Stillness Junior School

STILLNESS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 7 th - 8 th May 2003

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STILLNESS JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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STILLNESS 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. Stillness Junior School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brockley Rise Forest Hill London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr K Hulbert

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Stillness Junior School - 2

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Team members

22424 Kathryn Taylor Registered inspector 9588 Anthony West Lay inspector 17939 Gavin Graveson Team inspector 30669 Margaret Sandercock Team inspector

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Team members

PPI Group Ltd 7 Hill Street Bristol BS1 5RW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Stillness Junior School - 3

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 4 - 7

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Stillness Junior School is bigger than most primary schools. Three hundred and forty seven boys and girls attend the school. Pupils are arranged into 12 single aged classes. Most pupils transfer to the school at age seven from the neighbouring infant school. There is a very wide range of attainment when pupils start the school; overall attainment is similar to that usually found within this age group. The school is ethnically very diverse. Around six out of every ten pupils are drawn from ethnic minority backgrounds and 21 pupils currently receive specific additional support through the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant funding. The largest ethnic groups represented are White European, Black Caribbean, Black African and Pakistani. For a high proportion of pupils, about one pupil in every six, English is not their first language, although very few pupils are currently at the early stages of acquiring English. Seventeen different languages are spoken by

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils at the school. The main first languages are Turkish, Twi, Yoruba and Italian. The proportion of pupils on the special needs register is above the national average and seven pupils have a statement of special educational need. Individual pupils have a range of special needs relating to their learning, communication skills, behavioural and emotional needs, physical or medical needs. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is in line with the national average. The socio-economic circumstances of the pupils are similar to those usually found. Staff and pupil mobility is low.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Stillness Junior School is a good school with some very good features. The school is very inclusive; each child is respected and valued as an individual. As a result boys and girls and pupils of different abilities and from different ethnic backgrounds relate very well to each other and to adults. Racial harmony is very good. Standards and pupils’ overall progress are good. The teachers and support staff have a strong commitment to the school and pupils. The teaching is good and the school is well led and managed. There is a strong commitment and a good capacity to continue to make improvements. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good standards in music. Some good work was seen in other subjects. • Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are all very good. This is supported by the very positive climate for learning and the very high standard of care. • The teaching is good. • The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development well. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • The school is well led and managed.

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What could be improved

• The senior managers and the subject co-ordinators need to monitor pupils’ work and progress more regularly and more rigorously, to ensure that pupils in each class and year group are making the same amount of progress . • Teachers should make better use of marking and assessment to move pupils’ learning on at an even faster rate. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Stillness Junior School - 5 The school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection in 1997 and is well placed to make further improvements The key issues relating to improving pupils’ attendance, assessment and the arrangements for collective acts of worship have been given attention, although some improvement is still needed on assessment. The strengths evident at the time of the previous inspection have been maintained and the good provision for pupils’ personal development and standards of care has been extended. A higher proportion of parents now appear to be critical of the school.

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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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Key

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

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Key

Similar schools refers to schools nationally with a similar number of pupils entitled to free school meals .

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Key

The table above shows that in the national tests at age 11 in 2002, pupils attained overall standards in English, mathematics and science that were above the national average. When compared to similar schools, standards in English were above average and those in mathematics and science were well above the national average. The targets agreed with local education authority in 2002 were met. Standards fell slightly between 2001 and 2002 but this had been expected due to the abilities of the particular cohort of pupils. Test results have improved well in recent years and at a rate above that found nationally. Standards in English, mathematics and science in the current Year 6 classes are similar to those achieved in the tests in 2002. In the tests last year, boys achieved lower standards than the girls. The school has taken action to address these differences and to target any groups of pupils whose attainment is lower than that of their

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Key

classmates. Inspection evidence did not highlight any significant differences in pupils’ attainments or progress based solely on pupils’ gender or ethnicity.

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Key

Standards in music are very good. Some good work was also seen in other subjects, for example in physical education, in information and communication technology and in art. Pupils make good progress during their time at the school. Pupils with special educational needs, including those pupils with a statement of special educational needs, make very good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans . Pupils who learn English as an additional language make good progress in acquiring English.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy school, show very positive attitudes to learning and work hard. Pupils are polite and friendly and are welcoming to visitors. Pupils’ very positive attitudes help to make the school a happy place and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Most pupils behave very well in lessons, at playtimes and lunchtimes. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are supported very well to improve their behaviour. Personal development and relationships Very good. Boys and girls and those from different backgrounds relate well to each other and to their teachers. Pupils are able to take responsibility and make decisions. They are confident to express ideas and opinions. Stillness Junior School - 6 Attendance Good. Attendance is above the national average. Unauthorised absence is below the national average. Most, if not all, pupils arrive on time.

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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

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Most teachers are well organised and prepared for lessons. They provide interesting activities and make good links between different subjects. This makes learning interesting. Pupils have very good relationships with teachers and the support staff. The teaching seen in English and mathematics is good; the basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics are taught effectively. Some very good and excellent teaching was seen during the inspection. Teachers could sometimes make better use of assessment and marking to check pupils’ progress and to encourage higher standards.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is broad and includes all subjects. Good attention is given to English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology. The provision for music, art and physical education is also good. Extra-curricular activities, including visits and visitors to school, are good. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils’ needs are identified very promptly. The specialist teaching and support is very good. Pupils’ progress is monitored very regularly. The school provides very well for a number of pupils who have complex needs. Pupils with special educational needs are also supported by the school’s very positive climate for learning. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Currently there are few pupils at the early stages of learning English. Additional grant funding is therefore in the main used to improve the

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Aspect Comment

achievement of ethnic minority pupils. Targeted pupils are supported well. There have also been some good recent developments in this aspect of the school’s work. This is successfully promoting pupils’ diverse linguistic and ethnic backgrounds. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good. The school has a very strong moral code and pupils' social development is fostered very well through the curriculum and the teaching. The school promotes pupils’ spiritual and cultural development well. The rich ethnic diversity found within the school community is reflected in the curriculum and there is the potential to extend this further. How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. All of the staff know each individual pupil in their class and support and care for them very well. Pupils’ academic progress however needs to be checked more regularly and rigorously.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The school provides a very happy and secure environment for its pupils and there is a strong commitment to raising standards. The headteacher provides very good leadership and a very clear educational direction and is successfully building on the school’s strengths. The deputy headteacher and senior managers make a good contribution to school management. The role of the subject co-ordinators has recently been reviewed and is developing well. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governors fulfil all of their statutory responsibilities. They are very involved and very supportive. They are well informed about the school and about its strengths and areas needing improvement. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory and an area that is improving. The headteacher, senior managers and governors evaluate how well the school is doing and the

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Aspect Comment

impact of their decisions. The monitoring of teaching, standards and pupils’ progress, however, needs to be more regular and more rigorous. The strategic use of resources Very good. Financial and human resources are clearly focused on raising standards and ensuring very high levels of support and care for pupils. The school successfully bids for additional funding and takes appropriate steps to ensure that it obtains best value in its spending.

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Aspect Comment

The school is fully staffed and the turnover of teachers is low. The accommodation in the main buildings is of a satisfactory size and it is kept clean. The external, prefabricated classrooms are old and of an inferior standard. Resources are satisfactory.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Pupils’ standards and progress. • That the school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • The way in which school helps pupils to become mature and responsible. • That their children enjoy school. • The quality of teaching. • The range of activities outside lessons. • The way in which the school works with parents. • The information that they receive about how well their children are progressing and about what is taught. • The amount of homework set. • The way the school is led and managed.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection findings confirm the positive views expressed by those parents who responded to the questionnaire. Inspection evidence does not generally support parents’ criticisms of the school. Inspectors judged that the school is well led and managed and that a good range of activities outside lessons is provided. The way the school works with parents and the information provided for parents is currently satisfactory, but inspectors judged that more advanced notice of forthcoming events would be helpful to parents. Inspectors noted that the school has a clear homework policy and that teachers’ weekly plans Stillness Junior School - 8 identify what homework is to be set. Inspectors saw some examples of pupils’ completed homework. They judged that in view of parental concerns, senior managers need to monitor whether planned homework is consistently being set. Stillness Junior School - 9

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

standards in music. Some good work was seen in other subjects.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

1. Tests results in English, mathematics and science at age 11 have been improving at a higher rate than found nationally in recent years. In 2002, overall standards were above the national average and compared favourably with results achieved in similar schools. A good proportion of pupils attained the higher level, Level 5 in the tests: in English and science the proportion was well above the national average and in mathematics it was above it. Girls have performed better than boys in the tests in recent years. Because the school has only recently established proper systems to track individual pupils’ progress as they move up through the school, they do not as yet have a full set of data that would help them to explain these apparent differences or any other emerging trends. This is something that needs to improve. The school is however, working hard to try to eradicate any differences in boys’ and girls’ attainments by ensuring that resources and the curriculum do more to

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

interest boys. In lessons seen during inspection, there were no significant differences in boys’ and girls’ attainment nor those of pupils from different ethnic minority backgrounds.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

2. The good standards attained in the tests in 2002 are evident in the work seen across the current Year 6 classes. For example, in their mathematics work most pupils show a systematic approach to solving problems and a good knowledge of number facts and operations. As part of their work in science pupils show that they can devise and carry out a fair test. They understand the need to alter only one variable at a time. They record their findings on charts and tables and show a sound understanding of the work covered during the year. There are some good examples of lively and interesting writing with good use of vocabulary to involve and motivate the reader in Year 6, as for example pupils’ writing about their history topic on World War II.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

3. Pupils achieve very good standards in music. During a lesson in Year 6 the singing was very lively and expressive. Pupils demonstrated a very well developed sense of rhythm and a good understanding of musical vocabulary. The standard of singing is very good and pupils throughout the school respond very well to music. This is also evident in the quality of past performances as for example those contained in video and in taped recordings. A large number of pupils attending the school learn to play musical instruments and the quality of their performance is very good. The school’s brass band performs to an extremely high standard and the players regularly take part in performances, both locally and further afield.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

4. Pupils achieve well in physical education and in sporting events. For example, in lessons seen during the inspection pupils showed a good level of control and poise in their movements. Pupils have good levels of energy and fitness and good skills in throwing and catching. The school’s football and netball teams do well in competitive sport. All of the Year 6 pupils last year gained gold or silver badges for indoor athletics.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

5. Some of the work seen in other subjects during the inspection period also shows good levels of attainment. In a lesson in the computer suite pupils in Year 4 showed very good skills in using information and communication technology (ICT), when they confidently entered data onto spreadsheets. Other work shows that pupils throughout the school use ICT well to support their learning across a range of subjects, as seen for example in the work on “Stillness News”. Presentation of work from across all year groups shows pupils are very competent in their word processing and presentation skills.

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Pupils achieve good standards in English, mathematics and science and very good

6. There is some good work in art, such as the work in the style of Picasso and Henry Moore in Year 6. Pupils develop competence in using a range of different media and techniques. For example in the work in Year 4 in the style of Van Gogh, pupils have given very good attention to detail and applied very effective colour mixing. The work produced in art club and in art therapy sessions is of a particularly high standard. Stillness Junior School - 10

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

the very positive climate for learning and the very high standard of care.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

7. Pupils enjoy school and they have very good attitudes to learning. This is evidenced in the good attendance levels and in the way in which pupils come into school in the morning and quickly settle down to work. In lessons most pupils are interested, work hard and sustain good levels of concentration. When working in groups or pairs they co-operate very well. Pupils show initiative and take responsibility for their learning and for carrying out tasks in class and around the school. Relationships are very good. Boys and girls and pupils from different backgrounds relate very well to each other, to their teachers and to support staff. They get to know each other well and develop strong friendships. This was very evident for example, during a discussion with pupils in Year 6 when they talked about their classmates and praised their particular talents.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

8. Pupils are courteous and helpful and behaviour is generally very good. In most classes pupils listen attentively and respectfully to their teachers. However, in one of the Year 6 classes a minority of pupils do not behave as well as they should and this can sometimes detract from the quality of teaching and learning. In the playgrounds and dining hall pupils behave very well and they enjoy talking and playing with their friends. Pupils in Year 6 diligently carry out their duties as monitors and other pupils show respect for them. A weakness in pupils’ attitudes is sometimes evident in the presentation of their work. Teachers need to do more to encourage and insist upon higher standards of handwriting and presentation.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

9. One reason why pupils develop such good relationships, attitudes and behaviour is because adults set a good example. This is evident in the staff’s very kind and patient dealings with pupils. Teachers and support staff also encourage, reward and praise pupils, which raises their self-esteem and willingness to try and do their best. The staff know pupils very well and are also quick to notice if a child needs some extra support or help. In discussion, pupils were very clear about how this helps them to make progress and to develop. Pupils also know that if they do have any problems, a number of adults are there to support and to help them.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

10. Teaching is good. Classrooms are well organised and teachers establish good classroom routines. Teachers have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach; detailed lesson planning ensures that they are clear about what they want pupils to learn. Teachers plan interesting activities and make good links between work in different subjects, which makes learning more interesting. In most lessons seen teachers managed pupils well. Where teaching assistants and additional teachers were present in class, they were very well deployed and made a good contribution to pupils’ learning and their personal development. For example, in lessons where there were teachers who support ethnic minority achievement, they had a good input into the whole class teaching. They ensured that pupils in their own focus group stayed on task, by differentiating the tasks and activities for them and by providing additional teaching where necessary. Importantly, they also ensured that these pupils

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

contributed their ideas during whole class question and answer sessions. Teaching assistants who support pupils with special needs are very skilled and experienced and they also provide very good support in lessons. They achieve a good balance between ensuring that as far as possible pupils can access the same curriculum as everyone else and providing specific input for pupils that addresses the targets in pupils’ individual education plans. It is clear that teachers and the support assistants carefully plan how they can best support pupils.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

11. In the English and mathematics lessons seen during inspection, the teaching was good overall. Teachers have a good understanding of the methods promoted in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and teach the basic skills well. In both English and mathematics lessons, teachers usually used questioning well to check pupils’ understanding and move their learning on. Mathematics lessons usually included a lively mental mathematics session and interesting activities.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

12. Some good and better teaching was seen across the range of subjects and across all year groups. In these lessons teachers had good subject knowledge and frequently taught skills well, as for example Stillness Junior School - 11 in art and science lessons in Year 6 and in a design and technology lesson in Year 5. Teaching was very good in six lessons. What often made this teaching particularly effective is the teachers’ high expectations of pupils and the fact that lessons moved on at a very good pace. Effective questioning ensured that pupils understood and stayed on task. Excellent teaching was seen in two lessons, one in a music lesson and one in a special needs session. The teachers’ very good subject knowledge and high levels of skill moved pupils’ learning on at a very good rate and meant that pupils’ behaviour and efforts were outstanding.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

13. Teaching is enhanced by sharing expertise and some very effective use of specialist skills. For example joint planning across year groups enables teachers to share their skills. There is some specialist music, drama and physical education teaching. Good use is also made of the support staff’s skills in subjects such as art, netball and information and communication technology.

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Relationships and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. This is supported by

14. Aspects of teaching that need to be developed and were particularly apparent from the scrutiny of pupils’ past work, relate to improving the quality of marking and providing better differentiation of work and activities for pupils of average and above average ability. Much of the differentiation relies on teachers expecting higher attaining pupils to produce more work than the average attaining pupils, or expecting higher attaining pupils to demonstrate a better level of understanding through their written explanations and other means of recording. While this arrangement is appropriate in some instances, this is not always the case. Teachers also need to do more to improve pupils’ presentation of work.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

15. The school offers a broad curriculum. The basic skills in literacy, numeracy, science and information and communication technology are emphasised and pupils also acquire skills across the range of subjects. The fact that teachers make some good links between subjects supports this aspect well. Music provision is very good; pupils in all classes receive some specialist teaching and a good number of pupils also learn to play instruments in lessons taught by visiting staff. The curriculum is being continually reviewed and adapted to meet pupils’ needs. The current focus on extending the art and drama provision is a positive initiative. The school provides a good number and range of visits and after school and lunchtime activities.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

16. Pupils’ moral and social development is given a very high priority. In lessons teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well and very positively. They provide many opportunities for pupils to work together in pairs or groups. The reward system and the personal, health and social education programme also make a good contribution to pupils’ social development. Pupils’ involvement in the school council, in community activities, in lunchtime and after school activities and in sporting and musical events, also contributes well. Pupils learn to value what they have through the experience of giving, for example, through fund raising for charities.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

17. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is fostered well through their work in subjects such as religious education, music, science, art and literature. Pupils have opportunities to reflect on the beauty of the world, their own and others’ experiences and to celebrate their own and others’ achievements. The school celebrates and promotes pupils’ understanding and appreciation of the diverse cultural traditions found within the school, in Britain and elsewhere. Pupils learn about British art, history, music and literature as well as that drawn from other countries. They celebrate Black History Month each year and they learn about life in distant places. The co-ordinator for the provision for ethnic minority pupils has been focusing on helping teachers to provide more opportunities to celebrate pupils’ ethnic diversity. This is a very positive initiative, which if it continues should further

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

18. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils’ needs are identified and assessed very thoroughly and promptly when they join the school, or as and when any difficulties emerge. Individual education plans are very well written and specific; targets are clear and precise, identifying pupils’ literacy, mathematical, behavioural, physical and personal development needs. The Stillness Junior School - 12 special needs co-ordinators, special needs teacher and the teaching assistants work very closely together to ensure that everyone is clear about how best to support pupils to achieve the targets set for them. The type of additional teaching and support is very varied, skilled and focused. Art therapy sessions are also supporting a number of pupils very well. The idea behind such sessions is to provide opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills and to talk through any problems,

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

difficulties or issues that pupils are facing. Pupils say how much these sessions are helping them. Furthermore, the school has learned that through this medium, pupils are also producing some very good work and frequently achieve a high standard in art. This is clearly evident in the quality of the finished work and displays.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

19. Formal reviews of pupils’ progress, including those of pupils with a statement of special need, are carried out very regularly and fulfil statutory requirements. Pupils, as well as their parents are involved in the review process. The teaching and support staff, including those assigned to pupils with a statement of special educational need, are very well trained. The right amount of help is given, ensuring that pupils are supported, but also allowed to develop independence. The special needs funding is used very effectively. A further strength in the overall provision is the way that special needs staff liaise with each other and with the English and mathematics co-ordinators and the staff employed through ethnic minority funding. This ensures a consistent and coherent approach to teaching pupils and, means that all staff who come into contact with individual pupils, have a chance to contribute to discussions and, where appropriate to the overall provision.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

20. The impact of this very good special needs provision is evident in several ways. Despite the fact that some pupils have complex difficulties, they achieve well in relation to the targets set for them. Some pupils attain standards that are similar to those achieved by their peers. Furthermore, pupils on the special needs register gain confidence and develop self-esteem. This aspect is emphasised in the teaching. Pupils are given lots of praise and feedback about how well they are doing, as well as clear guidance about how to deal with, or compensate for any specific difficulties they experience. In discussions, older pupils were happy to talk about their difficulties and about how the support they receive is helping them. Pupils with special needs try hard to do their best, in spite of any difficulties they may encounter. The way in which pupils with special educational needs achieve and contribute

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

within school demonstrates the inclusive nature of the school.

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

21. The headteacher has been in post for just over a year. She gives the school a very clear educational direction. She is committed to continuing to raise standards and pupils’ rates of progress and is determined to build on the school’s existing strengths and thereby to extend what the school offers. The deputy headteacher joined the school fairly recently and the composition of the senior management team has recently been reviewed. Senior managers are making a good contribution to school management and to ensuring that the school operates smoothly. A number of the subject co-ordinators have taken on new subjects in the fairly recent past. Developing their leadership role has been a school priority and this aspect is developing well. Each co-ordinator has drawn up an action plan with clear priorities for future development. The co-ordinators need to be more involved in monitoring pupils’ standards and progress. All aspects of the leadership and management of special

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The school offers a broad curriculum, which promotes pupils’ personal development

needs work and the support for ethnic minority achievement, are carried out very effectively. The governors contribute well to the leadership and management of the school. They are well informed about what is happening and are very supportive, whilst also ensuring that they hold the school accountable. Very good use is made of staff expertise and finances. Financial control is very good. Staff and resources are used well to make a good impact on pupils’ attainment, progress and wellbeing. The school successfully bids for additional grant funding.

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progress more regularly and more rigorously, to ensure that pupils in each class and

year group are making the same amount of progress. Stillness Junior School - 13 22. The headteacher and subject co-ordinators periodically collect samples of pupils’ work which they examine to assess pupils’ standards and progress, as well as aspects of the teaching. This monitoring of work however needs to be more regular and more rigorous. The samples of work seen by inspectors showed some variations in the standards of work between classes.

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Teachers should make better use of marking and assessment to move pupils’ learning

23. There are some examples of good developmental marking and the rationale and purpose of marking is clearly outlined in the new marking policy. Nevertheless the quality of marking is generally weak. Too often teachers’ comments provide little feedback to pupils about what they have done well, or about how they might improve. In some of the work sampled during the inspection period, pupils’ past work had not actually been marked. This does not encourage pupils to try their best, nor to take pride in presentation of their work.

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Teachers should make better use of marking and assessment to move pupils’ learning

24. Teachers do keep records of pupils’ achievements. The school also uses the statutory and optional National Curriculum tests as another means of checking on standards and progress. Although these end of year tests provide a National Curriculum level for pupils, teachers are not yet using these effectively enough to monitor pupil progress, to set targets for pupils or to guide their teaching. The school is aware that this as an area needing development. The headteacher has begun to use a computer software package to analyse pupils’ results and the subject co-ordinators and class teachers are becoming more involved in this process.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the school’s good work and to raise standards further, the headteacher and governors should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) Establish systems to more regularly and rigorously monitor pupils’ work and progress.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using target setting as a tool to guide teaching and as a means of tracking pupils’ progress; and • improving the quality of marking so as to encourage higher standards of presentation and ensure that pupils are clear about what they need to do to improve.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs 14, 23 and 24) Stillness Junior School - 14

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 18

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 347

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 48

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 64

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 61

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 8

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Stillness Junior School - 15

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 41 44 85

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 29 34 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 37 36 41

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (93) 82 (88) 94 (99) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 27 31 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 34 37 35

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (83) 80 (84) 76 (90) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Stillness Junior School - 16

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 18 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 15 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 9 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 12 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 8 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 90 1 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Stillness Junior School - 17

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 15.7 Financial year 2002/2003

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 1,042,543

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 13 Total expenditure 1,027,543

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 230 Expenditure per pupil 2,961

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance brought forward from previous year 25,464

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 40,464

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Stillness Junior School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 44 46 5 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 33 55 5 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 16 46 22 13 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 22 37 30 10 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 27 40 15 15 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 42 8 3 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 15 43 25 14 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 18 39 18 16 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 22 56 18 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 15 34 27 10 14

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