Other · Ofsted report

The Ridge Junior School

Inspected — · published 14 May 2003 · URN 109026

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Full report text

THE RIDGE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 13 th February 2003

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THE RIDGE JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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THE RIDGE 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. The Ridge Junior School- 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Melrose Avenue Yate BRISTOL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Paul Jones-Williams

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 th – 12 th November 1997 The Ridge Junior School- 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Geoff Jones Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Music Art and design The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? Richard Barnard Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Eva Wilson Team inspector English Religious education History Equal opportunities Peter Dexter Team inspector Mathematics Geography Design and technology Physical education Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London, WC2B 6SE The Ridge Junior School- 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29

The Ridge Junior School- 6 The Ridge Junior School- 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Ridge Junior School has 247 pupils and is average in size for primary schools. It admits pupils aged from seven to eleven years and there are eight classes, with two to each year group. The area served by the school has a mixture of housing association and private housing and many of the parents have jobs in the low skilled and low income brackets as well as a small number who are in professional occupations. The school’s admission number has recently dropped from 75 to 60 in order to coincide with the admission number for the adjacent infant school from which the pupils transfer at the age of seven. Pupils’ attainment on entry is close to the average. The school is in a state of transition. The previous head teacher and deputy left the school at the same time and the present head teacher and deputy have been recently appointed. The head teacher has been in post for four full terms and the new deputy head teacher for three terms. Half of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the class teachers left during the present head teacher’s first year. Many of the governors left or came to the end of their terms at the time of the new head’s appointment and only three remained at the end of the head’s first year in post. Three of the present class teachers were absent from school during the inspection and their classes were taught by supply teachers. There are no pupils with English as an additional language and 12 pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is 12.5 per cent and this is below the national average. There are three pupils with statements of special educational need. Ten pupils require help from outside specialists. The difficulties experienced by these pupils are dyslexia, general learning difficulties, autism, visual impairment and communication problems.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is in a state of transition and is improving quickly. There have been recent improvements after a period when standards had been falling but as a result of the good leadership and management provided by the head teacher and deputy head teacher, this trend has been reversed. Standards in speaking and listening are above average and those in reading, writing, mathematics and science are all close to the average for eleven year old pupils. The quality of teaching is good. Pupils learn well and make satisfactory progress during their time at the school. The leadership and management are good and this ensures that the curriculum provided and the quality of teaching and learning within the school all remain good. The governing body is effective in overseeing the work of the school. It monitors the progress of the school development plan effectively as well as the school’s budget and standards. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The leadership and management provided by the head and deputy head teacher are good. • The quality of teaching and learning in the school are good. • The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils that arise from the school’s highly successful provision for pupils’ social and moral development, and its monitoring and promotion of good behaviour and pupils’ attendance are all very good. • The very good and constructive relationships between the school and its partner schools. • Attainments in gymnastics are well above the level expected nationally. • Attainments in information and communication technology, history, physical education, speaking and listening are all above average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Pupils' achievements in English, mathematics and science could be improved further. • The assessment of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding are inconsistent, and not extended to all subjects or used to match work to pupils’ needs to ensure that they do the best they can. • The construction of the school development plan. • Pupils’ attainment in art and design are not high enough. • The accommodation for teaching small groups of pupils with special educational needs. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. The Ridge Junior School- 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1997 and since then the quality of teaching has improved and the merits of the leadership and management have been maintained. At that time the school’s test results were close to the average in English and mathematics and these standards are now at the same level. However, standards in science have fallen since 1997. The school has worked hard to improve pupils’ attainments in information and communication technology (ICT), religious education and design and technology, and has successfully raised these from unsatisfactory to satisfactory in religious education and design and technology and to a level that is higher than the level expected for eleven year olds in ICT. Pupils’ attainments in speaking and listening have improved, resulting from more frequent and varied opportunities for expressing their ideas in front of the class. The school now has effective medium-term

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

planning in place for all subjects except art. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are now very good as a result of the improved provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example the school now enables pupils to take on more substantial responsibilities such as acting as representatives on the school council. Parents report that the school is more responsive to their problems and difficulties and they feel better informed. Many of the improvements have taken place since the new head teacher was appointed.

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

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STANDARDS

In comparison with all schools nationally the school’s 2002 results in the annual national tests for eleven year olds were below the national average in English and mathematics and well below average in science. Compared with similar schools the results were average in English and mathematics and below the average in science. The school’s results in the annual national tests have been on a downward trend for the past two years but a number of successful strategies have been introduced, such as target setting and improved procedures for predicting individual pupils’ progress. These have enabled good improvements to be made to the teaching and as a result standards are now on course to meet national expectations for Year 6 pupils. This represents good achievement for Year 6 pupils because for the past two years the attainment of the eleven year olds has risen from below average in mathematics and well below average in science and are

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STANDARDS

now on course to meet the levels required for eleven year olds. The school is also on course to meet its targets for improvement for the current Year 6 pupils. Attainments in physical education are above the level expected for eleven year olds and well above the level expected in gymnastics. Attainments in ICT and history are above the levels expected nationally. Levels of attainment in geography, design and technology, music and religious education are all at the level expected nationally but those in art and design are below the expected level. The Ridge Junior School- 9

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and work hard in the classroom.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils respond very positively to school rules and understand how their own behaviour impacts on others.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships within the school were very good during the inspection. Pupils accept responsibilities very readily and behave in a mature manner.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Very good. Attendance is well above the national average and, pupils arrive at school punctually.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils respond very positively to the caring and supporting ethos in the school. They have developed a good awareness of citizenship and school council members are effective in contributing to the consultation process for the school development plan and in the selection of charities that the school supports.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching was good overall in the lessons observed. Teachers have good subject knowledge in the main areas of the curriculum and this contributes greatly towards the pupils’ good learning. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good, enabling pupils to acquire basic skills in a systematic way. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is also good and they make good progress as a result. These pupils are well supported in their classroom learning by hard-working and perceptive classroom assistants. The good teaching contributes significantly to recent improvements in the pupils’ attainments and to the very good attitudes they have to their work. Teachers set specific goals for pupils and their progress is enhanced as a result. The good management of pupils’ behaviour was evident in almost all lessons and pupils work hard, concentrate well and produce good work for their abilities. The specialist teaching in physical education

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

enables pupils to achieve very well. Teaching in art and design lessons is unsatisfactory because teachers lack the subject knowledge to enable pupils to make the necessary progress. Most teachers plan lessons well and the needs of pupils with differing levels of attainment are met in the majority of literacy, numeracy and science lessons. In a few lessons, pupils’ learning needs are not met and this results in slow progress. This happens because sometimes there is a lack of careful assessment of pupils’ achievements in previous lessons, and inconsistent marking that does not always indicate how pupils’ work could be improved. English is used effectively in a range of subjects across the curriculum but teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to practise the skills they have learned in literacy lessons by writing at length. In the lessons observed teachers had very good relationships with pupils in their class and as a consequence the

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

pupils’ intellectual, physical and creative efforts were high.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum has appropriate time allocated to English, mathematics and science, and contains all the required subjects of the National Curriculum as well as religious education. The pupils’ range of experiences in art and design is unsatisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The special needs co-ordinator liaises effectively with class teachers and withdraws small groups of pupils regularly from literacy lessons. These pupils make good progress as a result. The Ridge Junior School- 10 Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Good. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good. Provision for their spiritual development is good and for cultural development it is satisfactory. Health education is covered well during the science curriculum.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and keeping track of their progress are satisfactory. Assessment of pupils’ achievements so that the next step in their learning can be planned is also satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The partnership between the school and parents is good. Newsletters provide parents with useful information and the head teacher and most class teachers are very willing to talk to parents about any difficulties their children may be having. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are consulted about their child’s individual education plan and are kept well informed of developments. The curriculum is well planned except for art and design. Issues relating to curriculum that were highlighted at the last inspection have all been addressed appropriately. Extra-curricular activities, including educational visits, enrich the curriculum effectively. The overall provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection. Older pupils are provided with opportunities to participate in high quality discussions on important issues and these have a very good impact on their moral development. Pupils

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

develop very well socially as a result of opportunities to take on responsibility, and exercise self-discipline such as through participation in residential visits, summer and Christmas productions and membership of the school council.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Good. The head teacher and deputy head teacher have a clear idea of the direction the school should take. A number of necessary changes have been introduced that have been instrumental in raising the previously low standards in English, mathematics and science to an acceptable level although there is further to go to ensure that all pupils do the best they can.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body works hard on behalf of the school and has a good idea of its strengths and weaknesses.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Although the school identifies broad priorities for development some of its analysis is not precise enough to pinpoint what should be done to improve.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. The budget is used wisely and initiatives on the school development plan are linked closely to it. Teachers and classroom support assistants work closely together and this has a positive impact on pupils’ progress.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There is an appropriate number of suitably qualified and experienced teachers and support staff. The school’s accommodation is good but the area for teaching pupils with special educational needs is unsuitable. The quality and range of learning resources are good. The school applies the principles of best value satisfactorily. Its arrangements for appraisal and performance management are good. The Ridge Junior School- 11

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Behaviour in school is good. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best. • The school is well led and managed. • Their children like coming to school. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • The amount of work their children are asked to do at home. • Information about how their child is getting on at school. • The range of interesting activities provided outside of lessons. • The closeness with which the school works with parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team agrees with all the positive views of parents. It disagrees with all the main points suggested for improvement that arise from an analysis of the parents’ questionnaire. Inspectors feel that the school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities. These include football, tennis, chess, computer club, netball, gymnastics, writing club, cross-country running and choir, as well as providing opportunities for visits to places of educational interest in the local area and the chance for pupils in Year 6 to take part in a residential visit. Annual written reports on pupils provide useful information regarding pupils’ performances in all subjects and there are also opportunities for parents to discuss their child’s progress on two occasions per year. Inspectors judge that the school attempts to work closely with parents. It has arranged workshop meetings on mathematics for parents so they know how to help their children at home. Parents also receive

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

information about what will be taught and when the lessons will take place. The ‘Friends of the School’ association is very active and it organises a range of social events in order to raise finances for the school. The inspection team feels that the amount of homework pupils receive at present is appropriate for the different age groups and the tasks are linked well with what pupils are learning in the classrooms. The Ridge Junior School- 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When pupils are transferred to the school from the infant school at the age of seven their attainment level is normally close to the average. The school’s results in the annual national tests in 2001 and 2002 were below average for mathematics and well below average for science. In English, results were below average in 2001 and well below average in 2002. However, when these results are compared with similar schools they are average in English and mathematics and below average for science. Pupils’ present standards are on course to meet with national expectations in English, mathematics and science. This represents good achievement because pupils’ standards have been at least below average for the past two years. When compared with the school’s test results just before the last inspection, the latest results indicate maintenance of standards in English and mathematics but a fall in science. At

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

present, more able pupils are not extended sufficiently in all classes because not all teachers use assessment information to match work to pupils’ needs. Speaking, listening and handwriting skills have improved since the last inspection. The head teacher has introduced a number of strategies that have improved pupils’ attainments in the above subjects which include setting targets and monitoring pupils’ progress carefully.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Current standards in English are close to the average expected for eleven year old pupils. Their speaking and listening skills are above the level expected for this age. For example, pupils discuss in pairs the settings for their stories and express their own point of view during whole-class discussions. For example, they explain clearly the criteria they use when making decisions or their views about poor Victorian children. Whole-class discussions have enabled pupils to develop a wide range of speaking and listening skills and provided pupils with good experiences that build their vocabulary and confidence. By the end of Year 6 pupils’ reading attainment is average. Pupils read fluently and expressively and with satisfactory understanding. Pupils support their own opinions and make deductions about the text they are reading by referring to points made in the writing. Pupils attain average standards in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

writing. They are taught effectively to use a good range of connecting words and vocabulary. They build their writing skills in a wide range of different writing forms across the curriculum, such as letters, diaries, play-scripts and personal writing. However, they do not have enough opportunities to use the skills they have acquired to write extended pieces of writing. Pupils’ spelling and punctuation skills are also average. They have neat handwriting styles and their use of ICT for drafting and presenting work is of a good standard.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils’ attainment in mathematics is average by the time they reach the age of eleven. Teachers plan work for pupils according to the needs of three ability groups. The more able pupils in Year 6 work with long multiplication and division. They also have a good grasp of co- ordinates, perimeters and areas. Pupils who are at an average level cover a similar programme to the more able. Initially they complete less and make more errors but as the year progresses the mistakes are less and they finish most of the work. Lower attaining pupils and those with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress in their learning of mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science have improved during the current school year. By the time they are eleven they have sound knowledge and understanding of food chains and an appropriate knowledge of how micro-organisms cause decay. They have a good understanding of how to construct electrical circuits using wires, batteries, switches and light bulbs. Higher attaining pupils know how to put together circuits in parallel as well as in series. Pupils have developed better understanding of scientific principles as a result of participating in a wider range of experiments and investigations. Younger pupils are developing a clear understanding of how to ensure that their experiments are fair and that The Ridge Junior School- 13 conclusions drawn from the results are valid. Older pupils have developed the skills to be able to devise a valid experiment.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Attainment in religious education now meets with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. This is an improvement since the last inspection when attainments were unsatisfactory and pupils’ knowledge of religious education was judged to be limited. Year 6 pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the festivals of the major world faiths such as Diwali, Hanukkah and Advent. They have a satisfactory knowledge of the stories behind the festivals of Harvest, Sukkot and Eid. Their understanding of religious symbolism is also sound and pupils know, for example, about the five Ks in Sikhism as well as the symbolism involved in the Christingle.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The recently installed computer suite has had much influence on pupils’ attainment in ICT. This has risen from being below the level required at the time of the last inspection to a level that is now higher than the level expected nationally for Year 6 pupils. The ‘control’ element of the ICT curriculum that was unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection has now improved considerably. Younger pupils make good use of a programmable toy that provides practice in controlling direction and distance travelled so that it is made to travel along a set route. Older pupils use Superlogo to practise typing carefully framed instructions to enable drawings to be constructed on the computer screen and printed. As well as being able to use word processing and drawing programs, pupils are able to design front covers to individual magazines they are compiling. They incorporate sounds, such as drum rolls or applause, in

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

addition to animations, and select and amend backgrounds. Pupils can also use spreadsheets and are beginning to use this facility for a range of different purposes. Pupils devise simple formulae to be able to use spreadsheets successfully for calculations for recurring situations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Attainments in physical education are above the level expected nationally and well above average in gymnastics. Attainment in history is also above the level expected for eleven year olds. Attainment in all other National Curriculum subjects meets the required level with the exception of art and design. Pupils do not have sufficient experience in important elements of art and design for them to make enough progress in their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ very good attitudes to school, behaviour and very good relationships with staff and each other have a very positive impact on their achievements and especially on their personal development. This is an improvement over the standards in the previous report when relationships and behaviour were described as good. Pupils and their parents both appreciate the improvements since the appointment of the current head teacher. Parents also state how much pupils enjoy coming to school and this is confirmed by the very lively and keen interest they show in their work and the general life of the school. Many show a very keen response to extra-curricular activities, especially gymnastics, cross-country running, football, netball and chess, and pupils are proud of their achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Attitudes to learning are very good throughout the school. Pupils show mature attitudes towards work, and enjoy learning. They respond well to the caring ethos and supportive environment for learning created in many lessons. Pupils engage readily in discussions and voice their opinions confidently. This was seen in a Year 6 English lesson when pupils’ excellent attitudes throughout the lesson helped them develop characterisation very effectively in their stories through the use of dialogue

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The behaviour of the great majority of pupils is very good. There is little evidence of bullying, racist or sexist behaviour and pupils talk very positively about the atmosphere in the school and in the playground. They feel the school rules are fair and understand very well why they exist and how their own behaviour impacts on others. Pupils show a good respect for the feelings and beliefs of others and show a genuine appreciation of the efforts of others. The Ridge Junior School- 14 11. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils and staff get on together very well. Very strong relationships were a consistent feature in the lessons observed during the inspection, especially the interaction between teachers and pupils during lessons. This also helped to create a pleasant and enjoyable learning atmosphere. Pupils are friendly and show confidence when chatting to visitors. Pupils work together exceptionally well in pairs and

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

groups. This was evident in a Year 5 ICT lesson where pupils sensibly discussed in pairs how to improve the layout of a spreadsheet, resulting in most pairs locating at least five improvements that could be made.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is very good. They have developed a good awareness of citizenship. A good example is the keen and responsible approach adopted by members of the school council to gathering opinions and discussing views. They contribute responsibly to the consultation process in relation to the school development plan and, as an example of their contribution, have organised charity collections. Their consultations and recommendations led to the formation of a lunchtime chess club. Pupils undertake a wide range of duties, such as providing support in the office at lunchtimes and helping at the adjacent infant school. These opportunities help develop mature and responsible attitudes to life. Pupils are very aware of moral and social issues especially in relation to those who are worse off than they are. For example, in a Year 4 personal, social and health education lesson, they debated with great maturity how punishment might fit a crime, raising issues

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

such as whether parents should be punished for their child’s crimes. Pupils show initiative and independence when working. Pupils with special educational needs enjoy coming to school. They show very positive attitudes in lessons and during group work and are accepted readily by their peers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. There have been no temporary or permanent exclusions over the last two years. Attendance rates are very good, being well above the national average for primary schools. Levels of unauthorised absences and lateness are not significant.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching and learning observed during the inspection was good. Two examples of excellent teaching were observed, one in an English lesson and the other in a gymnastics lesson. Each lesson demonstrated first class planning, excellent use of resources and very high expectations of pupils. There were no unsatisfactory lessons observed during the inspection. Three class teachers were absent during the inspection and were replaced by good quality supply teachers who almost immediately developed a good rapport with the pupils in their classes. Since the last inspection the quality of teaching has improved from satisfactory to good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The special educational needs co-ordinator teaches pupils well in small groups. She prepares lessons in meticulous detail and makes all class teachers aware of what is in the individual education plans that have been drawn up for these pupils with special educational needs. The plans contain clear and specific targets for pupils, clear criteria for measuring their success, and details of relevant resources that will assist progress together with ideas that would support their learning. Lessons for small groups of pupils proceed at a lively pace. There is a good atmosphere prevalent during the lessons with the teacher valuing each of the pupils’ contributions. This enables them to grow in confidence and has a positive effect on their progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The relationships between teachers and pupils are very good. There is a sense of security in each of the classrooms that breeds a feeling of calm and care for everyone else in the room. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and as a result their response is to work hard and to increase their pace of working. Homework is used effectively to support pupils’ learning in the classroom. Teachers have high expectations of most pupils and the work planned is challenging for higher attaining pupils in most classes. Although this was true for the lessons observed during the inspection, a scrutiny of pupils’ work carried out in the previous term The Ridge Junior School- 15 indicated that this is not consistent. Although almost all teachers plan so that the needs of different ability groups are met, the scrutiny indicated that in some classes pupils were provided with similar work whatever their ability. There is a successful working relationship

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

between teachers and classroom assistants that benefits pupils. Classroom assistants support small groups of pupils, particularly the less able, in their learning and enable them to make good progress. Teachers also assess pupils’ attainment during the lessons and often take immediate action to improve pupils’ work or help them to overcome specific difficulties. Learning resources are used particularly effectively to enhance pupils’ understanding or to reinforce their learning. For example, in an exciting history lesson, pupils used Roman cardboard shields made at home by their parents to demonstrate very effectively different defence mechanisms used by Roman armies.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teaching in literacy and numeracy are good, enabling pupils to learn basic skills effectively and improve their attainment in recent years. Opportunities for writing are provided across the curriculum in diverse subjects such as history and science but pupils are not provided with opportunities to write extended stories or non-fiction pieces. Teaching in art is unsatisfactory because the teachers’ knowledge of the subject is not sufficient to be able to provide a good range of experiences for pupils to develop their knowledge, understanding and, most of all, their skills. The very good specialist teaching in physical education enables pupils to reach very good levels of attainment. There are a good number of very talented gymnasts attending the school whose skills have been nurtured and developed through the provision of specialist lessons out of school hours that have enabled them to develop rapidly under expert guidance.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. As a result of good teaching pupils have made good progress in their learning and improved their standards from below average over the past two years to average. Pupils’ current work is now close to the average and pupils have made good progress in their learning during the current school year. Pupils’ literacy and mathematical skills are average and the good developments in teaching design and technology have enabled pupils to improve attainment from the previously unsatisfactory level. Improvements in pupils’ attainment in ICT have resulted from more secure teaching skills that have emanated from a greater familiarity with a range of software, hard work and good quality in-service training. Teaching in religious education lessons has also improved because there is now a new well-structured scheme of work for planning purposes. Teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. However, there are a small number of aspects of teaching that could be improved in order to raise

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pupils’ standards even higher. Although all teachers mark pupils’ work they do not consistently indicate how pupils’ work could be improved. Similarly, there needs to be consistency in teachers’ assessment of pupils’ attainment so that future work can be planned to meet pupils’ learning needs so that pupils’ achievements can be even better. The practice of setting targets for pupils has been beneficial in improving their attainment and although this occurs in the majority of classes it does not happen in all and the pupils’ progress in these classes is not as good.

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

19. In the previous report the use of control and data handling in ICT, the lack of whole-school plans in several subjects and the provision of more challenging work for more able pupils in some subjects, were all identified as areas for improvement. The most recent initiatives have addressed all of these, but although they are now provided they have yet to have their fullest impact on learning. However, the length of the teaching week is still below that recommended for schools nationally and this remains outstanding from the last inspection.

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

20. With the exception of art and design, pupils experience a well-planned curriculum which includes all National Curriculum subjects. Religious education meets the requirements of the syllabus taught in the local authority's schools. However, the range of activities in both art and design are limited compared to other subjects. The teaching of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has improved recently in close consultation with the local authority's advisors, although more still needs to be done to improve the quality of assessment and The Ridge Junior School- 16 marking in both these and other subjects. Lesson plans follow a similar pattern in all classrooms with work prepared for pupils of different abilities. For example, most lessons have work planned for three ability groups and this provides good learning opportunities for all pupils in their everyday lessons.

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

21. There are well-organised extra classes for pupils of lower ability to help them make up ground in literacy and numeracy. Pupils with special educational needs, most of whom have been identified early by the contributory infant school, have very good individual education plans with clear targets for improvement. Learning assistants support these pupils very effectively in the classrooms so they make good progress as a result. At other times the special needs co- ordinator teaches groups well, and these groups too make good progress. However, the teaching area for group teaching is not of good quality and requires improvement. There is no register identifying gifted and talented pupils so that adequate provision can be made for their needs in a similar way to those of pupils with special needs. The exception is the identification of talented gymnasts and the very high quality provision for this group.

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

22. Extra-curricular activities at lunchtimes or after school, including well-planned visits to such places as Bristol Museum, extend and enrich the curriculum well. Sporting activities are strongly supported and the school is very successful in both local and national competitions. Cross-country running and athletics are very popular. The school gymnasts are the holders of national titles as teams, pairs and sometimes individuals. Other activities include chess, the 'Web Site Club', the more able writing club, and some music provided by volunteer parents.

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23. Pupils have satisfactory equal access to the curriculum in the main, but there are particular areas for improvement. For example, there are different quality experiences in classes in the same year in some subjects. It not only includes the work they do, but also differences in the quality of marking. Some pupils miss the same lesson every week when they go to music lessons. However, in general pupils benefit equally, support for groups is related to their needs and the school has systems for analysing test results and taking action as a result.

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

24. Personal, social and health education is provided for well in different subjects. Health education is part of the science curriculum, which includes such topics as drugs awareness and healthy lifestyles. Sex education is part of this programme, but this is under review. Pupils' personal development is good, not only because of the everyday high quality relationships and pastoral care of the teachers and assistants, but also because pupils have regular planned opportunities to explore experiences such as friendship or how rules and laws are made. A good example of this was when pupils in Year 3 discussed 'for and against' a longer playtime, voted on it and then agreed it should go forward to the school council.

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25. The school makes sure links with the local community and other schools are maintained successfully. They transfer information to the secondary schools through a well-organised system, and the secondary teachers teach groups before they transfer to give pupils a taste of their next school experience. The infant school works very closely on transfers too; they share the same site so there are regular continuing discussions and meetings. Local community resources such as the churches and the superstore bakery are used to enhance pupils' learning. Community figures such as the school nurse and the local policemen are regular and valued visitors. Further strong links include those with Bristol Rovers Football Club, Bristol Old Vic and the pupils' enthusiastic involvement in the South Gloucestershire re- cycling scheme.

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26. Overall, provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The provision for spiritual development is good and moral development is very good, indicating improvement in both aspects since the previous inspection. The daily, well-planned, collective act of worship encourages pupils to be sensitive and reflective. During inspection week, the hymns, prayers and stories, such as Greyfriars Bobby , within the assembly theme of animals, aroused emotions of compassion and concern. Religious together with personal, social and health education lessons also contribute very well to pupils’ spiritual and moral advancement. The Ridge Junior School- 17 Valuable time is allocated for pupils to engage in focused discussions on a wealth of spiritual and moral issues. The very good relationships between teachers and their pupils add to the quality of discussions and successfully promote pupils’ self-esteem. A very good example

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was the discussion by pupils in Year 6 on making choices between right and wrong, when they demonstrated well-considered, mature decisions. There are good opportunities in other curricular subjects too, such as reading, writing, geography and history to broaden spiritual and moral awareness. The school’s behaviour policy provides good guidelines for all to follow. Pupils are actively involved in decision making. For example, they make their class rules and show great determination in obeying them.

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27. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good and also shows improvement since the previous inspection. The school provides numerous experiences for pupils to interact and take responsibility. In classroom activities pupils work in different group sizes. When moving around the school they are expected to be mindful of others and move carefully. At dinner time older pupils monitor cloakrooms and playgrounds, ensuring that behaviour is good. Adults in the school set very good examples for pupils to follow. The Year 6 residential visit gives pupils valuable opportunities to relate to each other, exercise self-discipline, obey group rules and be co-operative. Sporting and competitive opportunities also encourage pupils to compete fairly and obey the rules. The various school clubs such as football, gymnastics, choir and computer provide further social occasions for pupils to work as part of a group and

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behave responsibly. All of the pupils are given the opportunity to participate in the school’s summer and Christmas productions. Additionally, and significantly, the clear focus given to lessons, through the school’s good practice of sharing the learning objectives of each lesson with the pupils, means that they know from the outset what is expected of them. This increases their understanding of their own learning and enables them to take greater responsibility for it.

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28. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory indicating a drop in provision since the previous inspection. This is due in part to a decline of opportunities in the subjects of art and music. It is also due, to a small extent, to a lack of planned opportunity for pupils to be aware of the differences in everyday living of the different ethnic groups of present day Britain. However, pupils are encouraged to have respect for the beliefs of others through their studies of the festivals of Diwali, Sukkot, and Eid. In history and geography, they learn of their local culture and that of the wider world. Educational visits bring meaning to such studies. They visit several museums such as the Bristol Museum or a local Victorian museum where they pretend to be pupils in a Victorian classroom. In English they read some of the classics such as traditional fairy tales, and The Magician’s Nephew by C. S. Lewis.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. The school provides good care for its pupils and has improved on the standards described in the previous report. The standard of care and social inclusion contributes well towards pupils’ very positive attitudes to school. They and their parents feel that they are cared for and valued.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. Health and safety monitoring and staff awareness of child protection issues is good. Governors are well aware of potential safety issues and, although they have not yet carried out a formal risk assessment of the school premises, they have recently taken steps to ensure that a policy for undertaking this is regularly implemented in future. The school is a secure, clean and tidy place and provides a good environment in which pupils can learn. Child protection procedures and staff awareness of these are good. First aid arrangements are good with staff receiving adequate training. Pupils’ personal development is monitored adequately on an informal basis but members of staff know their pupils and their backgrounds well thus providing good personal support that enables pupils to develop confidence and self- esteem. The Ridge Junior School- 18 31. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very effective. The school’s

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behaviour policy, with an emphasis on the use of rewards and praise, has had a very positive impact on pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. Pupils regard the rewards system as being very fair and effective. Procedures to discourage and deal with bullying, racist or sexist behaviour are also very good and any potential racial incidents are monitored and recorded very rigorously. Parents and pupils feel that potential incidents are dealt with quickly, fairly and successfully. The school makes good efforts to include all pupils including those with special educational needs. Support, guidance and care of pupils with special educational needs are empathetic and effective. However, pupils learning to play a musical instrument are withdrawn from the same lesson each week and miss teaching and learning in the same subject regularly. This does not have a positive effect on their progress in this specific subject because the school

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has made no arrangements to rotate the times that pupils are withdrawn from lessons for instrumental tuition.

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32. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are very good. Attendance registers are well maintained, and the daily monitoring and following up of absences ensures very good levels of attendance and gives parents confidence in the care shown for their children.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The school has improved procedures and practices for measuring and tracking pupils’ attainment and progress since the previous inspection. Methods used in English and mathematics are good. They include analyses of Year 6 National Curriculum statutory tests, as well as optional tests taken by pupils of the other year groups. The information arising from these is used to identify general areas of weakness in pupils’ knowledge and understanding but in science there has been little impact on standards. Data from test analyses is stored electronically using an appropriate software program and put to good use in matching learning to the needs and stages of development of the individual and year group. As a result of such analyses, in the majority of classes targets are set for each pupil in English and a whole-school target has been set to raise pupils’ skills of punctuation. Each pupil’s targets are

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written at the front of their notebooks and on a card, displayed on the tables. As a result, everyone working with the pupil knows where to focus support. A good quality target system has been introduced for mathematics and is about to be implemented. Analyses of pupils’ attainments in the Year 2 National Tests are now carried out when pupils transfer into the junior school. The information gained is used to ensure that previous learning is built upon. This is very good practice. The school also uses data stored electronically to identify higher attaining pupils and those with special educational needs.

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34. In their mark books, teachers compile detailed records to track pupils’ attainment and progress. In both Year 3 classes and one of the Year 6 classes, the teachers’ procedures and practices are exemplary. They show that not only are pupils’ attainments and progress tracked, but are carefully built upon. Throughout the school, individual profiles are compiled. They carry samples of the pupil’s work together with test results demonstrating attainment and progress made by pupils as they move through the school. These profiles carry valuable information but the organisation of the contents is not orderly enough to access it readily. Procedures for measuring and tracking pupils’ progress and attainment in subjects other than English, mathematics, science and ICT are being developed but have yet to be implemented and remain outstanding from the last inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Use of assessment to inform curricular provision is satisfactory. As mentioned above, analyses of English and mathematics tests are carried out and the findings used to inform teaching and learning. All ongoing work is marked carefully. In the very best cases, comments made by teachers help pupils to know how to improve their work. However, this very good practice is not consistent throughout the school. Pupils of some classes evaluate their own work, which gives them a clear understanding of how to improve it. The senior management team, together with the English and mathematics co-ordinators, check samples of pupils’ work to ensure that the level assigned is accurate and the findings are shared with the staff. This is a very useful exercise in familiarising teachers with the demands of the levels of National Curriculum subjects. The Ridge Junior School- 19

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. The partnership between school and parents is good. The head teacher has taken effective steps to enhance and improve on the partnership described in the previous inspection report.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. Responses from parents to the inspection survey, the pre-inspection meeting and discussions during the inspection indicate that parents have mostly positive views about the school. They state that their children like school, are making good progress and behave well. They feel teaching is good, and that the school expects their children to work hard, helps children to be mature and responsible and is well led and managed. Parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. Inspection evidence supports all of these views. About a quarter of parents feel that their child does not get the right amount of work to do at home, that they are not kept well informed about how their child is getting on, and that the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. Inspectors feel that the amount of homework set is appropriate, that parents receive good information from

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the school about their children’s progress and that the provision for activities outside lessons is good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. Annual written reports provide good detail on attainment and progress in relation to all subjects and targets for pupils’ improvement are included appropriately. Most reports are specific and helpful to parents but others are too general and do not indicate clearly the specific learning areas that need further development. Newsletters provide parents with good information about the life of the school and also about work to be undertaken each term. Every parent also receives a curriculum ‘map’ that provides information about the curriculum for all the year groups so that they know what and when will be taught during each year. The school has an ‘open door’ policy for parents and members of staff are readily available for consultation, especially at end of the day.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The contribution parents make to their children’s learning at school and at home is good. They provide help in the school and help, for example, by assisting with reading. They help at home by giving support to their children at home with reading or other activities and by attending workshop courses at school that inform them how they can assist with their child’s mathematical learning. This was particularly evident in Year 3 where parents helped their child to make a colourful Roman shield at home. These were used most effectively to learn about Roman battle manoeuvres in an exciting and rewarding way. The Friends of School Association provides good financial support and organises a range of social activities. Parents attend pupils’ concerts and other performances very enthusiastically. The great majority of parents ensure their children come to school regularly and promptly. The effective open door policy introduced by the present head teacher is welcomed by parents and helps

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involve them well in their children’s education. The school consults with parents effectively, for example in a survey about development priorities.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Parents of pupils with special educational needs receive very good information on their child’s individual education plan. They are alerted early of any concerns and thus are well informed before the next level of support begins. Parents are fully informed about all aspects of the Code of Practice. They value the way the school makes certain they know exactly what is happening and the progress their child is making.

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