected.

p.5

Governance of the school

 Governors have not held school leaders sufficiently to account for the learning and progress of pupils.  Governors have not been provided with accurate enough information about standards and the progress made by different groups of pupils. Although they have had concerns in the past, they are not fully aware of the extent to which pupils underachieve.  Governors have not ensured that the school’s website is up to date. The curriculum content for every year group is not provided; there is insufficient information about how the school intends to spend the pupil premium allocated for this year; and there are no details about how the previous allocation was spent and the difference it made to the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The same shortcomings apply to the additional funding for the PE and sport premium for primary schools: there is no information about the difference this allocation has made to the participation of pupils

p.5

Governance of the school

in sport and PE in 2015–2016. The website does not include a statement about the school’s ethos and values. The school has not published its test results for 2016 and does not provide a link to the Department for Education’s (DfE) performance tables.  Governors have also not monitored the administration of the school’s single central record well enough to ensure that it contains the information it should.

p.6

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Pupils at the school are safe; however, the school’s systems for ensuring that this remains the case are not as rigorous as they could be. For example, leaders and managers do not monitor closely enough the behavioural issues that arise and how effectively they are dealt with by staff.  Staff undertake the required child protection and safeguarding training. They know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil, and are aware of the signs that may indicate a safeguarding concern. Staff have welcomed the ‘Prevent’ training they have received. This is because it has raised their awareness of the potential dangers of pupils being exposed to radicalisation and extremism.

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 There are too many weaknesses in teaching, learning and assessment across the school. This prevents pupils from catching up quickly with their learning given the level of underachievement in recent times.  The subject knowledge of some teachers, particularly in the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics, is weak. This is compounded by a curriculum that does not promote enough progression in pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills.  Teaching is planned poorly. This is because too few teachers make enough use of assessment information to ensure they plan lessons that are suitably well matched to the different needs of their pupils. Consequently, the needs of disadvantaged groups, the most able and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not well met.  Teachers’ assessment of how well pupils are achieving is at times overly generous. This leads to some teachers judging, for example, that pupils are working at age-related

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

expectations, when in fact the work is below that expected. This was evident in the scrutiny of pupils’ workbooks, including some examples in mathematics books from pupils in Year 6 last year.  The quality of feedback that teachers provide to pupils about their work is very variable across the school. While there are pockets of effective practice, for example in some of the work seen in Years 3 and 6, all too often feedback does not help to move pupils on with their learning.  The quality of teaching and learning for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is very variable. All too frequently this group of pupils is not included sufficiently well in whole-class learning activities.  Where the teaching of mathematics or writing is weak, this is because new learning is not communicated clearly enough. This leads to pupils becoming confused and not achieving success.  There is not enough teaching of reading. Consequently, pupils, especially the most

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

able, are not challenged or stretched enough to develop a high level of reading skills.  Teachers’ expectations, particularly of the most able pupils, are too low. This leads to a slow pace of learning, which at times stalls altogether.  In their response to the online questionnaire, less than half of the parents that responded say their child is well taught at the school.  At the time of the inspection, some effective intervention work was observed supporting pupils in Year 6 in mathematics. The specialist teaching enabled pupils to develop a secure understanding of place value. Teaching ensured that pupils made good use of practical resources to enable them to compare the different values of numbers.  Some effective teaching was observed in a Year 6 English lesson, with pupils developing the use of descriptive language.  Where teaching is more effective, particularly in English in Year 3, pupils demonstrate

p.7

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

the strong positive attitudes to learning which they have brought with them from the infant school.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge is underdeveloped. Pupils do not know about the wide range of different people who live in multicultural Britain. Their knowledge of other cultures and faiths is very limited.  A few pupils do not have a good understanding of right and wrong, especially in how to behave and how they should treat others.  Although pupils are aware that we live in a democratic society, their understanding of fundamental British values is limited.  Pupils are confident; however, a few pupils display misplaced confidence that sometimes leads to them exhibiting disruptive behaviour.  The use of additional adults to support the emotional needs of pupils is at times ineffective. Leaders have noticed how this support sometimes escalates into pupils displaying poor behaviour.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, particularly when using the internet.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

However, some pupils told the inspectors that there wasn’t always any point in telling staff if they were concerned about the behaviour of others. This is because, in their view, some staff do not deal effectively with undesirable behaviour, including bullying.  Pupils enjoy the range of activities available to them at playtimes. They benefit from the specialist teaching in PE and the sports clubs, which contribute well to their physical development.  Pupils participated enthusiastically in the singing assembly observed during the inspection. Although they contributed to a prayer at the end of assembly, they did not reflect on the purpose of the prayer.  Attendance is above average; however, a disproportionate amount of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities do not attend school regularly enough.  The links with Berrywood Primary School are starting to help staff at Sun Hill Juniors to

p.7

Personal development and welfare

manage those pupils at risk of exclusion more effectively. This is because the needs of these pupils are being met more appropriately following guidance about how to manage pupils with challenging behaviour.  In their response to the online questionnaire, the majority of parents say their child is happy and safe at school.

p.8

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  When teaching fails to meet the needs and interests of pupils, some pupils become disobedient and disruptive. This has an adverse effect on the rest of the class and has a negative impact on the learning and progress of pupils.  A significant minority of pupils demonstrate a lack of respect for each other and some staff, and a lack of self-discipline. A few ignore the teachers’ requests to behave and at times this escalates into poor behaviour.  Some pupils exhibit very challenging behaviour. This is not always well managed by staff and at times has an impact on the behaviour of other pupils. Staff confirm that they have not always received enough support from school leaders to help them manage undesirable behaviour. However, they told the lead inspector that this situation has improved since the arrival of the interim headteacher.  In contrast, there are many pupils at the school who are kind, polite and well behaved.

p.8

Behaviour

They also try to encourage the pupils who are acting inappropriately to behave.  In their response to the online questionnaire, a significant minority of parents state that they do not believe the school makes sure pupils are well behaved and they share concerns about bullying.  Pupils who spoke to the inspectors said that they do not believe pupils are well behaved or that staff manage disruptive behaviour effectively.  The interim headteacher has recently introduced new behaviour management strategies. Where staff adopt the strategies consistently, pupils respond well to the clear boundaries and higher expectations. However, these have yet to be applied consistently well by all staff.

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Given their above-average starting points, pupils currently make inadequate progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Furthermore, in too many classes, disadvantaged groups of pupils, as well as the most able and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, progress even less well than their peers.  In 2016, unvalidated information shows that a lower proportion of pupils than in most schools reached the expected standard in mathematics by the end of Year 6. Furthermore, very few achieved a high score. The legacy of underachievement for the last couple of years, compounded by weaknesses in teaching, means that if progress in mathematics does not accelerate quickly this year, pupils are set to underachieve significantly once again.  Pupils do not take sufficient pride in their work. The presentation of some work seen during the inspection showed a regression from the beginning of this academic year.

p.9

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not provided with work that is suitably well matched to their needs. For example, they are not provided with enough relevant learning experiences to enable them to understand mathematical concepts such as number patterns, multiplication and division.  The most able pupils, including those that are disadvantaged, are not provided with enough challenge to enable them to achieve highly in reading, writing and mathematics. On several occasions during the inspection, some of the most able pupils told the inspectors how easy they found the work, especially that which they had already done before.  The work set for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities does not take sufficient account of pupils’ different starting points. Consequently, what pupils need to know in order to improve, particularly in their

p.9

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

writing and mathematics, is not provided in a logical sequence. This slows the progress made by pupils as they do not possess the necessary building blocks to reach the next level of learning.  Pupils struggle to discuss their work in mathematics using the appropriate terminology. This limits their progress in understanding key concepts such as multiplication, division and fractions.  Pupils do not know what they need to do to improve their work. Sometimes, when pupils do not understand a concept, teachers are too slow to offer help in order for pupils to remedy the situation and make progress.  Some of the work seen in pupils’ books in Year 6 reflects pupils taking a greater sense of pride in the presentation of their work. However, there was little evidence of pupils responding to their teachers’ helpful feedback. This slowed the progress they made in their subsequent work.  Although some pupils appear to be fluent readers, they are not developing the higher-

p.9

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

level reading skills of which they are capable. For example, pupils struggle to identify how language, structure and presentation contribute to the meaning within the text.  Some good examples of learning and progress were seen in Year 6. Pupils used inference and deduction when reading a text to help them to plan their own writing. However, such skills are not developed sufficiently well lower down the school.  Unvalidated information shows that by the end of Year 6 in 2016, the proportion of pupils that reached the expected standard and achieved a high score in reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling, was broadly in line with the national average. A higher proportion than in most schools reached the expected standard in writing. However, given the evidence seen on inspection, pupils are currently not on track to achieve as well by the end of this academic year.

p.9

School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

p.11

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.11

School details

Email address adminoffice@sunhill-jun.hants.sch.uk

p.11

School details

Date of previous inspection February 2012

p.11

Information about this school

 The substantive headteacher was not present at the school at the time of this inspection.  An interim headteacher has been working at the school since the beginning of August 2016. He works in the school for three days a week.  Staff from the interim headteacher’s school, Berrywood Primary, provide support to staff at Sun Hill Juniors.  The new chair of the governing body was elected at the beginning of this term.  The school is currently without a substantive leader for English and mathematics, although the deputy headteacher is covering mathematics in an acting capacity.  There has been a high turnover of staff at the school since the last inspection.  The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information on its website: the curriculum content for every year group is not provided; there is insufficient information about how the school intends to spend the pupil premium allocated for this year; and there are no details about how the previous allocation was

p.11

Information about this school

spent and the difference it made to the attainment of disadvantaged pupils. The same shortcomings apply to the additional funding for the PE and sport premium for primary schools: there is no information about the difference this allocation has made to the participation of pupils in sport and PE in 2015–2016. The website does not include a statement about the school’s ethos and values. The school does not provide a link to the DfE performance tables.  The school meets the current government floor standards.

p.12

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils working in 17 lessons or part lessons. Five of these observations were done alongside the interim headteacher. The inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils at different times round the school. They looked at work in pupils’ books and listened to some pupils reading.  Inspectors met with two groups of pupils and also spoke to pupils at playtimes and lunchtime to seek their views about the school. The lead inspector spoke to parents informally at the beginning of the school day.  Meetings were held with school leaders, staff and members of the governing body including the new chair of the governing body. The lead inspector met with the district manager for schools in the area, from Hampshire local authority.  The school’s website was carefully scrutinised, as were many of the school’s documents and policies. Policies and documents covered information about the progress of pupils,

p.13

Information about this inspection

their behaviour, attendance, and the school’s updated policy about child protection and safeguarding. Minutes of meetings held by the governing body, the interim headteacher’s report to governors and a school improvement plan were also reviewed.  The lead inspector scrutinised the school’s systems for checking the suitability of staff to work with children.  Inspectors took account of the 67 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire (Parent View) and a letter received by a parent as well as 11 questionnaires completed by staff. There were no responses to the pupil questionnaire.

p.13

Inspection team

Gehane Gordelier, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.13

Inspection team

Gerida Montague-Munson 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 .

p.13

Inspection team

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.14

Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child's school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.14

Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

p.14

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.14

Inspection team

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 .

p.14

Inspection team

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

p.14

Inspection team

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

p.14

Inspection team

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

p.14