Brookland Junior School

Brookland Junior School

Dates of inspection: 1 – 4 November 1999

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Brookland 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Brookland Junior School

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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. Brookland Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Elm Drive Cheshunt Hertfordshire EN8 0RX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Charles Allingham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1996 Brookland Junior School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Fred Riches, RgI English Attainment and progress History Teaching Geography Leadership and management Cliff Hayes, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Partnership with parents and the community Efficiency Norma Myers Mathematics Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Art Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Music Religious education Special educational needs Peter Scott Science Curriculum and assessment Design and technology Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Information technology Equal opportunities Physical education (including swimming) Brookland Junior School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Brookland Junior School - 6

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 5 - 19

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Partnership with parents and the community

The management and efficiency of the school 48 - 64

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 65 - 86

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

•. Attainment is above average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils make good, and often very good, progress during their time at the school. •. Teaching is good overall, and includes a substantial proportion of very good and excellent teaching; joint planning and use of target-setting are particular strengths. •. Leadership is very good; monitoring systems are excellent; the governing body and senior management team support the headteacher well in her pivotal role. •. Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good. •. Staff really know pupils well; their use of assessment is excellent and they give pupils very good support and guidance.

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The school’s major strengths clearly outweigh its minor weaknesses. The governors will

draw up an action plan to address minor areas highlighted for improvement in the full report.

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The school’s major strengths clearly outweigh its minor weaknesses. The governors will

" HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

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The school’s major strengths clearly outweigh its minor weaknesses. The governors will

The school has made very good progress since the last inspection and is better than it was. The headteacher and governing body have successfully addressed the areas highlighted for improvement in the last report. Staff now identify learning objectives clearly and match work more closely to the needs and abilities of pupils. Monitoring systems, which were a weakness, are now a strength of the school. The school now makes efficient use of time in the way it organises the curriculum. A weakness in music has been overcome. The roles of co-ordinators and senior management are clearly defined. The school has raised standards and there is better teaching and curriculum provision for pupils than in 1996. The school is in a very good position to make further improvements and to meet the challenging targets it has set.

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The school’s major strengths clearly outweigh its minor weaknesses. The governors will

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

(those with between 20% and 35% of pupils eligible for free school meals) Brookland Junior School - 8 English D C average C Mathematics A A below average D Science C A well below average E

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similar schools

Test results at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999 show well above average standards in mathematics and average standards in science. Standards in English were below average. This was because a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs did not attain the standard level 4. These pupils did make very good progress from a below average level when they entered the school. When compared with schools taking pupils from a similar socio-economic background, mathematics and science standards are well above average. The school achieved its highest ever percentage of pupils reaching the standard level in science, but few attained higher levels. English results are broadly in line with those of similar schools. In the current year, standards at the end of Key Stage 2 are above average in all three subjects. All pupils, including higher attainers and those with special educational needs, are making very good progress.

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similar schools

Brookland Junior School - 9 " QUALITY OF TEACHING

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Teaching in: 7 - 11 years

English Very good Mathematics Very good Science Good Information technology Very good Religious education Satisfactory Other subjects Good

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Teaching in: 7 - 11 years

The quality of teaching is good overall. It is satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons. It is very good or excellent in 34 per cent of lessons and good in a further 37 per cent. Just 2 per cent of lessons are unsatisfactory.

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Teaching in: 7 - 11 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. 'Satisfactory' means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Good. Pupils respond well to the school’s discipline; they are polite and friendly; the exclusion rate has fallen. Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above the national average. Ethos* Very good. Clear commitment to high attainment; very good relationships and attitudes to work. Leadership and management Very good. Excellent monitoring systems; the headteacher gives a strong lead and is very well supported by the governing body and senior management team. Curriculum Good. Balanced, broad and relevant; stimulating use of visits and visitors; very good focus on literacy and numeracy; slight weaknesses in art and physical education. Pupils with special educational needs Very good provision. Well organised systems and very good deployment of staff and volunteers; a few individual education plans are imprecise. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Very good. Provision for moral and cultural education are

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Aspect Comment

particularly strong features. Staffing, resources and accommodation Very good staffing levels; spacious accommodation; well resourced in all subjects; excellent information technology resourcing. Value for money Very good. Set against average costs, very good teaching, assessment and target setting ensures that pupils make very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

* Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Brookland Junior School - 10 " THE PARENTS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

I. Encourages parental involvement. II. Staff are very approachable. III. Gives a clear understanding of what is taught. IV. Pupils achieve good standards. V. Offers positive values. VI. Pupils like the school. VII. Twelve per cent of responses feel the in extra-curricular activities.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

The inspection agrees with parents’ positive views. It is true that the school has previously offered more after-school pursuits, but it has had a large turnover of staff at a time when the introduction of the national literacy and numeracy strategies has demanded much extra planning time for teachers. The survey went out at a time when netball practice had not begun for the year. The school is eager to offer a good range of extra-curricular activities, but has had to address other priorities and not make unreasonable demands on recently-trained staff. Brookland Junior School - 11 " KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

As the school has no major weaknesses, there are no key issues to address. The school’s own current improvement plan sets a well-planned agenda as a result of very good self-evaluative analysis. In the context of its many strengths, the following minor points for improvement should also be considered as the basis for an action plan:

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

i. Ensure all teachers maintain a close check on pupils’ choice of books for personal reading, to ensure they are not too difficult, and that ‘guided reading’ or ‘guided writing’ is a regular feature of literacy lessons; (paragraphs 8, 66, 72)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

ii. Complete the cataloguing and reference systems in the school library and make better use of this resource to improve pupils’ research skills; (paragraphs 8, 59, 62, 69)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

iii. Increase the focus on experimental and investigative science, particularly to extend higher attainers, and analyse why more girls than boys attained higher levels in science in 1999, addressing any teaching or curriculum factor that may arise; (paragraphs 9, 80, 82, 83)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

iv. Improve teachers’ confidence and expertise and improve planning in physical education; (paragraph 124)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

v. Regain the previously high standards in art by focussing on the teaching of skills in each year group; (paragraphs 98, 102)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

vi. Tighten the focus of targets in the individual education plans of pupils with special educational needs and ensure worksheets are matched to pupils’ reading ability; (paragraphs 2, 29, 66, 72, 78, 85)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

vii. Write more specific targets to share with parents in all pupils’ annual reports; (paragraph 46)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

viii. Share subject co-ordinator roles more equitably as soon as this is feasible; (paragraph 54)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

ix. Link budgetary commitment more clearly to priorities in school development planning; (paragraphs 53, 61)

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

x. Ensure the governors’ annual report to parents includes clear information on expenditure and that the school brochure contains all the information required. (paragraph 46) Brookland Junior School - 12 x. INTRODUCTION

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

1. The number of pupils on roll (aged seven to eleven) is 245 in the current term. There has been an increase in the number of pupils since the last inspection. This is due to the increasing popularity of the school. Around 24 per cent of pupils attend from outside the catchment area. Pupils come from a range of social backgrounds. Around 28 per cent are entitled to free school meals, which is at the upper end of the broadly average range. The number of boys and girls is approximately equal. There are 2.9 per cent of pupils from ethnic minorities. There are nine bi-lingual pupils, all from European families. None require any additional support in learning English as an additional language. The school admits up to 60 pupils into Year 3 annually at the start of September. Almost all children attend the adjacent infant school on the same site. Pupils’ attainment on admission to the school varies considerably, but in most

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

years levels of attainment are broadly average on entry to the school. There are 72 pupils on the school’s register of special educational need. This represents 29.4 per cent of the total number of pupils on roll and is above average. One pupil has a Statement of Special Educational Need.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

2. Brookland is a County Junior School. Its aims are clearly stated in its prospectus. In summary, they are: ‘ to involve the children in a wide range of worthwhile skills and activities in accordance with the National Curriculum, Local Education Authority and school policies; to enable each child to achieve his or her potential in all aspects of learning; and to encourage and foster an attitude of consideration, respect and understanding towards others’.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

3. The school has recently agreed targets for attainment in line with the government guidelines and in liaison with Hertfordshire Local Education Authority. These are for 80 per cent of pupils to attain Level 4 and above in English and mathematics in the year 2000. The school has set interim targets for each child in every year group to achieve by the end of the year in English, mathematics and science, based on pupils’ attainment in end-of-year standard assessment tests for Years 3, 4 and 5 and other standardised tests taken.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

4. The school’s other main targets in its development plan are to raise standards of attainment in information technology, to continue improving standards in literacy, especially the quality of writing and higher order reading skills, and to introduce the national numeracy strategy. Brookland Junior School - 13 4. Key indicators

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year: Year Boys Girls Total

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 13 18 20 at NC Level 4 or Girls 19 22 25 Above Total 32 40 45 Percentage at NC School 65 (67) 82 (67) 93 (73) Level 4 or above National 73 (65) 72 (59) 83 (69)

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4. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 12 17 19 at NC Level 4 or Girls 23 24 25 above Total 35 41 44 Percentage at NC School 71 (64) 84 (71) 90 (71) Level 4 or above National 68 (65) 69 (65) 75 (72)

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Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) % missed through absence for the lastest Authorised School 4.7 complete reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0 Absence National comparative data 0.5 4. 4. Exclusions

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Results

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) Number During the previous year: Fixed period 5 Permanent 1

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Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 34 Satisfactory or better 98 Less than satisfactory 2

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1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Brookland Junior School - 14 4. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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4. EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Results

1. The school has raised standards in English and mathematics from average to above average and has maintained high standards in science since the last inspection. It has also raised attainment in information technology, geography, history and music. It has maintained satisfactory standards in most other subjects, although progress in art, which was good in 1996, is now satisfactory.

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Results

2. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is average in the current year. Almost all pupils have attended the infant school on the same site. Results of national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 show that pupils’ attainment was broadly average in English, mathematics and science. The school keeps an excellent record of pupils’ progress through the school, beginning with Key Stage 1 results for each year group. From this record, it is clear that a significant minority of pupils who achieve the standard level 2 at the end of Key Stage 1 are only just achieving that level. The school’s records show that the attainment of pupils who left the school last year at the end of Year 6 was below average when they first entered the school. A higher than usual proportion of these pupils was on the school’s register of special educational need.

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3. Results of Key Stage 2 national tests in 1999 show that pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in mathematics. It was average in science and below average in English. When compared with similar schools (those with between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals), pupils’ attainment was in line with that of their peers in English and well above the average in mathematics and science. Pupils make very good progress through Key Stage 2 in English and mathematics. They make good progress in science. In the current Year 6, standards are above average in all three subjects. There is an improving trend in each subject over the last four years, except for the dip in English in 1999, which was due to the special needs factor.

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4. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills develop well. They participate regularly in class discussions in all subjects. Higher attainers in particular express themselves very well, using interesting turns of phrase. Pupils make mainly good progress in reading. As their skills increase, they understand the meaning behind words and talk about the personalities of characters in stories. Their research skills are underdeveloped, however. They have not learnt how to locate and use non-fiction books efficiently. Occasionally, older pupils of average and below average attainment choose books too difficult for them to understand and this hampers their progress. Most pupils throughout the school make good progress in literacy. They use reading and writing skills well in science, geography and history lessons. Throughout the key stage, they write for a range of purposes and in the context of several

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other subjects. They use a wide vocabulary.

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5. In mathematics, pupils in Year 6 have a thorough understanding of the number system and many work accurately with decimals, fractions and percentages. They make very good progress in their use of mental strategies and their use of mental recall. Their recorded mathematics is very well presented. In science, pupils show good knowledge, derived from full coverage of the science curriculum. They record the findings of investigations conducted, but there is little evidence of pupils conducting their own experiments and using their initiative and reasoning skills to carry a fair test through to a logical conclusion. Brookland Junior School - 15 6. Standards in information technology are above average and pupils are making good progress in all strands of the subject. This is a direct result of teachers’ and pupils’ enthusiastic use of the new computer suite. In its first term in operation, pupils are using information technology

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well to support their learning in literacy and numeracy. Pupils’ attainment in religious education meets the requirements of the local Agreed Syllabus at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress in this subject.

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7. Pupils make good progress in music, geography and history. The improved standards in music stem from the school’s deployment of a specialist teacher, who takes class lessons weekly while class teachers gain experience by observing the lessons. The good progress in geography and history is a direct result of a stimulating curriculum, in which visits and visitors play a major role in bringing the subjects alive. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school in art, design and technology and physical education.

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Results

8. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans, although a few targets are not sufficiently precise to enable careful measurement of progress. Higher attainers are making very good progress as a result of teachers’ high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and their insistence on concentrated application to learning.

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9. An analysis of test results over the past few years shows hardly any significant differences between the attainment of boys and girls in any of the main three subjects. The 1999 statistics do show more girls attaining the higher level 5 in English and science, but this was a year group where few boys were identified as higher attainers. The school has agreed challenging performance targets for the next three years, based on its assessment of pupils’ current attainment. It is set to meet the current year’s targets.

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13. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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10. The response of pupils to learning is almost wholly good. Their attitudes are very good and, with very few exceptions, behaviour is good. They develop good relationships, work collaboratively and take responsibility when there are opportunities to do so. Since the previous inspection, high standards have been maintained and the school has recorded a decrease in the number of exclusions.

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11. Almost all pupils show positive attitudes to their studies. They are interested, attentive and maintain their concentration in lessons. A small number of the oldest pupils are sometimes passive and occasionally restive. There was some evidence of pupils developing independent learning skills and most work hard individually. Pupils demonstrate good behaviour in class and around the school. In the small minority of lessons where there is some disruption, it is usually because tasks do not sufficiently engage some pupils. Teachers deal with it firmly to prevent any negative impact on the learning of others. A large majority of parents feels that the school achieves high standards of behaviour and inspectors agree with this view. In lessons, pupils’ response was never less than satisfactory, in more than four lessons in five it was good and in one in five, very good. In the two younger years, the response was never

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less than good. There is boisterous play at break times but no aggression was seen, neither was there any evidence of bullying. The incidence of exclusions, though falling, was still high last year, when there were six, but these involved just three pupils. There have been none so far in the current year. Pupils respect property and use equipment carefully. No graffiti was seen but there is considerable litter in the playground after breaks. Pupils are polite, courteous and friendly to visiting adults.

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12. Relationships among pupils are good and pupils show respect to their teachers. There are few pupils from ethnic minorities and there are no racial tensions. Pupils work well together. This was particularly evident in the two older years. Where opportunities are provided, for example Brookland Junior School - 16 in assemblies and in some lessons, pupils show initiative and readily accept responsibility. 16. Attendance

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13. Attendance at the school is very good and has improved since the previous inspection. Punctuality is satisfactory and there has been improvement in promptness at the start of lessons.

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14. The attendance at the school, at over 95 per cent, is well above the national average. A spot check during the inspection revealed an even higher attendance of almost 97 per cent. In the current school year, approximately 1½ per cent of possible attendance has been lost due to holidays taken in term time. This has occurred across all year groups.

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15. Pupils are reasonably punctual to school. Checks during the inspection showed up to seven per cent lateness in the morning, entirely due to traffic problems. Staff are vigilant at the end of breaks to ensure that lessons start promptly.

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16. The quality of teaching is better than at the time of the last inspection. It is good overall, and contains a substantial amount of very good and excellent teaching. Teaching is satisfactory or better in 98 per cent of lessons, including 34 per cent where it is very good or excellent and a further 37 per cent where it is good. The remaining two per cent is unsatisfactory. One of the main strengths in teaching is thorough planning. Teachers and pupils benefit greatly from joint planning in teaching pairs within each year group. A high proportion of the very good and excellent teaching was observed during English, mathematics, information technology and music lessons.

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17. Throughout the school, teachers exercise good class control in almost all lessons. Where teaching is most effective, teachers engage pupils’ interest and involve them in participation during the lesson. As a result, pupils show enthusiasm and clearly enjoy the learning. For example, in a Year 3 mathematics lesson, the teacher’s brisk pace and careful questioning involved all pupils in finding halves and quarters of amounts of objects in a mystery box. Teachers’ planning is thorough throughout the school. They prepare lessons very well, ensuring all resources are readily available. In an excellent music lesson, the teacher motivated pupils well by adept use of commentary alongside pupils’ use of instruments. As a result, pupils achieved high standards in their listening, playing and singing skills, as well as gaining an understanding of musical vocabulary and symbols.

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18. Teaching in literacy and numeracy hours is very good. Teachers also develop pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills well in the context of science, geography and history studies. They use information technology regularly in a carefully planned way to support pupils' literacy and numeracy. Teaching extends higher attainers well. Tight planning and clear objectives, coupled with the well-organised pattern of class and group activities, ensure a lively pace in both literacy and numeracy lessons.

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19. In the large majority of lessons, teachers use precise, subject-related language while explaining concepts or giving instructions for tasks. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly to check accuracy and provide useful marking comments to promote improvement. They make very good use of day-to-day assessments during lessons, commenting helpfully on points noticed, in order to ensure clearer understanding. Teachers make good use of homework to promote pupils’ progress. The school has developed a clear approach to homework and teachers deploy teaching assistants effectively to check pupils’ work and ensure efficient use of their personal organisers. They also brief assistants fully before their work with targeted Brookland Junior School - 17 groups. Teaching assistants and volunteers make a very positive contribution to teaching throughout the school. 20. Teachers occasionally share the aim of the lesson at its outset and review the success of the

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learning at the close of the lesson, but this strategy is not routinely practised by all. In one or two lessons, the teacher did not ensure a calm working atmosphere. As a result, a few disruptive pupils disturbed others for a part of the lesson.

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21. Teachers ensure equality of opportunity in games, physical education and access to computers. Boys and girls participate in all sporting activities and extra-curricular clubs. In lessons, teachers often organise mixed-gender groups. The quality of teaching and support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Assistants give effective help to individuals and small groups of pupils. Teachers challenge higher attainers well as a result of their excellent knowledge of pupils’ attainment, gained through assessment and target-setting processes.

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22. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant. It effectively promotes pupils’ intellectual, personal and physical development. The school meets the statutory requirements to teach the subjects of the National Curriculum and the local Agreed Syllabus in religious education. There is a sound equal opportunities policy embodied within the Personal, Social and Health Education document and the school provides all pupils with good access to its curriculum and other activities, regardless of their gender, background or level of attainment.

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23. There are particular curriculum strengths in English, mathematics, science, information technology and swimming. The school’s curriculum prepares the pupils well for the next stage of their education. The teaching time allocated to each subject is appropriate, bearing in mind the current nationwide emphasis on literacy and numeracy. The time allocated to some subjects is above the national average. For example, more time is given for the teaching of literacy, numeracy, information technology, history, geography and physical education, but less to science and religious education. Information technology is taught as a discrete subject but is also used as a tool within some subjects but not consistently in all subjects. The allocation of time is well monitored by the headteacher and senior management team.

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24. The school has successfully introduced the national literacy and numeracy strategies, and staff are implementing these well throughout the school. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. It is taught both informally and formally through class discussions, specific lessons and the sex education lessons in Years 5 and 6. Many aspects of personal, social and health education are appropriately addressed through various subjects such as English, drama, science and religious education. Religious education is taught regularly each week. History and geography, together with art and design & technology, are taught effectively in blocks of time and in relation to the current topic.

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25. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The Code of Practice is effectively implemented. Pupils are fully integrated into classes and have the same curriculum entitlement as all other pupils. Their individual education plans are mainly well constructed, with specific and relevant targets. In a few cases, staff do not define literacy targets with sufficient precision. This renders measurement of pupils’ progress difficult. Plans are reviewed regularly by teachers and pupils. Parents are given opportunities to be involved in these reviews. New targets are set as appropriate. Teachers and their assistants work well together to ensure the provision of relevant work. Information from assessment is well used to plan future programmes of work.

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26. The planning of the school’s curriculum is very good. It gives due emphasis to literacy and numeracy. Curriculum planning shows considerable improvement since the last inspection. Brookland Junior School - 18 This is particularly evident in science, information technology, design and technology, history and geography, where the frameworks of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority have been adopted. There is currently insufficient emphasis on the planning of skills teaching in art and physical education. 27. The school has a comprehensive range of good subject policies and schemes of work. These clearly state the aims and objectives for the subject and how it will be taught and assessed. The match of work to pupils’ needs is well addressed and learning objectives are clearly defined in lesson plans. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. Schemes of work are closely linked to the National Curriculum programmes of study and appropriate,

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strong links are made between subjects. For example, in Year 5, information technology skills are used to promote literacy in science work on space and planets. The schemes of work offer good guidance on the progressive development of pupils’ knowledge and skills and successfully address the relevant issue identified in the last inspection. Short-term planning is very effective in incorporating elements from the relevant schemes of work. Procedures for the monitoring of teachers’ planning and lesson content are excellent. Teachers work very closely in planning, modifying and developing the curriculum within year groups.

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28. A satisfactory range of activities outside school hours effectively enhances the school’s curriculum. In response to the questionnaire, twelve per cent of parents were unhappy with the school’s extra-curricular provision as it has previously offered more. Following several staff changes, the school is rightly giving priority to curriculum matters first, before addressing additional provision. There are a number of clubs, which cover a variety of sporting, recreational and musical pursuits. These are well supported by the pupils and reflect a laudable level of commitment by the staff who supervise them. School teams have success in some sporting competitions. The Family Swimming Club provides out-of-school opportunities for pupils, which considerably enhance the physical education curriculum. The school also provides a range of educational visits and visitors to the school. These support and enrich the

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overall provision. For example, a residential trip to the Isle of Wight for Year 6 pupils contributes effectively to their learning in history and geography as well as to their social development.

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29. The school has a very good, effective assessment policy set within the overall curriculum policy. Assessment procedures are clearly defined in the policy and include the sampling and moderation of pupils’ work in the core subjects. The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment have improved since the last inspection and are now very good. Pupils’ work is marked regularly and often includes annotated comments giving praise or suggesting ways in which pupils may develop their understanding, though there is little evidence that such constructive comments are followed up. The national standardised tests are administered at the end of Key Stage 2 and the optional tests in Years 3, 4 and 5 are also given. There are other interim tests for reading and mathematics for each year group. Assessment data are very well analysed and their use to inform future curriculum planning is excellent. Teachers’

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records of individual pupils are used effectively to provide a sound basis for discussion with parents.

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33. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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30. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall and is a strength of the school. These high standards have been maintained since the last inspection. A highly positive ethos has been established, and the school’s aims are carried out very well in practice. The importance the school attaches to this aspect of its work is seen in the staff’s clear commitment to the personal development of each individual within a secure and caring environment.

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31. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Assemblies play a significant part in promoting spiritual and moral awareness. They are given a high priority in the life of the school Brookland Junior School - 19 and are thoughtfully planned, covering a wide range of themes. They offer many good opportunities for pupils to reflect on their own feelings and to think about the world beyond. For example, a Buddhist monk encouraged pupils to think about taking responsibility for their actions. A visitor related her experiences under the apartheid system in South Africa to everyday playground situations, such as excluding certain children from games. Religious education lessons make a sound contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils discuss their feelings about special people and the way to show respect. Lessons in other subjects regularly offer pupils the opportunity to express their personal responses, to the work of artists

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32. The provision for developing moral values is very good. The majority of pupils enter the school with a sound understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Very good provision is made to build on this sound start. The positive approach to behaviour in the school, where each pupil is valued for his or her own worth, successfully promotes very good moral values. All adults have the same high expectations of behaviour. They provide a structured and caring environment in which pupils can develop sound moral principles. Staff also provide very good role models as an extremely hard working team and this ethos is passed on to pupils. The school makes provision for good work and behaviour to be rewarded in a weekly sharing assembly. Parents are appreciative of the values that the school seeks to teach.

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33. The provision to promote pupils’ social development is good. Teachers set a good example in their relationships with one another and with pupils. The headteacher’s leadership is particularly significant in this aspect of pupils’ personal development. Her firm but fair treatment of the pupils gives them confidence and a strong sense of self-worth. Pupils are encouraged to value each other’s talents and abilities. In lessons they are expected to take turns and to listen to each other with interest and respect. Teachers provide many good opportunities for pupils to work together collaboratively. For example, Year 6 pupils work amicably, in groups of four or five, when creating original musical compositions. Pupils benefit from a wide range of adult support. This good provision enables pupils to relate confidently to adults both in small groups and on an individual basis. The school makes sound provision for

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pupils to accept responsibility for a range of classroom and whole school duties. The school also provides well-targeted support for pupils with identified special needs, which includes the development of social skills.

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34. The provision for pupils’ cultural development is very good. Teachers use opportunities across the curriculum, particularly in art and music, to point out to pupils aspects of their own heritage and of cultural traditions of others. Pupils visit local areas of cultural interest, including museums and galleries. They study the work of recognised artists and craftspeople and are provided with opportunities to take part in both dance and drama lessons. Very good opportunities are provided in religious education to learn about beliefs and values held in esteem by other cultures and to know that their own culture is mainly Christian. The school is very outward-looking. Many of the activities in which pupils become involved provide good opportunities for development in other curriculum areas. For example, a parent visitor talking about Hinduism involved pupils in geographical discussion about India. The school is regularly

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involved in fund-raising for a range of causes. Pupils reflect about the problems faced in their own and other cultures and are provided with opportunities to make moral decisions about their own actions.

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38. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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35. Procedures to monitor pupils’ academic and personal development are first class. These high standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Teachers have a very commendable and professional focus on understanding their pupils and giving them the confidence to achieve high standards in the areas of academic achievement, behaviour and personal development. All staff and governors are strongly committed to meeting the Brookland Junior School - 20 individual pastoral needs of each pupil. A good home/school agreement is in place.

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36. Staff make effective use of pupils’ profiles to record significant information about progress. Pupils themselves contribute and comment on their own achievements. With adult support, most develop clear and positive behaviour patterns and academic goals for themselves. Teachers have a thorough knowledge of individual pupils and take their pastoral roles seriously. Pupils with special educational needs receive effective help in lessons from staff and external specialists from the learning support services. There are good procedures in place for monitoring pupils’ attendance. Registration is taken promptly and efficiently, although some registers are not completed correctly and lack totals. Attendance information is correctly reported to parents. The majority of parents are quick to inform the school of reasons for absence. The education welfare officer is available to the school, but is not needed on a

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regular basis. The school enjoys supportive links with a number of external agencies, particularly the contributions made by the school health service, the police liaison officer, social services and the educational psychologist. The school nurse is in school for one afternoon most weeks.

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37. The school has a comprehensive behaviour policy, with clear expectations that are well understood by all pupils. All staff interpret the behaviour policy effectively to promote good discipline. Pupils know and respect the sanctions for poor behaviour and value the many rewards on offer. It is commendable that the majority of pupils gain pleasure from completing their work and seeing their efforts valued by staff and other pupils. The headteacher has a high profile in classrooms and around the school, encouraging pupils’ good behaviour and positive attitudes to learning. Pupils respond well to the praise of adults and the rewards they can achieve for a variety of contributions to school life.

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38. The school meets legal requirements for child protection and the school policy is clear. There are clear procedures for dealing with minor accidents. The school has sufficient trained first- aiders. Regular site inspections are carried out and governors are appropriately involved. Dining arrangements are satisfactory and pupils are given sufficient time to eat their lunch. The caretaker takes a great pride in the school buildings and grounds and ensures an outstandingly clean and hygienic environment for pupils.

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39. Links with the local infant and secondary school are good. Pupils’ welfare is well supported by ‘taster’ days whenever transition between schools is imminent. Parents feel that their children are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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43. Partnership with parents and the community

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40. Parental involvement with the work of the school and of their own children is of the highest order. The information received by parents about the school, about work done by pupils and about their progress is of a high quality. Links with the community and industry are very good. The school’s various partnerships make a very effective contribution to standards and quality of education. The previous inspection found this aspect to be a strength of the school. This has at least been maintained and, in the areas of actual parental help in school and of community links, has been even further improved.

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41. Parents are strongly supportive of the school. Responses to the parents’ questionnaire indicate that over 90 per cent feel encouraged to become involved and feel that the school is approachable. These figures are broadly in line with those in the previous inspection and are fully supported by the findings of the current inspection team. Staff are readily available for formal or informal discussion. Parental support is very active. About 50 parents and volunteers give regular help in lessons, in the library, with swimming, with school visits, with extra-curricular activities and with displays. That this number is so unusually large is a credit to both parents and the school. The headteacher is committed to a philosophy based on the Brookland Junior School - 21 desirability of the active involvement of every parent. To this end, the school aims to maintain individual contact with all parents. To support the school’s efforts there is an active Parent,

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Teacher and Friends Association, which arranges social events and raises substantial funds for learning resources. A hard-working Family Swimming Club provides funding for pool maintenance and ensures that the local community benefits from this resource in the holidays. Parents take a very active interest in homework, help with home reading and regularly read the pupils’ personal organisers. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are properly involved with annual reviews and individual education plans. Although few parents attended the pre-inspection meeting, there was a very good proportion of questionnaires returned. Parents attend termly class assemblies and are welcomed for coffee and informal chat afterwards.

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42. Parents receive very good information from the school, including termly booklets showing what is to be taught in each year group. The headteacher’s newsletters are frequent and wide ranging, covering social, curriculum and whole-school issues very effectively. Reports are extremely well timed, with the school subscribing to the unusual but effective practice of sending the main annual report in mid-year and an update in the summer. This allows parents to help with areas of concern, aided by their early identification. Reports are well written. They are comprehensive in core subjects and contain detailed diagnosis of performance, together with levels achieved and test results. They indicate areas where improvement is needed, but targets are not sufficiently specific or measurable to allow parents to judge year-on-year improvement easily. The school brochure is informative, as is the governing body’s annual

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report. The school holds regular meetings for parents on aspects of the curriculum, such as the Literacy Hour. Within this pattern of excellence there are a few minor points requiring attention. The brochure does not inform parents of their rights regarding religious instruction and collective worship. The governors’ annual report contains some data on finance but it is insufficiently explanatory.

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43. The school enjoys productive partnerships with community organisations and individuals. Many visits to local amenities, and to some further afield, enhance the curriculum; for example, staff organise trips to the Natural History Museum, to Kentwell and to a Hindu Temple. Other visits, such as the Year 6 residential trip to the Isle of Wight and the Year 5 programme at a local sailing base, help pupils’ personal development as well as enriching the curriculum. Local businesses, large and small, sponsor the school as well as opening their doors to offer pupils ‘real-life’ curriculum experiences, for example shopping and changing money. The school invites a wide range of visitors, including parents, to speak to classes and contribute yet more to pupils’ quality of learning. An outstanding example of effective use of community resources is seen in the work done by community service volunteers, who work on a one-to-

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one basis with pupils of lower attainment and who have achieved demonstrably good results.

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47. THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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44. The headteacher, senior management team and governors provide very good leadership. They work together as a team extremely well, with the headteacher in a pivotal role, to give the school a clear educational direction. There has been good improvement in this respect since 1996. Following the previous inspection, the school very successfully addressed the key issue on monitoring and evaluation and now has excellent monitoring procedures. These were weak three years ago and have become a major strength.

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45. The headteacher gives a firm lead to staff and consults fully with the governing body. She works hard to ensure that all parents feel welcome. As a result, relationships are very good, many parents and volunteers work in the school and there is a extremely positive ethos, including an uncompromising commitment to improving academic standards. Brookland Junior School - 22 46. The senior management team has ensured very good staff training during the introduction of national initiatives, including the introduction of the literacy and numeracy strategies and the provision of schemes of work by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Curriculum planning is now very good and teachers’ use of assessment procedures throughout the school is excellent. The school has set challenging performance targets for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 for the next three years and is already using comprehensive assessment information

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fully in setting annual improvement targets for each pupil.

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47. All staff implement the school’s aims, values and policies very well. The headteacher’s drive and enthusiasm have led to a dedicated team of teaching and support staff working with a common purpose.

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48. Over the past two years, the headteacher has introduced very effective systems for monitoring teaching and pupils’ progress. The school has agreed procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching. The headteacher, deputy and senior teacher engage very effectively in lesson observations and they have also involved other teachers in observing lessons taken by newly qualified teachers. This process includes helpful written feedback as well as a professional conversation between observer and observed. Class teachers, subject co-ordinators and senior management have a clear picture of pupils’ progress through the school. Staff make excellent use of the information to highlight class and individual needs and targets.

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49. School development planning is effective. The current improvement plan is comprehensive and includes evaluative comment on current initiatives. It includes a budget summary, linking the previous year’s development priorities to expenditure, but does not clearly earmark funding to the current year’s priorities. The school has already identified an opportunity for training in forward planning, in order to create a more precise strategic framework. Nevertheless, the systems already in place are good. The introduction of the information technology suite and the appointment of the caretaker as a play co-ordinator are good examples of the school’s thoughtful decision-making and budgeting process and have resulted in very positive outcomes. Careful analysis of national test results plays an appropriately vital role in deciding priorities for the future.

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50. At present, the headteacher and senior management team carry considerable responsibilities, as the teaching staff includes a number of comparatively inexperienced members. The headteacher is delegating responsibility gradually and sensitively in order to train recently- appointed teachers and ensure a more equitable share of responsibilities. Headteacher, governor representatives and staff have been fully involved in successfully implementing the national literacy and numeracy strategies. The quality and management of special educational needs are very good. The co-ordinator is newly appointed and is currently sharing the role with the headteacher.

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51. The governing body gives excellent support to the school. It has very effective committee procedures and uses time efficiently. Governors play a very positive role in appointments and in monitoring. They strike the fine balance of critical friendship when questioning the headteacher about termly reports and development plan initiatives. They receive presentations by key staff, in order to develop their own knowledge and to build up teachers’ management and presentational skills. Several governors make very good use of their personal expertise in supporting the school. The governing body fulfils all statutory requirements, with the exception of minor omissions in the school brochure and annual report to parents.

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55. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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52. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources are very good overall. This represents an Brookland Junior School - 23 improvement since the last inspection. There have been considerable staff changes since the last inspection. Six teachers have been appointed over the past two years, including four appointed at the start of the academic year, two of whom are newly qualified. The number, qualifications and experience of the teaching staff provide a very good balance to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and religious education. 53. Good arrangements are in place for the induction of staff. The newly qualified teachers receive good support from their mentors, the school and local education authority courses. Arrangements for the appraisal of staff are effectively implemented and the subsequent training outcomes are linked to priorities in the school development plan. The provision for

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staff training in information technology, literacy and numeracy is very good. Teaching assistants and community service volunteers are trained in literacy and numeracy and contribute effectively to the implementation of the national strategies. Many parents and other adults give of their time to provide valuable help in the school and on visits. Lunchtime supervisory and catering staff all contribute to the positive ethos of the school. As well as ensuring high quality maintenance and cleaning, the caretaker plays additional roles as senior midday supervisor and play co-ordinator, bringing enthusiasm and a sense of enjoyment to these tasks.

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54. The adequacy of accommodation for the effective delivery of the curriculum is excellent. The school is set within an extensive campus, which includes the nursery, infant and secondary schools. The school has a good field, a paved quadrangle and pond area, adequate hard- surface areas for play and a very good outside swimming pool with changing rooms. All these facilities are well used to promote teaching and learning and for social interaction at playtimes. Inside accommodation comprises spacious classrooms with ample work and display space, a well-maintained hall used for assemblies, physical education and music, a separate area for taking lunches, a library and a recently established specialist information technology suite. The standards of cleanliness and hygiene are very good and reflect the valued efforts of the caretaker and his staff. Some high quality displays of pupils’ work are balanced with

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commercial material. They considerably enhance the appearance of the building and make a positive contribution to the ethos of the school.

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55. Learning resources are very good overall, an improvement on the last inspection. They meet the current needs of the curriculum and pupils. English, mathematics, music, information technology and physical education are very well resourced. Resources are satisfactory in the other curricular subjects. The school library has a good range of fiction and non-fiction books for the number of pupils on roll, but it is currently being reorganised and does not support the development of pupils’ research skills as it is. Books are distributed around classrooms according to the current topic. Ample resources for pupils with special educational needs are well organised and effectively support the pupils’ learning and progress.

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56. The quality of financial planning and control is very good. The school deploys staff very well and makes very good use of its accommodation and learning resources. In all these areas school management and governors have further developed their already effective skills. The school has made substantial improvements in many areas since the previous inspection.

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57. Financial planning is effective. The governing body and headteacher have clear, shared views of the future. Governors are fully involved in budgeting and in monitoring the effectiveness of the use of funds. Funds are set aside to meet current needs, and forward planning aims to ensure that finance will be available to meet future needs. All concerned are aware that the current year’s level of spending is caused by a number of ‘one-off’ items and cannot be maintained. The current school improvement plan summarises the previous year’s spending, but does not clearly link financial allocations with the current year’s priorities for action. The school has identified strategic forward planning as a training need and is addressing this issue. Brookland Junior School - 24 58. The school deploys teaching and support staff very effectively. Funds are targeted to areas of greatest need. For example the school recently appointed four additional, part-time, teaching

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assistants to address concerns over the high numbers of pupils with special educational needs. The funds provided for special educational needs work are applied wisely and effectively. Accommodation is also used well, for example the swimming pool, as are learning resources in the main. In particular, staff with management responsibilities have ensured excellent use of the new information technology suite and music resources. During current re- organisation, the library is not being used efficiently.

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59. The school exercises efficient financial control. It purchases assistance from the local authority for bookkeeping, reporting, budgeting and consultation. Expenses are monitored monthly by management and governors. Suitable data is provided for this monitoring. The system for control of ordering and payment of invoices is sound. Minor criticisms in the most recent audit have been addressed. School administration is very effective. The school judges value for money in terms of pupils’ progress. The cost-effectiveness of individual areas of expenditure is assessed according to desired, but not always measurable, outcomes established before the spending is approved.

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60. Having regard to pupils’ very good progress, positive attitudes, behaviour and personal development, the very good quality of education provided, set against the characteristics of the school’s intake and the average cost per pupil, the school gives very good value for money. This represents a highly significant improvement from the previous judgement of ‘demonstrably sound value for money.’ Brookland Junior School - 25 64. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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61. The results of statutory tests and assessments at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1999 show standards below the national average, but equal to those in schools similar to Brookland. In a year which contained a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, whose main needs were to do with oracy and literacy, this was a considerable achievement. A comparison with pupils’ Key Stage 1 results in 1995 shows that every pupil in the year group made good progress during the four years. A few made excellent progress, achieving a standard level 4, when they entered the school aged seven below average at level 1, and several made very good progress.

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62. In the current Year 6, standards are above average in all aspects of English. This marks a rise in standards at the end of Key Stage 2 since the time of the last inspection. Pupils make very good progress overall throughout the school, because of the consistently high quality of teaching. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress towards the targets on their individual education plans, although a few do not have sufficiently specific targets. A few older pupils of average and below average attainment do not make good progress in reading, because they choose books too difficult for them and their choice goes unchecked.

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63. Staff have adopted the national literacy strategy successfully, adapting it where necessary to ensure pupils have ample opportunity to develop extended writing skills, for example. Teachers have developed a good planning framework for the daily literacy hour and also plan effectively to develop literacy and oracy skills well in other subjects, particularly science, history and geography.

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64. All pupils make very good progress in speaking and listening. Staff place a good emphasis on developing spoken language to build pupils’ self-esteem and encourage their command of language. In all classes pupils are very attentive and listen well to their teachers and each other. In class discussions and in regular drama lessons, most pupils contribute thoughtfully. Drama is successfully incorporated into planning and in one lesson pupils made good links with their history study of the Tudors, by acting in groups to create freeze-frames of events from the period. Many pupils speak confidently and clearly, with higher attainers sometimes using complex and sophisticated sentence structures. Pupils also speak together sensibly about their work in pairs or small groups and negotiate well. This was particularly evident in a history lesson, when a Year 5 pupil asserted that in Tudor times ‘The rich were swimming in

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money, but poor people were sitting in mud’. When his teacher picked up the comment and accidentally misquoted ‘sitting’ as ‘swimming’, he corrected her, saying ‘No – ‘sitting’ - they had no energy to swim’. Older pupils showed very good speaking, listening, thinking and writing skills when following a talk by a Buddhist monk in their English lesson one day, and writing a biography of his life the next. Brookland Junior School - 26 65. Higher attaining pupils in each year group read their chosen books with understanding and good expression. Most pupils have made at least good progress in reading since they started school. Younger pupils progress through structured, colour-coded books with plenty of opportunity to read good quality stories. Pupils develop a love of story, which is fostered by teachers’ choice of good quality texts for the literacy hour work. Younger pupils are taught skills to help them to read. They tackle difficult words by breaking them up, sounding them out

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and looking at the context of the word in the rest of the sentence. Pupils quickly learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts. Pupils from Year 3 onwards are familiar with the use of the contents and index pages in books and find information very quickly, but the library is underused at present. It is in the process of redevelopment and there is as yet no clear system for accessing information books. In classrooms, books are well organised and there are displays of books to grasp pupils’ interest and encourage them to try new authors. Pupils have their favourite authors and some older pupils are reading extensively and widely, using the local library. Progress for pupils with special educational needs is good as a result of well-matched tasks set by teachers and very good deployment of classroom assistants, volunteer parents and helpers to work in groups or individually with pupils. Also, most parents

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conscientiously help their children with reading at home. The personal organisers and homework books show a regular focus on literacy skills, which promotes good support from parents and stimulates pupils’ independent learning and use of initiative.

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66. Pupils make very good progress in writing. There is a good emphasis on writing for a real purpose in all classes, and writing activities set for all pupils are relevant and interesting. All teachers take care to help pupils develop a wide vocabulary and think carefully about the use of words. Consequently pupils produce some very lively and imaginative work. There is now a high expectation that pupils write accurately and at length, so standards are rising. In several lessons, teachers lead helpful discussions, before giving pupils time to write at length and ensure they concentrate quietly and have a working atmosphere in which to think and develop a flow of ideas. Teachers also pay close attention to the development of spelling and punctuation skills, and pupils focus very well on this area of work. Handwriting is taught systematically, and pupils consequently form their letters correctly and develop a flowing style.

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Work in final draft is usually presented very neatly.

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67. Most pupils enjoy English and work very hard in lessons. They listen well to their teacher and are eager to contribute to class discussions. They work well together when asked to do so. Most are enthusiastic about reading and enjoy books at home and at school.

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68. The quality of the teaching is very good overall. Of nine lessons observed, one was excellent, four very good, two good and two satisfactory. A scrutiny of pupils’ exercise books in each class shows that the quality of teaching has been consistently high throughout the term. Teachers have worked hard to prepare for the literacy strategy and have undertaken this new challenge successfully. Teachers’ planning is generally very good, although sometimes the particular targets for pupils with special educational needs are not precisely identified. In most lessons, teachers’ very good questioning helps pupils grasp new ideas and move forward quickly. Very good class control and relationships between staff and pupils also help teachers to focus on the objectives for the lesson. Little time is wasted in behaviour management. Teachers set high expectations for pupils in terms of the quality of the language they use, both

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orally and in written form. During the inspection, there was comparatively little evidence of teachers or assistants leading group ‘guided reading’ sessions. In the two examples observed, the sessions were well led and motivated pupils very well.

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69. In the excellent lesson observed, the teacher engaged every pupil’s attention fully for whole- class elements of the literacy hour through thoughtful, focused questioning and careful listening to their answers. She deployed her assistant very well to observe particular pupils with special needs and then to work with another group of pupils needing support. During the group activity, the teacher ensured that all tasks were matched very well to pupils’ abilities and Brookland Junior School - 27 that groups working independently knew precisely what to do. She then led a very well- focused group reading session, listening to each pupil in turn, as they read aloud quietly from the same text. From pupils’ writing, reading and explanations in the plenary session at the close of the lesson, it was clear that this thoroughly planned and well-executed lesson had resulted in pupils making excellent progress in speaking, listening, reading and writing.

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70. Results of national tests in 1999 show that pupils’ attainment was well above the national average. It was also well above average when compared with similar schools, as it was in 1998. Inspection findings confirm these good test results. In the school’s previous inspection, standards in mathematics were judged to be in line with the national average. Since 1996, the results of national tests show that the school has improved and then maintained its high standards, with no significant difference in the performance of girls and boys. The school has made significant improvement in mathematics.

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71. By the age of eleven in the current year, attainment is above average. Pupils have very well- developed numeracy skills. They know their multiplication tables and use their knowledge to solve a variety of problems. They work confidently with decimals to two and three places, and have a good understanding of the value of these numbers. They successfully develop their own strategies for using data, for example measuring a range of objects and increasing their results by 10, then 100. Pupils present their data accurately in graphs and charts and understand the importance of title, correct scale and labels of axes. Their ability to carry out mental calculations is good. They enjoy the challenge of working at speed with multiples of 14 and 15. They use their knowledge in real life situations. For example, in an art lesson they quickly divided a circle into six equal segments, using protractors accurately.

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72. Pupils make very good progress throughout the school. On entry to the school, pupils have mathematical skills which are broadly average. Competency with numbers is systematically developed and well supported by a very positive approach to the numeracy strategy. Year 3 pupils work confidently with three-digit numbers, estimating the answer first. Their knowledge of the properties of shapes is well above average. Higher attainers work out fractions of whole amounts, for example, two tenths of 25. Pupils successfully employ numerical and data handling skills during investigative work in Year 4, for example investigating what happens when you multiply odd and even numbers. Pupils attain above average standards in identifying fractions related to sets of objects. Year 5 pupils make very good progress in rounding up and down to the nearest hundred, using number cards most effectively. Progress

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in understanding the properties of a wide variety of shapes and measures is most effectively supported by well-constructed worksheets. The progress of pupils with special educational needs in relation to their previous attainment is generally good. Their needs are well assessed and work is mathematically well matched, though occasionally the written text is too challenging for pupils.

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73. Pupils’ attitudes are very good. They look forward to their lessons and are very enthusiastic about mathematics. Classroom routines are understood and followed. All pupils are keen to answer questions and in group activities they co-operate and work well together. Most pupils work independently and persevere with difficult tasks. Their very good behaviour has a positive impact on the progress they make.

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74. The quality of teaching is very good. Nine lessons were seen, seven of which were good or better. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ work reveal a consistent pattern of high quality teaching, with work well sequenced. The school has some outstanding teachers of mathematics. Subject knowledge is very good. Teachers have a very positive approach to the new numeracy strategy. All planning is very good and securely based on good assessments of what pupils know and can do. Teachers plan pupils’ activities Brookland Junior School - 28 meticulously and keep up a brisk pace so that no learning time is wasted. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are high. Effective lessons begin with a clear explanation of learning objectives to the whole class and a quick recap of past learning. For example, in a Year 3 class there was brisk mental recap of number ‘buddies’ making ten, a quick move to double

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digits for higher attainers, and support from the mystery box for challenging work on fractions. Ongoing assessment of pupils’ problems, with on-the-spot feedback by teachers, is a strength of teaching throughout the school. Another strength is the way teachers give pupils sufficient time to explain mental strategies, and the encouraging manner in which they value the input of all pupils. Teaching assistants are deployed very effectively to support groups, particularly lower attainers. A few teachers, however, miss opportunities to deploy learning assistants effectively during the mental and plenary sessions. Not all teachers adapt the written texts in worksheets sufficiently, in line with the targets on individual education plans. Homework is regularly given and complements work in the classroom.

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75. Mathematics is well managed throughout the school. The co-ordinator is very well supported by the interest, expertise and hard work of all teaching and support staff. This has enabled the school to make a very good start to the numeracy hour. The analysis and use of information from statutory and yearly tests, completed by all classes, is exemplary. This has had a very positive impact on standards attained by pupils. Staff and pupils are supported by a good range of mathematical resources that are well organised for ease of access. Effective use is made of display to support mathematics within the school. The subject fully meets National Curriculum requirements.

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76. Standards in science at the last inspection were judged to be above the national average. Results of the national tests for the end of Key Stage 2 showed standards to be average overall. A very high percentage (93 per cent) of pupils attained the national standard, but the proportion of eleven-year-olds attaining higher levels was below average. In the tests, more girls than boys attain above average levels. When compared with schools which take pupils from similar backgrounds, pupils’ performance is well above average. The results of the 1999 tests are the best ever achieved by the school and show a considerable improvement from 1998 and a return to the general upward trend indicated before 1998. These results and improvement are reflected in the standards observed during this inspection.

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77. In the lessons observed and from a close scrutiny of pupils’ past work, attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 is above average with some pupils attaining higher levels. Pupils with special educational needs attain well in science, as their progress is enhanced by effective support from teachers and teaching assistants. Investigative skills are developed satisfactorily, and pupils’ understanding of key scientific principles is improved. Building on prior work, they use well-developed numeracy and literacy skills at times to illustrate collected data and to record procedures. Many pupils throughout the school develop a satisfactory understanding of what constitutes a fair test. Pupils in Year 3 learn that electrical circuits need a power supply and will fail if they are broken. They begin to understand that experimental procedures are recorded in a structured way and that symbols are a way of illustrating an electrical circuit. By

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Year 6, pupils record data using a prepared table to promote their understanding of the dissolving qualities of various substances.

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78. There are few opportunities provided for older pupils to plan their own investigations, to test hypotheses and collect good quality data. As a result, pupils’ numeracy skills are not sufficiently used or developed within science based work. Some block graphs and tabulated data are constructed, but line graphs and pie charts are less evident. On the other hand, oracy and literacy skills are well used in answering questions, listening to instructions and in writing reports explaining the results of tests and experiments. Pupils throughout the school are encouraged to learn and use scientific language and this they do very well. In Year 3, they use and understand the terms positive and negative in relation to electricity. In Year 5, pupils Brookland Junior School - 29 use words such as sphere, revolve, orbit, rotate and axis in work related to the Earth and beyond. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are using terms like food chain, habitat, predator

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and nutrients. In work on dissolving substances, they know and begin to understand terms such as saturation point. 79. Pupils throughout the school make good progress in the development of scientific skills and knowledge. Progress in some lessons is very good. Younger pupils begin to learn and apply appropriate scientific language and this is continued effectively across the year groups. There is good progress in recognising the stages of experimental work and in developing ways of recording results. However, this rarely reaches the stage where pupils devise their own experiments and use information technology to illustrate their findings. As a result of effective teaching and good educational support, pupils with special educational needs make good progress and achieve appropriate levels of attainment.

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80. Behaviour in the lessons observed was consistently good. Pupils show an interest in the work, especially when it is of a practical nature. Pupils in a Year 6 class, for instance, had clearly enjoyed a previous lesson and showed eager anticipation at the prospect of further practical work during the lesson being observed. Pupils throughout the school respond readily to teachers’ questions and listen attentively to instructions. There is a good work ethic in most lessons.

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81. Of the lessons observed, three-quarters exhibited teaching that was good or very good. This represents a clear improvement since the last inspection, when teaching was judged to be mostly sound. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge in most cases and often ensure that lessons draw upon pupils’ developing abilities in literacy and, to a lesser extent, in numeracy. Information technology skills are not yet fully promoted through science lessons. Teachers’ planning for science is very good and results from effective teamwork within and across year groups. Lessons are designed to build upon pupils’ prior knowledge and experiences. These are familiar to teachers from very effective assessment procedures. The provision and use of resources are good, although there is little evidence of the immediate school environment being used to good effect. Work is often well matched to the varying needs of pupils, although sometimes worksheets are over-used and not always challenging

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enough for some pupils. Some less able readers are occasionally unable to cope with the text in the worksheets. Teachers often ensure strong cross-curricular links between science and other subjects. For example, in a Year 5 class, effective links are forged with music and design and technology to make learning about sound more meaningful to the pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported by well-trained and appropriately briefed teaching assistants as well as by class teachers. They know their pupils well, and their support ensures the pupils’ good progress.

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Results

82. The subject is well managed by a co-ordinator who has a clear understanding about the science curriculum and how it is to be developed. Monitoring procedures are in place and are being effectively implemented. For example, teachers often observe their colleagues teaching and record their observations, which are then shared. There is very good planning through a policy and scheme of work, using the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the local education authority frameworks. This ensures an appropriate coverage and balance of content and skills to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. Assessment procedures are very good, including the sampling of pupils’ work for moderation. Assessment data are very well used to inform teachers’ planning. Resources for the subject are good and effectively used. The accommodation for the effective delivery of the subject is

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very good. The classrooms are spacious enough to allow for the free movement of pupils in the execution of practical work and there is ready access to water, sinks and table-top working areas. There is ample display and storage space in all classrooms and these are well used.

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Results

86. OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES Brookland Junior School - 30 86. Information technology

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83. By the age of eleven years, most pupils attain standards in information technology that are above those expected nationally for pupils of that age. This position represents a slight improvement since the last inspection.

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Results

84. At the end of Key Stage 2, pupils successfully select fonts and change the properties of text including size, colour and style to compose word-processed letters. Most pupils are competent in using the appropriate program to format and edit text. They display satisfactory keyboard skills although their speed in locating keys is variable. In work strongly linked to literacy skills, pupils are able to relocate text and to copy and paste. They are competent in clicking on to drag and select text by highlighting. Pupils throughout the school use computers with confidence.

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Results

85. Most pupils make very good progress in the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. As pupils move through the school, they build systematically on their skills and knowledge from year to year. Year 3 pupils know how to open a file, choose a program and select appropriate fonts. They make very good progress in building on these skills to recognise and use the toolbar and icons. By Year 4, pupils are able to control the cursor accurately to alter the size and position of graphics. They also move on to save their work. Year 5 pupils become familiar with CD-ROM. This is seen in a class where pupils load and use an appropriate disk to locate information related to musical instruments. By the end of the key stage, pupils can format and edit text, using a spell check to correct their writing.

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Results

86. Pupils appear to enjoy using computers and respond well to their teachers. They sustain concentration and often show genuine delight when they successfully achieve the desired outcomes of their work. Behaviour is consistently good in the information technology suite. Pupils are enthusiastic and nearly always work well with a partner. They settle quickly to their work and treat the equipment with respect. They take turns sensibly.

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Results

87. At the last inspection teaching was judged to be 'sound to good'. It is now very good. Each class has two timetabled lessons a week in the recently established information technology suite. Very good use is made of these sessions to teach specific computing skills. Teachers have a very good understanding of the subject, and their expectations of the pupils are always high. Lessons are very well planned and show a logical progression of activities which enhance pupils’ progress. Teachers move along the suite purposefully to evaluate pupils’ progress. They ensure that literacy skills are being well developed, as well as the appropriate information technology skills.

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Results

88. As information technology is taught as a discrete subject, the skills and knowledge are used as tools within some other subject areas. For example, some high quality poetry written by Year 5 pupils is word-processed using different fonts to make an attractive display. However, this cross-curricular approach is not yet fully developed. The co-ordinator has worked extremely hard to develop the subject and provide support for staff. His efforts have let to major improvements in this curriculum area since the last inspection and the planned introduction of the Internet will further enhance pupils’ attainment and progress. There is a lunchtime club to which older pupils are invited. The subject represents a developing strength of the school.

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Religious education

89. By the time pupils are eleven, standards achieved are in line with the requirements of the local Agreed Syllabus. The school has maintained these sound standards since the last inspection. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout the school. They gain knowledge of world faiths and become more confident at expressing their own ideas and in talking about their own Brookland Junior School - 31 experiences.

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Religious education

90. Progress in knowledge and understanding in the symbols of Christianity is sound in Year 3. They study and discuss the deeper meanings of the cross, the dove and the fish. They think about Christian festivals. Pupils make good progress in comparing Christian festivals with those of other faiths, as they listen to a Hindu parent effectively explaining the meaning of Divali. Year 4 pupils write informative and lively letters to friends, showing sound understanding of the importance of festivals such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to followers of Judaism. Year 5 pupils recall vividly every detail of a dramatisation by their teacher, demonstrating the respect Muslims show towards the Qur’an. One pupil says, ‘You look as though you really care about that book.’ Pupils make good progress in understanding how the customs and rules of a religion can influence everyday living. In Year 6, pupils attain

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Religious education

a clear understanding of Buddhism, as they discuss facts about that faith with a visiting Buddhist monk. They make sound comparisons between important beliefs held by followers of Buddha and those held in esteem by followers of Christ. They identify their own emerging beliefs in this discussion. They gain knowledge of the Ten Commandments of Christianity and the Eightfold Path of Buddhism. Progress is sound in the knowledge and understanding of other faiths, such as Islam. Pupils with special educational needs are usually well supported and make appropriate progress. In some worksheet activities, written questions are not well adapted to literacy needs.

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Religious education

91. Pupils have respect for one another and display interest in the subject. These positive attitudes make it possible for meaningful group discussions to take place when appropriate. Pupils of all ages are able to express their feelings and ideas and know that others will listen sensibly. They join in discussion activities and are confident speakers.

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Religious education

92. The quality of teaching by school staff is sound overall. Five lessons were seen, three of which were good or better. Two of these were taken by visitors with considerable knowledge and expertise. Teachers plan lessons which are interesting, with sound opportunity for pupils’ involvement. In the best lessons, skilled use of questioning enables pupils to extend their understanding and to relate what they learn to their own experiences. For example, after watching a good dramatisation of respect for the Qur’an, pupils talk about the way they treat special objects. Teachers have good relationships with their pupils, which enable them to conduct sensitive discussions positively. The ethos in which the subject is delivered is good.

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Religious education

93. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator, who is also the headteacher. She has very clear ideas for subject development. Satisfactory schemes of work are in place, which relate to the local Agreed Syllabus, but the school awaits an updated version before putting the final touches to a very comprehensive review of the subject. Resources are good. Exceptionally good use is made of visits and visitors to bring the subject to life for pupils. This is beginning to have a positive impact on both attainment and progress. It also enables the subject to make a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Religious education

94. The progress pupils make throughout the school is satisfactory. At the time of the last inspection pupils’ progress was judged to be good. The recent initiatives in literacy and numeracy have justifiably taken priority over developments in art. This has led, however, to a slight decline in pupils’ progress.

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Religious education

95. By the time they are eleven, pupils’ skills in observational drawing, using pastels, pencil and watercolours, are well developed. Displays of work, thoughtfully mounted, enhance corridor areas. A high quality watercolour painting of a bowl of fruit has been given pride of place in a classroom. Pupils talk knowledgeably about colour-mixing; they differentiate successfully between primary and secondary colours when creating a colour wheel, to test their hypothesis Brookland Junior School - 32 about the composition of light. Good cross-curricular links are made with science and mathematics. In Year 4, topic work on the Romans is linked to well-planned mosaic work. Pupils make very good progress in evaluating their own and others’ designs, before selecting a design to refine further. Year 3 pupils make sound progress, working in the style of recognised artists. In one lesson they evaluated four works of art and gave their reasons for likes and

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Religious education

dislikes; ‘the colour makes me feel cold, that shape doesn’t attract your attention .’ Progress in this lesson was good, as pupils refined and developed their work, through sharing ideas and techniques. Pupils generally reach standards that are in line with those expected of pupils of their age.

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Religious education

96. Pupils’ response to art lessons is good. They enjoy their work and show good levels of concentration as they seek to refine and improve their first efforts. They take pride in their finished work and, in particular, that which is displayed imaginatively around the school, for example, pastel work with an African theme. Pupils handle materials and tools with care. They listen carefully to instructions and work very hard on tasks. When given the opportunity to display imagination and creativity, they respond very positively.

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Religious education

97. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Four lessons were seen; three were sound and one was very good. Teachers’ planning identifies activities to be followed and is usually clear about skill development and what knowledge pupils are to learn. Skills are well developed by the many tasks set in support of other curriculum areas. For example, history displays include some good pencil sketches of Tudor queens. Teachers’ knowledge of individual pupils’ attainment is now supported by records in sketchbooks. Relationships with pupils are good and enable sound progress to be maintained in all classes.

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Religious education

98. The subject co-ordinator has interest and expertise but has other demanding duties as deputy head and literacy co-ordinator. Opportunities for the co-ordinator to use her expertise to influence curriculum development, through effective monitoring in class, have been limited, and this has contributed to the slight fall in standards.

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Religious education

99. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attainment in design and technology was judged to be average and sometimes better. It was stated that further developments were needed, particularly related to control systems, to pupils’ evaluation and to address the somewhat limited range of resources. The situation remains substantially the same.

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Religious education

100.Although it was possible to observe only a limited number of lessons, discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of some pupils’ work suggests that pupils’ progress is good. By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have built successfully on some previously acquired skills and knowledge effectively to learn more about how things should be designed and made. Year 3 pupils study structures and then apply their knowledge to designing and making photograph frames. They use card and simple tools to cut and score in order to create stable models. They also begin to evaluate their models in simple terms. In a Year 4 class, pupils make very good progress in recognising the need for careful planning. They begin to understand that design will inform their making of pop-up cards. In Year 6, pupils examine the qualities of manufactured slippers and recognise the need for a careful design stage. They go on to measure, mark and cut

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Religious education

materials accurately using their own design sketches to help them produce good quality finished products. Less progress is made in some design skills such as the use of scale drawings to different elevations. There is good progress in the use of mock-up models to ensure end products resemble their intentions. Pupils with special educational needs progress well in relation to their developing abilities.

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Religious education

101.Pupils of all levels of attainment enjoy the subject and apply themselves well to the given tasks. In one Year 6 lesson seen, the pupils worked with genuine if rather noisy enthusiasm. Brookland Junior School - 33 They worked quite well together to help each other draw the outlines of their feet to design slippers. Most pupils listen carefully to explanations, are well behaved, move about the classroom and use tools sensibly.

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Religious education

102.The quality of teaching has improved slightly since the last inspection when it was seen to be satisfactory and sometimes good. Now it is mostly good. Tasks are clearly explained and there is good provision and use of resources. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject are satisfactory. Staff provide a range of well-planned activities, but some design skills such as precise scaled drawings are less well addressed. Pupils at the end of the key stage are not given opportunities to design and make more sophisticated models involving higher order skills.

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Religious education

103.The subject is co-ordinated by two recently-appointed staff who have only been in the post of responsibility since the beginning of the current academic year. They both have a clear vision as to how to develop the subject throughout the school but, as yet, have had little time to make any real impact. The school has adopted the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority framework. Resources are satisfactory but are limited in range. They do not include a full range of tools, suitable construction kits or materials to advance higher order skills such as the incorporation of hydraulics, pneumatics or control mechanisms into models. Accommodation for the subject is very good. The classrooms are spacious and offer very good opportunities for practical work.

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Religious education

104.Pupils throughout the school make good progress in developing their geographical skills and understanding. The school has improved on the satisfactory standards outlined by the last inspection report.

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Religious education

105.Work is planned in relation to topics and is particularly successful when related to the local environment. In a Year 3 lesson seen, pupils used maps of Cheshunt to recognise how land is used and why certain developments take place. Pupils recognise symbols and use two-figure co-ordinates to locate and give grid references for symbols. Year 6 pupils have developed their mapwork skills to include the use of six-figure co-ordinates when completing ordnance survey map tasks. Younger pupils concentrate on relevant local environmental issues, considering, for example, why marshy land is unsuitable for building, but valuable for conservation purposes. Pupils in Year 4 create their own imaginary island maps, recognising the importance of keys and symbols. Older pupils use their knowledge of scale to calculate distances between various locations on an ordnance survey map of the local area.

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Religious education

106.One of the strengths in geography is the way in which staff bring the subject alive by referring to the pupils’ own locality and first-hand experience. From this focus, they stimulate an interest in places and journeys. Teachers display maps of the United Kingdom and the world and encourage pupils to locate countries, mountain ranges, major rivers and capital cities by providing labels for them to affix to the maps after reference to atlases or globes. Occasionally, worksheet activities for older pupils are undemanding. Staff have not yet developed the use of CD-ROMs to enrich pupils’ geographical studies.

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Religious education

107.Pupils are positive about geography and are very well behaved, attentive and interested in their studies. They collaborate very well during group tasks, sharing equipment and ensuring that everybody in the group has discovered and recorded answers to problems set, for example, how many locks on the River Lea Navigation between the M25 and Nazeing Marsh.

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Religious education

108.The quality of the teaching observed was always at least good and in one lesson very good. Teachers’ planning is very detailed and their preparation is thorough. They display very good subject knowledge during initial explanations and discussions, using precise terminology and Brookland Junior School - 34 requiring pupils to do so. They ensure that pupils make very good use of resources and give them clear time limits to complete tasks. Teachers plan interesting activities and make good links with other subjects. Pupils in Year 6, for example, applied their numeracy skills very well when measuring and then calculating distances according to scale. Pupils also develop their literacy skills well when undertaking local map and world studies. Teachers include assessment points in their planning and circulate well during group or individual activities to prompt, praise and assist pupils, mentally noting their skills against the lesson objectives as

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Religious education

109.Pupils’ progress is good and standards are high throughout the school. Standards have improved since the previous inspection, when they were sound. 110.Pupils are developing a good knowledge of historical periods and a good understanding of how to discover about the past through historical enquiry. In one lesson observed, pupils in Year 4 considered what led Boudicca to lead the Iceni in a revolt against the Romans. They showed good retention of information from previous lessons and developed a sense of empathy with the tribal leader, explaining why she poisoned herself rather than fall into the hands of the Romans.

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Religious education

111.Pupils in Year 5 have a clear picture of the periods that they have studied and the chronological sequence of these periods. Teachers bring history alive by organising educational visits. Shortly before the inspection, Year 5 pupils had visited Kentwell and experienced the life of Tudor farming folk. A pupil described vividly his experiences of dressing as a peasant for the day, meeting Sam the huntsman, and making a straw mattress and discovering how Tudors cooked, washed, spun, made candles and skinned hedgehogs. Autobiographical accounts resulting from this visit show good application of pupils’ literacy skills in history.

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Religious education

112.In a Year 5 lesson on the Tudors, the teacher ensured that pupils made very good progress in their understanding of the differences between the rich and poor in Tudor times. She led a discussion on the differences noted during the visit, using posters to remind pupils of clothing, and then provided all pupils with an excellent opportunity to discuss in pairs. They produced a chart of differences to report back to the class. The teacher succeeded in engaging every pupil in active recap and recording features of the Tudor period. Pupils in this class had developed a good understanding of the use of historical sources. They understand and explain the difference between primary and secondary sources in finding out about the past. Pupils enjoy finding out about the past and, in the lessons seen, they contributed well to class discussions and worked very well in pairs. They are clearly highly motivated by visits and

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Religious education

visitors. The trip to Kentwell was fresh in the memories of pupils and provided a shared experience for pupils and teachers to discuss. A theatre group is set to visit the school to bring Victorian life alive through drama, involving pupils in the presentation.

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Religious education

113.Only two lessons were observed. The quality of the teaching in one was very good and in the other satisfactory. A scrutiny of pupils’ work confirms that teaching is of good quality overall and that lessons follow a well-planned sequence which results in pupils building up good levels of knowledge and good enquiry skills. Teachers make the studies interesting and there is good coverage of most of the key elements in history, as well as the different ways in which history can be interpreted.

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Religious education

114.Pupils make good progress in music throughout the school. This represents a significant improvement since the last inspection, when progress in music was unsatisfactory. Brookland Junior School - 35 115.Pupils in Year 6 listen intently to taped dance music. They identify individual instruments, such as the tambourine. They recall a wide range of music which they have appraised, from jazz to heavy metal, and know something of the main features in terms of the use of rhythm to convey mood. Pupils choose from a good range of tuned and untuned instruments, in order to compose ‘scary’ music. They work in effective groups, making many advanced musical and social decisions. For example, pupils agree amicably upon a group leader, form of notation and the rhythm and dynamics of their composition. Pupils are confident and competent performers and composers. All pupils are familiar with a wide range of percussion instruments.

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Religious education

They know both the names and the properties of these instruments. Younger pupils make good progress in conducting, using a range of innovative methods, for example, nodding, tapping and clapping. Year 4 pupils quickly and enthusiastically learn a new song. They follow the conductor, singing with well-controlled volume to suggest the actions of a warrior. Pupils with special educational needs make appropriate progress, in line with their previous attainment. The school is aware that some pupils attain well in music and good provision is made to support these pupils.

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Religious education

116.Pupils respond very well to music lessons and willingly take part in class and assembly performances. They handle the school’s wide range of musical instruments with care. They enjoy opportunities to sing, and appreciate and value each other’s contribution to lessons. Older pupils are able to comment critically on each other’s performances.

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Religious education

117.The quality of teaching is very good. A specialist teacher took all the lessons seen. Lessons are well prepared and planned. They proceed at a very brisk pace. Questioning is well used to assess pupils’ understanding. The teacher has excellent subject knowledge and very high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The school has made extremely effective provision for this expertise to be shared by all staff, to support and enhance pupils’ progress. Teaching generates and sustains interest and allows pupils to make good progress in the development of skills. Subject vocabulary is promoted effectively and evaluation well used with pupils considering for themselves how their performances could be improved.

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Religious education

118.The subject is well led by the curriculum manager. She has revised the schemes of work effectively. The school’s music curriculum is now broad and balanced. There are two lunchtime music clubs, which attract a small but enthusiastic group of pupils, but music is not widely used in support of other curriculum areas or in assemblies.

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Religious education

119.Lessons in gymnastics and games were observed during the inspection, but it was not possible to see physical education lessons in every class. Overall, pupils make satisfactory progress. Some pupils make good progress, especially in swimming and gymnastics. However, there is some unsatisfactory progress. These judgements are similar overall to those made after the last inspection, when attainment was average and progress judged to be sound to good. Pupils make good progress in swimming whereas, in the last inspection, swimming was not mentioned at all.

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Religious education

120.Pupils in Year 3 practise floor movement sequences in a gymnastics lesson to improve their basic body management skills and spatial awareness. They begin to understand the value of ‘warm-up’ activities. They are able to evaluate the performances of other pupils in simple terms. In a Year 5 class, most pupils show satisfactory progress in controlling a ball at their feet whilst on the move. A considerable number make satisfactory progress in passing the ball accurately over a short distance. They make insufficient progress in an ability to control the ball using both feet. Year 6 pupils are inaccurate in passing a ball with their hands to a partner. They make unsatisfactory progress in their spatial awareness and throwing skills.

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Religious education

121.Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are generally satisfactory and sometimes good. They are Brookland Junior School - 36 almost all well behaved and become excited at the prospect of lessons. They change quickly before and after lessons. All pupils wear an appropriate change of clothing and footwear for physical education lessons.

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Religious education

122.The quality of teaching is mostly satisfactory with some being good and a little unsatisfactory. This is the same pattern as existed at the last inspection. In a Year 3 class, the good teaching is evidenced by a good pace to the lesson and good use of pupils to demonstrate skills. The teacher displays effective strategies to motivate pupils, such as the setting of time targets. Teachers expect pupils to behave well and listen attentively to instructions. Pupils are made aware of the importance of ‘warm-up’ and ‘warm-down’ activities. However, some lessons observed do not make sufficient physical demands of pupils to warrant a ‘warm-down’! Some teachers are insecure in their subject knowledge. This has a detrimental effect on pupils’ progress in skill acquisition. Some teachers present a poor role model in failing to change for the subject or even to wear appropriate footwear.

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Religious education

123.The subject is satisfactorily managed by a co-ordinator who has other core curriculum responsibilities. There is a good range of apparatus and equipment, which is used well to support teaching and learning. The accommodation for physical education is very good. It comprises an adequately-sized field and hard-surface areas, a well-maintained and equipped hall and an outdoor heated swimming pool. The hall is of a satisfactory size and is well timetabled for lessons. All facilities are very well used to promote learning. The school provides a satisfactory range of out-of-school activities, including football, netball and swimming. Competitive sports are arranged with other schools. The school has a successful record in football and netball. Very good use is made of the local sailing base, where some adventurous activities such as canoeing, sailing and expedition work are undertaken by Year 5

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Religious education

124.The inspection of this school included a focused view of swimming, which is reported below.

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Religious education

125.The standards of swimming achieved by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 are good and the progress they make is very good. All pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 in 1998 were able to swim at least the minimum requirement of 25 metres. At the end of 1999, 98 per cent of leavers were able to swim unaided and competently at least the minimum distance. The prediction is that all current Year 6 pupils will leave the school able to swim at least 25 metres. Some can swim further than this. All are confident in the water and have developed a variety of means of propulsion using arms and legs.

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Religious education

126.No lessons were observed during the inspection. Interviews with staff indicate that teaching is mainly focused on water confidence, basic propulsion and the development of efficient and fluent stroke techniques. Safety issues in and around water are well emphasised. The length and depth of the pool tend to inhibit the teaching of personal survival skills, diving and endurance swimming. Swimming lessons for each year group are timetabled for the summer term. Each class receives teaching for two lessons per week, each one lasting for 45 minutes. Documentation indicates that planning for swimming is good and is based on satisfactory schemes of work and a policy document. Satisfactory formative assessment is mostly carried out informally by teachers in the course of their teaching.

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Religious education

127.The school swimming pool is heated, outdoors and securely fenced. It has separate changing rooms and toilets for boys and girls. The pool is 15 metres in length, has a water space of 139 square metres and is up to one metre deep when in use. It is very well maintained by members of the Family Swimming Club. This is a fully constituted and very active organisation. It is open to families with children in the school by annual subscription. The club administers and supervises the pool during family use in the summer holidays. Funds are Brookland Junior School - 37 raised and plans made to improve the facility, by adding showers for example. The provision benefits pupils and their families. It promotes skills adequately for lower and average attainers, but does not extend higher attainers. Brookland Junior School - 38 131. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Religious education

128.The team consisted of four inspectors, spending a total of 14 days in school over a four-day period. During the inspection 58 lessons, several registration sessions, all assemblies and a range of other activities were seen. The team spent over 47 hours observing lessons, attending assemblies, hearing pupils read and talking to them about their work. A further nine hours were spent looking at pupils’ work, which included all the available written work from a representative sample of pupils from each class. Inspectors spoke to several governors, including the chair, about their roles. All teachers were interviewed and inspectors spoke to other members of the school staff about their work. Considerable documentation provided by the school was analysed, both before and during the inspection. Before the inspection, ten parents attended an evening meeting held by the registered inspector to seek their views.

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Religious education

Responses were received from 131 parents responded to a questionnaire sent to all parents, seeking their views on specific issues. Brookland Junior School - 39 132. DATA AND INDICATORS

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132. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with Statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals Y3 - Y6 245 1 72 69

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Religious education

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 9.2 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 26.6

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Religious education

Total number of education support staff: 7 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 72

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Religious education

£ Total Income 388,342 Total Expenditure 371,502 Expenditure per pupil 1,637 Balance brought forward from previous year 53,277 Balance carried forward to next year 70,117 Brookland Junior School - 40 132. PARENTAL SURVEY

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Number of questionnaires sent out: 245 Number of questionnaires returned: 131

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Religious education

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 37 56 5 2 0

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Religious education

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 46 46 4 4 0

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Religious education

The school handles complaints from parents well 19 55 19 6 1

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Religious education

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 28 62 6 3 1

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Religious education

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 27 61 6 6 0

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Religious education

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 31 63 4 2 0

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Religious education

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 25 52 11 10 2

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Religious education

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 26 57 8 8 1

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Religious education

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 30 59 10 1 0

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Religious education

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 24 63 10 3 0

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Religious education

My child(ren) like(s) school 46 46 5 3 0

p.40