Inglehurst Junior School

INGLEHURST JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 8 th – 11 th October 2001

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INGLEHURST JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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INGLEHURST JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ingle Street Leicester Leicestershire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th November 1999 Inglehurst Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

20191 John Eadie Registered inspector Mathematics Music Physical education What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 11392 Terry Heppenstall Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 30853 Susan Betts Team inspector Science Geography Religious education 22452 Mary Farman Team inspector Equal opportunities English History How good are the curriculum and other opportunities offered to pupils? 15015 Mike Wehrmeyer Team inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Inglehurst Junior School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Higherland Bridge 49 West Street Gargrave Skipton North Yorkshire BD23 3RJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Inglehurst Junior School is situated in an area of mixed local authority and private housing not far from the centre of the city of Leicester. There are 289 pupils between the ages of seven and eleven on roll and the school is larger than most schools of this type. Most housing around the school is terraced and there are areas of significant deprivation. The degree of social and economic disadvantage is reflected in the 39 per cent of pupils who are entitled to free school meals, a proportion that is well above the national average. Nine per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and about half of these do not speak English as their first language. There are a few children from traveller families in the school. There is higher than average mobility in the school; for example, nearly half of the pupils who left from Year 6 last year had not started in Year 3. A higher proportion of pupils is on the school’s register of special educational needs than is found in most

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

schools; most of these have moderate learning difficulties. Seven pupils have statements of special educational need, a higher number than one would expect to find. On entry to the school, the pupils generally have levels of attainment that are below those typical for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Inglehurst Junior School is a very good school. The pupils are achieving very well and the standards in the national tests reflect this achievement. The quality of teaching is very good overall with many lessons that are very good or excellent. The leadership and management of the school are very good, with several excellent features; most notably the leadership of the headteacher and the way that she is supported by her deputy and the subject coordinators. The school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The school is very well led and managed. • The quality of teaching is very good, and the pupils consequently learn well and make very good progress during their time in the school. • Standards achieved in the national tests are well above average. • There is a commitment to improvement and high standards that is evident in all that is done in the school. • The curriculum provides a good range of learning opportunities for the pupils. • There is very good provision for the pupils’ social development, and relationships at all levels in the school are very good. • Behaviour management has a high priority in the school and the pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are consequently good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Insufficient time is spent in teaching music and physical education. • Marking of the pupils’ work is inconsistent and not always helpful. • The pupils’ spelling. • There are insufficient opportunities for the pupils to experience the range of cultures represented in our society today. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

These areas for improvement should be read in the context of this being a very good school; they do not represent weaknesses, rather they are pointers to refine the very good practice already going on.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1999 and has made very good progress since then. All the key issues from that report have been addressed well, some very well. For example, the school development plan now takes a very good long-term view of developments and clearly shows the plans the school has to move forward. The school has set up a computer suite, which has had a Inglehurst Junior School - 8 significant impact on raising standards in information and communication technology. Standards in English, mathematics and science have risen significantly in the last two years. There is an evaluative culture in the school which ensures continuing development and the school is very well placed to take the next steps forward.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

compared with Performance in: all schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

1999 2000 2001 2001 English E D B A Well above average above average A B

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STANDARDS

mathematics D C A A Average Below average C D science B A A* A* Well below average E

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STANDARDS

Results in the national tests have been rising fairly dramatically over the last two years. The A* scored in the science tests in 2001 represents a score in the top five per cent of all schools nationally. The results have been particularly good when one looks at the scores these same pupils achieved in the tests for seven year olds at their infant schools. The very good progress made by the pupils during their time at the school is clear. Although standards seen during the inspection in English, mathematics and science are not as high as those scored in the tests in 2001, they are above average and these pupils had very low scores when they took the tests for seven year olds. The targets that the school has set for the pupils’ achievements have been exceeded in the last two years, and the school is now setting more demanding targets. Standards in information and communication technology are above average. Standards seen during the inspection in art and

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STANDARDS

design are well above average and are above average in history. Standards of spelling are a weakness. The pupils are generally achieving very well during their time in the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They are eager to come to school and are enthusiastic once they are there. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in and around the school is good. There have been no exclusions in recent years. Personal development and relationships The pupils’ personal development is good and relationships at all levels within the school community are very good. Attendance Levels of attendance are unsatisfactory. Inglehurst Junior School - 9

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good overall; there is much teaching that is very good and excellent. The teaching of English and mathematics is very good and the pupils learn the skills of literacy and numeracy very well. The teachers are very well aware of the needs of individual pupils in their classes and these needs are particularly well met. A strength of the teaching is the teachers’ management of the pupils. The classrooms are calm and purposeful and this enables the pupils to concentrate well. The high expectations that the teachers have, both of the pupils’ performance and their behaviour, are a further strength of teaching through the school. The resulting learning is very good as the pupils are striving to achieve. A relative weakness in teaching is that the quality of marking is inconsistent.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good quality, broad, balanced and relevant curriculum for the pupils. This curriculum is well planned and is enhanced by good provision for extra-curricular activities. Some subjects do not have sufficient time allocated to them to enable good standards to be achieved. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision is made for the pupils with special educational needs. They are well supported, enabling them to make the same very good progress as other pupils. A particular strength of the provision is the “nurture groups” that the school has set up. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for the pupils with English as an additional language is good. These pupils make good progress, largely because of the attention that they receive from their teachers and other adults. This

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

progress is not very good, as it is for other pupils, as opportunities are missed to develop their English language. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision is made for the pupils’ personal development, and very good provision for their social development. Although there is good provision for giving the pupils an awareness of the range of cultural diversity in the world, opportunities are missed to present the range in their locality. How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for its pupils, ensuring that they are safe and confident. Assessment procedures are thorough and are used well to guide curricular planning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is very keen to involve parents in the education of their children and the parents have very positive views of the school. Inglehurst Junior School - 10

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and senior staff provide excellent leadership for the school and give very clear educational direction. The headteacher has delegated very well and receives excellent support from the deputy and subject coordinators. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their role in the management of the school effectively. They are involved in all management decisions and have a clear view of their role and how the school is developing. The school’s evaluation of its performance There is a culture of evaluation in the school which ensures that everything that is done is monitored and evaluated excellently. The school knows exactly where it is, where it is going and how it should get there. The strategic use of resources All resources are used effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school applies the principles of best value well. Levels of staffing, accommodation and learning resources are good overall.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The school is approachable. • The school sets high expectations for their children. • Their children like school. • Teaching is good. • Their children are making good progress. • Behaviour is good. • The school is well led and managed. • The school is helping their children become mature and responsible. • Levels of homework. • The range of extra-curricular activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

As will be seen in earlier sections of this summary report, the inspectors endorse all positive parental comments. However, the judgement of the inspection is that levels of homework are appropriate and that homework makes a good contribution to the pupils’ learning. Inspectors judge that there is a good range of extra-curricular activities. Inglehurst Junior School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Standards of work seen in the inspection are above average and the pupils make very good progress, bearing in mind their below average levels of attainment when they join the school. The pupils of all ability levels achieve very well during their time in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Strengths in standards achieved are: • standards achieved in the national tests for 11 year olds in 2001 are well above average; • the improvements in the national test results over the last two years; • standards in art and design are well above average by the time the pupils leave the school, and those in information and communication technology and history are above average; • the pupils of all ability levels, including those with special educational needs and those who have particular gifts or talents, make very good progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Areas for improvement are: • although the pupils with English as an additional language make good progress they do not make such good progress as other pupils in the school; • standards in spelling are not as high as in other aspects of English; • standards in physical education and music, whilst satisfactory, are not as high as those in other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average by the end of Year 6. The pupils enter the school with below average attainment and they are, therefore, making very good progress to reach these standards. The results in the National Curriculum tests in 2001 were above average in English, well above average in mathematics and very high in science when compared with all schools. When compared with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, the results in English and mathematics were well above average and in science were very high. The reason for the national test results for last year being higher than the current standards is the particular abilities of the pupils currently in Year 6. When these pupils took the national tests for seven year olds in 1998, their scores were generally very low. They have therefore made very good progress to attain the current

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

standards. English, and particularly writing, has been a major focus of development in the school, resulting in the improving standards in this subject. Standards have improved significantly over the last two years in the national tests and the targets set by the school have been exceeded in each year. However, these targets are set well in advance of the tests and developments in the school have moved at such a rate that the school now realises that the targets set are too low. Much more challenging targets are being set for 2003, the targets having already been set for 2002. There is no significant difference between the standards achieved by girls and boys.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 Standards in English are above average in all aspects of the subject except spelling. Standards are above average in literacy. The pupils listen well, this skill being particularly well developed by the teachers. As they go through the school their speaking skills, and particularly their vocabulary, are built on well by the teachers encouraging the pupils to speak about what they are doing and to explain their Inglehurst Junior School - 12 thinking. Standards in reading are above average at the end of Year 6. The basic skills of word building are being developed well so that the pupils are learning more advanced skills. Standards in writing are improving because of the well-planned structures that the school has put in place. A relative weakness is pupils’ spelling. The pupils make very good progress in English.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Attainment in all aspects of mathematics is above average and the pupils make very good progress in this subject during their time in the school. A particular strength is the pupils’ ability to use and apply their mathematical knowledge. The pupils throughout the school are confident to use their own and alternative strategies and to explain how they achieve answers. They have good knowledge of the four operations and of place value, and their numeracy skills are sometimes used well in other lessons, science for example. The pupils explore the characteristics of shapes from an early stage and older pupils have a good knowledge of angles and calculations involving area, perimeter and volume. The pupils show good levels of achievement in presenting and interpreting data in a variety of forms. This aspect is often well supported by the use of information and communication technology. The pupils’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

knowledge of probability, although satisfactory, is not so well developed.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 Standards in all aspects of science are above average. The pupils predict, experiment and make conclusions from their experiments from their earliest days in the school, ensuring that they learn very well. The pupils are encouraged to use correct vocabulary and present their findings carefully and neatly, which helps their very good progress in this subject.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Work seen during the inspection in art and design throughout the school was well above average. The pupils have very good knowledge of artists and a very good range of skills in a variety of media. Standards in information and communication technology and history are above average by the time the pupils leave the school. The curriculum for information and communication technology is covered thoroughly and the pupils learn the basic skills in this subject well. The pupils have a good range of historical skills and good knowledge and understanding of past events. Standards in all other subjects of the curriculum are average. Standards in physical education and music are not as good as those in other subjects of the curriculum. This is because insufficient time is given to teaching these subjects, and in physical education the lessons are often too short to allow the teachers to develop fully the range of skills that

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Progress since the last inspection is very good. At that time, just less than two years ago, standards were described as rather below average in all subjects of the curriculum. The present standards and the scores in the National Curriculum tests are testimony to the hard work that has been put in and the success that the school has achieved in raising standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 All pupils make very good progress through the school. The teachers are very good at meeting the needs of all pupils in their classes. The pupils who have special educational needs make very good progress, because they are very well supported during their work in the classrooms, both by teachers and support assistants. A particularly effective strategy is the organisation of “nurture groups”, where pupils make very good progress. These “nurture groups” are small sets of lower attaining pupils in each year group. Progress has improved since the previous inspection. Most of the pupils who have English as an additional language make good progress, but the small proportion who do not yet speak English well make rather slower progress because their English language level inhibits understanding and opportunities are Inglehurst Junior School - 13 sometimes missed to develop their English. The pupils from traveller families make

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

the same very good progress as other pupils when they are in school. Higher attaining pupils, and some who are gifted and talented, have been identified and are given appropriate and stimulating work to ensure they make very good progress relative to their abilities. The school has carried out searching analysis of national test results and has made every effort to ensure that all pupils are achieving at least as well as they should be.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9 The pupils are keen to learn and their behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. Confidence, social skills and an ability to show consideration for others are other personal attributes which develop well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Strengths in this area are: • enthusiasm for school and involvement in its activities; • behaviour; • respect for the feelings, values and beliefs of others; • the ability to show initiative and take responsibility; • relationships.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

An area for improvement is: • attendance.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 The pupils like coming to school. They settle quickly at the start of the day, work diligently, with perseverance and concentration, and make good contributions to the lessons. During the inspection, attitudes and behaviour were judged to be good or better in more than four out of five of the lessons observed and in four lessons excellent. These good attitudes, and particularly the pupils’ enthusiasm, contribute significantly to the good progress made.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school, and the parents are very satisfied with the standard. There have been no exclusions in recent years. The pupils are courteous, trustworthy and they show respect for property. This high standard enhances the attitudes to learning and creates an orderly society which is free from bullying, sexism or racism.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 Because of the structure of the “nurture groups” and the supportive role of all adults, the pupils who have special educational needs rapidly develop a strongly positive self- image as they are enabled to achieve success in their work. Their behaviour is good, and at times excellent.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13 Relationships in the school are very good and sensitivity is shown for the feelings of others. The pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, including those from traveller families, are fully integrated into the life of the school. These characteristics show that the school is successful in its aim to promote tolerance and mutual respect. Examples of sensitivity are the attention that is given to pupils’ contributions in lessons and evidence of considerable sympathy which is extended to pupils with difficulties. Care for the environment is also evident reinforced by, for example, an excellent assembly presented by the pupils in Year 6.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14 The pupils’ personal development is good and they mature well. They are confident in dealing with adults and have very positive attitudes about taking responsibility and Inglehurst Junior School - 14 showing initiative. A good example is that the pupils appreciate the school council as it allows them to put forward their own ideas. The pupils welcome the good opportunities provided by the school to perform useful tasks and there is good support for charities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15 Attendance has been consistently below the national average and is unsatisfactory, despite good efforts by the school to reduce this problem. Very poor levels of attendance by a specific group of pupils, and holidays in term time account for a substantial proportion of the absences. The level of unauthorised absences is in line with the national average. They arise mainly from poor cooperation by some parents in supplying the necessary information. Registration periods are efficient and start promptly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall, with many lessons being very good or better.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Strengths in teaching and learning are: • the teachers’ high expectations, both of what the pupils can achieve and of how they should behave; • the pupils’ response to the challenges presented to them; • the classroom management skills of the teachers ensure that there is a purposeful working atmosphere in the classrooms enabling the pupils to concentrate; • basic skills are taught very well, particularly the basic skills of literacy and numeracy, and the pupils consequently learn these skills very well; • the teachers’ planning is very well linked to curriculum documentation and ensures that the pupils learn at a good rate.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Areas for development are: • the teachers’ marking; • the teaching of physical education by some teachers.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17 More than four out of five lessons observed during the inspection were good or better with more than two in five being very good or excellent. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. This very good teaching is having a significant impact on the learning and the progress of the pupils. There are no shortcomings in the teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subjects that they are expected to teach, except that some teachers lack confidence with some aspects of the curriculum for physical education. The school is aware of this and further training is already planned.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18 The teachers’ planning is very thorough and follows a common format. All the teachers are well aware of the needs of all the pupils in their classes and make good provision within their planning, setting appropriate tasks for the various ability groups. The teachers have particularly high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and of how they should behave. The high standards of discipline set ensure that there is a purposeful working environment in which it is easy for the pupils to learn. The high expectations and encouragement given inspire the pupils of all ability levels to try their hardest and they consequently achieve well. The teachers ensure that all the pupils are engaged in the activities planned by their very good use of questioning. This Inglehurst Junior School - 15 ensures that the pupils are constantly putting in maximum effort and that their rate of learning rarely slackens. In an excellent English lesson seen in Year 6, for example,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the teacher used questions constantly to consolidate knowledge and to move the pupils on to new learning. The pupils responded by showing a very good understanding of how to select events to create an autobiography. In almost all lessons the good practice of reviewing what it is that the pupils have learnt at the end of the lesson enhances the pupils’ understanding of their own learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19 The teachers teach the basic skills very well. This ensures that the pupils learn these skills well, particularly those of literacy and numeracy. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been very well implemented and the teachers use the structures of these very well to support their teaching. They do not follow the strategies to the letter, but are always looking to adapt them to suit the needs of the pupils in their class. For example, in a mathematics lesson in Year 5, the teacher realised that the set task would take longer than planned and adapted her teaching accordingly so that the rate of learning was maintained for the pupils in her class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20 When there is extra adult help available in lessons, the teachers plan its use very effectively. These other adults know exactly what is required of them and which pupils they are expected to be working with. These clear instructions lead not only to the pupils with whom they are working learning well, but the teachers are then able to focus their attention on the remaining pupils. A relative weakness is the inconsistency found in marking. In English, marking is almost always helpful and the teachers make comments that show the pupils what they need to do to improve. In many other subjects there is much work that is unmarked or just given a cursory tick or cross. In subjects such as mathematics and science, marking does not often give the pupils clear guidance on how they might improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21 The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is very good overall, and is an improvement since the previous inspection. With constant encouragement, in classrooms or “nurture groups”, the staff enable the pupils to master difficult tasks. On some occasions the atmosphere in the “nurture groups” is excellent. The pupils responded to the lively humour by intense involvement. This occurred, for instance, in a lesson where pupils eagerly rushed to bring the results of their measuring of foot size and weight and height to their teacher to be entered into the data chart. They fully understood why no one over the age of 30 could be included in the measures, as they might skew the results. The systematic use of the pupils’ individual education plans throughout the school targets the adults’ attention on specific needs. So the work prepared for pupils is suitably matched to their abilities. The close teamwork between

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

class teachers and support assistants enables them to transfer instructions and information about pupils, and to monitor their progress very effectively. Groups for literacy and numeracy are reorganised so that pupils are taught in sets of pupils of similar ability. This makes a major contribution to the effectiveness of the teaching for the pupils with special educational needs and ensures that the least able are well supported in the development of basic skills. The teaching of pupils who have English as an additional language is generally good. However, the teachers lack a specifically structured programme to accelerate the learning of spoken and written English for the small proportion of children who have limited English.

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PUPILS?

Inglehurst Junior School - 16 22 The school has made good improvements to curricular provision for its pupils since the previous inspection. It gives its pupils a broadly based and well-balanced curriculum that effectively meets their needs and interests.

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PUPILS?

Strengths in curriculum provision are: • the clear subject policies and schemes of work; • the provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education; • the quality and clarity of the teachers’ planning and learning intentions; • the effectiveness of the strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy; • the provision for the pupils with special educational needs; • the inclusion of all the pupils in the full range of activities the school provides; • the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities.

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PUPILS?

An area for development is: • increasing the time given to some subjects, for example music and physical education.

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PUPILS?

23 There is a good level of improvement in the curriculum for English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. This improvement is reflected in the pupils’ attainments. The school ensures that all the pupils have carefully structured opportunities to develop their investigative and enquiry skills in mathematics and science. The use of information and communication technology is developing very effectively in all subjects. This, and the recently installed computer suite, is making a positive contribution to the pupils’ standards. The school does not give enough time for the effective development of skills in music and physical education. The school prepares its pupils carefully for future work at secondary level.

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PUPILS?

24 The school has policies in place for all subjects and uses nationally recommended schemes of work to plan lessons. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. The subject coordinators have a complete overview of teaching, learning and developments in their subjects. This is making a significant contribution to the raising of the pupils’ standards of attainment. This is also a marked improvement since the previous inspection.

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PUPILS?

25 The school makes good provision for the pupils’ physical and personal development. There is a suitable health education programme that includes sex education and a relevant programme that deals with drugs’ misuse. These strengthen the school’s provision for preparing its pupils for adult life. It has increasingly strong links with the local community. For example, members of the community, such as a local church worker, lead some school assemblies. These links deepen the pupils’ understanding of belonging to a caring community.

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PUPILS?

26 The school is very successful in implementing the National Literacy Strategy. This is evident from the improved English results in the national tests. The school is continuing to develop and improve the pupils’ skills in spelling in subjects other than English. The implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is having a very positive effect on improving pupils’ standards. There is a suitably strong emphasis on the investigative element of work in mathematics. This increases the pupils’ ability to work independently and solve problems.

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PUPILS?

27 All teachers set homework on a regular basis. This gives a very effective level of support to the work the pupils do in lessons. The inspection findings do not agree with the parents’ concerns about homework. The school’s good provision for extra- Inglehurst Junior School - 17 curricular activities include sports, art, music, drama, school performances and visits to places of interest. They broaden and enrich the pupils’ experiences. All the pupils have opportunities to join in these activities. The pupils engage in them with enjoyment.

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PUPILS?

28 The curriculum provision for the pupils with special educational needs is very good. This is an important improvement since the previous inspection because it now leads to these pupils’ very good progress throughout the school. All the pupils’ individual education plans are in place, and of a consistently good quality. The pupils’ targets are clearly defined, work programmes are shown in detail and their progress is reviewed at regular short periods as suggested in the criteria for successful achievement.

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PUPILS?

29 The provision for the pupils who have English as an additional language is good. However, there is not enough structure in the arrangements for developing their knowledge and understanding of English. All the pupils have full and equal access to the curriculum provided by the school. Some pupils are, on occasions, withdrawn from lessons for learning support. The class teacher ensures they are able to take part in classroom activities when they return.

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PUPILS?

30 The school has carefully structured procedures in place to monitor, analyse and evaluate the effect of the curriculum on the standards pupils’ achieve. This ensures that the planned curriculum meets the needs of all pupils in the school, regardless of ability. An example of this is the effective re-structuring of classes into ability groups for English and mathematics.

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PUPILS?

31 Links with the community and partner institutions are satisfactory. There are a few commercial and industrial links, which mainly sponsor sporting activities, and the school works with the local residents association. Visits to places of interest in the community, for example, a Sikh temple and a local ecology demonstration centre, are used to enhance the curriculum. The school has very good relationships with the neighbouring infant school and there are satisfactory arrangements for the transfer of pupils to secondary schools. Links with other local schools are developing.

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PUPILS?

32 The school’s provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is good overall and has improved since the previous inspection. It places much importance on these aspects of pupils’ personal development and is effective in broadening and deepening pupils' experiences.

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PUPILS?

The strengths of this aspect are: • the development of pupils’ spirituality through reflection and experience; • the development of moral values through the daily work of the school; • the very good provision for social development; • the provision for giving the pupils an awareness of cultural diversity in the world.

p.17

PUPILS?

An area for development is • to enable the pupils to recognise the diversity of culture within their everyday lives and the development of understanding of Britain as a multicultural society.

p.17

PUPILS?

33 The provision for the pupils’ spiritual development is good. Activities during lessons often provide opportunities for pupils to reflect and wonder. A moment of awe was Inglehurst Junior School - 18 seen when pupils in an information and communication technology lesson marvelled at the sudden appearance of a brightly coloured cartoon screen. The pupils show sensitivity in their feelings in a range of subjects. For example, in English when they were asked to close their eyes and imagine a chick, this gave rise to the use of some sensitive descriptive words. Similarly sensitive feelings were shown by the pupils in history, when they had to write a letter to Henry VIII from Ann Boleyn pleading for a reprieve. The school incorporates spiritual opportunities naturally into lessons through effective use of sessions at the end of lessons when learning is reviewed and reflected upon. There is time during daily assemblies for quiet thought and reflection. During

p.17

PUPILS?

the week of the inspection the pupils considered how they could play their part in caring for the world, and how they could do their best at school, for example.

p.18

PUPILS?

34 The school makes good provision for the pupils’ moral development, and is effective in teaching the pupils right from wrong. Living honourably, and telling the truth are emphasised in the scheme of work for personal, social and health education. The code of conduct of the school is prominently displayed on the walls, and pupils are aware of how they should behave in school. The teachers and other staff provide good role models, dealing with issues in a patient, firm and fair manner. The pupils’ values are reflected in their discussions during the school council about, for example, their rights and relationships in the playground. Moral issues are developed within the curriculum. For instance, they consider care of the environment in geography. The pupils can volunteer to be ‘rubbish busters’ in the playground, which helps them to be aware of the problems presented to others by litter.

p.18

PUPILS?

35 There is very good provision for the pupils’ social development. The pupils are given many opportunities to take responsibility and to become independent learners. A particularly effective system at lunchtime enables pupils to be responsible helpers with indoor board games, playground games, cloakroom and dinner duties. All staff actively use the same code of behaviour to promote good behaviour at all times. During lessons, the pupils have ample opportunity to work both collaboratively and cooperatively improving their social skills; for example, in science, geography field trips and sporting activities. These foster independence and an understanding of acceptable group behaviour.

p.18

PUPILS?

36 The school makes good provision for the cultural development of pupils. The pupils develop an appreciation of a range of cultures through their work in art, for instance. The work of artists such as Klimt, van Gogh and Kandinsky are displayed around school. In religious education, geography and history, the pupils learn of non-western cultures. An effective and informative display of work about Africa, including traditional houses, masks, stories and jewellery, for example, encourages the pupils to compare and contrast these cultures with their own lives. The school teaches pupils to respect and value other cultures well.

p.18

PUPILS?

37 Although pupils are well aware of the nature of a variety of cultures, the school does not yet promote Britain or their local area well enough as a multicultural society. For example, there are insufficient visitors of other cultures and faiths to the school in order to provide an authentic flavour to their understanding of these cultures.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38 The school is a caring organisation and the provision to support and monitor pupils’ academic performances and to provide for their welfare are good. Inglehurst Junior School - 19 Strengths in this area are: • educational and personal support for pupils; • basic welfare provisions such as child protection, lunch time supervision and health and safety arrangements; • the procedures for encouraging good behaviour; • attendance monitoring and the investigation of absence; • procedures and systems for assessing achievements and progress in all subjects; • the use of assessment to plan work in all subjects; • the involvement of the pupils and their parents in setting targets for improvement.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

An area for development is: • clear and consistently understood procedures to record temporary absence in the school day.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39 The school’s procedures for child protection and ensuring the pupils’ welfare are all good and this is consistent with the school’s caring ethos. Where applicable, statutory requirements are satisfied and necessary training is provided for all staff. The arrangements result in a safe and secure environment. Examples of the school’s caring attitude include a support group formed specially to help pupils’ with behaviour difficulties, help with facilities to do homework when none exist at home and a fully supervised lunch time club for pupils who prefer not to go outside.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40 The school’s behaviour management arrangements are good. They are understood by and influence the pupils, including those with very challenging attitudes. Good behaviour is acknowledged by rewards which are much appreciated. The arrangements contribute significantly to the good behaviour in the school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41 The arrangements to monitor and promote regular attendance are good. Procedures for monitoring and investigating absence are particularly thorough. Registers satisfy requirements and good attendance is rewarded. However, temporary absence in the course of the school day is incompletely recorded and parents may not be sure of the school’s policy if their child is absent without a known cause. The school aims to promote good attendance and, for example, employs part-time administrative help to deal specifically with the monitoring procedures.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42 The pupils are well supported but there are no formal procedures to monitor personal development. The informal arrangements are satisfactory but they rely heavily on the teachers’ personal knowledge. They are enhanced by the confidence which the pupils have in their teachers. For example, pupils are happy to take problems to the staff.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43 The school’s systems for assessing the pupils’ attainment are good. They provide a suitably wide range of information about the pupils. The school’s use of assessment to develop and modify the curriculum effectively to improve standards is good. These are improvements since the previous inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44 The school has a clear overview of how assessment can be used to adapt curricular planning. The school analyses the results of national tests and tasks. This gives a clear picture of the effect of the literacy and numeracy strategies and school initiatives on the pupils’ standards. All the teachers use the results of assessment to build on the pupils’ previous knowledge and to plan suitable work. There is careful monitoring and evaluation of progress in all subjects, including religious education. All the members of staff use the results of assessment to set clear targets for improvement. They involve Inglehurst Junior School - 20 the pupils and their parents in the target setting process. This ensures that the pupils and their parents know what is necessary for improvement.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45 There are effective systems in place for assessing the attainment of the pupils when they enter the school. The school uses a suitably wide range of national tests to assess and plan for further progress. The school carefully analyses information from the national tests at the end of the infant school. It uses these findings to group the pupils according to their needs and abilities. This ensures that all the pupils make very good progress in their learning.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46 Throughout the school, the pupils who have special educational needs are monitored regularly to see if they have made sufficient progress to come off the register of pupils with special educational needs, or if they need further help. The staff track the pupils closely, and adjust the teaching in the light of new information. The school draws on the expertise of specialist services for more detailed diagnostic testing. The school has good relationships with many specialist agencies, and particularly values the very good links with the Educational Psychology, Behaviour Support and Special Needs Teaching services. The school is able to meet the support terms written into the statements of special need. The staff give very sensitive one to one attention to the pupils with the most complex needs.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47 Evidence from meetings with parents and from the parents’ questionnaire indicates that the parents are very satisfied with the school. There is a satisfactory partnership. The parents do have reservations about the amount of homework and the range of extra-curricular activities but inspectors do not think these concerns are justified.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Strengths in this area are: • parents receive a good range of information; • staff are approachable.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Areas for improvement are: • parental contribution to the general life of the school; • the extent to which some parents support their pupils at home.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48 The parents give good support to activities such as class assemblies which directly involve their children. There is some help in classrooms, but parental involvement in many aspects of the school is low. This limits the development of a full partnership between parents and the school. For example, there is no parent/teacher association, attendance at parents’ consultation evenings is below that usually found and a course for parents, run in conjunction with a local college, was poorly supported.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49 Information provided for parents is good overall; they are well informed about school activities and the progress of their children. Good features include summaries of the syllabus in each subject and for each year group; regular, well presented newsletters; an informative governors’ annual report; very detailed pupils’ progress reports and an interim report. The prospectus is very detailed but the presentation is confusing. In addition to parents’ consultation evenings, the teachers are readily available for discussions at other times. The approachability of the staff is much appreciated by parents. The parents of the pupils who have special educational needs are fully involved in the procedure of identifying and supporting at every stage, and are kept Inglehurst Junior School - 21 well informed of their children’s progress. Nearly all of them attend the important annual review meeting.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50 Parental support for their children at home is satisfactory but not uniform across the parents, despite encouragement from the school. Some pupils receive little or no help. For example, not all parents listen to their children read regularly.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51 The quality of leadership and management of the school is very good. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and very clear direction for the school and receives excellent support from her deputy and curriculum coordinators. This high quality leadership and management has been the main reason why the school has improved so much in the last two years. The members of the governing body have a good grasp of their responsibilities and the strengths of the school. There is an evaluative culture in the school which ensures that all that is done is monitored and checked for validity.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Strengths in leadership and management are: • excellent leadership of the headteacher and other key staff; • delegation to staff with management responsibilities and the excellent way that they fulfil their roles; • good contribution of the governing body to the management of the school; • excellent monitoring and evaluation of all that is done in the school; • an excellent shared commitment to improve; • very good use of all monies available to the school; • the good application of the principles of best value.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52 The quality of leadership and management by the headteacher and key staff is excellent. It is the main reason why standards have risen so significantly over the last two years. The headteacher gives very clear leadership to the school and is very ably supported by senior staff. Subject coordinators have been given considerable responsibility for raising standards in their own subjects. They have taken on this role very well and each contributes significantly to the shared commitment to improve. There is effective communication between subject coordinators in terms of cross- curricular links and the development of literacy and numeracy skills. For example, the focus on the development of writing skills in English is also seen in a number of subject areas where longer pieces of written work are encouraged and this is having a positive effect on standards. The school has an ethos of striving for excellence that is

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

very much at the heart of everything that is done in the school. Standards in this area have improved since the last inspection, particularly in relation to the role of the subject coordinators.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53 The governors provide a good level of support and their role has developed since the last inspection. An improvement is that they now have a good strategic view of the direction of the school. They work very effectively with the headteacher and staff and play a role in shaping the future direction and work of the school. Because of the time they give to the school, they have a very clear understanding of its strengths, although they are less clear about its weaknesses. Individual governors have responsibility for particular curriculum areas and this involves them further in day to day developments. This very good initiative helps to involve the governors fully in the aims and future development of the school. Inglehurst Junior School - 22 54 The management of special educational needs is particularly strong. It has established effective and caring provision. The coordinator has led the school forward

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

in the area of assessing pupils and identifying different types of need, and in the writing and use of individual education plans. The organisation of training is continually raising the expertise of the support staff to an increasingly high level, as an effective preparation for the new Code of Practice. Careful timetabling ensures that this expertise is in the right place at the right time, ready to begin working with pupils from the start of lessons. The school has organised the information from its various assessment sources very efficiently to enable it to monitor and evaluate the impact of special needs support overall. All specific funds for special needs are spent wisely with care being taken to ensure best value.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55 The school’s monitoring and evaluation of its performance is excellent. The senior management team and subject coordinators monitor learning very effectively. This monitoring is well planned and clearly aimed at raising standards. It has resulted in improved teaching and learning since the last inspection. Alongside this, very good analysis has been carried out of results in the national tests in order to plan for improvements. This analysis is effective in providing the school with further areas for development.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56 The school development plan is a useful document. It is very clearly set out with evaluation of developments and a look into the future with a five year span. All staff and governors have an input into areas for development and a very careful overview is kept of the whole process of forming and monitoring the plan. A particular strength of the plan is the individual subject development plans.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57 The school governors and the headteacher make good use of all the specific grants available to them. Day to day management of finances is very efficient. The school benefits from having bought in the services of a bursar whose expertise is valuable in controlling the budget. Finances are very clearly linked to educational priorities both in the school development plan and in the day to day management of the budget. The school office is run very calmly and efficiently, releasing the day to day administration from the shoulders of the headteacher and other teachers.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58 Staffing is good overall. The number and qualifications of the teaching staff are well matched to the needs of the curriculum although there is no science specialist. Trained classroom assistants provide good levels of support. There is a good induction procedure for newly qualified staff and an up to date programme of staff appraisal is in place.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59 Accommodation is satisfactory. Good use is made of the accommodation and it does not constrain teaching and learning. A new information technology suite is a noteworthy feature and has resulted in rising standards in information and communication technology. Very attractive displays of pupils’ work enhance the internal appearance. However, movement around the school is difficult and some activities disturb other classes, physical education lessons in the upper hall being clearly heard in the classrooms below, for example.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60 Learning resources are good overall. They are good in English, mathematics, science, information and communication technology and history and satisfactory in other subjects. Resources are well used by the teachers to support the pupils’ learning. Inglehurst Junior School - 23 61 The school has established very good financial procedures that are based firmly upon the principle of best value. Taking into account all relevant factors, the school provides very good value for money.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

In order to continue to move the school forward and refine the very good practice already established, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

(1) adapt the timetable so that: a) sufficient time is spent in teaching music and physical education; (paragraphs 6, 23, 27, 111, 114) b) sessions are long enough to enable the teachers to develop a lesson fully; (paragraphs 6, 23, 98, 114)

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

(2) improve the quality of marking to the quality of that seen in English, so that pupils have a clear view of their strengths and weaknesses and clear targets for improvement; (paragraphs 20, 44, 78, 88)

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

(3) improve the pupils’ spelling by introducing a structured programme that teaches common spelling rules and conventions; (paragraphs 3, 68, 88)

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

(4) provide further opportunities for the pupils to learn of and experience the cultural diversity of this locality and country. (paragraphs 36, 119) Inglehurst Junior School - 24

p.23

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 50

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.24

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 7.4 33.8 44.1 14.7 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 289

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 95 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 81

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 14

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 30

p.24

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

p.24

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Inglehurst Junior School - 25

p.24

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 40 40 80

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 32 36 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 35 35 38

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 84 (78) 89 (81) 96 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Boys 31 35 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 35 35 38

p.25

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Percentage of pupils School 83 (69) 88 (68) 94 (79) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Inglehurst Junior School - 26

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 7 Black – Caribbean heritage

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.26

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 14 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 13.8 Financial year 2000/2001

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20.9

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 634 336

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 609 906

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 175 Expenditure per pupil 2 155

p.26

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 14 573

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 4

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Inglehurst Junior School - 27

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 47 48 1 0 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 51 1 1 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 18 54 21 4 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 42 47 8 2 1

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 41 1 0 0

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 37 0 0 2

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 32 58 8 1 1

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 54 41 0 0 5

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 51 3 0 3

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 40 21 2 13

p.27

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentages may not sum to 100 owing to rounding Inglehurst Junior School - 28

p.27

ENGLISH

63 The improvement in standards in English since the previous inspection is very significant. There is a marked rise from below average attainment in all aspects of English, and the vast majority of the pupils now achieve standards that are above average for their age. The pupils of all abilities make very good progress in their learning during lessons and over time. Results in the national tests are steadily improving and the upward trend is set to continue. This is a direct result of the improved teaching, the careful use of assessment and the enthusiasm of the coordinator.

p.28

ENGLISH

Strengths in the subject are: • the quality of leadership, knowledge and enthusiasm of the coordinator; • the quality of teaching; • the pupils’ response and attitudes to their work; • assessment procedures and their use; • the pupils’ learning, progress, standards and achievement; • the quality and range of resources, including the library.

p.28

ENGLISH

An area for development is: • standards in spelling.

p.28

ENGLISH

64 When the pupils enter the school in Year 3, their skills in all areas of English are below average for their age. For example, the current Year 6 had very low scores in reading and writing. The school uses the results of a range of tests to place the pupils into ability groups. This enables the teachers to meet the needs of the pupils more effectively, and the very good teaching ensures that all pupils achieve well. The high quality of teaching, learning, achievement and progress continues as the pupils move through the school. The school identifies higher attaining pupils and makes suitable provision for them. This is enabling the pupils to reach higher levels in their work. The implementation of the National Literacy Strategy is very effective. This is having a beneficial effect on standards in reading and writing.

p.28

ENGLISH

65 The pupils’ standards in speaking and listening are good. Throughout the school the vast majority of pupils are keen to join in discussions and debates. They listen attentively and respond very well to the interesting and enthusiastic teaching. This makes a positive contribution to the improvement in the pupils’ speaking and listening skills. By Year 6, most pupils are confident and competent in their ability to raise and answer questions. For example, in a Year 6 lesson about the city-states of Athens and Sparta, the teacher’s challenging questions promoted listening. As a result, the pupils increased their knowledge and understanding of vocabulary. They defined the meaning of ‘democracy’ and related this to their work on the school council. All the teachers take care to ensure that all the pupils join in discussions and speak clearly and audibly. This ensures that the pupils with special educational needs make equally

p.28

ENGLISH

good progress in developing their speaking skills.

p.28

ENGLISH

66 By the time they are in Year 4 the pupils’ standards in reading are good. They have above average skills in using a suitably wide range of techniques to attempt unknown words. The teachers ensure that the pupils maintain this rate of progress throughout the school. They give the pupils a love of books and an enjoyment of reading. This Inglehurst Junior School - 29 has a marked effect on the use of the library and on the pupils’ research skills. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, are eager to talk about books they have read. They read accurately and use the text effectively when answering questions. All the teachers make sure that the pupils know how to use dictionaries and thesauri to support their work. This has a positive effect on standards.

p.28

ENGLISH

67 By Year 6, standards in writing are good. Throughout the school the pupils demonstrate an improving command of skills in writing, and use an increasing range of punctuation correctly. The school has strategies in place that ensure most pupils make very good progress in developing their skills in writing. They use increasingly complex sentence structures and produce interesting and imaginative short stories. Most pupils write in a range of styles and for a variety of purposes. An example of this is when pupils in Year 4 wrote letters to Henry VIII asking him to spare the monasteries. They gave well-reasoned arguments and used the correct letter writing style. There are good examples of writing about the possible feelings of characters, “I’m feeling so lonely. All I want is a friend”. This makes very effective links with the pupils’ work in personal and social education. It reflects high quality and sensitive

p.29

ENGLISH

teaching. The pupils respond very well and give of their best. By Year 6 careful teaching ensures that the pupils use figures of speech to make their work more interesting. For example, a pupil looked at a picture and wrote, “A smile as wide as a zip”. This is the result of skilful questioning to promote discussion. Their writing is interesting, lively and very well organised. The school has a strong focus on teaching handwriting skills. The use of ink from the beginning of Year 3 and of pens with nibs higher up the school has a positive effect on the quality of handwriting. Standards of handwriting and presentation are consistently good.

p.29

ENGLISH

68 The quality of the pupils’ spelling is unsatisfactory. For example, some older pupils do not apply the skills they learn in English. As a result, they spell many simple words incorrectly such as ‘marrid’ (married) and ‘chalck’ (chalk). This has an adverse effect on the pupils’ written work in subjects such as science and history.

p.29

ENGLISH

69 Throughout the school the pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in their learning. Their teachers give them specific tasks in reading and writing to help meet their identified educational needs. They have good and effective support. This has a positive impact on their learning and progress. The work for the higher attaining pupils in Year 6 is challenging and shows high expectations of achievement. This enhances the quality of the pupils’ learning and progress and raises their attainment.

p.29

ENGLISH

70 The pupils’ response to work in English is very good. This is because of the very good and enthusiastic teaching. All the pupils listen very carefully to their teachers and to each other. They value and respect the contributions their classmates make, try hard to answer questions and join in discussions. By Year 6, the pupils concentrate very well for lengthy periods, strive to finish their work on time and take pride in the finished product. They are proud of their work and are keen to discuss it with visitors. The pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language respond positively to their work. They make effective contributions to the class discussions.

p.29

ENGLISH

71 There is a significant improvement in the quality of teaching since the previous inspection and the quality of teaching is now very good. It was excellent in three lessons observed. In the excellent lessons the enthusiasm of the teachers and their use of very effective teaching strategies ensure that pupils have a rich language experience. This high quality of teaching results in the improvement in standards. Inglehurst Junior School - 30 Hallmarks of the excellent and very good teaching are the stimulating and interesting activities that the teachers plan within the structured framework. The teachers ensure that all pupils are fully engaged in their work and that the level of challenge is suitable for all ability groups in the class. All teachers try to fully involve the pupils in their lessons. For example, in a Year 6 lesson the pupils were asked to close their eyes and imagine they held a baby chick. This inspired some high quality descriptions. The

p.29

ENGLISH

management of pupils is very good and the teachers use high quality assessments of learning and progress to inform and adjust future planning. The lesson pace is brisk and maintains pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. In lessons where teaching was less than very good the summing up session at the end of these lessons was rushed. This did not give the pupils time to consolidate and reflect on their learning. The school has clearly defined learning targets for pupils. These have carefully planned learning steps and the pupils work hard to achieve them. All teachers plan work to extend pupils’ skills in subjects across the curriculum. The school deploys its support assistants effectively. This makes a positive contribution to pupils’ progress.

p.30

ENGLISH

72 Management of the subject is very good. The coordinator is successfully implementing strategies aimed at continuing to raise standards. The school uses a range of very effective assessments in English. The analysis of test answers provides a useful base for setting specific teaching targets for each year group. The coordinator monitors lessons and the teachers’ planning. This gives a very clear understanding of standards, the quality of teaching and curriculum and resources needs. These steps are having a positive impact on raising standards. The quality and use of assessment is consistent throughout the school. The school has a portfolio of annotated and levelled work in English. This enables the teachers to make accurate assessments of progress and achievement. The library is well organised and attractively presented. It has a suitable range of good quality fiction and reference books and the pupils make

p.30

ENGLISH

effective use of it. Although there is no seating in the library it provides a calm place in which to read and carry out independent research. This is a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

73 The standard of attainment in mathematics is above average by the time the pupils leave the school. Standards in the current Year 6 are not as high as those achieved in the national tests last year as the pupils currently in Year 6 achieved scores that were well below average when they took the tests as seven year olds. The pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress and achieve very well in all aspects of the subject. Improvement since the last inspection is very good.

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MATHEMATICS

Strengths in the subject are: • above average standards for pupils aged 11; • the very good quality of teaching and learning; • the pupils enjoy mathematics and they are encouraged to think mathematically; • very good subject leadership and management; • the positive impact of the National Numeracy Strategy on teaching and learning ; • the arrangements for setting and the “nurture groups”; • the pupils’ attitudes to their learning and their good behaviour.

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MATHEMATICS

Areas for improvement are: • the consistency of marking; • presentation of work; Inglehurst Junior School - 31 • work is not always set at appropriate levels for pupils of differing abilities within the sets.

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MATHEMATICS

74 By the age of 11 most pupils are working at above expected levels in number work. For example, they can solve challenging computations using the four operations and many work accurately with numbers greater than 1000 and develop a clear knowledge of fractions and successfully simplify them. The pupils gain a good knowledge of measurement, many can calculate perimeter and area accurately and the higher attaining pupils have a particularly good knowledge of angles and lines of symmetry, and can describe the properties of a range of shapes. The pupils collect information and learn to draw a variety of graphs and can interpret graphical information well; this is above expectations for pupils of this age. The pupils do not have the same good ability with probability. The good emphasis on practical approaches, the correct use of mathematical terms, the frequent use of probing questions by the teachers and the

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MATHEMATICS

setting of challenging work ensure most pupils achieve very well.

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MATHEMATICS

75 The pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive and their behaviour is good. This is a direct reflection of skilled teaching and has a very positive influence on the standards achieved. The pupils of all abilities respond positively to well-organised lessons in the certain knowledge that their teachers value them and their efforts. The majority of older pupils shows a good capacity to work independently, and clearly enjoy the challenge of the subject.

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MATHEMATICS

76 The quality of mathematics teaching is very good throughout the school. It is rarely less than good and is sometimes excellent. Across the school the teachers have a consistent approach to the teaching of numeracy and the teaching of basic number skills is very good. They successfully build on the National Numeracy Strategy and effectively ensure the ‘mental starter’ part of the lesson is both lively and challenging. The good use of questions enabled the pupils in a Year 4 class to show their understanding of multiplying a 2-digit number by 10. There are numerous examples of teachers asking challenging questions and urging the pupils to think quickly and to have confidence in explaining their methods. This boosts their confidence and often promotes a sense of fun.

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MATHEMATICS

77 The teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and the well-planned, whole- school framework for the subject supports them well in the planning of lessons. The result is that pupils acquire good mathematical knowledge, skills and understanding. Most teachers use a good range of methods to promote learning and they manage learning well. Good levels of interest and concentration are fostered, as shown by the pupils in Year 3 who calculated amounts of money. The pupils quickly selected suitable strategies to calculate the sums. The management of time and the extent to which the work was matched to different pupils’ learning needs were key factors in determining the success of several of the lessons seen, in moving the learning forward. However, in some lessons, the teachers set the same work for all the pupils in their group, which slows the progress of some of the lower attaining pupils in the set

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MATHEMATICS

78 Several particular strengths distinguish the very good teaching seen. The teachers’ questioning techniques are skilful, and they use them effectively to engage all the pupils in thinking mathematically. Lessons are well paced and great care is taken to ensure all pupils participate in answering questions and that no one dominates. A particular feature of the very good teaching is the care taken to assess and adjust the rate of learning depending on how quickly the pupils are learning. This was evident in Inglehurst Junior School - 32 a lesson in Year 5 where the teacher quickly realised that the set task would take longer than planned. She explained very carefully to the pupils how she would adapt what they were to do in succeeding lessons so that all pupils had very good knowledge of what they were expected to learn. The teachers generally use the last few minutes of a lesson very successfully to discuss what the pupils have learnt, so enhancing the

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MATHEMATICS

pupils’ knowledge of their own learning very well. There is an area for development within teaching. There are inconsistencies in the presentation of the pupils’ work, with some teachers requiring the pupils to copy fairly lengthy problems before attempting the calculations.

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MATHEMATICS

79 The school’s planning for the subject has been effectively updated to further strengthen the teaching of numeracy. The good range of learning activities is relevant to pupils’ learning needs and the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school successfully ensures all groups of pupils participate fully in the learning programme and the learning needs of pupils of differing abilities, including those with special educational needs, are considered well. The organisation of pupils into ability sets is having a positive impact on standards, as learning is more closely matched to the pupils’ needs and this enables them to achieve well. However, there are occasions when teachers do not appreciate the range of ability that there is within these ability sets. A particular success is the “nurture groups” that the school has set up for lower attaining pupils. Within these smaller groups the sensitivity of the

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MATHEMATICS

teaching ensures that these pupils are able to make very good progress relative to their abilities. The school makes very effective use of the results of a well-planned programme of tests, to group pupils, set targets and to ensure the work is sufficiently challenging.

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MATHEMATICS

80 The subject is very well led by a knowledgeable coordinator. Appropriate areas for development are identified and form part of the school’s strategy for improvement. The subject is well resourced and suitable use is made of information and communication technology to reinforce and extend the pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

81 Attainment in science is above average for the pupils in Year 6 and all the pupils make very good progress throughout the school. Standards are not as high as those suggested by results of the national tests in the years 2000 and 2001, because in the current Year 6 there are fewer pupils of higher ability than in those years. The pupils with special educational needs also progress very well, mainly because of the extra help they receive in “nurture groups”, or from classroom assistants. There has been a good improvement in standards since the time of the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

The main strengths of the subject are: • the good standards achieved by pupils; • the quality of teaching and learning; • good subject leadership with the emphasis on team work; • a good curriculum with good resources to deliver it.

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SCIENCE

Areas for development are • the use of information and communication technology in science; • the marking of pupils’ work.

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SCIENCE

82 Throughout the school the quality of teaching and learning is good. The pupils achieve good standards in scientific enquiry because of the emphasis the teachers in Inglehurst Junior School - 33 all classes place on predicting, experimenting and drawing conclusions from experiments. The pupils in a Year 4 class, predicted the relationship between the height of pupils and the length of their feet, while the pupils in Year 5, studying materials and their properties, considered the method they would use to find out how to recover solids by filtering. Throughout the school all pupils are given regular opportunities to learn through experimentation. Consequently, the pupils are familiar with the idea of a fair test. In a lesson about physical processes, the pupils in Year 6 discussed how they could measure a frictional force fairly when they were pulling blocks over different surfaces. Scrutiny of the pupils’ work shows how they are asked

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SCIENCE

to give reasons for their conclusions about experiments. The teachers use scientific language well developing the pupils' knowledge and understanding. This was seen in one Year 3 class when words like ‘gases’ and ‘exchange’ or even ‘carbon dioxide’ were used when the pupils were thinking about the uses of leaves. The teachers plan and prepare thoroughly so that lessons provide rich experiences for all the pupils. They often prepare helpful recording sheets or worksheets for pupils of lower ability, such as a pre-prepared table for pupils to complete, so that these pupils can focus more easily on the science to be learned.

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SCIENCE

83 The pupils demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a topic by drawing “mind maps”. These are diagrams that link the various aspects of a topic, so helping understanding. This helps the pupils link the elements of a topic together. Scrutiny of the pupils’ work shows that the pupils in Year 6 have drawn “mind maps” to demonstrate their understanding of the earth and beyond. This made it clear that the pupils have not only knowledge of the sun, earth and moon, but also of planets, comets and eclipses, for example.

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SCIENCE

84 The pupils enjoy learning science with the result that they take care with the presentation of their work. Lively displays around the school remind pupils about healthy eating, conservation, endangered species and parts of the human body. Speaking and listening skills are developed well during discussions and many numeracy skills are used in measuring or making charts.

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SCIENCE

85 The coordinator leads the subject well, encouraging teamwork so that teachers help each other. Teamwork contributes to good planning, improves the confidence of the staff in teaching science, and hence the success of the pupils. The coordinator scrutinises pupils’ work every half term to ensure that pupils are working towards their targets, and he monitors lessons for the quality of teaching and learning.

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SCIENCE

86 The scheme of work is the school’s own, tailored to the needs of the pupils in the school. It is comprehensive and detailed, and ensures that the pupils make continuous progress. There are a good number of resources, kept centrally, and well organised.

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SCIENCE

87 One area for development, already noted by the coordinator, is the use of information and communication technology in science. There are a number of programmes such as ‘The Human Body’, and there are dataloggers, but these are not yet used regularly to enhance learning in science. When the pupils were measuring the heights of their friends in the class, for example, the use of a simple graph-plotting program would have provided an instant picture of the spread of the heights.

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SCIENCE

88 Another area for development is the marking of pupils’ work. On one level, marking would be helpful for common spelling mistakes which were sometimes seen in scientific words, such as ‘polution’, ‘fillter, or ‘equitment’. Inglehurst Junior School - 34

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ART AND DESIGN

89 Attainment in art is well above average by the time the pupils finish Year 6. Throughout the school the pupils who have special educational needs make the same very good progress as their peers. There has been a dramatic improvement in standards in art since the previous inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

Strengths in the subject are: • the sheer range of the pupils’ knowledge about artists; • the wide range and depth of their skills and the variety of media they use; • the very good quality of teaching and learning; • the links between art and information and communication technology and other subjects of the curriculum; • the pupils’ ability to follow design projects through several stages; • the support the school gives to all pupils equally from the weakest to the most talented.

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ART AND DESIGN

Areas for improvement are: • to develop the vocabulary for pupils to state their appreciation of art more precisely; • to encourage pupils to select from their art skills to illustrate work in other subjects; • to allow pupils to play a part in assessing and self-evaluation.

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ART AND DESIGN

90 The determination of the teachers to successfully turn this subject round from an unsatisfactory to a good quality provision is seen clearly in the enthusiasm of their teaching. The teachers have extended their planning to expose the pupils to as wide a range of influences as possible. They have a clear idea of what they want pupils to achieve in each lesson. They know how best to present the subject, and how to create good learning conditions. They give pupils the best materials to work with and expect them to do their best work. In return the pupils use the time well to observe closely and think about what they are doing. They take advantage of opportunities to modify their work, and many begin to set higher goals than their teachers planned. This leads to very good progress, particularly in the knowledge that lies behind the art. For instance a Year 6 class, who knew little about the art of David Hockney to begin with,

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ART AND DESIGN

finished the lesson with a detailed discussion about his use of warm colours, reflection, and ways of leading the eye into the picture, that they had successfully captured in their own work.

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ART AND DESIGN

91 Pupils are too busy to do other than behave well in these lessons, and they share equipment and ideas readily. The teachers value the pupils’ work by displaying it in attractive, protected settings around the school. The pupils, too, value their own learning, like the Year 3 class, bristling with pride at their knowledge about Pierre Redoute, and the way they managed to achieve a similar level of detail in their own sketches of roses. The new coordinator takes over the teamwork and dedication that has led to this vibrant approach. She has ensured that sketch books are used effectively to help pupils with the starting points of their assignments. Her action plan timetables the programme of visits of artists to give a professional tuition in fabric work, printing and sculpture.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Inglehurst Junior School - 35 92 Attainment in design and technology is at the expected level for the pupils’ age at the end of Year 6. The school supports the pupils who have special educational needs well, to enable them make the same good progress as their peers. There has been good improvement in design and technology since the previous inspection, as teachers have become more confident and can plan more effectively using the new scheme of work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Strengths in the subject are: • the curriculum which gives equal attention to designing and making in all four strands; • encouraging pupils’ problem solving ability and their questioning approach; • the good quality of teaching and learning; • the strong links with literacy and numeracy, information and communication technology and other subjects of the curriculum; • the system for assessing the pupils’ work and tracking their progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Areas for improvement are: • the presentation of design and technology work around the school; • the role of the pupils in assessing and self-evaluation.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93 The quality of the pupils’ work in the books from last year, and examples of the finished products, show good teaching. The single lesson observed, exhibited the same qualities to a high degree. The very thoughtful planning, backed by high quality resources, created very good opportunities for pupils to practise and develop planning and making skills, while having to find ways to solve problems which arise during construction. For instance, the Year 6 pupils had to think logically to figure out why the electric motors would not work when they seemed to be connected to the battery. In finding the solution they learned key science facts about insulation, circuits and proper connection of wires. They also raised further questions, such as '‘Will it run faster if we fit two batteries?” This level of thinking and involvement leads to good learning and progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94 The pupils behave well because they are keenly interested in finishing their models, so that they can be tested. They are proud of the designs they have produced, some using the computer. They can clearly explain how the designs helped them, and how successful they have been, their written evaluations being in a special style to extend their range of writing skills. They are aware that their careful measurements have resulted in accurate models, a device by which the teacher has developed their numeracy. The new coordinator has useful information, from the detailed assessment system, to be able to plan how to raise standards further. It identifies stronger and weaker pupils so that support can be given to those who need it most and more difficult work can be set for the talented pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY

95 Standards are average for the pupils in Year 6, and on the whole, the pupils make good progress throughout the school. This is an improvement from the previous inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

The strengths in geography which have contributed to this improvement are: • some aspects of teaching; • the knowledge and management of the coordinator. Inglehurst Junior School - 36 Areas for development are: • the organisation of the time given to geography; • the number of source books for research.

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GEOGRAPHY

96 Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, and the teachers use geographical vocabulary and language well. The pupils’ knowledge and understanding of geographical features are developed well, and this helps them describe characteristics of particular locations. In a lesson in Year 5, where the pupils were comparing the location and features of Wales with Leicester, the teacher emphasised ‘coastline’, ‘landscape’ and ‘mountainous’ in relation to Wales, making the contrast very clear. The pupils in Year 6 are becoming aware of human influences on the earth. They use words like ‘recycling’, and understand that this can contribute to care of the environment. The teachers also question pupils perceptively, which encourages the pupils to focus on the task and explain answers. Questions about the uses of a river in Year 4 led to a wide variety of ideas from all the pupils, including those with special

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GEOGRAPHY

educational needs. The pupils were then able to illustrate these uses on a simple map.

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GEOGRAPHY

97 The coordinator has a thorough knowledge of the subject which she puts to good use in planning a scheme of work and in choosing resources. The published scheme used provides continuity and progression, and it is enriched by the addition of a ‘What’s in the news’ unit used across the school which promotes discussion on relevant topical issues, widening the pupils’ general knowledge of people and places. Some very useful aerial photographs of the school and the local area, along with street maps, to the same scale, have been acquired. These give the pupils the opportunity to understand better their own locality.

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GEOGRAPHY

98 One area for development is the organisation of time on the timetable that is given to geography. As it stands, geography has half an hour a week alternating with an hour a week each half term in most classes. The half hour sessions do not allow for the development of the subject, particularly for pupils of lower attainment. For example, in one very good lesson seen, these pupils did not finish matching geographical features from a book map to a worksheet, even though the teacher supported these pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY

99 Another area for development is the number of books available for research. Currently there are only a few books like the ‘We live in...’ series, or ‘The Boy from Bangladesh’ which show what life is like in other lands. Although multimedia computer programs like ‘World Explorer’ are very useful in school, more books would give more pupils the opportunity to learn at home.

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HISTORY

100 Standards are good and, by Year 6, are above average for most pupils of this age. This represents a very good level of improvement since the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

Strengths in the subject are: • the enthusiasm and knowledge of the coordinator; • the quality of teaching; • the pupils’ learning, progress and standards of achievement; • the development of enquiry skills, knowledge and understanding; • the range of resources and use of local museums.

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HISTORY

An area for development is: Inglehurst Junior School - 37 • the quality of some pictures for whole class use.

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HISTORY

101 The improvement is largely because of the improved quality of teaching and the carefully planned curriculum. The teachers give careful thought to providing work that meets the pupils’ differing abilities effectively. This gives a suitable level of challenge in all classes. All the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress in their learning. This is a direct result of the improved teaching of how to carry out independent research. It provides strong links with work in English.

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HISTORY

102 As the pupils progress through the school they increase their understanding of how past events influence the present. They learn about Egyptian, Roman and Greek civilisations. This enables them to develop an increasing understanding of why these societies were different and the effect they have on present day life. Their work on the Tudors in Year 4 develops the pupils’ ability to consider feelings and emotions. An example of this is a particularly poignant letter that a pupil, pretending to be Anne Boleyn, wrote to King Henry, pleading for mercy. The pupils of all abilities understand that a character can be seen differently by a range of observers. They evaluate different information sources carefully. This good quality work is promoted successfully by the high quality teaching. History makes a strong contribution to the pupils’ literacy development. They read about and research the circumstances and

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HISTORY

events that surround famous people’s lives in past times.

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HISTORY

103 The pupils learn to understand the social and cultural issues of different times. They develop an awareness of the meaning of democracy from their work on Ancient Greece. The teacher extended this by the effective use of homework to find out the opposite of democracy. This enabled the pupils to begin to understand how different civilisations function. It extended their understanding and they begin to apply this to some current issues, such as the importance of fair elections. The teachers encourage pupils to be aware of history around them, at home and on holiday. An example of this is the work pupils carry out on the past history of Leicester. This gives pupils valuable opportunities to examine history from primary sources.

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HISTORY

104 The teachers base their planning firmly on the National Curriculum for history. This ensures that pupils cover a suitable range of work and make good progress in developing skills, knowledge and understanding. The vast majority of teaching in lessons is very good. This, and the teachers’ enthusiasm, ensures that the pupils are interested, enjoy their work and achieve well. The marking of written work is conscientious, supportive and gives clear pointers for improvement.

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HISTORY

105 The scheme of work gives a good level of support to teachers. Resources, books, and artefacts are of good quality. They are sufficient to meet the requirements of the planned curriculum. They are well organised and readily accessible for use. There is a weakness in the quality of some posters. Not all of them are large or clear enough for use by the whole class. The subject coordinator has a clear overview of standards in the subject and monitors teaching and planning carefully. This ensures that all classes within a year group receive the same programme of study and that there is an extension of learning as the pupils' progress through the school. All the pupils have ample opportunities to use information and communication technology to support research and investigation.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Inglehurst Junior School - 38 106 The pupils’ attainment is above average by the time they finish Year 6. Throughout the school the pupils who have special educational needs make the same very good progress as their peers, because of the high quality support they receive in lessons. There has been a significant improvement since the previous inspection because the good level of inservice training has made staff more confident in using the school’s new computer suite.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Strengths in the subject are: • the teachers’ planning, which covers all aspects of the information and communication technology curriculum; • the consistency with which all pupils in a class learn and make progress; • the good quality of teaching; • the wide use of computers to support learning in many other subjects; • the very effective leadership of the subject.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Areas for development are: • to develop the pupils’ understanding of the context of their learning and to allow them to play a part in assessing and self-evaluation; • to expand the links with the wider world; • to put better resources in those classrooms which need it.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

107 The strong leadership in this subject has built on the determination and teamwork of the teachers to give pupils a high quality grounding in basic skills. The teachers value the new long-term scheme in use, because it gives them the structure to extend the pupils’ skills rapidly throughout each year. Each lesson is designed to move pupils forward. The teachers give pupils the objective of the lesson at the start, and check how well it has been achieved at the end. The pupils catch the urgency of the teachers’ expectations, and work with good concentration. It is often possible to see pupils’ enthusiasm grow during a lesson, and take over responsibility for their own progress. They explore their own lines of enquiry, discussing their learning sensibly with friends. The teachers seize the opportunity to help the few pupils who need an extra level of explanation and support.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108 The “nurture groups” are particularly valuable in bringing on the lower attaining pupils. The teachers in these groups are very effective in building up the confidence of their pupils. Where the mainstream Year 6 pupils are quite hesitant in asking “May we use the sound effect feature?” the “nurture group” had already mastered this technique well. They had enthusiastically embellished their haunted journey stories with all kinds of bells, wails and screams. The teachers use the software efficiently to develop knowledge in other subjects. The results of exciting topics planned for the older pupils last year, in ecology and weather studies are well displayed. Artwork is taken to a greater level of interest and precision by scanning and computer enhancement techniques. Literacy is well extended as the pupils learn about the structure of stories and sentences and the effectiveness of adventurous words. Younger pupils can see

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

the usefulness of spell checking for accuracy, but need extra guidance to understand the process fully. The pupils with English as an additional language do not progress quite as fast because their understanding of English has not kept pace with their peers. The computer suite is timetabled effectively and many teachers use the classroom computers to follow up topics started in the suite.

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MUSIC

Inglehurst Junior School - 39 109 Standards are average by the age of 11. All pupils make satisfactory progress through the school. This represents good improvement since the last inspection when standards were below average. The quality of teaching is generally good.

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MUSIC

Strengths in the subject are: • the quality of singing; • the use of subject specialist teachers; • instrumental resources; • the use of incidental music in other subjects; • the opportunities for the pupils to be involved in large scale productions.

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MUSIC

Areas for development are: • insufficient time is given to the subject; • the stock of recorded music available; • opportunities are missed to raise the profile of music.

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MUSIC

110 Singing throughout the school is enthusiastic, tuneful and meaningful. This was particularly noticeable in assemblies where songs such as “You shall go out with joy!” were sung with obvious enjoyment, both for the singers and the listeners. The quality of singing in a music lesson in Year 5 was good as the children sang a song with ‘machine’ noises in three parts, with success and enthusiasm. In this lesson the children accompanied their singing with a selection of instruments from the schools good stock of tuned and untuned percussion.

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MUSIC

111 The quality of teaching is good, largely because teachers with special expertise in music are used to teach the music in all classes. However, although this good teaching results in good learning in lessons, the progress of the pupils over time is only satisfactory because too little time is devoted to music in class timetables, each class only having one half hour session each week.

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MUSIC

112 The pupils perform at least two major productions each year and this means that all pupils have at least three opportunities during their time at the school to take part in one of these. These are very valuable further opportunities. Although a number of teachers raise the profile of music by playing music when their pupils are coming in to class, or when they are working, other opportunities are missed. For example, although music is playing as the children come into assembly and as they leave, this music is chosen by a child and there is no mention of what the music is or any focus to listen for particular instruments or moods. This may be partly because the school does not have a particularly wide range of recorded music. A number of teachers supplement this range by bringing in to school their own CDs. Apart from this shortcoming, resources are good; for example, there is a good range of instruments for

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113 Standards are average by the time the pupils leave. All pupils make satisfactory progress and the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection when standards were below average.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Strengths in the subject are: • the range and quality of extra-curricular activities; • the leadership of the subject coordinator; • the thorough curriculum planning for the subject; Inglehurst Junior School - 40 • the quality of the outdoor and adventurous activities programme provided for the pupils in Year 6.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Areas for development are: • the amount of time given to the subject; • staff expertise.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114 The standards achieved in physical education are average in all aspects of the subject. For example, the pupils in Year 3 moved imaginatively in a dance lesson seen, and the pupils in another Year 3 class had appropriate skills in a football lesson. Gymnastics lessons observed in Years 4 and 5 showed satisfactory development of the skills of linking balances, rolls and jumps, though starting and finishing positions were not so good. Unfortunately, in many of these lessons there was not the time to develop skills fully as the time available for the lessons was too short. This was not the case in an outdoor and adventurous activity lesson observed in Year 6. In this lesson, the pupils’ learning about the requirements to make a good team was very good. The teacher skilfully ensured that this knowledge was put into practice and discussed during the lesson, which lasted all afternoon. This activity, which is planned for all pupils in Year

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

6 on a rota basis, is very valuable in developing not only physical skills, but equally importantly, social and personal skills as well.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115 The coordinator for the subject has considerable expertise and has worked very hard to raise standards. He has produced a very comprehensive scheme of work that provides very clear guidance for class teachers. This has raised the confidence of teachers, although there are still some areas where they lack expertise. The coordinator is well aware of this and further training is planned. A wide range of sporting clubs takes place after school, and the school is very successful in inter- school competitions, for example, reaching the final of a tag rugby competition. This final was played at the Leicester Tigers ground during the interval of a First Division rugby match in front of a huge crowd - a wonderful experience for the pupils involved. The school has started a residential visit last year and this valuable extra experience is much appreciated by the pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116 The attainment of the pupils in Year 6 is in line with that expected for pupils of this age, and all pupils make good progress throughout the school. This is an improvement since the time of the last inspection report.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The strengths of the subject which have contributed to this rise in standards are: • the further development of religious education through assemblies; • the planning of spiritual, cultural and moral issues into the scheme of work.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

An area for development is: • to further the pupils' understanding of a variety of religions by having a number of visitors from other faiths to the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117 The quality of teaching and learning in religious education is satisfactory overall throughout the school. The pupils are gaining an insight into some of the beliefs of Christianity and other religions and are developing an understanding of the meaning of faith through both lessons and assemblies. In one Year 5 class seen, for example, the pupils were comparing the ideas that Christians, Muslims, Hindus and some Chinese religions have about the creation with the views of scientists, and then looking for Inglehurst Junior School - 41 some common ground. This theme was developed in a very interesting Year 6 assembly about creation where it was made clear that caring for the world is an important element in all faiths.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118 A variety of timely, well-presented and informative displays around the school contribute to the pupils understanding of other religions and reflect learning in lessons. An attractive display about Hinduism showing the Tree of Life supports learning by pupils in Year 4, who were seen in one class comparing and contrasting the Christian and Hindu faiths. The pupils often gain spiritual awareness and develop morally when stories are told. During a lesson in Year 4, the pupils listened to a story about a person who overcame a disability through practice. These pupils became aware that practice, though often difficult and requiring effort, could be rewarding. The pupils are interested in such lessons. Similarly, they listen respectfully during assemblies and answer questions readily. Throughout school, the teachers develop the pupils’ speaking and listening skills satisfactorily through discussion.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119 An area for development, recognised by the coordinator, is to increase the number of visitors representing a variety of religious beliefs. Although the scheme of work used is based on the locally agreed syllabus and national guidelines, the pupils' main sources of evidence for their learning about other faiths are secondary. There are insufficient visitors on a regular basis to increase the pupils’ awareness of the nature and number of faiths in the local community, and improve their understanding of them.

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