Other · Ofsted report

Wavell Community Junior School

Inspected — · published 9 May 2002 · URN 121343

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Full report text

WAVELL COMMUNITY JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th – 31 st January 2002

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WAVELL COMMUNITY JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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WAVELL COMMUNITY 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. Wavell Community Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wavell Road Catterick Garrison North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Keith Hardisty

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 th – 22 nd May 1997 Wavell Community Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 11816 Geoff Jones Registered inspector English Information and communication technology. Art and design The school’s results and pupils’ achievements; How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 14141 Ernest Marshall 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? 27276 Carole Jarvis Team inspector Science Geography Design and technology Religious education Equal opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

20404 John Evans Team inspector Mathematics History Music Physical education Special educational needs

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Schoolhaus Limited Suite 17, BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9BN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Wavell Community 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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is an average sized community junior school with 220 pupils aged from seven to eleven years. The school serves part of the garrison town of Catterick. There are seven classes, all of which have mixed age groups. Four classes are for Years 3 and 4 and three are for Years 5 and 6. Almost all of the pupils come from Forces families and the turnover of pupils is exceptionally high. In addition, the school has problems in recruiting teachers and this has had an adverse effect on pupils’ progress. Of the seven class teachers, two started in January, a third the previous September and a forth last Easter. Two per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals and 15 per cent have special educational needs; both of these proportions are below the national average. The pupils’ special needs include speech and communication difficulties, multiple learning difficulties and dyslexia. Two pupils speak English as an additional language

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

but neither is at an early stage of acquisition. The school has recently received the ‘Investors in People’ award.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Wavell Community Junior School provides satisfactory education for its pupils. The quality of teaching is sound overall. Standards are below average in English and mathematics but it is very difficult for the school to have a good impact on pupils’ progress because the turnover of pupils is comparatively quick. Science standards meet national expectations and since the recent installation of the computer suite standards in information and communication technology are rapidly improving. The head teacher and key members of staff provide sound leadership and management and have introduced a number of measures such as monitoring the quality of teaching, an induction programme for new teachers and setting targets for pupils to achieve. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes towards school. • Art and design standards are above those expected nationally. • The rapid progress made by pupils in information and communication technology. • The very good provision for extra-curricular activities. • The good provision for pupils’ personal and health education. • The school provides very well for the pupils’ social development and settles them in to school quickly and effectively. • The good quality of the information provided for parents about pupils’ progress. • The effectiveness with which the governing body fulfils its statutory duties.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in English and mathematics. • The quality of lesson plans so that the different needs of pupils are met more closely. • Use of information collected on pupils’ progress to plan the next step in their learning. • Use of information about the school’s performance in national tests to bring about improvement. • The quality of planning for pupils with special educational needs. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1997. The school has made a number of improvements since that time and the improvement is satisfactory. It now has a child protection policy and the contents are followed. The governing body is now very aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is more involved in discussing the school’s standards year by year and in monitoring the school development plan. Standards have been maintained in science since the last inspection but have fallen in English and mathematics; however, the drop in standards is due to the fact that many of the pupils had only been attending the school for a short period of time and the attainment of the present intake of pupils is not as high as is usual for the school. Teacher’s planning now includes aims for each lesson and the management of pupils’ behaviour has improved and is now good. Almost all teachers adopt a positive approach involving praise, rewards, and sanctions when necessary. However, the school does not use

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

assessment procedures sufficiently to evaluate the school’s performance as effectively as it did at the time of the previous inspection. The effective use of National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies across Wavell Community Junior School - 7 the school have had a positive effect on teaching but, as yet, these strategies have not had a positive impact on attainments in these subjects because the pupils have not all had the time to become accustomed to the approach.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The school’s test results show an erratic pattern with no definite trends because of the high mobility factor of its pupils. For example, only two of the eleven year old pupils who took the annual national tests last year joined the school when they were seven. Present standards are similar to the latest test results. Year 6 pupils’ attainments in speaking, listening and reading are at the level expected for their age but their writing is below average. Standards in mathematics are also below average mainly because pupils do not have sufficient practice at applying the skills they have learned to the solving of mathematical problems. Standards in science are close to the average and pupils have gained a sound understanding of scientific principles through opportunities provided for them to investigate and carry out planned experiments. The very recent installation of a computer suite has enabled pupils to make rapid progress in information and

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STANDARDS

communication technology and their skills are average for their age. Evidence gained during the inspection indicates strongly that the very good use of high quality teaching technology in information and communication technology lessons has enabled pupils to make very good progress in a short space of time. Attainment in religious education meets the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus, and attainment in art is above what is expected nationally. Attainment in each of the other National Curriculum subjects meets national expectations.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to school and are enthusiastic in lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good overall. Pupils play well together and show respect for each other. No bullying or other forms of harassment were seen during the inspection.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is good. They are polite to adults and have the responsibility of carrying out a range of additional duties. A School Council, consisting of two elected members per class, makes mature and responsible decisions on behalf of the rest of the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good. Attendance figures are above the national average. There is no truancy and no patterns of persistent lateness or absence. Wavell Community Junior School - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

During the course of the inspection 36 lessons were observed. The quality of teaching was sound overall. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is satisfactory and pupils make satisfactory gains in reading, writing and mathematical understanding. Teachers generally have good relationships with pupils, and this results in interest and enthusiasm during lessons. Most teachers do not assess how well pupils have achieved the objectives of the lesson and consequently do not have the necessary information with which to plan the next steps in pupils’ learning successfully. This slows pupils’ progress in learning. Teachers use questions effectively and provide pupils with good opportunities to explain what they are thinking and to clarify their ideas. Most teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and this results in hard work and good concentration from pupils. The teaching of information and communication technology is very good but as the computer

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

suite has only very recently been installed there has been little time for this to have a marked impact on pupils’ attainment. In the very few unsatisfactory lessons, the weaknesses in teaching lay in the lack of support for pupils with special educational needs, insufficient challenge for pupils and poor management of pupils’ behaviour.. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported by the school in their learning. Pupils with special educational needs do not make better than satisfactory progress because some teachers are not sufficiently aware of the content of their individual education plans.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The range and quality are sound. Although all the required subjects are provided, there is an imbalance in the amount of time allocated to some of these. There is effective provision for sex education and very good education on drugs awareness.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. Pupils are supported well in their learning by special needs assistants and each pupil has an individual educational plan. Class teachers do not always pay sufficient attention to these during class lessons to support pupils fully.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. There are only two pupils who speak English as an additional language. Both cope well with English and the school supports them well if there are other difficulties.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Satisfactory overall. Pupils have a range of responsibilities including looking after younger pupils. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is sound with good provision for moral development.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. Pupils’ attainments and progress are tracked effectively over time but procedures for using assessment information to guide curricular planning and for supporting pupils’ progress are unsatisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school’s partnership with its parents is satisfactory. The head teacher asks parents to complete surveys on pupils’ induction to school and on the overall education provision and uses these to bring about improvements. Meetings for parents to see and discuss their children’s work are arranged. A home-school agreement shows good co-operation between both parties. Annual written reports for parents provide useful information on how their children are getting on at school. The extra-curricular activities provided for pupils are very good. These involve a range of musical experiences, visits to the theatre and sporting activities, and a good range of educational visits to places of historical interest. Wavell Community Junior School - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Satisfactory. Lessons are monitored to improve the quality of teaching. The head teacher and deputy work closely together. A caring and stable ethos within the school has been developed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school and play an effective role in shaping its direction. They work hard, and successfully fulfil their statutory duties.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance At present the school does not satisfactorily evaluate its performance. It does not use its annual test data to make judgements on its standards and it does not gather sufficient information on which to base action to improve its work.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Classroom and support assistants work hard. Classroom assistants are not used sufficiently to work with groups of pupils to support them in their learning. The school administrative officer works efficiently and contributes to the smooth running of the school. The budget is used wisely. The grant for special educational needs and the standards fund are used effectively to support pupils’ learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is well staffed and teachers have sound expertise. The school building provides good accommodation for the delivery of the National Curriculum and religious education. Resources for learning are of good quality and used efficiently. The head teacher uses systems that set long-term targets for pupils but these are unrealistic because of the comparatively short time the pupils are on the school roll. The school applies the principles of best value well. For example, it has consulted with parents for their views on the effectiveness of the pupils’ induction to the school and taken effective action to improve. It has taken the trouble to locate schools in a similar situation and compares its standards with these. Whenever the school needs to purchase expensive items it has a policy of seeking a number of tenders before making final decisions.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children make good progress in school. • The teaching is good. • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best. • The school helps children become more mature and responsible. • A closer partnership with parents. • Better information about how children are getting on. • The school’s leadership and management. • The way the school handles questions or problems.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The percentage of completed questionnaires returned by parents was very low and the number of parents who attended the meeting with the registered inspector was also very small. For these reasons the above information is unreliable as a representation of parents’ views. Further means of finding information were sought and an extensive number of parents were interviewed before school began in the mornings. The inspection team agrees with all the above positive views of parents except that the quality of teaching is satisfactory rather than good. Interviews with parents indicated that most parents were satisfied with the leadership and management of the school and that they felt comfortable with approaching the school with problems. The inspection team disagrees with the other main negative points. The team feels that the school works closely with parents. Useful information on what is to be taught in each year group is provided

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

for parents. Annual written reports on pupils provide good information and, in addition, there are three evening opportunities per year for parents to consult with their child’s class teacher. Wavell Community Junior School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. It is not possible to compare pupils’ attainments at the age of eleven with their attainments at the age of seven because very few of the school’s seven year olds were still attending the school as eleven year olds. For example, only two of the 43 pupils who took the annual national tests at the end of Key Stage 2 last year attended the school when they were in Year 3. This also makes it very difficult for the school to have had an impact on standards because pupils’ stay at the school is very often not long enough. The school’s latest results in the annual tests for 2001 in English and mathematics show that standards for eleven year olds are below the national average in both subjects. The test results for science were close to the national average. However, the attainment levels of the present Year 6 pupils and of last year are lower than the school has had in the past. When the school’s results are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

compared with similar schools, it shows that pupils are attaining as well as those in comparable schools in English and mathematics and very well in science. This provides a good indication that taking the school’s difficulties into consideration, standards are reasonable. Further evidence is provided by the fact that the school’s average points scored in the annual national tests have been rising for the past three years in English and science but have remained static in mathematics. The percentage of pupils achieving levels higher than expected nationally is close to the average in mathematics, above average in science but well below average in English. Taking all these factors into consideration the school is enabling its pupils to achieve satisfactorily.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In general, pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress. They are supported well when withdrawn from the classroom either for individual work or for work in small groups, but the booster class does not raise their attainments mainly because the work is not pitched at a level that is suitable for their needs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are also well supported with any difficulties they may have, although both pupils are already fluent in their speaking of English. The performances of boys compared with girls have been similar over the last three years and the school has had no need to take any specific action to redress the balance, with the exception of poorer reading standards for boys. The school successfully improved boys’ reading by providing extra books that would be more likely to interest them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. At present the school sets targets for each pupil’s levels of attainment in English, mathematics and science by the time they reach the end of Year 6. This process is unrealistic for the school’s situation because very few of the pupils attend the school for more than two years. There are no annual targets set for pupils to aim at and no strategies for teachers to use in order that the targets are achieved. Such a process would provide clear annual targets for pupils and a clear focus on what steps teachers should plan.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The findings of the inspection show that standards for eleven year olds in speaking and listening are close to the levels expected for this age group. Pupils listen carefully and teachers provide good opportunities for them to discuss the content of what they have read or to discuss issues in small groups under the guidance of the class teacher. The progress pupils make in reading is sound because the school supports their learning both in the daily literacy hour and also in carefully planned reading sessions when pupils participate in a range of activities at a level that is right for them. Most of them read at the level expected for their age and become absorbed in books. They read accurately and understand how to find information in a book using the contents and index pages. Writing standards are below average for their age. The content of much of the pupils’ writing has not progressed sufficiently to make their sentences more complex and interesting for the reader. In general,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

spelling standards are not high enough for the older pupils although the younger pupils’ teachers are providing suitable strategies for improvement. A greater number of more able Wavell Community Junior School - 11 pupils write longer pieces of work and adapt their style to the purpose of the writing as a result of their wider reading. They choose words carefully and use question marks, inverted commas and exclamation marks correctly. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress but their individual education plans do not contain sufficiently precise targets. As a result, teachers are not able to assess pupils’ successes in reading and writing accurately enough to be able to plan the next steps in their learning. Class teachers are also not sufficiently aware of the precise content of the plans to be able to make specific plans for their learning when additional support is not available.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. The present attainment of the eleven year old pupils in mathematics is below average overall. The previous inspection found that pupils’ ability to solve mathematical problems was weak and this is still evident amongst many of the pupils because number work is often the main focus of teaching and the application of these skills is under-emphasised. By the age of eleven the majority of pupils calculate quickly and accurately in their heads and use efficient written methods to add, subtract, multiply and divide. They are sufficiently flexible in their calculations, for example, to be able to explain competently different ways of multiplying three digits by two digits. They cope well with whole numbers but many do not understand place value well enough when working with decimals. More able pupils cope well with mathematics but only a small number exceed the national standard for eleven year olds.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Pupils with special educational needs are supported by class teachers in their learning of mathematics and make satisfactory progress. However, pupils do not have individual targets and, in particular, lower ability pupils do not have their needs met fully.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils’ standards in science meet what is required nationally. They have developed a sound knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas in their time at the school. By the time they are eleven, pupils plan a variety of scientific investigations and experiments and have a sound understanding of how to make these fair and unbiased in order to make the findings reliable. They have a sound knowledge of the movement of the earth in relation to the sun and understand the properties of liquids, solids and gases. Higher attaining pupils are challenged through good quality questions from the class teacher and this enables pupils to clarify their thinking and extend their understanding of scientific ideas.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Attainment in information and communication technology (ICT) is at the level expected for pupils of eleven years of age. The very recent installation of a new computer suite in the school, together with very good teaching technology has enabled pupils to make very rapid progress in their knowledge, skills and understanding of ICT and the potential for their future learning in this area of the curriculum is good. Pupils know how to load programs, and save and print out their work independently. They have improved their skills and knowledge and use ICT to produce a range of graphs. Pupils are able to frame accurate questions in order to gain the information from the Internet that they require and use art programs to draw, colour and reproduce shapes in order to produce very effective and colourful designs.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils’ attainment in religious education meets the requirements of the North Yorkshire Agreed Syllabus, as it did at the time of the last inspection. They learn effectively about Christianity and compare it with other religions. Pupils develop an understanding of the importance of the Bible and its different parts. They know that the Bible is central to the lives of Christians and identify the different forms of writing found in the Old and New Testaments. By the time they are eleven, pupils have a sound understanding and knowledge of major world faiths. They understand how people worship and develop respect and tolerance for different religions.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Attainments in art and design are better than the national standard. Pupils have developed good skills at varying tones and shades of colour to produce good designs, drawings and paintings above the level expected for eleven year olds. Attainments in design and technology, history, physical education and music all meet national expectations for Year 6 pupils. However, it was not possible to make a judgement in geography because there was Wavell Community Junior School - 12 insufficient evidence available and it was possible to see only one lesson during the inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils come happily to school because of the caring and friendly environment they enjoy there. Staff work hard to ensure every child is made to feel welcome and this in turn generates good relationships between pupils during both work and play activities. They work together effectively in groups and pairs when required and share resources sensibly. Attitudes and behaviour are good as a result and the number of fixed term exclusions has fallen dramatically, none being recorded during the current school year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils are enthusiastic and show a good level of interest in their work that declines only when occasional lessons fail to give inspiration. Some pupils become restless as a result and inappropriate behaviour occurs at these times. Behaviour during play times and when pupils move about the school between lessons is good. When poor weather enforces play to be taken indoors, pupils play well together and, although adults are there to ensure their safety, they require little or no supervision. The school provides occasions for all classes when pupils sit in a circle to discuss issues and this gives them the opportunity to consider the implications of their actions on others. Pupils show respect for each other. During the period of the inspection there were no incidents of bullying observed nor other forms of harassment. There is a harmonious atmosphere within the school and no incidents of racial

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

disharmony were seen during the inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is good. They are polite to visiting adults and are quick to engage them in conversation. Pupils willingly carry out a range of additional duties such as register, table, classroom and trolley monitors. Through election as house captains and vice captains, they gain leadership skills. The Student Council has two pupils from each class elected as members, and meets weekly to present and discuss items of concern or suggestions for school improvement. The Council has been instrumental in the provision of fresh water dispensers, bird feeders, picnic tables, basketball equipment and improvement to the outdoor planted areas. A notable action to make playtime safer for the younger children by allowing them exclusive use of the smaller hard play area is a further example of the mature views shown by Council members. When suggestions are found to be impracticable or unaffordable, the Council has learned to accept the decisions with good grace.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attendance at the school is good. The statistics show the school’s performance to be better than the national average levels for primary schools. There is no evidence of truancy and no patterns of persistent lateness or absence. The school day starts and finishes on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. On the basis of the lessons seen, together with a scrutiny of the teachers’ planning and an examination of the pupils’ work, the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teaching was satisfactory in 36 per cent of the lessons observed, good in 36 per cent and very good or better in 19 per cent of the lessons. Nine per cent of the lessons seen during the week of inspection were unsatisfactory. Very good teaching was observed mainly during art and ICT lessons. Since the last inspection the quality of teaching has been maintained. Standards in English and mathematics have fallen since that time because the overall attainment level of the most recent intake of Year 6 pupils is below the level of other similarly aged cohorts of pupils admitted to the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The teaching of literacy is satisfactory. Although pupils’ literacy skills were below average overall when they joined the school, the good developments in teaching reading have enabled pupils to read at a nationally expected level for their age by the time they leave the school. Group reading by pupils with the support of the class teacher has enabled a greater focus on ‘reading between the lines’ and more attention to the meaning of the text. However, Wavell Community Junior School - 13 writing has not yet reached the same level and teachers’ expectations of what pupils can do in this area of the curriculum are not as high as they should be. The quality of teachers’ marking of pupils’ written work is inconsistent in the school and this has not benefited pupils’ acquisition of good writing skills. For example, some teachers provide very helpful written comments on the content of pupils’ writing that have facilitated improvements in standards

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

whilst other teachers merely tick pupils’ work to indicate they have read it. The school has recognised that a significant proportion of pupils have difficulty in spelling words correctly and teaches have introduced effective strategies to overcome the problem. The teaching of other basic skills, such as mathematics, is also sound because teachers have concentrated the introductory section of the lessons on improving pupils’ skills in performing mental calculations quickly and accurately. However, too little time overall has been devoted to enabling pupils to use these skills to solve mathematical problems.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teachers’ expectations of pupils are varied. In some cases teachers are not considering extending the learning of higher attaining pupils in their lessons whilst in others the teacher expects pupils to rise to a challenge and are rarely disappointed. For example, in a good ICT lesson, the teacher required pupils to remember how to perform a range of computer operations and since they were aware of this they concentrated very hard on what was being demonstrated on their individual screens through the very good technological facility that is available in the computer room.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Most of the teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and this results in a good pace of work and good intellectual, physical or creative effort from the pupils. Teachers use a positive approach and use praise effectively to raise pupils’ self-esteem and to increase their confidence. This promotes good relationships between the teacher and the pupils and they work hard because they want to please the teacher.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Pupils are involved and interested in learning because teachers use methods that engage their interest. They use questions well to challenge pupils' thinking, to make them explain answers in more detail, or to assess how much pupils understand of what is being taught. Explanations are clear, lively and informative so pupils are enthused. Pupils ask questions readily if they are not sure about something. Year 6 pupils become very enthusiastic in art lessons when they are completing a mirror image of a well-known person’s photograph by drawing with hard and soft pencils, asking questions of each other and the teacher, whilst comparing and completing their drawing. On another occasion pupils were eager to contribute to a class discussion on a small range of narrative poetry and they listened attentively to the teacher’s open-ended questions such as “Why do you think that happened in the poem?” Pupils gained much out of answering the questions and listening to the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

teacher’s comments and the views of their classmates.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Special needs assistants work closely with class teachers to support pupils outside of the classroom. One special needs support assistant works very effectively with special needs pupils using a specialised literacy programme for which she has received training. The work planned for the booster class catering for Year 6 pupils does not always meet their needs because it is often too difficult. Structured learning resources designed to promote understanding of numbers are not used enough to enable them to be able to make the progress of which they are capable. A few teachers are not aware sufficiently of the content of the individual education plans of pupils with special educational needs. This results in missed opportunities to enhance their knowledge, skills and understanding during lesson time. The targets in some of these individual plans are not precise enough to be able to make an accurate assessment

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of whether pupils have achieved them or not. This makes it difficult to plan the next step in pupils’ learning to enable good progress in learning. Nevertheless, teachers generally support pupils with special educational needs well in the classroom resulting in satisfactory progress. Wavell Community Junior School - 14 20. Teachers’ planning and use of ongoing assessment of the pupils’ attainments achieved during the lessons are unsatisfactory. Most teachers do not plan lessons with sufficiently precise aims for the whole class or groups of pupils. This leads to difficulties in making clear assessments on how far pupils have succeeded in attaining the learning objectives for the lesson. This results in a lack of information on which to plan future lessons that will meet the pupils’ needs. Pupils’ acquisition of skills, knowledge and understanding is then slowed because the teacher does not have sufficient information to plan the next appropriate step in

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their learning. In a little less than half of the English, mathematics and science lessons, the same task is planned for all pupils in the class. On these occasions the higher attaining pupils are not extended sufficiently and the lower attaining pupils find the activity too difficult to cope with. The grouping of pupils of similar abilities in mathematics does not, in itself, extend pupils sufficiently and planning does not always address the differences in attainment within these groups.

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21. The few unsatisfactory lessons were all in Years 3 and 4 and had a number of difficulties centred round a small range of factors. Firstly, the class teacher did not insist that all pupils were listening during an explanation to the whole class. Some pupils talked amongst themselves whilst the teacher was talking; others fidgeted and lost concentration. This resulted in pupils being unclear about the nature of the activity they had to do and valuable time was lost when the teacher had to re-explain. Secondly, the organisation of the lessons was unsatisfactory and pupils did not learn effectively because there were insufficient learning resources available in the classroom. Thirdly, there is little joy in the pupils’ learning because the teacher aims to control the pupils rather than engage with them. This stifled discussion and opportunities for learning through the pupils’ questions were lost because the

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22. The school provides a broad range of learning experiences that meets the needs and aptitudes of its pupils satisfactorily. It covers all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The time available for teaching is less than the recommended minimum and is not always used efficiently. Some subjects have too little time to deliver the planned curriculum. For example, the emphasis on history limits the time for geography so that Years 5 and 6 pupils have no geography lessons in the first half of the school year. This results in weaknesses in pupils' knowledge and understanding. Timetabling arrangements sometimes limit the time given to pupils' individual activities in lessons so that work is incomplete or group discussions curtailed.

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23. The school effectively uses the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to plan English and mathematics, and nationally recommended guidelines for all other subjects. More clearly structured planning enables teachers to focus on extending pupils' skills, knowledge and understanding and is an improvement since the last inspection.

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24. The school works hard to ensure pupils have equal opportunities in all aspects of school life, and there are sound levels of inclusion. Good arrangements ensure pupils settle into the school quickly and happily. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum and other learning opportunities. The school identified the differences in the attainments of boys’ and girls’ reading attainments and addressed the issue successfully through more focused resources. They provide role models for dance and writing by inviting professional dancers and authors into school, and they encourage boys and girls to join the choir or take part in all sporting clubs. Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is good. Although the pupils have no problems with speaking and writing in English, the school supports them well with other difficulties they may have. The provision for pupils with special educational

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needs is satisfactory. They are provided with individual educational plans and are supported well in their learning by special needs assistants. However, the individual plans do not have sufficiently precise targets for pupils’ learning for teachers to be able to assess the success Wavell Community Junior School - 15 of these. In addition, some teachers do not take enough notice of the content of the plans during lessons so they can support pupils further.

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25. A very good range of extra-curricular activities contributes well to pupils' social development and enriches the curriculum. A full range of sporting activities over the year, such as football, netball, athletics, basketball and gymnastics, extend pupils' physical skills and develop enthusiasm for sport. The chess and French clubs, as well as opportunities to join the choir, which enhances the music curriculum, provide enjoyment for all. Pupils experience visits to local museums, historical buildings or geographical locations, such as Richmond Castle, and visits further afield, such as Beamish or Danby. They have opportunities to understand life at another time or in another country through special days in school, when, for example, they make and taste food, wear costumes, listen to music or create artefacts relating to the Aztecs. These opportunities enliven the curriculum, contribute well to pupils' historical

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understanding and promote their enthusiasm for learning.

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26. Links with the community and other schools are good. The school has close links with the army. The Padre visits school every week to take collective worship. His good relationships with the pupils and clear message contribute well to pupils’ spiritual and moral development. Visits by the army band strengthen links with the community and talks by Nepalese soldiers broaden pupils' understanding of different faiths and cultures. Links with the army welfare service enable pupils to experience a football programme or use an assault course. Pupils benefit from presentations given by local experts, for example, on local buildings or Mexican food. The school choir sings in the local supermarket or to senior citizens at Christmas. Pupils play football against other local primary schools and join pupils from other schools, infant, junior and secondary, for science and ICT days at the local secondary school. Pupils

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also have use of the sports hall at the local secondary school. Further visits by Years 5 and 6 pupils ensure a smooth transition from primary to secondary school. Letters from Year 3 pupils, visits into school and meetings with teachers, help pupils from the neighbouring infant school settle into the junior school well.

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27. The provision for pupils' personal and moral development is good and provision for pupils' social development is very good. The results can be seen in the good relationships and behaviour, and the harmonious school community. Adults act as good role models of courtesy and respect, and promote the caring attitude found in many pupils. Expectations of good behaviour displayed around school ensure pupils know how to behave. There is an effective system of rewards and sanctions that promotes good behaviour and good attitudes to school. Adults discuss incidents that arise and provide reminders about, for instance, listening to each other sensitively. Although pupils come from all over the world and move around regularly, the school encourages pupils to welcome and help one another. Pupils have prepared a booklet for new pupils and they act as mentors when there are new arrivals. The School Council provides pupils with opportunities to discuss and propose new ideas,

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such as, selling only healthy snacks at playtime. Pupils learn to respect one another's ideas and to understand the importance of taking wise decisions. For example, all Years 5 and 6 pupils take part in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme given by the local police. They develop a keen sense of the dangers of drug misuse and the pressures from others to smoke, drink or take illegal drugs. This programme and the presentation to parents and other visitors, make a significant contribution to pupils' personal, social and moral development.

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28. The provision for pupils' spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. Assemblies provide opportunities for pupils to extend their understanding of Christianity and other world faiths, and to wonder at the miracles of nature, such as the importance of hands. Planned themes enable pupils to reflect on ideas presented to them over a week. Spiritual awareness is created in song practice when pupils are encouraged to reflect on the meaning of words they are singing. However, the school does not have a clear plan to guide teachers towards opportunities for developing spirituality in lessons. There are too few opportunities for pupils to discuss their ideas or express feelings. Pupils become aware of their own cultures, both Wavell Community Junior School - 16 now and in the past, through history and art and by visiting places of interest. They gain an insight into other cultures through religious education and talks given by visitors. However,

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there are too few opportunities for pupils to reflect on living in multi-cultural Britain, either through discussion or by experiencing it in books or displays.

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29. The school makes clear efforts to ensure provision of a good level of pastoral care for all pupils. Teaching and support staff show respect for children as individuals and are able to respond to their needs. Pupils do not spend many years in the school before moving on, because of the nature of their parents’ occupation. The school is well aware of the need to make pupils feel welcome and secure as soon as possible after entry on roll, and takes particular trouble to ensure this happens. Personal development during this early stage is well supported as a result and pupils with special educational needs are well provided for. Every new pupil, whether transferring up from the infants, or moving into school from another location, is allocated two ‘minders’. These are older pupils or classmates who befriend the new arrivals and help them learn about the school and its routines. This ensures pupils

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settle in quickly and gain confidence to join in all activities.

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30. The school and the governing body take a responsible attitude over ensuring health and safety issues are systematically and effectively dealt with. The school caretaker has relevant training and plays an active role in risk assessment and hazard analysis. A member of the governing body, a serving policeman, promotes personal safety and drug awareness issues through good quality presentations to the pupils. Child protection procedures in accordance with local authority requirements are in place and all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. The school administrative staff and mid-day supervisors have also been provided with relevant instruction. First aid arrangements are sound, and records of fire drills and equipment tests are up to date. The school is promoting healthy eating for the pupils. A visiting nutritionist has met the Student Council and given a presentation on the benefits of a

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healthy diet. The Council are convinced that the benefits are worth pursuing and the school has moved forward with implementation of the proposals.

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31. The infants’ school is located on the same campus and the school makes good provision for children about to transfer to meet the junior children and teaching staff. Year 6 leavers have an opportunity to visit receiving secondary schools. These induction and transfer procedures help to ensure pupils’ smooth transition between the relevant stages of their education. Pupils moving out of school due to parents’ re-location are individually recognised in assembly and given best wishes by all the children and staff.

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32. Daily registration is efficiently carried out and complies with statutory requirements. Pupils often make effective use of registration time by quiet reading. The school monitors attendance on a daily basis as registers are returned to the office. All unexplained absences are noted and contact is made with the relevant parents or carers to determine the reason. Through newsletter reminders and the home-school agreement, parents are made aware of their responsibility to ensure attendance and punctuality and a very good level of compliance takes place. The head teacher meets the educational welfare officer if any support for parents is identified as necessary. The school rewards 100 per cent attendance with certificates presented in assemblies. The school discourages parents from taking holidays in term time. Pupils with any prolonged absence through illness are provided with work at home to ensure their progress is maintained.

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33. Behaviour monitoring in the classroom and in the playground is good. The school has a well- documented behaviour and anti-bullying policy. Parents and children are made aware of the school’s expectations and the school operates a house points system to reward good behaviour, good work and other elements of school activity. Rewards and sanctions relate to the issue of house points or the withdrawal of play facilities and teachers apply the system fairly and consistently. A weekly nominated ‘star pupil’ is presented with a certificate at Wavell Community Junior School - 17 assembly in recognition of exceptional effort or achievement. The mid-day supervisors award numbered raffle tickets to recognise good behaviour and the winning ticket is drawn at the same assembly. The head teacher meets the supervisors on a weekly basis to discuss behaviour generally or to identify any pupils requiring some additional care or support. The

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school’s careful attention to behaviour monitoring results in the good behavioural standards seen and is a positive contribution to pupils’ learning.

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34. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory but have some weaknesses. Teachers collect and evaluate samples of pupils’ writing each term and use standardised tests to assess, for example, pupils’ reading. There are also useful, periodic assessments in some other subjects, including mathematics and science. The targets on the individual education plans of pupils with special educational needs are reviewed termly but these are often imprecise and difficult to assess whether pupils have been successful or not. However, in many subjects, for example, music and physical education, pupils’ progress is not systematically assessed. The mathematics assessment given to pupils on entry to the school focuses largely on number work and thus gives a misleading picture of pupils’ wider mathematical ability. The previous inspection found that assessment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science was in its infancy. Not

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35. The school’s use of assessment is unsatisfactory. Assessment is not systematically built in to lesson plans and there is no expectation that lesson objectives will be evaluated to determine how well and how much pupils have learned. The present arrangements allow some overall tracking of pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. With the results from national testing, they provide information that could guide the school in shaping its teaching to confront broad weaknesses and react to pupils’ differing needs. The information, however, is not gathered or applied systematically enough and, as a result, has little impact on planning or the effectiveness of teaching. For example, teachers have identified a long-standing weakness in pupils’ ability to solve mathematical problems, but, as pupils’ recent work shows, continue to give problem solving too little emphasis. Because the assessment of pupils’ individual progress is not sharp and systematic enough, well-informed

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individual targets are not set. This slows pupils’ progress. Furthermore, the school does not use the annual comparative information provided on its national test results sufficiently to be able to identify subjects that need improvement. Although the pupils’ answers are analysed in some of these national tests, the information is not used well enough to be able to identify weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and understanding so that these can be a subsequent focus for the whole school.

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36. The relatively short stay in the area makes it difficult for most service parents to form strong attachments to the school. Opinions on how parents feel that the school has improved in recent years are difficult to obtain for the same reason. The over-riding opinion of the school given by well over 30 parents interviewed during the inspection, however, is that the school is highly regarded as a caring establishment where their children are made to feel welcome and secure. The great majority of these parents are satisfied with the education and other facilities provided.

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37. The school conducts letter surveys of parents’ views on the induction process and also obtains parents’ views of the overall education provision made during the time children are in the school. Replies to these surveys indicate a general level of parental satisfaction. Responses given during discussion with parents before and after school do not fully bear out the areas of concern raised at the parents’ meeting and on the returns to the questionnaire issued prior to the inspection. The numbers attending the meeting and the proportion of questionnaires returned clearly indicate a need to obtain as large as possible a sample of views during the inspection process. Nevertheless, there are a number of parents who are not happy with the way the school works in partnership with them and the school has, as yet, Wavell Community Junior School - 18 not provided opportunities for any grievances to be discussed in order to strengthen co-

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38. Through a programme of meetings the school gives parents good opportunities to come into school and see and discuss their children’s work. An open day for induction of new pupils accompanied by parents is provided in the summer term prior to entry. The school issues very useful information ‘starter packs’ together with the detailed prospectus and a copy of the home-school agreement. Early in the autumn term an evening meeting is arranged to allow parents to meet their children’s teachers and discuss how the children have settled in. Further meetings in the autumn, spring and summer terms allow parents to discuss children’s progress, agree new targets for learning, review and amend those targets and finally to discuss the end-of-year attainment after issue of the pupils’ annual reports. Parents unable to attend any session can make individual appointments as required. Newsletters are issued

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in plentiful supply and keep parents aware of what is to be taught, what is happening in school and forthcoming events or visits. Parents accompanying pupils to and from school are able to contact the teaching staff at the end of the school day by direct approach or by a request through the school office.

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39. Parents provide a satisfactory level of home help with daily reading and with weekly spelling practice and occasional mathematics work. Attendance by parents at school events, particularly those with a sporting and competitive nature, is stated to be good. A number of parents willingly volunteer to help supervise off-site visits. Football tuition and training after school are provided by a parent and a small number pay occasional visits to school to help with reading.

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40. The school and the infants’ school operate a joint Friends of School Association. The main purpose is to raise funds to supplement their respective budgets. The parents involved organise an annual programme of social and other events that are well supported by parents. Funds raised are divided equally and the junior school has recently purchased digital photography and some computer equipment with its share of last year’s donation. Whilst the efforts of the parents involved in the work of the school are well received and met with gratitude from the staff, the small numbers able to make a regular commitment limits the contribution and effectiveness of parental involvement in their children’s learning in school.

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