Victoria Junior School

VICTORIA JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd – 6 th December 2001

p.1

VICTORIA 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.

p.1

VICTORIA 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. Victoria Junior School

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Victoria Road Feltham Middlesex

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Terry Swailes

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1997 Victoria Junior School

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Doug Hayward Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design English as an additional language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Peter Dannheisser 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? Gail Robertson Team Inspector Geography History Music How well is the school led and managed?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Rob Isaac Team Inspector English Religious education How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jackie Cousins Team Inspector Science Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs How well does the school care for its pupils?

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd. 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough Cambs PE4 6QZ

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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:

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Victoria Junior School

p.4

PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Victoria Junior is a school for pupils from 7 to 11 years of age. It is situated in the London Borough of Hounslow, within a few miles of Heathrow airport. Currently there are 268 pupils on roll. The number is falling, because many families are moving away from the area. There are also many spare places available in other nearby schools. The surrounding area is one of some social deprivation. Over a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is much higher than the national average, despite the generally high rate of employment in the area. Housing in the surrounding area is mixed and includes local authority, housing association and privately owned accommodation. There is very little space for children to play in the surrounding area.

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Almost a quarter of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, and a few of them are refugees. Almost a fifth of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is a high proportion, although very few are at an early stage of learning English. Almost half the pupils are on the school’s register of special educational needs, which is well above the national average, as is the number of pupils who have statements of special educational need. Many of the pupils do not spend the whole of their junior schooling at Victoria. For example, in some of the year groups as many as half the pupils move in or out of the school. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is generally well below expectations. This school, like many others in and around London, experiences considerable difficulty recruiting teachers and, because of the cost of housing, keeping them on the staff. The school has worked extremely hard to

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

reduce the impact of frequent staff change.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Many aspects of Victoria Junior School have improved considerably since the last inspection, for example the quality of teaching and the way in which the school checks on pupils’ work to make sure that they progress well. The school does a great deal to develop tolerance, respect and understanding. The headteacher and staff work very hard and are determined that the pupils get as good an education as possible and do as well as they can. The school provides good value for money.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • It helps all pupils to make good progress in English, mathematics and science, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. • It provides good standards of teaching. Teaching is good in three-quarters of lessons and very good in a third of lessons. Teachers are enthusiastic, hardworking and work very well as a team. Pupils say that, ‘Teachers are kind and help us. They reward us for good work and behaviour’. • It emphasises the importance of caring for others and helps pupils to become confident and responsible. Older pupils say, ‘We enjoy looking after the younger pupils. We like to set a good example and show them how to behave properly’. • It is very good at finding out what pupils can do and using that information to plan work for them. • It teaches a wide range of interesting subjects. The displays in school are bright and attractive

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

and show the wide range of work that pupils do. • The headteacher provides good leadership and management and is well supported by all staff and governors.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Pupils’ standards in English, mathematics and science in national tests when they are 11 years old. • Pupils’ achievements in information and communication technology. • Pupils’ attendance and punctuality. • Teachers’ marking, to set specific individual targets for pupils in order to improve assessment even further. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Victoria Junior School The school was last inspected in 1997, when it was judged to provide satisfactory value for money. The quality of education that the school provides has improved since then, despite many staff changes, and it is well placed to maintain its improvement. Some of the strengths identified in the previous inspection are still apparent, for example pupils’ good attitudes to learning, their behaviour, the range of subjects that is taught and the care and support that the school provides for pupils. Improvements have taken place in the way that the school plans work for pupils of all abilities and the way that assessments are carried out. The school has successfully dealt with all the key issues from the previous report. However, the most impressive improvement is in the quality of teaching. In the last inspection over a third of lessons were unsatisfactory and hardly any very good. In this inspection very few lessons were unsatisfactory, three

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

quarters of lessons were good and almost a third of lessons were very good. The value for money the school provides has increased from satisfactory to good.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

The school’s results in the most recent tests for 11-year-old pupils were well below average in English, mathematics and science. However, this comparison is made with schools throughout the country, including many where pupils are more advantaged than those at Victoria Junior. When pupils’ performance is compared with that in similar schools, those in Victoria attain results that are average in English and mathematics and above average in science. Boys have consistently done better than girls in tests over the last few years, but this is changing. During the inspection there was no difference between boys’ and girls’ standards of work. Standards of work in English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 during the inspection were those expected of pupils at this age, and standards are improving. Pupils of all ages make good progress from the time they start school. Standards of work for pupils in

p.7

STANDARDS

Year 6 in art and design, design and technology (D&T), geography, history, information and communication technology (ICT), music and physical education are those that are expected nationally. Standards in religious education are above those set out in the locally agreed syllabus.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Most pupils enjoy coming to school. They are interested in their work, do not waste time in lessons and are keen to do well. They are proud of their school and think it has got better in the last few years.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Most pupils are very well behaved in lessons, assemblies and around the school. The school has worked very hard to improve their behaviour and most pupils think that it has been successful. A small number of pupils find it difficult to always meet the school’s high expectations of good behaviour.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils have lots of good opportunities to take responsibility, for example as monitors and house captains. They say, ‘The school trusts us. It makes us feel grown up because we’re in charge’. The school council is well organised and plays an important part in school life. Pupils work very well together in lessons, and there are very good relationships between adults and pupils.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Well below average. Many pupils are regularly absent from school and often arrive late.

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Victoria Junior School Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching 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.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

During the inspection 55 lessons were observed and only four were unsatisfactory. In those lessons pace was slow and pupils were not challenged. In fact, three-quarters of lessons were good and almost a third were very good, and occasionally excellent. Teachers plan their work well so that pupils understand what they have to do. They have high expectations of what pupils can do and are very good at making sure that they listen carefully and behave well, so that no time is wasted. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is consistently good and has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good in classes and in small groups. Teachers are very good at finding out what pupils can do and using that information to make their work challenging and interesting so that they make good progress from year to year. They set challenging, but achievable, targets for pupils at the end

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school rightly emphasises the importance of English, mathematics and science. It also teaches a wide range of other interesting subjects. There are good links between the school and the community that help pupils to learn.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Work is carefully planned by teachers to match pupils’ needs in lessons and they are taught well in classes and in small groups. Classroom assistants care very much about pupils’ progress and support them very effectively.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school makes good provision for pupils with English as an additional language. It makes sure that they have the same good opportunities to learn as other pupils.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Pupils are aware of what is right and wrong and take their responsibilities seriously. Pupils say that they get on well and respect each other’s cultures. The very strong ethos of the school is a strength and helps to promote teamwork and co-operation. The school celebrates pupils’ achievements well.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Staff like and value the pupils and know them very well. Pupils know that they are well cared for. Pupils say, ‘It is a happy school and we get on well’ . The school has worked very hard to improve the ways in which it finds out what pupils can do and to follow how much progress they make.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school sends out lots of good information to parents, including regular newsletters and information about the work that pupils will be doing in school. Victoria Junior School

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher and deputy headteacher make a strong team. They have made many improvements and know exactly how things can be improved still further. The recent ‘Investors in People Award’ indicates the significance that the headteacher attaches to staff development and a shared vision for the school. Staff are talented and committed to the success of the school. Co-ordinators work very hard to keep up standards in their subjects.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors are enthusiastic and keen to learn their duties and responsibilities. They come into school regularly, are very supportive of the school and fulfil their statutory duties.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has worked hard and successfully to improve since the last inspection. It is constantly looking for ways to help pupils to achieve their best standards.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school uses its budget very well to provide good value for money.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There have been many staff changes in the last two years and Victoria, like many other schools, has found it hard to recruit and retain new staff. Nevertheless, the school has done all it can to reduce the effect that change has on pupils. Long serving members of staff have helped tremendously to keep stability in the school and to help new staff to settle quickly.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Sixty-one parents (23 per cent) returned their pre-inspection questionnaires and 10 parents attended a meeting with the registered inspector before the inspection.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Most parents say that their children like school and make good progress. • They say that school has high expectations of their children and it helps them to become mature and responsible. • They say that teaching is good and that the school is well managed and led. • They feel that there are a good range of activities outside lessons. • A few parents say that the school does not work closely with them. • A small number say that they are not well informed about their children’s progress. • A small number do not agree with the amount of homework that is set.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive comments. Pupils do make good progress and the school’s work in developing pupils’ attitudes to one another and their sense of responsibility is very good. Teaching is good overall, and almost a third of lessons were very good. The school is well led and all the teachers play an important part in organising activities outside lessons, including homework clubs for pupils. In the opinion of the team the school works hard to involve parents. Pupils’ annual reports are informative and there are regular occasions for parents to meet teachers. The homework that pupils do supports their work in school. Victoria Junior School PART B: COMMENTARY

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The 2001 tests in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 2 showed that the school’s results were well below average in comparison with those in all schools nationally. In fact, the school’s results since 1998 have never been higher than ‘below average’ in any of the core subjects. The percentage of pupils attaining Level 4 1 was also well below average in all three subjects last year.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. These apparently low results might, at first glance, suggest that the pupils are simply ‘not doing well’ . However, that judgement completely ignores the many factors that influence the pupils’ work and results, and that have an adverse effect on them. For example, it is widely acknowledged that pupils who move schools find it more difficult to learn than those who stay in one school for most, or all, of their school life. The less time a pupil stays in one school, the more difficult it is for schools to influence those pupils’ learning. Twenty-one pupils joined last year’s Year 6 cohort and 29 left, giving a ‘mobility rate’ of 51 per cent in that group of pupils.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Currently at Victoria junior school the mobility rates in Years 4, 5 and 6 are 13 per cent, 25 per cent and 44 per cent respectively. That is, the incidence of pupils moving in and out of school increases as pupils get older, making it even more difficult for the school to influence their standards of work, as they join the school later and later in their school life. The table below, prepared by Hounslow local education authority, shows an analysis of pupils’ attainment at Level 4 by their year of admission to Victoria.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Year of admission 1997 Number of pupils Level 4 in English Level 4 in Mathematics Level 4 in Science Joined school before start of Year 3 49 65% 61% 88% Joined school during year 3 5 40% 60% 80% Joined school during Year 4 4 50% 25% 75% Joined school during Year 5 6 33% 17% 73%

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Another significant factor that should be taken into account when viewing pupils’ results is the percentage eligible for free school meals and of those having special educational needs. In this school’s case the percentage eligible for free school meals for last year’s cohort was 34 per cent, which was higher than the national and the Hounslow average figure. It has increased again this year. Significantly, the school’s results in the end-

p.10

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

science. Additionally, there was a large proportion of pupils (45 per cent) identified with special educational needs, either because they found learning difficult or because their behaviour made it difficult for them to concentrate and learn in lessons.

p.10

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

5. It is important to place pupils’ results in national tests in context. Many pupils start in Year 3 with a considerable degree of educational disadvantage. They have a great deal of ground to make up compared with pupils in many other schools by the end of Year 6. Results of national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 in 2001 confirm that the percentage of

p.10

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

1 Levels – by the end of Key Stage 2 pupils are expected to attain Level 4 in English, mathematics and science. Those who attain Level 5 are, therefore, attaining above nationally expected levels. Victoria Junior School pupils attaining Level 2 2 was very low in reading, writing, mathematics and science and the percentage attaining Level 3 was well below average.

p.10

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

6. The end-of-Key Stage 1 results since 1998 for pupils joining the school have been either ‘well below average’ or ‘very low’ in all subjects. Despite these test scores, many pupils at Victoria junior school make good progress and their achievement is good, and occasionally very good. In short, many are doing as well as they can. The educational disadvantage that many pupils experience plays a major part in restricting their ability to attain the higher Level 5 in all three subjects. For example, they have little experience at home of a wide range of literature, even though the school tries hard to compensate for this.

p.11

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

7. During the inspection, the standard of work in books of pupils in Year 6 was in line with what pupils at this age should achieve. The school readily admits that this cohort of pupils is harder working than last year’s, and that they are a more able group of pupils, but those are not the only reasons. This is an improving school and one that is becoming increasingly effective. One of the reasons for improving standards is the way in which the school has become more reflective, monitoring and evaluating its work and implementing changes that it believes will help pupils to achieve the best they can. School planning, the quality of teaching and learning and more focused assessment are all improving aspects of the school’s work.

p.11

school meals) were average in English and mathematics and above average in

8. The development of assessment to identify targets and the next priorities for individuals and groups of pupils is already having a positive impact that will lift pupils’ attainment further. For example, the school has begun to analyse statutory and non-statutory tests to predict pupils’ results from year to year until the end of Key Stage 2. The local education authority already carries out a systematic and comprehensive analysis of pupils’ results at the end of Key Stage 2 by different categories, for example by gender, special educational need, English as an additional language, eligibility for free school meals and by different minority ethnic groups. Some of these are shown in the following tables.

p.11

4 in science

Not eligible 42 64% 64% 90% Eligible 22 50% 36% 77%

p.11

4 in science

No special educational needs 34 85% 74% 97% SEN Stage 1 9 44% 33% 67% SEN Stage 2 9 33% 44% 89% SEN Stage 3 11 18% 27% 73% SEN Stage 4 0 0% 0% 0% SEN Stage 5 1 0% 0% 0%

p.11

4 in science

9. The analysis of results shows that there is no pattern of under-attainment by any of the minority ethnic groups in school. For example, it shows that 100 per cent of all minority ethnic groups attained Level 4 in science tests. One hundred per cent of Black African and Black Caribbean pupils also attained Level 4 in English and mathematics. Although results in English were not as good as these for the small number of Indian and Pakistani pupils, their results were generally higher than those for white pupils. One of the

p.11

4 in science

2 Levels – by the end of Key Stage 1 pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Those who attain Level 3 are, therefore, attaining above nationally expected levels. Victoria Junior School strengths of the school’s work is the way in which it quickly assimilates pupils into the school from whatever background. A few of these are refugees who may be traumatised by sudden change and events in their recent past. Some may be from families who have moved at short notice and may be due for another imminent move. Their inclusion within all aspects of the school’s work is a feature of the provision at Victoria junior school and was very positively commented on by parents at the pre-inspection meeting, a significant number of whom represented minority ethnic groups.

p.11

4 in science

10. The school had noticed that there were clear gender differences in performance with boys, unusually, outperforming girls in all subjects over a significant period of time. It asked the inspection team to specifically consider any factors in lessons that might contribute to this. During the inspection there was no noticeable difference between the work of boys and girls in lessons, or between their response to questions and neither was there any gender preference or bias on the part of teachers. Work in pupils’ books was equally challenging, and there were no differences in the quality of answers or the volume of work completed. In discussion with girls in Year 6 there was no hint of low self-esteem on their part. All felt that they could compete academically with boys on even terms and all expressed a desire to go on to further education.

p.12

4 in science

11. The school is determined that pupils of all abilities and minority ethnic groups should fulfil their potential. Because it does not view pupils’ low results on entry, frequent movement between schools or home circumstances as disadvantages, it has introduced a range of good measures to try to raise standards for pupils of all abilities. The recent good work it has done to develop assessment helps to form a view of the ability of year groups and to monitor their progress. The results from a range of tests help teachers to plan work that becomes gradually more difficult and challenging from year to year.

p.12

4 in science

12. The shared approach to planning that the school has developed has already had an impact on improving standards; for example, the school has tried out different ways of grouping pupils by ability to ‘stretch’ them still further. For example, in Year 6 pupils are grouped by ability into ‘sets’ for all the core subjects. Inspectors felt that the school’s ‘setting’ arrangements were very effective. They enabled teachers to plan work for a smaller range of abilities, although tasks were carefully planned for pupils of different abilities within each of the sets to ensure an appropriate level of challenge.

p.12

4 in science

13. As well as identifying pupils with special educational needs who are low attainers, the school also identifies, and prepares individual educational plans for, those who it feels are gifted and talented. Despite the low percentage of pupils attaining the higher Level 5 in tests, setting arrangements in school allow these pupils to be fully challenged and teachers have high expectations of what they can achieve. Research projects, which allow them to use their initiative, are also encouraged and the school provides good sporting and musical opportunities.

p.12

4 in science

14. The school’s strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are having a significant impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. The structure of these strategies has helped teachers to focus on particular aspects of these subjects. This, combined with the school’s good on-going analysis of how well pupils are progressing and setting challenging targets for improvement has helped to improve pupils’ results at the end of Key Stage 2. Teachers’ target setting through their marking is not always concise enough to help pupils improve still further. The targets that are set are not always shared with pupils and are not consistently reviewed to see whether pupils have achieved them. During the inspection, teaching in English, mathematics and science was good overall throughout the school, and was particularly effective in Year 6. Standards in English, mathematics and science meet national expectations at 11 years of age. This is a higher

p.12

4 in science

standard than has been attained in previous tests at the end of Key Stage 2 and it is Victoria Junior School because these are different pupils. In the foundation subjects at the end of Key Stage 2 standards are what most 11-year-olds should achieve and in religious education they are higher than those expected in the locally agreed syllabus.

p.12

4 in science

15. There are very good links between literacy and other subjects that are evident from displays of pupils’ work and from their books. Many schools feel that the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have limited the time available to teach other subjects and to develop pupils’ writing skills in other subjects. This is not the case at Victoria junior school. For example, in science they write detailed accounts of the life cycle of plants. Linked well to their personal and social development they write letters of application for the post of ‘ Temporary Learning Assistant’. They link history, ICT and literacy well when they word-process their newspaper headlines, ‘Nude Scientist in Bathtub Sensation’. Top scholar Archimedes shook the planet when he made his announcement, ‘If you place yourself in a bath tub of water’, he declared to the crowd at Syracuse Library, ‘It is possible that water will spill down the side’.

p.13

4 in science

16. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs, including the nine with Statements of Special Educational Need, is good. Pupils are identified early in their school career and the school is very proficient at supporting them for as long as is needed. This early identification is particularly important considering the large number of pupils who transfer to Victoria during Key Stage 2. Pupils’ individual education plans contain precise, specific targets for improvement in literacy, numeracy and sometimes behaviour. Overall provision is very well organised by the co-ordinator for special educational needs. The support that learning support assistants provide in small groups and in classrooms is very good. They work very well with pupils and care very much about their progress.

p.13

4 in science

17. Pupils with English as an additional language make good progress overall and receive good support, including that provided by a specialist teacher employed by the local education authority. Most pupils make the same rate of progress in subjects as other pupils in their classes. Hounslow’s own analysis of the most recent national test results shows that a higher percentage of pupils who had been identified with English as an additional language attained Level 4 than those who spoke English as a first language. The few who have special educational needs as well as needing support to develop their language have support in small groups. There are only very few pupils at an early stage of learning English. In those cases the school acts quickly to provide basic tasks to improve their early language skills. For example, one older pupil who had received very little schooling before joining Victoria, worked with pupils in Year 3 developing an

p.13

4 in science

awareness of the sounds of letters by joining in their ‘Jolly Phonics’ activities. Because that pupil’s language skills were so limited, the school encouraged another Panjabi speaking pupil to work together in physical education to ensure, for safety purposes, that instructions were clearly followed.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour in and around the school are good. However, their attendance and punctuality are significantly below the national average. Eighty-seven per cent of the parents that answered the pre-inspection questionnaire agreed that behaviour at the school is good and 98 per cent said that their children like school. Most pupils who spoke to inspectors said they like coming to school and feel very well looked after. They are enthusiastic about their school, but one or two recall incidents of bad behaviour and name-calling, which they deplore. They feel that behaviour has improved over the last year. They recognise and appreciate the measures brought in to help all pupils distinguish right from wrong and to reward good behaviour and discourage bad behaviour. There have been no permanent exclusions in the last year. Victoria Junior School 19. Pupils report that when they have had personal problems their teachers are friendly,

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

helpful, and supportive. They understand that if there are problems at school they should discuss them with an adult, and they are confident that they will be helped. They said that they have many opportunities to discuss issues that may affect them personally.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

20. Pupils show good attitudes towards their work. Throughout the school, they show involvement and a willingness to work and to learn. In more than 85 per cent of the lessons observed during the inspection, pupils’ attitudes and behaviour were good or better. They show high levels of concentration, enthusiasm and positive attitudes to their class work. In the very few lessons seen during the inspection where behaviour was unsatisfactory, pupils had lost interest in lessons where the pace was flagging, the objective of the tasks was unclear and there was a lack of challenge. In almost all lessons this is not the case. Excellent attitudes were seen; for example, in a music lesson where pupils were enthusiastic, interested and persevered and there were very good relations between pupils themselves and between adults and pupils. Behaviour in assemblies is exemplary.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

21. Relationships in the school are generally very good. Pupils are encouraged to work in pairs or small groups in many lessons and this helps to forge good relationships through a productive sharing of skills and knowledge. For example, in a personal and social education lesson, pupils were asked individually to choose ten things they personally would take on a camping trip. Then in small groups they were asked to narrow these choices down to ten for the whole group. Members of the group had to compromise and reach agreement, which is a difficult skill for ten-year-olds to understand and master. There were many excellent examples in lessons of all pupils being included in activities; for example, pupils successfully shared resources and worked well together with some helping their less knowledgeable classmates, and helping the few whose English was not yet fluent. Boys and girls worked well together in pairs and groups. The school develops

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

pupils’ understanding of responsibility by providing them with a range of tasks. They are encouraged to apply to be interviewed for a wide range of specific tasks, such as looking after the environment in the school, or helping at lunch time. They are rewarded at the end of the week with tokens which can be exchanged for a small reward. The ‘Employee of the Week’ receives special recognition at a celebration assembly. House captains, vice captains, prefects and school councillors are all valued roles within the schoo l. These structures do a great deal to enhance all pupils’ self-esteem and to prepare them for life in a democracy, for example by voting for members or participating on the school council. Older pupils say that they try to provide good role models for the younger ones.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

22. In the after-school theatre and homework clubs pupils show their considerable ability to co-operate. They are friendly and helpful to visitors and respect one another. Pupils with special educational needs are keen and are well supported. However, to deal effectively with occasional incidents of bad behaviour the school has set up a thorough and effective system of rewards and sanctions. This operates throughout the school during lessons and at playtimes and has helped to improve behaviour. No racism or sexism was apparent during the inspection. Although there was some rough play, generally behaviour was very good during the inspection at lunch times. Pupils eat sensibly and talk well with their friends. They play well together and they are well supervised.

p.14

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

23. Attendance and punctuality figures are well below average with many pupils regularly absent from school and many arriving late. This has a marked impact on their learning. Figures have improved somewhat in recent years. Registers are completed twice a day and they meet legal requirements. Pupils are polite and attentive during registration and use the time for quiet activities. The school follows up unexplained absences, in some Victoria Junior School cases on the same day, and works closely with the educational welfare officer, who responds to requests for support and visits the school regularly.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The quality of teaching during the inspection was good overall and promotes good achievement. Teaching was satisfactory or better in 51 (93 per cent) of the 55 lessons observed. It was at least good in three-quarters of lessons and very good, and occasionally excellent, in almost a third of lessons. Teaching was unsatisfactory in three lessons and in one lesson it was poor. In those lessons the lesson pace was slow and work was too easy for pupils. In one class, pupils were not managed well. In their pre- inspection questionnaires 95 per cent of parents thought that teaching was good.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teaching strengths identified in the previous inspection, such as good subject knowledge, good behaviour management and good relationships with pupils, are still apparent. However, the previous inspection identified ‘serious weaknesses’ in the quality of teaching and, in fact, almost 40 per cent of lessons were judged to be unsatisfactory. Only three per cent of lessons were very good or better. The main weaknesses then included low teacher expectations, especially in English and mathematics, vague planning and unsatisfactory use of time. At that time the school was experiencing an unsettled period due to staffing difficulties beyond its control.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Three of the four key issues for the school to deal with after the previous inspection were directly related to weaknesses in the quality of teaching. These have now all been successfully addressed. However, the problem of staff turbulence is one that still remains. Eleven teachers have left in the last two school years and nine new teachers have been appointed. It is remarkable that, despite this degree of change, the quality of teaching should be so good. Teachers work very well together and support each other. There is a considerable consistency between teachers in the same year group and across the school. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is consistently good and often very good. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies provide a strong framework for teachers, which supports their planning. Teachers’ planning is good. They plan their lessons carefully so that work is well matched to pupils’ abilities. Work is purposeful,

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

challenges pupils and keeps them fully occupied. In addition there are several other characteristics of good and very good teaching that are clearly apparent, for example brisk lesson pace, the use of resources, teachers’ use of praise to motivate pupils and their very good questioning skills. Two other strengths deserve particular mention because of their impact on pupils’ learning in inclusive lessons, which stress the part everyone has to play. They are the culture of acceptance of pupils’ spoken answers to questions and in discussions, and the lack of negative comments by teachers in lessons.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Teachers use questioning very effectively to make ‘on-going assessments’ to find out what their pupils know and this is another strength of good and very good teaching. In their lesson introductions teachers are very good at asking questions to find out what pupils have learned and remembered from their previous lessons. Lessons invariably start with a brisk question and answer session in which teachers pose searching questions. This immediately focuses pupils on what they have already learned and what the new focus will be in the present lesson. For example, in a very good physical education lesson the teacher revised the different types of movement that the pupils had learned two weeks earlier and asked them to demonstrate. In a very good mathematics lesson the teacher asked a range of questions to find out whether pupils had remembered the teaching focus of the previous lesson by asking, ‘What strategy did you

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

use to work that out?’ and ‘Do you remember a quicker way to do it?’ Victoria Junior School 28. Sharp questioning keeps the pupils ‘on their toes’ so that they have to listen carefully because they do not know when they will be asked a question. In the best lessons questioning involves all the pupils, although in an unsatisfactory mathematics lesson a significant number of pupils were not included and, consequently, became restless. As the lesson progresses the teachers put a very good range of open-ended questions to the class as a whole and probe pupils’ understanding of what they are doing by individual questioning. Sometimes they ask a series of questions in response to pupils’ answers; for example, in a very good literacy lesson, ‘Could I use that as a quote? Why not? Why might I want to exaggerate? During the lesson teachers use questions to invite pupils to explain their thinking. For example, in a very good science lesson as pupils were working

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

out their own ‘fair tests’ to gauge the absorbency of materials one pupil said, ‘I know which will be best at absorbing liquid?, to which the teacher replied, ‘That is your prediction, but how will you know ?’ Teachers use the last part of the lesson, or plenary sessions, well for assessing progress and sharing conclusions. For example, in a very good geography lesson after pupils had been working in pairs on different research tasks the teacher asked, ‘Can anyone tell me if their research produced answers about an environmentally friendly source of energy and why?’

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils and use praise very well to motivate them. During lessons teachers will say, ‘ Very well explained! Well done!’ or ‘Brilliant! Fantastic! I’m very impressed! This is all part of their strategy for encouraging pupils to ‘have a go’ at answering questions and ensuring that all pupils are included. Instead of just confirming that pupils’ answers are ‘correct’, teachers will affirm a pupil’s efforts by praise such as ‘That’s fantastic – I had to look that up! ’ and ‘I knew you would come up with the right answer!’ The quality of their relationship is clear from the way that they deal with the occasional instances of negative behaviour. For example, in one lesson where a pupil repeatedly talked to another, instead of confronting him about talking during the question and answer session, the teacher cleverly said, ‘I know you are sharing ideas with Jack. Well done! At which point the pupil decided to fully join in.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. In the best lessons, what the pupils are expected to learn, referred to as the ‘learning’ intention’, is made clear to pupils. Sometimes pupils themselves read out the ‘learning intention’ to the rest of the class. The teachers explain, usually in no more than one or two sentences, what they expect pupils to learn. The ‘learning intention’ is written on the board and often referred to as the lesson progresses. It helps to focus the main points of the lesson in order to help pupils understand; it helps to establish what resources will be needed and to determine how the teacher finds out whether pupils have learned what was planned at the beginning of the lesson. In those lessons the teachers make thorough ‘on-going assessments’ which ensure that they know how much pupils have learned. They might then stop the lesson and use that information in different ways. For example, they might revise a point that pupils have not understood. They might move the

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

lesson on at a faster pace knowing that all pupils understand. They might change their lesson plans for the following day to cover the same work again, or they might set homework that extends the range of work that pupils carry out in class.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Teachers usually have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, so lesson introductions are invariably orderly, and teachers start the actual lesson knowing that pupils will pay attention. Teachers use a very good range of strategies, such as ensuring that there is eye contact between themselves and the pupils before they address the class. In almost all lessons pupils responded well to these expectations. On the infrequent occasions when they did not, pupils already identified by the school as capable of posing challenging behaviour disturbed whole class introductions or annoyed other pupils working nearby. On these occasions teachers often successfully used the school’s ‘yellow card’ and ‘red card’ system of behaviour management. It is a credit to the teachers that on the rare occasions that pupils did not comply with their high Victoria Junior School expectations, they dealt with instances of challenging behaviour in a non-confrontational

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

way and prevented difficult behaviour from becoming unacceptable.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

32. Teachers plan work well for pupils with special educational needs and use individual education plans regularly in their planning. This means that work is well planned for these pupils in class lessons and in small groups where they receive good support from learning support assistants. The school spends a considerable amount of money on support assistants and, in the opinion of the inspection team, it is money well spent. Teachers usually deploy support assistants effectively to work with individuals and small groups. They provide good levels of help in lessons where it is most needed, for example sitting next to a pupil who finds it difficult to concentrate during a lesson introduction. Their work is well planned and an integral part of the lesson, especially during literacy and numeracy lessons. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is good. The few pupils who are at an early stage of learning English are well supported by

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

class teachers, a specialist teacher and support assistants. They are fully included in all activities; for instance one pupil with limited English was included in a whole-school assembly to talk about Islam which is his home religion.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

33. The school’s arrangements for setting homework are sound and support the work that pupils do in school. For example, they are sometimes asked to continue their research by accessing the Internet at home. They have regular ‘times table’ practice to help speed up their recall of number facts. The great majority of parents feel that homework is ‘just about right’ in terms of amount and frequency. The quality of teachers’ marking is inconsistent from class to class even though there is a policy in place. The best marking deals specifically with what the pupils are supposed to learn and gives points for improvement. There is inconsistency too in the way in which they set challenging targets for pupils to achieve. Teachers’ comments are often too general to be of use for specific pupils who are not aware whether they are making progress and whether they have achieved their targets.

p.17

PUPILS?

34. The curriculum is broad and balanced, the quality and range of learning opportunities are good and all statutory requirements are met. In the last few years, teachers have concentrated resources on successfully establishing a good curriculum in literacy and numeracy. The national strategies have now become well established and they are making an increasingly strong contribution to pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy. The school has made good progress in improving the quality of the curriculum it provides since its last inspection. The curriculum is of good quality now. The only weakness is in the depth of the curriculum for ICT. Although all the required elements are taught, inadequate hardware and limited training for teachers have combined to restrict the range of opportunities available.

p.17

PUPILS?

35. All the subjects of the National Curriculum, as well as religious education, are taught and sufficient time is allocated for each. The school's teaching week is actually longer than that recommended nationally. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well in a wide range of subjects. Teachers help pupils to develop writing skills through their study of science, history, geography and religious education, and numeracy skills through subjects such as design and technology. Parents feel, and inspectors agree, that the introduction of ‘Golden Time’ is a significant enhancement of the week for many pupils. A small minority of parents felt that their children did not get the right amount of homework. There was no inspection evidence to support this view and pupils appear to be given appropriate amounts of suitable work to complete at home. They usually maintain homework diaries well. Teachers also help pupils with their homework by organising

p.17

PUPILS?

Victoria Junior School voluntary after-school homework clubs. These are well attended and ensure that all have equality of access to learning.

p.18

PUPILS?

36. The provision for extra-curricular activities is good and improving, with the help of extra government funding. Teachers give their own time generously to support activities and members of the local community also come into school to provide opportunities that enrich the curriculum. There are good links between the work in lessons and extra- curricular activities. Dramatic performances are put on at least twice a year after much rehearsal in the theatre club and pupils join a small choir for musical activities. Pupils have taken part in a six-week course arranged by Feltham Arts, and arts club members have designed and made large articulated puppets. Pupils are able to take part in a range of sports, for example football, gymnastics and netball, both within the school day and after normal hours. The school has hosted sports tournaments and has put on a French language club. Pupils in Year 6 have attended special events at British Airways

p.18

PUPILS?

headquarters at Heathrow Airport, where they can practise their language skills. A German language club is planned for this year. Teachers and pupils have also benefited from the school's involvement in community projects, funded by the government's ‘Single Regeneration Budget’ , such as the ‘Thames Groundwork Trust’ , ‘Impact’ , ‘Cyber-Skills’ and ‘Reading is Fundamental’ . These initiatives have helped enrich pupils' understanding about subjects such as information and communications technology and geography. The school's involvement with ‘Cyber-Skills’ enabled pupils and teachers to use advanced and relevant computer equipment. The ‘Thames Groundwork Trust’ project has helped pupils in Year 4 to improve standards in history and geography through a comparison of Feltham with Denham in Buckinghamshire. Another outcome was the creation of a large, coloured, aerial map of the Feltham locality that has enabled many pupils to further

p.18

PUPILS?

develop their sense of place. In other work connected with ‘Feltham First’ pupils have devised the Feltham trail which has helped them to learn more about local history. The school puts a lot of effort into managing human resources well and recognition of this came with the award of ‘Investors in People’ status in November 2000.

p.18

PUPILS?

37. Teachers make good and successful efforts to ensure that all pupils have equality of opportunity and access to the curriculum. Overall provision is good in that the provision for pupils with average abilities, pupils with special educational needs, minority ethnic pupils and more able pupils is good. In many classes, teachers take positive action to ensure that all pupils are fully included in all activities. Targets in individual education plans are helpful for lower attaining and for more able pupils, which provide them with the appropriate challenge to do as well as they can.

p.18

PUPILS?

38. The school’s partnership with other schools in the area is satisfactory. There are good links with the feeder infant school, partly through its ‘Bridging Links’ curriculum based initiative. The contribution of the community to pupils' learning is good. A small number of parents actively support teachers and pupils in classes. The ‘Friends of Victoria Junior School’ have helped to purchase books, computer equipment, and sports team kit, as well as supporting school visits and the development of the school grounds. The school has organised residential visits to ‘Sayer's Croft’ near Guildford for a number of years, although a lack of funds prevented this last year. The curriculum is enhanced by a very effective, well-structured programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education. Teachers with good specialist guidance teach this and pupils have built a substantial body of work to reflect what they have learned. The programme is conducted through

p.18

PUPILS?

lessons, which are at times very good. It covers and often surpasses national expectations on raising awareness about subjects such as sex education and drug misuse.

p.18

PUPILS?

39. The school provides pupils with very good opportunities for social development and good opportunities for spiritual, moral and cultural development. Spiritual, moral, social and Victoria Junior School cultural development are particularly well supported through the school's ethos of inclusion for all.

p.18

PUPILS?

40. Provision for spiritual development is good. It is particularly effectively promoted through science and religious education. In science, for example, pupils learn to wonder at the world of flowering plants around them when they study plant life cycles. In religious education lessons, they marvel at the power of computers to provide them with information and pictures about the Muslim pilgrimage of the Hajj . Most assemblies cover religious or moral themes, and provide opportunities for celebration and commemoration that encourage the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school meets the requirement to provide a daily act of collective worship for all pupils.

p.19

PUPILS?

41. Provision for the pupils’ moral development is good. Moral education is promoted well through a variety of subjects, the personal, health and social education programme and other aspects of school life. Teachers promote the principles that distinguish right from wrong constantly in their management of pupils' behaviour and most pupils respond well to them. Important moral issues are covered in religious education, through studies of the parables told by Jesus in the New Testament. They are also promoted in geography, on issues that affect the environment, such as pollution. Teachers place strong emphasis upon a code of behaviour that stresses the importance of the school community and the importance of valuing and respecting the individual. Teachers and other adults are very good role models, and the school is a strong moral community, based on the principles of right and wrong, and fair play. All teachers promote wholesome moral development by

p.19

PUPILS?

encouraging the growth of racial harmony and the rejection of racism wherever possible. They are successful in this.

p.19

PUPILS?

42. Provision for social development is very good and is an improvement on provision in the last inspection. Teachers create opportunities in many areas of the curriculum and the provision is very effective. Many teachers include in their lesson planning chances for pupils to work together collaboratively. Some very good work was seen in a theatre club, for example, where pupils collaborated sensibly and maturely. They work well with partners and small groups in physical education and most other subjects. The school council, the house system and the prefect system give pupils valuable experiences to develop self-confidence and responsibility, and participate in positive citizenship. The wide variety of sporting opportunities and extra-curricular activities available to pupils also promotes their very good social development, as do school visits. The school grounds and lunchtime eating arrangements encourage social interaction and the pupils’ social

p.19

PUPILS?

development. Lunchtime is a pleasant occasion and pupils are usually quiet, respectful and well behaved. Staff also promote social development by encouraging pupils to apply, with their own curriculum vitae, for a range of school jobs. Applicants are interviewed by the midday supervisors and those who are successful take their jobs very seriously. They also receive commendations such as gold stars in assemblies if they do particularly well.

p.19

PUPILS?

43. Provision for cultural development is good. It has improved since the last inspection in this regard. English and drama make strong contributions to the pupils’ cultural education. In art, pupils explore cultural influences from around the world including European and Chinese traditions. Similarly in geography, examples come from a range of cultural traditions. Pupils have good opportunities to find out about aspects of our own cultural heritage, including the local culture of Feltham, for example through visits to businesses and art galleries. In religious education, teachers organise visits for pupils to the places of worship of different world faiths. These faiths include Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. Teachers celebrate cultural diversity by using dual-language books, and by calling on the experience of pupils from different faiths in lessons and assemblies. Much is also done to enable pupils to study the wider aspects

p.19

PUPILS?

of life in a multi-cultural society and the multi-cultural nature of Britain today. The school Victoria Junior School has, for example, devised a useful, joint statement on multi-cultural education with its feeder infant school.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school has very good procedures for the care of its pupils. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are identified early and receive very good support to help them make progress. The school takes great care to assess the language and learning needs of recent immigrants to ensure that they can be helped appropriately to join in all the school’s activities. The school has also identified pupils with special talents.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. There is a positive atmosphere in school and all the staff know their pupils really well. Pupils say that all the staff are kind and supportive. They feel secure and the vast majority clearly like their teachers. They appreciate the way in which they feel challenged by their work. All pupils feel included and involved. If pupils are withdrawn from the classroom, for example for additional literacy support, they follow a planned programme which fits in with the work others are doing. A well-attended homework club helps to ensure that all pupils have an opportunity to be fully included whether or not they have support and facilities at home.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. There are appropriate child protection procedures. All staff have been trained and the school works closely with the relevant authorities. They know who the nominated person responsible for child protection is and there are clear reporting lines. Pupils are carefully supervised at playtime and lunchtime. Staff are well aware of their responsibilities regarding health and safety and many staff are fully trained first aiders. There is a good first aid room where equipment and material are kept safely and pupils treated. Good records are made of incidents. A welfare assistant is always on hand to help pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. The caretaker has received health and safety training and the school is clean and well maintained. Fire extinguishers and physical education equipment are regularly inspected. There have been annual checks on the safety of portable electrical appliances and termly fire drills. A designated governors has worked with a member of staff, the headteacher and deputy headteacher to undertake frequent formal health and safety risk assessments and the school makes assessments of risks before any outing. The school is well aware of its health and safety responsibilities and is rigorous in its observation of proper procedures. It is rightly concerned about the state of some of the boundary fencing, which needs replacing. The school has prudently kept in reserve a large sum of money to carry out repairs.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. Pupils' personal, social and emotional development is tracked well and they are well aware of their individual social targets. Class and school rules are discussed by pupils at the start of each year and are clearly displayed. They remind pupils to be aware of the impact of their actions, and of ways in which they can change. Pupils are able to describe in detail how the rewards and sanctions work. They feel that these are fair and effective and that since new procedures have been brought in there has been a marked improvement in behaviour. They work hard to earn ‘Golden Time’ on Friday afternoons in which they can chose their own learning activities. Pupils are helped to understand the beliefs and cultures of others. For example, they were reminded in assembly of the celebrations that many religions mark around December, and in a religious education class, older pupils were researching the lives and contributions of Mahatma Gandhi,

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

49. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are very good. The school monitors attendance very well and works closely with the educational welfare officer when Victoria Junior School necessary. Registers conform to legal requirements. The electronic registration system allows the school to analyse attendance and punctuality and to identify any pupil having difficulty. The welfare assistant and educational welfare officer support pupils and families when there are regular attendance issues. Pupils and classes with the best attendance are given a small prize each month and are proud to have done well. Pupils, and their families, are kept fully aware of the importance of punctuality. Despite an improvement in the figures, there is some way to go before pupils in this school have overall attendance figures which match national norms.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

50. There are good, structured opportunities for pupils to discuss feelings, attitudes and behaviour with each other. This work is being done in assemblies, and science lessons dealing with health and physical development. Issues of health and safety, drugs, cleanliness and relationships are covered and pupils have other experiences that help them mature into responsible and caring individuals, for example religious education lessons and visiting experts. As part of a sequence of lessons on drug awareness, a theatre group had recently visited the school. This was followed up during the next week in class. The visit and the messages had clearly made a deep impact on the pupils. The comprehensive programme of work associated with the personal, social, health and citizenship curriculum has been successfully introduced throughout the school, is carefully monitored by a member of staff and plays an important part in supporting pupils’

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

51. The procedures to assess pupils’ attainment are very good overall, which is a considerable improvement since the last inspection when this area was highlighted for further development. Targets are set for pupils’ performance in national tests in English, mathematics and science in Year 6. The school has started tracking all pupils’ attainment and progress from year to year in English and mathematics, but not yet in science.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

52. Annual tests are carried out in English, mathematics and science. Portfolios for each pupil hold several years’ tests as well as assessments. In some year groups teachers regularly use assessments of pupils’ levels of attainment to set specific personal targets. However, this does not happen in all classes. Teachers’ marking does not consistently explain the strengths or development areas for pupils. Initial assessments of pupils’ attainment are used well to redefine the curriculum and raise standards. A strength of the use of assessment occurs when teachers record the next steps pupils need to take to improve for all subjects on ‘benchmark sheets’ . Assessment is also used particularly well to identify and set individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language. Booster groups in literacy and numeracy are determined by using school assessments.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

53. Annual reports to parents consistently assess pupils’ attainment or progress in all subjects and set useful targets for English, mathematics and science. The analysis of the performance of boys and girls, and of different groups, has been carried out very carefully. All pupils are suitably included in lessons due to the good use of assessment. The school has been successful in raising the achievement of boys in recent years and now plans to develop girls even further.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

54. The school provides well for pupils with special education needs. The co-ordinator has a good working relationship with staff, which facilitates the prompt identification of pupils with learning difficulties or behaviour problems. Teachers ensure that the very high numbers of pupils with special educational needs in most classes receive appropriate support on a daily basis. Since the last inspection there have been significant improvements in the level of help these pupils receive; for example, more classroom assistants have been employed and there is an increasing use of specific, measurable targets with each pupil. The individual education plans are regularly reviewed and the Victoria Junior School targets are specific and easily measured to show progress over a fixed period; however parents do not regularly sign these plans despite the school’s best efforts to make them do so. The targets are mostly based on literacy, numeracy and behaviour. Throughout

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the school these pupils receive a considerable amount of support from classroom assistants. Pupils with statements of special educational need are also well provided for and the class introductory sessions are sometime adapted to meet their needs. All pupils with special educational needs are appropriately included in lessons due to the thoughtful actions of committed classroom assistants and teachers, and in some subjects the beneficial impact of setting groups by ability.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

55. The provision for gifted and talented pupils is good. Throughout the school more able pupils now have individual education plans with specific and challenging targets. Music provision includes choir and instrumental tuition for some pupils. After school activities mean that gifted footballers and netball players are suitably provided for and develop high standards. Pupils with particular talents in drama can attend a club to develop their skills in acting and singing

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

56. The parents’ questionnaires and the comments made at the parents’ meeting held before the inspection were predominantly supportive. Only 61 completed questionnaires were returned. Parents have quite positive views of the school and no negative comments were made during the inspection.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

57. Parents report that the school works closely with them and keeps them reasonably well informed. They welcome the weekly newsletters, which regularly include information about events. They are also sent information each term about what their children will be learning. A home-school co-ordinator was appointed at the start of last year in recognition of the importance of developing further links with a wider range of parents.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

58. Parents say they feel comfortable about approaching the school with problems and all parents spoken with during the inspection said that they felt that teachers were always very willing to listen to their concerns. The school makes considerable efforts to involve parents. At the end of the year, parents discuss reports on their children’s academic progress. These reports are detailed and helpful and include targets for the future. They also include attendance information. Some translation facilities are available to the school for those parents who require them, although they are not used a great deal.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

59. Parental involvement with the school is satisfactory. Only a few come into school to help in class on a regular basis. A small number of parents attended curriculum meetings on mathematics, although the school no longer sends mathematics games home because of a lack of interest. However, parents support their children’s efforts by attending special events such as harvest festivals and class assemblies. Some parents help pupils on visits, for example to Heathrow Airport. The ‘Friends’ association’ is well supported by staff and parents and organises events throughout the year designed mainly for the pupils to enjoy. These events raise some funds that are used to benefit the school

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

60. Parents are given opportunities to help their children’s learning at home with homework, for example hearing them read. This has a positive impact on pupils’ confidence in reading. Parents are encouraged to record comments in pupils’ reading diaries, but in practice few do this. Parents are invited to be involved in the regular reviews of the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs but they are not always present to sign the plans for the next period. Parents are frequently reminded of the importance for their children of good attendance and punctuality. However there are Victoria Junior School a significant minority of parents who do not heed this advice and keep their children home for trivial reasons.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The quality of leadership and management has improved since the previous inspection and is now good. It has a positive impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. Seventy- five per cent of parents in their pre-inspection questionnaire recognised the leadership and management of the school as being good. The significant percentage who could not give an opinion about the quality of leadership were parents whose children have recently joined the junior school from the adjacent infant school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. The headteacher provides good, effective leadership and has a clear vision of how to move the school forward. She aims to achieve a high quality of education for all children in the school. All staff and governors share this aim. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy head with whom she works closely and who plays a significant part in the work of the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. Issues raised at the time of the previous inspection have been addressed and the school is well placed for further improvement. The quality of teaching is now good and lesson planning is good. The staff have worked very hard at improving the assessment and record keeping procedures. These are very good and used well to inform future lesson planning. Standards in mathematics have been raised through good implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy, the school’s system of setting by ability and additional in-class support.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

64. The high turnover of staff has continued since the previous inspection. The school has tried hard to reduce the effects of the high turnover of teachers. There are now good support procedures to minimise the effects of the staff turbulence. The teachers who have been at Victoria for some time welcome new staff, giving them encouragement and good guidance. The headteacher is successful in quickly bonding the teachers into a cohesive teaching team. All teachers work well together to ensure that the school’s aims are met and there is a commitment by all to the school’s success.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

65. The headteacher regularly monitors the quality of teaching and the curriculum. She is ably supported by all subject co-ordinators in the monitoring of the subject’s curriculum and classroom teaching. The subject co-ordinators monitor teachers’ planning documents and pupils’ work, and regularly discuss the work covered with staff and pupils. They hold regular in-service work through staff meetings and seminars for governors, and monitor the learning of their subject in the class setting. The headteacher has identified this area for quality in-service training to raise teachers’ confidence in classroom monitoring.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

66. The leadership and management of pupils with special educational needs are good. Effective monitoring of pupils’ individual education plans and liaison with parents ensure that pupils with special educational needs receive appropriate care in the school. The co- ordinator has successfully developed updated specific individual education plans for pupils. Regular meetings with outside specialists ensure that knowledge and strategies for pupils’ development are clearly understood and analysed. The governor for special educational needs is very committed member of the team and gives a considerable amount of time to support the co-ordinator and pupils with special educational needs in the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

67. The governors are most supportive of the school, the headteacher and all staff. The chair of governors provides effective leadership and ensures that the strengths and interests of Victoria Junior School other governors are used well to support the school. The governing body understands its role fully and fulfils its legal responsibilities effectively. Statutory requirements are met. There are appropriate policies in place on most aspects of the life and work of the school. The governing body has a well-established and appropriate committee structure with clear terms of reference. Meetings are well structured with agendas and minutes. Governors take a keen interest in the work of the school and their understanding of the roles and responsibilities is developing well. They are well informed by the head about the work of the school, recognising areas of strength and prioritising areas to be developed or improved.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

68. The good school improvement plan is still the result of wide consultation. All staff and governors make valuable contributions. All priority areas are closely linked to providing a successful education for all pupils. All items are costed and have a completion date and criteria for judging success. There is an ongoing review of the targets.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

69. The school is making the best possible use of all available resources to achieve the standards of progress seen and the good provision of high quality teaching. The finance committee is ably chaired and works closely with the headteacher keeping the budget well balanced. The governors are aware of the need to evaluate value for money and look to informal feedback, as well as their own observations, to monitor and evaluate the school’s work. The governing body is fully conversant with ‘ best value’ principles.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

70. The governors supervise finances effectively. They receive up to date financial information from the private bursar service. The school receives grants under the standards fund for staff training. These are used well for the purpose intended and staff appreciate the positive impact they have on their teaching and pupil’s learning. Day-to- day financial control and administration are most efficient.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

71. Overall, teachers’ qualifications and experience broadly match the demands and range of the National Curriculum. Currently, there are co-ordinators for all subjects and special educational needs. Effective use is made of senior and experienced staff to act as co- ordinators to manage core and foundation subjects and special educational needs. Responsibilities are generally well matched to the interests and specialisms of the teachers. In Years 5 and 6 the teachers use their strengths and interest in some of the foundation subjects for specialist teaching, for example physical education, music and personal, social and health education.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

72. A strength of the school is the provision of an experienced and effective group of learning support assistants. They work closely with the teachers and provide high quality assistance, particularly when supporting literacy and numeracy with less able pupils, with those pupils on the special educational needs register and those for whom English is an additional language. The school secretaries very effectively carry out their administrative duties and provide an efficient first contact with the school. The most helpful caretaker maintains the school in very good order and the cooks, mid-day supervisors and cleaners all perform their roles in a friendly, capable way and are all valued members of the school.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

73. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are good. They reflect the identified needs of the school and the personal needs of the staff. The school has appropriate performance management procedures and regular appraisals take place in line with regulations. There are good procedures for the induction of newly qualified and newly appointed staff to the school with a member of staff nominated to give help and guidance. Victoria Junior School 74. The accommodation is satisfactory for the number on roll and the building allows for the curriculum to be taught effectively. It is very clean and well maintained. However, the condition of the lavatories is poor and pupils commented that they would like them to be refurbished. Throughout the school there are attractive displays of pupils’ work showing how well the school celebrates their achievement and the care the teachers take to provide a stimulating positive working environment. There is no playing field but this does

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

not stop skills for football being taught or restrict pupils entering football competitions. Within a courtyard, the school has created a haven for wild life. It is secure and peaceful. Pupils can watch birds and other wild life and enjoy this sanctuary. It helps to reinforce the importance of ensuring that the environment is well cared for in a highly built up community. Learning resources are satisfactory overall, resources for music and physical education are good and have a positive impact on pupil’s learning.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

• the children’s very low attainment when they start Year 3; • the good quality of teaching that the school provides; • the good progress pupils make; • the achievement of pupils at the ages of 11; and • the good quality of leadership;

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the school provides good value for money. Victoria Junior School

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

76. In order to build on the hard work that has already taken place, and to improve the quality of education still further, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.26

(1) improve pupils’ standards in English, mathematics and science by:

• continuing to analyse the information provided in national tests and other non- statutory tests to identify weaknesses in pupils’ learning; • reviewing the school’s target setting arrangements to ensure that they are challenging and are monitored regularly; • continuing to track the progress of individual pupils and groups of pupils so that effective targets can be made for their learning;

p.26

school development plan) by:

• ensuring that the use of computers is consistent throughout the school; • monitoring the use and impact of the newly purchased laptop computers to ensure that they are fully used each day; • monitoring the impact of training, when completed, on teachers’ confidence and ability to maximise the use of ICT in their classrooms;

p.26

(3) improve pupils’ punctuality and attendance by:

• continuing to work closely with parents and the school welfare service to try to further improve attendance and to eliminate the late arrival of pupils in school;

p.26

(4) improve the consistency of teachers’ marking by:

• reviewing the quality of teachers’ marking: • reviewing the target setting process to ensure that targets are specific and reviewed with pupils on a regular basis.

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 4 27 44 18 5 2 0 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.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 268

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 100

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 9

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 129

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 48

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 22

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.27

Attendance

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

p.27

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 37 27 64

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 21 26 35 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 17 9 20

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 59 (58) 55 (56) 86 (75) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 26 31 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 18 14 19

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 64 (67) 65 (67) 72 (82) 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. Victoria Junior School

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 9 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 6 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2000 / 2001

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y 3 -–Y 6 Expenditure per pupil 2,245

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 10 Balance brought forward from previous year 27.891

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 161 Balance carried forward to next year 49,080 3

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 11

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.29

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.

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

3 The large carry forward includes a sum prudently planned by the governing body to replace sections of boundary fence. This is an unavoidable drain on the school’s resources, since the responsibility for repair rests with the governing body. Victoria Junior School

p.29

(23% return rate)

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

(23% return rate)

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

p.30

(23% return rate)

My child is making good progress in school. 48 42 3 2 5

p.30

(23% return rate)

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 40 10 0 3

p.30

(23% return rate)

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 38 50 10 2 0

p.30

(23% return rate)

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 50 17 2 2

p.30

(23% return rate)

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 35 3 2 3

p.30

(23% return rate)

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 33 2 0 2

p.30

(23% return rate)

The school works closely with parents. 30 50 15 2 2

p.30

(23% return rate)

The school is well led and managed. 38 42 3 5 12

p.30

(23% return rate)

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 47 3 0 8

p.30

(23% return rate)

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 47 42 5 0 7 Victoria Junior School PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES

p.30

ENGLISH

77. Most pupils' attainments by the age of 11 are average in speaking, listening, reading and writing. This is a similar judgement to the one made in the last inspection. Most pupils enter the school with attainment well below average in the national tests, which they take at the age of 7 years. Their achievement in Victoria junior school is usually good and occasionally very good. Boys have tended to do a little better than girls over the last few years, although there was no evidence of this during the inspection. Minority ethnic pupils and those who are gifted or able, achieve well, as do pupils with special educational needs. Few pupils, though, attain highly.

p.31

ENGLISH

78. Standards in speaking are average but few pupils can adapt their speech to suit formal occasions. Higher attaining pupils can speak clearly and expressively and show an awareness of the needs of the text and their audience. They do this not only in lessons, but also in after-school theatre club rehearsals. Most pupils listen well. They concentrate well in assemblies and in lessons on what their teachers say, sometimes for a long time. As they grow older they learn to listen more carefully to one another and to their teachers, and respond appropriately to the questions or instructions they are given. A minority of pupils in Year 3 have poor listening skills. The ability of most pupils in Year 6 to listen carefully is much better, showing how well their standards improve over time.

p.31

ENGLISH

79. In Year 3, a majority of pupils reads below the standard expected for their age, but they make good progress over time. Teachers' detailed reading records show that pupils' achievements are consistently good. As a result of good progress, standards in reading in Year 6 are average. Pupils can discuss or compare texts and authors, and describe characters. Those with special educational needs learn to use appropriate strategies, for example looking at the pictures to provide them with clues about words they do not recognise. More-able pupils enjoy reading, can read fluently, and talk about plot and character. They can predict outcomes, recognise errors quickly and are eager to learn the meaning of new words. About a third of pupils know of the work of a small range of different authors.

p.31

ENGLISH

80. Most older pupils can use reference skills in independent work. They are able to use indexes to locate and use information for their topic work, but few pupils use skimming or scanning techniques when searching for information in texts. Most have some understanding of the features of reference books, such as glossaries and contents pages. Pupils have a growing understanding of the classification of books in libraries and of how to search for particular books. A small number of pupils use a dictionary to seek out the meaning of words and help with spelling. Teachers encourage this practice by appointing pupils as ‘ dictionary masters’ to find word definitions for the whole class. By the age of 11 many use dictionaries effectively to correct their written work. Pupils complete homework regularly, either at home or in after-school homework clubs, and this often consolidates classroom learning. Teachers ensure that all pupils have equality of opportunity to

p.31

ENGLISH

continue their studies after school, no matter what their circumstances. Teachers boost the home-school partnership by the links they make with parents to help children read, for example through the reading diaries kept by every pupil. However, parents' comments about their children’s reading are rarely detailed.

p.31

ENGLISH

81. Although many pupils do not have good access to books outside school, many enjoy reading books in school. Minority ethnic pupils who either speak English or who are acquiring it as an additional language make good progress in learning to read. Most Victoria Junior School pupils show some understanding of the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. A growing number of them are independent readers.

p.31

ENGLISH

82. By the age of 11, pupils’ standards in writing are average. Most pupils can draft and redraft their writing. They use adjectives and adverbs well to give their writing interest and colour. Many older pupils set out their work well. Their writing is clear and sentence structure is good. Most pupils have a sound vocabulary and a functional writing style. They have a satisfactory understanding of the formal conventions of grammar, and some are confident enough to discard these when it is appropriate so to do. A few more able pupils can write alliteratively. Pupils often write for a range of purposes; for example, their work includes examples of journalistic, persuasive and informational writing and they write independently. Pupils have produced extended pieces of creative writing, but this is usually factual and plain and does not contain much embellishment.

p.32

ENGLISH

83. Standards of spelling are poor in Year 3, but get better and are average by Year 6. The spelling of younger pupils is often phonetic with words like ‘ squint’ spelt as ‘s cwint’ . Pupils maintain spelling journals in which they record not just new spellings, and spelling tests, but also rules for grammar. They use useful words such as ‘ indestructible’ , ‘ renewal ’ and ‘ aerospace’ . Because they do not have regular enough access to computers, few pupils use spell checking software well to remove spelling errors in their word-processed work. Throughout the school pupils improve upon their standards in handwriting little by little to achieve a joined, regular style of cursive writing by the age of 11 years. Sometimes their handwriting is stylish. Teachers help them improve through regular handwriting sessions and the use of double-lined handwriting books. By the age of 11, most pupils write in pen in a neat script.

p.32

ENGLISH

84. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their abilities. As there are large numbers of pupils on the register of special educational needs in many classes, sometimes as many as 50 per cent, this is a significant achievement by the teachers. Although pupils' writing has spelling errors, their handwriting is usually legible. They make progress because they are taught well, in groups withdrawn from mainstream activities, as well as in mainstream lessons. Minority ethnic pupils, who either speak English or use it as an additional language, make good achievements in relation to their prior learning.

p.32

ENGLISH

85. The overall quality of English teaching is good. Some teaching is very good. Literacy skills are taught well throughout the school. Drama is taught dynamically in well- attended, extra-curricular sessions and this helps to improve standards in speaking and listening. Where English teaching is most effective it is energetic and pacy. Teachers often make their learning objectives clear, both verbally and in writing on the board. They check learning and develop pupils’ thinking with a series of probing questions. Many teachers encourage pupils to evaluate their written and spoken work and that of their peers through useful plenary sessions. They also use this good strategy in a range of other subjects and it helps to further improve the quality of assessment. Because teachers teach English well, pupils feel secure, are unafraid to ask questions and learn from their mistakes. When teaching is very good, the teachers’ confident and

p.32

ENGLISH

knowledgeable approach, coupled with high expectations, results in the pupils becoming more observant and learning much. As a result they listen carefully from the start of the lesson, respond accurately, and gradually become more literate. Teachers have a wholesome relationship with their classes and pupils trust them as a result. When, rarely, teaching is unsatisfactory, it is mainly because the teacher does not make the aims and objectives of the lesson clear to pupils, resources are uninspiring and the behaviour of a disaffected minority is poor and a distraction to the majority who want to learn. Victoria Junior School 86. Teachers place a good emphasis on the use of subject specific words. In additional literacy support groups, pupils identified as needing extra help concentrate on improving their use of language in a way that helps them to understand other subjects better. Teachers help pupils to view learning as an enjoyable task. Learning support assistants

p.32

ENGLISH

provide good individual tuition for those pupils who use English as an additional language, and those with special educational needs. Teachers teach literacy skills effectively throughout the school in well-timed, well-managed lessons. They also teach literacy well in many other subjects, for example by providing pupils with writing frames to help them in subjects such as history, geography and religious education. They also draw attention regularly to key words, which are specific to the subject in hand. As a result, pupils in a Year 5 science lesson could say, ‘ Because the bee pollinates the flower, it makes an egg. This is called fertilisation’.

p.33

ENGLISH

87. The quality of learning is good. Pupils learn more swiftly because teachers match tasks carefully to the needs of each learner. Although many struggle to meet their targets, they try hard and make progress. Teachers throughout the school help pupils learn to spell correctly through regular tests and comments in marked work. In the best marking, teachers provide pupils with useful pointers to improve their work and pupils respond well. This good assessment is present in most, but not all pupils' books. Where marking is less effective it does not set targets for improvement that are specific enough, and does not relate to pupils’ progress towards achieving their targets. Teachers also focus upon the improvement of pupils’ spelling and extend their vocabulary with well-chosen words. Most pupils are eager to learn and most behave well in lessons. Most co-operate well with each other and their teachers and tolerate with maturity the poorer behaviour of a

p.33

ENGLISH

small minority. When a few pupils behave less well, they do not listen carefully enough to their teacher. They have difficulty in concentrating for long, they learn slowly and forget quickly.

p.33

ENGLISH

88. The content of English lessons is often very good. Teachers match carefully what they teach to pupils' needs by, for example, organising them in groups and classes based upon their abilities. Teachers have refined the National Literacy Strategy to ensure that the work set is interesting and relevant as well as being not too easy or too difficult. English lessons often help pupils in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those who have impaired hearing, is very inclusive. Teachers keep a portfolio of samples of work which is increasingly helpful in recording pupils' progress in literacy. Work in the portfolios is graded using National Curriculum Levels and this helps guide teachers and pupils. Teachers assess pupils’ work regularly in many classes through end-of-year tests, for example, and have a good knowledge of how well they are doing.

p.33

ENGLISH

89. The subject is led and managed very well by an able co-ordinator, who helps to plan, monitor, evaluate and guide the work of the school effectively. The quality of books in the library is sound and the local education authority's library service supplements this regularly with extra books and helps organise loans and returns. Pupils can choose books which are new and relevant to the National Curriculum, and some help celebrate Britain’s multi-cultural heritage. Classroom collections of books are also satisfactory and pupils regularly take books home to read. The resources that teachers use in lessons, for example on journalistic writing, are often excellent and pupils write well in that genre as a result. They write arresting headlines such as ‘ There's a new Einstein in town! ’ Teachers and pupils do not use computers enough to extend their teaching and learning. Some of the classroom computers are unreliable. Teachers help pupils to improve their research

p.33

ENGLISH

skills through guided use of the Internet but this is not a regular feature of learning in many classrooms. Victoria Junior School

p.33

MATHEMATICS

90. Evidence from mathematics lessons, a scrutiny of books and discussions with pupils indicate that standards of work are those expected from 11-year-olds. This is a higher standard than pupils have attained in national mathematics tests over the last four years and an improvement since the last inspection. The improvement in standards and pupils’ good achievement are due largely to: • a more focused curriculum, indicated in teachers’ planning, covering a wide range of mathematical concepts; • clearly structured lessons which include a balance of mental and oral work, teacher explanation and independent tasks for pupils; • good teaching which enables all pupils to take part and learn.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

91. In Year 6, pupils’ mathematical and numerical competencies are sound. They acquire a good understanding of the basic operational skills of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and use correct mathematical vocabulary to help with their problem solving. There is good evidence that pupils cover a similarly wide range of work, but at an appropriate level for their abilities. For example, in their work on fractions in November the lower attaining pupils concentrated on the addition of fractions with the same denominator to make improper fractions. The average attaining pupils were asked to find the lowest common denominator to add fractions and the higher attaining pupils had to calculate fractions of numbers and quantities. High quality teaching, focusing on pupils’ specific weaknesses enables them to make good progress and to achieve well. Pupils understand how to construct and read graphs and are quick to spot mathematical links

p.34

MATHEMATICS

and to suggest mathematically valid ideas. For example, when they were presented with calculating what fraction 600 was of 3,000, they came up with good ideas, such as, ‘We could divide them both by ten’, and , ‘We could halve them both and keep going – it’s called simplifying’.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

92. Pupils in Year 5 use vocabulary relating to fractions in an effective way. The focus of the lesson was not only on pupils being able to identify and understand equivalent fractions, but also to develop their correct use of mathematical vocabulary about fractions. By the end of the lesson they could correctly refer to, ‘equivalent’ and ‘improper’ or, ‘numerator’ and ‘denominator’ and give definitions for those terms.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

93. A strong feature of the daily mathematics lesson is the oral and mental work that is carried out at the beginning of the lesson. In the best examples pupils are encouraged to think quickly to calculate answers. For example, higher attaining pupils in Year 3 have to think about the multiples of the 2 , 4, 5 and 10 times tables to complete their ‘bingo’ sheets correctly, whilst lower attaining pupils in the same year develop quick recall of multiples of the five times table. The good development of pupils’ recall is evident from a lesson in Year 6 where higher attaining pupils use a wide variety of strategies to extract information quickly and accurately from a 'number wheel' . The element of competition to work out the correct answer first becomes ever keener as the pupils move through the school.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

94. Teachers use resources well to enable pupils to be fully active in this part of the lesson. They use small whiteboards which enable them to display their answer clearly, and also enables the teacher to spot any pupils who are experiencing difficulty. As a result of this, if necessary teachers then target particular pupils to answer in order to reinforce their learning. In Year 6, lower attaining pupils were initially reluctant to respond, but with lots of encouragement, ‘talking them through’ the process and stressing the importance of ‘having a go ’ rather than concentrating of the ‘right’ answer the teacher boosted their confidence and self esteem. Higher attaining pupils worked together to quickly work out the answers in their mental arithmetic session. In a small number of lessons the pace of this oral session is too slow and not all pupils are included in the questioning. This Victoria Junior School

p.34

MATHEMATICS

means that pupils are not as well motivated and are not as enthusiastic to answer. They know that there is no pressure on them to take part and they can, if they wish, ‘switch off’ from this session. In the lessons where pupils make most progress pupils do not know who the teacher is going to pick next to answer. In those lessons pupils are on the ‘edge of their seats ’ in anticipation and eagerness to answer. Many teachers are skilful at targeting particular pupils to answer questions that are within their capability.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

95. In almost all cases, pupils respond well, and often very well, to their mathematics lessons. The only exception was in one lesson in Year 5 when pupils quickly lost interest in their work, were allowed to call out and were badly behaved. Usually pupils are greatly encouraged by their teachers and listen carefully to what they are teaching them. Most teachers manage pupils very well and this results in lessons that are informative and enjoyable and where all pupils are included and valued. Teachers praise pupils for their efforts and this has a very positive impact on their attitudes to mathematics and their enjoyment of lessons.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

96. The quality of teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to very good and is good overall. It was unsatisfactory in two lessons, but was very good in almost half the lessons. The system of grouping pupils by ability into mathematics sets works very well in Year 6 and ensures an appropriate level of challenge for pupils of all abilities. In the small number of unsatisfactory lessons, the level of challenge is not always appropriate for more able pupils, who are often capable of doing far more difficult work. A good feature of high quality teaching is the way in which teachers use searching questions at the beginning of lessons to revise what has already been learned. ‘Tell me how you got that answer’ and, ‘What would happen if we did it this way? ’ are examples of questions that teachers use to clarify their thinking.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

97. Pupils’ work in their books is neatly and accurately presented and follows the school policy for presentation of work. Work is regularly marked, although teachers’ written comments tend to be restricted to the, ‘Well done’ or, ‘You’ve understood well’ type rather than identifying where pupils could improve. In the best examples of marking teachers’ comments offer worthwhile advice, such as, ‘Always check your answers when you have finished’. In Year 5 there is some evidence of teachers setting targets for pupils to achieve in mathematics, but this is not consistent practice between classes or year groups and even where it is done there is no sign that targets have been reviewed to see whether they have been achieved.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

98. The successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy is monitored carefully by the subject co-ordinator. Good records are now being kept to track pupils’ progress in statutory and non-statutory tests and to predict the levels they will achieve at the end of Key Stage 2. A thorough analysis of test results has also recently been introduced and enables teachers to identify areas for development.

p.35

SCIENCE

99. Inspection findings indicate that the majority of Year 6 pupils are in line to attain average standards by the time they leave the school. This is because of the school’s emphasis on a practical approach to science, and the effective use of assessment, where teachers assess pupils’ progress several times a year and decide on what they need to do next. There are many opportunities for pupils to use their knowledge and carry out investigations, which is a significant improvement since the last inspection.

p.35

SCIENCE

100. By the age of 11, pupils’ knowledge of life and living processes is average. The characteristics of living things are well explained. Pupils demonstrate clear understanding of the main functions of the human skeleton. They know that seeds need Victoria Junior School water and warmth to germinate, but not necessarily light. The standard of investigative work is satisfactory overall. Pupils write sensible predictions, record results accurately and form reasonable conclusions about their work. More able pupils in Year 6 write thoughtful conclusions, giving reasons such as, ‘When I sieved sand and stones, the sand fell through the sieve into the tub, but the stones stayed in the sieve as the holes in the sieve were too small for the stones to fall through. My prediction was right!’

p.35

SCIENCE

101. They use graphs effectively when they draw line graphs in Year 5 to show the effect of exercise on pulse rate. Their knowledge and understanding of materials are average. Pupils in Year 6 suitably describe physical changes that can occur when they write about solids, liquids and gases. Pupils in Year 3 accurately record the properties of materials for glass, plastic, wood and clay. They have average levels of knowledge about physical processes. They explore the effect of friction on materials and draw diagrams and write about forces in Year 6. There is less emphasis placed on the teaching of physical processes throughout the school than other aspects of science. Pupils’ attitudes to their science work are good. They concentrate, work co-operatively and volunteer answers enthusiastically. Working individually or in groups is purposeful and productive.

p.36

SCIENCE

102. The quality of teaching ranged from excellent to good and is good overall, with a number of strengths that account for the good progress made in the school. Teachers often use the introductions of lessons to revise the previous lesson’s content and discuss scientific vocabulary, such as, ‘soluble’ and ‘insoluble’ . They set challenging tasks for pupils which means that they have to think deeply about their work. Their sharing of the learning objective at the beginning of the lesson means the pupils are clear about the focus for each session. They use resources imaginatively to make the lessons interesting and relevant. Teachers’ good subject knowledge ensures that pupils develop a clear understanding of science. Opportunities for pupils to discuss and plan their own investigation give them a good understanding of the basic skills of science.

p.36

SCIENCE

103. Teachers use the end of lessons well to draw out conclusions about activities. They have very effective management strategies to ensure that pupils behave well and have good attitudes towards science. There is insufficient feedback to pupils through teachers’ marking and oral feedback explaining what they do well and what they could do to improve. Information and communication technology is not used consistently enough to improve pupils’ standards even further, for example the use of sensors.

p.36

SCIENCE

104. The subject co-ordinator monitors planning documents but not teaching. There is a good programme of assessment that provides useful information, but pupils’ progress is not yet tracked through the school. Assessment and its use have improved since the last inspection. Resources are satisfactory, although there are not enough for pupils to use in practical challenges. The subject promotes pupils’ literacy skills well through the introduction of good science vocabulary and through the written reports of scientific activities and knowledge. Numeracy skills are consolidated through data collection and the drawing of graphs associated with pupils' work. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development when they work together during practical activities.

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

105. Only two lessons were timetabled during the inspection. Judgements are made, additionally, from a scrutiny of displays, pupils’ work and teachers’ plans and discussions with pupils and the subject co-ordinator. Standards for all pupils are those expected nationally for 11-year-olds. This is a similar judgement to the one made in the previous inspection. Victoria Junior School 106. There is a good range of attractively displayed art work on classroom walls, in the hall and in corridors that shows how pupils have used a wide range of media, such as paints and pastels, although there is little evidence of three-dimensional art. The range of displays also reveals very good links between art and other subjects, for example written stories and descriptions in English, history and religious education. The headteacher feels strongly that the school should be visually attractive and welcoming as part of a high

p.36

ART AND DESIGN

quality learning environment. Pupils like the look of the school and are proud of their work. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting commented positively on the frequency with which the work displays are changed. Art plays a positive part in developing pupils’ knowledge of different artists and their styles, as well as developing their aesthetic and cultural awareness.

p.37

ART AND DESIGN

107. Pupils develop sound observational drawing skills and use their ‘Ideas Books’ to record examples of techniques they have tried and which they will develop in future. The school follows a national scheme which encourages the development of pupils’ skills and techniques in only a limited range of media, rather than them experiencing a wide range of activities. Work is closely linked to their work in other subjects and the design element of their art work is emphasised appropriately. For example, their D&T work investigating patterns has been the basis for their work on designing a Christmas card. The patterns that pupils have made using plastic cubes have provided a link with numeracy and identifying patterns in numbers, for example sequences of twos and threes. ICT plays a positive part in the development of pupils’ art and design skills. A digital camera was used imaginatively to record a sequence of movements, which were then translated into

p.37

ART AND DESIGN

108. Only two lessons were observed and teaching ranged from satisfactory to good. In the better lesson good examples of pupils’ own work provided a model for others to strive for. In the satisfactory lesson the teacher’s own art skills were not developed well enough to know when to intervene at precisely the right moment to help pupils improve. In both lessons pupils were enthusiastic and took time and care with their work. They showed genuine admiration for work done by others that they regarded as ‘good’ .

p.37

ART AND DESIGN

109. The subject is well managed and there are lots of good resources. The co-ordinator monitors pupils’ work and teachers’ plans, but has not yet had an opportunity to monitor teaching. Pupils’ work is carefully assessed against specific criteria to gauge their progress in the development of art skills.

p.37

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. The school presented a good quantity of evidence of pupils’ work in design and technology. Standards are as expected by the end of the key stage. This is the same as the judgement made in the last inspection. All pupils achieve well. This is due to teachers’ good subject knowledge and their effective deployment of classroom support assistants.

p.37

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

111. Teaching promotes effective designing skills. This was evident from the good ‘litterbin’ designs, which pupils produced, thoughtfully adding labels. They also drew neat labelled diagrams of bridges, adding dimensions and listing the materials they needed. Pupils’ planning is held in their ‘Ideas Books’ , which have been in use for the last two years. A scrutiny of these enables teachers and the subject co-ordinator to monitor pupils’ standards of planning effectively.

p.37

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. Pupils’ ‘making skills’ are as expected by the time they leave they school. The Christmas cards made by pupils in Year 3 demonstrated accurate measuring, cutting and joining skills. The Christmas cakes baked and decorated by pupils in Year 4 demonstrated real Victoria Junior School skill and imaginative use of icing. Pupils in Year 5 used clay to create a variety of imaginative ‘Greek’ columns. Sewing was used particularly effectively to make beautiful plant tapestries with a variety of stitches. Older pupils write up detailed evaluations of the things that they make and this is an established part of their work. Pupils in Year 5 drew up a chart to record their findings about Greek foods. They evaluated foods for the characteristics of texture, sweetness, sourness and appearance. One more able pupil wrote the following response to how this activity could be improved. ‘We could have tasted Greek honey to see the difference between that and English honey’ .

p.37

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. The quality of teaching ranged from good to very good and was good overall. Effective teaching revises previous work at the beginning of lessons so that pupils’ learning is reinforced and linked to new experiences. Basic skills are well taught, through pupils learning how to plan and evaluate their work. Teachers use examples of pupils’ work effectively to demonstrate their high expectations. Pupils enjoy the practical activities in this subject, such as when they rolled out icing and applied it to their Christmas cakes. Information and communication technology was under used during the inspection to support pupils in this subject. There are too few opportunities currently for pupils to carry out evaluations of the things they make.

p.38

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Since the previous inspection the school has incorporated the national guidance into its scheme of work. The creation of an annual plan of topics linking all aspects of the subject means that pupils now have an opportunity to develop skills appropriately throughout the school. Monitoring of the curriculum by the co-ordinator has helped the school to develop this area of study well. Teachers’ assessments are good and are carefully recorded, often suggesting the next steps pupils should take to improve. This area has been developed well since the last inspection. Cross-curricular links with art are well established. This subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ social development when they work together co-operatively in practical activities.

p.38

GEOGRAPHY

115. Standards in geography are as expected for pupils at the end of Key Stage 2. Pupils are well informed about their local area and have a sound understanding of geographical themes. Teachers have good subject knowledge and give pupils good opportunities to develop their skills of geographical inquiry. For example, pupils in Year 6 carried out research to understand the importance of alternative energies in our environment. The teacher’s clear explanation and use of a prompt list of vocabulary gave pupils the opportunity to see clearly the need to protect fossil fuels. Through skilful questioning, which was probing and direct, and the teacher’s positive climate of acceptance of all answers, pupils’ knowledge and understanding were deepened. Geographical terms and diagrams were also used well to explain the process of hydro-electrical power. Throughout the lesson pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an

p.38

GEOGRAPHY

additional language were well supported by class assistants who simplified what the teachers said. 116 . Pupils in Year 3 study the world’s weather. Pupils become deeply engrossed in learning about the phenomena of floods, drought and tornadoes. The teacher’s good planning and pace help to focus pupils’ involvement and keep them on task throughout the lesson. Pupils are encouraged to carry out research and to be confident in asking questions. The teacher asks probing questions to assess pupils’ understanding such as, ‘ Why did you use that fact? and ‘ Which fact are you going to use now?’ or ‘ What do you think this means?’ Pupils record in their own words what they have discovered either by using a range of good information books or by discovering facts on the Internet. Pupils respond well to their lessons and behaviour is generally good. They show interest in their work and concentrate well on their tasks. Their social skills are developed well by working

p.38

GEOGRAPHY

Victoria Junior School together in groups or pairs. This encourages them to respect each other’s views and discussions are open and mature.

p.39

GEOGRAPHY

117. Teaching is good overall. Teachers’ planning is well organised and consistent between classes. This provides good opportunities for pupils to build skills in a systematic way. Classroom management and organisation are good. Pupils’ work is valued and there are good displays of the topics. The subject is well managed and resources are satisfactory. There are well-planned, good quality visits and field trips, such as the Year 4 visit to Denham. This provided good support for the project about a contrasting locality.

p.39

HISTORY

118. Standards in history are as expected for pupils at the age of 11 years. Only lessons in Year 4 were observed during the inspection. Judgements are based additionally on a scrutiny of pupils’ work for this and the previous academic year, planning documents and discussions with pupils. All pupils achieve well and make good progress. Pupils study local history and learn about the past from a range of resources. They have plenty of opportunities to develop a sense of chronology and learn about key events in selected periods of history. A strength of the subject is the good use of pupils’ literacy skills when writing and word-processing accounts, stories, diaries and reports of historical events.

p.39

HISTORY

119. Pupils in Year 6 study the Victorians. They write enthusiastically about ‘The Great Exhibition’ of 1857. ‘The Great Exhibition had loads of great discoveries inside and everyone enjoyed walking around. The Queen visited almost every day for the first three months.’ Pupils select historical information well to help them complete accounts. For example, ‘ 1851 was a very special year for the Victorians because the Great Exhibition opened that year. It was visited by six million people. You can see that it was very popular it nearly never took place because many people thought a big crowd would cause crime.’

p.39

HISTORY

120. In Year 5 pupils study the Greeks, completing research into the styles of architecture, Gods, theatre, wars and the great philosophers and mathematicians of the time. They use information and communication technology well to help them thoroughly research and appreciate that the past is recounted in different ways according to the author’s view point. They are beginning to understand that accounts may be biased. They use this fact to record newspaper articles; for example, an article about Archimedes reads ‘ Nude scientist in bathtub sensation’ and finishes ‘ Archimedes is one of the greatest bathers - eeeermm I mean brains of his generation’. Throughout the key stage pupils learn about events, people and changes from a wide range of sources and record their work carefully.

p.39

HISTORY

121. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Pupils listened well to accounts and instructions. Through the careful teaching of time lines pupils develop a sound understanding of chronology and successfully contrast times past with the present day. Teachers’ careful explanations and questions helped pupils to draw conclusions about the lifestyles, social structure and working conditions of the period studied. Teachers place an appropriate emphasis on developing pupils’ skills as historians as well as extending their factual knowledge. Teachers are successful in helping pupils to transfer the skills learned in literacy lessons to help them research text to extract information. Victoria Junior School

p.39

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. A judgement on standards is based on the limited number of lessons observed, a scrutiny of displays, pupils’ books and teachers’ planning and discussions with staff and pupils. Standards are about the same as expected at the end of the key stage in word- processing, data handling and modelling, but lower than expected in control technology, for example using a series of instructions to make a cursor move on a computer monitor. Progress is erratic in different years and has been affected by inadequate and unreliable resources, a lack of staff confidence and training, and changes to staff. Although older pupils have used computers programs successfully for the required range of purposes, such as data handling and word processing, they have not done so on a regular enough basis to make them assured and to be able to extend the range of their work. This is a similar judgement to the one made in the previous inspection. Opportunities to use ICT

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and its impact on other subjects have improved since then, but pupils’ insufficient experience with programs was also a criticism in that report.

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. In classes where ICT is used regularly it is often used well to support and enhance other subjects, for example mathematics, science, English and history. Pupils use the word- processor to write a range of descriptions and stories, from a humorous account of Archimedes in the bath to acrostic poems. Pupils in Year 3 use a music program very well to compose their own ‘tunes’ that represent animals, and use tape recorders to record those ‘tunes’ . Pupils in Year 5 represent data about their birthdays in different ways, for example bar graphs and pie charts.

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Pupils in Year 6 are by far the most frequent and confident users. Teachers plan work very well to include ICT regularly in a range of subjects. For example, a recent visit by a journalist linked to their literacy work was complemented by the use of the school’s digital camera and by word-processed descriptions. In data handling they have made straight- line graphs of their changing pulse rate and mean temperature graphs linked to their science work. They know how to use formulae in spreadsheets and use a ‘search engine’ to find information for their research. They have designed their own ‘web pages’ , combining moving pictures, still pictures and sound.

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. Pupils are very aware of how ICT can best be used and they understand its disadvantages. They know a wide range of ways in which ICT can help us, for example in traffic lights, supermarket checkouts and play stations. They are well aware of the dangers of accessing the Internet, and teachers and pupils have jointly drawn up a policy governing its use in school. When using computers in school pupils do so enthusiastically and sensibly, and share tasks fairly. Many pupils are not used to computer technology at home, and many of those who are, use them mainly for playing games. The limited number of machines that has been available almost always meant that more than one pupil used computers at the same time. However, 16 new laptop computers have just been delivered to the school. These provide classes with the flexibility to remain in their own rooms for timetabled lessons, and, additionally, to use the

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

limited number of computers that remain permanently in teaching areas. The laptops have arrived at a time when national staff training is not yet complete, but offer scope for teachers to follow up their remaining training sessions with practical work in classrooms.

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. In the few lessons observed, teaching ranged from good to poor. The poor lesson was the result of an unclear activity not fully supported or understood by pupils and this led to frustration and bad behaviour. In satisfactory and good lessons teachers had planned their work well and pupils were busy and interested. The most purposeful teaching came from teachers who regarded the use of ICT as an integral part of their planning and whose personal levels of skill were such that any questions about the programs or ICT generally could be answered confidently. Victoria Junior School 127. The subject is well managed by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator. There is an up-to-date policy and a new scheme, based on a national programme is being adapted for school use. Assessment of ICT capability is good and is carried out regularly. The co-ordinator has tried hard to develop good links with secondary schools in order to

p.40

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

prepare pupils for a wider range of work there.

p.41

MUSIC

128. By the end of Year 6 pupils achieve the expected standards of work, although their achievement in listening to music and composing their own music is good. The school has maintained the strong level of work found in the previous inspection. All pupils make good progress.

p.41

MUSIC

129. Pupils’ composing is a strength of the school. Throughout the school they have been composing music to accompany poems or stories. They record their music using symbols and shapes to represent the different sounds and instruments so that the music could be played and remembered.

p.41

MUSIC

130. Pupils in Year 4 confidently perform their own ‘ Christmas songs’, writing the music and words. The whole class listened intently to others’ work and showed their appreciation at the end. Their work is taped and, in a ‘music area’ in the Year 6 classrooms pupils can use headphones to listen and evaluate other pupils’ recordings. Pupils’ singing is sound. There are many opportunities for them to participate as singers, including assemblies, choir and class music lessons. During assemblies, pupils sing with clarity and expression. They have a good understanding of the beat in music and sing softly or loudly as the song requires in response to the meaning of the words or the style of the song.

p.41

MUSIC

131. All pupils respond eagerly and enthusiastically to their music lessons. Pupils in Year 3 are able to play a wide range of percussion instruments with increasing control. Opportunities are provided for pupils to listen to extracts of music and draw pictures of the instruments that are playing. Pupils in Year 5 were able to show an awareness of pitch, rhythm, tempo and duration. Pupils in Year 6 can identify rhythmic patterns in the modern carol ‘ Mistletoe and Wine’ and then successfully transfer the rhythm onto musical instruments. Pupils make this good progress because teachers plan interesting and exciting activities for them. They build systematically on previous work, which increases pupils’ skills at making music.

p.41

MUSIC

132. The quality of teaching is good overall. Planning is based on the school’s good scheme of work. Lessons are well balanced with a variety of activities to hold pupils’ interest and enthusiasm. Teachers use correct terminology encouraging pupils to do the same.

p.41

MUSIC

133. Music is well managed and, consequently, the subject has a high priority in the school’s curriculum. Music contributes well to pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. The school has ensured that pupils hear music from other countries, such as African drum music and Indian dance music. Music is one of the pupils’ favourite lessons and this is evident in the amounts of energy they put into their work.

p.41

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Standards of physical education at the end of Key Stage 2 are those expected of pupils at that age. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the last inspection. Pupils are keen and enthusiastic in gymnastics lessons, for example when they practise their group balances using two, three or four points of contact. Their performances show increasing Victoria Junior School control and fluency. They co-operate well when they produce routines involving jumps, cartwheels, rolls and splits. They thoroughly enjoy outdoor sessions where they learn how to control small balls correctly in games they have created themselves. They can explain the correct way to handle a bat. Most pupils can throw a ball directly to their partner and a few know how to compare or comment on their own and others’ skills. There was no dance taught during the inspection.

p.41

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

135. The quality of teaching is good overall. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed, which is an improvement since the last inspection. Teachers use the start of lessons appropriately to warm up pupils’ muscles. The revision of previous activities helps pupils to link and build on their prior knowledge of gymnastics. Basic skills are well taught when pupils practise their balances in a small group. Teachers use effective learning methods by asking groups of pupils to demonstrate to the class. High expectations of pupils ensure that they achieve well. Teachers’ good organisational skills ensure that time is used efficiently in lessons. They use resources effectively, for example mats and benches, to enable pupils to create balances on different levels. However, teachers do not consistently give pupils feedback on their strengths or suggest improvements others could make to their movements. All pupils are suitably included in lessons through clear

p.42

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

teacher expectations and good use of classroom assistants.

p.42

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

136. Pupils learn to swim in the local leisure pool and the majority achieve the twenty-five metres swimming award. A few more able pupils achieved distance and lifesaving awards. Pupils enjoy swimming and they make good progress, as few can swim when they start at the school. Gifted and talented pupils are identified and involved in league matches and inter-school activities. The subject is well managed by a teacher with a high personal level of skill.

p.42

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. By the age of 11, most pupils attain standards that are above those expected by the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Many develop a good understanding of facets of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Sikhism and Hinduism. Many pupils achieve very well in their time at Victoria. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress in their learning. Minority ethnic pupils, who use English as an additional language, also achieve very well, as do those who are gifted or more able. The school has made satisfactory progress in maintaining standards since the time of the last inspection.

p.42

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. In studies of the Christian faith, pupils are able to describe the Good Samaritan as kind, generous and considerate. In discussion, pupils have a good vocabulary but are not very articulate. They know that Hanukkah is the Festival of Light from assemblies about that Jewish celebration. They know that the Torah is, ‘ too sacred to touch so it is held by the handles and a pointer is used to keep the place’. Many pupils have a good understanding of other holy books such as the Guru Granth of the Sikhs. They understand the place of the Menorah in the Jewish faith. Pupils write, ‘ people travel to places that are holy in their religion to get close to their God. ’ They have a good understanding of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, the Hajj , and refer easily in writing to stations along the way such as the holy spring water at Zamzam, or Mohammed's appearance at the Mount of Mercy. Minority ethnic pupils who have been on the Hajj

p.42

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

enliven lessons by describing their memories of the white marble floors and the vast crowds of pilgrims. Through learning about Sikhism, pupils know that the holy place is called a Gurdwara and can describe the purpose of amrit . Pupils' attitudes to learning are good, as is their behaviour. Victoria Junior School 139. The overall quality of teaching is good. Where it is effective, it is because lessons are well organised and teachers have very good knowledge of the subject. Teachers generally match the work carefully to the abilities of different groups. They help pupils to reflect upon life, and to develop a greater self-knowledge. Because teachers read stories and parables, such as that of the Good Samaritan, with vivacity, pupils become more interested and listen with care. Because discussions about the feelings associated with the Hajj pilgrimage are inclusive and the teacher is well-informed, pupils learn much

p.42

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

about respect and tolerance as well as gaining religious knowledge. Teachers use aspects of English teaching well, such as writing frames and key words. Lessons usually end with good plenary sessions to check understanding and share conclusions. Sometimes pupils put direct questions to classroom assistants such as, ‘How old is God,’ which are opportunities for deeper discussion. These opportunities are currently left unexplored. Pupils are given time for quiet reflection and prayer in assemblies. During such times they come to terms with themselves, their beliefs, their feelings and their aspirations. As part of their lessons, teachers organise informative and valuable visits for pupils to a synagogue, a mosque, gurdwara, mandir and churches of different denominations.

p.43

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. Subject leadership is very good. The school uses a scheme of work that pre-dates the last inspection. Teachers have adopted the locally agreed syllabus to provide a better basis for their planning. Religious education makes a strong contribution to literacy. World faiths such as Islam or Hinduism are taught in some depth and teachers are quick to use the knowledge and skills of minority ethnic pupils as appropriate. Assessment is satisfactory. Good systems are in place to assess pupils and teachers' use of these systems is increasingly effective.

p.43

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

141. The artefacts used to assist religious education are satisfactory. Teachers sometimes use computers very well to let pupils carry out their research on Muslim pilgrimages. This is not so in every class though and usually computers are under-used. The strongest element of the school’s provision for religious education and spiritual development is the way teachers and pupils show a quiet respect for each other. This is a visible part of the life of the school.

p.43

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

142. Acts of worship make a good contribution to pupils' spiritual development. The headteacher and her colleagues actively promote the value of caring for others, and celebrating achievement. They help pupils to feel part of the school family. Muslim pupils in school assemblies read from the Koran, pray publicly on prayer mats and read prayers in Arabic. This encourages respect for the school's cultural diversity, shows religious tolerance and informs pupils of other faiths, or pupils of no faith, about Islam and about their peers.

p.43