Jerounds Community Primary School

Jerounds Community Primary School Pyenest Road, Harlow, Essex CM19 4PH

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors have not ensured that child protection systems are fit for purpose. They do not keep appropriately detailed and thorough records of concerns about individual pupils.  Safeguarding procedures are not sufficiently robust to ensure that timely and effective action is taken in response to child protection concerns. Leaders do not review their actions well or regularly enough.  Leaders’ evaluation of the school’s performance is over-generous. Leaders have accepted the results from the end of key stage assessments as the only measure of pupils’ achievement. This means that priorities across the school are not quickly identified and addressed.  Governors do not have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They are not holding the school to account as well as they should.  Teachers do not routinely provide the most able pupils with learning activities that enable them to make the progress of which they are

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

capable.  The good pupil outcomes achieved at the end of key stage 1 are not sustained in lower key stage 2. This is because the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is not good enough.  In 2016, by the end of key stage 2, pupils made significantly less progress than other pupils nationally in reading and mathematics. Pupils’ progress across the school varies too widely.  Staff are not held to account for the progress of different groups of pupils in their classes so do not swiftly help pupils who are falling behind to catch up.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils behave well. They are very polite, courteous and supportive of one another. They want to learn and succeed. They work hard.  Leaders in school use their additional funding well. They provide an increasingly effective range of support for disadvantaged pupils and for those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Pupils have started to make better progress in reading, writing and mathematics in upper key stage 2.  Pupils achieve well in key stage 1. This has been the case for a number of years.  Children settle quickly in Reception. They are happy and follow routines well.

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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.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 As a matter of urgency, improve child protection procedures and policies so that they are fit for purpose by ensuring that: – an effective chronology is kept when there are multiple concerns about an individual pupil – there is a clear timeline from the point a concern is raised through to its resolution, demonstrating leaders’ prompt response and ongoing monitoring of concerns – all child protection records are kept in good order and robustly followed through to a satisfactory conclusion – leaders regularly review and monitor the impact of their child protection systems in line with statutory guidance – governors hold leaders rigorously to account for the welfare of all pupils, especially those who are most vulnerable and in need of protection.  Improve leadership and management by: – leaders evaluating the school’s performance through the robust analysis of a range of information, including of the progress different groups of pupils make

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that performance management for staff is rigorous, systematic and effective – providing training for governors so that the governing body is better able to hold leaders to account for pupils’ achievement.  Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good throughout the school, and in the early years, by: – ensuring that teachers make use of the school’s assessment system to plan learning activities that are suited to the needs and abilities of pupils in their class – ensuring that teachers enable pupils to make the progress they are capable of by using time, other adults and resources appropriately in lessons.  Improve pupils’ achievement by: – accelerating the progress pupils make in lower key stage 2, especially the most able – ensuring that standards at the end of key stage 2 improve because pupils make good progress from their starting points. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leadership and management are inadequate because the monitoring of concerns and actions that leaders and governors take to keep pupils safe is weak. The school’s leadership has not demonstrated the capacity to secure and sustain an acceptable standard of education for pupils at the school.  Record-keeping and current systems for safeguarding pupils are not fit for purpose. Leaders are not able to demonstrate that timely and effective support has been provided to pupils who are vulnerable, or for whom there are child protection concerns.  School leaders and governors have an over-generous view of the school’s current position. This is because leaders do not critically reflect on, or analyse, the school’s performance well enough. The headteacher has placed too much reliance on the less than frequent visits and insufficiently robust support from external consultants. As a result, school improvement lacks rigour and is fragile.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 The headteacher’s performance management of staff is inconsistent and at times ineffective. The headteacher has not set precise enough targets to all staff to secure robust improvement and shared accountability for the progress pupils make. This results in an over-generous assessment of some staff’s performance.  Recent training is helping to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, particularly in upper key stage 2. Staff are proud to work at the school and newly qualified teachers are very well supported by leaders.  Leaders have a suitable system in place for tracking the attainment of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics. More recently leaders have devised a system for tracking the progress pupils make as well. However, leaders do not analyse the information as robustly as they could. Pupils are not sustaining the progress they make in key stage 1 when they move into lower key stage 2. They still have too much

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

ground to make up when they are in Years 5 and 6.  Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum is implemented equally well across the school. In some classes, pupils are taught through a broad and balanced curriculum in which additional experiences such as trips enhance their learning. In others, pupils are not taught the knowledge and skills necessary to understand different subjects well. For example, in science, pupils in Years 2 and 6 have insufficient opportunities to develop their skills of scientific investigation. In other classes, pupils focus on developing their writing skills in geography and history at the expense of the more technical subject skills and knowledge.  The school is providing well for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and for their understanding of British values. During the inspection, pupils in Year 5 were recalling the events of the Easter story in their religious education lessons. Their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

answers were mature and respectful. They were able to reflect well on the meaning of this event.  Parents spoken to during the inspection were positive about the approachability of all staff, and the welcome they receive when they visit the school for events such as parents’ evenings. The headteacher ensures that the school is a happy and welcoming place.  The leadership of provision for disadvantaged pupils and the use of additional funds to support their progress are improving rapidly. This academic year, additional funding is better targeted at reducing the barriers pupils face to learning. This has not always been the case; it is still too early to fully assess the impact of these new initiatives on the progress disadvantaged pupils make.  Leadership of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is strong. The needs of these pupils are precisely identified in their ‘one

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

plans’ and regularly reviewed to check that provision is effective. Teachers are becoming increasingly skilled at providing for pupils’ specific needs within the classroom environment. Additional funding is used effectively to support pupils who have an education, health and care plan so that the adults who care for them are suitably trained to support them well.  Subject leaders of English and mathematics are starting to have an impact because they are involved in monitoring their areas of responsibility. They provide feedback to teachers on how the provision can be improved to ensure that pupils make accelerated progress. For example, in the early years, children now receive a focused daily mathematics time so they can practise their number skills.

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Governance of the school

 Governors do not hold school leaders to account effectively. They have failed to recognise weaknesses in the systems and processes for safeguarding pupils. Consequently, they do not perform their statutory duties well enough and do not have the capacity to improve without further training.  Governors are too reliant on the information provided by the headteacher about the performance of the school. They currently do not have a secure enough understanding of pupils’ achievement to ask sufficiently challenging questions that hold leaders to account. They do not check this information regularly enough to satisfy themselves that school leaders are accurate in their judgements about the school’s work.  Governors are dedicated and committed to the school and want it to succeed. They ensure that the finances are secure and budgets are in place in a timely way. They have less understanding of the impact of pupil premium funding or how funds for

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Governance of the school

pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are reducing barriers to learning and raising pupils’ achievement.  Governors ensure that the school’s additional sports funding is used effectively so that pupils benefit from a varied selection of sports and extra-curricular activities. They ensure that pupils receive their full entitlement to weekly physical education lessons.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.  The school’s approach of keeping records and following through on child protection concerns is not fit for purpose. Leaders do not maintain well-organised and robust records for children for whom concerns are identified. Analysis of records during the inspection showed that the quality of leaders’ responses to child protection concerns is inconsistent and reflective of an uncoordinated approach.  Although staff log any concerns they may have about the well-being of a child in line with school leaders’ advice, this recording does not match the requirements stated in the school’s child protection policy. Governors have not rigorously checked that the practice in school matches the policy. They were unaware of the lack of rigour and compliance with statutory guidance. Governors are not assured that leaders and staff are vigilant enough about pupils’ safety.

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Safeguarding

 School records of the checks carried out on staff are not kept in good order. Inspectors found that although the school held the required information concerning the safe recruitment of staff, the information was not accurately recorded on the school’s statutory document (the single central register).  Parents who responded to Parent View have mixed views about how well leaders deal with bullying issues. Pupils told inspectors that although bullying does happen occasionally at school, adults are quick to deal with it. Pupils recognise the distress different forms of bullying can have on others. Those spoken to could name a trusted adult in school with whom pupils would share concerns and were confident they would be listened to and taken seriously.  Pupils are taught to stay safe online when using computers. The pupil ‘IT monitors’ help others understand how to use equipment safely and well. Pupils can explain how

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Safeguarding

to stay safe online in an age-appropriate way.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment varies across classes and across year groups. Staff do not use assessment information as well as they should to plan for learning that meets the needs of differing pupils. For example, teachers do not provide the most able pupils with sufficient opportunities or time to extend and practise their skills. This is especially the case in lower key stage 2.  The quality of teaching reading is mixed. In phonics, teachers are precise and systematic when they teach letter sounds. However, too often support for the lower- attaining pupils is not effective and the progress of some of these pupils slows. In other reading lessons, adults’ use of time is varied and not well focused. Not enough pupils develop an enjoyment of reading.  In some classes, teachers ensure that teaching assistants are well deployed and have a positive impact on helping pupils make progress during lessons. In other classes,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

teaching assistants have limited impact on pupils’ achievement because they focus on pupils’ behaviour rather than on their learning.  Teachers consistently use the school’s agreed policy for providing feedback and encouraging self-assessment. Pupils check their own writing, reviewing how well they have met the expectations for a piece of work. Teachers then review the pupils’ judgements. However, following this process, pupils have varied opportunities to practise their editing and redrafting skills. Evidence seen in exercise books in lower key stage 2 demonstrates that often mistakes and errors in pupils’ writing reoccur.  The provision and support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is improving. Teachers are starting to plan appropriate learning activities which help identified pupils to make good progress. Pupils who have education, health and care plans are well cared for and receive suitable individual support from teaching

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

assistants who have been appropriately trained.  In Years 5 and 6, the most able pupils receive the challenge they need to excel. For example, in mathematics, the most able pupils were able to explain their knowledge and understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages accurately and confidently. Teachers provide activities and resources which help the most able pupils think and work hard so they can achieve the standards of which they are capable.  Pupils in Year 6 produce a wealth of writing that is often very imaginative and creative. Teachers provide clear guidance so that pupils know what is expected at the required standard by the end of key stage 2. The standard of Year 6 pupils’ writing in their weekly news book was of a good quality and matched at least the expectation for their age.  Teachers often provide clear explanations and demonstrate strong subject knowledge, particularly in English and mathematics. Where they also have high expectations of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

what pupils can achieve, and provide activities that allow pupils to develop their skills and to work effectively, pupils excel and make good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate. Leaders have not ensured that the systems to safeguard pupils, in particular those who are most vulnerable, are suitable. Leaders do not maintain a detailed overview of the circumstances of a pupil who may be at risk. This has limited leaders’ ability to identify when they need to take further action to support or protect a pupil.  Pupils who have education, health and care plans are very well cared for. Their needs are carefully and thoughtfully met so that these pupils are happy and secure. These pupils are currently making good progress both personally and academically.  The school’s use of a learning mentor is effective in providing parents and pupils with additional support when they need it. Parents commented positively about the extra support, stating, ‘the school is very inclusive’ and ‘the additional needs of my child are

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Personal development and welfare

met’.  Pupils told inspectors they feel safe in school. Parents who responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View, had mixed views about how well leaders keep their children safe and well. Inspectors found that despite the shortcomings in safeguarding processes and systems, staff understand their responsibilities. Pupils are provided with the opportunity to take on responsibilities such as being school council representatives. They take their roles seriously and proudly wear their badges. They communicate effectively with school leaders and their peers. They spoke enthusiastically about the changes they had influenced during their time as school council leaders.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are polite, courteous and well mannered. Most are keen to learn and respond well to the wealth of praise and rewards they receive for good behaviour.  In lessons, pupils respond well and demonstrate that they have a positive attitude to their learning. For example, in Year 2, a group of boys explained how they practise their spelling during reading lessons. They were articulate and enthusiastic about their learning.  At breaktimes and lunchtimes, pupils are equally courteous and respectful. They play games well together. For example, during wet lunchtimes, the school provides board games such as chess, and opens the computer room for pupils to enjoy and use. Lunchtimes are calm and pupils use this social time well to develop their friendships.  Pupils make the best of lessons even when the activities do not match their needs well enough. In a lower key stage 2 English lesson, for example, the most able pupils

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Behaviour

completed their worksheets, despite not being challenged or provided with an activity that made them think and use their skills as well as they could.  Most pupils are punctual and overall attendance is in line with national averages. However, a few pupils regularly arrive late at school and this often goes unchecked.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Pupils’ strong and consistent results achieved in key stage 1 are not sustained through lower key stage 2, particularly for the most able pupils. As a result, pupils have a great deal of ground to catch up in upper key stage 2. Work in pupils’ books shows that this remains the case for pupils currently in the school.  In 2016, by the time pupils left Year 6, the progress that they had made in reading and mathematics was well below that of other pupils nationally. Under the previous accountability measure in 2015, the progress pupils made was also significantly below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics.  Evidence from pupils’ books and lessons shows that this year, pupils in Year 6 are making accelerated progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The proportion of pupils who are working at age-related expectations is improving rapidly.  The progress disadvantaged pupils make is tracked increasingly well from their starting

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

points in English and mathematics. In 2016, by the end of key stage 2, the progress disadvantaged pupils made was well below that of others nationally in reading and mathematics. These pupils were not well prepared for secondary school. Currently, through more robust monitoring, in Year 6 disadvantaged pupils are making better progress in both reading and mathematics.  Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make varied progress. In 2016, at the end of key stage 2, these pupils had made significantly less progress than others nationally from their starting points in reading and mathematics. Currently, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making better progress but not consistently good progress.  Pupils who have education, health and care plans are provided with the precise support and provision they need. These pupils are making good progress from their starting

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

points and leaders assess the standards of activities they receive carefully and effectively.  In 2016, in key stage 1, the proportion of pupils who worked at the expected standard was above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics for all pupils. Standards at key stage 1 have been higher than the national average for a number of years. Inspection evidence demonstrates that pupils continue to make good progress in Year 2.  The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the phonics screening check at the end of Year 1 has been above the national average for three years. Almost all pupils reach the standard expected by the end of Year 2.  In science, the proportion of pupils who achieved the expected standard was broadly in line with national averages at the end of key stages 1 and 2. However, pupils’ books illustrate that pupils’ progress varies.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 The systems in place for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are the same as those for the whole school and so are ineffective. Leaders do not keep robust records if there are safeguarding concerns about children. As a result, this has limited the impact early years leaders have on promoting children’s personal well-being and safety.  In 2015 and 2016, more children achieved a good level of development in all areas of learning at the end of the Reception Year than was the case nationally for this age group.  Leadership of the early years is in a period of transition. Currently, leaders are suggesting that children’s attainment will decline this year. They cannot provide sufficient evidence to show how well children, particularly the most able, are progressing from their individual starting points.  The use of the outdoor areas is varied. Children have the opportunity to develop their physical skills through their play using the many resources available, including bicycles.

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Early years provision Inadequate

However, there are fewer opportunities for children to develop their understanding of other areas of learning, for example number, when they are outside.  Children behave very well in Reception. They enjoy their learning and make good friendships. For example, a child was helping others with their writing. She confidently spelled the word ‘batman’ so one of her friends could write the word correctly. They were all proud of the results of their efforts.  Children in Reception have good relationships with the older pupils who help them during lunchtimes. Children are gaining the confidence and social skills that are expected for their age. They are well prepared for the challenges of Year 1.  Children settle quickly, are happy and follow the established routines and expectations well. Parents spoke well of the start their children receive to school life. Parents say that staff are approachable and caring. One parent commented, ‘it is brilliant’.

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Early years provision Inadequate

 During whole-school assemblies, children sit and listen well, joining in when they can. Parents particularly appreciate the opportunities they have to visit assemblies and then watch their children participate in learning activities in the classes.  The teaching of phonics in Reception is good. Pupils learn in suitably organised lessons which help them to develop their early reading skills. Those who require additional support undertake their activities in small groups. Pupils achieve well in this area of the curriculum.

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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.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Email address admin@jerounds.essex.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6  7 October 2008

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The school became a primary school in September 2014. It is a larger than average primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below national average.  Pupils who have an education, health and care plan is above that found nationally.  Most pupils speak English as their first language.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors gathered a range of evidence to judge the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. This included observing learning in all classes, some of which were jointly seen with the headteacher.  The inspectors spoke with pupils and scrutinised pupils’ books from a wide range of subjects, to take account of the work that has been done and the progress that pupils make.  The teaching of phonics was observed. Inspectors listened to a number of pupils read from Year 1 and Year 6.  Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders and members of the governing body. The lead inspector also held a meeting with representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors examined a range of documentation around child protection and scrutinised the recruitment checks made by school leaders when employing staff.  The inspectors spoke informally with some parents to gather their views. Parental

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Information about this inspection

views were also considered from 71 online responses that were already recorded on Ofsted’s Parent View questionnaire together with school questionnaires and informal conversations during the inspection.  The inspectors spoke to staff informally to take account of their views.

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Inspection team

Kim Hall, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Hughes 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

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 .

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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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 .

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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 .

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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