Westfields Junior School

WESTFIELDS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th – 29 th March 2001

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WESTFIELDS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Short 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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WESTFIELDS 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. Westfields Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Yateley Camberley Hampshire Postcode: GU46 6NN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1996 Westfields Junior School - 4

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Team members

20865 Mr M S Burghart Registered inspector 9644 Mr M Whitaker Lay inspector 22578 Mr D G Jones Team inspector 25554 Mrs J Watson Team inspector

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Westfields Junior School is situated to the west of Yateley in north east Hampshire close to the Surrey border. The school is housed in 1970s accommodation, with an additional four temporary classrooms. It has extensive grounds, which it shares with the infant school of the same name on the same site. There are 476 children on the school roll aged from seven to eleven, which is much above the average for primary schools nationally. This represents a rise of 76 pupils since the last report. There are sixteen classes, four in each year group. There is an average of 29.8 pupils per class. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are often taught in sets, based on their ability. Pupils are drawn from the local surrounding area from a number of infant schools, and most live in private accommodation. Unemployment locally is well below average and very few pupils (about three per cent compared with 20 per cent nationally) are

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

eligible for free school meals. Pupils’ attainment on entry overall represents a good average. However, this profile reflects a range from well above average (notably when children are admitted from the adjacent infant school) to well below average for some special needs children, a proportion of whom join the school at times other than at the beginning of Year 3.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Over recent years there have been some significant changes in the school. Sixteen teachers, including the deputy head, and a variety of governors, are new since the last inspection. The headteacher is in her fifth year as head, having previously served as deputy. She is supported by seventeen full time members of staff and five part time. Three teachers are in their first year of teaching. At the time of the inspection one recently appointed teacher was absent on long term sick leave, her class was taken by two temporary teachers in a job share arrangement.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 127 pupils on the special educational needs register. This accounts for 27 per cent of the school roll, and is above the national average. Two pupils have formal statements under the terms of the DfEE Code of Practice 1 , which is broadly average for this size school. No pupils are in the first stages of learning English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Westfields Junior is a very effective school where the quality of learning is good and often very good in direct response to good and very good teaching. Standards in English, mathematics and science are consistently well above national averages by the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6. Pupils and staff get on very well together and the school takes very good care of children. The school is very well led and managed and is very successful in identifying its own strengths and relative weaknesses. Pupils of all abilities, notably the above average proportion with special educational needs, are supported very well both academically, through very good assessment; and as people, as a result of very good opportunities for personal development. Staff work very effectively as a team. Finances, accommodation and resources are used efficiently to produce a very good learning environment and, in a significant improvement since the last inspection, the school now gives

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What the school does well

1 The DfEE Code of Practice gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities to ensure that all pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the 1993 Education Act. Westfields Junior School - 7 • Teaching and learning are very good and as a consequence standards of pupils’ work are high. • The school very successfully encourages pupils’ positive attitudes, behaviour and personal development. Relationships are excellent. • Assessment procedures are very good and very effective analysis of results is used to set targets and modify planning. • Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality. • The school is very well led and managed.

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What could be improved

This inspection raises no key issues for improvement. The school has a very clear picture of areas which it intends to develop: notably aspects of writing; improving pupils’ health; and raising standards in information and communication technology (ICT). Good quality planning is in hand to achieve this.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The last report in June 1996 raised five key issues for development. The school has made good progress in addressing these with the support of the local education authority. Standards in mathematics have been improved as a result of better planning. Long term subject plans have been developed to ensure work builds on previous skills, and the use of assessment now plays a much more effective part in target setting. Systems for record keeping have been simplified as required and good procedures to monitor and evaluate teaching are in place. Consequently, the quality of teaching has been improved since the last inspection. In addition, other improvements, such as the introduction of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy, improvements to cost effectiveness, better planning for personal, social and health education, and developments to resources and space for ICT, are having positive effects. Westfields was one of the first schools to be awarded the ‘Basic

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Skills Quality Mark’ and is currently working towards the ‘Healthy Schools’ and ‘Investors in People’ awards. Considering policies and procedures in place, the school is well placed for the future. It effectively identifies the strengths and relative weaknesses which make developments possible.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores 2 in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

2 Average point scores refer to the average of pupils’ scores weighted by Ofsted for each level attained in each subject. 3 A* performance would indicate that a school was in the top 5 per cent of schools nationally. Westfields Junior School - 8 The table shows that pupils’ achievement is consistently above average, with standards being well above national averages, and above those for similar schools. In Year 2000 a very high proportion of pupils achieved levels above those expected of eleven year olds in all three subjects. In science three per cent of pupils achieved Level 6, the level usually associated with secondary school. Inspection evidence suggests that most pupils currently in Year 6 will reach at least average levels by the time they leave the school. School records indicate that this year group has a higher profile of special educational needs than the previous Year 6. Comparative results may not be as successful in 2001 tests, but the school can demonstrate

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STANDARDS

good value has been added to these pupils’ education during their time at the school.

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STANDARDS

In a short inspection it is not possible, or intended, to make detailed judgements on standards in other curriculum areas. However, it is clear that there are obvious strengths in other subjects: for example art, music and religious education. It is apparent that the positive profile of standards reported in the last inspection, where all subjects met, and in some cases exceeded, national expectations, has been maintained. The school is continuing to develop ICT and pupils are making good progress because of an improved emphasis on the subject. Throughout the school the above average proportion of pupils with special educational needs is doing well and many of these pupils achieve levels expected nationally by the time they leave Year 6.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good: pupils are enthusiastic and join in work and play freely. They enjoy coming to school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in and out of class. Behaviour is very well managed.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good: pupils take initiative and responsibility; and demonstrate maturity. They respond well to opportunities for independent work. Relationships are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good: well above the national average with low levels of unauthorised absence.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall Very good with excellent features. 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

This very good profile of teaching, which has excellent features, results in pupils’ very good learning and high standards. The quality of teaching is supported very effectively by the monitoring of head, deputy and subject managers. One hundred per cent of lessons observed were at least satisfactory, with 13 per cent being satisfactory, 50 per cent good, 29 per cent very good, and 8 per cent excellent. All teachers were observed and nearly all had good or better lessons. Thirteen teachers had very good or better sessions, and three excellent. Literacy and numeracy are consistently well taught and the quality of teaching for special educational needs is very good. Strengths in teaching are in excellent relationships, very good questioning, crisp pace and varied approach. Very good planning, assessment and evaluation have very positive effects on teaching and learning. Expectations are high, but realistic, and pupils, time and resources are usually very well managed. This teaching profile

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

constitutes good improvement since the last inspection. Westfields Junior School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good: very good planning identifies objectives and response to targets set as a result of very good assessment. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. Recent moves to develop ICT as a subject in its own right are necessary and are having positive effects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs High quality support enables pupils to make good and often very good progress. Very good individual education plans. Education support assistants make a significant contribution. Pupils are fully included in the life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Spiritual opportunities sound, with cultural provision good. Moral and social provision is excellent and a substantial strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good level of care, both for pupils’ personal and academic development. Pupils are enabled to improve by targets which identify how they could do better. The school positively promotes good health.

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Aspect Comment

Parents support the school well both in fund raising and with homework.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The strong, effective leadership and management of the head and deputy give the school very clear educational direction. Much improved strategic planning is now very good. The management of the ‘improving standards team’ and subject managers is very good, and still developing.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good: governors are very supportive of the school. Statutory requirements are met. Very good committee structure and good understanding of management issues.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good analysis and evaluation. The school has a very clear, accurate view of its strengths and relative weaknesses. Many initiatives are new and are still being evaluated.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Much improved evaluation of cost effectiveness and financial planning. Staff, accommodation, finances, resources and time used efficiently to produce a very good learning environment. Principles of best value are well pursued. The school now gives very good value for money.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Westfields Junior School - 10 • The school’s high expectations. • It is well led and managed. • Teaching is good. • Children like school. • It helps children to mature. • Extracurricular activities. • Homework: too much or too little. • Information about children’s progress. • How the school works with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The majority of parents’ responses to the Ofsted questionnaire were positive about the school. Inspectors support these views and find that improvements to extracurricular opportunities mean that the range and number of activities are good. The school has well established procedures for homework and although some unavoidable staff changes may have caused problems, policy is consistently applied. The quality and quantity of information available to parents concerning children’s progress is judged at least satisfactory. The school works effectively with parents and actively seeks ways to involve them further.

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work are high.”

1. The quality of teaching which was good during the last inspection has been improved as a result of good monitoring by the head, deputy and ‘improving standards team’. Evaluation forms part of teachers’ professional development. Strengths are built upon, weaknesses are addressed and new staff are inducted, through good in-service training, and the support of subject managers and colleagues.

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work are high.”

2. All lessons observed were at least satisfactory with a creditable 50 per cent good, 29 per cent very good, and 8 per cent excellent. Thirteen per cent of teaching observed during this inspection was satisfactory. All teachers were observed teaching with the overwhelming majority seen teaching well. Thirteen staff recorded very good lessons and three literacy sessions, taught by different teachers, were excellent. This constitutes a very good profile of teaching, with excellent features, which has a significant impact on the quality of pupils’ learning.

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work are high.”

• Very detailed joint planning which, in a marked improvement since the last report, clearly builds on what pupils already understand, know and can do. There is now a systematic programme for all National Curriculum subjects which lately has been successfully expanded to include personal, social and health education. • Very well identified and communicated learning objectives, which teachers continually refer to, to reinforce pupils’ learning, help assess achievement and gauge progress. • Skilled questioning which seeks to involve all pupils: for example with some support staff logging which pupils have responded during lessons so that the teacher can target those who have not volunteered. Teachers use a mixture of well considered open ended questions and those which require pupils to reflect on their feelings before answering. For example, in a Year 3 science lesson about the functions of parts of plants the teacher asked children to speculate, “What do you think the roots

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work are high.”

are for?”; and in a Year 4 music lesson pupils were prompted to express their reaction to each other’s compositions. Teachers challenge pupils effectively through their questioning to reach their full potential and this particularly benefits those with learning difficulties as well as the more able. In a Year 6 literacy lesson the teacher ensured that all members of the lowest set explained their thinking; and higher attainers responded very well to the opportunity to evaluate their strategies and hypothesise in a Year 5 top mathematics set. Westfields Junior School - 11 • Excellent relationships: which demonstrate the considerable trust between teachers and pupils, and encourages children to try, without fear of ridicule if they make mistakes. Teachers work well to build pupils’ self esteem and manage a very constructive dialogue with children including marking which highlights how they can make improvements, at the same time as rewarding success. A very good feature of

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work are high.”

relationships is that pupils are listened to, not only corporately through the excellent school council, but individually when they want to make a point or ask for advice. On many occasions teachers were observed involving pupils in discussions: for example in Year 3 when exploring the effect of Elizabeth Chorley’s poetry; in brainstorming what we eat as part of Year 5 science; and debating which operations to use to solve problems in numeracy.

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work are high.”

4. Teachers manage pupils, time and resources consistently well. Careful attention to school policy, planning and procedures results in staff being well prepared, pupils behaving well, the pace of most lessons being good, and homework being used effectively. Because of this, learning opportunities are very good and pupils achieve well. The strong link between high quality relationships and the staff’s obvious commitment to raising and maintaining standards is partly responsible for the school’s very good ethos and pupils’ very good learning.

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work are high.”

5. As a result of very effective teaching and learning, standards are well above national averages. Pupils’ performance has been consistently above average in English, mathematics and science over the last four years. Year 2000 National Curriculum test results were well above national averages in all three subjects and above average compared with schools with similar levels of free school meals (less than eight per cent), with particular strength in science. Since the last inspection the school has been awarded the ‘Basic Skills Quality Mark’ in recognition of the quality of standards at the school.

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work are high.”

6. Higher attaining pupils do well, with a significant proportion (nearly twice the national figure) of pupils achieving levels above those expected in National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds. In science three per cent of pupils completed Level 6, the level normally associated with pupils aged fourteen in the secondary school.

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work are high.”

7. School records show pupils are making good, and frequently very good progress, particularly those with special educational needs. Although the current Year 6 year group is collectively judged somewhat weaker than previous years, most pupils are on line to achieve at least nationally expected levels. Skilful targeting based on very good assessment of pupils’ performance, is used very effectively to capitalise upon pupils’ strengths and overcome weaknesses. This process highlights specific areas where individual pupils can improve and targets are discussed with parents in the presence of their children. Information is well used to group children by ability to provide learning opportunities which will challenge pupils appropriately: for example in sets for Years 5 and 6; and in groups within classes for Years 3 and 4 literacy and numeracy.

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work are high.”

8. The school is successfully developing information and communication technology (ICT) as part of the core curriculum in line with newly established requirements. New strategic planning, better resourcing, and good work by the subject manager, are proving effective. Although the school believes it will be 2002 before Year 6 children will have covered all elements in sufficient depth, pupils’ basic skills are sound, and for higher attainers good. ICT is used effectively to support some other curriculum areas: for example English through word processing; and geography through simulation programs. The school has identified the need to treat ICT as a subject in its own right on the timetable in future and is increasing resources to facilitate this.

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work are high.”

9. In a short inspection it is not possible or intended, to make detailed judgements on standards in other subjects. Clearly there are strengths in at least: Westfields Junior School - 12 • Art, where pupils explore different media and produce high quality finished articles such as excellent work on texture inspired by the able child group’s visit to Marwell Zoo; and in hat making links between art and design and technology in Year 5 and Year 6; • Religious education, where Year 5 comparisons of Bible stories with Greek myths and legends show very good evaluation; • Music, with pupils composing, recording and performing their own work to a good standard.

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work are high.”

It is apparent that the positive profile of standards reported in the last inspection, where all subjects met, and in some cases exceeded, national expectations, has been maintained.

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

10. Ninety-four per cent of parents who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire report that their children like coming to school. Pupils in nearly all classes and sets were observed joining in enthusiastically and, partly as a result of very good teaching and management, sustaining their concentration.

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

11. Very good examples of pupils’ positive attitudes, which demonstrate how successfully the school encourages maturity and pupils’ personal development, are:

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

• The high quality of group activities in literacy and numeracy, where pupils have to work independent of the teacher. Here pupils support each other very well. They were seen to take some responsibility for overcoming their own difficulties, using strategies they had previously learnt; • Very good standards of behaviour in and out of class, notwithstanding the minority of pupils who can, and sometimes do, present problems. Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is excellent. The school’s programme for managing behaviour is consistently followed. Although it essentially is based on rewarding the positive to raise pupils’ self esteem: for example through housepoints, merit badges, and showing good work in assembly; sanctions are enforced when necessary. Pupils clearly know right from wrong and understand what is acceptable behaviour; • The well established school council; where elected representatives from each class

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

take their responsibilities very seriously in order to help identify areas for the school to develop.

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

12. The school is very successful in promoting consideration for others. Pupils are encouraged to listen to each other and gain much valuable experience in evaluating together. For example, Year 4 debated the rights of various road users in personal, social and health education. Year 3 constructively criticised each group’s dance sequence in physical education as a way of making improvements; and throughout the school pupils learn about the practice of different faiths such as Judaism and Islam in religious education. This results in pupils showing high levels of respect for other people which manifests itself, not only in very good common courtesy around the school (and consideration for those with particular special needs), but in concerted efforts to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves.

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

13. Relationships at all levels are judged as excellent. Pupils get on very well together for most of the time and are very well supported by staff. There is a high degree of trust between pupils and teachers. Children know that they will be listened to and enjoy responding to the challenge and good variety of activities which very good teaching provides them with at all ability levels. A considerable number of pupils choose to spend time with staff during the good programme of extracurricular activities and obviously enjoy these ‘non teaching’ situations. All teachers run at least one club or activity and provision is judged as good. Westfields Junior School - 13 14. Overall the success of the school in promoting pupils’ positive attitudes is self perpetuating. Because pupils are well motivated, learning is often very good and this encourages staff in their planning and preparation. In turn this feeds pupils’ response and

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personal development. Relationships are excellent.”

plays a significant part in creating the school’s very good ethos.

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to set targets and modify planning.”

15. A significant strength of the school is in its assessment procedures and the subsequent use of data. Much improved, more concise record keeping after the last inspection has made it possible to make meaningful modifications to subject planning. For example raising standards of boys’ writing; providing in-service training for staff to improve their confidence, knowledge and understanding, (notably for literacy, numeracy and ICT); and tracking pupils’ performance more accurately. This involves regular testing and assessing, and subsequently making use of information to design specific targets for improvement. These targets are shared with pupils and their parents, and in the case of special educational needs pupils, form part of their individual education plans.

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to set targets and modify planning.”

16. Pupils’ response to this improved profile of assessment is very positive: for example a Year 6 boy with special educational needs was so excited that he had achieved his literacy target that he simply had to tell other pupils and staff during break!

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to set targets and modify planning.”

17. The work of senior staff, who under the very good leadership of the headteacher, form the ‘improving standards team’, makes a significant contribution to raising standards, making very good use of assessment information. Good links are being established with infant and secondary schools, and staff have been working together to improve moderation of National Curriculum levels. This is improving the development of pupils’ skills across the continuum of education. It is having a good impact on teachers’ understanding of what can be expected of pupils of different ages.

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to set targets and modify planning.”

18. Work on assessment and co-ordinating the well kept records of each child’s academic performance and personal development is very well led by the deputy as assessment manager. Her work alongside subject managers makes a significant contribution to raising and maintaining standards.

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“Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality.”

19. Twenty-seven per cent of pupils are listed on the school’s special educational needs register. This is above the national average of 23.2 per cent. The school regularly spends more on provision than it formally receives for this purpose. For example in 1999/2000 extra spending, vired from savings in other budget headings and from school reserves, amounted to £7000 on special educational needs and this did not take into account consideration of the salary of the special educational needs co-ordinator.

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“Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality.”

20. The school is committed to high quality support for special educational needs and successfully provides it. Excellent assessment of pupils’ needs is meticulously carried out, documented, and used to set realistic targets for pupils’ individual education plans. Support is particularly well managed and there are good procedures for communicating with parents. The school ensures that all pupils have equality of opportunity and are fully included in school life. Withdrawal times are staggered to avoid the same activities being missed each week and support in class is well planned, with good communication between special educational needs co-ordinator, education support assistants and class teachers. Smaller sets for literacy and numeracy based on ability for Years 5 and 6 mean that all pupils, especially those with special educational needs, receive a higher proportion of the teacher’s time and work can be more easily pitched at appropriate levels.

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“Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality.”

21. The quality of teaching specifically designed to help those with special educational needs is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator has very successfully Westfields Junior School - 14 orchestrated the training of support staff, and their knowledge and understanding of special needs’ issues is a credit to the school. Education support assistants make a significant contribution to pupils’ good, and frequently very good, progress. Consequently pupils’ learning is very good.

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“Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality.”

22. A measure of the effectiveness of the school’s provision for special needs is that in Year 2000 91 per cent of all Year 6 pupils, which included 27 per cent with special educational needs, achieved at least the expected level nationally in English, 88 per cent in mathematics and 98 per cent in science. This substantially supports the school’s well above average performance compared with all primaries nationally.

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“Support for pupils with special educational needs is of high quality.”

23. Very good provision for special educational needs has been a consistent feature of the success of the school over a period of years.

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

24. The headteacher leads the school very well. She is very effectively supported by the deputy and senior staff in the form of the ‘improving standards team’. Together they ensure that the school has very clear educational direction.

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

25. Planning, both subject and strategic, has been improved substantially since the last inspection when it was found lacking. There are now detailed schemes of work for each curriculum area and subject managers maintain action plans to continue development, albeit that some staff are very recently in post. School improvement planning is developing well. There are strong links with finance to ensure that resources are used efficiently. Plans identify who is responsible and what the criteria for success are, to judge progress by. There are good procedures to guarantee that the principles of best value are followed and regular reviews of cost effectiveness are carried out. This is a distinct improvement since the last inspection and consequently, finances are well planned for and efficiently managed. When the unit cost per pupil, which is in line with the national average, is considered in the light of

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

very good quality provision and high standards, it is possible to judge that the school now represents very good value for money. This is markedly better than at the time of the last report.

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

26. Very good evaluation of the success of its provision, and analyses of standards, mean that the school is well aware of its strengths and relative weaknesses. It is because of this that the current inspection has not raised key issues for the school to improve. Areas for development: for example the quality of pupils’ writing, and standards in ICT, are already itemised in the school’s existing strategic and improvement plans.

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

27. Governors are very supportive of the school. The governing body makes a good contribution to the school’s management, particularly in appointing staff, enhancing provision for special educational needs, monitoring finance, and in pursuing improvements to accommodation. Governors are well informed, being regularly briefed by subject managers, head and deputy. Committees are well organised and efficiently run. Governors confirm priorities set for the school’s development. They support the head and staff effectively in presenting aims and values for the school which are obviously based on promoting both learning and pupils’ personal development. This is clearly reflected in the school’s mission statement, ‘Confidence to achieve in a caring environment’.

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

28. Head and deputy lead the staff very effectively as a team. Although the turnover of teachers is high, largely as a result of factors outside the school’s control, the quality of teaching and educational support has been maintained through a good programme of monitoring. The outcomes of this are used to set targets for staff development. Where there are common areas for improvement in-service training opportunities are provided to bring about change: for example in ICT, as a priority of the school improvement plan. Currently the school is working towards becoming an ‘Investor in People’. Westfields Junior School - 15 29. Throughout the school, and at a variety of levels, staffing, finance, resources and time are all well managed. The effect is that the school is well organised, well resourced and runs smoothly. There have been significant improvements to accommodation. Notably the development of an excellent library; new outdoor, adventure trail features; and the imminent

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“The school is very well led and managed.”

replacement of two worn out temporary classrooms with permanent buildings, all help to create a very good learning environment. In addition the excellent relationships and high levels of commitment to raising and maintaining standards are responsible for the school’s very good ethos. The effect on the school’s learning environment is very positive.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. This inspection raises no key issues for improvement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

31. The school has a very clear picture of areas which it intends to develop: notably aspects of writing; improving pupils’ health; and raising standards in information and communication technology (ICT). Good quality planning is already in hand to achieve this and a summary of this will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Westfields Junior School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 20

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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

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) 476

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 127

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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 2 4

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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 42

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 21

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Attendance

4 Neither of these pupils requires support as a result of being in the first stages of learning English. Westfields Junior School - 17

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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 2000 52 53 105

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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 44 45 50 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 52 47 53

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 91 (82) 88 (77) 98 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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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 40 41 45 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 50 49 46

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 87 (86) 86 (81) 88 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Westfields Junior School - 18

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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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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) 19.8 Financial year 1999 –

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total expenditure 729181

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff Expenditure per pupil 1716

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Teachers and classes Financial information

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 36227

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Westfields Junior School - 19

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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. 49 44 5 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 32 63 4 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 24 52 20 4 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 28 53 15 5 0

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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. 57 35 6 2 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. 62 35 1 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 33 48 15 2 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 58 38 1 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 44 4 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 49 22 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Due to rounding the percentages do not total 100.

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