Broadway Junior School

BROADWAY JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 13 th September 2001

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BROADWAY JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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BROADWAY 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. Broadway Junior School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Springwell Road Sunderland

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1997 Broadway Junior School - 2

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responsibilities

17794 Mr D Hardman Registered inspector Information and communication technology What sort of school is it?

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responsibilities

Art and design The schools results and achievements. How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 11368 Mrs K Lee Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 4430 Mr R Eaton Team inspector Religious education Music 14991 Mr A Hardwicke Team inspector Mathematics Geography Physical education Equal opportunities 23376 Mr J Hicks Team inspector English How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Design and technology 19386 Mr T Watts Team inspector Science History English as an additional language Special educational needs Broadway Junior School - 3 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Eclipse (Education) Limited 14 Enterprise House Kingsway Team Valley Gateshead NE11 0SR

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE. Broadway Junior School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Broadway Junior School is a large school situated on the edge of the City of Sunderland. It serves a wide geographical area, there is a broad social mixture in the school and the full range of ability is represented. The school’s initial assessments of pupils’ attainment when they enter show that many pupils are below the levels expected for their age, particularly in reading, comprehension and writing. There are 195 boys and 161 girls currently on roll. There are very few pupils who have English as an additional language and few from minority ethnic groups, both being below the national average. There are 195 pupils eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. Ninety-five pupils have been identified as having special educational needs, which is above the national average. Seven have statements of special educational need, which is also above the national average. Most pupils with special educational

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

needs have emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech and communication difficulties or moderate learning difficulties. The school is part of the Sunderland Education Action Zone, which supports a number of initiatives, focusing upon the raising of standards of achievement, teaching and learning. In addition, the school is part of an initiative, which supports regeneration within the area and has benefited from additional support for literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Broadway Junior School is a very good school with many strengths. The leadership and management by the head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff are very good. By the age of 11, pupils’ attainment in science, religious education and information and communication technology is above the level expected for their age, in all other subjects pupils’ attainment is in line with the level expected for 11 year olds. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests in 2000 were an improvement on the previous year. Pupils achieve as well as could be expected in relation to their previous attainment and standards are rising because of good teaching and pupils’ very good attitudes. As a result, the school gives very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership and management of the school by the head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff are very good and well supported by the governors. Very good financial planning supports educational priorities. • The quality of teaching and learning is good and, by the age of 11, pupils achieve well when compared with their previous attainment. • Very good teamwork by staff encourages good relationships. As a result, pupils behave very well and have very good attitudes to their work and school life. • The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are very good, the results are used very well to guide teachers’ planning and make a significant impact on raising standards. • The procedures and provision for pupils with special educational needs are very good. As a result, these pupils make very good progress.

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What could be improved

• The consistent use of classroom based computers to extend and build more effectively on pupils’ good skills learned in the new computer suite. • The use of the school’s procedures for the marking of pupils’ work to refer to the challenging targets set for individuals and groups of pupils to improve their standards Broadway Junior School - 6 further. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Broadway Junior School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been very good progress in dealing with the issues identified in the previous inspection in 1997. Pupils’ attainment in religious education is now above the level expected for their age. All aspects of the subject are now covered following the implementation of guidance that follows the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. The opportunities for pupils to speak to groups and the whole class have improved significantly, mainly because of the professional development undertaken by staff following the last inspection. This led to nominated teachers assessing the provision, providing in service training for all staff, giving demonstration lessons, leading whole school planning and supporting colleagues. As a result, staff are now fully aware of the value of this aspect of English and provide many opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills. Governors

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

are now fulfilling their role well. They have taken steps to deal with the key issues identified in the last inspection and they play a full part in discussions to develop the curriculum both through their committee structure and in full Governing Body meetings. They evaluate the effects of spending on the standards pupils reach and are pleased with the improving results in recent National Curriculum tests in English, mathematics and science. The school is well set to meet its challenging targets and continue to raise pupils’ attainment and progress.

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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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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

English E D C A well above average above average A B

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

mathematics E C C A average below average C D science C C B A well below average E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

The table shows that in the 2000 National Curriculum tests for 11 year olds the school’s results were average in English and mathematics and above average in science. When compared to similar schools, pupils’ performance was well above average in all three subjects. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests in 2001 were very similar to the previous year but national comparisons are not yet available. Inspection evidence shows that standards have improved and reflect the good teaching and learning for pupils in the school. In Year 6, pupils’ standards in science and information and communication technology are above the level expected for 11 year olds and in line with the level for English, mathematics and all other subjects. Religious education is taught well with a structure that follows the Agreed syllabus and all pupils gain good factual knowledge about a variety of faiths and reach standards that are above the level

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

expected for their age. Pupils’ attainment and progress are a credit to the school especially considering the higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the present Year 6. Since the previous inspection, pupils’ attainment has been maintained in virtually all subjects and improved considerably in religious education. The school analyses the results of tests very well and these show that pupils who sat the National Curriculum tests in 2000 made good progress during their four years in the school. The school’s implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has had a significant impact on pupils’ attainment. The trend of pupils’ attainment over time has been broadly in line with the improving national trend. The school is Broadway Junior School - 8 well set to continue to improve standards, meet its challenging targets and implement any future changes in the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to the school and their work. They are keen to come to school and this improves their learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Most pupils are aware of how to treat each other and they work and play well together. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development and relationships are good. They respond well to the rules clearly displayed in all classrooms. Visitors and visits, including residential trips, to places of interest improve pupils’ personal development very well. Attendance Attendance is average. Most pupils arrive at school promptly, settle into class quickly and lessons start on time. There have been three exclusions from the school in the last year.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ good attitudes result from the school’s positive ethos and pupils’ response to the caring, family atmosphere in the school. Pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming. They have a clear sense of right and wrong and treat people appropriately. They are considerate of others when they move around the building, use the dining hall and play at break times. Pupils respond well to the trust and respect they are shown.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

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 of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

Seventy seven lessons or part lessons were seen. The quality of teaching was good and often very good or excellent. There was no unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Good teaching was seen throughout the school, especially in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Teaching has been monitored and the sharing of good practice is having a positive impact on the quality of teaching throughout the school. This strategy has been successful in establishing a climate within the school where teachers are more aware of their strengths and areas for development.

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

The teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics is good throughout the school. Teachers’ planning is clearly linked to the requirements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and where tasks are organised to challenge different ability groups in classes, pupils make good progress. The school uses teacher assessments, together with the results from standardised and National Curriculum tests, to record pupils’ progress. These assessments are then used effectively to set targets, for example in English and mathematics. Standards are rising in the school and the use of assessment data, both to set challenging but achievable targets and to guide teachers’ planning for the next stage of learning, is having a significant impact on this improvement. However, especially in mathematics and science, this good practice of setting targets is not consistently linked to the teachers’ marking of pupils’ work. In these two

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Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6

subjects, there are rarely any comments made or directions on how pupils could improve their written work. Classroom assistants give effective support to individuals and groups of pupils when they are working with them. Although the teaching of information and communication technology skills is good, especially in the computer suite, the occasional missed opportunities to use the classroom computers to support pupils’ developing skills and use them in other subjects mean that pupils’ attainment is not as high as it could be. Pupils with special educational needs Broadway Junior School - 10 are well supported by good teaching that provides challenging activities. As a result, these pupils make very good progress throughout the school. Broadway Junior School - 11

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The school provides a relevant curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils. There is a wide range of learning opportunities for all pupils, the school has adopted the most recent national guidelines and teachers are following these in their planning to ensure that all pupils have a varied and interesting curriculum. The provision of extra curricular activities to enrich the curriculum is a particular strength. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The procedures and provision for pupils with special educational needs are very good. The quality of focused teaching for pupils with special educational needs when they are withdrawn and taught in small groups is good. Teachers know their pupils well and provide challenging activities that make a positive contribution to their attainment and learning. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language

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Aspect Comment

Good. All staff work with pupils to make sure they join in all the activities available. As a result, pupils make good progress in their knowledge, understanding and use of English. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Pupils’ spiritual development is promoted well through lessons and assemblies. The quality of relationships is very positive and makes a significant contribution to the very good behaviour in the school. This provision makes a very good contribution to promoting the school aims. How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. The school takes care of pupils and they are taught in a safe environment, where their welfare is an important concern. There are very good procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum meets the statutory requirements for all subjects. The curriculum includes several features that enrich it, for example, there is a good personal, social and health education programme which pays due attention to both sex education and drug misuse. However, the lack of a library limits the opportunities for the school to fully enhance pupils’ library skills and opportunities for personal research. The school has formed a very good partnership with most parents and this makes an effective contribution to pupils’ learning. The information in teachers’ annual reports to parents, coupled with the discussion evenings, provide good, clear information on pupils’ individual attainment and progress. Broadway Junior School - 12

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management, this gives a clear educational direction for the school. The quality of teamwork by all staff is very good and fosters a positive family atmosphere in which all pupils are valued and their efforts well supported. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is committed to helping the school move forward. Governors make an effective contribution to the running of the school and are committed to maintaining and raising standards further. The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school knows its strengths and areas for development. The monitoring and evaluation programme is having a positive impact on the quality of teaching and all staff work hard to improve their own work and the educational opportunities provided for

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Aspect Comment

pupils. The strategic use of resources The school has a very good and committed staff. There are sufficient teachers to meet the needs of all pupils. Support staff play an important role in the life of the school and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. The accommodation is very well maintained. Resources to support pupils’ learning are satisfactory and used effectively. However, the school does not have a central library in which pupils can practise and refine their skills. The school’s finances and administration procedures are very good.

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Aspect Comment

The very good leadership and management provided by the head teacher, deputy head teacher, key staff and governors are important factors in the quality of teamwork and positive ethos in the school. The very good strategic management of the school is evident in the way that literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology have been given priority for development recently. The head teacher, deputy head teacher and subject co-ordinators regularly watch their colleagues teach and how pupils are learning; as a result, they are well placed to improve and prioritise initiatives for raising standards. The school uses funds designated for particular purposes very well. For example, an element of funding is used to provide extra support staff in all classrooms and this is making a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Governors and the head teacher keep a close eye on spending to ensure that they get

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Their children are making good progress. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good and the school helps children to become more mature and responsible. • They are kept well informed on pupils’ progress. • They feel they can go to the school with any questions or problems. • The school expects children to work hard. • The school works closely with parents. • There were no specific points raised by parents. Broadway Junior School - 13 • The school is well led and managed. • There is an interesting range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive comments and views of the parents. The school is very well led and managed and parents are kept well informed about the life and work of the school as well as being given ample opportunities to come into school for social or informative events. There is a very good range of extra curricular activities that makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils develop positive attitudes and values and their behaviour is very good. The teaching is good and pupils make good progress throughout the school. Broadway Junior School - 14

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Standards in English, mathematics and science have improved since the previous inspection in 1997. Pupils’ attainment in the National Curriculum tests in 2000 was in line with the national average in English and mathematics and above the average in science. Pupils’ results were well above the average when compared with similar schools. Standards have been rising over the last three years and inspection findings show that the present Year 6 are achieving standards in line with national expectations in English and mathematics and are above the expectations in science, information and communication technology and religious education. This represents good progress for this group of pupils from their entry to school in Year 3, especially considering the higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs in the present Year 6. The school has made good progress since the previous inspection because the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

quality of teaching is good and subjects are led particularly well. A significant feature in the rising standards in the school is the way information from tests is used to assess and monitor the progress made by pupils. This is done very well and, as a result, teachers know where to pitch their lessons and all groups of pupils in the school make good progress in their learning. The school sets challenging and realistic targets for improvement and is well placed to meet them. During the inspection there was no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls, although there is a significantly higher number of boys in the school.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening, reading and writing is at the level expected for their age. In lessons, pupils respond well to teachers’ questions. Throughout the school, teachers use the introductory part of lessons effectively to develop and extend speaking and listening. Consequently, by Year 6, the majority of pupils answer questions thoughtfully. They discuss their work with enthusiasm and work well in pairs and small groups, showing an ability to listen carefully to the views of others. Teachers use assessments well to select pupils for “guided reading” groups and this has a positive impact on their learning and improving skills in reading. However, the lack of a library limits the opportunities for the school to fully enhance pupils’ library skills and opportunities for personal research. Pupils’ standards in writing have improved because of good teaching. For example, by the end of Year 6, pupils write for a range

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

of different purposes, such as stories, creating their own magazine and descriptions of experiments completed in science. This type of work ensures that pupils use their literacy skills well to support work in other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in mathematics is at the level expected for their age. The improving standards reflect the positive impact of the National Numeracy Strategy and good teaching. There has been good analysis of pupils’ performance in previous tests and this has resulted in the setting of clear, realistic class targets to focus on improving the weaker areas of mathematical knowledge. This process now needs to be refined and targets referred to when teachers are marking pupils’ work and so improve pupils’ attainment further. Pupils use their numeracy skills well in other subjects such as science and information and communication technology by, for example, creating graphs showing features of their own bodies and entering instructions for a floor robot to draw different shapes.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in science is above the level expected for their age. There is now an upward trend in pupils’ attainment over time. The school is improving standards and setting realistic targets to improve further. Most pupils have a clear understanding of how to conduct experiments and understand the concept of a “fair test”. For example, they plan experiments such as what happens to the body during exercise and how to predict what might Broadway Junior School - 15 happen. They record results carefully, plot them on graphs and come to accurate conclusions that are based on their findings. They know simple food chains and how plants and animals depend on each other for survival. Most pupils possess good recording skills, they use graphs and tables accurately to illustrate their knowledge and understanding.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 In Year 6, pupils attain standards in information and communication technology that are above the level expected for their age. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection, which is a credit to the school because of the change to different computer systems, the introduction of a computer suite and the use of new programs. The school has made considerable improvements to its curriculum over the past two years. Information and communication technology is valued as an essential part of the curriculum. For example, the establishment of the very well equipped computer suite has made a significant improvement and the teaching of skills to the whole class is raising pupils’ attainment considerably. However, classroom based computers are not used sufficiently to further improve pupils’ skills and support work in other subjects.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 In Year 6, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of religious education is above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. The progress pupils make in their understanding of world faiths is good, as is their ability to reflect on what they have learnt in lessons. There is effective use of the local and wider community to enrich the curriculum and provide pupils with first hand learning experiences. Pupils understand the importance of religion to different people and they relate well to stories through discussions and writing about their own life experiences and present day issues. They present their work in books with a good focus on writing which helps to develop their literacy skills. In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in all other subjects is in line with the levels expected for their age. Pupils use their literacy and numeracy skills well in other subjects. For example, in design and technology pupils write detailed instructions, with their

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Pupils with special educational needs are identified at an early stage in the school and a series of particular targets is drawn up. These form pupils’ individual education plans showing how best to meet each pupil’s needs. For example, extra withdrawal groups are created for a short while, for sessions such as additional reading work, or self-confidence. Teachers plan their lessons well to include different work for the least able pupils and learning support assistants work with them whenever possible. In Years 5 and 6, lessons in English and mathematics are taught in ability sets, so that the pupils with learning difficulties are taught as a smaller group. As a result, pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. Many of them come into the school with a low level of skills in many subjects but by the time they leave, they are achieving as well as their classmates. For example, in last year’s National Curriculum tests for

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

science, 99 per cent of pupils attained as well as would be expected nationally.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 There are very few pupils who do not speak English as their first language. The school receives a small amount of additional funding to help with the education of these pupils, but mainly relies on the committed efforts of teachers and classroom support staff, as well as parents. These pupils are well integrated into the classes and receive good additional support when necessary. They make good progress in their lessons and achieve well alongside their classmates. No pupils are identified as being especially gifted or talented at the moment, but in the recent past, a small number of pupils were very well supported in their extended learning. They went on to their secondary education a year early, largely because of the very good support given to them by the teaching and support staff in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Broadway Junior School - 16 9 Pupils’ attitudes to their learning and their behaviour in school are very good and show an improvement from the time of the previous inspection. Their response to the enthusiasm of their class teachers plays a large part in the good progress they make in school. Most parents agree that their children enjoy coming to school and are pleased with the standards of behaviour. As a result of the good teaching and interesting lessons, pupils listen carefully in class and work hard with good concentration and effort. For example, in an art lesson, Year 5 pupils were fascinated to watch their teacher making an observational drawing and so they concentrated very hard to produce good sketches of their own.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 Pupils behave very well in class, in assemblies and around school, responding well to the high expectations of staff. Pupils line up promptly in the playground and walk sensibly around the building. There were three fixed term exclusions reported in the year prior to inspection, reflecting the school’s commitment to high standards of behaviour. Pupils are friendly and polite. They listen to each other well in lessons, always encouraged by their class teachers. Older pupils work well in pairs and groups, for example when working on computers. The youngest pupils who are very new to the school find this co-operation more difficult and achieve it only with the good support of adults.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 Pupils’ personal development is good. Most pupils attend school regularly and come to school on time. Many take the chance to take part in the wide range of extra curricular activities but there are fewer opportunities for them to show independence and responsibility for their own learning in lessons. They undertake tasks willingly such as being classroom monitors and Year 6 pupils are eagerly looking forward to the new “Students’ Council” planned for this year.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12 Seventy seven lessons or part lessons were seen. Teaching was satisfactory or better in all lessons. It was good in 34 lessons and very good or better in a further 25 lessons. Good teaching was seen throughout the school. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. The head teacher, deputy head teacher and subject co-ordinators are implementing the school policy for observing, evaluating and improving teaching. This is being used effectively to raise the quality of all teachers’ performance and set targets for future improvements. The quality of teaching and the teamwork of all staff throughout the school make a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning. The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy is good for all pupils because teachers make good use of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Teachers use homework well to support pupils’ learning in lessons. Teachers work well with

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

support staff and other adults and this enables them to work effectively with pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13 The school has placed great emphasis on raising the attainment of all pupils. The pace of most lessons is good and teachers use the techniques of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to best effect. Pupils have good relationships with teachers and adults in the classroom and this is helping to improve the quality of pupils’ learning. Teachers’ expectations of pupils’ behaviour and effort are high and pupils are expected to do their best. This was seen in a very good Year 6 mathematics lesson, where pupils improved their knowledge and skills when choosing the correct computation to use for solving specific problems. The brisk pace of the lesson and the mature attitudes of pupils led to very good learning and pupils’ improving skills in mathematics. Teachers use the pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy effectively in other lessons and these lessons are challenging and interesting. For example, in science most pupils have

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

good recording skills and they use descriptions and tables well to illustrate the results of their experiments.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14 Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subjects of the National Curriculum. They use the correct language to develop the pupils’ knowledge and understanding Broadway Junior School - 17 of the particular subject. This was particularly evident in English, mathematics and science where specific technical language was used well. For example, in a Year 6 science lesson pupils understood the concept and which symbols to use when drawing a “circuit diagram” to show the results of their experiments on electricity. Teachers use practical sessions in science to bring alive the subject and conduct interesting and exciting lessons, for example, in a Year 5 lesson, the experimental work testing the effects of exercise on their own bodies. Pupils excitedly described the results of their experiments and showed clearly their understanding of a “fair test”. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the teaching of English and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

mathematics and they use good observational assessment of pupils to build upon the areas that pupils need to develop. For example, in an English lesson in Year 4, the teacher used well chosen questions to extend pupils’ understanding of how much information can be gained from a piece of text. The teacher kept all pupils interested and enthusiastic in the session and encouraged discussion to ensure that pupils knew how much they had learned about the characters in the story.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15 Teachers know and manage their pupils very well and provide good support for different activities. However, the use of classroom based computers is inconsistent throughout the school and teachers do not use them often enough to support pupils’ developing skills in the use of computers or to support work in other subjects. The good relationships between staff and pupils create a secure climate in which to learn. Teachers make daily informal assessments during lesson times on which to base their future planning. All assessments are discussed at weekly year group planning meetings and used by teachers to plan future lessons. This very good system ensures that each class in the year group is covering the same curriculum and any aspects not clearly understood are reinforced. However, especially in mathematics and science, this good practice of setting targets is not consistently referred to in the teachers’ marking of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

pupils’ work. Therefore, pupils are not always sure what they need to do to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16 The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language is good. All staff have a very positive attitude towards these pupils and know their strengths and areas for development well. Class teachers, the special educational needs co- ordinator and support staff all work very effectively together ensuring pupils take full part in the curriculum and make very good progress. As a result, the provision for special educational needs is very well organised throughout the school, with a team of well trained learning support assistants, many of whom have undertaken a considerable amount of additional training and give freely of their own time. All teachers have good skills and are very well aware of the pupils who have special educational needs, whether in their own class, or in the groups they teach for literacy and numeracy. Teachers plan according to the pupils’ needs and work towards the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

targets identified in their individual education plans. All adults working with pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are enthusiastic in their approach and liberal with praise. This effectively encourages pupils and helps them develop confidence. Clear records are kept on each pupil’s attainment and this information is used effectively to guide future planning and teaching. As a result of this good teaching, pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language build very effectively on their knowledge, skills and understanding.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

17 The school’s curriculum has been maintained well since the last inspection, it is broad and relevant so that it promotes pupils’ intellectual, physical and moral development well. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and is a strength of the school. The curriculum meets statutory requirements. Broadway Junior School - 18 18 The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies have been well integrated and this is having a good effect on pupils’ progress and attainment. As a result, the school uses its curriculum to enable pupils to make good progress from below average to at least average attainment. This is also apparent in the results of 2000 National Curriculum tests that show good improvement in all core subjects since 1998. Basic skills of numeracy and literacy are thoroughly and systematically taught and pupils use their skills and knowledge effectively in all subjects of

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

the curriculum. Pupils now enjoy their mathematics lessons and have a positive attitude to the subject. The curriculum in English has been further developed to stimulate creativity and inventiveness using the basic skills pupils have learned.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

19 There are detailed policies that promote high standards for all subjects and work is well matched to the needs and abilities of all pupils. The curriculum is regularly audited, reviewed and up-dated by the subject co-ordinators in conjunction with the staff and governors. This ensures that it takes thoughtful and considered advantage of on-going educational developments such as national guidance materials and recommended schemes of work. Teachers’ shared planning is very good and is used very effectively to enable them to take account of the strengths and weaknesses established by their rigorous assessment procedures. Teachers are particularly good at pooling and sharing their ideas so that the overall curriculum is enhanced and enriched. The governors understand the curriculum well and give good support to its development and practice. Some governors regularly take part in lessons and therefore gain

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

valuable experience in supporting teaching and learning.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

20 Provision for extra curricular activities is very good and has a very positive effect on pupils’ attitudes, progress and learning. A particularly good feature is that pupils of all ages and abilities have equal access to these activities including residential visits. There is a wide range of sporting provision and the school makes very good use of its close links with Sunderland Football Club to enhance its coaching arrangements. The school joins with other local schools to form a massed choir that performs to large, local audiences. This gives pupils valuable experience and enhances the reputation of the school in the local community.

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

21 The school uses the community very well to extend pupils’ learning and experience and to promote their personal development. There is a very varied programme of visits and visitors that uses the expertise of the community to great effect. For example, a visit to Sunderland Central Library was very effective in showing Year 5 pupils how to access the wider world of books and information. There are very good links with local churches whose members regularly take assemblies. The school has good links with the local secondary school and with universities through training partnerships.

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

22 There is good provision of personal, social and health education. The ethos of the school is to promote pupils’ personal development through a wide variety of experiences; for instance, the whole school benefits from an annual residential visit. The health education policy appropriately includes sex education and drugs awareness. The curriculum for personal, social and health education is also enhanced by visitors to school such as the “Flabbergast Theatre Group”. The group made a very good contribution for Year 3 pupils to consider relationships in the family, food and healthy eating, based on the story of “Red Riding Hood”.

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

23 The school is committed to equality and full inclusion in all aspects of its work. Policies and schemes of work provide for equal access and, along with the provision of resources, ensure that all pupils are wholly included in all aspects of the school’s life and work. In their day-to-day work teachers and support staff are sensitive to the needs of all pupils and ensure that all participate fully. The school’s mix of male and female staff ensures that pupils are provided with appropriate role models and the effects of this are monitored. Boys and girls are given equal access to all aspects of the curriculum and to the wide range of out of school activities. Broadway Junior School - 19 24 The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable, experienced, enthusiastic and is very focused on the needs of the pupils. In order to help the pupils with special educational needs there are good links with other schools

p.20

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

and institutions, notably the local comprehensive schools, college and university. Positive links continue to be developed with the main infant school that the pupils come from. Parents are well involved; the co-ordinator has run several different, well-attended workshops to help parents.

p.21

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

25 Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good and a strength of the school as it was at the time of the previous inspection. The policy for Collective Worship is very good and assemblies are well planned on a series of appropriate themes. They recognise a deity and there is always time for reflection. They are mainly Christian and meet statutory requirements. One visitor developed well the week’s theme of “using our talents” by telling the story of the person who cleaned an artist’s study measuring with her hand span so as to put everything back exactly where it had been. There are close links with a local church and another church group runs a lunchtime club. The terrorist incident in America took place at the time of this inspection and was sensitively and well dealt with in the assembly the following morning.

p.21

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

26 Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good and is not restricted to assemblies but spreads across the curriculum and through the life of the school. Religious education lessons make an outstanding contribution. Teachers lead pupils to think about the implications for our lives now of the teaching of Christianity and the other main religions. Displays around the building also show how pupils think about important issues. The display in a Year 5 classroom with pupils’ writing on “My friends like me because..”, “I am proud of myself because..” and, “A happy moment is when..” gives a good example.

p.21

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

27 The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral development. It teaches the difference between right and wrong and why knowing that difference is so important. It tries to encourage in pupils a feeling of pride and respect for themselves. For example, a girl in Year 5 demonstrated well the importance of saying “thank you” when another pupil brought back something she had lost. Her thank you was spontaneous and generous. The religious education scheme gives many opportunities for pupils to discuss moral issues, for example, pollution in relation to the work on Creation. The Environment Club also helps pupils to be more aware of these issues.

p.21

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

28 Provision for social development is very good. There are displays in the Year 3 classrooms about the school building to help new pupils find their way about and to make them feel welcome. Class rules, written by teachers and pupils together, include points such as “showing respect to others” as well as rules relating to the orderly running of the classroom. Every pupil in the school has the opportunity to go on a residential visit and most do so several times. The school supports this generously and considers it to be a most important experience for pupils. It is part of its aim to prepare pupils for their life in society.

p.21

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

29 Pupils study other faiths in religious education and this is part of a very good programme of cultural and multicultural work. In Year 3, for example, there are good links with cultural traditions through work on weddings and the secular traditions associated with them. Pupils make visits to museums and art galleries and the school is clearly committed to broadening pupils’ awareness of the arts. In the hall there are several professionally framed pictures painted by pupils. This shows how the school values what pupils do well. There are good policy documents for Equal Opportunities and Multicultural Education. They reflect the importance placed on these aspects of school life and provide a good framework and guidance for teachers. Broadway Junior School - 20

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30 The school continues to provide the good level of care for its pupils that was found in the last inspection. Parents are very happy with this aspect of the school’s work. There are good procedures to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety and for child protection with staff aware and sensitive to such issues. There is good care taken of pupils new to the school. For instance, a class teacher accompanies them on the “Scholars’ Bus” at the end of the day to make sure they all reach the correct stop.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31 The school makes very good provision for pupils’ educational and personal support and guidance. All adults have very good relationships with pupils and promote a calm working atmosphere in the classroom that encourages them to work hard and try to do their best. The school gives lots of praise and recognition for good work and effort which promote pupils’ self- esteem and confidence very well. Very good systems of individual and team awards operate in every classroom, for example, “Our Hero Wall” for a Year 5 class and “Table of the Week” for Year 3. Year 6 pupils feel that everyone is treated fairly, commenting, “We all get treated equally” and they like the way they can earn visits such as to the cinema for good work and effort. Individual targets encourage pupils to evaluate their own performance in English and mathematics.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32 There are very good procedures for the monitoring and promotion of good behaviour and against bullying which have resulted in the very good behaviour seen in school. All adults have high expectations that pupils will behave well and pupils receive clear consistent messages of what is expected of them. Class teachers use specific targets for individual pupils well to monitor their behaviour and praise them when the target is met in lessons. Pupils are confident that any instances of bullying are always dealt with quickly and properly and that they can go to any member of staff if they have problems. The school monitors attendance well, following up reasons for absence and liaising with the education welfare service if necessary.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33 The school has very well developed and effective procedures for assessing all aspects of what pupils know and can do. Very good use is made of this information to help with planning and to modify the curriculum as necessary. On entering the school pupils are tested to find out their levels of understanding in different subjects and this information is used to decide on their individual targets for improvement. Tests are used at the beginning of each year as a means of deciding on the best ways of providing the right work for each child. Targets are set in literacy and numeracy for individuals, classes and year groups, so that all pupils are aware of what they need to do to improve. Class targets are displayed on classroom walls and teachers frequently refer to them, reminding pupils of their aims. In the other subjects of the curriculum assessment is more informal. Teachers generally have a good knowledge of what the pupils can do and

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

where they need to go next. In a Year 6 science lesson, for example, the teacher used past assessment of what the pupils understood to organise their future work on electrical circuits.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34 There is some variation in the way in which teachers mark their pupils’ work. In some classes and subjects, marking is thorough and regular and teachers provide helpful comments to show pupils how to improve. In others, however, marking is less supportive; the good practice of setting targets is not consistently linked to teachers’ marking of pupils’ work. This is particularly a feature of work in mathematics and science but is also seen in some work in other subjects. There is a need for a more consistent approach to marking, so that at all times pupils are praised, encouraged and guided by the way their work is marked.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35 The school complies fully with the requirements to administer statutory tests at the end of the key stage. Very good use is made of the resulting information, so that strengths and weaknesses are identified, trends recognised and the work modified accordingly. The school Broadway Junior School - 21 makes good use of diagnostic tests to find out details of individuals’ understanding. This information is systematically recorded and used to build up a fuller picture of what pupils need to do. Assessment of pupils with special educational needs is good. They all have individual plans containing clear targets, which are well tailored to their individual needs.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36 The school works very hard to maintain its strong partnership with parents with the result that parents think extremely highly of the school and appreciate its efforts on their children’s behalf. The pre-inspection meeting and the questionnaires show that most parents are delighted with all aspects of the school’s work. The inspection team shares these positive views of the school.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37 Parents receive a good range of information from the school. Regular letters on school matters and events are written in a friendly style and include information on topics to be studied each term. There are well-planned consultation meetings for parents to discuss their children’s progress with the school taking care to ensure that as many parents as possible can take advantage of the opportunity provided. Annual written reports give parents good information, especially on how well their children have made progress towards their targets in English and mathematics but there is less information on how well they are achieving in some other subjects such as history and geography.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38 The school encourages parents to be involved in its work and in their children’s learning. A small number of parents help regularly alongside class teachers and many volunteer to accompany on class visits. Parents are very willing to help with fundraising and social events and support the school’s uniform and homework policies. The school runs initiatives to support parents to enable them to help their children’s learning. For example, parents took part in an information and communication technology course to increase their computer skills.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39 The head teacher, deputy head teacher and key staff provide very good leadership and give a clear educational direction for the school which has a positive impact on pupils’ improving standards. For example, the school has used the analysis of pupils’ results in National Curriculum tests to target the improvement of writing as a key area for development. This high quality leadership and management have been maintained since the last inspection. The quality of teamwork by all staff is very good and fosters a positive, family atmosphere in the school where all pupils are valued and their efforts well supported. The governing body takes its responsibilities very seriously; governors make a good contribution to the effective running of the school and are committed to maintaining and raising standards further. The observation of teaching and learning by the head teacher, deputy head teacher and subject co-ordinators is

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

regularly discussed with governors who are well aware of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Subject co-ordinators willingly accept responsibility for their subjects. For example, they control their own budgets, review schemes of work, undertake a regular audit and recommend training needs, regularly scrutinise teachers’ planning and pupils’ work and observe teaching and learning. The school has worked effectively to address the key issues from the previous report and is well placed to maintain the strengths of the school and build effectively upon them.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40 Throughout the school, the management and implementation of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategies is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. There are policies and schemes of work for all subjects. Teachers use these well to guide their planning and ensure that pupils receive a good breadth of curriculum experiences, which build on their previous Broadway Junior School - 22 learning. There is a consistent year group team approach to curriculum planning and the formal assessment of pupils’ progress and achievements is effective. All staff understand the requirements of the Code of Practice for pupils with special educational needs. The provision for these pupils is very good.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41 The effectiveness of the governing body in fulfilling its responsibilities is good. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. For example, they have taken steps to deal with the key issue relating to their management of curriculum development and evaluation of spending on standards of attainment. They now play a full part in the discussions to develop the curriculum both through their committee structure and in full governing body meetings. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Several governors are regular visitors and often help in classrooms where they see pupils working. They receive regular reports from the head teacher and they carefully scrutinise these and ask questions about the contents. With the head teacher, they carefully analyse the annual performance of pupils in the National Curriculum tests. This enables them to evaluate the effect

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of the school’s spending decisions on standards. Most governors are in a good position to make strategic decisions because they know and discuss relevant issues with good understanding. There are difficulties with forward planning at the moment due to uncertainties over possible reorganisation of primary education in the locality and its likely impact on the school in the foreseeable future. Given these circumstances, governors show a good awareness of how to plan ahead for an uncertain future and, in conjunction with the head teacher and staff, prepare a very effective school development plan. The head teacher and the finance committee ensure that all decisions relating to the budget are closely linked to the development plan, are manageable and the principles of “best value for money” are applied rigorously.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42 The school uses funds designated for particular purposes very well. For example, funds allocated for pupils with special educational needs are used very well with the result that the provision is very good and pupils make very good progress. An element of funding is used to provide extra support staff in all classrooms and this extra support is making a positive contribution to pupils’ learning. Very effective routines are in place for the day-to-day running of the school and these ensure that the school runs smoothly. The most recent audit report showed that the systems in place are based on good principles and the minor recommendations have all been implemented. All staff have a shared commitment to raising standards. They have succeeded in creating a learning environment where relationships are good and pupils feel secure and valued. A positive ethos reflects the school’s commitment to achieve the highest

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

educational standards and equal opportunity for all pupils. In the day-to-day life of the school the principles of equal access and opportunity are well observed. Teachers ensure that the work is planned in such a way as to ensure that pupils of all abilities are fully included.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43 There are sufficient teachers to meet the needs of the pupils, whether in the classrooms, or in withdrawal groups for pupils with additional needs. Teachers are well qualified in a range of subjects and they are enthusiastic and dedicated. Many are new to the school and some are new to teaching. They undertake a great deal of extra training, whether in a variety of courses to do with particular subjects such as English and mathematics, or different aspects such as special educational needs or first aid; or through further links with a local college and university which allow teachers to gain more expertise in their own teaching. The training is very well organised and is co-ordinated to make sure that it fits in with the school’s overall plan for developing the skills of staff. All staff are sufficiently qualified and skilled to have whole-school responsibility in a subject, or for a particular year group, or for an additional aspect, such as special educational

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

needs. The school has achieved “Investors in People” status, which is an independent endorsement of the quality of many aspects of the staffing situation. Broadway Junior School - 23 44 Staff new to the school have a very good introduction through a range of methods such as: visits and days in the school before their employment officially starts; having a mentor to be their guide and helper; a “partner” who teaches in the same year group and the school’s comprehensive handbook. The recent initiative for “Performance Management” has been fully implemented. For example, staff develop their own personal and professional targets each year, reviewing these with the head teacher for training needs and what would be best for both the school and the individual. The school helps to train students during their training and before courses begin and it is a centre for other newly qualified teachers to come and see good

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

practice. Once settled in the school, teachers take on the role of being the “deputy” co-ordinator for a subject, so that they broaden their experience and could take over that subject if it became necessary for a time. This is a very good and far-sighted practice.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45 The learning support staff make up a very good team, mainly focused on supporting the less able pupils in classes, but also helping in withdrawal groups. Several have gained accredited qualifications in helping pupils with special educational needs. The support staff, like the teachers, give up a lot of their own time to give the pupils additional support, such as during the summer holidays, when all staff accompany pupils on a residential summer camp. Teachers and support staff run a host of clubs out of school time. The secretarial staff run the office very well and the caretaker and cleaning staff keep the school very well maintained and clean. The provision for information and communication technology is enhanced by the technician, who is paid from external funds, but who is a very well informed source of technical help with the computers, the programs and in working with the pupils during lessons. At the time of the last

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

inspection staffing was considered to be good, with a very good induction programme for new staff. The school now has very good staffing with regard to its balance, development and skills, as well as the induction of new staff.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46 The resources for learning are satisfactory. The English resources are satisfactory, with a good range of books, including “big books” for the literacy sessions, but there is no library in which to store them, display them, make them accessible to all pupils and allow pupils to further develop their library and research skills. The mathematics resources are satisfactory; they are generally good quality and are sufficient to meet the demands of the curriculum. For information and communication technology, the resources are excellent: there is a new suite with new computers and a wall-mounted display screen, as well as older computers that are still in the previous computer room, the classrooms and the special educational needs room. Teachers are quickly becoming proficient in using the new computers in the new suite, but many of the computers in classrooms are not used consistently enough to aid pupils’ learning as part of

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

lessons. The resources for religious education are very good; very well used and are well supplemented by loans from the nearby resource centre. Science resources are good, with a good range of small equipment and apparatus that is very well organised and easily accessible. Their use in lessons is good and often imaginative, enhancing pupils’ learning very well in some lessons. Art resources are good, with a good selection of equipment and materials for different aspects of the subject, such as clay, paints, crayons and charcoal. The resources for other subjects are satisfactory, well organised, well stored and accessible to all teachers. Some subjects, such as history, make very good use of outside resources, including many valuable visits, loans and visitors coming into the school.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47 The school has good accommodation which allows for effective teaching of the curriculum. This is similar to the position at the time of the last inspection. The site is well maintained and spacious. There is a good grass playing field and a large hard surface for all- weather activities outdoors. The building is in adequate condition on the exterior and is kept very well maintained and clean on the inside, it is also very well brightened by displays of pupils’ work. The recent redecoration of the interior has produced a building that is bright and welcoming and a good environment for pupils’ learning. There is a good suite for information and Broadway Junior School - 24 communication technology and this is being used well, but it has taken over the library space and there is now no library. The school has yet to make up for this loss.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48 There is very good leadership by the head teacher, deputy head teacher, key staff and governors, very good financial management and good relationships in school. Educational priorities are well supported through the school’s financial planning. There have been very good improvements since the last inspection. The cost of educating each pupil is above the national average. However, pupils’ attainment is improving when compared with their previous attainment and their learning is good. As a result, the school is giving very good value for money.

p.26

teacher, staff and governors should:

A. Further develop the good information and communication technology skills learned in the computer suite by ensuring the consistent use of classroom based computers to support work in other subjects.

p.26

teacher, staff and governors should:

B. Ensure that the school fully implements its procedures for the marking of pupils’ work to reflect the challenging targets set for individuals and groups of pupils to improve their standards further.

p.26

In addition to the key issues above, governors should include the following issue as part of

Ensure that the plans for the establishment of a library are implemented to enable the school to fully enhance pupils’ library skills and opportunities for personal research.

p.26

In addition to the key issues above, governors should include the following issue as part of

(Paragraphs 2, 46, 47, 54, 56) Broadway Junior School - 25

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 3 30 44 23 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 356

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 195 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 95

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 17

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.27

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broadway Junior School - 26

p.27

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 2000 51 35 86

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 31 26 34

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 83% (72%) 79% (71%) 99% (83%)

p.28

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

at NC level 4 or above National 75% (70%) 72% (69%) 85 %(78%)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 29 33

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 74% (76%) 85% (76%) 92% (82%)

p.28

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

at NC level 4 or above National 70% (68%) 72% (69%) 79% (75%)

p.28

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broadway Junior School - 27

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.29

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.

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14 Financial year 2000 - 2001

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.5

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3– Y6 Total income 713,533

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 697,204

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 193.5 Expenditure per pupil 1,964

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 40,551

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 56,880

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Recruitment of teachers Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

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

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Broadway Junior School - 28

p.29

Questionnaire return rate

Number of questionnaires sent out 356 Number of questionnaires returned 78

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongl y disagre e Don’t know

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 85 14 1 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 72 26 1 0 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 71 24 4 0 1

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 83 16 1 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 91 9 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 91 8 1 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 77 23 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 92 8 0 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 87 12 1 0 0

p.30

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 72 21 3 0 4 Broadway Junior School - 29

p.30

ENGLISH

50 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in English is in line with the level expected for their age. Standards in English are better than those reported in the last inspection. Standards of work seen during the inspection reflect the results of the 2000 National Curriculum tests when pupils at the end of the key stage reached the levels expected of them. However, standards are well above those attained by pupils in similar schools. This is because the school has rigorously and systematically considered how to improve teaching and learning and has taken clear and appropriate action to raise standards. As a result, standards have risen from well below average levels in 1998 to below average in 1999 and rose further to reach national average standards in 2000. This standard has been maintained in 2001 and there are positive signs that further improvement can be made. Teachers have high expectations for their pupils and are hard-

p.31

ENGLISH

working and thorough in their approach to enable them to reach better standards.

p.31

ENGLISH

51 The school assesses pupils soon after they enter Year 3 and these tests show that pupils have language skills that are below the standards expected for seven year olds nationally. They have a limited vocabulary and some struggle to explain what they mean when asking or answering questions. Many pupils are reluctant to answer questions at all and teachers are careful to make sure they get enough chances to do so. From this below average beginning pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, make good progress as they move through the school and most overcome the deficit by the end of Year 6. This improvement in language skills is also seen in other subjects in the curriculum that rely on English so that there is an all-round raising of standards.

p.31

ENGLISH

52 A very important factor in bringing about such improvement is the high quality of teaching in the large majority of English lessons. Teachers plan their lessons very carefully so that the materials, activities and teaching methods are suitably adapted to meet the full range of pupils’ abilities in the class or group. Teachers start lessons promptly and purposefully and keep up a brisk pace so that their pupils are quickly interested in the subject and stay interested throughout. They have good relationships with their pupils and classrooms are orderly and well controlled. Teachers are particularly keen to give pupils of different ability many opportunities to give answers, make suggestions and explain their thoughts to small and large groups. Teachers encourage pupils to hold brief but focused discussions with each other so that they learn to be “listeners” and “speakers”. They ask questions that make pupils think carefully about their

p.31

ENGLISH

answers and say why they think what they do. This encourages pupils to think logically rather than simply making quick responses. Pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other and this helps them to learn more quickly and to make better progress. Another factor that makes a very good contribution to pupils’ improving skills is the very good knowledge they have of their own learning needs through the targets set for them.

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ENGLISH

53 Drama is used well to help pupils develop their listening and speaking skills. For example, during the inspection a theatre group stimulated Year 3 pupils to try to use spoken language creatively and confidently for an audience. In another Year 3 class they learn to speak in a variety of ways such as “casually”, “growling” or “enthusiastically”. Year 3 pupils develop their understanding of how questions and statements are different and begin to use appropriate language to test their learning. However, most Year 3 pupils do not enter the school with well developed speaking skills and use simple sentences like, “He wanted to fly” and “He was only able to say honk” . Older pupils are benefiting from the emphasis on speaking and many use Broadway Junior School - 30 language precisely to describe their work. However, average Year 5 pupils still have difficulty in explaining their tasks or describing precisely what they have learned.

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ENGLISH

54 The teaching of reading continues to be a priority and the school has used a number of interesting methods to stimulate pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for books. For example, the school realised that over half of the pupils in Year 5 were not reading as well as they could. By including additional teaching and buying books the pupils really wanted to read, pupils became more interested and reading standards improved greatly during the year ending July 2001. Pupils’ attitudes to reading vary and there are still too many who say that reading is not an activity they prefer. Most pupils in the school know how to use the contents and index sections to find information. Few readers were secure in their knowledge of how libraries are organised so that they can find books of different kinds. This is partly because the school does not have a central library in which pupils can practise and refine their skills. The school organises trips to a

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ENGLISH

library for some pupils but it is a long way away and is not a suitable replacement. Most pupils are supported by their parents and say they read regularly at home. Almost all have a small collection of personal books and better readers say they have quite a lot, including favourite books that they like to read more than once. Year 6 pupils have benefited from a strong focus on reading last year and have a satisfactory command of reading.

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ENGLISH

55 Writing has been identified as a priority and the school aims to improve both fictional and non-fictional work. Classes and pupils have clear targets so that plans and lessons deal with known weaknesses. An extra half hour each day is used to enable pupils to improve and develop their writing skills further. Most pupils present their work neatly although a surprisingly large number of higher ability Year 5 pupils still use pencil rather than ink. Pupils learn to spell correctly and to use an increasing range of punctuation accurately. They learn about aspects of language such as synonyms and begin to use this knowledge to make their written work more varied. They write for a range of purposes such as letters and character profiles and vary the language appropriately. Pupils learn how to plan their stories so they have a clear structure that helps make them more interesting. Year 6 pupils use language well when they write, “They

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ENGLISH

apprehensively looked back. Thick bushes grew on either side, dripping and rustling”. Even when spelling is insecure pupils demonstrate interest and liveliness when they write, “There was an error of menece about her even from a distence and when she came up close you could almost feel the dangourous heat radiating from her body”. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make very good progress because teaching is well directed to address their particular learning stage.

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ENGLISH

56 The current subject co-ordinator has only recently taken on the responsibility but is continuing with the good work of her predecessor. The responsibility is soon to be shared by two people to make sure that future priorities for development are clearly focused, monitored and evaluated throughout the school. The school has rigorously addressed the key issue of pupils’ speaking and has worked closely with outside agencies to draw up a comprehensive policy for development. This has been so successful that the last co-ordinator now helps develop programmes for other schools to follow. All teachers plan many opportunities for speaking across all subjects and this is having a positive effect on pupils’ confidence and performance. Although resources for the subject are good in some areas, the lack of a central library does not allow pupils to develop the skills of personal study or independent learning sufficiently.

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MATHEMATICS

57 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in mathematics is in line with the level expected for their age. Since the previous inspection the school has improved standards in mathematics. Standards of work seen during the inspection reflect the results of the 2000 National Curriculum tests when pupils at the end of the key stage reached the levels expected of them. When Broadway Junior School - 31 compared with similar schools, pupils’ attainment in mathematics was well above the average. The good-quality teaching, careful and thorough assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding and well-organised ability sets in Years 5 and 6 are all significant factors in the schools efforts to raise standards further. They enable the school, from below average levels of attainment on entry, to provide pupils of all abilities with a broad and relevant curriculum which enables them to make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

58 The attainment of pupils in Year 3 is below that expected for their age. In a lesson on investigating numbers which total 20, for example, pupils were very dependent on adult support. They lacked confidence and only made a little progress. Their understanding was limited and they made gains in learning only when given close guidance from the teacher or support assistant. However, in Year 6 pupils have developed an understanding of the value of numbers and link this knowledge to their work with decimals and fractions well. They work out number problems using a range of mental methods and are given opportunities to use and apply their mathematical understanding in a variety of investigations. As a part of data-handling, pupils work on data sets, dealing with ideas such as the mode, range and mean. They understand the properties of two and three dimensional shapes and confidently work out the perimeters of

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MATHEMATICS

59 The quality of teaching is good. In some lessons, teaching was very good. Teachers plan their work well and adapt their plans in the light of day-to-day assessments of what their pupils understand. They are good at identifying what is to be learnt in lessons and they make this clear to the class. They have high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour. Standards of class management are very good. Teachers pay very good attention to the teaching of basic number skills and generally succeed in making the work interesting and enjoyable. This sustained good teaching is a strong contributory factor to the improvement in standards that has been achieved. However, there is some variation in the way teachers mark their pupils’ work. The best marked work is thoroughly done and includes helpful comments on what the pupil needs to do to improve. In some books marking is more variable. For example, the good

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MATHEMATICS

practice of setting group and individual targets is not consistently linked to the teachers’ marking of pupils’ work. Occasionally pages are left unmarked and so there are no written comments from the teacher to encourage and guide the pupil.

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MATHEMATICS

60 Teachers have worked hard to implement the National Numeracy Strategy and now confidently modify the basic lesson structure to meet the needs of their pupils. However, in a few lessons the introduction is too long and pupils become restless when required to sit on the carpet for long periods. Such an imbalance in the structure of the lesson has a negative effect on learning, as there is less time available for the main activities. In the great majority of lessons, however, class management is very good, a brisk pace is maintained and learning is maximised for pupils of all abilities. This leads to good learning where pupils are keen to contribute to discussions and concentrate well when given their different tasks. Careful planning and good use of support staff ensure that pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language are fully included in lessons and so make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

61 A feature of many lessons seen was the well-planned use of correct mathematical vocabulary. When discussing mathematical concepts teachers are careful to use the correct language and they also expect their pupils to use key words and phrases correctly. In a Year 4 lesson the teacher used the word ‘quadruple’. “What is quadruple? Do you remember what that word means?”. Work such as this makes a good contribution to pupils’ basic language development. The development of numeracy skills in other subjects is good, for instance where Year 6 pupils use keys to aid their understanding of maps. The school’s extensive use of residential visits provides many practical opportunities for pupils to develop different aspects of Broadway Junior School - 32 their numeracy skills, for instance in measuring distances when orienteering and during map reading exercises.

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MATHEMATICS

62 The subject is well managed by a co-ordinator who has been responsible for the subject for the past three years. All aspects of subject management are well organised and thoroughly documented. Analysis of all aspects of pupils’ performance enables the school’s management to have a clear view of standards and to set challenging but realistic targets for improvement. The need to increase the use of classroom based computers in mathematics lessons is an area for development which the school has already identified. Resources for mathematics are satisfactory, they are well organised and readily available for all pupils.

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SCIENCE

63 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in science is above the level expected for their age. Standards of work seen during the inspection reflect the results of the 2000 National Curriculum tests when pupils at the end of the key stage reached standards above the national average. When compared with similar schools, pupils’ attainment in science was well above the average. At the time of the last inspection, results compared with similar schools were good so this is an improvement on an already good situation. Virtually all pupils are attaining in line with what would be expected nationally from pupils of average ability and this included many pupils who had learning difficulties. The least able pupils in the school, starting from a low level of skills and knowledge in science, make very good progress through the years, and they achieve very good results in the National Curriculum tests at the end of their last year in school. The more able

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SCIENCE

pupils, and those of the highest abilities, make good progress and they also achieve above the expected level. There is no significant difference in the performance of girls and boys.

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SCIENCE

64 Pupils in Years 3 and 4 make a good start by learning about the scientific approach, how to carry out simple investigations and how to record the results. They classify things in different ways and they learn about different aspects of science such as plants and seeds, healthy eating, the human body and the bodies of other animals. Their studies include good experimental work about the different forces around us, such as magnetism and electricity. In Years 5 and 6, pupils learn more about how to plan an experiment such as what happens to the body during exercise, how to predict what might happen and how to carry out a “fair test”. They record results carefully, plot them on graphs and come to conclusions that are based on their findings. By the time they leave the school, pupils have a good understanding of many aspects of science such as electrical circuits, light, colour and shadows, the Sun and the planets, materials and their

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properties and different kinds of food. They understand the food chains that exist in nature and their work covers important aspects of sex education, drugs awareness and healthy eating.

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SCIENCE

65 Pupils continue to have a good attitude to science, as found in the previous inspection; they are interested and are well motivated by the way that teachers use practical and challenging methods. They behave well, largely because most teachers do not tolerate any inattention or poor behaviour and because the teachers make the lessons interesting. Pupils work together well in pairs and groups during investigations and they work well independently. Some pupils in Year 3 are inattentive at times, but this is when the lessons are rather slow, because they have to wait to take their turn and they then become restless. This happens occasionally because the teacher tries to make sure that all pupils have a turn and that they all understand the rules of science, but there is a need to balance this with the short attention span that many of the youngest pupils have.

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SCIENCE

66 The teaching is good. In some lessons the teaching is very good. This was also the situation when the school was last inspected. The high quality teaching ensures that the pupils learn well or very well, as they develop through the school. Teachers have a good knowledge of Broadway Junior School - 33 the subject and most teach in a lively style, encouraging pupils to think and to learn. These lessons have a clear focus, they are very well planned and organised, using good resources, such as the skeleton of a human being and a rabbit to enliven the learning. The practical experiments and investigations are very motivating to most pupils, this helps them to concentrate, whether on the actual investigation, or the recording and writing up afterwards. In one very good lesson, pupils planned an experiment to find out what the effects of exercise are on the human body. The pupils decided what the exercise should be, where it should be done

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SCIENCE

and then predicted what the effects might be. They decided how the effects would be measured and recorded and how they could make it a “fair test”. They worked solidly for two hours, with the teacher helping and guiding. Several pupils recorded their results on a computer and others gave a little talk to the class about what their findings were. Although used well to support this particular lesson, classroom based computers are not used consistently to support science and further extend pupils’ skills. Teachers set work that is well based on pupils’ previous experience, so they are learning well and teachers use questions and challenging discussions well in order to make pupils think more deeply. However, the marking of pupils’ work is not consistent; for example, the good practice of setting group and individual targets is not consistently linked to teachers’ marking of pupils’ work. When there are comments, pupils do not generally do

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SCIENCE

anything to correct or finish their work.

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SCIENCE

67 The leadership and management of science are still good, as at the time of the previous inspection. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and has created a clear policy and plan of what will be taught in the long term. Regular assessment of pupils’ progress is carried out well and it forms the basis of what will be taught next. There are good links with a local college and a secondary school, which includes some of the older pupils going into the secondary school’s laboratory for a series of lessons. The co-ordinator is observing teaching and learning and the information gained is shared with all teachers to ensure pupils’ good learning continues. The resources for science are good; they are very well organised and include all the equipment necessary for teaching the curriculum in an imaginative and creative way.

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ART AND DESIGN

68 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in art and design is in line with the level expected for their age. Pupils’ progress and learning are satisfactory and the quality of some art and design work on display is good. This is a similar picture to that found in the last inspection. All classes contribute to the attractive displays of work in classrooms and corridors. Pupils develop their skills and understanding of art and design well as they explore an ever increasing range of media. Drawing skills are developed as they explore the effects obtained when using different pencils and crayons. For example, in Year 6 sketch books, pupils produce good observational drawings using pencil shading to create effective shadows and depth in their pictures. Teachers ensure that pupils’ studies include looking carefully at the placing of facial features when they draw portraits. Teachers also make good use of the work of famous artists. For example, Year 4

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ART AND DESIGN

pupils study Monet and create pictures in the style that he used. Pupils in Year 6 study the work of Salvador Dali and their surreal pictures are often good with an accurate eye for detail.

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ART AND DESIGN

69 In Year 5, pupils learn good techniques for design, using soft pencils to create shadows. For example, in a lesson on observational drawing they arranged a composition of two objects and used pencils to draw what they could see from their seat. The teacher intervened and gave specific advice on how to hold the pencil and apply different pressure to create heavy or light shading effects. Pupils put their new skills to good use and drew some very good still life pictures, with realistic shadows that gave a three dimensional effect. Pupils are very proud of their work and keen to discuss their techniques, for example, they explained how they linked history to the subject when drawing and painting a Viking boat. Teachers use a very good Broadway Junior School - 34 variety of resources to encourage pupils to use their observational skills very well. For example, in an art and design lesson in Year 3, pupils arranged a doll into a particular position, some

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ART AND DESIGN

followed the ideas produced in the discussion and used gymnastic positions such as the splits or push ups to create a different body shape to draw. This effective teaching method and constant support and encouragement throughout the lesson led to good learning by all pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

70 Pupils enjoy their art and design and take great pride in their work. They work with care and are willing to try new ideas in order to achieve the best results. For example, in a Year 4 art and design lesson the teacher linked the subject very well to pupils’ studies in design and technology. Pupils studied the fixings on a moving picture and noted how the levers moved different parts of it. They made their own first attempts to design and draw their own moving picture and identify and label the parts that will create movement. In pupils’ sketch books, they make their own evaluations of their work and this makes a positive contribution to their learning as they look critically at their finished products. This subject makes a positive contribution to pupils’ cultural and spiritual development, as they learn about art in different societies and appreciate the range of feelings they experience in creating their own art works.

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ART AND DESIGN

71 The quality of teaching in art and design is satisfactory. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and understand how to help pupils develop the wide range of skills needed to master a wide range of media. The subject co-ordinator is very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and provides very good support to colleagues. Teachers base their planning on a scheme of work and the progress of both knowledge and skills is informally monitored by the subject co-ordinator. Lessons are well organised and resources used effectively to encourage pupils to experiment and enjoy finding new ways of creating works of art. Display is linked to art and teachers create a colourful and stimulating environment that celebrates pupils’ work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

72 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in design and technology is at the level expected for their age. This is the same as levels reported at the time of the last inspection. The quality of teaching remains good overall and is sometimes very good. Teachers understand what is required from the subject and make detailed and supportive plans to achieve these aims. They ensure that materials are well prepared and readily available and manage pupils very well so that lessons flow without interruption. Pupils are taught the necessary skills and knowledge through an interesting and varied programme of activities. These include designing and making a handbag to specific requirements, a working fountain with an attractive background, moving pictures requiring a good knowledge of levers and models incorporating electrical circuits. Pupils are taught about food technology and useful links are made to their science lessons. For

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

example, pupils in a Year 3 class sample sandwiches and learn about hygiene and healthy eating although their responses are hampered by weak language skills. Year 5 pupils investigate and evaluate a range of musical instruments, including some from other cultures, and link this well to their work in music lessons. This gives them a better understanding of both subjects. Pupils of all abilities develop their skills systematically and, as a result, make good progress during their time in the school. There is, however, still no formal record to indicate what individuals or groups of pupils achieve.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

73 Pupils enjoy design and technology lessons when they are practical and interesting and work with care, control and perseverance. They do not enjoy lessons where they have to listen to the teacher for long periods of time instead of working with materials and other resources at first hand. When this happens they become bored, restless and inattentive. Opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills are often, but not always, well integrated into lessons. For example, one Year 6 pupil shouted, “You could have waterproof slippers to wear in the bath” whereas a pupil in one Year 4 class sensibly suggested, “When the rain comes down it will spoil Broadway Junior School - 35 leather so it isn’t good for garden furniture”. Pupils are developing the vocabulary necessary to evaluate products. This is particularly effective in lessons where they are encouraged to speak clearly and to listen carefully to the contributions of other members of the class. Pupils co-

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

operate well on their tasks and handle materials and simple tools with care and attention to safety.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

74 The subject is managed satisfactorily considering the low priority of the subject in recent years. The school is currently considering ideas and projects from a number of sources so that it can develop its own teaching programme. There are plans to improve teachers’ knowledge of the subject and to extend the range of tools used by pupils. Resources are satisfactory and are being updated in line with the developing subject policy and teaching programme. Teachers are keen for pupils to achieve high standards and fully support the development of the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

75 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in geography is in line with the levels expected for their age, as they were at the time of the last inspection. The school has therefore maintained satisfactory standards.

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GEOGRAPHY

76 The school makes good use of its own locality, for example, Year 3 pupils are given experiences which help them understand the physical and human features of the area. They learn to ask questions to find out what places are like. This firm grounding in their own experience brings the subject alive for pupils and forms a sound base for their future learning. The teaching of geography is good. Teachers plan their work thoroughly, have high expectations and manage their classes very well. In a Year 6 lesson, for example, the teacher set a lively pace from the beginning, asking quick fire questions about the names of the countries of the United Kingdom and their capital cities. This provided a useful check on pupils’ recollection of the previous lesson, as well as preparing them for the new learning to come. Questions were used effectively and pupils of all abilities were fully involved in the lesson. Very good working

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GEOGRAPHY

relationships were seen. This combination of teaching strategies is very effective in promoting good learning for all.

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GEOGRAPHY

77 The emphasis on practical activities in all year groups is good, pupils generally enjoy the work and develop positive attitudes to the subject. They show a lively curiosity about their own local environment and also the wider world. A broad curriculum is followed, which gives satisfactory coverage to all aspects. This is taught through a well planned series of residential and other visits, to a range of localities. There are good links to other subjects, particularly history. As a result, pupils in all year groups develop a good understanding of places and how they differ from their home locality. Activities such as map reading, orienteering and walking give pupils worthwhile practical experiences. In Year 6, pupils demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relationships between people and the environment and how to use information sources such as maps, atlases and globes.

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GEOGRAPHY

78 The subject is effectively co-ordinated, documentation has been updated and resources are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has a clear overview of the subject and has been involved in local initiatives, such as a teacher exchange visit to Canada, which have been beneficial to the development of the subject.

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HISTORY

79 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in history has been maintained since the last inspection and is at the level expected for their age. The less able pupils particularly, have benefited from the way that history is taught, mainly through research, with discussion and verbal presentations to Broadway Junior School - 36 the rest of the class. They make good progress through the school and are achieving in line with what would be expected of most pupils nationally. The majority of pupils make satisfactory progress overall, however, the pupils capable of higher attainment are not always extended as much as they could be, because there are too few opportunities to develop their extended writing skills. In this respect, pupils capable of higher attainment are not progressing as well as they were at the time of the previous inspection. The school needs to achieve a balance between the research and verbal skills that it is encouraging at the moment and the written and factual skills

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HISTORY

that could stretch these pupils to a greater extent.

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HISTORY

80 As they develop through the school, pupils learn how to look at different sources of information, including some from the period they are studying. They evaluate and interpret what they are reading and looking at and put together a set of facts and opinions about life, for instance, for children in Victorian times or in Tudor times. They learn effectively about other cultures in the past, such as the Anglo-Saxons and those from other countries, such as the Romans, Greeks and Egyptians. There is good emphasis on the local area as they learn about the development of England during the past seventy years. Pupils are interested in their lessons, and are particularly excited about their trips out to local places of historical interest, especially with regard to the Saxons, the Victorians and people during the Second World War. They take great interest in the visits by a theatre group and by local ladies who were evacuees

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HISTORY

during the Second World War. They behave well, work together well and are polite and friendly. Pupils enjoy the verbal presentations they give and are developing confidence in speaking to the class. They join in class discussions well, especially when the teaching is lively and challenging.

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HISTORY

81 The teaching overall is satisfactory and in some lessons it is good. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject, they teach mainly through the “research” approach that encourages good learning and motivates all pupils well, especially the less able. In some lessons where the teaching is good, the teaching is lively and demanding, involving all of the pupils in discussions and expecting good behaviour. In one good lesson, for example, the pupils compared the lives of rich and poor children in Victorian England with their own lives; the teacher had many different sources of information such as books and artefacts relating to games, clothes and schooling. After the good initial question and answer session that motivated the pupils and set them off in the right direction, the teacher went round all of the groups, helping and guiding, keeping an eye on behaviour and making sure that all pupils were learning well,

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HISTORY

thinking carefully and not wasting time. Occasionally the work was interrupted well, to make an important point to the whole class, or to remind the pupils about the purpose of their work, so that their learning stayed focused on the right topic. The learning support assistant worked well with a group of less able pupils, ensuring that they understood the work, guiding their ideas and discussions well. The lesson was to be supplemented with a visit by a theatre group later in the week.

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HISTORY

82 The subject is well managed and led, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. The co-ordinator is dedicated and well organised and has created a clear policy and subject development plan. The co-ordinator checks the plans that teachers produce for their topics, the quality of their lessons and the standards of work that the pupils produce. This is carried out informally and there is no formal assessment of what pupils know and understand, however, the long term plan of what is to be taught each year is being revised, particularly with a view to formalising the local study as a full topic during one year. Sometimes teachers are not consistent in the marking of the work that pupils do and pupils do not receive sufficient guidelines on how to improve their written work. The resources for history are satisfactory, well organised and easily accessible in topic boxes. They are very well added to by visits, the visitors who come in and

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HISTORY

work with classes and by borrowing artefacts from several local centres. These loans and visits are a very good motivating factor in the pupils’ interest in this subject. Broadway Junior School - 37

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

83 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in information and communication technology is above the level expected for their age. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection which is a credit to the school in light of the change to different computer systems, the introduction of a computer suite, new programs and the leadership of the co-ordinator. Information and communication technology is valued as an essential part of the curriculum and all classes are timetabled to use the computer suite regularly. However, the time given to it varies across the school because the class based computers are still not used sufficiently consistently by all teachers to support pupils’ work in information and communication technology and in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

84 Pupils build effectively on their skills and knowledge with more frequent use of the new computers in the suite and programs in school. For example, pupils in a Year 3 lesson used the different facilities to type words into the computer and changed the size before each example. They improved their confidence during the lesson and, by the end of the session, a few changed the style of their words using the facilities in the program. Pupils in Year 4 build effectively on these basic skills and use the “highlight” effect to select words and then change their size, shape or style. Pupils in Year 5 build effectively on previous work when using a spreadsheet. They enter information and then, by using the correct formula, use the computer to work out the total price of a shopping list or planned holiday. In the lesson many showed improving skills and confidence when using the different elements of the program to create increasingly complex

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

problems. Discussions with pupils in Year 6 showed they have a good understanding of a wide range of programs now being used in the school. For example, they talked confidently about their use of the Internet when finding information for their history topic on World War II. They also explained how to use a special program that allowed them to control the movement of a clown. Pupils explained how they load and save their work, how to bring up the various menus available, for example when changing the size or colour of their work when writing stories straight onto the screen.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

85 When computers in the suite were in use during the inspection, the quality of teaching and support for pupils was good and sometimes very good. This leads to good learning by all pupils, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language, because the quality of the teachers’ management of the lessons and good subject knowledge are used effectively to improve pupils’ skills in the use of different computer programs. All teachers follow the policy and written guidance and, following training by the co-ordinator, are more confident in their use of the equipment. Pupils respond enthusiastically to opportunities to use computers to improve their knowledge, skills and understanding. There are good relationships between pupils, teachers and support staff, which mean that pupils feel confident when using computers to try different activities, knowing their efforts will be appreciated. For

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were using a “multi media” presentation well. They used the facilities of the program well to record their voices, change the audio effects, transfer their work into a word processing program and then type the message so that it can be seen and heard at the same time. The good encouragement by the teacher made sure that all pupils tried the different parts of the program and pupils were very proud of the effects they created when making the recording sound different by speeding it up or producing an echo effect.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

86 Good management and well organised lessons ensure that pupils’ time in the computer suite is used to best effect. However, the use of classroom based computers is inconsistent throughout the school and teachers do not always use them to support pupils’ developing skills in the use of computers or to support work in other subjects as much as they could and so improve pupils’ skills still further. When in use there are usually two pupils working on each computer taking turns and working effectively together to put in information. As well as improving their Broadway Junior School - 38 knowledge of information and communication technology, sensible co-operation makes a positive contribution to their moral and social development. For example, two pupils using the computer in a Year 5 mathematics lesson took turns in answering multiplication and division problems and then guiding a hedgehog successfully across a road. An examination of work last year shows

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

that Year 3 pupils used the floor robot to produce mathematical shapes and Year 4 pupils used the skills in a program to control the movements of a rescue helicopter. In Year 5, pupils created their own books using imported pictures from the Internet and the facilities of a word processing program to create an interesting variety of writing styles. This kind of project was developed well in Year 6, when pupils produced their own summer magazine showing the effective use of a spreadsheet to record the results of football teams in an imaginary league. These different examples show that teachers are providing a wide range of activities in the use of computers and accounts for the standards achieved.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

87 The co-ordinator has written a very good policy, scheme of work and detailed action plan to guide the work of all staff. This shows the subject is managed very well by an enthusiastic and well organised co-ordinator who is keen to keep moving forward. The scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work, as well as observing and helping other teachers in the use of the computer suite, forms an integral part of the evaluation and development system. The planned curriculum takes into account all the required aspects of information and communication technology. The school now makes very good provision and has used national and local grants to improve resources for the subject, which are now excellent. For example, pupils in the computer club produced their own “interactive multi media” presentation using a digital camera, typing skills and a variety of special effects to show what life in the school is like. This has been

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

shown to parents and pupils are justifiably proud of their finished work. These improvements in provision have been made since the previous inspection and the school is now well placed to further develop the subject and continue to improve pupils’ attainment and progress.

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MUSIC

88 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in music is in line with the level expected for their age. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. However, none of the lessons seen showed pupils composing music but a tape in the sample of pupils’ previous work showed creative work of a modest standard. Class music is well supported by an ocarina group and a choir. Pupils sing tunefully and with a pleasing sound in assembly. Work on “body sounds” in a Year 5 lesson showed pupils producing many fair and a few good ideas. A song about holidays on a tape showed pupils’ originality. Pupils enjoy their music making. For example, in a Year 5 class they were especially keen to play the percussion instruments and waited for their turn patiently. This was partly because of the teacher’s good organisation and management but also reflected pupils’ interest. Pupils listen well, acutely in some cases, and move from group to

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MUSIC

group quickly and without fuss. Pupils in Year 3 sang in quavering voices to imitate sheep, this demonstrated their early learning to understand different kinds of sound or “timbre”.

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MUSIC

89 Teaching in music is satisfactory. Teachers plan their lessons carefully and efficiently and pupils know what they have to do. Teachers manage pupils well and lead them into music making effectively. The good relationships in classes also help by giving pupils confidence to experiment, the “Baa Baa Black Sheep” singing providing a good example. Resources are adequate but the school needs more large tuned and untuned percussion instruments to help pupils to further develop their ideas in both performance and composition. There is sufficient space in classrooms for music and the hall is large and helps the sound of singing. In the shared classroom spaces, however, music making can disturb a neighbouring class. Some good work in other subjects contributes to music. For example, in a design and technology lesson pupils examined musical instruments to find out how they work. Broadway Junior School - 39

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MUSIC

90 The music co-ordinator is new, being in post for a few days. He has some interesting ideas for the development of music but will need the opportunity to find out exactly what happens now and what help teachers need to improve standards and bring fuller music making experience to all the pupils. Some teachers are not confident in their own music making and help for them will be a key factor in developing the subject. Pupils’ work shows no examples of the use of information and communication technology or the use of computer programs to further develop the subject. There is no formal system of assessment in music although teachers are aware of their pupils’ enthusiasms and skills. The new scheme of work is good. It provides a sound framework for the school to build music making towards higher standards.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

91 In Year 6, pupils’ attainment in physical education is in line with the levels expected for their age. This is the same as it was in the last inspection and the school has been successful in maintaining satisfactory standards.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

92 In all age groups, pupils are given a variety of worthwhile experiences in all aspects of the curriculum for physical education. The statutory curriculum is enriched by a very good range of residential visits for pupils of all ages. These visits provide opportunities in many curriculum areas and outdoor and adventurous activities are regularly included. Pupils have many opportunities to participate and work co-operatively in outdoor activity challenges in different environments. The school provides a good range of extra curricular activities, including many sports activities. These include soccer training, provided by staff from Sunderland Football Club, and rugby and netball clubs run by members of staff. These activities are open equally to girls and boys and so provide full inclusion for all. Pupils participate enthusiastically, and in large numbers, and these clubs provide valuable and enjoyable experiences for all.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

93 By the time they reach Year 6, pupils have experienced all aspects of the curriculum, including swimming where standards are high. In a Year 6 games lesson, for example, pupils developed their hockey skills. The lesson was part of a series and pupils had previously learnt the correct way to hold the stick. Ball skills were then taught and the teacher explained very clearly how to control and manoeuvre the ball. Pupils were given the opportunity to practise with bean bags and this was an effective strategy which motivated them well. A team competition followed which gave pupils the added incentive of friendly, sporting rivalry.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

94 The teaching of physical education is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Teachers manage their classes well and make good use of the time available. In a Year 3 lesson the teacher used the walk from the classroom to the hall to focus the pupils’ thoughts on the way they moved their body and the co-ordination of their arms and legs as they walked. Teachers show satisfactory subject knowledge and the school’s ethos of care and understanding for the feelings of others is well reflected in the work of the subject. However, in some lessons teachers did not give pupils enough opportunities to observe and comment on each other’s performance and to discuss ways in which they could improve.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

95 The subject co-ordinator is new to the role, but committed and enthusiastic. She is currently participating in the School Sports Co-ordinators Programme, which is already bringing benefits to the school. The school has satisfactory resources for the teaching of physical education. The hall is large enough for all indoor activities with an appropriate range of large and small apparatus. Outdoor facilities are good. The large playgrounds are well surfaced, marked out for a variety of games and the field is also large and suitable for team and other games.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Broadway Junior School - 40 96 Pupils’ attainment in religious education has improved substantially since the last inspection. At that time pupils’ attainment in relation to the Agreed syllabus was unsatisfactory in Years 4, 5 and 6. The school has addressed the issue very well. A very good scheme of work is in place, the timetable gives adequate time for a broad curriculum to be taught and the demands of the Agreed syllabus are now fully met. Pupils build on their learning year by year and reach a standard above average by the age of 11.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

97 The large quantity of pupils’ work last year shows a varied programme of activities and especially good work in the aspect relating to their “Reflection on Religion”. Pupils’ work shows that they have thought carefully about the issues arising from “The Study of Religion” and have some understanding of the importance of religious stories and their relevance to our lives today. The current work in Year 6, for example, develops the Creation stories towards our care for the world. The “Evidence File”, kept by teachers, shows some thoughtful “Letters to God” and beautifully presented poems about pollution. In Year 5, pupils considered their angry feelings when reading the story of St Paul. Many of their ideas are good and show a level of understanding at least appropriate to the age group. In one lesson pupils were quick to realise that Paul would be afraid of the voice of God on the Damascus road. Pupils understand that all

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

religions have principles that can be applied to our daily lives. They also have a sound knowledge of the stories in those religions and the facts about them. In Year 4, for example, current work gives them some knowledge of Islam through a good selection of artefacts and a video.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

98 Most pupils are interested in religious education lessons. They discuss issues and listen to one another attentively in class discussions. This is because most teachers have strong class management skills and develop a good atmosphere in the classroom. The one-to-one discussions in Years 5 and 6 showed very sensible and responsible behaviour as pupils talked through their thoughts. In all lessons pupils settled quickly to written work and concentrated well. Pupils present their work carefully and neatly. Some of the drawing is not quite so well done especially in Years 3 and 4 and in some books little use has been made of colour. The Year 6 files, although obviously collections of the best work, show beautifully presented work of good quality.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

99 The quality of teaching is good and there were some very good lessons and one excellent one. Teachers plan and organise lessons well. Pupils’ work shows that teachers use a variety of activities and that all pupils are involved. The discussions show all pupils, including those with special educational needs and the pupils capable of higher attainment, thinking hard. In Year 6 in the work on “Creation” teachers led pupils to think about their “special places” and how they might feel when they are there. All pupils were an important part of the discussion and knew that their ideas would count. Their discussion “grew” as it went along. Teachers create a sense of urgency by reasonable setting of time limits for discussion or written work and pupils benefit from having a fixed time to complete a task. The pace of lessons is very good keeping pupils interested and learning but leaving no one behind. Teachers challenge pupils well

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

especially in the discussions. Pupils examine a good range of “real” objects such as the beautiful prayer mats as part of the study of Islam in Year 4. In one of these lessons the teacher put emphasis immediately on exploring and finding out. Teachers have high expectations both of pupils’ work and of their behaviour.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

100 In class, teachers have a good grasp of what pupils are doing and how well they understand the work but marking of written work varies. In some classes, especially in Years 3 and 4, it is often restricted to a tick or comment on the presentation of the work. In Year 5 particularly, there are more helpful comments that guide pupils to future improvements. Broadway Junior School - 41 101 Religious education has a high profile in the school. Resources are very good and the subject has made very good progress since the time of the last inspection. This stems from the very good organisation and skill of the curriculum co-ordinator. The very good policy and detailed and helpful scheme of work enable teachers to use the Agreed syllabus and turn it into good classroom practice. It also enables non-specialist teachers to use their good general teaching skills fully and to very good effect in religious education lessons. The co-ordinator has

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

devised a good system of assessment although this is relatively new and has not worked its way through the school. Good use is made of local resources including churches and the resources of the nearby teachers’ centre.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

102 Throughout the school building there are good displays relating to religious education. In the hall there are displays about Sikhism and Islam, in a Year 5 classroom an attractive one about “The Church” and in Year 6 challenging displays about Special Places related to the current work on Creation. There are good links with Collective Worship and the school’s very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development owes much to the work in religious education.

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