Mount Pleasant Juniors

Mount Pleasant Junior School

Dates of inspection: 14 th – 17 th January 2002

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Mount Pleasant Junior School

Inspection number: 195536 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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Mount Pleasant 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. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mount Pleasant Rd Southampton Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Rashid Brora

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 th May 1997 Mount Pleasant Junior School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23630 J Palk Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education Music Equality of opportunity How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What the school should do to improve further? 31759 T Tipper Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 30144 E Hastings Team inspector English Geography History English as an additional language How good are curriculum opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

16492 R Lever Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Religious education Special educational needs. Pupils attitudes, values, behaviour and personal development.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Wessex Education 2 Riverside Athelhampton Dorchester Dorset DT2 7LG 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 Mount Pleasant Junior School - 6

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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

Mount Pleasant is a small inner city junior school with 189 pupils on roll. The school is in one of the most socially disadvantaged wards in the country. Forty-seven per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is much above average. The school has a diverse ethnic population with a very high proportion of pupils with English as an additional language. Eleven languages are spoken. The home language for the majority of pupils is Punjabi, Urdu or Bengali. Twenty pupils have arrived this academic year speaking little or no English. A few pupils have no experience of school before arriving at Mount Pleasant. Fifteen per cent of pupils speak English as their home language, which is very low. Around twenty per cent of pupils enter and leave the school each year.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are well above average numbers of pupils on the register of special educational needs; one has a statement, which is below average. These include pupils with multi-sensory difficulties, learning difficulties and emotional needs. Eleven pupils are receiving support from agencies outside the school for their particular needs.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils enter the school with attainment that is well below average in reading, writing and mathematics. They are taught in year groups of mixed ability, except for mathematics lessons in Years 4, 5 and 6 that are grouped by prior attainment. The number of girls in classes in Years 3, 4 and 5 far exceeds the number of boys whilst in Year 6 the opposite is the case. Five teachers have been appointed to the school in the last year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, which is serving its ethnically diverse community well. From various starting points and very different needs the pupils achieve well. There is strong and concerted action being taken to bring more pupils up to the national expectations of attainment. Teaching is good across the school and teachers closely track pupils’ progress. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to their work. Support for bilingual pupils is impressive. The head teacher is very good at managing the action needed to ensure that pupils achieve their best, and is helped by a strong team of co-ordinators and governors. The school gives good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Pupils are cared for and valued; there is a strong and racially harmonious atmosphere. • The teaching is good and helping to raise standards. • Teaching assistants 1 and bilingual support staff 2 provide very good support to pupils with English as an additional language and work well with the teachers. • Pupils behave very well and are eager to learn. • All pupils have good opportunities to learn through a rich and varied curriculum. • There is an effective partnership between the home, the school and the community. • Leadership and management by the head teacher and co-ordinators is very good and priorities for improvement are clearly understood by all staff.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in English and mathematics. • Handwriting and presentation of work.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

1 Teaching assistants are not qualified as teachers but work with pupils individually or take charge of small groups. 2 Bilingual support staff are provided where possible to work alongside pupils using their home language as required. Presently there are bilingual staff supporting all community languages represented in the school. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 8 • Attendance levels, particularly by reducing unauthorised absence. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 9

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since the last inspection in May 1997. Standards in English, mathematics and science have been maintained at similar levels to those last reported. Pupils are benefiting from a better curriculum particularly in art, design and technology and information and communication technology (ICT). The quality of teaching and learning has improved as a result of better planning, better trained teachers and regular monitoring of lessons. Systems for tracking pupils’ progress are good and parents are kept informed about the progress their children are making. The appointment of new staff has helped give the right steer to the school. The capacity for the school to continue to improve is good.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

English E* E E* E well above average above average A B mathematics E* E E* E average below average C D science E* E E D well below average E

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STANDARDS

The inspection found standards to be at a better level than the table indicates. Few pupils attain higher levels in national tests because many are not completely fluent in English 3 . This has an impact on the school’s overall performance, which is well below that of similar schools 4 and places the school in the bottom five per cent of all schools nationally in English and mathematics. However test results show steady improvement in line with national trends. Pupils taking the tests in 2001 who started school in Year 3 made the progress expected of them and the school’s tracking of their progress shows no significant differences in the performances of girls, boys or pupils with different ethnic backgrounds. The school set itself challenging targets that were not met last year due to staff and pupil changes.

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STANDARDS

The inspection found that most pupils are achieving as well as they should. This is due to good teaching of English and greater levels of support for bilingual pupils and those with special educational needs. The school has identified those pupils who should be doing better and has put into place effective strategies for accelerating their progress. There is an improving picture throughout the school and the higher targets set by the school for the next two years accurately reflect this positive picture. However more could still be done. Standards in Year 6 are below average in English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ spoken language and grammar are particular weaknesses. In mathematics pupils have difficulty applying their knowledge in new situations. Pupils’ handwriting skills are well below average and their work is often untidy.

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STANDARDS

The inspection found no difference in the progress or levels of attainment of girls and boys. Pupils at an early stage of learning English and those recently arrived in the school are learning very well. Pupils with special educational receive good quality support and make good progress. Standards in religious education (RE) are as expected. Standards have risen in ICT and art and design and are now average.

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STANDARDS

3 It takes five to seven years to become fully competent in a second language, although pupils will vary in the speed with which they acquire competence. Fluency in spoken English is usually achieved within two years, but the ability to read and write the academic English needed for success in examinations takes much longer. 4 Similar schools: for the purpose of making more accurate comparisons of test performance, schools are grouped by the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 10 Standards are in line with expectations in history, geography and games and better than national expectations in design and technology. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 11

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are interested in all that they do.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. No problems with bullying or racial intolerance. There is a peaceful, hard working atmosphere at all times.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Courtesy and mutual respect are evident everywhere in the school. At lunchtimes and playtimes pupils of different race and creed mix together very well.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Below average. Lessons start promptly and no time is wasted.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils respond well to the responsibilities they are given. They show pride in their school and the integration of new pupils is seamless.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Overall the teaching is good. Thirty-seven lessons were observed, the majority of which were good with a quarter very good or better. Teaching is lively and exciting. Lessons move at a good pace and pupils are encouraged to play a full part through the teachers’ questions and the hard work of teaching assistants. The teachers have established clear routines and lessons are very well managed. The very good relationships in lessons maintain a culture of hard work. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils should achieve in lessons and there are good structures in place to support and track pupils’ progress.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Literacy and numeracy are taught well. Teachers are clear about the targets for the class and, increasingly, those who need intensive support. More could be done to challenge the small numbers of higher attaining bilingual learners in Years 5 and 6. The teaching of pupils in groups set by prior attainment in mathematics is effective. A particular strength is the use made of teachers’ expertise. This gives a greater evenness to the quality of teaching.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teachers give good feedback to pupils in lessons on how they are progressing but marking of work in mathematics does not set out what pupils could do better.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching of those at an early stage in learning English is good as a result of the expertise provided by the school for these pupils. Other pupils at a more advanced stage of learning English as an additional language receive good support from the teachers and teaching assistants in developing their use of English. The teaching of those pupils with special educational needs is good as a result of shared planning and clear targets on individual education plans. Teachers are beginning to make use of the computer suite to support pupils’ learning, as resources become available.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. English receives priority but other subjects are also well planned for. There is good emphasis on creative skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with Good overall. There is effective support during lessons and good systems Mount Pleasant Junior School - 12 special educational needs in place to track their progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The support is very good. Supporting the achievement of all pupils from minority ethnic groups is recognised as the responsibility of the school as a whole. There is regular checking on pupils’ progress. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall personal development of pupils is very good. Very clear expectations ensure that pupils develop a mature understanding of their moral and social responsibilities. The school values and celebrates the rich cultural diversity of the pupils. How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. Attendance procedures could be sharper.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

There is a very good range of well-supported clubs and lunchtime activities. There is not enough hall time available for physical education. The school works well with parents. The partnership is strengthened by the school’s involvement in sustaining good community relations, community education and the regular reporting on pupils’ achievements.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Very good leadership in bringing together a strong teaching team and other adults with a sharp view on raising standards. The head teacher manages all aspects of the school very well and is fully involved within the community. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. They fully share the responsibilities for raising standards. Governors are instrumental in bringing the school and community together. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very thorough. Systems are in place for monitoring standards and the effectiveness of teaching and learning. The strategic use of resources Good. They are used effectively. Priority is given to investing in staff, improving the building and meeting training needs.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Raising attainment is at the heart of financial planning and the school improvement plan. The school considers carefully how it is giving best value. There are good levels of staffing, the accommodation is attractive and used well but the playground surface is not in good order. Learning resources are adequate. However, there is not enough ICT equipment for programming and collecting information electronically. The head teacher and governors receive strong support from community agencies.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• That their children do well at school • That teachers are approachable and hard working • That the school gives them the information they need about their children’s progress. • That the school is a happy community. There was no area of significant concern. A small number of parents felt they would like more regular information about what was going on in school.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with the strengths. Inspectors judged that written information to parents was about right, although there is no opportunity for them to comment on their children’s reports and other Mount Pleasant Junior School - 13 information could be more prominently displayed. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 14

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Results in National Curriculum tests for eleven year olds have been well below or low compared to national averages for some years. The performance of many pupils is below average in the test and very small numbers reach higher levels. This reflects the difficulties experienced by pupils with English as an additional language in reading and understanding complex texts and writing coherently. In 2001 science test results were better than English and mathematics because the school used bilingual teaching assistants to help translate the questions. The results were consequently much better than teacher assessments expected and targets were exceeded. The school did not meet its targets in English and mathematics for a number of reasons. The arrival of a small number of asylum seekers, the arrival of pupils into Year 6 following the closure of a local school and long periods of absence by a number of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils visiting Pakistan, Bangladesh or India changed the cohort and affected the overall results. Comparisons with similar schools are difficult as few schools have a similar set of characteristics. The local authority has established a procedure for comparing schools with similar prior attainment, and this shows that pupils made at least satisfactory progress. The school is continuing to provide the support for those advanced bilingual learners who have the potential to reach average standards with extra support in literacy and numeracy.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Attainment on entry is well below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics, whilst teacher assessed tasks in science indicate low levels. The pupils are of mixed linguistic ability; some early stage learners of English 5 , others more advanced but lacking confidence. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills are poor. Very few are fluent English speakers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The inspection found that, by the age of eleven, pupils speaking and listening skills are below average. Pupils are improving their skills as a result of the encouragement given by teachers and teaching assistants and the consistent use of subject language. This is helping pupils with their reading and writing; the use of home language as a way of supporting more advanced learners of English is raising attainment through the school. However many pupils’ use of tense, syntax, grammatical conventions and their choice of vocabulary when answering questions is well below that expected of eleven year olds. This also has an impact on the quality of their written work. Even advanced bilingual learners are below average in their use of standard English. About one fifth of the pupils are at an early stage of language acquisition having recently arrived at the school speaking only their home language. This group of pupils make very good progress in learning to speak English as a result

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Attainment in reading and writing is below average by the age of eleven. Standards in other years are close to average. This is an improving picture and the consequence of effective teaching of literacy throughout the school. The regular testing of pupils’ achievements in reading and writing and the use of intensive strategies to teach reading and writing are having a good impact on pupils’ attainment. The targeting of underachieving pupils is rigorous and these pupils and their families are well supported by the school. The school has a very busy library that is regularly visited by

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 First stage learners; this refers to those pupils in school who mainly communicate in their home language. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 15 many pupils and parents. This has helped establish a strong culture of reading for information and pleasure amongst many Muslim and Sikh boys and helping improve pupils’ vocabulary and understanding of more complex texts. Standards in writing are variable. There is very little above average writing amongst Year 6 pupils. In the main pupils’ grammar is inconsistent and handwriting is generally well below average. As a consequence pupils work is often untidily presented, causing unnecessary mistakes. Guidelines have been introduced to assist with teaching handwriting but these are not always followed in lessons or when teachers check pupils’ work. Pupils write for a range of purposes; they are better at writing that follows clear structures. More opportunities for extended writing have been provided and this is helping raise

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

attainment. The use of targets for writing is now established and pupils and teachers are clear about what they have to improve to reach higher levels . These need to be sharper for higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 in order for them to reach above average standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Attainment in mathematics is below average overall. Standards are improving because of the consistent focus on teaching a range of strategies and learning number facts. Throughout the school the evaluations of test results enable teachers to address weaknesses in mathematics. Lower attaining pupils are receiving intensive support within the mathematics sets and those in Year 6 benefit from the small class size. Achievements are close to expectations in written and mental calculations in Years 5 and 6 but there are few pupils reaching above average levels. In general pupils’ recognition and application of the strategies to use when solving problems is a weakness.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The standards of work in science are below average but an upward trend in science attainment is being maintained. Pupils’ knowledge is broadly average and pupils are achieving well because of the attention paid to the correct use of vocabulary. The teachers and teaching assistants are providing pupils with effective models of the written language needed to explain their ideas and this ensures that pupils with more advanced knowledge of English make good progress. The use of mixed grouping ensures that more fluent English speakers can support others during practical investigations and this helps all pupils get the most from lessons.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Information and communication technology (ICT) skills are average in word processing, information gathering and data handling and show considerable improvement since the last inspection. Good guidelines are now in place and timely investments in computers and training has helped raise standards. Whilst there are satisfactory opportunities to develop programming skills and use computers to predict results there is a shortage of equipment to take this further.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Standards in design and technology (DT) have also improved and are above average. Standards in art and design have also risen and are now meeting expectations. Average standards have been maintained in geography and history and these subjects now make an important contribution to pupils’ reading and writing development through much sharper planning. Standards in the music lessons seen were average. Pupils demonstrate appropriate dance and games skills, but the swimming programme is not continued after Year 3 and this means no reliable judgement can be made about this area of physical education. Pupils are meeting the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus in religious education (RE).

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils are achieving well overall because the school is clear about what is needed to raise attainment and is much more robust in tracking pupils’ progress through the school than at the last inspection. Differences between pupils who need to learn Mount Pleasant Junior School - 16 English and those who have learning difficulties is clearly understood by all staff and this means support is appropriate and effective. Good levels of classroom support in pupils’ home languages are ensuring that those at an early stage of learning English make very good progress. Annual reviews for those with a statement of special need or individual education plans show pupils generally make good progress against their targets. Individual education plans (IEPs) are sufficiently specific to allow accurate assessments of pupils' progress to be made.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. There was no evidence during inspection that boys achieve better than girls despite the imbalances of gender in the year groups. Neither are there any identified differences between the attainment of the two main ethnic groups. However the school is not complacent to this possibility and is using data to track this.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The school has built on the good behaviour and attitudes reported in the last inspection. Pupils’ attitudes to school are very good. They are keen and enthusiastic, particularly in lessons, and have high levels of interest in the activities provided. Pupil participation in extra-curricular activities such as football, netball, homework club, badminton, computer club, library club and gardening club is particularly strong. Pupils are very friendly and polite, with many offering help to visitors, for instance in providing directions around the school. Pupils with special educational needs are, like all the others in the school, keen to learn and try hard to concentrate and give of their best.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Behaviour is very good and pupils respond well to the school’s emphasis on rewarding good standards in this aspect. Pupils have very clear views on what constitutes good and bad behaviour and value the consistent way in which rewards and sanctions are applied. Whilst moving around the school, pupils behave sensibly and are courteous, with many of them holding doors for one another. An example of their good self-discipline is the lunchtime session, when pupils can choose to stay in the library rather than go out. With calm and relaxed supervision pupils involve themselves sensibly in a range of activities and show good involvement with each other. In one session they played chess, read, shared books, listened to music and one group planned and practised an Asian dance for assembly. Behaviour in the dining hall, during assembly and while pupils move about the school, is also very good. There were five pupils excluded for fixed periods last academic year for

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

unacceptable behaviour. One was a girl. There have been no exclusions this academic year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The relationships within the school are excellent. They are extremely harmonious and inclusive. Pupils quite naturally support each other, for example by offering explanations in their home language and recognising the anxieties of new pupils. There is never any hesitation about becoming the buddy 6 of a new arrival. Pupils extend the hand of friendship irrespective of their origins. Pupils feel that the school handles rare incidents of bullying well. They understand what to do if they find themselves or others in this situation. In fact, they were quite shocked to be asked about bullying as they didn't even consider it a factor ‘ in their school’. Pupils are keen to take advantage of opportunities for them to show initiative and take responsibility. For example, Year 5 pupils help younger pupils in Year 3 with their reading. Pupils are keen to be involved in the school council that was launched last year. Raising funds

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

has involved pupils in organising fund raising events such as the recent appeal for

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6 The buddy system provides a new pupil with a partner, ideally from the same class or year group who speaks the same home language. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 17 Afghanistan. 14. Pupils enjoy coming to school and talk enthusiastically about their experiences. They listen attentively to their teachers, are very interested in what is being taught, show very high levels of concentration, and demonstrate the ability to work both independently and co-operatively in pairs or in small groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The school’s level of attendance was 90.2per cent for the last academic year 7 . This is an improvement since the last inspection but it is still well below the national average. Unauthorised attendance has doubled during the same period; the practice of some parents of taking long holidays during term-time has contributed significantly to this. The registers are completed promptly and accurately at the beginning of the morning and afternoon sessions. However, the running totals for attendance and the breakdown of absence figures into authorised and unauthorised are not consistently recorded and tracking of casual absentees is not thorough enough.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching and learning is now better than at the last inspection. A key issue for action was to improve teachers’ planning so that it identifies what pupils are to know and understand and shows how skills will be acquired. The school has made good progress in this area and teachers have high expectations of what pupils will learn and what they will do. Lessons are planned well around reliable assessments of pupils’ needs and the expectations for the year group. Teachers and teaching assistants plan together to provide the best support for pupils at early stages of learning English and those with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Teaching is effective in all lessons seen during the inspection and there is an even quality across the school. Almost all the teaching was good with a quarter that was very good or excellent. The main qualities are the clear and consistent routines that ensure lessons run smoothly and the appropriateness of the lesson that ensures pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn. Behaviour is managed very well by regular checking on how different groups are progressing towards their targets through sensitive questions. Instructions and expectations for the lessons are clearly stated and checked on throughout the lessons. Consequently good use is made of the time and pupils learn how to organise themselves.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers plan group activities carefully, paying attention to the language needs of the pupils in how they use teaching assistants, but also in how they group pupils to maximise the skills of fluent English speakers and the more advanced bilingual learners. Resources to support learning are prepared well in advance so that teaching assistants are fully conversant with how to use them. This helps teaching assistants and is a major contribution to successful learning in lessons. Teachers give time in class and group discussions for pupils to share their ideas. This is managed well. Teachers make good use of teaching assistant so those pupils with English as an additional language can discuss ideas in their own language. This helps pupils learn and apply new subject specific language . Less consistent are the use of examples for pupils to use when answering questions and this is an area for improvement.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers are knowledgeable and there is careful attention to every detail in lessons. The emphasis on teachers planning together and sharing the preparation for lessons ensures consistency between the classes and mathematics sets. Homework is appropriately planned to follow up lessons. In PE, RE, art and design and science

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

7 Each day counts as two sessions of attendance. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 18 there are arrangements for some years to be taught by the same teacher. This reduces teachers’ individual workload in preparing resources but also brings uniformity to the assessments and evaluations of pupils’ learning at the end of the unit.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Pupils are well informed about their progress through personal and group targets that they need to work on, although these are not specific enough in writing and mathematics for the few higher attaining pupils in Year 5 and 6 to enable them to achieve higher standards. Work is marked according to the school’s agreed policy on marking. In English it is used particularly well, informing the pupil of progress made and what needs to be done in order to improve further, but marking could be more informative in mathematics.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Literacy and numeracy are taught well and some very effective learning was seen. In a challenging Year 4 lesson on grammar the good clear introduction revised the main features of non-fiction writing. The first part of the lesson was broken up with a short task to list some common verbs that gave time for the teaching assistants to support small groups of pupils often in their home language. Prepared lists of verbs were used to sort out the difference between those verbs in the present tense from the past tense. Higher attaining pupils were grouped to work independently to further their understanding of tenses with well-chosen sentences. Lower attaining pupils were well supported in tasks to increase their knowledge and use of verbs. The lesson concluded with a chance for the teacher to assess pupils’ knowledge of verbs. In a Year 3 lesson on addition strategies the teacher invited pupils to explain double and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

near double. The pupils were given just the right amount of time to explain these to a partner or to their teaching assistant before explaining to the class. The teacher was careful to use the correct mathematical language and had prepared written statements that he read out. Pupils were then grouped to add pairs of numbers. These had just the right challenge for the three abilities. As pupils explained their strategies the teacher wrote these for all to see and then matched the strategy to a carefully worded statement. By the end of the lesson pupils had met the challenge to use at least two strategies; higher attainers had used five.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Individual education plans (IEPs) for pupils with statements contain clear targets and they are sufficiently practical for class teachers to implement when support staff are not present. However, limited use is made of ICT to support the learning of basic skills such as spelling or phonics. The learning support assistants give good support, are well prepared and keep accurate records and work samples of the progress of pupils receiving additional support.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Teaching is sufficiently strong to meet the many different challenges teachers face. There is more shared practice, more effective use of teaching assistants and higher expectations throughout the school than was found at the last inspection. Co- ordinators have a greater influence over their colleagues’ teaching, and those with particular strengths use these to benefit pupils’ learning across the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. A key issue at the last inspection was to address curriculum planning. Good improvement has been made. The quality and range of learning opportunities offered to pupils is now good overall. The statutory requirements to teach all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are met. Policies and guidelines for teaching all subjects, including personal, social and health education (PSHE) are in Mount Pleasant Junior School - 19 place, as well as arrangements for regular review of teachers’ planning. This ensures the necessary consistency in the development of pupils’ knowledge and skills to get the most from lessons. There is now good guidance for teaching art, DT and ICT which provides necessary experiences for pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. Teachers plan effectively in year teams using national guidelines as a basis for each subject area. An appropriate amount of time is allocated to the teaching of most subjects of the curriculum, although a higher than average amount of time is given to the teaching of English because of the specific language needs of the pupils. Additional time is allocated appropriately for daily reading development, and for extended writing activities. This is used well. The timetable for using the hall limits when teachers can use this time for dance, gymnastics or drama and consequently these aspects do not receive enough time over the year.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. Those pupils for whom English is an additional language follow the same curriculum as all other pupils. The pupils now follow the same curriculum as all other pupils. First stage learners are able to access the curriculum through the school’s provision of extra support, including bilingual support, in the classroom. Culturally relevant resources are provided to support their learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The national strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy have been effectively introduced. They are carefully planned so that the widely differing needs of pupils are met through the provision of appropriate tasks during the lessons. Additional provision for teaching phonics is provided throughout the school, as well as intensive programmes for literacy and numeracy in Years 3, 4 and 5. The development of literacy and numeracy skills is adequately developed through other subjects. The uses of basic computer skills are also now identified in termly planning for other subjects but not enough resources are yet in place. A comprehensive linking of basic skills to subject planning is now being successfully developed.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school provides an excellent range of extra-curricular activities to provide enrichment to pupils’ experiences. All available time is used to provide these opportunities, at break times, lunch times and after school. They include a wide range of sports, computer and homework clubs, and library activities. Class visits to places of interest and residential outdoor pursuit centres provide valuable additional experiences, both for cultural development and social skills.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. Provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a significant strength of the school. The school has continued to build on the strengths identified at the previous inspection. The provision is very successful in helping pupils to learn and show respect for the different backgrounds, personalities and needs of all pupils. The school provides well for pupils to develop a sense of identity and self worth. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds and countries and the significant feature is how well the school provides support for these pupils so that they very quickly settle into school.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

30. The provision for spiritual development is very good. The first impression of a very caring school and attractive environment is deeply rooted in all aspects of the school. Respect, celebration, and valuing are qualities by which the school ensures the inclusion of every pupil into the spiritual life of the school. It gives pupils the opportunity to explore values and beliefs, including religious beliefs, and the way they affect peoples’ lives. The school motto "WE CARE ” is very much in evidence. Well led assemblies give that feeling of belonging and there is a real togetherness as pupils from such a range of ethnic backgrounds enjoy singing " My eyes are dim, I cannot Mount Pleasant Junior School - 20 see" to their version known as Mount Pleasant Caretaker's Store. The PSHE curriculum and classroom activities such as circle time 8 allow pupils to reflect and share feelings and anxieties.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

31. The provision for moral development is very good. All pupils are aware of the school’s values and know the meaning of right and wrong. This is enforced sensitively throughout the school and built on the strong codes of behaviour many pupils experience through their home faith backgrounds. Teachers set clear boundaries for behaviour in class and this is also manifested in the corridors and playground. In addition, the reward system works well to reinforce the clear moral code that is spelt out in the school rules. There is little evidence of blame being used unnecessarily and, overall, there is a very constructive approach to promoting good behaviour that emphasises what it beneficial to society and what is harmful. The school displays its shared vision of ‘a new day a new start’ and makes a point of telling each child ‘you're a great kid’. This strength and consistency has a clear and positive effect on the

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

32. The provision for social development is also very good. By Year 6, pupils are well on the way to being responsible and thoughtful citizens. This arises from the careful attention to social skills and citizenship that the school provides. Lessons offer a range of social work arrangements such as groups, pairs and whole class activities. Adults provide very good role models of mature and sensitive behaviour. There is a strong emphasis on how to work in collaboration and the importance of turn-taking. Respect for the views of others is promoted well in activities, for instance when pupils share their work with the class at the end of lessons. The school council 9 and the involvement of pupils in a number of areas of decision-making, such as the rules for behaviour, assist the promotion of the skills of citizenship. A significant strength is how the school provides for pupils to settle in the school through the sensitivity of

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

adults, the support for those who speak no English and by providing pupil buddies to look after them in their early days in school. The school achieves this without impinging on the learning of others.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

33. Cultural education is very good. There are good opportunities for pupils to visit museums and exhibitions to learn about British culture. In lessons they are introduced to the work of Shakespeare, and a range of artists such as Turner, Arcimboldo, Modigliani and Elizabeth Frink. They meet artists, writers, singers and musicians who come into the school. They learn about local history and visit museums and galleries. The trip to the Isle of Wight gives pupils a rare experience to move outside their immediate locality. In keeping with its respect for all faiths, the school has good multicultural resources and uses festivals and displays to help everyone better understand why and how different people interpret their world. The school has close links with all centres of faith within the locality and works hard to help pupils appreciate the wider world and the rich variety of people and experiences within it.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

34. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils are provided with accurate information, which promotes positive attitudes to a healthy lifestyle.

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

8 Circle time: the provision of a discussion period called circle time provides a structured time for pupils to talk over issue that face them as part of their everyday life. 9 School council: the school council is made up of pupils who represent each class in the school. They meet to discuss issues that are of current concern to pupils. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 21 35. The partnership that the school has developed with the local community is an outstanding feature of its work, so much so that the building is in use seven days a week during term-time. This expansion of access to education for the local community, many of whom have had little formal schooling beyond 15, is helping breakdown barriers to education. These activities are enriched by the school’s own library which gives parents and siblings access to books, course study books and the home-school link service 10 . This works with local families and their children of all

p.20

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

ages and is helping to raise pupils’ achievement levels.

p.21

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

36. Positive links have been established with local organisations and the community police officer to provide pupils with additional experiences in sport and local culture. The school has developed a very good working relationship with its feeder infant and receiving secondary schools. This is especially evident in the work of home-school link service. There are good transitional links with the receiving secondary school especially in pastoral areas and a useful agreement developing with the infant school over handwriting schemes, which has benefited pupils in Year 3.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. This is a very caring school where the adults are positive role models. They get to know their pupils well and are all well aware of the needs of individual pupils who require special attention. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The pupils from many different ethnic backgrounds receive equal support of a very high standard; the induction of new pupils is particularly sensitively carried out with the use of bilingual members of staff.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Good procedures for the assessment and monitoring of pupils’ academic progress are in place. At the last inspection a number of weaknesses were identified, including manageability and consistency. Recently new systems have been established and they are now good and meeting the needs of the school and subject co-ordinators. Interim assessment arrangement did not give the school the information it needed, particularly about the performances of individual pupils from different ethnic backgrounds. The systems also relied heavily on teacher assessments that were not always substantiated by reliable test results. Progress overall has been satisfactory on this issue. The new systems give the school a much better understanding of the progress being made by pupils with different starting points and different ethnic backgrounds. Most importantly the teachers, managers and teaching assistants are using this information to set expectations for year groups and individuals. Necessary

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

steps have also been taken to improve the quality of teacher assessments by matching pupils’ work more accurately to National Curriculum levels. This is of benefit to staff new to the school this academic year. The progress of pupils working with support assistants and bilingual support staff is monitored daily and plays an important part in the progress they make. However not enough information is regularly gathered about the progress of other pupils.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Pupils’ language needs are assessed on entry to school in their own language, and receive regular bilingual support in the classroom. This good quality support enables the pupils to participate fully in the oral aspects of lessons in particular, and enables their understanding and learning to develop at a good rate. Bilingual support staff deliver the curriculum to them firstly in their home language, and secondly in English.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

10 Home-school link: the service operates a weekly parents’ surgery offering training and advice on how to support children’s learning at home and school, a daily homework club where children and parents can work together with assistance and access to school resources and a weekly family group for pre-school children and parents. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 22 This results in rapid learning and is the reason for the very good progress made by pupils. Bilingual assistants work closely in partnership with the class teachers to ensure that pupils have full access to the curriculum. All staff are aware of the wide range of language needs in the school; they plan their lessons effectively with these in mind and make use of a range of resources, including dual language texts, designed to support language acquisition.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has a clear policy for dealing with bullying and parents, pupils and staff do not see bullying or harassment as a problem in the school. The good conduct diaries, which identify both good and poor behaviour, are well used by teachers and appreciated by pupils and parents. The supervision of pupils at lunch- and break- times is appropriate.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Procedures for monitoring attendance are satisfactory overall. However, there is insufficient emphasis given to monitoring and tracking unauthorised absence to reduce this aspect of below average attendance. For example, the school has not set any targets to seek an improvement in this area. There is no whole-school emphasis on the importance of attendance, for example prominently displayed wallcharts and regular updates on performance for parents and pupils. The school has worked hard to reduce the number and length of holidays during term-time. Parents are constantly informed of the adverse effect such absence has on their children’s education. For this reason unauthorised absence has reduced so far in the current year. The school is currently looking to use computer software to regularly monitor and analyse attendance on a weekly basis, something that is not currently done. The problem of poor punctuality is being effectively addressed by a clear system of monitoring and

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school caretaker monitors the health and safety aspects of the school on a daily basis and carries out a more detailed check, once a week, in conjunction with the head teacher. Overall the school provides a safe environment for its pupils although the car parking arrangements need to be reviewed to prevent cars driving onto the playground. The head teacher is the designated person responsible for child protection and the school has an appropriate policy in line with local procedures. Each teacher is aware of signs to look for and is encouraged to raise concerns with the head teacher who will then take the necessary action.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Those parents who attended the parents’ meeting and completed the pre-inspection questionnaire were overwhelming in their support for the school and felt that it worked closely with them and kept them well informed about their children’s progress. The fact that all girls in Year 3 are currently attending swimming lessons is an example of how well the school works with parents to overcome their concerns and meet their social and cultural requirements.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Overall, the school’s links with parents have a positive effect on pupils’ learning and personal development. A key issue at the last inspection was to involve parents in raising academic attainment of their children. The action the school has taken has been on many fronts and its impact is gathering momentum. The annual pupil progress reports are very detailed and informative about attainment and progress compared with national expectations in English, mathematics and science. Learning objectives are set each term and form the basis of this progress check, so providing a fully integrated assessment system. Parents are happy that the system for reporting their children’s progress allows them to find out how they are getting on. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 23 Parents are encouraged to come into school and work with their children, for example at homework club or attending curriculum events. The school has very successfully

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

promoted reading at home through its loan library.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. There is limited involvement of parents of pupils with special educational needs in identifying their needs and sharing ways forward. For some parents the links are particularly beneficial and have helped improve the self-esteem of the pupils in school and at home. Reviews are carried out in accordance with the school’s provision but not all parents attend.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Information provided by the school is satisfactory in the form of a prospectus and annual report that meet statutory requirements. There is also an informative newsletter, which is distributed twice each term. The school has considered translating the information for parents but found this time-consuming and expensive, given the number of languages involved. Instead the school offers to translate to individual parents on request through its bilingual support staff. This is rarely taken up. A noticeboard is provided for parents but this could be better sited to enable more to see it on a regular basis. The parents appreciate the ‘open door’ policy operated by the school; they also find the parents’ meetings held each term very valuable and these are consequently well attended.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Several parents work in the school and are involved in activities such as the gardening and chess club, making resources and assisting in the library. This is a positive extension of the community spirit that pervades the school and is encouraged by the staff who make parents welcome.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school is very well led and managed. The head teacher provides a very clear steer to the work of the school. He is strongly committed to his staff, the pupils and the community and has built an effective and unified approach to address the particular needs of the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. All aspects of leadership and management continue to improve. The deputy head has successfully extended the role of the subject co-ordinators, a key issue at the last inspection is being addressed well, in spite of significant staff changes. Co-ordinators are clear about the action needed to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects, and this is particularly evident in the achievements of pupils at early stages of learning English in mathematics, English, ICT, science and design and technology. Co-ordinators have received training to help to develop their subjects and have regular opportunity to influence the work of colleagues through feedback on planning and some monitoring of lessons. The senior management of the school has been strengthened by the recent appointment of a deputy head. She has brought additional expertise to the collection and evaluation of

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

data essential to tracking pupils’ progress. Together the team is ensuring a unified approach to improving the quality of teaching and learning in all areas.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school improvement plan is firmly focused on what will lead to sustained improvement in standards. It is clearly visible, regularly evaluated against manageable success criteria and clearly sets out the next steps. There is merit in its prominent position on the wall of the staff room as this allows all staff and governors to remain informed of the action being taken each month.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The governors offer good support to the head teacher and staff. They carry out their Mount Pleasant Junior School - 24 statutory responsibilities conscientiously and are well informed about the progress the school is making to raise standards. They represent well the diverse ethnic community the school serves and fully understand the pressures the school faces. They play an important part in action planning through financial planning and their strong partnership with the wider community.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The monitoring of teaching and learning is effective and underpinned by the local authority system of supported self-evaluation. The regular monitoring leads to targets on how to improve practice, and is linked to teachers’ performance management targets. There is a good system in place for ensuring that training if required is provided. The school makes full use of performance data to monitor pupils’ progress and its overall effectiveness. The head teacher is good at involving all staff in evaluating ideas and practices and considering responses to the different challenges brought about by different year groups. Most recently this has led to careful deployment of teachers and teaching assistants, to training teaching assistants to support learning in the classrooms and more specific targets for lower attaining pupils and those identified as underachieving.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The co-ordinator for English as an additional language provides strong leadership and direction in the provision of the very good quality support. She ensures pupils’ language needs are accurately assessed, and, where possible, provides bilingual support to work with those who are at the first stages of learning English. Currently this amounts to eleven different languages. She has raised the awareness of staff of the language needs of pupils, and encourages them to make language teaching really explicit. The development of sharing planning between teachers and teaching assistants working in the classrooms has become a strong feature in assisting in the progress of this group of pupils. Colleagues are well informed about the support required for pupils, and of the action plan to improve and develop the current level of provision. The co-ordinator uses the budget made available to her very efficiently in

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

providing resources to meet the considerable needs of the school. The school managers have used these funds wisely to provide an appropriate ratio of teachers and teaching assistants, including bilingual assistants. Buying back time for bilingual support staff from the LEA as and when the need arises ensures good value. By doing so the school is enabling first stage learners to access the curriculum, supporting children who are not first stage learners, and identifying whether pupils’ needs are learning or language through bilingual assessments.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCo) provides good management. She keeps the required documentation in good order and is monitoring the impact of the teaching assistants and provides relevant training. It is intended that teaching assistants will receive training in the use of computers in order that more use of these facilities can be made to help learning. The number of teaching assistants is good and they give valuable support. Many are experienced, receive training within the school and all have undertaken external qualifications.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Finances are managed prudently and targeted specifically at the school’s priority of raising achievement at all levels. A budget deficit last financial year resulted from changes to the funding for pupils with English as an additional language. Next year’s budget allows for a small contingency. Intensive literacy and numeracy strategies are helping to improve achievement levels in Years 3, 4 and 5 and booster classes in Year 6. Finance is carefully managed with good administration procedures for day-to- day management. The school has a satisfactory supply of resources that usefully support the teaching of the curriculum. There are gaps in the provision of sensors and programmable equipment to develop these aspects of the ICT provision. 54. The main school building is in an overall good condition apart from some rotting Mount Pleasant Junior School - 25 window frames. The internal décor is of a generally high standard; the recently

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

redeveloped entrance and reception area, in particular, provides a welcoming atmosphere for pupils and visitors. The internal accommodation is very effectively utilised as classrooms, for storage and by community groups. The school garden, which won the school section of Southampton in Bloom last year, and the quiet grassed area with a summer house are major assets of the school in the summer. The playgrounds are generally uneven and in a poor state for outdoor games lessons; the school does not have access to a playing field and therefore this facility needs to be of a better quality.

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

54. In order to continue to raise standards and build on the priorities already identified in the school improvement plan, the governors, head teacher and staff should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in English and mathematics. a) Identify more specific attainment targets for higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 and use these when grouping pupils for lessons in writing and mathematics. (Paragraph 4, 20, 38, 62, 74) b) Develop guidance for teachers to develop pupils’ skills in speaking and listening in order they can communicate with others effectively using standard English. (Paragraph 3, 18, 56, 61) c) Ensure there is regular opportunity for pupils to develop mathematical reasoning and problem solving skills in mathematics in Years 5 and 6. (Paragraph 5, 66, 68)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve handwriting and presentation of pupils’ work. a) Systematically develop the handwriting guidelines through the school in order to improve pupils’ handwriting and presentation. (Paragraph 4, 60, 72) b) Continue to develop the policy for handwriting with the infant school. (Paragraph 60)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Reduce the levels of unauthorised absence. (a) Implement monitoring of short-term unauthorised absence. (Paragraph 15, 41) (b) Evaluate data more regularly and act on the information. (Paragraph 41) (c) Raise pupil and parents’ awareness of the implications of short unauthorised absence. (Paragraph 15, 41)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Minor issues that should also be considered as part of the action plan. § Consider adjusting the school timetable in order to make the hall available for a greater part of the school day. (Paragraph 25, 105) § Provide opportunity for parents of pupils with special educational needs to comment on the progress their children have made. (Paragraph 44) § Address two health and safety issues raised in the report. (Paragraphs 42, 54, 106) § Provide the necessary ICT equipment; for monitoring external events and to explore and develop skills in controlling events; and introduce software programmes for use with intensive literacy support groups and pupils with special educational needs (Paragraph 7, 22, 27, 53, 95). Mount Pleasant Junior School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 40

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.26

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. [When the total number is substantially less than 100, add] Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one [two, three, etc] percentage point[s]. [Where the total is close to or greater than 100, use only the first sentence.]

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 188

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 88

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 73

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 158

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 31

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.26

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 1.7

p.26

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 27

p.26

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 16 37 53

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 1 5 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 19 13 26

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 38 (57) 34 (60) 74 (62) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 71 (72) 87 (85)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

Boys 1 5 3 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 15 14 17

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 30 (51) 36 (55) 38 (45) at NC level 4 or above National 72 (70) 74 (72) 82 (79)

p.27

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

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

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 9 Other minority ethnic groups 2 0

p.27

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. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 28

p.27

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y[ ] – Y[ ]

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2000/2001

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.4

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y[ ] – Y[ ] Total income 527494

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 18 Total expenditure 586089

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 273 Expenditure per pupil 3152

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 39162

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year -19433

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 7

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 6

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 29

p.28

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 40 0 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 37 3 0 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 66 34 0 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 71 23 6 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 26 0 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 83 17 0 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 74 20 6 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 71 26 0 0 3

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 74 26 0 0 0

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 71 23 6 0 0 Mount Pleasant Junior School - 30

p.29

ENGLISH

55. Due to the particular circumstances of the school’s constantly shifting population, and the very high proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language the results of the English tests for eleven year olds fluctuate widely from year to year. Overall results have improved steadily since the last inspection although the proportions reaching average levels is still low. However, inspection evidence suggests that overall standards are better than the test results throughout the school and there is an improving trend through the school. The school has recognised that the challenge is to accelerate the learning of those more advanced learners of English who by eleven are still below average in speaking and listening, reading and writing.

p.30

ENGLISH

56. Standards in speaking and listening are below average. When entering school the majority of pupils lack confidence in speaking and, whilst they listen attentively, have difficulty following more complex English structures. The number of fluent English speakers is relatively small in each class and some of these have special educational needs with identified literacy targets. These limitations are addressed effectively and by the age of eleven a small proportion of fluent English speakers and more advanced bilingual learners are average in their attainment. Most pupils listen well to staff in lessons and in assemblies and to other pupils when it is their turn to speak in class discussions and plenary sessions. They are eager to respond to the teacher’s questions but their replies are not usually phrased with an accurate use of Standard English. In Year 3 where pupils are learning the principles of instructional writing, they

p.30

ENGLISH

are given the opportunity to work in pairs to discuss the features of the text. They are able to do this sensibly and describe accurately the work they have done at the end of the lesson. More typical however is response by pupils in a Year 6 lesson on presenting two sides of an argument. The pupils were well briefed about blood sports but were unable to express viewpoints convincingly. In all classes opportunities are taken to group pupils so they can benefit from the language models of fluent English speakers. A good example of this was seen in a Year 3 history lesson when pupils discussed what they thought a collection of Egyptian artefacts may have been used for. However most pupils are not familiar with the conventions needed to maintain a discussion or keep the listeners interested.

p.30

ENGLISH

57. The bilingual assistants translate for first stage language learners to ensure they are able to discuss the same ideas as the rest of the class. Pupils in all years are given similar opportunities to use the technical vocabulary of the lesson when evaluating their work at the end of the lesson. For example in a Year 5 science lesson they have learned the correct language to use when answering questions, and are able to explain their work and answer questions from the class. In a Year 6 extended writing lesson pupils discussed their feelings and responses on ‘Moving Away’. Much of the discussion was based around many of the pupils’ own experiences and so they were able to speak from first hand. Pupils with special educational needs are able to express their own views and contribute confidently to class discussion due to the encouragement they receive from the learning support assistants.

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ENGLISH

58. Attainment in reading is below average across the school, but there are some pupils in each year group attaining above average levels. Overall pupils are achieving well in developing reading skills even though they have well below levels of attainment when they enter the school. Their progress is greatly assisted by regular assessment and the effectiveness of the teaching strategies put into place. The systematic teaching of Mount Pleasant Junior School - 31 sounds and the Additional Literacy Strategy provides good support for the lower attaining pupils, pupils with special educational needs and those entering the school with no English. Dual language signs are helpful to this group of pupils as are a good range of books in their own languages. These pupils make very good progress. Written instructions that are of a straightforward nature such as those found on computer programs are readily understood, but many pupils find more complex

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ENGLISH

questions difficult to understand. Teachers are now aware of this weakness and spend more time writing questions that involve two or more operations. More needs to be done on this front to ensure pupils have greater confidence to tackle questions in test conditions.

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ENGLISH

59. Most pupils across the school enjoy reading and talk enthusiastically about their favourite books and bring them to read in school. They read with expression and apply a range of strategies to read new or unfamiliar words. The higher attaining pupils discuss plot and character whilst others will struggle to answer questions of inference on what they have read. Through the daily reading development lessons, pupils practise their reading and comprehension skills using a range of different texts, including fiction and non-fiction. All pupils regularly visit the well-stocked school library to browse and develop an interest in books. All but the most recent arrivals know how to use the library to research for information.

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ENGLISH

60. Attainment in writing is below average but this still signifies at least satisfactory achievement for the majority of pupils. Bilingual learners make rapid progress in the development of basic writing skills, and pupils with special educational needs also make good progress, as a result of well chosen targets and support. However the writing of the average and lower attaining pupils lacks sufficiently well developed structure and the choice of language is limited. Grammar and punctuation is frequently inconsistent and tenses are muddled. The standard of spelling is generally satisfactory because of regular weekly spelling practice and homework is linked to spelling. Pupils across the school write for an appropriate range of purposes and different audiences, and benefit from additional time set aside to complete extended writing activities. In Year 6 lessons pupils learn to develop a journalistic style using

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ENGLISH

balanced and ethical reporting when writing an obituary for Queen Victoria. In Year 5 ‘The Magic Box’ is successfully used as a stimulus for creative and descriptive writing. One pupil writes “My box is fashioned from diamonds and rubies, with glistening stars in the lid, and filled with sparkling secrets in the corners”. The presentation of written work is not consistent over the school and is sometimes well below average. The intensive handwriting skills programme recently introduced is not being fully implemented across the school. More attention is needed to improve the quality of handwriting skills.

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ENGLISH

61. Teaching is good across the school with some very good teaching that leads to good progress being made. All staff have good subject knowledge and this results in confident and effective teaching. Since the last inspection the school has made improvements in teaching English central in their efforts to raise pupils’ achievement. Most significantly is the increased emphasis of bilingual teaching for the growing number of pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures that are entering the school speaking only their home language. Teachers make effective use of questions to gain responses from pupils and introduce new vocabulary and clarify its meaning so that pupils will be encouraged to use it in their work. There are plenty of opportunities for reporting back but teachers do not provide sufficient examples of the form of language to be used.

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ENGLISH

62. Teachers provide a good range of topics for pupils to develop their writing in extended Mount Pleasant Junior School - 32 writing lessons. They provide useful step by step structures in guided writing sessions. In a Year 6 lesson pupils were given a checklist to ensure they included all relevant elements in their diary about ‘moving day’. Lessons are well prepared, and appropriate tasks are set although the higher attaining pupils need more challenge if overall standards are to be raised in the future and targets are to be met. Writing tasks for all pupils are similar and as a consequence do not always address what these pupils need to do to achieve above average standards. Effective use is made of resources to support learning. In one lesson a training shoe had been cut open to reveal the cross section labelled with the necessary technical vocabulary to support work on explanatory texts. Teachers use other effective strategies such as giving

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ENGLISH

pupils 30 seconds thinking and talking time in pairs to consider their response to questions. Clear learning objectives are set at the start of the lesson and revisited at the end to assess pupils’ learning. Teachers use a rich and wide vocabulary to promote an interest in new words.

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ENGLISH

63. The literacy hour has been introduced effectively. Intensive programmes are used well to support underachievers and lower attaining pupils. Reading development time is used well to support individual and group reading to develop understanding of text. Teachers regularly mark and assess pupils’ work and use this information for the next stage of their planning.

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ENGLISH

64. A good range of assessment procedures have been introduced to track pupil progress in reading and writing and the analysis of the collected data is being used to set personal and year group targets in order to raise levels of achievement. The work of the Home School Link Service and intensive support through sounds programmes is now providing good quality support for underachieving pupils. Speaking and listening assessments are being developed in line with the school’s action plan. Those undertaken in drama and music are shared with pupils and this is valuable in making pupils aware of how they could improve.

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ENGLISH

65. The subject is managed well. Monitoring of teaching and learning is firmly in place, and being used to see if underachieving boys and girls are responding to the Home School Link Service. Indications are positive. Clear objectives are in the subject development plan and include action aimed at improving pupils’ spoken language skills, as well as improving the teaching of those with special educational needs in lessons. In all classes there is a greater focus on technical language whilst special needs teaching assistants are better prepared and have clear assessment tasks. All staff have received training in the teaching of literacy, and staff development is given a high priority. Resources are good and a very good library is lively and encourages pupils to want to read.

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MATHEMATICS

66. All pupils achieve well given their many different starting points, although overall attainment is below average in Year 6. Standards are improving and there has been a steady increase in the proportions reaching average levels in the tests since the last inspection. By the age of eleven pupils mental skills are close to average and they have a secure grasp of number operations and understand the affects of multiplying and dividing large numbers by 10 or 100. They have a good range of strategies for adding and subtracting numbers and use these when working out answers in their heads. Their knowledge of fractions and shapes is broadly average, and most read and interpret data on a variety of graphs. Measuring skills are at least satisfactory. There is still an underlying weakness in pupils’ recognition of the strategies to use Mount Pleasant Junior School - 33 when solving problems and both oral and written questions still prove problematic for

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MATHEMATICS

the majority of pupils. A small but significant number of average attaining pupils still lack confidence with their tables and knowledge of number facts to one hundred is weak. This slows their pace of working and has an impact during timed tests. More could be demanded of the few higher attaining pupils in Years 5 and 6 who show good reasoning skills, but do not have enough opportunities to work at their own pace.

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MATHEMATICS

67. Pupils with English as an additional language who are at an early level of understanding English do well. They receive good support often in their home language, which helps them learn at the same pace as others in the lessons. There is a small group of pupils who have reached a competence in English but have gaps in their knowledge and understanding due to gaps in the teaching programme in previous years. These pupils are now correctly targeted in lessons and receive additional support through intensive teaching programmes. Pupils with special educational needs are also supported well. Their targets are clearly set out and regular reviews ensure their progress is carefully tracked.

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MATHEMATICS

68. The setting of work involving real problems has not been a regular feature of lessons until last year and there is still much that could be done to include this aspect in most lessons. There is still a weakness in pupils’ abilities to reason and apply logic when looking for patterns in results. This is also an aspect of mathematics that is not routinely visited in lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

69. The quality of teaching and learning is good and at times very good. The teachers manage the diverse range of needs very well. Support for bilingual learners and those recently arrived understanding little English, is carefully planned by teachers and teaching assistants to ensure that the best progress is made. Pupils are encouraged to discuss mathematical ideas in their home language and this helps them to gain a better understanding of the strategies being taught. The demands of spoken and written English are beginning to be understood by teachers; some are particularly good at phrasing questions carefully and further encouraging pupils to explain their reasoning. This is still an area for development as not all teachers give a sharp enough focus to this aspect in their lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

70. Over the last two years teaching has improved due to good quality training in the use of the National Numeracy Strategy (NNS) and there is much better checking on coverage of the main elements of the programme. Teachers have a good understanding of the strategy and its demands. Increasingly their planning is drawn from this document as the school quickly abandons its reliance on a published scheme. The teachers use the flexibility of the NNS to meet the needs of pupils coming from many different starting points when preparing lessons. Teachers in all classes are clearer about the weaknesses in aspects of mathematics and are making very good use of assessment and performance data to help shape the content of their lessons. This has led, for example, to a greater focus on mathematical vocabulary in all lessons. In Year 5 an additional lesson has been fitted in each week to provide opportunity for lower attaining pupils to solve problems and

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MATHEMATICS

develop their thinking. This is good work.

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MATHEMATICS

71. In the very good lessons pupils are encouraged to solve problems in their own way and explain their thinking using a framework. The tasks make them think carefully about the strategies they are using. For example in a Year 5 lesson on ratio and proportion, pupils were challenged to find the correct statements to go with a range of fraction cards. This successful lesson firmed up the learning but also made the language of ratio and proportion familiar. Another Year 5 lesson on fractions made Mount Pleasant Junior School - 34 very good use of cards to help pupils first calculate the vulgar fraction and then set about using table facts to find common denominators ready to perform operations. The choice of questions in a Year 4 lesson on co-ordinates was carefully chosen to make pupils think hard about complex problems. For example, ‘what are the co- ordinates I will travel through when moving north-east from my point of origin?’ The

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MATHEMATICS

work in this lesson was very carefully prepared to challenge the different levels of attainment whilst at the same time reinforcing accurate writing of co-ordinates. Higher attaining pupils could quickly spot the patterns being generated, whilst average pupils began to predict which directional cards they would need to reach the finish line first.

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MATHEMATICS

72. All lessons provide pupils with different levels of attainment tasks suitable to their abilities. In the very successful lessons the work given the teaching assistants is very thoroughly planned. Teaching assistants had the resources to follow the main teaching step by step and were given the teaching programme when supporting their group. This allows the guided group task with lower attaining pupils to be carried out in the same way as the main lesson so providing a consistent approach to learning. The pupils’ confidence is marked by the enthusiasm shown by this group in feedback. Teachers and teaching assistants are enthusiastic in their delivery. They clearly enjoy maths and prepare a number of ways pupils can learn practically. However the scrutiny of work reveals a weakness in pupils’ written presentation that leads to unnecessary mistakes.

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MATHEMATICS

73. Teachers make good use of mathematics to help learning in other subjects. For example pupils are taught to record graphs to show temperature readings in science. ICT plays an important part in the overall improvement of learning however there is no data logging equipment or control devices to challenge pupils manipulation of data or procedural skills. Pupils now have regular access to the computer suite at lunchtimes and after school and this allows them to work independently on a range of programs that improve their mental recall. Pupils have access to the library and the computer suite after school to receive help with their mathematics homework and this benefits those who have recently arrived from places where they have received no previous schooling.

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MATHEMATICS

74. The school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are more effective and the co-ordinator is actively involved in checking on teaching, planning and arranging training of teachers. Information about pupils’ progress is now carefully tracked and used to set both individual targets and help the co-ordinator set targets for the year group. The individual targets are well known to parents and pupils and they are doing a great deal to help themselves. For example learning number facts or practising calculations on the school computer programs after lessons. However the targets set for older higher attaining pupils are not reviewed regularly enough to ensure consistent and rapid progress to higher standards. The co-ordinator has done a very good job in establishing expectations about how staff are to teach mathematics and the subject action plan is strongly

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MATHEMATICS

geared to continuing to raise standards.

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SCIENCE

75. In the current Year 6 standards are below average which is similar to last year's test results. However the present Year 6 were attaining low standards on entry and have therefore made some good progress. Inspection found that pupils, including those with special educational needs and those at the early stage of learning English, are achieving well and make good progress through the school. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 35 76. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and pupils’ achievements reflect this. This shows an improvement from the previous inspection when teaching and progress were satisfactory. Pupils enjoy science and work co-operatively on investigations. They try hard to concentrate on their work and make effective use of the time available. Lessons are well planned, resourced and executed. However pupils are not given enough feedback through marking to show how they could

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SCIENCE

improve. In all lessons teachers manage behaviour very well and pupils are keen to learn. The school has rightly identified the English language difficulties of many pupils as the significant reason for below average standards. In all lessons teachers extend pupils' technical vocabulary by clearly defining words and for some, offering translations.

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SCIENCE

77. In Year 4 pupils showed average attainment in sorting liquids and solids. Good teaching used well-chosen examples to focus on specific vocabulary such as transparent, opaque and translucent. There was good support for all pupils to help them extend investigation skills and reinforce vocabulary and those capable of higher attainment were encouraged to work quickly on their own. In Year 5 pupils devised a fair test using well prepared planning sheets to identify the question and the apparatus needed. Their diagrams were appropriate and clear. Pupils listed the variables and identified what needed to change and what needed to stay the same. They were supported well when explaining their findings.

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SCIENCE

78. Teaching through investigations is a successful feature of all science lessons in Year 6. The teacher teaches both Year 6 classes and this ensures a consistency of approach and that the full range of work is covered. She is skilled and manages lessons very well. She has high expectations of effort and behaviour and provides good support for the high number of pupils with special educational needs and with English as an additional language.

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SCIENCE

79. The new co-ordinator is developing a clear vision for the subject and the school has analysed data and clearly identified what needs to be worked on. There are signs that the subject will continue to improve. Good links with numeracy are evident in the collection and organisation of results. Resources and attention to health and safety are good. The planning of the work is linked to national guidelines and assessment opportunities are well built into the scheme. This information is used effectively to group pupils within the class and to target additional support and shows the recommendations of the previous inspection have been met. The curriculum is well balanced and all required aspects are covered across the school. The subject makes a good contribution to pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils work co-operatively on investigations and are developing awareness of environmental

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ART AND DESIGN

80. Only two lessons were seen during the inspection but evidence based on these lessons and sampling of previous work shows that pupils reach the expected standards in Year 6. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when standards were below average. At that time pupils had little understanding of evaluating artists' work or the skills needed to express their ideas. Good guidelines for teaching both these aspects are now used by teachers to plan lessons and standards have risen. The standard of work in Year 5 is above that usually seen as a result of very high expectations the teachers have of what pupils can achieve.

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ART AND DESIGN

81. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Sketchbooks are routinely used Mount Pleasant Junior School - 36 by pupils to practise and extend their knowledge and skills. Year 6 pupils made good progress in portraiture because they were given good explanations and demonstrations by the teacher and had the time to develop their ideas of shape and form in sketchbooks. In a Year 5 lesson, very skilled teaching extended pupils’ skills in printing by working through the process systematically, and pupils achieved work of a high standard. Pupils were very attentive as the teacher demonstrated the techniques and made considered judgements about the techniques and materials to use for their own designs. The teachers make good use of the work of artists to introduce techniques, as well as encouraging pupils to evaluate their own work. For example some very good portrait work by Year 5 pupils followed research into the works of

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ART AND DESIGN

Amadeo Modigliani and Elizabeth Frink. Pupils formed their own three dimensional models which gave them a greater feel for the shapes and lines of the human face. This thorough approach to art is evident in the high quality displays around the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

82. The co-ordinator is leading and managing the development of pupils’ artistic talents very well. She is very knowledgeable and has a good understanding of the subject's needs. She gives very good support to colleagues that helps them to develop their own expertise. She plans detailed lessons across the school and this ensures consistency in the pupils’ experiences and that all elements are covered in depth. She has put in place very good assessment procedures, carefully tracking pupils’ progress. This fulfils the recommendations of the previous inspection. There is good use of art and design to support other subjects, for example Year 3 pupils are working with paper and paste to make cats for their project on the Egyptians. Art contributes well to pupils' overall personal and social development. The school regularly enters competitions and recently was runner up in a local competition for pupils’ studies of

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ART AND DESIGN

Southampton in black and white. The rich artistic background of the pupils is valued. Pupils have made African masks and produced traditional Indian fabric prints. ICT is appropriately used to research artists on the Internet.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

83. During the course of the inspection, there was no opportunity to observe a lesson. Evidence gained from previous design and make work, teachers’ plans and discussions with them and pupils show that pupils attain above average standards by age eleven. This shows a significant improvement since the last inspection when standards were well below average and some aspects were not covered.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

84. From available evidence, indications are that the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers are clear about what is needed for pupils to achieve their best and plan thoroughly for this. They have high expectations at each stage of the process. Work in Year 3 shows pupils have been well taught the principles and skills needed to make a marble maze. They finished their work well and it was based on careful designs. They evaluated the marble runs and reported on how they could improve them. Skilful teaching in Year 4 ensured good development of the design and make process. Pupils took torches apart to see how they functioned and then designed and made "torches for kids". The finished quality products were evaluated and the whole process was well displayed with labelling in different languages. Year 5 pupils have a good understanding of how a cam system transforms the direction of a turning

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

movement into up and down movement. The working models are very well constructed and show careful use of tools and three different types of fixings. The models are strong and durable and the result of careful and accurate measurement insisted on by the teacher.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

85. Other work by Year 5 designing and making slippers shows high expectations of Mount Pleasant Junior School - 37 design and the finished products. Pupils had obviously worked hard on experimenting with the best type of stitching and carefully considered a range of decorative materials. Good quality materials for pupils to work with had much to do with the success. The pupils’ design books are used well and an important part of teachers’ preparations for the skills to be taught. Work on Fairground rides by Year 6 ‘engineers in the making’ shows pupils understood how to generate a number of ideas about how to move and turn the rides. Detailed drawings of the required construction and mechanisms and work in their design books are of a good standard.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86. The co-ordinator manages the subject very well. She supports teachers with advice and training and has high levels of knowledge in the subject. The school has introduced national guidelines that ensure that skills are systematically built on. Assessment arrangements are now in place to record pupils' skills at the end of each unit of work and to link them to National Curriculum levels. These improvements fully address the recommendations of the previous inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

87. Due to the way the teaching of geography is organised it was only possible to see two lessons during the inspection; judgements are based upon the small amount of work available and discussions with adults and pupils. Standards are as expected for eleven year olds and much the same as reported at the last inspection. The previous weaknesses identified concerning the lack of assessment procedures and the lack of resources, including ICT software to be used to support and extend learning, have been fully addressed. Pupils are developing an acceptable knowledge and understanding of places, and are gradually developing skills in collecting and recording evidence and data.

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GEOGRAPHY

88. Year 6 pupils know how rivers are formed and, using a data base, are building up a profile comparing facts about a variety of rivers from different parts of the world. Teachers set tasks that encourage pupils to research facts and information, which are used later in discussions. This works well and the more fluent pupils accurately use technical vocabulary such as transpiration, erosion, transportation, and percolation in their discussions. In a Year 4 lesson pupils consolidated their mapping skills in preparation for work on village settlers. A good range of maps and photographs were introduced by the teacher for pupils to find evidence of the differences between villages, towns and cities. Some pupils tested out the idea that a smaller population means fewer houses, whilst the teacher encouraged pupils to look at the density of houses and the boundaries created by ‘green belts’. They learned

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GEOGRAPHY

well in the lesson and most pupils gave at least two reasons for what makes a city, a town or a village.

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GEOGRAPHY

89. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory overall, with evidence of good practise in making links to other curriculum areas. Pupils are given opportunities to develop their writing skills and to use research skills to establish the meaning of specific geographical vocabulary. There is particular strength in the way teachers link geography with other curricular areas to effectively support pupils’ development of geographical knowledge, understanding and observation skills. For example through using data bases, a river boat cruise to the Isle of Wight and using the local environment for local mapping traffic surveys.

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GEOGRAPHY

90. The co-ordinator has worked quickly to build up the guidelines for teaching geography. He has ensured that there are adequate resources and introduced new assessment procedures that are manageable. As part of his monitoring role he sees teachers’ Mount Pleasant Junior School - 38 planning, and carries out work sampling that is matched to this planning. This is thoroughly done and teachers given feedback. The minimal amount of time currently being given to the teaching of geography is to be reviewed, as there is not enough time to cover each unit in sufficient depth.

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HISTORY

91. Standards are meeting expectations and have been maintained since the last inspection. History continues to play an important part in developing pupils’ language skills, and research skills and their cultural understanding. The development of assessment procedures remains an outstanding issue that the newly appointed co- ordinator will need to address. Due to the way in which the curriculum is organised it was only possible to see one lesson being taught during the inspection and judgements are based upon the small amount of work available and discussions with staff and pupils.

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HISTORY

92. By the age of eleven pupils’ knowledge and understanding of events, people and places is secure, and they are developing a reasonable knowledge of important events through historical enquiry and developing research skills. In Year 6 pupils use paintings to find evidence about how Victorians may have lived and arrive at generalisations about contrasts between life in town and country. They develop a time line to map the major developments during the reign of Queen Victoria and use books and fact files to compare the life of people from different classes. This research is given greater substance by the visits they make to museums and historical sites and through the history theatre workshops that visit the school. In other classes pupils cover topics on invaders and settlers, the Tudors and the Egyptians, where research skills are developing and pupils learn the difference between fact and opinion.

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HISTORY

93. The subject is taught effectively throughout the school. Good quality resources and artefacts are used well to develop skills of enquiry and to develop pupils’ spoken language and questioning skills. In the one lesson seen the planning was good and very clear learning objectives were set for the development of historical skills, supported by a focused talking time and the recording of information. Good quality displays of history topics are on show around the school, and an effective museum has been created in the library to reflect aspects of the history of the school.

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HISTORY

94. The subject co-ordinator has only recently taken over the responsibility, but the organisation of the curriculum is in good shape. She has begun to check on planning and particularly what was achieved during the unit of work and in this way has made a sound appraisal of the subject. The tracking of pupils’ progress is not yet fully developed to assess pupils’ levels of achievement in communicating their ideas and thinking.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

95. Standards are generally meeting expectations by the age of eleven in the aspect of word processing, finding information and data handling. A coherent and well- organised structure for teaching ICT skills is relatively new and pupils’ experiences in monitoring events such as temperature changes, detecting light levels and programming events such as traffic light sequences lag behind many schools. In these areas standards are below expectations. The shortage of the necessary hardware, for example digital equipment, sensors and programmable devices is to be addressed through the development plan during the next financial year, but needs to be brought forward. Mount Pleasant Junior School - 39 96. Pupils in Year 6 are confident using the computers. They open up the correct programs quickly, download information from web sites and recall correct procedures for carrying out basic operations such as returning to the desk top, saving and printing

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

work. Pupils learn quickly and are enthusiastic to try out new skills. For example pupils in Year 3, having learnt how to change the colour and font type of a set of nouns and adjectives, went on to change the colour of each letter in the word ‘rainbow’. The teacher taught higher attaining pupils how to use a graphics package to fully extend their creativity when designing greetings cards. The pupils learnt quickly, drawing on their understanding of controls such as ‘undo’ to correct mistakes until they were satisfied with the final results.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. Pupils achieve well in those aspects they are taught. Pupils recently arrived in the country without any previous experience of ICT quickly catch up. They benefit from regular support in lessons as well as the opportunity to use the computer suite at lunchtime and after school. Other pupils are keen to help.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

98. The teaching and learning is good. The teachers have good subject knowledge and teach basic skills methodically. New work is introduced with step by step set of procedures and this helps the pupils get a sense of achievement. Regular checks on progress are incorporated into the lesson. In a Year 6 lesson the teacher had usefully prepared a ‘what your screen should look like now’ sheet which was displayed prominently. However the design of the computer suite does not make it easy for teachers to teach from the front as pupils have to turn around to see what the teacher is explaining and so loose sight of their own computer screens. Teachers have got over this to some extent by providing teaching assistants with a copy of the lesson plans so that they can continue working with their group around the computer.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99. Lessons are well planned to teach basic computer skills alongside other subjects. For example Year 4 pupils worked with a report about a lottery winner which required substantial alteration when ‘new’ information came to light. The skills of cutting and pasting text as well as quick ways to move through a large amount of text were well understood by all pupils by the end of the lesson. Pupils at an early level of reading English were provided with translations so that they could focus on the skill rather than struggling with the text. Year 6 pupils learnt how to set up a spreadsheet to model the growth of perimeter and area of increasing larger shapes. This was a good example of how earlier work on formulae could be extended to produce a reliable set of results to be explored. A practical assessment record helped the teaching assistant track lower attaining pupils’ understanding of the different steps so that their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

learning could be consolidated. The teacher’s expectations of what higher attaining pupils should achieve were good and supported well by measured teaching of the program features. By the end of the lesson these pupils had not only learnt how to set up a spreadsheet but also how to change a large amount of data quickly.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100. The school has made good progress since the last inspection. The funds made available have been used wisely to re-place old machines and up date existing ICT equipment, bringing it together in a large computer suite. All staff receive training from the well-qualified co-ordinator and benefit from a suite that is reliably maintained. Staff confidence in teaching ICT is high. The co-ordinator has put into place a set of guidelines for teaching basic skills, as well as a helpful checklist identifying skills to be used in history, art, literacy and numeracy lessons. There is now considerably more direct teaching of these skills, with the result those standards are improving quickly. The school acknowledges the need to expand the hardware necessary to increase pupils’ opportunities for modelling and control. Records of pupils’ progress are Mount Pleasant Junior School - 40 developing. A good start has been made on developing assessment records and staff

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

are evaluating three useful models later this term.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

101. The school has effectively used the funding from the local authority to provide a well supervised after school homework club in the ICT suite. This gives pupils, siblings and parents daily access to the computers to practise basic number skills as well as research topics. This additional experience each week is adding to pupils’ confidence and is particularly important in bringing up to expectations those pupils who arrive at the school without any previous computer experience.

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MUSIC

102. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement about standards attained by eleven year olds. Standards were in line with expectations in the lessons seen in Year 3 and Year 5. Most pupils in Year 3 control the pitch of their voices and show good rhythm. They sing tunefully together and enthusiastically. They play tuned percussion instruments, picking out and playing at different tempos with reasonable accuracy. Pupils in Year 5 create percussion parts to accompany songs and keep time. They sing clearly and understand how to alter the dynamics of a tune. They listen well to the work of other pupils and have good ideas about how to improve their performance.

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MUSIC

103. Teaching by the specialist teacher in the two lessons was good. The lessons had many strong features, particularly the emphasis on techniques for singing and playing instruments. In the Year 3 class pupils sang with greater clarity after the teacher showed how to use the tongue correctly. The lessons are balanced well, and include time for creating music and also for performance. There are high expectations that the older pupils will treat instruments respectfully and work together to compose pieces. This was evident in the Year 5 lesson when pupils recorded their chords to accompany a piece called ‘Captain of the starship’. Higher attaining pupils’ compositions incorporated changes in tempo and dynamic. The regular recording of pupils’ work is providing the school with a very good record of pupils’ progress, although its potential is yet to be fully realised.

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MUSIC

104. Music was a strong feature of the school at the last inspection. Since then key members of staff have left the school and it has not been possible to maintain such features as a school choir. However the school has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. The music teacher has introduced detailed guidelines to help teachers plan their follow up to the weekly lesson. These are detailed and helpful to the non-specialist teacher and are helping to improve teachers’ expertise as well as supplement the teaching each week. It was clear these had been used in one lesson, as pupils were visibly proud that they had improved their singing of the chorus line. However there is no formal check on whether these lessons have taken place in the interim and this could lead to uneven learning within each year group. The co- ordinator is building up a music selection that introduces pupils to music from around

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MUSIC

the world and from different periods, which are regularly used in assemblies and at the start of lessons. The school has maintained a regular programme of visiting instrumentalists representing local Asian music and orchestral musicians, and introduced reorder lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. Standards in dance and games meet expectations and are much the same as in the last inspection. The school has greatly expanded the range of opportunities since then with greater cohesion in the programme of activities. As a consequence pupils have Mount Pleasant Junior School - 41 improved their knowledge, skills and understanding in games activities. However there is less than the minimum recommended time given to physical education because opportunities to use the hall are limited by timetable arrangements. This restricts pupils’ ability to fully reach their potential in areas of physical development such as dance and gymnastics. There were no differences in the achievements of boys and girls in lessons. Pupils in Year 3 learn to swim and at this stage well over half swim a minimum of 25 metres. However with large numbers of pupils joining the school after Year 3 there is no certainty that the majority of eleven year olds reach this

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

standard. Pupils rarely go to the local pool other than with the school and many of the personal survival skills they have learnt are never revisited.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. The teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers are well prepared and are careful to respect the wishes of boys and girls when grouping pupils for games and dance lessons. This means that the lessons can proceed quickly. In a Year 6 lesson the skills of passing rugby balls were taught well and pupils learnt to pass accurately in their groups. There was time for them to watch and comment on each other’s techniques. The pupils made a good contribution to the success of the lesson by encouraging and helping each other, for example by moving in to receive the ball. The lesson was planned well to extend the skills into a small game but there is not enough safe space in the school playground to fully develop pupils’ passing skills. Year 4 pupils had to abandon their lesson outside and quickly organised themselves to continue practising throwing and catching. The teacher skilfully used pupils to evaluate each other’s grip on the cricket bat and pick out better stroke play.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. The co-ordinator has done well to compensate for the lack of a school field by entering teams into regular local competitions or leagues for football, cricket and netball. This plays an important part in bringing the pupils into contact with others who will enter the same secondary school, as well as providing the chance to play full sized games. Comprehensive guidelines have been built up for all areas of physical education with an appropriate emphasis on developing personal targets and teamwork. Modifications have also been made to the athletics teaching since the last inspection, with the introduction of an awards scheme. Resources have been built up to a good level to support the games programme but the playground is not a suitable surface for pupils to practise their skills effectively. There are wide choices of clubs that are well supported and these benefit the physical skills of pupils, as does the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

experience gained by pupils attending an outdoor activity centre. Many of the clubs are managed by adults from within the community and this adds particular value to pupils’ social education.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

108. By Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and understanding meets the expectation of the locally agreed syllabus as they did at the previous inspection. All pupils make good progress as they go through the school. Pupils with special educational needs and those at the early stage of learning English benefit from the effective support that they often receive from learning support staff and this consolidates the progress that they make.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

109. The quality of teaching and learning is good. This shows an improvement on the previous inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory. A significant strength is the range of religions represented in the school and the deep faith of most pupils. Teachers respect this and their sensitive and informed teaching enriches pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

110. There is a greater emphasis in teachers’ planning on pupils sharing their thinking and Mount Pleasant Junior School - 42 this is evident from the discussions with pupils who showed appropriate knowledge and understanding for their age. Teachers make good use of the variety of faiths represented in the school to teach the rituals and explore the significant artefacts of the world faiths. Pupils are very knowledgeable about the major similarities and differences of all the faiths studied. Great cohesion is brought to their learning by the celebration of the many faiths significant days during assembly. These are sensitively handled and provide a chance for pupils to reaffirm and respect each other’s faith.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. Pupils’ work shows a good range of experiences and an appropriate balance of work sheets and written work to help pupils’ gather together their thinking. Two teachers teach the subject across the school and this arrangement ensures that pupils are taught the same topics and approach the learning systematically. The subject makes a good contribution to extending pupils' writing styles and developing their spoken English, but the presentation of work is untidy.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

112. In the Year 6 lessons the teachers made good use of Muslim pupils to act as a panel of experts during work about Islam. They shared their knowledge confidently and articulate pupils asked pertinent questions that were valued by ‘the panel’. Work in books shows that pupils can identify and describe the significance of key figures, events, places and symbols of the religions studied. They write about what it means to belong to a faith community and describe their experiences and the experiences of others. The school makes contacts with the community and receives visitors from various faiths. For example in Year 5 a visiting speaker told the story and explained the significance of the Hindu festival of Holi. Pupils were very interested and attentive and showed good respect for the visitor. In discussions one boy said he understood the story, although he had not heard it before. A girl identified her friend as Hindu and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

explained she knew more about the story than she did. All pupils understood the significance of the story and compared it with other festivals and stories depicting good and evil.

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