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Barnes Junior School

Inspected — · published 12 Jun 2002 · URN 108755

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    108755

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+76Very positivemore positive than 77% of reports of this type

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Praiseexcellentvery wellimprovedwell ledeffectivelystrengthsuccessfulmake good progress
Criticismpoorseriouslyinsufficientnot yetweaknessesmissednot alwaysbelow

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings4453w+83
  • What needs to improve915w+45

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longer than usual (typical 1049)
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Flesch 48, typical 45
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17 words
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8
typical 5
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Findings 77%What needs to improve 16%About the inspection 7%

Full report text

BARNES JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th – 13 th March 2002

p.1

BARNES JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

p.1

BARNES 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. Barnes Junior School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mount Road Sunderland Tyne and Wear SR4 7QF

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: May 1997 Barnes Junior School - 4

p.3

Team members

4720 Mr G Carter Registered inspector 13462 Mrs R Mothersdale Lay inspector 17709 Mr A Giles Team inspector 31786 Mrs V Howells Team inspector

p.4

Team members

PkR Educational Consultants Ltd 6 Sherman Road Bromley Kent BR1 3JH

p.4

Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is housed in a Victorian building, close to the city centre of Sunderland. The school is popular with parents and is regularly oversubscribed. There are 382 pupils on roll, which means the school is of above average size, when compared with schools nationally. The school is three-form entry and caters for pupils from the age of eight to 11 years. Pupils come from a wide area; about one half of the pupils live in areas outside the school's designated catchment area. The pupils come from mainly owner occupied homes around the school and two large nearby estates. However, some families are on low incomes and nearly 27 per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is slightly higher than the national average. Fifteen per cent of pupils are included on the school’s special needs register, which is slightly below the national average. About seven per cent of pupils are from ethnic backgrounds

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

other than white; a higher proportion than the national average. These pupils are mainly of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian and Chinese descent. Of these, 22 pupils speak English as an additional language.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Barnes Junior School is a very good school that has successfully improved the good standards identified by the previous inspection. It has benefited from strong leadership and management. This is continued by the acting head teacher and deputy head teacher. The quality of teaching is very good and contributes to the sustained, above average attainment of its pupils. It provides a very broad and well- balanced curriculum, which is enhanced by very good extra-curricular opportunities. Pupils respond enthusiastically to this very good quality of provision, during lessons and at other times. Relationships at all levels are very good and have a significant impact on pupils’ achievements and the teachers’ effective teamwork.

p.6

What the school does well

• Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good and by the end of Year 6, standards are above average. • The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is excellent. • The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and contribute very positively to their learning. • The school provides a very well-balanced curriculum, which strongly promotes pupils’ personal development. • The school is well led and effectively managed; it gives good value for money.

p.6

What could be improved

• There are insufficient staff suitably trained to ensure that child protection requirements are met. • The monitoring role of governors is not yet fully developed. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the school was last inspected, in 1997, it has made good improvements in many areas. The quality of teaching has improved. Teaching is now a major strength. Six out of ten lessons were very good or better and one in four lessons was of excellent quality. All other lessons were predominantly good and a small proportion satisfactory. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress in addressing the key issues of the last report. Planning is generally good, although lesson plans do not always specify sufficiently accurately, what pupils of different levels of attainment will learn. Teachers’ knowledge has improved in physical education, design and technology and information and communication technology. This has been evident in the quality of teaching and pupils’ work in these subjects. Pupils’ cultural development has improved, as a result of the breadth of curricular and other learning opportunities. Information and communication technology resources are now used well. The library is well stocked and pupils use it regularly to change books. However, it is still used as a teaching area, because of shortage of space to accommodate different Barnes Junior School - 7 teaching groups in English and mathematics. During these times, access of pupils continues to be

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

limited. The monitoring of attendance is now good.

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Key

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

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Key

In the 2001 national tests for pupils at the end of Year 6, results in English, mathematics and science were above the national average and well above the average for similar schools. The performance of girls was not significantly different from boys. The school’s strategy for closing the gap in attainment between boys and girls is proving successful. The school’s results are rising at about the same rate as the national trend. The school received a School Achievement Award in 2001 for its sustained improvement in standards during the last three years. The school has set itself realistic and challenging targets for improvement in recent years, which it has successfully achieved.

p.7

Key

In the work seen, standards in English, mathematics and science were above average and mainly reflected the test results. Pupils achieve well in these subjects throughout the school, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. This is the result of very good, and sometimes excellent, teaching. Standards in music remain well above average, as a result of some gifted specialist teaching. Pupils achieve very good standards in singing and instrumental work. Standards are above the nationally expected levels in history, geography, information and communication technology (ICT) and art and design. All pupils make good progress in these subjects.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show real enthusiasm and strive to do well in lessons.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in and out of classrooms is very good.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils show respect for adults and their peers during all activities. They take their personal responsibilities seriously.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is good. There is little authorised or unauthorised absence.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Pupils respect the school rule ‘Treat others as you would expect others to treat you’ and this is manifest in their daily conduct around the school. Pupils take their personal responsibilities seriously, such as their membership of the school council. Pupils collaborate well and treat each other respectfully. Barnes Junior School - 8

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Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

Lessons seen overall Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

The very good quality of teaching and learning extends to all year groups. This results in pupils showing a keen interest and maintaining concentration in many subjects of the curriculum. Teachers show a number of notable strengths. They have very good subject knowledge, which they use skilfully, to question pupils’ understanding during introductions, demonstrations and plenary sessions. They plan their lessons well, making good use of links between different subjects. This helps to make lessons interesting and, as a result, pupils learn well. Teachers use a good range of classroom methods that reflect the demands of different subjects, and link these to very good use of resources. Classroom support assistants are very well deployed to work with pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. In many lessons, teachers reinforce pupils’ speaking and reading well, through questioning and white board displays. In this way, they contribute well to pupils’

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

literacy skills. Numeracy skills are equally well taught by teachers. They provide good opportunities for measurement in such subjects as design and technology and science and graphical representation of numerical data, using computer generated graphs, pie charts and tables.

p.8

Teaching of pupils: aged 7-11 years

The quality of teaching in music is excellent. In English and mathematics it is very good and on occasions it is excellent. In science, teaching is good. In information and communication technology it is very good. In most other subjects, the quality of teaching is good, but ranges between satisfactory in a small number of lessons, to very good in many lessons.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is very good. Pupils benefit from being placed in teaching groups based on prior attainment when taught English and mathematics. The school makes good use of visits to broaden pupils’ experiences, and provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is good. These pupils are well supported by classroom assistants and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language This is good. Classroom assistants and teachers provide valuable additional support for these pupils, which enables them to make good progress.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development This is very good. The school provides many opportunities to promote these areas during collective worship, lessons and extra-curricular activities. The school helps pupils to appreciate the richness and diversity of religious and cultural traditions in our society today.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils This is effective overall. Supervision inside and outside the school is good and attendance is now well monitored. However, there are insufficient staff suitably trained to ensure that child protection requirements are met. Barnes Junior School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The good leadership and management of the recently retired headteacher are being maintained by the acting head teacher and deputy head teacher.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors play an effective role in managing the school and fulfil their statutory duties. However, they do not use their visits to school effectively to monitor whole-school developments.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The senior management team and governors use comparative school data satisfactorily to assess the school’s performance and the attainment of its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources This is very good. The school budget and additional grants are used very well. Funding is used well to provide additional classroom assistants, who support teachers and pupils very well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school applies the principles of best value well to the provision of services and resources. This has been particularly evident in the tasteful upgrading of interior doors and flooring and the provision of a very well equipped computer suite.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The progress their children make at school • The behaviour of pupils • The quality of the teaching • Staff have high expectations • The school is approachable • It is well led and managed • The school helps pupils to mature • The amount of work pupils do at home • Information about pupils’ progress • How closely the school works with parents • The range of extra-curricular activities

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents’ response in the questionnaires was generally positive. A significant minority stated that they would like to see improvements in: the amount of homework set; information about pupils’ progress; the way the school works with parents and the range of extra-curricular activities. However, inspection findings do not support these concerns for the following reasons. The type and quantity of homework set during the inspection and in past work is satisfactory when taking account of pupils’ age and interest. The school provides two occasions during the school year for parents to discuss children’s progress, and the annual reports are informative and well written. The range of extra-curricular activities is very good. The school strives to work closely with parents through informal contacts at the beginning and end of the school day, formal meetings and regular newsletters about school events. Barnes Junior School - 10

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Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

1. The attainment of pupils at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science was above the national average in the 2001 statutory tests and when compared with similar schools was well above average. There were no significant differences between the results for boys and girls because the school has recently targeted improvements in boys’ writing and science, and these strategies have been successful.

p.10

Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

2. By the end of Year 6, pupils speak clearly and purposefully in class discussions and listen well to teacher explanations and the contributions of other pupils. The majority of pupils read fluently and with interest. Higher ability readers often read many books by the same author and can recall characters and plot in detail. They write well for different purposes. For example, in one lesson, when the teacher had talked about the way words and phrases were used to create atmosphere, pupils constructed the beginning of a suspense story. They can also write empathetically about past events, such as the effects of bombing on Sunderland families during the Second World War.

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Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

3. Pupils have good computational skills in mathematics, which they can use well to solve problems. They have very good recall of their arithmetic tables and recognise number patterns and sequences well. Average ability pupils can convert fractions to decimals and percentages and use these skills to solve every day problems, such as the proportions (in fractions and decimals) of household budgets spent on certain items. However, higher attaining pupils can occasionally achieve more challenging computational tasks than they are set. Pupils have a good grasp of how to handle mathematical data through line graphs, bar charts and pie charts, and can collate information from a traffic survey or science investigation using such techniques.

p.10

Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

4. In science, pupils have a good understanding of forces and how they can be measured using Newton meters. They can use this knowledge to carry out an investigation on ‘up thrust’ and use computer generated graphs to illustrate its effect. They are developing a good grasp of materials and how well they dissolve in water at different temperatures. They understand what is meant by a fair test, and higher attaining pupils can improve the accuracy of results; for example, by taking more readings, or timing at regular intervals.

p.10

Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

5. Pupils attain above average standards in information and communication technology, as a result of very good and sometimes excellent teaching. Since the last inspection, teachers have improved their skills significantly and this has greatly contributed to the improved standards. The oldest pupils now have a good knowledge of word- processing, handling data, and creating and using spreadsheets and have made good use of the Internet in researching such subjects as history and geography. A group of pupils in Year 6 use the Internet to access local, national and international news on a regular basis, as reported and displayed by the ‘Newshounds’. Barnes Junior School - 11 6. Standards in music are well above average and continue to be a major strength of the school. Many children sing well and a high proportion play stringed or wind instruments and can read music competently. A good example occurred in a Year 5 lesson, where

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Pupils’ achievement throughout the school is very good, and by the end of Year 6,

children accompanied singers using a range of instruments with confidence. Standards in art and design, history and geography are above the nationally expected levels. In history, pupils write interesting and empathetic accounts about the bombing of Sunderland during the Second World War. They show a keen interest in ancient Egyptians and Tudor England and produce well crafted and carefully designed death masks of the Pharaohs in art and design. Standards in all other subjects are broadly in line with the national expectations. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, invariably achieve well, and often very well in lessons, where they strive hard to give of their best.

p.11

The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is

7. Since the time of the previous inspection, the quality of teaching has continued to improve and is now a major strength of the school. The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. A small proportion was satisfactory. Six out of ten lessons observed were of at least of very good quality, and almost one quarter were excellent, and almost 95 per cent were good or better. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Very good teaching occurs in all year groups and this contributes to the sustained progress that pupils make in most subjects.

p.11

The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is

8. There are a number of factors that contribute to the quality of teaching. Lessons are invariably well planned. Teachers have a good grasp of their subjects. They use their knowledge well to introduce topics and ideas, drawing skilfully on pupils’ own experiences and prior learning. In a very good English lesson in Year 4, the teacher discussed James Reeves’ poem, ‘The Sea’ and John Masefield’s ‘Sea Fever’. She used her knowledge of the poems well during the initial reading and during the class introduction to describe the way the rhythm of the poets’ words and phrases helped to evoke lively images of the sea.

p.11

The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is

9. Lessons have a brisk pace, so that pupils’ interest is constantly engaged with the use of good questioning, an appropriate range of activities and interesting discussions at the end of lessons. Teachers make clear to pupils their lesson objectives and consequently, pupils are confident about how to proceed. This happened in a very good history lesson in Year 6 about Sunderland evacuees. The teacher told the pupils what her expectations were and reminded them to use a range of historical documents for their research. Pupils listened attentively and were confident about how to proceed. In the small proportion of satisfactory lessons, teachers do not specify clearly enough learning objectives for groups of differing ability. This results in tasks that are too easy for higher attaining pupils and too hard for other pupils.

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The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is

10. Teachers make very good use of resources to enable pupils to work well, at an appropriate pace. In an excellent geography lesson in Year 4, the class was comparing life in Sunderland with that in Chambakolli (India). The teacher had made very good use of atlases, text books and a stimulating range of contrasting foodstuffs to bring to life the wide range of products that are available to people in England. Teachers carefully brief classroom assistants, who are well deployed to provide good support to pupils with special educational needs. This was well exemplified in an excellent English lesson in Year 6, where the classroom assistant gave good guidance to a pupil with special educational needs, who, like other pupils, was developing his writing of a ghost story through carefully chosen vocabulary and sentence construction. Barnes Junior School - 12 11. Teachers provide opportunities that enable pupils to practise their literacy and

p.11

The quality of teaching is very good and in almost one quarter of lessons it is

numeracy skills in other subjects. Lively discussions in many subjects promote pupils’ listening and speaking, whilst a variety of challenging writing tasks contribute well to this area of language development. In science, geography and ICT, pupils’ numeracy skills are often promoted through a variety of measuring and graphical forms of recording of data.

p.12

The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and contribute very positively to

12. Pupils are well motivated and eager to learn in the great majority of lessons. They arrive at school well prepared for the day, move to and from classrooms in a very orderly way and show a genuine interest in learning across all subjects of the curriculum. In a physical education lesson in Year 4; for example, pupils were given the task of improving their throwing and catching skills as they moved faster around the gymnasium. They paid attention to guidance and demonstration about technique and strove to improve their techniques. Pupils show a genuine pride in their school and are quite confident to talk to visitors about why they think it is a good school and what subjects they enjoy most.

p.12

The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and contribute very positively to

13. Pupils take their responsibility towards each other and adults seriously. A group of pupils in Year 6 showed great maturity as they talked about how it felt when they first came to the school as new pupils and how important it was to take care of one another. They clearly understood the need to respect other’s views and to play their part in creating an orderly school. Pupils view their roles as members of the school council as important in this respect. They believe that their regular meetings with the headteacher, to discuss issues that have been raised by other pupils, is a real opportunity to improve their own and others’ lives in the school.

p.12

The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and contribute very positively to

14. Relationships are very good. In lessons. Pupils show great enjoyment when working together, as when sharing a computer in the computer suite, or investigating the effect of forces in a science lesson. Pupils respond very well to staff on duty when lining up ready for the start of a session. Relationships between staff and pupils are a great strength of the school. Teachers show respect for pupils and their achievements. Teachers share a genuine enthusiasm for a subject with pupils. For example, in an excellent music lesson in Year 5, the teacher indicated her own enjoyment of the music as she introduced pupils to the music of Peer Gynt, and then accompanied them on the piano, as they enthusiastically sang ’Living On A Mountainside’. Praise is used well to motivate pupils during lessons. Pupils are very keen to share their good ideas or work with others. It is also very apparent in the weekly, whole-school

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The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and contribute very positively to

celebration of pupils’ work. There is a strong commitment by staff to use good examples of pupils’ work to remind others of what the school expects.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

15. Pupils benefit from a very broad and well-balanced curriculum, which has been reviewed to take account of the most recent national guidance. The Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been very successfully implemented. Since the previous inspection, the quality of the ICT curriculum has improved, and pupils are using their computer skills competently in English, mathematics, science, art and design, history and geography. Design and technology has also developed. The quality of work produced by pupils, such as the well finished, motor-driven vehicles, in Year 6, reflect Barnes Junior School - 13 a greater emphasis on design and evaluation. Music is a continuing strength of the curriculum. The quality of instrumental and choral performance reflects the strength of this subject.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

16. Teachers’ planning is usually thorough and provides for good links between subjects wherever possible. For example, information and communication technology lessons often make useful links with English, geography and history. Pupils are grouped, according to levels of prior attainment, from Years 3 to 6, for English and mathematics lessons. This arrangement ensures that pupils receive appropriately matched, interesting and relevant work, as a consequence.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

17. Many lessons help to promote pupils’ personal development. Music, art, religious education and collective worship contribute strongly to pupils’ spiritual development. In music, for example, pupils are often inspired to perform well, as a result of listening to uplifting music. This was observed in a Year 5 lesson, where pupils were clearly excited by the dynamics of the music, as they listened to ‘The Hall of the Mountain King’. Pupils in a Year 3 lesson were similarly inspired as they listened to parts of the ‘Nutcracker Suite’. Collective worship provides successful opportunities for pupils to reflect quietly and pray about the issues that have been discussed, such as support for others in need.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

18. Pupils’ moral development is very well promoted through many facets of school life. The school rule, ‘Treat others as you expect them to treat you’, is well understood and acted upon by pupils and staff. Staff provide excellent role models through the very high expectations that they set, and in their relationships with pupils and other members of staff. Pupils show respect for teachers, and value what they have to say.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

19. Cultural development is good and is well promoted through English, history, geography, art, music and religious education. The work of well known British poets, such as John Masefield, is well used by teachers to exemplify the use of expressive language when writing about the sea. Famous European composers, such as Grieg and Tchaikovsky, are regularly used during music lessons to exemplify aspects of musical composition. In history, through the study of ancient Egyptians, and in geography, when contrasting lifestyles between rural India and Sunderland, pupils learn much about other people’s lifestyles and cultures. Similarly, religious education lessons raise pupils’ awareness of the sacred symbols and important festivals associated with other world religious faiths. In an art and design lesson, in Year 3, pupils made clay brooches using designs similar to those frequently used by the Anglo-Saxons.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

20. Many very good opportunities are provided to foster pupils’ social development. Many lessons provide regular opportunities for group work and co-operative effort. Music lessons frequently involve pupils playing or singing together and showing respect for each other’s efforts. Those pupils involved in the school council show a real sense of service to the school when they consider ways of improving aspects of school life. The school uses visits to museums, galleries and other local sites to enhance pupils’ experiences and to interact with the wider community. As a result, pupils respond well to visitors. They also benefit greatly from the social interaction provided by the annual residential visit, which enables them to learn new skills in a challenging, outdoor environment.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

21. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities, after school and during lunch-times, which contribute significantly to pupils’ personal development. Barnes Junior School - 14 These include recorders, choir, chess club, art club, sewing group, football team, netball team and athletics.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

The school is well led and effectively managed; it gives good value for money.

p.14

The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

22. The school is well led and effectively managed. The headteacher retired after many years in post, three months prior to the inspection. He was successful in maintaining the high reputation of the school, continuing to raise standards, and developing a well motivated and committed staff. The acting head teacher, previously the deputy head teacher, provides good leadership during the one terms prior to the appointment of the new headteacher. His acting deputy head teacher provides good support in moving forward some of the priorities identified in the school’s development plan, such as the implementation of a policy for gifted and talented pupils, and individual pupil targets in English and mathematics.

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The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

23. Subject co-ordinators are very knowledgeable about their subjects and provide very effective leadership. The literacy and numeracy co-ordinators have played a major role in the successful implementation of these two strategies and have supported staff and curriculum development well. They use assessment information to group pupils appropriately, and monitor the quality of planning on a regular basis. The recently appointed information and communication technology co-ordinator has already begun to implement extensive and very thorough plans to improve further the quality of provision in this subject. Co-ordinators use their knowledge and oversight of their subjects well when writing subject action plans, which contribute to the school’s development planning process. Literacy and numeracy co-ordinators have observed lessons in order to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and this has helped to

p.14

The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

24. Governors have improved their use of performance data since the time of the previous inspection. They now use comparative information on school performance confidently, to agree future priorities. Individual governors, with a particular interest in a subject, visit the school and this has helped to raise governors’ awareness of what is being taught and how well pupils are learning (however, please also see paragraph 27).

p.14

The school provides a very well balanced curriculum which strongly promotes pupils’

25. The budget is well managed and governors have used it wisely. Additional government grants have been effectively used to steadily improve accommodation and the quality and quantity of learning resources throughout the school. These are now very good and contribute significantly to the high levels of teaching and learning. The budget has been particularly well used in providing additional classroom assistants, who give valuable support for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Taking account of the school’s unit costs and the good quality of provision, the school gives good value for money. Barnes Junior School - 15

p.14

There are insufficient staff suitably trained to ensure that child protection

26. The school does not have a specific child protection policy, although it uses the local authority guidance on this subject. There are designated teachers for child protection. However, they have not had appropriate training to help them in this work and they have not updated their knowledge of child protection procedures.

p.15

There are insufficient staff suitably trained to ensure that child protection

The monitoring role of governors is not yet fully developed.

p.15

There are insufficient staff suitably trained to ensure that child protection

27. Governors fulfil their roles effectively and use the school development plan and the headteacher’s termly reports to keep themselves apprised of school developments. Since the last inspection, they have achieved much to improve the quality of resources for the school. They have taken an interest, through school visits by designated governors, in the curriculum, and provided feedback to colleagues. However, visits are not systematically planned, throughout the year, to monitor key areas of progress on the school development plan. Because of this, opportunities for governors to evaluate the effectiveness of spending on these areas are missed.

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

28. In order to improve the overall provision, the school should:

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I. ensure that the school develops a policy for child protection and that key staff are trained in the latest child protection procedures ; (paragraph 26)

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

II. link governors’ school visits more systematically to development plan priorities and the effectiveness of spending on these areas . (paragraph 27) Barnes Junior School - 16

p.15

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 382

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 103

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 57

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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Attendance

National comparative data 93.9 National comparative data 0.5 Barnes Junior School - 17 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Barnes Junior School - 18

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2001 54 40 94

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 45 43 51 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 32 30 37

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

Percentage of pupils School 82 (89) 78 (88) 94 (92) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 41 45 49 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 33 31 35

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (74) 81 (83) 89 (83) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Barnes Junior School - 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.1 Financial year 2001/2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 738,642

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5.0 Total expenditure 804,770

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 133 Expenditure per pupil 1,716

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0.0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Barnes Junior School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 47 50 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 45 52 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 54 11 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 54 16 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 35 2 2 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 34 2 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 29 54 12 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 48 43 3 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 46 57 1 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 29 47 15 1 1

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