Sharmans Cross Junior School

SHARMANS CROSS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 – 28 January 2000

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SHARMANS CROSS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SHARMANS CROSS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Sharmans Cross Junior School Sharmans Cross Road Solihull West Midlands

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Ms. Janet Marsh

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 - 12 July 1996 Sharmans Cross Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members John Lilly Registered inspector Cliff Hayes Lay inspector Roy Lund Team inspector Ian Newton Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks TN15 0EG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Sharmans Cross Junior School - 5

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REPORT CONTENTS

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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PART B: COMMENTARY

Ethos and aims of the school Leadership and management Teaching and learning Opportunities for learning Care for pupils Partnership with parents

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PART B: COMMENTARY

Setting targets The learning partnership between school and parents Information technology Education for a culturally diverse society

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PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 17-18

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PART B: COMMENTARY

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 19-22 Sharmans Cross Junior School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a county Junior School. There are approximately 370 girls and boys between the ages of 7 and 11 years on roll, 30 of whom come from minority ethnic backgrounds. As a school it is larger than average. The school serves an area of predominantly high quality housing, and provides an important centre for this community. The pupils mainly come from home backgrounds that are significantly more favoured than found nationally, and the number of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language is lower than the average for schools of this type. Pupils join the school with attainment that is higher than the national average. The school aims ‘ to provide a rounded and high quality education for all our pupils’.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

It is a very effective school. Pupils achieve high standards when compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools. These very high standards are based upon strong leadership, efficient and effective management, very good teaching and an excellent ethos. The school is a good place in which to teach and learn. Governors and staff commit themselves to excellence and always strive to do better. The school offers very good value for money.

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What the school does well

 Pupils reach high levels of attainment, and standards continue to improve.  The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership, and management and planning are very good throughout the school.  Teaching is very good across subjects, and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn effectively. They work fast, hard and take great pride in their achievements.  The curriculum is balanced and provides richly varied ways to learn. The provision for spiritual, moral and social development is excellent.  The school’s care and guidance for pupils is very good. Teachers base this on very good assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very well and relationships are excellent.  There is a very supportive partnership between home and school.

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What could be improved

 The school development plan needs to include targets setting even higher standards.  Standards in information technology need to improve further.  Better use needs to be made of target setting, the homework diary and reports to parents, to build an even more productive learning partnership between home and school.  The good provision for multi-cultural education needs to celebrate more fully the rich diversity of culture present both in society and in the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1996 and there has been significant improvement since that time. Attainment in English, mathematics and science was already high, and has continued to improve. This is a significant achievement. Standards in music are much improved and are now very high. Standards in information technology have remained satisfactory. Reports to parents now give a clear picture of what the pupils have learned, but still require clearer information on ways for pupils to improve. Homework is now a foundation of good learning, but has yet to be used to full effect. Minor safety issues have been addressed. The school is very well placed to improve further and build upon its many strengths. All members of the school community, including the pupils, have very high expectations of themselves and others.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English A A A A well above average above average A B Mathematics A A A A average below average C D Science A A A A well below average E

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STANDARDS

Standards of attainment are well above average compared with schools nationally and similar schools. This is true of all subjects, except for information technology where attainment is satisfactory. Girls and boys of all ages and levels of attainment make good and in many cases very good progress. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 8

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to school and their work are excellent.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils are extremely keen to come to school, to learn and to take every opportunity they are offered. They are extremely determined to help every member of the school equally. Consequently, bullying and unhappiness are very rare.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships are excellent and personal development very good. Pupils develop as balanced, rounded people of considerable maturity.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils set themselves very high standards and work very hard to achieve them. They take responsibility for helping others. They show remarkable independence and mature responsibility. They consider carefully what they do, but also have the confidence to risk failure. The balance of individual and team achievement is a strong feature of the school.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Most teaching is very good and some is excellent Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is very good, and consistently so across years, classes and subjects. All teaching is at least satisfactory, 87 per cent is good or better, and 58 per cent very good or excellent. This very effective teaching is particularly evident in the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 9

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum is very good. It is broad, balanced and very relevant to the pupils’ present and future lives. Activities and visits significantly enrich provision.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Learning support for pupils of all levels of attainment enriches all aspects of learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language There are few pupils for whom English is an additional language, but they are well and expertly supported.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is excellent, and for cultural development very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides excellent care and guidance for the pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school meets all the requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education. The strength of the provision is that standards are equally high in almost all subjects.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership and management. Subject co-ordinators give them very effective and perceptive support.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are expert, businesslike and determined. They monitor standards closely and act when necessary. Their school development plan is a very useful action plan, but needs to drive more strongly even higher standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance A strength of the school is the way the headteacher and staff monitor and evaluate their performance. This leads to a process of rapid and continuous improvement.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Governors and senior staff allocate and assign resources very efficiently.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Strong leadership and management at all levels ensure that teachers maintain these standards. They look for best practice in other schools and use advice when needed. However, present targets for improvement are insufficiently challenging and do not cause staff to look for sufficiently innovative ways to achieve further improvement. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 10

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved  Their children like school  Their children make good progress  Behaviour is very good  Teaching is very good  The school is well managed  Their children become mature and responsible  The high quality and variety of learning activities outside lessons  The use of homework, including the homework diaries  Guidance on how to help their children learn, for example in reports  The learning aspect of the partnership between home and school

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

This inspection confirms that the confidence the parents have in the school is warranted. However, the inspection team also agrees that there needs to be a stronger learning partnership between home and school. This area for improvement includes a focus on the better and more co-ordinated use of homework and homework diaries, and the sharing of targets and ways forward for pupils through, for example, school reports. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school does many things very well, and this leads to pupils achieving high levels of attainment, not only in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, but also in other areas of the curriculum. Results in national tests at Year 6 have been consistently well above both the national average and the average for similar schools. These results have improved at the same rate as schools nationally but at this much higher level. This consistent improvement, despite being already at a very high level, is a key achievement of the school. Particularly good are the ways pupils listen intently, and speak clearly with interesting and well thought through ideas. They write creative poetry of considerable power and depth, and well-structured and argued prose. Numeracy skills are very high. Teachers help pupils to love numbers, working out problems skilfully on paper and in their heads.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The ethos of the school actively encourages and achieves excellent relationships and very good behaviour. Pupils are extremely keen to come to school, and seize every opportunity to learn and take part in the many activities. As a younger pupil said, ‘ School’s great, and the best thing is the teachers – they really help you but don’t give you the answers!’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Staff speak of their aim to provide a ‘rounded’ education. A significant strength is this clear vision with very high expectations. This means teachers give equal priority to all sides of the pupils’ intellectual, physical, social and personal development. The school is committed to excellence across all aspects of education. Pupils feel they are equally cared for and have equal opportunity to succeed. In this school everyone matters, and as a result each pupil gains a real self-confidence, develops as a balanced and reflective young person, and actively cares for others and is confident in their own individuality.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. What follows is a closer description of how the school achieves this, presented not as a list but as a sequence of strengths, the one leading to the next.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils reach high levels of attainment, and standards continue to improve.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The strength within these high standards is the consistency across subjects and across classes. Even at this high level, standards continue to improve. Creative and extended writing is particularly good. Where attainment is relatively not as good, for example in information technology, standards are improving rapidly.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership, and

management and planning are very good throughout the school.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership, and

6. The key strength of the school is the excellent leadership of the headteacher, ably and expertly supported by the deputy headteacher. This leadership drives forward the achievement of the school’s aims and values, sets a clear direction, and enables all members of the school community both to contribute and to take responsibility for the part they can and need to play. As a consequence both staff and pupils are committed to excellence, and a mark of the school is that standards are consistently high across subjects and in each class. This is because staff respond very positively to this leadership by performing their individual tasks equally well. Subject co- ordinators provide high quality leadership and management for their colleagues in the subjects for which they are responsible. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 12 7. Staff work closely together to produce carefully considered plans, share good ideas

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership, and

and help each other when problems arise. This teamwork supports a management style that has clear direction, plans coherently, ensures that others have what they need to succeed, and makes teaching a core priority. Staff monitor and evaluate attainment rigorously, checking progress against accurate and comprehensive assessment. They use this information to improve further.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide excellent leadership, and

8. The governors provide strong support, using their many talents and expertise in a very businesslike and efficient way. They ensure that staff have what they need to succeed. Whilst delegating appropriately to the headteacher and staff, they provide wise counsel, and question when decisions need further justification. Their support role is so valuable because they are closely involved with the life and work of the school, and rigorously address problems when they arise. As one result, they control and manage resources effectively and efficiently, balancing the need to support present work, plan for the future and maintain sufficient funds to use unforeseen opportunities or meet unexpected needs. Together with staff, they succeed in enabling the school to give very good value for money.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

effectively. They work fast, hard and take great pride in their achievements.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

9. Teachers expect high standards and pupils revel in trying to achieve them. This reflects the leadership and management of the school. Planning is excellent and staff are always looking for ways to improve further. Lessons have a very good pace and are very challenging, and teachers carefully consider ways to help pupils of all abilities to succeed. Teachers use language that demands that pupils think through problems and find solutions for themselves. Pupils’ success is always recognised and this leads to pupils setting themselves high standards and gaining well-earned pride in their achievements. Teachers mark work in great detail, pointing out why the pupils succeed and highlighting areas for improvement. Teachers support this through very accurate assessment that helps them identify where ideas and skills are not secure, and what needs to be taught next. Underpinning this very effective

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

teaching is the way teachers manage their classes, making certain that pupils learn quickly, work hard and yet gain in curiosity and interest.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

10. The very good learning of the pupils reflects the very good teaching. Pupils find learning exciting and are eager for new skills and knowledge. They set themselves high standards, for example in the neatness and orderliness of their work, and the less attractive need to spell correctly. They are not satisfied with simply knowing something, but struggle until they understand what they learn. This leads them to ask very sensible questions and balance arguments; they want to know not just ‘what’, but ‘why’ and ‘how’. A significant feature of the learning is the way even young pupils work on their own, become engrossed in their own work but, when necessary, work with others to guarantee group success. Underpinning this good learning is the way pupils listen for the meaning of what they hear and apply this to their work. In lessons, it is clear the teacher is in charge, and this generates a mutual respect

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

between teacher and pupils, and pupil and pupil.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

11. A strength of the learning is the way pupils with various needs make equally good progress. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported, for example through the ‘early birds’ club. Pupils wear the badge of this club with pride. Pupils for whom English is an additional language have their particular learning needs skilfully addressed, as seen, for example, in the rapid progress one pupil who has only Sharmans Cross Junior School - 13 recently joined the school. Teachers identify gifted and able pupils and support their needs. Teachers do not prejudge what a pupil can achieve and, therefore, pupils produce work such as poetry of a standard and depth far beyond that expected of their age. A good feature is the way a governor takes specific responsibility for ensuring the needs of the most able are met. A younger pupil summed up the way good teaching supports good learning when she said, ‘ The teachers always help you

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

The very good curriculum is balanced and provides richly varied ways to learn. Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is very good.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

12. The school’s aims have at their heart that pupils should receive a ‘ rounded’ education. In the school’s pursuit of high standards in English, mathematics and science, it does not allow other subjects to be squeezed. All subjects are given equal priority and sufficient time. Where learning is of particularly high quality, teachers allow it to flower, for example through exquisite poetry or an embroidery celebrating the millennium. The breadth of the curriculum extends to an excellent personal and health education programme that covers personal decision-making, and sex and drugs education.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

13. A very good programme of activity clubs, including the choir, orchestra and ‘writers’ club’, enriches the classroom learning opportunities. There is good range of visits further afield and these target not only core learning such as science and information technology, but understanding what it was like to go to school in Victorian times and how the ‘arts and crafts’ movement changed the way we decorate and furnish our homes. The school uses contacts with parents to enrich the pupils’ understanding of other faiths, and visits are arranged to different places of worship. The school has very valuable links with a local church, and the priest from this church regularly visits the school. There is a good range of opportunities to play other schools at sport, and pupils are encouraged to join groups within their own community. All these activities are brought together in school productions that parents describe as ‘ wonderful’.

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

14. Provision for spiritual, moral and social development is excellent, and that for cultural development is good with many very good features. Threading through the curriculum and wider life of the school is a very strong emphasis on the spiritual development of pupils, for example through specialised teaching approaches in religious education, creative writing, reflection in assemblies and discussion of important human values for people from different cultures and times. Teachers encourage pupils to respond with awe and wonder, and help them reflect deeply on these feelings. Through elements such as the school code of conduct, the reward and sanction systems, and assemblies, staff help pupils to learn the difference between right and wrong, and to apply this to their own lives. Assemblies are a central strength of the school, building understanding of such demanding ideas as ‘trust and earning confidence’, and seeing

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

what is important in other lives by thinking about the Chinese New Year. The school works very well as a community, and this helps pupils understand how productive societies work, and the part everyone has to play. All day, the school is busy with pupils carrying out ‘ jobs’, and staff encourage pupils to do something because it needs doing, not just when they are told to do it. Older and more able pupils are ‘buddies’ helping others who find work more difficult. Pupils ‘have a say’ in the running of the school, in ways ranging from a suggestion box to open and easy access to the headteacher. Throughout all subjects, staff give pupils opportunities to enjoy and appreciate the cultural heritage of this country and Europe, for example through art and music, and they introduce pupils to other cultures from across the world and from other times. When studying ancient Greece, or a village in India,

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Teaching is very good across subjects and in all years. Consequently, pupils learn

Sharmans Cross Junior School - 14 teachers encourage pupils to feel what it was like to be in those times and places. The pupils’ individual cultural achievements within their own communities are supported, encouraged and recognised, for example in assemblies.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

15. Teachers assess and record pupils’ attainment, progress and development extremely well. Consequently, the guidance and support they offer to pupils is relevant and effective. This assessment extends to personal development, and teachers’ records show not only accurate and regular measurement of academic attainment, but ‘ jottings’ that draw together all the aspects that effect the learning and personal development of each pupil. These data are perceptively analysed at a full school level alongside information from national tests. Senior management and teachers use all this information extremely effectively to adapt their planning and teaching to increase benefit to pupils. This leads to helpful guidance and support for pupils.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

16. The use of assessment data and wider records extends to ensuring that pupils make a secure transition from infant school, and are well prepared for progress to secondary school. This is also true when pupils join the school at other years. The support provided for pupils with special educational needs is very wide and very well focused. These pupils have detailed individual education plans that they understand; they feel involved in achieving success. This very close knowledge of particular needs is being used by the school to plan short and sharp teaching sessions that address key skills at all levels of attainment, for example knowledge of phonics for those who find reading difficult and higher level skills for the more able, for example the writers club. Senior management and teachers are determined to get best value by focusing on needs that help pupils most.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

17. Pupils feel they are well cared for when they feel unwell, are upset or need help. This is because secure systems are in place and staff respond very quickly to help pupils through a problem. This, however, is not simply a matter of staff caring for pupils. Teachers encourage pupils to care actively for others, and also to look perceptively for when others need help. Inspectors saw this in action when older pupils wrote a letter to thank a younger class for an excellent assembly, or when a pupil suggested a way she could help the headteacher run the school!

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

18. Staff work very effectively to promote a feeling of the school as a community in which all have a part to play and through which all gain. This provides very secure support for pupils as they mature, and results not only in very good attendance, but also the way pupils are natural and sustained ‘joiners’, taking part in the many activities on offer. Pupils keep going even when other things might seem immediately more attractive.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

19. The maturity of pupils develops rapidly between Years 3 and 6. This is because staff guide and support pupils’ development, matching the style of teaching to the needs of each age and individual circumstance. The personal and health programme underpins this guidance and support because teachers know their pupils very well. The development of pupil target setting and self-evaluation is beginning to be an effective way of adding precision to these procedures, and matches the strong advice present in marking and oral advice to pupils. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 15 20. Pupils feel and are safe, and from the governors to the volunteers working in the school, staff look out for any risk and take action to see it is minimised. The caretaker ensures that the school is a clean and ‘sparkling’ place to be. Child protection policies are in place and carefully monitored, although some staff are insufficiently briefed. There are good and productive relationships with other

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

There is a very supportive partnership between home and school.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

21. Parents strongly value and support the school. On a day-to-day basis, parents find that staff are very approachable and listen carefully. Parents feel staff not only deal with any problems or concerns promptly, quickly and effectively, but also act quickly to support their children when opportunities are brought to their notice.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

22. Parents offer, and the school makes possible, many ways in which they can help. These range from parents helping in school, to equally important help with school productions and visits. During the inspection they arranged a disco for the pupils, and attended an assembly in large numbers. Parents say that the school is a centre within the community, and this has not happened by chance but through the active intent and action of the school.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

23. Parent governors play a significant role within the governing body, and the annual report to parents is a very high quality and clear document. Other documents such as the school prospectus are equally helpful.

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excellent assessment and recording procedures. Consequently, pupils behave very

24. Parents feel that newsletters home, reports, consultation evenings and provision such as special educational needs reviews help this sense of genuine partnership. They welcome the way homework has developed and the home/school homework diary, but feel there is something else that needs to happen. Growing from the pre- inspection parents meeting and the parents’ questionnaire, this became a priority focus for the inspection.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. This is already a very effective school with high standards. What follows suggests ways in which the school can achieve even more.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The setting of more challenging targets within the school development plan.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. The school is a place that sets itself very high standards to achieve, and this means staff talk through this desire, setting specific targets for themselves and pupils. However, the governors publish targets for performance in national tests at eleven that are largely a very accurate prediction of what they consider the school will achieve. These targets compared with other schools are very high but this school has core strengths that enable staff to aim even higher. Although a useful planning document, the school development plan does not focus sufficiently on achieving even higher standards in teaching and learning, or setting targets for attainment that will challenge the school to find new ways to achieve success. In contrast, teachers set targets to be achieved in lessons that are so stretching that they risk failure. If, however, the class fails to meet the target, this is not treated as a disaster, but a

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

problem to be solved with the pupils, trying again and in new ways until both teacher and pupils succeed. This approach is very evident in literacy and numeracy lessons. It drives both teachers and pupils to seek new and different ways of achieving the Sharmans Cross Junior School - 16 high standards they set themselves. The overall targets of the school need to have the same quality.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The learning partnership between parents and teachers.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. The sense of partnership with parents is very strong and the relationship one of mutual support and respect. However, the parents express slight feelings that it should be something more, and in the parents meeting there was a view that it was the recently introduced home/school homework diary that needs to be improved. This inspection found that this was the case. At present the home/school diary is a useful way of writing down and managing tasks, but is not yet sufficiently developed to become an effective vehicle for communication between school and home. Similarly, the school misses opportunities for the home/school diary to bring together several areas of good practice to form a more effective whole.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

28. The school is developing ways to help pupils review their own work, see why they succeed and plan what they need to tackle next. The school misses opportunities to bring this development together with the home/school diary, so helping pupils make the link between their own contribution to setting targets and the homework they do. Similarly, the school misses opportunities to use the home/school diary to clarify how parents can help their children and for parents to help the teachers. Although reports to parents give a clear picture of what the pupils have learned, they lack sufficient emphasis on the level achieved, what needs to be learned next, and once this achieved, the standard the pupil should and could reach.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Raising attainment in information technology.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

29. The school has made significant improvements since the last inspection, but standards of attainment in information technology, whilst satisfactory, are not as high as elsewhere in the curriculum. As yet, the pupils’ information technology skills are not sufficiently secure nor wide enough to support the very high levels of learning in other subjects. Similarly, planning has not moved sufficiently forward into implementation. Therefore, planning does not focus effectively on ways learning in information technology can support learning in other subjects.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. In lessons, teachers do not generally use information technology sufficiently to enrich and support the learning. In part this is connected with insufficient training for staff, in part with the inadequate numbers of computers and appropriate software, and in part to the lack of sufficient planning to ensure that the pupils have access to information technology whenever it is needed. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 17 Education for a culturally diverse society.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. There is a very strong and successful commitment to equal opportunities, and it is a school in which a pupil from a faith community different to most pupils said, ‘ Here I’m proud to be different!’. She spoke of how pupils and teachers valued the different perspectives and knowledge she could bring. This strength of the school is not based upon simple goodwill, but a skilfully planned curriculum and a strong element of learning in assemblies and the wider life of the school. However, whereas, Christmas becomes a full school celebration, such festivals as Divali or Eid are marked and recognised, but not celebrated in a whole school way. Similarly, the music available for assemblies is limited to the western European tradition. Music and art do not sufficiently celebrate the rich diversity of worldwide cultures.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

32. The school is already very effective. Therefore, areas for development bring together things the school is already doing, in ways that can bring even greater benefits to the pupils. In line with the school’s thinking, they are chosen as developments that bring the greatest benefit in the quickest time.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Governors set targets for the school development plan that are insufficiently challenging. Therefore, they should:  Set targets for attainment which are more stretching than previously achieved.  Ensure that these targets are reasonable, by more systematic and rigorous consideration of the core strengths of the school, and factors that block improvement.  Use this information to design an improvement plan to achieve the targets. This plan should consider new ways of managing the school and allocating resources, and identify where the skills of teachers require further development.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) There are separate areas of good practice that need bringing together and enhancing in order to improve the pupils’ progress and build an even more productive learning partnership with parents. To achieve this, governors and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Build upon present pupils’ self-evaluation and target setting in lessons, and the termly record of achievement procedures, to bring them together as a continuous and co-ordinated opportunity for pupils to understand how to improve. To reach even higher standards, the pupils need an even clearer view of what they can achieve and how to achieve these goals.  Improve the effectiveness of the home/school homework diary by integrating target setting and task recording, so that pupils and parents are made continually aware of areas of success and ways to improve together each pupil’s progress. This already operates for pupils with special educational needs  Enable the home/school diary to be a better vehicle for continual communication between home and school, the teacher helping the parent and the parent helping the teacher.  Provide better guidance for parents as to how they can work with the school to improve the progress of their children.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Sharmans Cross Junior School - 18  Support these processes by better reports to parents. These reports should make more clear the standards their children achieve, the next skills their children need, how their children can achieve these skills, and their children’s target levels of attainment.  Monitor whether these individual targets help meet the overall targets within the school development plan.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Information technology has yet to make sufficient impact on the overall learning of pupils. To develop this further, governors and staff should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Ensure that planning in all subjects identifies where information technology can support subject learning, and where work in a subject can extend information technology skills.  Ensure that pupils have access to suitable machines and appropriate software when needed in all subjects.  Continue staff development so that teachers enhance their skills to meet these new demands.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) The school already has secure foundations for the education of pupils to live in a society with many faiths and cultures. To develop this further, staff and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

 Ensure that all the faiths and cultures covered by the school’s curriculum, and reflected within the pupil body, are celebrated.  Ensure that all subjects, including art and music, celebrate the wonderful diversity of cultural achievement in the world. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

10 48 29 13 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 367

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 65

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 18

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.1 Sharmans Cross Junior School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 1999 51 39 90

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 48 47 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 37 38 30

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 94 (85) 94 (83) 99 (87) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys 46 44 46 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 35 33 34

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 90 (87) 86 (86) 89 (89) at NC level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Sharmans Cross Junior School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 1998-99

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3– Y6 Total expenditure 559732

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Expenditure per pupil 1529

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 24.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 28540

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 45694 Sharmans Cross Junior School - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 50 48 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 27 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 34 49 13 2 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 31 57 11 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 35 2 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 75 24 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 39 48 9 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 69 30 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 36 1 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 52 1 1 2

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