Malorees Junior School

MALOREES JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 21 st January 2003

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MALOREES 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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MALOREES 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. Malorees Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Christchurch Avenue London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8/12/1997 Malorees Junior School - 4

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Team members

15676 J G Quinn Registered inspector 19322 J Bedawi Lay inspector 22330 L Lewin Team inspector

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Team members

Full Circle Division of Parkman PLC 35 Trewartha Park Weston Super Mare N. Somerset BS23 2RT

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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 Malorees Junior School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school serves a mixture of privately-owned and rented accommodation in the London Borough of Brent. It is of average size with 240 boys and girls on the school roll aged between seven and 11 years. Most of these have previously attended the infant school on the same site. Many pupils are from families of ethnic minorities, with a high proportion who speak English as an additional language at 44 per cent. Of these 43 pupils are at an early stage in their acquisition of English. The main languages spoken in addition to English are Arabic and Gujarati. Thirty-three pupils are refugees from Iraq. Forty-six per cent of pupils have special educational needs which is twice the proportion found in the majority of schools nationally. Four pupils have Statements of Special Educational Needs. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is also above average at 21 per cent.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are high levels of pupil mobility with 13 pupils joining the school and 23 leaving over the past school year, other than at the normal times of admission and transfer.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school which enjoys the confidence of many parents. There is a positive ethos for learning, where good teaching and strong leadership contribute to pupils attaining high standards. Pupils build on their skills and understanding well and make good progress. Taking all appropriate factors into account the school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain above average standards in writing, mathematics and science particularly. • The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified pupils is effective in enabling most to progress well in their learning. • The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of staff, parents and governors they create a positive ethos for learning in which pupils flourish. • There is an impressive range of additional activities to support and enrich pupils’ learning, particularly in music. • This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is not the first language. • Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for pupils to give of

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The role of co-ordinators in monitoring teaching. • The use of computers in lessons other than those timetabled for each class. • Opportunities are missed for pupils to explain and discuss their work in groups and within the whole class. • More planned opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively and independently, to use their initiative and to take responsibility for aspects of their learning.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school’s strengths outweigh the areas in need of improvement.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1997. Since then it has made good progress in raising standards further and in addressing the issues for improvement identified in the previous report. There is a greater emphasis on experimental work in science, but older pupils still do not have enough scope for planning and organising their investigations and for conducting their own research. Better links have been established with the community, mainly through the involvement of parents. The roles of co-ordinators have been extended to include the monitoring of performance data, as well as pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. Teaching is monitored by the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and occasionally by co-ordinators. Malorees Junior School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Results have improved at a rate similar to that in all schools but have been consistently above or well above average in all three subjects, over a prolonged period. Statutory targets set for Year 6 pupils in English and mathematics for 2002 were achieved.

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STANDARDS

Standards of work seen during the inspection broadly reflect test results. Although there was insufficient evidence gathered for a judgement to be made on standards of reading, speaking and listening across the school as a whole, standards in writing were above average. Pupils with special educational needs and those whose first language is other than English make good and sometimes very good progress as the result of sensitive teaching.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils generally have positive attitudes to school and to learning. Most concentrate well in lessons and work with good application. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The behaviour of the majority of pupils is good in lessons and around the school generally. Personal development and relationships Overall pupils relate well to one another and to the adults with whom they work. Staff generally treat pupils with respect and consequently most pupils are respectful to one another. There are too few planned opportunities for pupils to work co-operatively and independently. As a result these areas are underdeveloped. Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Most pupils arrive at school punctually and lessons begin promptly.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching Good

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is good overall and in a high proportion of lessons it is very good. In one lesson teaching was unsatisfactory. There were examples of very good teaching across the school in all year groups but not in all classes.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Good direct teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy enables pupils to achieve good standards in English and mathematics and this has a positive effect on other subjects. Teaching is most consistently effective Malorees Junior School - 8 for pupils with special educational needs and others who need additional help in small groups. Some of these lessons were taught by temporary teachers employed by the school partly for this reason and to cover long-term absence. In the most successful lessons teachers share the learning objectives with pupils to give a greater sense of purpose to learning. Here teachers plan lessons well and use incisive, open-ended questioning to build on pupils’ previous learning and to take their understanding forward. Most teachers are keen to improve and think critically about how they teach. Where teaching is less successful, teachers control learning too closely.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

They use too few strategies and do not adapt their approaches appropriately to the tasks set. Consequently, opportunities are missed for pupils to use their initiative, to explain their ideas, to discuss in groups, to work co- operatively and to take responsibility for their learning.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Aspect Comment The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a wide range of visits and extra-curricular activities to supplement learning that takes place in the classroom. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision is made for these pupils which enables them to achieve well in their learning and to attain in line with most pupils in national tests. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language These pupils are supported well in small groups and individually. Consequently they are able to take a full part in lessons and make good progress in their learning. Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall with strengths in moral and social development. Residential visits and the School Council encourage independence, self-reliance and social responsibility.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. There are a number of health-and-safety issues that are brought to the attention of governors. The school monitors pupils’ academic and personal development effectively. Staff are generally sensitive and responsive to the individual needs of pupils.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Aspect Comment Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, with strong support from the deputy head, provides purposeful leadership and clear direction. Together with staff they create a strong team and a positive ethos for learning. Subject co-ordinators monitor standards and teachers’ planning but do not monitor how well their subjects are taught. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors fulfil their roles satisfactorily. They are looking at aspects of their work critically in order to become more efficient and systematic in gathering information about the way the school works, and in collecting and responding to the views of parents. The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has taken positive steps to evaluate how well it is performing on a range of fronts. Although the school has started to analyse the results of national tests by gender, analysis by ethnic background of pupils is an area

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

which it is currently developing. The strategic use of resources The school makes satisfactory use of its resources but computers are underused to support work in other subjects and to consolidate learning from the weekly class sessions in the computer suite. The school has realistic plans to address the small deficit on its budget.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The governors’ efforts to secure best value are satisfactory. They seek the views of parents informally, compare themselves regularly with other schools and encourage competition in the purchase of major resources. Malorees Junior School - 9

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Their children like school • Children make good progress • Pupils’ behaviour is good • Teaching is good • The school expects pupils to work hard • The school is well led and managed and the headteacher is approachable and responsive • The school helps their children to become responsible and mature • The amount of homework provided • The range of activities provided in addition to lessons

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection findings endorse the positive views of parents, but there are too few planned opportunities for pupils to take increasing amounts of responsibility in lessons and so become more mature in their approach to learning as they pass through the school. Of the areas which parents wish to see improve, the inspection found that the amount of homework is satisfactory and the range of activities provided, including after-school clubs, educational visits and visitors to the school are good. Malorees Junior School - 10

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

above average standards in writing, mathematics and science particularly.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

1. The quality of teaching is good overall, with approximately one lesson in four being very good. There was only one unsatisfactory lesson. The quality of teaching is the single most important contributory factor to the high standards that pupils achieve. Teachers are keen to improve further and reflect critically on their performance. For example, some said that they welcomed the objective feedback that they received on their lessons during the inspection. They made notes and occasionally adapted their approaches accordingly. Where they are most effective teachers present lessons confidently in interesting ways that capture the attention of pupils. They question pupils skilfully and have high expectations of what pupils are able to achieve.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

2. There is a high proportion of good direct teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics and this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning in these and in other subjects.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

3. There was insufficient evidence to enable a judgement to be made on the quality of pupils’ reading throughout the school. During the inspection teachers did not always lay sufficient emphasis on extending pupils’ speaking and listening skills, but the quality of their written work is above average. There is a strong and successful emphasis on mastering the skills of handwriting, spelling, grammar, punctuation and neat presentation from the time that pupils enter the school which builds effectively on what they have already learnt. This was evident in a Year 3 lesson where pupils were considering the features of traditional stories. They wrote very neatly, with good attempts at spelling difficult words such as beautiful and fabulous. The teacher questioned pupils well during the introduction, to build on what they had done previously and to extend their vocabulary further. She praised correct answers

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

appropriately and directed questions sensitively to a pupil who had limited understanding of English, waiting patiently for her response. Pupils were encouraged to be adventurous in their choice of adjectives in their writing. They wrote about ‘ a long, dark tunnel at the bottom of a well’. Spelling was good and handwriting well formed and joined. Pupils build on their skills and understanding well as they continue through the school. They are introduced to figurative language, as in their reading of The Iron Man by Ted Hughes and begin to use similes such as ‘ as big as a gym’ to describe him. In this very good lesson the teacher generated interest and enthusiasm in the pupils who were very responsive and keen to learn about metaphors. In the words of one pupil: ‘I have heard of metaphors, but never knew what they were before!’

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

4. By the time they reach Year 6, pupils’ written work has developed well. They write neatly, fluently and often at length in different forms and for a variety of purposes. More-able pupils sometimes structure their work in paragraphs which incorporate complex sentences. They are imaginative in their choice of vocabulary and writing includes such colourful phrases as ‘I jumped from the side of the boat. I knew then it was madness, but what else could I do?’ Teachers in most classes clearly have high expectations of pupils in this and in other subjects. This is reflected in the way they respond to pupils’ work with written comments. Pupils are encouraged by the praise they receive and the pointers for further development such as ‘This is a good account …but next time you need to put in more detail’. Where the work of one pupil fell short of that expected, the single word ‘disappointing!’ was sufficient motivation to

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

greater effort. Pupils use their writing skills to good effect in other subjects as when Malorees Junior School - 11 contributing to the Tudor Portrait Gallery in Year 4 and writing accounts of experiments in science. 5. Pupils’ mathematical knowledge is similarly developed through effective teaching and by Year 6 many achieve above average standards. Pupils cover a good range of work in the subject, with a strong and appropriate focus on the use of number. Teachers plan lessons according to the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 add and subtract two- digit numbers mentally and others by writing them down. They sort and label two-dimensional shapes, measure using different units and find perimeters of simple shapes. As they progress through Years 5 and 6, teachers in the most effective lessons provide opportunities for pupils to explain their methods of working. However, this does not happen routinely in all classes. In

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

a very good lesson given by the mathematics co-ordinator, a more able group of Year 5 pupils were calculating using decimal notation and checking inverse number operations with a calculator. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge and very detailed planning resulted in a confident introduction , a good pace to the lesson and incisive questioning which challenged pupils’ thinking very well. Pupils worked diligently with partners to devise strategies and word problems and could explain their methods of working when required to do so.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

6. Pupils cover a considerable range of mathematics to a high standard in Year 6. For example, they calculate equivalent fractions, ‘round’ decimals to the nearest whole number, calculate squares and square roots of numbers, work on rotational symmetry and the area of regular and irregular shapes. They plot coordinates in four quadrants and know the properties of three- dimensional shapes. Pupils apply what they have learnt to other subjects. For example, in science, Year 5 pupils consider how some materials are better insulators than others and plot the difference in heat loss in the form of a graph.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

7. In science many pupils attain above average standards in the areas tested at the age of 11. There is an appropriate balance between the acquisition of scientific knowledge and experimentation and investigational work throughout the school, much of which is carried out under the close direction of a teacher. The principles of planning a test systematically are developed from an early stage and pupils are encouraged frequently to consider how to make a test ‘fair’ by changing one factor whilst keeping others constant. Past work by Year 6 pupils shows a range of experiments conducted over time and this marks an improvement since the last inspection when there were too few opportunities for investigative work.

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Good and often very good teaching ensures that a significant proportion of pupils attain

8. Where teaching is very good, as in a Year 4 lesson on how and why shadows are formed, pupils are well motivated and take part enthusiastically in the lesson. The teacher introduces the lesson very well with ‘Who has been chased by their shadow today?’ This captures pupils’ interest and attention immediately and sets a purposeful tone to the lesson. The teacher questions pupils very closely and gently challenges them to justify some of their statements, which encourages them to think hard about their responses. Pupils engage in the practical part of the lesson noisily but enthusiastically cooperating well in groups on the task that has been set.

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

pupils is effective in enabling most pupils to progress well in their learning.

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

9. Pupils are grouped by ability for English and mathematics in Years 5 and 6. More-able, able and less able pupils are grouped separately within their year groups. This enables staff to direct their teaching to a narrower range of ability which supports pupils’ confidence well in that they encounter success rather than failure in the tasks that are set for them. It also allows teachers to be able to assess learning more accurately; this has a positive effect on the progress that pupils make in lessons. In addition the school makes good use of the deputy Malorees Junior School - 12 headteacher, who has no class commitment, to take a group for both these subjects. This reduces the size of teaching group and enables teachers to provide more individual attention for those pupils who need it most. This was evident in both English and mathematics lessons where teachers provided sensitive individual guidance to pupils as they worked. Teaching in

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

these sessions is successful overall, but has the potential for further refinement in meeting the needs of pupils more precisely by matching work to the learning needs of individuals within the groups.

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

10. Where teaching is most effective, as in mathematics for more-able pupils in Year 5, the teacher plans in considerable detail and ensures that work challenges all pupils well. Pupils think very hard about the ‘word problems’ that are set and are resourceful in finding various strategies which can be used to provide a solution. Similarly, in a mathematics lesson for less able Year 6 pupils the class teacher took learning forward at a good pace. Her incisive questioning arose from a good command of the subject and her frequent and confident use of correct mathematical vocabulary reflected her high expectations of pupils. Pupils applied themselves well as a result and thought very hard about how they could explain their ideas.

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

11. Pupils with special educational needs throughout the school and other pupils needing additional help mainly in Years 3 and 4, are withdrawn in small groups for more concentrated assistance. Here again, the school has been enterprising in using staff judiciously to reduce the size of teaching groups and so enable pupils to receive more individual attention. Teaching for these groups tends to be effective and supports pupils’ progress well. For example, in a very good lesson taught by a temporary teacher a group of nine Year 3 pupils were exploring the conventions of traditional tales, as was the remainder of their class in a separate room. The teacher’s techniques, clear organisation and good use of resources kept pupils ‘on their toes’ and ensured that they were focussing fully on the task in hand. Pupils enjoyed working with the teacher and responded very well to her lively personality. Her very encouraging approach

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The grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 and small group teaching for identified

raised pupils’ self-esteem and gave them the confidence to move forward with their learning.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

staff, parents and governors they create a positive ethos for learning in which pupils flourish .

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

12. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have taught at the school for many years and so have a very good understanding of the background of the pupils, the community and of the context within which the school operates. Consequently they are responsive to the changing needs of the school and of its pupils. Together they provide strong leadership and this is a significant contributory factor to the school’s success and to the positive ethos for learning in which pupils do well. The headteacher and deputy headteacher share many management responsibilities. Although their experience within the school is considerable, they are not complacent about how well the school achieves. For example, they welcome the objective view that an inspection provides and have visited three schools within the past year to look at aspects of good practice. In addition there have been visits from the local authority link

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

adviser, who brings a valuable broader perspective to help the school improve further.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

13. Teaching and learning are of paramount importance. The headteacher checks the quality of teaching and has provided helpful written guidance for individual members of staff on how they might increase their effectiveness. For example she puts forward ways in which the pace of one teacher’s lessons might improve and for another she suggests improvements to classroom arrangements in order to help pupils’ concentration. Together with the deputy headteacher she carefully evaluates pupils' academic performance in statutory and non- statutory tests and plans how their performance might improve further; for example through extra support in small groups. Malorees Junior School - 13 14. The school's main aim which is clearly expressed in its prospectus – ‘ To give children equal opportunities for learning, through a wide variety of experiences which will develop their knowledge, skills and character’ - is clearly evident in all aspects of its work and

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

makes a strong contribution to high standards. Under the headteacher's clear guidance the school's key functions of teaching and learning are given high priority. She has successfully built an effective team of professionals and earned the confidence of staff by teaching regularly herself, consulting them on important decisions and supporting them well in difficult situations. The headteacher works in close partnership with the deputy headteacher who plays an important part in developing the school and has major areas of responsibility. For example, he very efficiently co-ordinates provision for the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs. He has developed music throughout the school and this is even stronger than it was at the time of the last inspection. In addition he has recently taken responsibility for co-ordinating art in the absence of someone suitable to fulfil the role. He has carried out

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

this additional responsibility very well and has introduced some very good initiatives to maintain the profile of the subject, such as an art week for pupils and parents.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

15. Staff, parents and governors identify strongly with the school's values and have a clear sense of what it means to be part of Malorees School community. Pupils also are aware of the part they play and understand the school's expectations that they will always do their best. In the words of one Year 6 pupil ‘... I like school a lot... The teachers are nice… Some can be funny…The hea teacher talks to us sensibly as if we are grown up’ . The school's effectiveness is clearly reflected in the quality of relationships, the high emphasis placed on supporting learning and maintaining high standards and a strong sense of common purpose.

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

16. Parents value the way in which they are encouraged to be involved in their children's schooling and welcome the information on the curriculum that the school provides. Although many governors are new to their roles, they support the school strongly and, as a body, they are looking critically at the way in which they operate with a view to making themselves more active in running the school. For example, by introducing more systematic ways of collecting and responding to the views of parents and becoming better informed about the work of the school through regular planned visits. Although the school places considerable importance on academic achievement and prepares pupils very thoroughly for National Curriculum tests at the age of 11, the headteacher is keen to support pupils' accomplishments in a range of activities. Consequently, the school provides a wide variety of visits, visitors and additional

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The headteacher and deputy headteacher provide strong leadership. With the support of

activities to broaden pupils’ experiences.

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There is an impressive range of additional activities to support and enrich pupils’ learning,

17. In keeping with the school’s central aim to provide ‘… a wide variety of experiences…’ considerable thought is given to enhancing opportunities for pupils to build on that which they undertake in the classroom. These bring an additional dimension to pupils’ learning and contribute significantly to their self-esteem and confidence.

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There is an impressive range of additional activities to support and enrich pupils’ learning,

18. Music features prominently throughout the school and is co-ordinated very effectively by the deputy headteacher who also teaches the subject to all classes. Many pupils learn to play musical instruments and perform to a high standard when playing with the school orchestra at assembly time. The peripatetic music teacher - one of several employed by the school - makes a significant contribution to developing pupils’ skills in music by putting considerable and successful emphasis on pupils playing in tune as they practise. A forty-piece orchestra comprising cellos, violins, clarinets, recorders, saxophone, double bass, flutes, tuned percussion Malorees Junior School - 14 instruments and piano played proficiently and very tunefully under enthusiastic and skilful conducting by the deputy headteacher. Pupils in all classes sing melodiously as the orchestra plays. The school is justifiably proud of its music and of the standards attained.

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There is an impressive range of additional activities to support and enrich pupils’ learning,

19. The school has been resourceful in drawing upon expertise within the community, including parents, to supplement clubs provided by staff. As a consequence many pupils enjoy the opportunities that are provided for sports training, use of the school’s computers, choir and breakfast and after-school clubs. The school is fortunate in having within its community, parents with particular talents such as those of author, illustrator, publisher, artist and musician. These have been invited in to talk to, and work with, pupils. A recent successful initiative instigated by the deputy headteacher, in his role as art co-ordinator, involved in excess of fifty parents joining with pupils to paint a large mural, under the direction of a visiting artist. Experiences such as these help pupils to appreciate that learning extends beyond the classroom and where they work alongside their parents it becomes even more relevant.

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There is an impressive range of additional activities to support and enrich pupils’ learning,

20. In addition there are regular educational visits to places of interest to support topics undertaken in class. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 visit places of interest that will help them with other subjects such as geography and history. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 look forward to residential visits to Somerset and the Isle of Wight. These form the basis for a geographical study and also provide important opportunities for pupils to develop personal skills associated with living together as a group, self-reliance, consideration and co-operation.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

and those for whom English is not the first language.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

21. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well managed and as result they are effectively supported when withdrawn for additional help individually, within small groups organised by ability, or where they work as part of a whole class. Consequently they are given the skills and confidence to take part in lessons at an appropriate level with other pupils. This enables them to make good progress in their learning. This is a similar picture to that at the time of the last inspection.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

22. The deputy headteacher has responsibility for co-ordinating provision for special educational needs and shares some aspects of the role with the headteacher. It is appropriate that this important element of the school’s work is managed at the highest level and this gives a strong message to parents about the status of special educational needs within the school.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

23. As co-ordinator for special educational needs, the deputy headteacher liaises closely with class teachers and oversees the planning of the well constructed individual education programmes. Targets in pupils’ individual plans are carefully thought out and achievable, such as the need to ‘…improve written work by checking spellings regularly.’ Teachers keep individual education plans in their daily planning files, where they are readily accessible and can be used as benchmarks to assess pupils’ progress frequently. In the small number of classes where the behaviour of individuals has the potential to disrupt the learning of the majority, effective strategies are in place, both to minimise the adverse effects of this and to support the individual pupil if he or she is withdrawn from the classroom.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

24. Where pupils receive additional help in small groups, teaching tends to be very good. Teachers present the lessons in a lively and interesting way which engages pupils’ interest from the outset. Learning is well structured and planned so that pupils may experience success and progress in small, achievable steps. Praise is used frequently but discerningly. This motivates pupils well, raises their perceptions of themselves and encourages them to Malorees Junior School - 15 greater efforts. Teachers are skilful in repeating the main points in lessons in a variety of ways in order to reinforce learning and to ensure total understanding. This was so in a very good mathematics lesson where the class teacher’s view that ‘repetition is the mother of skill’ was used to good effect. Pupils applied themselves well and most made significant gains in their understanding.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

25. A high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. The school’s welcoming ethos ensures that they are well integrated across the school. These pupils are effectively supported in lessons and when they are withdrawn for extra help. Teachers overall are aware of pupils who are not very forthcoming due to a more limited understanding of English and seek to involve them in lessons through sensitive questioning and by repeating instructions more simply. There were several instances where teachers directed questions specifically to individual pupils, phrasing them simply, rephrasing if necessary, waiting patiently for a response and praising freely to raise pupils’ confidence.

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This is an inclusive school that provides well for pupils with special educational needs

26. Although only one small group session was observed for pupils whose first language is not English, the quality of teaching was good. Pupils worked well with the teacher, who made good use of their first languages by writing words on the whiteboard such as ‘ fever’ in Arabic and Urdu as well as in English. This effectively reinforced the bilingual support and guided them effectively towards finding words of their own. Pupils worked hard and the teacher’s encouraging remarks and liberal but appropriate praise helped them to give of their best.

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Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for

27. The majority of parents responding to the parental survey before the inspection and views from the parents’ meeting, confirm that they think well of the school as they did at the time of the previous inspection. Many say that it is the leadership of the headteacher and her accessibility that ‘…makes a difference’ and believe these to be the most significant contributory factors to the school’s success. This is endorsed by some parents on the governing body who consider the headteacher to be both approachable and forward-looking.

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Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for

28. Parents welcome the fact that the school keeps them well informed about what pupils are studying in class, through regular newsletters. This enables them to support their children’s learning more effectively. The school in turn values the support of parents; for example, through the hard-working school association which provides a significant amount of extra funding for the purchase of additional resources such as computers.

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Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for

29. Of the parents returning the completed questionnaire, a high proportion have considerable confidence in important aspects of the school’s provision. For example, all parents believe that pupils are expected to work hard and that they make good progress as a result. They consider the grouping of pupils by ability in Years 5 and 6 to be effective in helping them with the key skills of numeracy and literacy. This was endorsed by inspection findings which indicate that pupils make good and sometimes very good progress where teachers’ expectations are high.

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Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for

30. Most parents believe teaching to be good and appreciate the fact that teachers seem to know their children well and are responsive to their needs. Consequently they believe pupils’ behaviour to be good overall and speak of their experiences - helping within school or accompanying class groups on educational visits - which lead them to this view.

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Parents have very positive views of the school, which provides an additional incentive for

31. The school works closely with parents and seeks to involve them in their children’s learning in a variety of ways. Several help in school for example with reading, whilst others assist on Malorees Junior School - 16 educational visits. The school provides opportunities for parents to work alongside their children; for example during art week and also for after school numeracy sessions and sessions in the recently-established computer suite. These initiatives encourage a greater sense of common understanding between home and school and contribute to pupils’ learning being more purposeful.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The role of co-ordinators in monitoring teaching.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

32. Co-ordinators are hardworking and committed. Both mathematics and science co-ordinators say that there is not enough time for them to carry out their roles fully. The English co- ordinator is currently absent through illness and the headteacher is fulfilling this responsibility effectively given the extent of her other duties. Co-ordinators roles have developed well since the last inspection and they are now more fully involved in the work of the school than they were. Co-ordinators for the core subjects of English, mathematics and science examine pupils’ work regularly and scrutinise teachers’ planning termly. Consequently they have an idea of the standards that pupils achieve in their written work. This also provides evidence of how well teachers plan and their expectations and motivation of pupils which are reflected in the marking in pupils’ exercise books. However, co-ordinators do not currently monitor the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

important aspect of teaching across the school and see this as a natural extension of what they do at present. Therefore the views that they have of their subjects are incomplete in that they have insufficient information on what works well and less well in the way teachers teach and pupils learn. As a result they do not have a clear vision of where support is most needed and how they might best direct their considerable expertise. Where co-ordinators have attended in-service training or have worked with others from neighbouring schools and under the support of local authority advisers, they bring to their roles a valuable broader perspective which it is important for the school to use fully. There are aspects to teaching that can only be confirmed through direct observation; for example the science co-ordinator’s feeling that there are too few opportunities for autonomous and independent learning may be indicated in pupils’

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

work and teachers’ planning, but can only be fully substantiated through evidence gathered from lesson observations. Also, as this was identified as an area of weakness at the time of the last inspection and, in the co-ordinator’s view remains so, there have been insufficient well-focussed and informed observations to determine the nature and extent of the problem as a precursor to improvement. Similarly, the shortcomings in some mathematics lessons, related to opportunities for pupils to explain their methods of working, could only be identified through direct observation.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The use of computers in lessons other than those timetabled for each class.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33. The school is justifiably proud of its improved facilities for teaching information and communication technology (ICT). There are sufficient computers in the recently established computer area to enable pupils to be taught in class groups working with two pupils to a computer. The proportion of pupils to computers in the school overall is better than that found in the majority of schools. School timetables indicate that each class receives approximately 55/60 minutes a week in the computer suite. Only one lesson in ICT was observed. Teaching was good and featured clear explanations based on a secure understanding of the subject. Pupils worked well, sharing the computers amicably in pairs. However, the range of competence and confidence was considerable. Although there is evidence of ICT being used to some extent to support subjects such as art, the computers in the suite were only used for

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

class lessons during the period of the inspection. Malorees Junior School - 17 34. In addition, there are computers in each classroom, the large majority of which remained switched off during the inspection. Opportunities for all pupils to develop computer skills in connection with other subjects, and to practise those which they learn in the computer suite, are too few. Computers throughout the school are underused and this impedes the progress that pupils are able to make in this important subject.

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Opportunities are missed for pupils to explain and discuss their work in groups and within

35. Whereas in many lessons pupils are presented with worthwhile opportunities to express their own opinions, as in geography, history and physical education in Year 3 and in science and art in Year 4, this is not developed sufficiently throughout the school and valuable opportunities are lost as a result. This was an unsatisfactory element in a small number of otherwise successful lessons and was also a feature of the one unsatisfactory lesson. Consequently pupils’ skills in explaining, rationalising and discussing are impeded and do not improve progressively as they pass through the school. For example, the National Numeracy Strategy emphasises the importance of pupils being given chance to explain their strategies for working out solutions to mathematical calculations and problems. In some classes this works well, but in others this aspect is hurried, is dealt with superficially or does not feature at all. Elsewhere,

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Opportunities are missed for pupils to explain and discuss their work in groups and within

in lessons where pupils are keen to answer questions and teachers encourage them to do so, pupils are not asked to enlarge on their monosyllabic responses and this hinders their thinking and their ability to develop their ideas. In still others, pupils are not well motivated and are insufficiently engaged in their learning. They are compliant, but are reluctant to answer questions.

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Opportunities are missed for pupils to explain and discuss their work in groups and within

36. In classes where pupils are arranged in groups, there is the potential for them to discuss elements of their work with others when required to do so. In a practical science lesson in Year 4 for example, pupils were well motivated and discussed the progress of their experiments noisily, but very productively. In other classes where teachers insisted on silence pupils worked compliantly, but without the benefit of being able to share ideas. In a good lesson in the information and communication technology suite, the class teacher was so concerned at the effect of noise levels on other classes that her constant exhortation to ‘ Shh!’ inhibited the opportunity for pupils with little experience of computers to learn from those who had computers at home and were more confident and knowledgeable. In Years 5 and 6 pupils’ desks are arranged in rows facing the front of the classroom. Whereas this is

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Opportunities are missed for pupils to explain and discuss their work in groups and within

appropriate for some lessons, the inflexible arrangement does little to enable these high achieving pupils to discuss their work where appropriate and to clarify their thinking through discussion. Teachers sometimes lead class discussions well, but very occasionally they dominate discussion. Pupils lose interest and motivation as a result and some behave inappropriately.

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

independently, to use their initiative and to take responsibility for aspects of their learning.

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

37. Where pupils work co-operatively with others they acquire important skills related to sharing ideas, negotiating procedures and evaluating outcomes. In many lessons for pupils in Years 5 and 6 particularly, teachers are insufficiently flexible in choosing a variety of strategies that will encourage the development of these important aspects. The formal seating arrangements, for example, are conducive to pupils concentrating well in the class-teaching elements of literacy and numeracy lessons and are successful in contributing to high standards. However, they do not lend themselves easily to pupils working collaboratively and learning from one Malorees Junior School - 18 another through such activities as the mutual exchange of ideas in English and group problem- solving in mathematics. Discussion with pupils and an examination of past work indicates that opportunities for such interactions are few. Similarly, in practical activities such as

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

experimental work in science, pupils have insufficient opportunities to organise and plan investigations in groups and to share techniques and materials in art. On these occasions the formal arrangement not only does little to encourage collaborative work, but also does not make the best use of space available and builds ineffectively on the very good opportunities presented for co-operative work in younger classes; for example, in a Year 4 science lesson. In one Year 6 art lesson, for instance, the teacher, who was new to the school but had experience elsewhere, found that the arrangement inhibited opportunities for collaboration and the space between desks was restricted, giving little room for personal intervention from the teacher. Where teachers control learning too tightly, as in a Year 5 science lesson, pupils are insufficiently engaged. The opportunity to use their initiative and to learn independently of the

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

class teacher is minimal. The excitement of investigation is missing, pupils lose interest, some behave inappropriately and many make little progress in their learning.

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

38. There is considerable variation between classes in the opportunities for pupils to make decisions and to use their initiative in lessons. Overall, however, these are not developed well enough as pupils progress through the school and do not reflect the good opportunities that are presented in other aspects of school life, such as through the School Council. Also they do not contribute sufficiently to the school’s stated aim for pupils to become ‘…confident and independent’ . This, again, is because occasionally, some teachers control learning too tightly and do not allow pupils sufficient opportunity to make even simple choices about how they work; for example, where Year 3 pupils are ‘not allowed’ to use rubbers to erase mistakes and Year 6 pupils are not permitted to use calculators to check their calculations. This suggests a lack of trust and is in contrast to the school ethos which generally supports pupils’

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More planned opportunities are needed for pupils to work collaboratively and

self esteem well. In the former example, pupils waste valuable learning time as they await the attention of the class teacher, who has the only rubber available, and in the latter they are not making appropriate use of technology as laid down in the National Numeracy Strategy.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

39. In order to build on the school’s strengths, the governors, headteacher and staff should address the following:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Further develop the role of co-ordinators by planning time for them to monitor how well their subjects are taught. (See paragraph 32)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Make more effective use of computers in connection with other subjects and to develop skills learnt in weekly information and communication technology lessons. (See paragraphs 33 and 34)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Provide further opportunities for pupils to: a) explain and discuss their work within the whole class and in groups. b) work independently and co-operatively, to use their initiative and to take increasing responsibility for aspects of their learning as they progress through the school. (See paragraphs 35 - 38) Malorees Junior School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 8

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 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 four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 240

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 50

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 107

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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 105

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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 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23

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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. Malorees Junior School - 20

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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 30 28 58

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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 24 28 30 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 28 26 27

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (96) 93 (89) 98 (96) at NC level 4 or above National 74 (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 23 28 27 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 25 27 28

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (88) 95 (89) 95 (88) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 83 (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. Malorees Junior School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 24 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 14 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 46 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.4 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21:1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3 – Y6 Total income 667735

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Total expenditure 679358

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32 Expenditure per pupil 2831

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 4805

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year -6818

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.4

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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) 2

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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. Malorees Junior School - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 66 34 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 63 33 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 40 13 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 39 6 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 75 18 6 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 28 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 55 37 7 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 76 21 3 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 31 3 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 33 12 1 6

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