Anston Park Junior School

Anston Park 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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Anston Park Junior School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Anston Park Junior School – Page 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of control: County (changing to Community from January 2000)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Park Avenue North Anston Sheffield S25 2QZ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs F Middleton

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 29 April-1 May 1996 Anston Park Junior School – Page 4

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Inspector Subjects Aspects

Mr B McAlpine Registered Inspector English Information technology Design and technology Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Mr D Haynes Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attendance Support, guidance and pupil welfare Partnership with parents and the community Mr M Bowers Team Inspector Science Geography History Religious education Special educational needs Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Inspector Subjects Aspects

Mr N Hardy Team Inspector Mathematics Music Art Physical education Curriculum and assessment Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Efficiency

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Inspector Subjects Aspects

PBM Inspection Services Ltd PO Box 524 Cheadle Staffordshire ST10 4RN

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Inspector Subjects Aspects

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

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Inspector Subjects Aspects

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Anston Park Junior School – Page 5

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Introduction

Characteristics of the school 6-8 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 9-17 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 18-21 Attendance 22

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 23-32 The curriculum and assessment 33-38 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 39-42 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 43-46 Partnership with parents and the community 47-51

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 52-58 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 59-60 The efficiency of the school 61-64

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Number of full-time pupils: 254 (average) Pupils with English as an additional language: 0 (below average) Pupils entitled to free school meals: 13.4 per cent (about average) Pupils on register of special educational needs: 37 (14.6 per cent; below average) Average class size: 31.75

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Attainment on entry is broadly average. There are variations from year to year and the trend is one of improvement. In 1999, more than eight in ten pupils entering year 3 had attained the level expected of an average seven-year-old in all core subjects when tested at the end of the infant key stage.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• .The teaching is good overall in English and standards are rising at a faster rate than the average nationally. • .The provision for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is effective and these pupils make good progress. • .The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They participate well in most lessons and show good levels of concentration. • .The teachers’ management of the pupils inside and outside the classroom is good and a high standard of discipline is maintained. • .The provision for spiritual, moral and cultural development is good, reflecting a clear and well developed set of values. • .The partnership with parents and the community is good. • .Parents are kept well informed about the attainment and progress of their children. • .Levels of pastoral care are high. • .The leadership and the management of the school are good overall. The headteacher leads very effectively by example. The governing body is actively involved in the school and fulfils its statutory responsibilities well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

• .The school’s aims and values are well reflected in its work and the ethos is good. • .The governors have very good strategies to monitor spending and to determine whether the school achieves good value for money with each of its spending priorities.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

I.High attaining pupils are underachieving in English, mathematics and science, especially in years 3 and 4. II.The teachers do not use their knowledge of pupils’ attainment and progress sufficiently when planning lessons. III.The learning objectives identified in the weekly and daily planning are sometimes too broad to guide the teaching, leading to lessons that lack depth and progression, especially for high attaining pupils. IV.The teachers do not always make a prompt start to lessons and sometimes they overrun; this shortens lessons and limits their effectiveness. V.The arrangements for health and safety are unsatisfactory.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The strengths substantially outweigh the weaknesses. The weaknesses will form the basis of the governors’ action plan, which will be sent to all parents and guardians of pupils at the school. Anston Park Junior School – Page 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Standards in all the core subjects have risen modestly year on year, with a significant increase in English in 1999, enabling standards at the school to keep pace with improvements nationally. These improvements have benefited the lower attaining pupils most. The quality of teaching has improved and there is more satisfactory and better than satisfactory teaching now than at the time of the last inspection. The arrangements for school development planning are now more rigorous. The provision for cultural development has improved.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

The response of the governors, senior management and staff of the school to the key issues identified in the previous report has been very positive. All issues have been tackled and, in each case, the action taken has been at least satisfactory in its effectiveness. Manageable targets to raise standards are set for each year group. Appropriate arrangements for monitoring the teaching and the curriculum have been introduced. Curricular roles and responsibilities have been suitably clarified. The in-service arrangements are increasing expertise in the core subjects and in information technology (IT). Efforts have been made to improve the quality and consistency of assessment. End of year assessments of attainment using National Curriculum levels are now consistent and satisfactory in quality. The information is analysed and used to determine school priorities, such as the introduction of attainment sets for teaching; the need to raise the attainment of

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

boys in literacy; and the need to raise attainment of all pupils in writing. However, arrangements to assess progress in more detail during the year are still underdeveloped and not enough use is made of this type of information when planning lessons.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

The involvement of the governors in the school has significantly improved. The arrangements for development planning, together with the monitoring undertaken by senior management, is contributing satisfactorily to the process of self-review. These factors, together with the good overall quality of leadership and management, means that the school has good capacity for further improvement.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION

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

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

The school is achieving standards that are consistent with the national averages. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests for pupils aged eleven in English, mathematics and science are about average. Slightly more pupils than is typical attained the expected level in each subject but fewer than is typical attained a higher level. The results in English and mathematics have increased year on year since the last inspection, with a significant improvement in English in 1999. The results in science have been more variable but the overall trend is one of improvement. In previous years, attainment in mathematics and science was generally above average whereas attainment in English was only just average. The improvements are mainly in the proportions attaining the expected level whereas attainment at the higher level has remained static. The improvements in mathematics and science are less than the national trend, allowing the gap between

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similar schools

the school and national performance to narrow. Compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the results in 1999 in mathematics are average but those in English and science are below the average.

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similar schools

The inspection findings are that standards in the core subjects are satisfactory. Attainment in English, mathematics and science among pupils currently in year 6 is average overall. The proportions at the expected level are slightly larger than is typical nationally but there are fewer than is typical at the higher levels, indicating a degree of underachievement for this particular attainment group. Progress in the core subjects is satisfactory for the substantial majority of pupils. However, there are fewer high attaining pupils at age eleven than enter the school with high attainment at age seven and progress for more than one third of the` pupils in the high attainment group is slower than expected. Attainment and progress are satisfactory in religious education (RE). Progress in IT has been only just satisfactory in the past but has quickened considerably during the present school year, reflecting recent developments and improved teaching methods.

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similar schools

Anston Park Junior School – Page 8 Progress is good in history and physical education and satisfactory in art, design and technology, geography, and music, though the evidence is limited in design and technology and in physical education. Anston Park Junior School – Page 9

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QUALITY OF TEACHING

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

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QUALITY OF TEACHING

The teaching is satisfactory overall. Ninety-two per cent is satisfactory or better and this is consistent with national norms. Just over half of the teaching is good or better, including 12 per cent that is very good. These proportions are also about average. Eight per cent of the teaching is less than satisfactory, including two per cent that is poor. The amount of teaching that is less than satisfactory is almost half that found during the previous inspection and the teaching has improved in line with the national trend. The quality of teaching is best in year 5, where all of the teaching is at least satisfactory and 85 per cent is good or very good. The teaching is satisfactory overall in years 3, 4 and 6. The unsatisfactory teaching was in lessons taught by four teachers but this is not indicative of the quality of their work overall.

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QUALITY OF TEACHING

The teaching is good in English and IT, where in both subjects all of the teaching is at least satisfactory and two thirds is good or better. The teaching is satisfactory in all other subjects. All of the teaching in science, RE, art, design and technology and history is at least satisfactory. The teaching in geography is only just satisfactory overall. There is a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching in mathematics, music and PE.

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QUALITY OF TEACHING

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 Satisfactory. A wide range of rewards reinforces a positive approach to behaviour and discipline that helps to create a constructive working atmosphere and contributes to pupils’ progress. Attendance Average. There has been a slight improvement since the last inspection.

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Aspect Comment

Ethos* Good. The ethos is very positive, reflecting an effective learning environment, good relationships and equality of opportunity.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management Good overall. The headteacher leads effectively by example. There is effective delegation. The governing body are actively involved. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined but the role of the deputy headteacher is narrow in scope. Curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is broad and balanced. There are adequate schemes of work for all subjects although the scheme for design and technology needs revising. Pupils with special educational needs The provision is of good quality and the pupils make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The provision for spiritual, moral and cultural development is good. The provision for social development is satisfactory. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good. Teachers are suitably qualified and experienced. Non-teaching staff are experienced and well trained. The arrangements for professional development are good. There is a wide range of resources in most subjects. Value for money Satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards . Anston Park Junior School – Page 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

VI. The good standards of attainment reached by the pils and the amount of progress they make.

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

VII.Improvements in IT since the last inspection. VIII. The amount of homework provided is available.

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

The inspectors broadly agree with the parents positive views. The arrangements for homework are typical of most schools and the teachers are working towards meeting the national recommendations for homework. The homework provided in English, especially reading, insufficiently challenges the pupils in years 5 and 6. Anston Park Junior School – Page 11 · Key issues for action

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

1.Key issue 1: To improve the progress of high attaining pupils and eliminate their underachievement, the headteacher and his staff, with the support of the governing body should:

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

§ .raise the quality of all teaching to that of the best; the measures to achieve this should include training for teachers in the methods and strategies necessary to meet the learning needs of pupils of differing attainment within whole class literacy and numeracy lessons;

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

§ .write and implement a policy for teaching and learning that sets out clearly the methods to be used and the planning required of teachers when they teach pupils in attainment sets;

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

§ .monitor the effectiveness of the training and the implementation of the policy through a rigorous programme of classroom visits and scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work; and report the findings periodically to the governing body.

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

1.Key issue 2: To improve the quality of weekly and daily lesson planning, the headteacher and his staff, with the support of the governing body should:

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

§ .provide all teachers with relevant training in the identification and use of learning objectives that are specific to individual lessons and to groups of pupils within a class;

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

§ .improve the quality of the current system of individual target setting and the quality of short-term assessment arrangements by using the learning objectives in the literacy and numeracy Frameworks and then evaluating the pupils’ progress towards achieving them.

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

1.Key issue 3: To increase the effective use of available teaching time, the headteacher and his staff should:

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

§ .modify the timetable so that there is sufficient time for lessons to be of appropriate length; for specific projects such as the involvement of parents in reading at the start of the day to be manageable; for classes using the hall to gain access promptly; and for canteen staff to clear tables and the hall floor after lunch;

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

§ .introduce procedures to monitor timekeeping and to report the findings periodically to the governing body.

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

1.Key issue 4: The headteacher and governors should:

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

§ .remedy, as a matter of urgency, the health and safety shortcomings identified during the inspection;

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

§ .organise relevant training in health and safety for governors and senior management; the training should include risk assessment and the management of risks;

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

§ .regularly seek advice about health and safety matters from the local authority and other appropriately qualified agencies and then act upon that advice.

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

1.In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weakness should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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

§ .The range of the deputy headteacher’s responsibilities is narrow (paragraph 53). Anston Park Junior School – Page 12

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Introduction

1.The school is located in a residential area in the village of Anston, midway between Rotherham and Worksop. The backgrounds of the pupils are mixed both socially and economically. The range of backgrounds is typical of the majority of schools. There are 254 full-time pupils, organised into eight mixed ability classes for registration purposes but they are taught in sets organised according to their prior attainment for literacy and numeracy. Pupils are admitted at the age of seven, mainly from the infant school that shares the site, and they transfer to the high school at the age of eleven. Attainment on entry is broadly average. About 13 per cent of the pupils are eligible for a free school meal, and this is broadly in line with the national average. A very small proportion of the pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds, none of whom speaks English as an additional language. Four pupils have a statement of SEN and this is about the local

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Introduction

and national average. Thirty-seven pupils, about 14 per cent, are on the SEN register; this is below average.

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Introduction

2.The main aim is for the children to achieve the highest possible standards. This is to be achieved through the teachers having high expectations and providing high quality teaching and learning. The headteacher and staff aim to provide a secure learning environment; to have behaviour and discipline founded on respect, responsibility and good relationships; to achieve genuine collaboration and team work among the staff; to promote parental involvement in the children’s education; and an effective partnership between the children, school, family, governors and wider community.

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Introduction

3.The targets for the year 2000 for literacy, numeracy and science were set one year ago and were largely achieved in 1999. The targets for 2000 are for 77 per cent of the pupils at the end of year 6 in English and 82 per cent in mathematics and 86 per cent in science to reach or exceed the standard expected nationally of an average eleven-year-old. Anston Park Junior School – Page 13

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Attainment at Key Stage 2 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 Year Boys Girls Total For latest reporting year: 1998-9 27 23 50

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 19 23 25 at NC Level 4 or Girls 19 17 17 Above Total 38 40 42 Percentage at NC School 76 (64) 80 (77) 84 (82) Level 4 or above National 70 (65) 69 (59) 78 (69)

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Results

8. Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 20 16 25 at NC Level 4 or Girls 20 24 27 Above Total 40 40 42 Percentage at NC School 80 (77) 80 (84) 84 (88) 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 latest complete Authorised School 5.7 Reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.1 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Results

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number The previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

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Results

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 12 Satisfactory or better 92 Less than satisfactory 8

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Results

.................................. Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Anston Park Junior School – Page 14 8. PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Results

8. Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

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Results

4.Standards in the core subjects are satisfactory. Attainment in English, mathematics and science among pupils currently in year 6 is as average overall. About three quarters of the pupils in English and science and about seven tenths in mathematics are attaining a level in each subject that is close to that expected nationally of a typical eleven year old. These proportions are slightly higher than is usually found nationally. Between 10 and 20 per cent of pupils, depending on the subject, are attaining at a higher level. The proportions at the higher level are slightly below those that are typically found, indicating a degree of underachievement for this particular attainment group. Attainment on entry is broadly average. Progress in the core subjects is at least satisfactory for the substantial majority of pupils. However, there are fewer high attaining pupils at age eleven than enter with high attainment at age seven and progress for some pupils in the

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Results

high attainment group is slower than expected. Attainment and progress are just satisfactory in IT. Recent improvements in this subject have not yet had time to raise attainment to expected levels. The picture is nevertheless a positive one. Attainment and progress are satisfactory in RE. Progress is good in history and physical education (PE) and satisfactory in art, design and technology, geography, and music, though the evidence is limited in design and technology and in physical education. Girls have done better than boys in tests in English for the past three years but the findings are that the boys are beginning to catch up. There are no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls in mathematics and science, or between pupils of different background in any subject. Pupils on the SEN register generally attain standards in English and mathematics that are below those expected for their age. The provision for pupils with

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Results

SEN is good and some of them are catching up on expected standards. There is currently no pupil for whom English is an additional language.

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Results

5.The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests for pupils aged eleven in English, mathematics and science are within the average range even though, in each subject, the proportion of pupils who reached or exceeded the nationally expected level is higher than the national mean. However, 14 per cent of the pupils in English and 22 per cent in mathematics and science attained a higher level, and these proportions are slightly below the mean in each subject at this level. Between 1995 and 1998, the results in English and mathematics increased year on year. The results in science were more variable but the overall trend was one of improvement. During these years, attainment in mathematics and science was generally above the average whereas attainment in English was only just high enough to be average. The improvements between 1995 and 1998 were mainly in the proportions attaining the expected level whereas proportion attaining the higher level

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Results

remained static. The results in English in 1999 were a significant improvement, and greater than the national trend, but those in mathematics and science improved less than attainment nationally, allowing the gap between the school and national performance to narrow. Compared to schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the results in 1999 in mathematics are average but those in English and science are below the average.

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Results

6.Nearly all of the pupils in year 6 are independent readers and can write at length when required. Their phonic and comprehension skills are at least satisfactory. They are able to cope with most of the reading demands necessary to keep up with learning in all subjects and their attitudes to reading and writing are positive. Their writing is interesting and lively, words are chosen to good effect, but the structure and organisation are not always pertinent to the purpose. Speaking and listening skills are generally appropriate for their age. In mathematics, the substantial majority of pupils in year 6 are developing appropriate problem solving skills and have a satisfactory knowledge of number and algebra; shape, space and measures; and data handling. However, the speed and accuracy of their mental calculations is slower than expected. In science, the year 6 pupils have satisfactory levels of knowledge of experimental and investigative science; life

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Results

processes and living things; materials and their properties; and physical processes.

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Results

7.In IT, very few pupils in year 6 have levels of knowledge and skill that are appropriate for their age in every aspect of the subject. However, many of them have good knowledge of word processing and of storing, presenting and retrieving information using specific programs and a broad, if basic, knowledge of spreadsheets, data base programs, control and modelling technology. In RE, pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of Christianity and of several other major world religions.

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Results

8.The majority of the pupils can express their ideas and feelings in art appropriately and imaginatively. They have a good knowledge of a broad range of media and satisfactory levels of confidence to apply and explore different two and three- dimensional techniques. Knowledge of famous artists is limited. In design and technology, the pupils demonstrate satisfactory understanding of the design process. Finished work shows good attention to quality and indicates satisfactory knowledge and use of a range of tools and techniques. The pupils are gaining appropriate insights into British history and Anston Park Junior School – Page 15 have good skills of historical research and inquiry. Geographical knowledge of the locality and of contrasting regions in the United Kingdom and further afield is generally appropriate although progress is inconsistent between the classes. In music, the substantial majority of pupils acquire appropriate performing, composing, listening and appraising skills. They

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Results

sing with enthusiasm from a good repertoire of songs and a minority of pupils are making satisfactory progress learning to play particular instruments. In PE, pupils have good control and agility. They move with accuracy and have the vocabulary to describe and evaluate the quality of movements made. Standards and progress in swimming are good.

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Results

9.Attainment on entry varies from year to year but is broadly average. In the 1999 national assessments, about 90 per cent of the pupils reached or exceeded the level expected of a typical seven year old in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Although these proportions are several per cent higher than the national mean, they are nevertheless within a range that is typical of the majority of schools, especially when full account is taken of the proportions at the various test grades and levels. Detailed analysis shows that many of the pupils only just managed to attain the expected level and that the proportion of pupils who did very well within the expected level is significantly smaller than is typical nationally.

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Results

10.School records demonstrate that progress over time has been uneven in the past, particularly for high attaining pupils in years 3 and 4. The data shows that the eleven-year-olds that took the tests in 1999 had made slower progress in all subjects in years 3 and 4 than they made in years 5 and 6. Only about half these pupils increased their attainment by one National Curriculum level, the expected amount, between 1995 and 1997. Nearly all of those who entered the school with below the expected attainment made satisfactory progress. Those who made the slowest progress were those who entered the junior key stage with the highest attainment. During 1998 and 1999, these pupils caught up; nearly all of them increased their attainment by at least one level and a significant number increased it by two levels. The reasons for the slow progress in some years and not others are unclear. There were prolonged periods of staff absence in year 4 during

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Results

1997 and 1998 and there have been changes in teachers since that time. Progress currently in years 3 and 4 is satisfactory in all of the core subjects, although the teaching tends to be pitched at one level and insufficiently challenges those with the highest attainment.

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Results

11.The school has provided the lower attaining pupils with increased support, using additional funding from national sources. Setting the pupils by prior attainment in English and mathematics was introduced in 1998. The National Literacy Strategy was also introduced in 1998. The findings are that these measures are effective for lower attaining pupils and this is one of the reasons why the proportion of pupils attaining the nationally expected level has increased. However, school records also show that, consistently, the proportion entering at age seven with higher than expected attainment in each subject is substantially larger than the proportion with high attainment who leave at age eleven. The higher attaining groups are benefiting from the setting arrangements introduced at the start of the previous school year but the needs of the highest attaining pupils within these sets are still not always fully met, particularly in years 3 and 4.

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Results

12.The pupils with SEN make good progress in relation to their individual difficulties. A small percentage of pupils have difficulty understanding number values and relationships. Nearly all of those with emotional and behavioural difficulties are learning to control and modify their behaviour sufficiently for them to be included in general classroom work most of the time.

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Results

17. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Results

13.The pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They participate well in most lessons, applying themselves to set tasks with good levels of concentration. Nearly all of them enjoy their work and listen attentively to their teachers and to the contributions of other pupils. They respond positively when asked to undertake tasks and willingly volunteer to answer questions. When they are asked, the pupils work well collaboratively, sharing equipment well and using it carefully. Many pupils help and support others without prompting.

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Results

14.Standards of behaviour are acceptable. This confirms the views of the parents who returned the questionnaire and attended the meeting with the inspectors. Good behaviour is celebrated. A wide range of awards are made at weekly ‘praise assemblies’, reinforcing the positive approach to behaviour and discipline. This approach helps to create a constructive working atmosphere and is contributory to pupils’ progress. However, in a small minority of classes, pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are occasionally over rewarded compared to the better socially adjusted pupils and this occasionally gives the wrong messages. The lapses by a small minority, whose behaviour is occasionally unsatisfactory, are dealt with promptly and effectively and the headteacher involves parents in disciplinary procedures when necessary. During the previous school year there were no exclusions. No bullying or racial taunting was seen and

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Results

none reported by the pupils. The very small number of instances of bullying reported by parents were dealt with very promptly by the headteacher. Anston Park Junior School – Page 16 15.Pupils’ personal development is sound and benefits from the generally good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The pupils respond positively when given opportunities for quiet reflection, for example when they responded with dignity to the one minute’s silence to show their respect for the sacrifices made during two World Wars. Their appreciation of right from wrong is successfully developed throughout the school and pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions. Most learn that they must take into account the needs of others. Some pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties still demand attention through their inappropriate behaviour. The school is working hard with parents and the local authority’s behaviour management team to help these pupils to modify their

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Results

16.Most pupils show respect for each other and for staff and visitors. In many classes, pupils work collaboratively in pairs and small groups. The relationships between teachers and pupils and between support staff and pupils with special needs are good and all staff work hard to involve pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties in classroom activities and to develop their interpersonal skills. Most pupils play energetically together in the playground and there are good social relationships in the dining hall. Pupils respond well to opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school. They take messages and organise lunch boxes. Older pupils involve themselves in daily tasks around the school. The residential visit for Year 6 pupils early in the school year promotes good relationships that can be built on and enriched as they move through their final year.

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Results

17.Whole school attendance is satisfactory. There has been a slight improvement since the last inspection and the level of attendance is in line with the national average. There is a small amount of unauthorised absence that includes family holidays taken in term time which last for more than ten days. Registers are returned to the school office immediately after morning and afternoon registration and the school secretary ensures any late comers or absentees are correctly entered. The analysis of absence appropriately includes whole school statistics and records for the individual pupil. The overall punctuality of pupils at morning registration is satisfactory with only a few late comers and lessons start on time.

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Results

18.The range and quality of teaching is typical of most schools and is satisfactory overall. The amount of teaching that is satisfactory or better, 92 per cent, is consistent with the norms outlined in Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools most recent annual report. Just over half of the teaching is good or better, including 12 per cent that is very good. The amount of teaching that is less than satisfactory, 8 per cent, includes 2 per cent that is poor. None of the teaching is very poor. The amount of the teaching that is less than satisfactory is almost half that found during the previous inspection and the teaching has improved in line with improvements nationally. The quality of teaching is best overall in year 5, where all of the teaching is at least satisfactory and 85 per cent is good or very good. The teaching is satisfactory overall in years 3, 4 and 6. There is more very good teaching in year 5 than the other year groups, amounting to 31 per cent overall. Nearly all

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Results

of the teaching that is less than satisfactory is in years 3 and 4. Teaching of this quality was in lessons taught by four teachers but is not indicative of the quality of their work overall.

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19.The teaching is good in English and IT, where all of the teaching is satisfactory or better, including two thirds that is good or better. Only three whole class lessons were seen in IT and some of the incidental provision outside whole class lessons lacked rigour. The teaching is satisfactory in all of the other subjects. All of the teaching in science, RE, art, design and technology and history is satisfactory or better. The teaching in geography is only just satisfactory overall and about one third is unsatisfactory. There is some unsatisfactory teaching in mathematics, music and PE.

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20.Where the teaching is very good, the teacher effectively motivates the pupils and conveys to them his or her own enthusiasm for the subject. Extensive subject knowledge and expertise leads to questioning, discussion and practical work that challenges all pupils and to an expectation that the high standards demanded will be achieved. The lessons are packed with knowledge and information and there is good progression to the ideas and skills being taught so that they accumulate steadily and appropriately during the lesson. In English, all recommended elements of the Literacy Hour are included and managed effectively. In science, there is a strong emphasis on experimental work, demonstrations are well chosen and informative and resources are very constructively used to create a scientific environment. Anston Park Junior School – Page 17 21.Where teaching is good, the learning objectives for the lesson are shared with the pupils. Introductions to the lesson

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are sharp and precise and good use is made of appropriate terminology. In mathematics, there is appropriate emphasis on mental arithmetic and good monitoring of pupils’ responses. Misconceptions are quickly noticed and remedied. Time and resources are used efficiently and the methods and organisational strategies are appropriate to the work in hand.

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22.Satisfactory teaching is predominately effective but there are a few shortcomings. In lessons of this quality, questioning and discussions relate appropriately to the objectives of the lesson. Pupils are monitored and provided with regular feedback. In English, direct teaching of phonics and grammar takes place. However, knowledge and skills are not always taught in sufficient depth and a minority of pupils within the class are inadequately stretched.

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23.Where teaching is unsatisfactory, weaknesses in the planning lead to insufficient purpose, challenge and progression within the lesson. The pace of learning is slow and fails to motivate and retain the interest of the pupils. In mathematics, the teachers do not provide work that is adequately matched to the needs of the higher attaining pupils. The poor teaching is caused by inadequate preparation.

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24.The teachers’ knowledge and understanding is satisfactory overall in every subject, although individual teachers have strengths and weaknesses in particular subjects. In English, all teachers have a working knowledge of the National Literacy Strategy. The teaching of phonics is generally effective although a minority of teachers do not have the knowledge to do this is in sufficient depth. All teachers are getting to grips with the National Numeracy Strategy and are giving appropriate priority to mental number work. Expectations throughout the year groups are appropriate for average and low attaining pupils but are not always challenging enough for high attaining pupils, especially in years 3 and 4.

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25.There are weaknesses throughout in the quality of weekly and daily lesson planning. The weekly and daily planning is appropriately linked to medium and long term plans. Common formats are used consistently. At this level, the arrangements are satisfactory and represent a good improvement since the last inspection. However, in most instances, lesson planning is task rather than learning orientated and this can lead to only limited accumulations of knowledge and skills within the lesson. The setting of pupils by prior attainment means that the learning needs of the sets are different. To accommodate this, the joint planning in year group teams stops at a generalised level. The resulting plans sometimes lack the detail necessary to teach knowledge and skills in sufficient depth or to meet the specific needs of pupils at varying levels of attainment within a set. This shortcoming is compounded by the lack of detailed assessment linked to the specific

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learning objectives within the literacy and numeracy Frameworks. The impact is greatest on high attaining pupils in years 3 and 4.

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26.Nearly all the teachers manage the pupils well. Day to day monitoring, marking and assessment are satisfactory. Timekeeping is sometimes unsatisfactory, leading to some lessons overrunning and others being cut short. The homework arrangements are underdeveloped. Regular homework is provided in a range of subjects and instances of appropriate homework being set were seen in design and technology, for example. In English, the arrangements for pupils reading at home lack structure and challenge. Insufficient guidance is given to pupils to help them choose books that will extend their reading skills and broaden their knowledge and understanding of literature. The home-school reading diaries are underused as a means of communicating detailed information about attainment and progress or of guiding the direction of learning.

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27.The provision for pupils with SEN is good. The setting arrangements are leading to lessons with appropriate levels of challenge, particularly when learning support assistants are deployed. All pupils who are on the SEN register have designated tasks that match the targets on their individual education plans. When pupils are withdrawn, the quality of work provided is good and the pupils are well supported by experienced and committed learning support assistants. The pupils’ work is closely monitored and assessed during lessons.

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28.The curriculum is broad and includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum and RE. The aims and values of the school are reflected well in a curriculum that provides appropriately for the pupil’s intellectual, physical and personal development. The school has effective monitoring systems to calculate the time allocated to each subject and the balance between them. Good attention is given to the teaching of English, mathematics and science but this sometimes results in limited time being available, in practice, to extend pupils’ learning in some other subjects. Sex education, drugs awareness education and health education receive appropriate attention and are taught through the science curriculum. Religious Education is taught in line with the locally agreed syllabus. Over the period of an academic year all statutory Anston Park Junior School – Page 18 requirements are met. Pupils have equality of access to the curriculum. However there are examples in some lessons

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where the most able pupils are not fully extended appropriately challenging tasks. The governing body, through its curriculum committee, is very well informed and supportive of all aspects of curriculum development. Regular visits are made to classrooms and governors, with help and guidance provided by the headteacher, keep themselves up to date about standards and effectiveness in teaching and the curriculum; this is good practice. Provision for pupils with SEN is good.

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29.There are policy documents and schemes of work for all subjects. There is a programme of regular reviews and updating and the staff are aware, through the school development plan, of which policies and schemes require revision. The teachers plan appropriately in the long, medium and short term. Planning however, does not always contain sufficient detail on what knowledge and skills that pupils are to learn in a lesson. Similarly, the teachers’ planning is not always sufficiently based on appropriate assessments of what pupils have learned and skills are not always successfully developed. This sometimes leads to a lack of clear aim for learning and progress being slowed. Arrangements for setting pupils for English and mathematics are having a positive effect on standards. However, a lack of clear, careful timekeeping and a small number of lessons that do not sufficiently focus on pupils’ learning mean that full value is not

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always received from the time pupils spend in school.

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30.The curriculum for pupils with SEN is good and pupils are well supported. Individual education plans for these pupils are of a good quality, setting clear targets that class teachers and support staff monitor to check if progress is being made. Such plans are in place for all pupils on the SEN register, which is more than is required nationally. Specific plans are prepared for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties. They identify targets appropriate to their needs, focusing on behaviour management, concentration span and the development of positive relationships within the classroom. All the requirements of the SEN code of practice are met in full. When pupils are withdrawn from lessons for additional support, care is taken to ensure that work is appropriate, well structured and linked to the curriculum being followed by other pupils. Procedures for the identification and assessment of these pupils are clearly understood. On going assessment is

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used effectively to measure the extent to which the individual targets are being achieved and there are regular, planned review programmes. The SEN coordinator appropriately makes early identification of pupils’ special needs. The staff do not, however, use diagnostic tests to check pupils’ progress or confirm their special needs.

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31.A sound but limited range of extra curricular activities is provided. Pupils have good opportunities to participate in competitive sports including swimming, football, rugby and netball. They achieve well in most of these competitions. Opportunities in other areas of the curriculum are limited. The quality of the curriculum is enhanced by the use of the local environment and outside visits to a range of places and events. These include theatre and musical events. Pupils have the opportunity to take part in residential visits that form an important feature in the life of the school. Pupils are prepared well for the next stage of education through visits by and discussions with staff from receiving secondary schools.

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32.Arrangements for the assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science are satisfactory. Records of the knowledge and skills learned, of formal testing and the progress made are kept regularly in these subjects. Records of pupils’ attainment in IT, RE and in other subjects are less detailed, have no uniform format and are under developed.

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33.Supportive and helpful comments, both written and oral, are features of many lessons. Pupils respond positively to praise and to constructive observation and this contributes to improving standards and their rate of progress. Targets for improvement are beginning to be set. Senior management and governors undertake detailed analysis of recent test data. This is used to identify areas for improvement. Since the last inspection, there have been improvements in planning and assessment of the curriculum and the school recognised that further development is required.

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

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34.The provision is good overall and has improved since the last inspection, especially for cultural development. The values of the school are well promoted among the pupils and are a strength of the provision. The provision for spiritual development is good. Hymns are carefully chosen to create an appropriate atmosphere of contemplation and reverence during collective worship and there are carefully organised moments for reflection. Effective opportunities are also created during RE, and at other times, to encourage pupils to think about the spiritual aspects of Christianity and other major world religions. Ministers from the local Christian churches and leaders from other faith communities visit the school to provide insights into the spiritual dimensions of their beliefs. Pupils gain a valuable understanding of their own personal worth through the awarding of class points for endeavour and achievement, praise at special assemblies, and inclusion in

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the ‘golden book’. These effectively enhance self-esteem and promote personal values. Fieldwork provides good Anston Park Junior School – Page 19 opportunities for pupils to increase their awareness of the natural and man made world and for moments of awe and wonder. Moments of stillness and reflection in English enable pupils to write poetically about the richness and diversity of the universe. Imaginative dance and music lessons provide moments of creativity. The display of pupils’ work supported by sacred religious artefacts provides an aesthetic and good supportive background for spiritual development.

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35.Provision for moral development is good and takes place within a clear framework of values. Good behaviour is rewarded effectively. There are satisfactory agreed procedures outlined in the behaviour and discipline policy and all classes have clear and appropriate incentives to reward good behaviour and endeavour. All staff are aware of their responsibilities and a ‘home school agreement’ policy has recently been agreed and adopted. The school has regular contact with the parents of pupils who experience emotional and behavioural difficulties. This, together with support from the local authority’s behaviour management team, enables the pupils to be effectively included in mainstream classes. All staff have good positive and constructive relationships with the pupils and successfully teach the difference between right and wrong.

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36.Provision for social development is satisfactory. A useful range of after school clubs provides older pupils with opportunities to develop their interests, use their time productively, and to cooperate with staff and other pupils outside lessons. Social areas have been created within the school grounds, giving pupils the opportunity to sit quietly and engage in conversations. Pupils carry out duties conscientiously in their classrooms, with year 6 pupils completing a small number of jobs that help in the general day to day organisation. Older pupils use their initiative to raise money for a good range of charities. This develops their sense of social responsibility. The recent year 6 residential visit to Filey provides opportunities for pupils to become aware of the presence and requirements of their classmates enabling them to develop constructive relationships.

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37.Provision for cultural development is good. History and geography effectively increase pupils’ knowledge of their own culture through visits to places of significance and interest. They are introduced to other cultures in history, geography and religious education. Pupils experience the work of the great artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Kandinski and professional actors visit the school to enrich pupils’ developing knowledge. Pupils benefit from theatre visits and enjoy listening to concerts given by the peripatetic teaching service. Religious education provides a good knowledge of the multicultural nature of Britain today, giving pupils insights into festival and religious celebrations.

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42. Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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38.Overall, the school’s provision for the support, guidance and pupils’ welfare is satisfactory. The school has maintained an orderly and caring community that encourages learning in all its pupils that was found in the previous inspection. The level of pastoral care shown by both teaching and non-teaching staff is high. Academic progress and personal development is regularly monitored and recorded. This results in a comprehensive annual report to parents. The annual report includes reference to such things as application, behaviour, social skills, attendance and punctuality as well as academic progress. Pupils complete their own records of achievement, areas for improvement are clearly stated and there is provision for parental comment. Parents are generally satisfied with the support and guidance given to their children.

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39.Pupils with SEN are helped to achieve the objectives in their individual education plans through effective support and supervision within class. Pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties are from time to time supported by the local education authority behaviour management team. All staff, including midday supervisors are appropriately experienced in responding to the needs of these pupils.

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40.Good attendance is rewarded each term and at the end of each academic year with certificates and book tokens. The staff know the children well. Unexplained absence is followed up sensitively by the teachers or the school secretary. The school does not analyse absence statistics to enable patterns or trends to be identified and does not have a policy for improving attendance further. The school’s policy on behaviour and discipline is clear and the rules are simple and sensible. Behaviour in the classroom is satisfactory and any inappropriate behaviour is quickly and competently dealt with. Pupils are well supervised during lunchtimes and playtimes and lunchtime supervisors maintain a consistent approach to behaviour and discipline. One minor incident of playground aggression was observed which was dealt with very effectively. As a reminder, the school rules for behaviour are prominently displayed around the school. However, on

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occasions, good-natured boisterous play in the playground continues in the corridors on the way to lessons.

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41.Satisfactory procedures are in place for child protection. The head teacher is the responsible member of staff and is well experienced in his role. Other staff are well informed, aware of their responsibilities and are familiar with the procedures. First aid provision is satisfactory. All teaching and non-teaching staff have had some first aid training, the Anston Park Junior School – Page 20 first aid room is well stocked and safely maintained. The accident book and book to record the taking of medicines by pupils are clearly completed. Before the school will allow pupils to take medication at school, written authority is obtained from the parents. However, the management of health and safety in general lacks rigour and is leading to a number of omissions that need to be remedied by governors as a matter of urgency. The school has published a health and safety policy and there is a nominated member of staff responsible for health and safety. Contrary to the school’s policy, fire

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doors are bolted and smoke doors kept open. The previous inspection highlighted the lack of an alternative escape route from the upper classrooms; more attention should therefore be paid to maintaining a risk free environment in the stairwell. Formal risk assessments are not carried out and emergency exit signs are poorly displayed. Fire alarms and evacuation records are correctly maintained. The general standard of maintenance of the buildings and grounds is good and the standard of cleaning is very good.

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46. Partnership with parents and the community

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42.Overall, the partnership with parents and the community is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The action plan introduced by the school following the last inspection included improving information for parents and increasing their contact with the school; the school has made good progress in these areas. The school prospectus contains detailed information on the life of the school. The prospectus is easy to read and complete with the exception of the school and national assessment results for pupils aged eleven. The information to parents is supported by regular newsletters and friendly and open access to teaching staff. The school advises parents of topics to be covered each term by each year group through the inclusion of a year group page in the newsletter. Direction and advice on homework is also included, as is a summary of whole school activities and a diary of the terms events. However a significant minority of parents still feel

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that they would like more information on curricular subjects and homework. Generally the parents are well satisfied with the progress their children make at the school.

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43.The school offers parents and members of the wider family the opportunity to take part in a reading partnership where advice is given on how to improve the reading skills of their children by participating in activities both in school and at home. During the inspection, twelve parents were observed reading or discussing work with their children in a year 3 class before the start of the teaching day. The annual report to parents is clear and comprehensive; it contains comment on progress and areas for improvement on particular subjects, attitudes to learning, personal development and includes details of the individuals’ attendance and punctuality. The children make comment of their own progress and provision is made for parental comment.

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44.The infant and junior schools share the same friends of the school parents’ association. The association has organised social events and events to raise funds for the school. The governors should consider ways in which the association can be encouraged to develop their activities for the benefit of the school. Parents are encouraged to take part in activities during the teaching day and twelve adults, including two sixth form pupils from the local secondary school who attend as part of their community service, assist in classes on a regular basis.

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45.Links with the community include a good level of support for sporting activity with coaching from the local rugby, football and cricket clubs. The local supermarket sponsors the sports kit. Other support is provided by the local college providing courses for parents on computer skills; the local horticultural society helping with the spring planting and hanging baskets; and number of computers have been donated by local companies. The school regularly takes part in a Crucial Crew Activity where Year 6 pupils take part in activities which teach them how to deal with incidents ranging from accidents to drugs. Year 6 pupils also have the opportunity to attend a five-day residential visit to Filey. Charitable work is initiated by the pupils and is a regular activity; a number of national and international charities are supported. Links with schools in Sweden and Hungary have recently been established and the school has plans to use these to

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develop the pupils’ communication skills. The school is aware that its links with commerce and industry as a means of enriching the curriculum could be developed further.

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46.Parents of pupils with SEN are fully involved in the reviews. They are always invited to the termly or yearly reviews and their attendance is recorded. All correspondence is kept and parents’ views are recorded on the individual education plans and supporting documentation. There is a very good relationship between the school and the local authority support organisations, particularly the learning, curriculum and psychological support and advice services.

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51. The management and efficiency of the school Anston Park Junior School – Page 21 51. Leadership and management

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47.Leadership and management are good. All relevant statutory requirements are met. The headteacher has a regular teaching commitment and leads very effectively by example. He is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and gives a firm steer to its educational direction. His day-to-day management is good. He has developed an effective collegiate approach to most of the decision making. There is a full programme of staff meetings, which includes an appropriate mixture of in-service training, awareness raising and policy agreement. This is leading to good involvement of staff in the development of the school and to a strong sense of teamwork. The senior management team, in consultation with staff, produces the programme of staff meetings, manages the agenda, and has good oversight of school developments.

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48.There is effective delegation, in the main, but the role of the deputy headteacher is underdeveloped. Roles and responsibilities are clearly communicated within the school and understood by all the staff. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when this aspect of management was a shortcoming. The subject coordinators appropriately see, as part of their role, the need to lead by example and to establish, in their classroom, examples of good practice in their subject. This they effectively do. They provide advice and support when asked and when needed and monitor their subjects satisfactorily through scrutiny of planning and pupils’ work and through visits to observe the teaching. The headteacher has, within the constraints of practicality, provided coordinators with time for this activity, giving priority to core subjects. This time is well used. Two members of staff have additional responsibility for

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coordinating the work of the lower and upper school year groups respectively. Their role is mainly one of oversight and of communication, especially within the senior management team. Both their role and their effectiveness are satisfactory. The deputy headteacher has clearly assigned tasks, which are carried out appropriately. However, the scope of his responsibilities is too narrow given the seniority of his post. The immediate affect of this on the day to day management of the school is marginal because of the strength of leadership and management shown by the headteacher but it has the potential to slow the pace of school developments in the long term.

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49.The governing body is actively involved in the school and fulfils its statutory responsibilities well. The governorship is currently changing from being a joint body with the infant school to a single body and this process is being appropriately managed. The chair of governors visits the school regularly to keep herself informed. Other governors also visit frequently and there is a satisfactory mix of formality and informality to these arrangements. There is a good range of committees that covers all significant aspects of governor responsibility and the quality of their work is a strength. The curriculum committee, for example, has a programme for reviewing subject policies, receives presentations from the coordinators, visits the school to look at continuity, progress and practice and evaluates the findings. The remit and membership of the committees are clearly defined and the arrangements for reporting to the full governing body are good. The headteacher’s

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reports to the governors are of good quality. The reports are detailed and informative and provide a useful record of action taken in response to the previous inspection and the school development plan. The minutes of governors’ meetings are properly maintained. Overall, the business of the governors is well conducted, enabling them to act effectively as critical friends to the school and to hold the school to account for the educational standards achieved and the quality of education provided.

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50.The governors provide a satisfactory strategic view of where the school is heading through their school development plan, and there is an appropriate climate of debate and discussion among governors and staff. The documented plan is of satisfactory quality, manageable and relevant to the school’s needs. It looks twelve months ahead in detail and then briefly outlines developments for the following year. The criticisms of the planning arrangements made in the previous inspection report have been remedied although the wording of some of the targets in the school development plan is imprecise. Nevertheless, the development plan is clear about school aims, uses evaluation of the previous plan as a starting point, includes analysis of test results and other assessment data, and includes subject coordinators’ evaluations and action plans, and this is good practice.

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51.Teaching and curriculum developments are monitored, evaluated and supported satisfactorily. The headteacher has initiated a programme of classroom visits and observations, together with a system of formally recording and feeding back the findings to teachers. These arrangements keep the headteacher appropriately informed about the quality of teaching within the school and lead to remedial action where necessary. The aims, values and policies are well reflected through the work of the school. The main aims are appropriate and progress towards achieving them is good. The ethos is very positive, reflecting the effective learning environment, good relationships and equality of opportunity. There is a satisfactory emphasis on raising standards. The headteacher’s first priority, to increase the proportion of low attaining pupils who reach nationally expected standards, has been successfully achieved. Proportions at this expected level have

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increased significantly since the targets were set just over one year ago. The recent success of the headteacher and his staff in raising standards means that the original targets for the year 2000 are less ambitious than they were and should be Anston Park Junior School – Page 22 revised upwards, including the targets for pupils at higher levels.

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52.The management of SEN is good. There is appropriate regard among the governors, senior management and staff for the SEN code of practice. The SEN policy is satisfactory in quality and fully implemented. Responsibilities have been properly delegated and those with responsibility carry out their duties well. Funding for SEN is used appropriately. There is satisfactory communication between the staff over individual education plans for pupils and the provision is generally effective. Pupils are identified early and accurately. The use of specialist support from outside agencies is well managed. There is effective management of identified pupils with SEN who benefit from a ten-week curriculum support programme, each session lasting twenty minutes. The specialist support is well managed with learning support assistants being effectively deployed. All documentation is up to date and the special needs register is a working document,

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recording all levels of movement between stages as appropriate.

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53.The school has a good awareness of the need to ensure equal opportunity for all its pupils and staff. The school policy on equal opportunities clearly identifies issues of race and sex discrimination. The curriculum taught includes the study of different faiths and cultures. Pupils with SEN are fully integrated in to the teaching process and enjoy equal access to all school and extracurricular activities however teaching staff should ensure that the more able pupil is always sufficiently challenged. Good provision is made to ensure children from different social backgrounds have access to the full range of school activities including residential school trips.

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58. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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54.The teachers are suitable qualified and have a satisfactory range and balance of expertise between them to teach the curriculum. The pupil:teacher ratio is well above average for the type of school. The provision of effective learning support staff has a positive impact on the quality of education. The professional development of staff is well organised and clearly linked to the school development plan. The programme has helped to improve teachers’ subject knowledge and teahing skills. Information and communication technology skills are being effectively developed through in-house training provided by the co-ordinator. Training for national initiatives such as the introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have been appropriately undertaken. Newly appointed teachers are supported well by the senior management team and subject coordinators. Teachers are appraised annually and targets are

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used to plan their development needs. Training is provided for all support staff. This is of good quality and enables these staff to carry out their duties well.

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55.The accommodation is adequate for the current number of pupils and the requirements of the National Curriculum. Good use is made of space and the separate library, music room and special needs area add appropriately to the quality of provision. However, there is no disabled toilet and wheel chair access for the pupil who needs it is limited, necessitating a circuitous route to the playground. There are no ramps and the step into the main entrance is only manageable for wheel chair users with assistance. The building is well maintained and clean. Standards of caretaking and cleaning are good. The quality of displays in public areas and in classrooms is good and creates an attractive learning environment. Books, pictures and artefacts are displayed to arouse pupils’ interest and sometimes act as starting points for work. The school has good facilities to enable a broad range of outdoor activities to take place. Learning resources are adequate in quantity,

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quality and range and are well managed and organised. The library contains a sound range of books but some are out of date. Effective use is made of visits to museums, sites of historical interest and visitors to enhance the curriculum.

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56.The standard of efficiency is good. The school’s finances are managed well by the headteacher, governing body and administrative staff. The income received by the school is below average when compared to similar schools. The headteacher and governing body work well together to decide priorities for spending. A large part of the current budget is spent on teachers’ salaries but class sizes are still well above average. Expenditure on the provision of supply teachers is very low. Costs of educational support for pupils with SEN is clearly identified by the school and efficiently used. Spending on learning resources is below average as are the costs of administrative staff. Other costs such as caretaking and cleaning and funding spent on staff development and advice are also low. School budgets are tight and only remain in credit because of the efficient control exercised by the school’s management. The governing body, through its finance

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committee, is taking an increasingly important role in the strategic and financial planning of the school. They are developing very good strategies to monitor spending and to determine whether the school is receiving good value for money in its priorities. Savings have been identified and funding redirected to improve the education of pupils. Short-term school development plans are carefully costed and systems to monitor and evaluate their effectiveness have been Anston Park Junior School – Page 23 developed. Whilst this represents good planning for the current year, the school does not currently project its planning in sufficient detail in the longer term. The governing body appropriately reviews and ratifies financial decisions.

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57.The school uses its teaching and support staff effectively and school effectiveness grants are used appropriately on training to meet the needs of the school identified in the schools development plan and teachers’ professional developoment needs. New national initiatives in literacy and numeracy have been appropriately supported. Accommodation is well used and adds to the quality of education. Support staff have good skills and are efficiently used by teachers to enhance pupils’ learning. Support staff are well briefed and are a valued and integral part of the teaching process. Learning resources are carefully and efficiently used and are respected by pupils and teachers alike.

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58.Administration of the school is very good and the school secretary offers an efficient and friendly welcome to parents and visitors. There are efficient systems in place for administrative and financial routines and the most recent audit report makes reference to the efficient systems employed. Administrative staff are well qualified and use all opportunities to acquire additional training to enhance their effectiveness. Good use is made of local education authority services for staff training and financial services.

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59.Taking account of the pupils’ attainment on entry, the progress they make and the standards they achieve in the core curriculum subjects, together with their good attitudes towards work, the amount of satisfactory, good and sometimes very good teaching, the efficient management and leadership together with the levels of financial resources available; the school provides satisfactory value for money. Anston Park Junior School – Page 24 64. PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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60.Standards in the oldest age group are average. Progress between the ages of seven and eleven is satisfactory overall. About three quarters of those in year 6 are currently attaining a level that is close to or is better than the national expectation for pupils aged eleven. This proportion is similar to the test results at the end of the previous school year and, with six months to go before the end of the school year, there is time for standards to rise. It is slightly higher than the 1999 national average and reflects the good efforts made by the teachers in the past year and a half to raise the attainment of those who were below average in earlier years. The attainment of between 10 and 15 per cent of pupils is advanced for their age. This is less than is typical nationally and the teaching does not always stretch these pupils, particularly in the lower juniors. Standards in reading are higher than in writing. Traditionally at the school, girls have done better than

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boys. Increased emphasis has been given to raising standards amongst the boys and the finding in year 6 is that the gap in attainment between the genders is narrower currently than in previous years. There are no significant differences between pupils from different backgrounds. The majority of the pupils with SEN have difficulties with reading and writing and their attainment is sometimes well below that of their peers. They are well supported and the progress of nearly all pupils with SEN is good.

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61.Between 1995 and 1998, the results of the national tests for pupils aged eleven increased modestly year on year, keeping pace with the national trend. The results in 1999 were 12 percentage points higher than in 1998. This is a significant improvement, and much more than the average increase nationally, placing the school six percentage points above the proportion of pupils nationally who reached or exceeded the expectation in 1999. However, fewer than one in six pupils attained a higher than expected level and this is less than most other schools. When the limited extent of high attainment is fully taken into account, the 1999 test results are close to the national average. Standards are below average when compared to schools with pupils from similar background, reflecting the relatively small proportion of high attaining pupils.

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62.Nearly all of the pupils in year 6 are independent readers. Their phonic knowledge is satisfactory and they effectively use a range of methods to determine the pronunciation and meaning of unfamiliar words. They are able to read a broad range of material for study purposes. The pupils’ literal, inferential and deductive comprehension skills are satisfactory. Most pupils are motivated to read in their own time out of interest. Girls more than boys demonstrate preferences for particular authors and fictional genres while boys, in the main, read for information gathering purposes. About one pupil in five, mainly girls, are capable of tackling material that is of an adult level of difficulty. At least ninety per cent of pupils can write at length when required. The content is interesting and lively and words are chosen to good effect. Good use is made of adjectives, adverbs and a range of connectives and sentences are usually complex in structure. About half the

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pupils in year 6 organise their writing well to suit the purpose and are beginning to extend their knowledge of the special organisational features of particular genres. The writing of the remainder is less appropriately organised and reveals little difference in structure between their writing in history, geography or science for example. Despite the positive findings in some aspects of writing, standards overall are slightly lower than is typical nationally. Nearly all year 6 pupils speak and listen at an appropriate level for their age. They are able to follow the main points in discussions and show, through the detail they include, that they are aware of the listeners’ needs when speaking. Many year 6 pupils use Standard English forms regularly when speaking and their progress in this aspect is satisfactory.

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63.Attainment on entry has fluctuated over the previous five years. About nine tenths of the pupils who were tested in 1999 at age eleven had reached or exceeded the national expectation in 1995 for pupils aged seven. Currently in year 6, only three quarters were at expected levels when they entered at age seven. In year 3, almost nine tenths of the year group attained the national expectation at age seven. Detailed analysis of the test information for pupils aged seven shows that about half those who reached the expected level only just managing to do so and attained only the lowest of the three sub- grades awarded within that level. The proportion attaining the lower sub-grade is much greater than is typical nationally. The school has identified this group for increased support, using additional funding from national sources, and the inspection finding is that the measures used to target these pupils are effective. Detailed analysis also shows that,

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consistently, the proportion entering at age seven with high attainment is significantly larger than the proportion with high attainment who leave at age eleven. The higher attaining group is benefiting from the setting arrangements introduced at the start of the previous school year but the needs of the highest attaining pupils within these sets are still not always fully met, particularly in years 3 and 4. Anston Park Junior School – Page 25 64.The pupils’ work and their performance in lessons shows that progress in each of the year groups and classes is currently at least satisfactory for the substantial majority of pupils. The methods and the Framework of the National Literacy Strategy are being implemented with reasonable effectiveness and this is leading to an appropriate emphasis on phonics and comprehension. The arrangements for setting are helping the teachers provide appropriate work for the

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higher and the lower attaining groups and are particularly beneficial to those pupils whose performance is average or slightly below average.

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65.Assessment and test data from different year groups shows that progress over time has been uneven in the past. Analysis of the data relating to the 1999 year 6 cohort shows that their progress when in years 3 and 4 was much slower than when they were in years 5 and 6. Between 1995 and 1997, only half of those pupils increased their attainment by one National Curriculum level, the nationally expected amount. The majority of those who did not increase their level were those who entered the junior key stage with high attainment. Nearly all of those who entered the juniors with below expected attainment made satisfactory progress. During their time in years 5 and 6, the progress of these pupils accelerated significantly. Nearly all of them increased their attainment by at least one level, largely catching up the ground lost in earlier years, and one pupil in five increased their attainment by two levels. A similar picture emerges from

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an analysis of data relating to pupils currently in year 5. The reasons for the slow progress during some years and not others are unclear. There were prolonged periods of staff absence in year 4 during 1997 and 1998 and there have been changes in teachers since that time. Progress currently in years 3 and 4 is satisfactory, although the teaching within each set in these year groups tends to be pitched at one level and insufficiently challenges those with the highest attainment. Much of the written work in year 3 is linked to exercises that involve too much copying and too little opportunity for independent and extended writing. Progress in year 5 is rapid and all pupils are well challenged. Progress in year 6 is relatively quick and there is a good emphasis on writing that is equally motivating both boys and girls. However, links of appropriate quality are limited with other subjects and this means that high attaining pupils are insufficiently stretched in

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writing across the curriculum in year 6. In addition, there are too few opportunities for pupils in the upper junior key stage to engage in structured, challenging, extended reading outside the Literacy Hour, and this is essential if the high attaining pupils are to be fully extended.

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66.The pupils are well motivated. The teaching is good. All of it is at least satisfactory and two thirds is good or better, including 33 per cent that is very good. Where the teaching is very good, the teacher effectively motivates the pupils and conveys to them his or her own enthusiasm for the subject. Extensive subject knowledge and expertise leads to questioning, discussion and practical work that challenges all pupils and to an expectation that the high standards demanded will be achieved. The lessons are packed with knowledge and information and there is good progression to the ideas and skills being taught so that they accumulate steadily and appropriately during the lesson. All recommended elements of the Literacy Hour are included. Where teaching is good, the learning objectives for the lesson are shared with the pupils. Introductions to the lesson are sharp and precise and good use is made of appropriate terminology. Time and

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resources are used efficiently and the methods and organisation strategies are appropriate to the work in hand. Satisfactory teaching is predominately effective but there are one or two shortcomings. In lessons of this latter quality, the questioning and discussion relate appropriately to the lesson priorities. Pupils are monitored and provided with regular feedback. Direct teaching of phonics and grammar takes place. However, in years 3 and 4, knowledge and skills are not always taught in sufficient depth to high attaining pupils and this minority group is inadequately stretched.

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67.The pupils in each year group are taught the subject mainly in sets that are organised according to prior attainment. This provides an element of work for pupils at different levels. The inspection findings are that this differentiated provision is of benefit to the substantial majority of pupils, particularly those with average or lower attainment. The size of the school allows only two sets per year group. This means that there is still a need to provide work for pupils at different levels of attainment within each set, albeit within a narrower and more manageable attainment range. In practice, the need to differentiate within the set is not always taken into account. The weekly and daily lesson planning sometimes lacks detail and is generally of unsatisfactory quality. While there are individual exceptions, the short term planning mostly sets out what pupils are to do rather than what they are to learn and rarely identifies specific learning

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objectives, or targets, for high, average and lower attaining pupils in that lesson. Those teachers with good subject expertise compensate for the shortcomings in planning through challenging questioning and discussion and well chosen practical work and have the expertise to extend pupils whatever the task. This is not the case for teachers whose subject knowledge is less secure. They rarely compensate for the weaknesses in planning and this has the greatest impact on the high attaining minority.

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68.The curriculum meets statutory requirements. The scheme of work reflects the National Literacy Strategy Framework and has been recently revised. It provides satisfactory guidance for teachers but the documentation, for reasons of brevity, omits some of the objectives from the literacy Framework and has lost some of the sharpness of the original learning objectives. This has the potential for individual interpretation of the guidance by teachers and should be remedied at the Anston Park Junior School – Page 26 time of the next revision. Nearly all of the medium term planning follows the scheme of work but instances were found where work was repeated unnecessarily in different year groups, reflecting instances of imprecise wording in the scheme and insufficient use of assessment information when planning. The teachers in each year group plan the work for the half term and the week together. This enables all pupils in the year group to experience a similar curriculum. However,

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because of the different needs of the two sets in each year group, the joint planning tends to stop at a relatively generalised and superficial level and there is no system to provide the additional detail specific to a particular set. Little planned provision is made for drama and none was seen during the inspection.

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69.The arrangements for assessment meet the minimum statutory requirements. Most of the assessments identify the broad National Curriculum level a pupil is attaining. Assessment information is used to place pupils in sets, and this is accurately done, but is not detailed enough to influence lesson planning. Very little assessment of progress is made. Individual target setting has been introduced, which is good practice, and the arrangements are successfully motivating pupils. However, the targets are not linked to the National Literacy Strategy, nor a common set of alternative criteria, and this makes them unmanageable when analysing and using the information to plan lessons.

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70.The management of the subject is satisfactory. The coordinator has held responsibility for only one school year. Prior to this, there were two changes in subject leadership within the space of two years. Significant developments have taken place during the last school year. The coordinator monitors the teaching, planning and pupils’ work and this is good practice. The National Literacy Strategy has been introduced. The quality of its implementation is satisfactory although not all teachers devote sufficient time to shared work during the first half of the Literacy Hour, reducing the effectiveness of their teaching. Book resources are adequate and have been improved. Government grants for this purpose have been used appropriately. There are sufficient multiple copies of books to use during guided reading and there is a growing range of big books. Occasionally teachers use charts and photocopied text during shared work that is too small for all

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pupils to see or is printed on paper that has a distracting or reflective background. Several of the display boards used during shared work are too low and too small. Inadequately sized white boards limit the extent to which teachers can involve pupils practically during shared and guided writing. The library, which is self contained, has an adequate quantity and range of books. The storage and organisation of the books is appropriate and accessible to pupils. However, as many as one third of the books in the library are in poor condition. Some titles were published more than thirty years ago and contain geographical and technological information that is now misleading.

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71.Homework is provided but the arrangements insufficiently extended the work pupils are doing in lessons. Pupils are regularly expected to take books home to read but there is insufficient guidance on the choice of books. Several pupils were reading books that are too easy. The amount that pupils read is insufficiently monitored and no targets are set for improvement. Most of the comments in the reading diaries are completed by parents or the pupils and there is little evidence off these being responded to constructively by teachers.

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72.Standards are satisfactory. Attainment among pupils currently in year 6 is average overall. About 70 per cent of pupils are attaining a level that is close to or exceeds the standard expected nationally of an average eleven-year-old. This proportion is slightly higher than is typically found. About one in ten pupils are close to a higher level, which is fewer than typical. However, with six months to go before the end of the school year, there is time for standards to rise. Attainment on entry to year 3 varies from year to year and was above average in 1999, particularly in the proportion of pupils who were high attaining. Attainment on entry in 1996, the year of entry for pupils currently in year 6, was considerably lower than in 1999. School records show that progress over time is satisfactory for the substantial majority but a few high attaining pupils are underachieving. There are no significant differences between pupils of different gender

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or background. About one third of the pupils on the SEN register have difficulties in the subject. Their attainment is well below that expected for their age but they generally make good progress in relation to their difficulties.

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73.The results of the 1998 national standardised assessments at age eleven were above average. The proportion of pupils reaching a higher level was also above average. When compared with schools with pupils from similar backgrounds, the 1998 results were well above average. Results over recent years show that there has been significant improvement, with attainment rising from six out of ten pupils reaching national average levels in 1995 to nearly eight out of ten reaching that level in 1998. The greatest increases were in 1996 and 1997. Pupils reaching a higher level have also shown a steady increase year on year. The 1999 test results at age eleven were published at about the time of the inspection. They indicate that the trend since 1995 has been maintained. However, the increase in 1999 is only three percentage points, which is less than the typical increase nationally, so that the gap between school and national standards has narrowed and this is

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why standards are now broadly average when they were above average one year ago. The 1999 results are also average Anston Park Junior School – Page 27 when compared to similar schools. Inspection findings are consistent with the test results and the teachers’ records. The test results in the year 2000 are predicted to increase only modestly compared to 1999, reflecting the lower attainment of these pupils on entry. Even so, the targets for improvement for 2000 set by the school are too modest and are likely to be easily achieved. They should be revised upwards at both expected and higher than expected levels.

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74.The majority of pupils in year 6 are developing their own strategies for problem solving and recording their findings both in working within a mathematical context and in applying mathematics to practical contexts. They are extending their mental calculation skills but this is an area where the school has yet to make significant improvements to increase the speed and accuracy of pupils’ work. They have a satisfactory knowledge of mathematical terms such as mode, mean and median and can calculate these from sample of data. Subject vocabulary is developed throughout the school but by year 6 a minority of pupils lack a clear understanding of some key terminology. The majority display a good understanding of place value in numbers over 1000 with many confident in writing and reading numbers to one million. They apply the four rules of number to thousands, hundreds, tens and units, confidently and accurately. Although pupils

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have strategies to calculate multiplication facts these are not yet sufficiently well learned to provide instant recall. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of fractions, and decimals are good. They can measure perimeters and areas of shapes using the correct units of measurement and recognise shapes that have line and rotational symmetry, recognising the link between shapes and the number of lines of symmetry. Multiples and factors are confidently and accurately calculated by pupils. Pupils can construct graphs using appropriate scales on the vertical and horizontal axes; they collect and record data on block and straight line graphs and access the information they require effectively. They investigate shapes and have a good understanding of their properties. Pupils have opportunities to apply their mathematical skills, knowledge and understanding to other subjects. They collect, record and display data in science and demonstrate a good

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understanding of negative numbers. They investigate Islamic symmetrical pattern in artwork and use measuring skills in design and technology. Pupils use timelines of increasing sophistication to locate important events in history. Coordinates are used in geography to determine location.

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75.Progress is satisfactory across the key stage although it is more rapid in years 5 and 6. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy has increased teachers’ awareness of the importance of mental calculation and developing problem solving strategies across the school. This and an improvement in the quality of planning is enabling the school to continue the improvements in its results. Pupils with SEN make good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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76.Pupil’s attitudes to mathematics are at least satisfactory and often good. The majority of pupils listen attentively and respond to questioning enthusiastically. They show good application when at work. Most persevere even when tasks are difficult. Behaviour is good and, even where pupils have difficulty in concentrating, teachers have well developed strategies to get pupils back on task. Most pupils take a pride in the presentation of their work.

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77.The quality of teaching is good or better in about half of the lessons. Planning introduced as part of the National Numeracy Strategy includes clear learning objectives and is leading to a brisk pace to learning. There are signs, from the pupils’ work, of improvements in progress since the introduction of the Numeracy Strategy. Teachers plans include appropriate divisions of time devoted to each element of the lesson and activities through which pupils are to achieve their learning targets. Where teaching is good, the pupils are provided with a variety of activities, the teacher uses questioning effectively and there are high expectations of behaviour and achievement. In these lessons there is an effective plenary session to reinforce the concepts learned. There is appropriate emphasis on mental arithmetic and good monitoring by the teachers of the pupils’ understanding. Misconceptions are quickly noticed and remedied. In the majority of lessons, the

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teachers display satisfactory subject knowledge, provide clear explanations and manage pupils well. These lessons have a good pace and pupils are provided with challenging work to extend their knowledge and understanding. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, the teachers do not provide work that is adequately matched to the needs of the higher attaining pupils and the lesson does not have the pace necessary to motivate and retain the interest of the pupils.

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78.The quality of marking is consistent across all the classes and pupils are helped to improve their work by helpful written comments from teachers. Homework is effectively used to support the work in classrooms. There is a mathematics policy, which sets out clear aims and objectives for the subject. There is an appropriate focus on the teaching of mathematical concepts and teachers develop their own materials, occasionally using commercial materials to support and reinforce learning. Statutory assessments are carried out at the end of the key stage and optional tests are carried out towards the end of Year 4. Regular testing of pupils’ learning is carried out during the year so that teachers can gauge their progress. However, the information gained from this is not always used effectively to plan future learning.

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79.The coordinator is knowledgeable and works hard to develop the subject and support colleagues with the recent national developments. Mathematics is a high priority within the school and teachers are receiving additional training to meet the challenge of the new strategy. The role of the co-ordinator is well developed and there is evidence of her working Anston Park Junior School – Page 28 alongside colleagues and providing help and advice to improve performance in the classroom. The provision of resources for teaching the subject are good, well organised and well managed.

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80.Standards of attainment are average. About three quarters of the pupils currently in year 6 are attaining at a level that is consistent with or better than that expected nationally of a typical eleven year old. There are no significant variations in attainment between pupils of different gender or background. Pupils on the SEN register generally achieve standards that are appropriate.

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81.The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds show that attainment is in line with the 1999 national average, with over eight in ten pupils reaching the expected standard. The percentage of pupils reaching a higher level, about one in five, was slightly lower than the national average. The test results are consistent with the inspection findings. There have been large variations in the results since 1995 but the overall trend is upwards. Although the school has improved its standards of attainment, the improvement has not been at the same rate as that of similar schools, especially at the higher levels. Comparing the 1999 results with those of the previous year indicates that, although the 1999 result is two percentage points higher than the previous years’ results, the number of pupils reaching the higher levels fell by seven percentage points. Consequently, when the school’s national assessment results are compared with

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those of similar schools, its performance, taking into account attainment at all levels, has fallen from well above average to average.

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82.The pupils in year 6 have satisfactory levels of knowledge of experimental and investigative science; life processes and living things; materials and their properties; and physical processes. The pupils are able to use apparatus appropriately, and can plan and conduct experiments with appropriateness fairness and accuracy. They have an appropriate knowledge of food chains and can give definitions and examples of predators and prey and clearly identify the feeding relationships between plants and animals. They understand that some materials can change their state and that sometimes this change is reversible and sometimes not. They have a working knowledge of filtration, evaporation, condensation and chemical change, and can use correct terminology accurately.

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83.Progress is satisfactory overall although there is underachievement among higher attaining pupils. Progress is good in years 3 and 5, and satisfactory in years 4 and 6. Year 3 pupils are actively involved in scientific investigations. They immerse eggshells in vinegar, fizzy drinks and water, for example, to observe the effect. They investigate the function of incisor and molar teeth by biting into apple segments. They systematically investigate the current stage of development of their teeth and understand that plaque is found in sugar based substances that settle on the tooth enamel. Higher attaining pupils are given work at appropriate levels. Year 4 pupils all follow the same programme of work and this hinders the more able from making all the progress of which they are capable. All pupils are involved in scientific investigations but these are over controlled by the teachers, preventing the pupils from refining their predictions and identifying ways to test

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84.Year 5 pupils generally make good progress when they investigate shadows and the effect of the proximity of the light source to the object that forms the shadow. They know how to make the shadow larger or smaller or more pronounced and are working at the nationally expected level. Pupils progress to the appropriate level in respect of their understanding of the reflective abilities of light but they are not challenged to experiment with this new knowledge and the more able pupils do not have opportunities to work at the higher levels. Year 6 pupils make sound progress overall because the teaching does not promote scientific investigation at the higher level.

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85.Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. They listen attentively and work with enthusiasm. When required to do so, they collaborate well, taking part actively and sensibly in discussions. There is generally an industrious working atmosphere in which pupils engage well in practical activities and enjoy in their work. There is surprise and delight when pupils discover how to change the length and sharpness of a shadow of a miniature figure in a box. There are good levels of concentration with many pupils taking obvious interest in their work.

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86.Overall, the quality of teaching is satisfactory with about half being good or very good. Good and very good teaching includes careful planning to cater for the needs of the high attaining, average, and low attaining pupils and those with SEN. These lessons have the potential and planning to ensure that all pupils make progress to the higher levels of attainment. They are taught with brisk pace. The pupils investigate scientific facts, which builds their confidence in and skills of scientific experimentation. The very good teaching places a very strong emphasis on experimental work, demonstrations are well chosen and informative and resources are very constructively used to create a scientific Anston Park Junior School – Page 29 environment. Where teaching is satisfactory, the planning is for one level of attainment and there is no provision for the more able pupils to make further progress. Where scientific investigation is included, it is too directed by the teacherand

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the whole class organisation of the investigation prevents the teacher from visiting groups of pupils who require assistance. The pace of the lesson falls away as pupils wait for support and advice. Some teachers do not have the appropriate knowledge to help pupils organise effective investigations and the depth of the medium term planning does not provide pupils with the necessary support. In the main, accurate assessments are made to prepare pupils for national tests but the results of the assessments are not analysed to identify those pupils who are having difficulties with a concept, or who completed the work with no mistakes. The school has recently cut the time allocation for science and classes usually have two science lessons per week, which enables the second lesson to be adjusted in light of the pupils’ attainment in the first.

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87.The subject is effectively coordinated but the professional development arrangements do not fully support the needs of some teachers. The subject effectively supports other areas of the curriculum, pupils apply mathematical data handling techniques to their investigations and complete tables of results using the information technology data handling techniques. Some good report writing is well supported by appropriate proformas and there are good links between science and design technology with reference to food technology, electrical circuits and forces. Each year group has an accurately illustrated portfolio of pupils’ work. The subject documentation is due to be reviewed in the year 2000 when nationally prepared material is to be introduced. This will replace the scheme of work, provide good support for the development of scientific investigation and identify opportunities for all higher attaining pupils to work at more

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challenging levels. Anston Park Junior School – Page 30

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88.Standards are only just average and progress over time is only just satisfactory. The picture nevertheless has positive features and standards are rising following improvements to resources and teaching methods made earlier in the calendar year. Very few pupils in year 6 have levels of knowledge and skill that are appropriate for their age in every aspect of the National Curriculum programme of study but many of them have good knowledge of word processing and in storing, presenting and retrieving information using specific programs. They also have some knowledge of spreadsheets, data base programs, control and modelling technology, though this is not yet up to the standard expected by age eleven. The subject has benefited from a national grant to purchase computers. The new equipment and the additional training for teachers took place towards the end of the last school year. These developments are leading to effective whole class teaching and to

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quick progress in these lessons. However, the current provision has not been in place long enough to have raised standards sufficiently or to have increased long term progress adequately across the full programme of study. Pupils with access to computers at home tend to have higher attainment than their peers. Boys and girls have similar levels of knowledge, in the main, although the few high attaining pupils are boys. There are no significant variations in attainment or progress between pupils from different backgrounds, although pupils with access to computers at home generally have higher attainment and greater confidence than the others. The attainment of pupils with SEN is similar to that of their peers and they generally make satisfactory progress.

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89.The year 6 pupils are able to enter and edit text appropriately using word processing programs. They have a satisfactory knowledge of the keyboard and mouse and understand the basic principles of menus and buttons. They all know how to save, retrieve, and print their work and have very good knowledge of networks. Using the network, they can access and explore independently the files and folders stored on computers in other classrooms and are able, for example, to find the work they completed when in the previous class. They are currently working on a program that helps them file and retrieve text and photographic images that have been scanned into the file. They know how to create a contents page and create text boxes, graphic boxes, and insert buttons that help the user navigate through the file. The standard that they are working at when using this program is relatively advanced. They have recent experience of using spreadsheets and

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understand the advantages of using one when adding up lists of quantities and values. However, they do not yet appreciate the power of a spreadsheet for demonstrating quickly the impact of changed variables. They are able to use commercial data base programs and have experience of adding data to their own database. The knowledge and skills used to analyse their own data are of a standard below those expected for their age.

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90.Year 3 pupils enter the school with a basic but narrow understanding of the subject. They are familiar with technical vocabulary such as “rotate”, “click”, and “drag” and can use pull-down menus appropriately to manage the program. Pupils in year 5, just past the half-way point in the juniors, have a satisfactory knowledge of graphics programs and the skills necessary for reasonable independence when working. Nearly all of them are at a level that is broadly consistent with the national expectation for their age, albeit with gaps in their knowledge that reflect gaps in the provision. The findings in year 3 and year 5 show that satisfactory gains in knowledge are being made from one year to the next.

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91.The pupils show good response to the subject. They are interested and willing to use and explore computer programs independently. The quality of whole class teaching and the teaching of large groups is good. In these lessons, the teachers are clear what they want the pupils to learn. They use demonstration, well chosen and targeted questions, and correct terminology effectively. They involve pupils in the demonstrations and maintain a quick pace to the introduction of knowledge, helping to capture the pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. The teachers are well prepared and have the skills necessary to resolve straightforward hardware and software problems when they arise. Every class has one whole class lesson every week, a recent innovation. The knowledge that pupils are taught in this way is then consolidated in lessons in other subjects. Some teachers are more rigorous at doing this than others and this shortcoming slows the development of

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92.Management and leadership of the subject are good. The coordinator is enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and well able to lead the subject by example. There has been good provision of in-service training for teachers and this has led to satisfactory levels of confidence and expertise among all of the staff. The scheme of work has been upgraded since the last inspection and is of satisfactory quality. All teachers have been monitored. Resources are sufficient.

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97. Religious education Anston Park Junior School – Page 31 93.Standards are satisfactory. Attainment by the age of eleven is consistent with that expected by the locally agreed syllabus and similar to that found in most schools. Pupils have an adequate understanding of Christianity and an appropriate knowledge of the major Christian festivals. They have a general knowledge of Hinduism.

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94.Year 5 pupils have a good knowledge of Islam; they are aware that Moses was an Israelite who led God’s chosen people out of Egypt. The youngest pupils have good knowledge of Jesus’ miracles and the parables He told. They can recount the basic events in Jesus’ life. The know that the Bible and the Qur’an are the sacred books of the Christian and Islamic religions. Year 4 pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the festival of Divali.

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95. Progress is generally good. Most older pupils progress well and are able to reflect on the spirituality of Christianity and the Hindu and Islamic religions by learning of the importance of the sacred artefacts connected with them. However, in some classes, pupils do not reflect on the story of Rama and Sita to gain a greater understanding of why the related festival is so important for people who follow the Hindu religion. Generally, there are often good gains in knowledge in many classes because the lesson planning identifies progression within a series of lessons.

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96. Pupils’ responses are generally good. They are generally willing to answer teachers’ questions and to join in class discussions. They show very good levels of interest when handling religious artefacts with care and respect. Pupils in one class responded with very high levels of interest when a classmate dressed in Islamic clothes. This promotes very good attitudes towards their learning. Occasionally, when the teaching is not stimulating, pupils try hard to be attentive.

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97. The quality of teaching is generally satisfactory because teachers have appropriate knowledge, presenting it to their pupils in an interesting and challenging style. Teachers generally have high expectations and set tasks that challenge the pupils. Good use is made of religious artefacts, effective displays and role playing techniques that motivate the pupils and hold their attention. Planning, however, is brief, which leads occasionally to differences between classes in teaching because the objectives arising from the planning are not always clear. Whilst most lessons are taught with brisk and appropriate pace, occasionally lesson time is curtailed or not enough time is allowed for the objectives to be achieved. Sometimes the most appropriate teaching techniques are not used.

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98. These findings constitute an improvement on those of the previous inspection report because the quality of teaching has been enhanced. Further improvements will be made if the school monitors teaching against agreed examples of the best practice in specific aspects of the programme of study. Religious education makes a good contribution to the spiritual and cultural development of the pupils. Subject management and resources are satisfactory. 103.

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99. Progress is satisfactory. By the end of year 6, over 60 per cent of pupils have reached the nationally expected level for their age and show an understanding of the use of a sound range of media in creating their work. Satisfactory progress is made in each of the year groups and there are no significant variations in progress between pupils from different backgrounds or of different gender. Pupils with SEN make at least satisfactory and sometimes good progress in relation to their abilities.

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100. The pupils in year 3 are able to demonstrate appropriate observational skills when drawing figures that accurately reflect the proportions, shape and form of the model. They show good levels of confidence and satisfactory skills in pencil control. Pupils extend their observation skills and techniques effectively through careful studies of animals, birds, fruits and berries. They have a good art vocabulary that they use appropriately when talking about texture and tone and when describing the mixing of colours. In year 4, pupils show improved skills as they sensitively paint and draw shells, pebbles and corn, looking carefully at the patterns and textures created. Much of this work is appropriately linked to other subjects, for example science, where pupils carefully observed animals as part of a study of food chains. By year 5, pupils widen their quality of experience and produce a range of three-dimensional work of sound quality. This includes carefully

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modelled clay artefacts and interesting paper sculptures. Pupils are introduced to computer art and create faces in a cubist style. The standard of pupils’ work in each year group demonstrates that satisfactory progress is made during their time in the school. The teaching of skills leads to pupils making satisfactory gains in knowledge and technique. By year 6 pupils can express their ideas and feelings in imaginative work. They have a good understanding of different materials and confidently experiment with new techniques and media, evaluating their work and identifying areas for improvement. Pupils are familiar with the work and style of some famous artists such as Van Gogh, Kandinsky and Picasso although this knowledge is not extensive.

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101. The pupils’ attitudes to the subject are positive and they gain satisfaction and pleasure from the paintings and Anston Park Junior School – Page 32 artefacts they produce. They listen carefully to the instructions given by the teacher and follow demonstrations so that they can improve their designs, prints and paintings. The pupils usually develop their work individually but, when given the opportunity, they show the capacity to work effectively in groups, sharing ideas and resources.

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102. The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory and is occasionally good. Lessons are appropriately planned and the subject knowledge of most teachers is satisfactory. Where teaching is good, the teachers’ knowledge of techniques and media is considerable and used effectively to extend pupils’ learning. In some lessons, where the quality of teaching is satisfactory, some teachers lack the detailed knowledge to extend the quality of pupils’ work to a higher level.

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103. National Curriculum requirements for investigating and making, knowledge and understanding are fully met. A suitable range of experience is offered making effective use of an appropriate range of materials and media. These include card, paper and fabric, paint, pastels and charcoal. However, there is limited evidence of pupils experiencing the use of clay and modelling materials to create sculptures. A sound range of techniques are taught including painting, printing, collage and detailed observational drawings seen in good quality work when pupils sketched cobles at Filey and in detailed drawings of drinks cans. Most pupils use brushes, pencils and a variety of paints with appropriate skill. Sketch books are used but do not sufficiently extend pupils’ experiences. Some drawing and painting is undertaken from memory and imagination although currently this type of work is not significantly developed throughout the school. An adequate

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amount of time is given to art. Skills developed in the subject are appropriately used in other subjects, for example in history, geography, science and design and technology when pupils produced designs for a torch. Curriculum leadership is good and there is a useful policy and scheme of work to provide guidance for teachers. Resources are well organised and provide a good range of well organised and accessible materials.

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104. Progress is satisfactory although the evidence is very limited. Two lessons together with samples of work were seen and pupils were spoken to about their work. Very few classes have the subject taught to them during the term of the inspection. There are no significant variations in progress between pupils of different gender or background but the evidence in relation to pupils with SEN is limited.

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105. Pupils in year 4 are able to design and build a structure using paper that is strong enough to hold a specified weight. Their making skills are satisfactory for their age and they have a good understanding of the methods to use when carrying out tests on the various structures. Pupils in year 5 show a good understanding of the design processes to use when making their own torch and their attainment in the subject generally is close to the national expectation for pupils aged eleven. They can investigate some of the design problems that are to be overcome when making a torch, draw appropriate designs, and combine the best ideas into the finished product. They are able to gather information with reasonable independence and use it to generate several ideas. Their making skills are satisfactory and they show appropriate levels of accuracy, marking, shaping and joining skills. The upper junior pupils demonstrate satisfactory understanding of the

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Information technology

design process. Their work shows that they are able to design a series of alternatives, amend and revise the designs to evolve the best design, and then develop the most suitable product. Finished work shows good attention to the quality of the final product and indicates knowledge and accurate use of a range of tools and techniques.

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Information technology

106. The pupils enjoy both the designing and the making elements of the subject and respond well to the teaching. The two lessons seen were at least satisfactory in quality, and one of them was good. Where the teaching is good, the teacher’s knowledge of the subject is appropriate, the purpose of the lesson is simply and effectively conveyed to the pupils, the pace of learning is brisk, and careful monitoring of the pupils’ work leads to very effective feedback. In the good lessons seen, the pupils were asked to learn the spelling of technical words for homework, and this is satisfactory.

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Information technology

107. The subject is well led by the coordinator. Her classroom is an exemplar of good practice. Documented policies and the scheme of work provide adequate guidance in general but are now out of date following changes to the subject nationally. Professional support with planning, methods and organisation is readily available and is helping teachers satisfactorily until the documented scheme can be revised. The arrangements for assessment are underdeveloped. The subject is monitored at a manageable level and the monitoring is satisfactory in quality. The coordinator is aware of strengths and weaknesses within the provision and acts to remedy shortcomings. Resources are good. The quantity and range of tools and materials is better than is typically found. Tools are stored appropriately. 112.

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Information technology

112. Geography Anston Park Junior School – Page 33 108. Progress over time is generally sound. Attainment by the age of eleven is similar to that found in most schools. Pupils generally gain appropriate knowledge about their own region and contrasting areas in this and other countries. Occasionally, however, progress in lessons is unsatisfactory, especially for high attaining pupils, reflecting insufficient provision in the teaching and the planning for pupils with different levels of attainment. The progress of pupils with SEN is satisfactory.

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Information technology

109. The oldest pupils engage regularly in fieldwork. From this practical approach to learning they have gained the ability to compare their own locality with settlements and places further afield, such as the seaport of Filey. They study contrasting work patterns and understand reasons why most of their parents travel from Anston to the large, neighbouring conurbation to work. They can suggest reasons for this pattern and are beginning to apply their knowledge to districts further afield. Recent work by year 5 pupils to record weather patterns is of good quality, with pupils’ own weather records supported by newspaper weather maps and forecasts. Pupils understand the meaning of symbols and this is a good feature of their work in information technology. Year 4 pupils accurately interpret photographs of various landscapes to determine the effect of settlement and land usage. In one lesson, there was an interesting discussion about whether a field

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Information technology

is ‘natural’ or ‘manmade’ or whether a stretch of water is a lake, a river or the sea; many pupils made appropriate deductions and hypotheses. This positive picture of progress is consistent in most but not all classes and instances were found of progress in one class outstripping that in the other in the same year group.

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Information technology

110. The pupils generally enjoy the subject. Most of them listen carefully and are willing to contribute ideas to class discussions. They settle quickly to their tasks and are sensible when involved in practical activities. In a few lessons, some pupils become restless when the task is not challenging.

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Information technology

111. The quality of teaching is only just satisfactory overall. Only three quarters of the lessons seen were satisfactory or better. Only a few lessons were good and one quarter were unsatisfactory. Where teaching is good, key skills are taught directly and effectively; explanations are clear and appropriate; effective questioning helps pupils clarify their thoughts; and practical work extends the pupils and leads to them achieving the objectives of the lesson. Satisfactory teaching is generally effective. It leads to most pupils keeping up with the work but nevertheless has minor shortcomings. In one lesson, for example, key skills were taught appropriately but a limited range of information contained within a questionnaire meant that the depth of data analysis undertaken independently by the pupils was limited. Where teaching is unsatisfactory, the planning and preparation are limited in detail. This leads to teaching that is pitched at one

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Information technology

attainment level and to high attaining pupils being given work that is too easy and to low attaining pupils being given work that is too hard. It also leads to practical tasks being set, the full potential of which has not been realised by the teacher and the pupils’ time is wasted.

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Information technology

112. There is a clear subject policy. The scheme of work is of good quality, providing good coverage of themes and skills. There are good links with mathematics and information technology and fieldwork is used effectively to give pupils experience of gathering data and applying skills. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development by introducing them to new regions in the United Kingdom and by giving them insights into life in other counties. The subject has improved considerably since the previous inspection. It is effectively planned which enables most pupils to make steady progress. There are good levels of resourcing to support the teaching and learning.

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Information technology

113. Standards are above those found in most schools and pupils make good progress. The older pupils are gaining appropriate insights into life in the United Kingdom in the 1930s and 1940s, for example, and know how the Second World War affected ordinary people. The youngest pupils are able to investigate what childhood was like for their parents by analysing questionnaires. They carefully complete timelines of their own lives precisely recording major events. The older pupils skilfully examine historical artefacts used in everyday life earlier in the present century. Evidence of previous work shows good levels of knowledge of the Egyptian dynasties. The records of research into Dinnington Hall and ancient maps of the locality indicate that the year 6 pupils, at all levels of ability, are able to carry out systematic historical investigations.

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Information technology

114. The older pupils work collaboratively, sharing ideas about the purpose and use of artefacts they are examining. Groups of pupils elect scribes to record their ideas and spokespersons to report back to the class. There are very good relationships between pupils who listen with rapt attention when the teacher helps them analyse their work. The youngest pupils carefully follow instructions, registering surprise when they discover that there were black and white as well as colour televisions when their parents were aged seven but that playground games were similar. All pupils show pride in their work and concentrate effectively to complete their tasks, which are finished to a high standard of presentation. Anston Park Junior School – Page 34 Individual pupils carefully collect information from the whole class, accurately recording it.

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Information technology

115. Only a few lessons were seen. In the lessons that were observed, the teaching was good or very good. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject. There is a good balance between class teaching and practical activities, which have clear objectives in developing historical skills and understanding. A strength of the teaching is the use of authentic artefacts to enable pupils to look for clues and make deductions about people’s life styles in yhe past by and how things have changed. Teaching strategies to promote discussion through directed questioning are particularly effective and very good use is made of plenary sessions with the teacher taking on the role of antique expert. This enables pupils to assess how accurate they have been in identifying what the artefact is and its purpose. Classroom management is good and effective use is made of the available time.

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Information technology

116. There is a clear subject policy and a scheme of work provides good coverage of chosen topics. There is a good balance between the teaching of skills and knowledge and the subject gives pupils insights into past cultures. Information technology is used effectively to help the youngest pupils record their mothers’ favourite television programme at age seven and to produce accurate bar charts. Older pupils successfully program a spreadsheet to record the allocation of ration coupons during the Second World War. Pupils visit a full range of historical sites as an integral part of their studies and specialist actors, playing the roles of Greeks or Vikings, visit the school. This adds a sense of realism and enrichment to the subject. Anston Park Junior School – Page 35

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Music

117. Pupils’ progress is satisfactory. By the age of eleven, two thirds of pupils reach the expected levels in both performing and composing and in listening and appraising. In year 3, the pupils are able to sing tunefully in unison and clap rhythmically to a beat. They interpret the words of a song appropriately using tempo and expression to bring the song alive. Pupils play a variety of percussion instruments to accompany the singing with satisfactory awareness of pulse. In year 4, pupils follow accurately musical phrases and patterns following the lead of the teacher. They develop satisfactory vocabulary, understand pitch, duration and dynamics, and can sing songs in the round. By year 5, pupils have developed an appropriate understanding of musical notation and demonstrate an understanding of beat. They use their voices well to interpret the songs they sing, paying careful attention to diction. Pupils in year 6 sing a good variety of songs from

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Music

memory and link these successfully to work in other subjects. They respond appropriately to music from other cultures and sing with enthusiasm. Lower attaining pupils, particularly those with SEN, take part in lessons with appropriate levels of support and make satisfactory progress.

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Music

118. Pupils enjoy the subject and respond well. They concentrate appropriately and sing with confidence and spirit. The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to very good. The coordinator has very good subject knowledge and a lively and enthusiastic teaching style. Lessons are appropriately planned and the pupils well managed. Instrumental tuition for some pupils in school is provided by an external agency. Progress in these lessons is variable, and sometimes slow, and is closely linked to the quality of provision, which is sometimes unsatisfactory and poorly prepared. There is a good quality policy and scheme of work for teachers to follow and the coordinator provides good guidance and advice to help improve the quality of mainstream lessons. Resources are satisfactory and include tuned and maintained percussion instruments, books and taped music. Opportunities for pupils to take part in extra curricular musical activities are limited at present.

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Physical education

119. Progress is good in dance and satisfactory in swimming. The evidence in other aspects of the subject is limited, as it was not possible to see the full range of other elements that make up the National Curriculum programme of study during the inspection.

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Physical education

120. In dance in year 4, pupils use space well. They show a good understanding of balance and use curled, stretched and twisted shapes linking them well into good quality sequences of movement. Pupils are able to discuss and evaluate their own and others movements and suggest improvements. Music is used well to accompany movement and children interpret it imaginatively timing their actions to the rhythm. They are aware of the possibilities of working at different heights and vary these appropriately as they develop their movements. By year 6, pupils exercise greater control over their movements demonstrating a good understanding of working together in groups to create harmonised movements. They follow instructions well and are able to evaluate and improve their own and the group’s movements. Pupils have developed a good vocabulary of movement and can describe accurately the movements they are performing. Both boys and girls work

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Physical education

well together in dance lessons. Pupils with SEN participate fully in the lessons and make appropriate progress.

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Physical education

121. Pupils co-operate maturely and effectively in dance. The quality of teaching satisfactory overall, including about half that is good. In the good lessons, teachers have good levels of subject expertise and knowledge and set pupils appropriately challenging tasks. Planning is satisfactory. Lessons usually have good pace and instructions are presented clearly. Demonstration is used well, involving good quality pupils’ performance to provide ideas and motivation for improvement. Behaviour is well controlled. The curriculum is suitably broad and meets statutory requirements. The policy document and scheme of work provide satisfactory guidance for teachers. Assessment of pupils’ abilities in other areas of the curriculum is limited. The school provides satisfactory levels of extra curricular sporting activities open to both boys and girls. These include netball, rugby, and football. They also participate in a variety of inter-school sporting activities,

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Physical education

appropriately developing the pupils’ ideas of healthy competition and fair play.

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Physical education

122. The inspection of this school included a focussed view of swimming, specified by Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Schools, which is reported below. Standards are good. The school has access to two half-hour sessions per week. Only year 6 pupils use these. No provision is available in the other years and few pupils currently in year 6 had access to school based provision during their infant years. In the few weeks since the start of the school year, the substantial majority of pupils in year 6 have made satisfactory progress. Many pupils have gained elementary awards during their first few weeks. The findings are that at least three quarters of them can swim the nationally expected distance for their age. This finding is consistent with records and the awards that the pupils have achieved. The remainder of the pupils can swim the Anston Park Junior School – Page 36 expected distance using minimal buoyancy aids. Levels of confidence are good and no pupil was seen who was unwilling

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Physical education

to follow instructions, attempt the tasks set or swim the length of the pool.

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Physical education

123. The teaching is satisfactory. Relationships are good and the pupils are well motivated. A local authority instructor provides much of the tuition, concentrating on the average pupils and those who are not yet able to swim without buoyancy aids. Class teachers work with the more advanced pupils. This arrangement is appropriate and lead to those pupils with least skill being given adequate support. The teaching stretches the high attaining pupils. The methods lead to them spending the bulk of their time in the water practising and perfecting their strokes and increasing their stamina. Average and low attaining swimmers are taught together as a group. They are taught stroke improvement techniques that they master appropriately, developing sound stroke and style. Time is not, however, always well used and average pupils are too often inactive. Typical methods for these pupils involves them in swimming one length and then walking back to

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Physical education

the starting point and waiting for their next turn. This method allows those with limited stamina to recover and for individual attention to be given to those who need most support. It enables direct instruction and coaching to take place efficiently and effectively but it also leads to average attaining pupils spending too much time out of the water.

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Physical education

124. The planning is of satisfactory quality. The work for the week, term and year is appropriately documented and followed. A record of swimming awards, which reflect specified attainment criteria, acts as an appropriate assessment record. These records are used to group pupils for instruction, and this is satisfactory. The time taken to take and return the pupils and for them to change is about one hour, which is typical. The morning timetable is rearranged to accommodate swimming but the total time allocated for core and non-core subjects is not reduced overall. Anston Park Junior School – Page 37 129. PART C: INSPECTION DATA

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Physical education

125. The inspection was carried out by a team of four inspectors who were at the school for a total of 14 inspection days, spending over 36 hours observing 60 lessons or parts of lessons. The pupils were seen at lunchtime, at breaks and coming to and leaving the school. Over one tenth of the pupils were heard reading and many pupils were spoken to about their work. Discussions were held with the headteacher, teaching and non-teaching staff, members of the governing body, and several parents actively involved in the school. A sample of the pupils’ work from each year group was examined along with school policies, teachers’ plans and records, registers, letters to parents and minutes of governing body meetings. A meeting attended by 10 parents was held to receive views about the work of the school and 70 parents returned a questionnaire out of 254 that were distributed. 130. Anston Park Junior School – Page 38

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DATA AND INDICATORS

130. 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 254 4 37 34

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DATA AND INDICATORS

130. Qualified teachers (Y3 – Y6) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 9.0 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 28.2

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DATA AND INDICATORS

130. Education support staff (Y3- Y6) Total number of education support staff: 2 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 47

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DATA AND INDICATORS

Average class size: 32 Anston Park Junior School – Page 39 130. Financial data

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DATA AND INDICATORS

£ Total Income 352261 Total Expenditure 348485 Expenditure per pupil (based on 242 NOR) 1440.02 Balance brought forward from previous year -2348 Balance carried forward to next year 1428 Anston Park Junior School – Page 40 130. PARENTAL SURVEY

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DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of questionnaires sent out: 254 Number of questionnaires returned: 70

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DATA AND INDICATORS

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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DATA AND INDICATORS

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 31.4 62.9 4.3 1.4 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 37.1 52.9 5.7 4.3 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school handles complaints from parents well 13.4 55.2 23.9 6.0 1.5

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 25.7 51.4 15.7 5.7 1.4

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 25.7 55.7 8.6 10.0 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 21.4 70.0 4.3 4.3 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 18.8 53.6 21.7 5.8 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 18.6 50.0 12.9 17.1 1.4

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 20.0 62.9 12.9 4.3 0.0

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DATA AND INDICATORS

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 21.7 60.9 13.0 2.9 1.4

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DATA AND INDICATORS

My child(ren) like(s) school 30.9 52.9 11.8 2.9 1.5

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DATA AND INDICATORS

130. Other issues raised by parents No other issues were raised.

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