Maidenhall Primary School

MIADENHALL JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th to 23 rd January 2003

p.1

MIADENHALL 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.

p.1

MIADENHALL 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. Maidenhall Junior School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Newark Road Luton Postcode: LU4 8LD

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: LEA - Luton Name of chair of governors: Dr. M. Wasil

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6 th October 1997 Maidenhall Junior School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

17454 Brian Aldridge Registered inspector Physical education What should the school do to improve further The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught How well is the school led and managed 14178 Patricia Willman Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents 20350 Vivien Davies Team inspector English Art and design 2766 Rashida Spencer Team inspector English as an additional language Science Geography 21858 John Pryor Team inspector Educational inclusion Information and communication technology History Religious education How good are curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

20911 Judith Dawson Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Design and technology Music 12000 Brenda Iles Team Inspector

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: SES Ltd 132 Whitaker Road Derby DE23 6AP

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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:

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Maidenhall Junior School - 5

p.4

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS 10

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Maidenhall Junior School is a larger than average primary school which educates 347 pupils (177 boys and 170 girls) of between seven and eleven years of age. Almost all of the pupils are of minority ethnic heritage and for 339 pupils English is not their home language. The majority of families speak Urdu, with smaller proportions speaking Bengali, Punjabi and Shona. Sixty-eight pupils are at an early stage of learning English. Eighty-one pupils are recognised as having special educational needs, an above average number, but only three of these have a statement. Education plans for these pupils identify severe and moderate learning, emotional, behavioural, social, and physical difficulties. All of these proportions have risen since the last inspection. A high proportion of pupils, one in five, changed schools other than at the normal time of transfer in the last year. Almost one-third of the pupils are

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

entitled to free school meals, a proportion that is above average. Many families in the area are from low social and economic backgrounds and levels of adult literacy in the area are low. Pupils enter the school with poor levels of achievement. During the inspection there was one temporary teacher, one teacher in training and two overseas trained teachers.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school which is extremely well run by the headteacher who is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and team leaders. Standards are improving because teaching is good and members of staff, governors, pupils and the whole of the school’s community work very hard to create a school where learning is appreciated and where everyone has the highest aspirations. The school provides good value for money.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The improvement of pupils’ basic skills of literacy and numeracy • Pupils’ attitudes and their personal and social development are promoted very well • The leadership and management of the headteacher and key members of staff • The extent to which the commitment to raising standards is shared by the whole school community • The generally high quality of the provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those who are learning English as an additional language • The assessment of progress and care of pupils

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in Year 6 in mathematics, and standards in geography, history and music • The quality of teaching in the minority of lessons where it is satisfactory • The coverage of the music curriculum and the frequency with which history and geography are taught The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The rate and quality of improvement since the last inspection has been good and in the last two years has been very good. The quality of teaching has improved as a result of very focussed leadership and the very efficient management of the newly introduced systems such as assessment. Standards are rising as these changes begin to have an impact on levels of attainment. This is particularly the case in Years 3 to 5, although there is still work to do to increase the challenges presented to Year 6 pupils. The previously limited role of the governors has been enhanced and they are now fully involved in the work of the school. The key issues identified in the last inspection have been well addressed and the school is in good shape to make further rapid improvements. Maidenhall Junior School - 7 STANDARDS

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In the last two years the school has moved standards out of the lowest five per cent in the country. The challenging targets set by the school have been exceeded. Compared to the standards they achieve on entry to the school, pupils make very good progress in English and satisfactory progress in mathematics and science. Since the last inspection the school has made good progress in raising standards even though there have been increases in the proportions of pupils speaking English as an additional language and of pupils with recognised special educational needs. There are no significant differences between the standards of boys and girls. The school’s trend is broadly in line with the national trend.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In the current Year 6 standards in English, science, geography and history and physical education are below average. In mathematics and music standards are well below average. Standards in art and design, design and technology and religious education are at the expected levels. Generally pupils achieve well, with the exception of music in which achievement is unsatisfactory because the statutory requirement to teach the subject is not met. Rapid progress has been made in improving the rate of achievement in English. Pupils who learn English as an additional language make good progress and those with special educational needs make very good progress. This is due to the very good levels of support for pupils with specific learning needs. Pupils make very good progress in their understanding and skills within the development of their personal, social and health education. Inspectors agree with

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

the school’s analysis that rates of achievement are good in Years 3, 4 and notably 5, where the rate of achievement is high. In Year 6 achievement is satisfactory which mirrors the overall quality of teaching in this year group. In Year 6 mathematics lessons brighter pupils are not sufficiently challenged and they lack the skills to conduct their own investigations and experiments. Rates of achievement differ because the systems adopted over the last two years have had more impact on younger pupils and because the quality of teaching is stronger in some year groups, especially Year 5, than in others.

p.7

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Note: When the report refers to ‘similar schools’ it is referring only to school with a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes to school and they are very enthusiastic learners. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave well in and around school. Exclusions have fallen in number and there have been none this year or last. Maidenhall Junior School - 8 Personal development and relationships Very good; pupils understand the effects of their actions on other people and they actively support one another. Charities are well supported.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is good and is improving year on year as pupils and parents understand the importance of coming to school regularly.

p.8

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

School staff have successfully built a very strong sense of pupils working with adults to form a ‘school team’. This pays dividends in the care pupils take of each other and has positive effects on reducing bullying and racism.

p.8

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.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. There is a sense of purpose and team working in the teaching force which is coming to terms with what needs to be done to continually improve the quality of teaching. This high quality teamwork is also reflected in classes as teachers and teaching assistants, including bilingual assistants, work very well together to ensure that all pupils, whatever their learning needs, make progress. In English and mathematics the overall quality of teaching is good and teachers apply the national strategies well. This helps pupils in the early stages of learning English to make good progress in their work. Generally pupils learn well in lessons though this is dependent upon their teacher’s subject knowledge and the variety of methods they use to help pupils learn. In some classes, notably, but not always, the year leaders’ classes, teachers use a wide

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

variety of methods to help pupils learn effectively. Their subject knowledge is strong so that links can be made between subjects and the plans that year groups devise can be implemented imaginatively. This is particularly the case in Year 5 where the quality of teaching is high and this is reflected in the rate of pupils’ learning. In a minority of lessons, about a third, teaching is only satisfactory overall because teachers’ subject knowledge is not strong enough, year group plans are not interpreted imaginatively, assessments of pupils’ progress including marking are weak and there are not enough opportunities for pupils to conduct their own investigations. This is noticeable in Year 6 mathematics lessons where brighter pupils are not stretched and challenged. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs learn very well in class.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum concentrates on improving pupils’ skills in literacy and numeracy and is generally successful in this aim. However, overall the curriculum is too narrow. Learning opportunities in music are unsatisfactory and do not meet statutory requirements.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The planning, teamwork and support for pupils with special educational needs are all very good.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good; pupils are generally well supported by teachers, bilingual assistants and language teachers. Better use of simple resources to supplement those planned by the class teachers would further improve the rate of progress.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ Very good overall with notable strengths in promoting spiritual and moral Maidenhall Junior School - 9 personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development development.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The care and welfare of pupils are addressed very well.

p.9

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The clubs and activities after school, the relationships with other schools and educational inclusion are all good. The analysis of test information is very good. The school works very hard at improving the partnership with parents with a satisfactory degree of success.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership of the headteacher is excellent and he is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and subject coordinators

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The work of the governing body is very good and has improved substantially since the last inspection

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance This aspect of work is very good and leads to a shared and detailed understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The school uses its budget wisely and there are sufficient checks and balances by the headteacher, governors and administrative staff.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school is well staffed with bilingual assistants, teaching assistants and teachers but there are weaknesses in the accommodation. The ambitions of staff and governors to drive up achievement whilst supporting pupils’ personal development are a key feature of the leadership of the school. The school applies the principles of best value very well.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Children make good progress • The quality of teaching is good and pupils work hard • Children like school, behave well and are helped to become mature • Parents feel welcome in the school and receive good information • The school is well led and managed • The quantity of homework

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

No parents attended the pre-inspection meeting. Inspectors agree with parents’ positive comments and judge that homework is satisfactorily used to promote learning although there are differences between classes in each year group. Maidenhall Junior School - 10

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The information from national tests, high quality records of assessment kept by the school and the analysis by the inspection team show that pupils are achieving well. This is despite the fact that there are higher than average proportions of: - pupils with special educational needs - pupils who learn English as an additional language - pupils who change schools at non-standard times each school year Test performance has improved since the last inspection and in the last two years the school has moved out of the bottom five per cent of the country’s schools.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The Year 6 national tests for 2002 show that: English results were: - well below the national average - in line with the average of similar schools. Mathematics results were: - well below the national average - well below the average of similar schools. Science results were: - well below the national average - below the average of similar schools. There were no significant differences between the standards of boys and girls and over the past five years the school’s trend has been in line with the national trend. However, the dips in results in 1999 in English and in 2000 in mathematics and science have not recurred and the trend since that time has increased at a greater rate than the national trend.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The inspection team’s analysis shows that, in line with the school’s own data, the performance of the current Year 6 is below the national average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. Improved teaching and better systems of monitoring and evaluating progress account for the rise in standards. Standards in ICT, religious education, art and design and design and technology are at the expected levels in Year 6. In geography, history and physical education standards are below the expected levels. In music standards are well below average. There are a number of reasons for the variation in standards between subjects: - the school has made a concentrated effort on improving English skills - teachers’ subject knowledge is not as good in mathematics and science as it is in English, ICT, religious education, art and design and design and technology - the curriculum has concentrated on English and mathematics to stem the fall

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

in the school’s results and to provide pupils with the skills to operate effectively in other subjects - the learning opportunities for geography, history and music are not well developed - the resources for physical education are unsatisfactory.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Pupils enter the school achieving poor standards in English and mathematics. In the present Year 3 about a third performed at a level likely to achieve the nationally expected level in reading by Year 6, in writing just over a fifth did so and in mathematics less than a half. In last year’s national tests in Year 6 just over a half of pupils achieved Maidenhall Junior School - 11 the nationally expected level in mathematics but just over two-thirds did so in English. When attainment on intake is taken into account alongside factors such as the higher than average proportions of pupils at the early stages of learning English and the higher than average proportion of pupils with special educational needs, pupils generally make good progress in most of their areas of learning. This is for a number of reasons: - the school regularly tests how well pupils are doing and adapts the curriculum to meet the identified needs

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

- the quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection - the school is focused on raising standards by using booster groups and other specialist tuition The school’s assessment information shows that pupils make good progress in mathematics in Years 3 and 4 and very good progress in Year 5. In Year 6 although progress in English is good and in science is often good, progress in mathematics slows to satisfactory rates. This is because teachers do not expect enough of pupils and particularly of high attainers. The mathematics curriculum in this year group does not have enough opportunities for pupils to set up their own investigations. There are good examples of this sort of issue being addressed well in science, in which there are more investigations, and this is helping to promote better rates of progress.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. For younger pupils in Years 3 and 4, and especially in Year 5, the standards achieved by pupils are relatively higher than those achieved by the current Year 6. Indeed in Year 5 standards are not far away from the national average for eleven-year-olds in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. This improving picture is because: - the systems now used are having a greater impact on younger pupils - attainment on entry has risen over the past two years - the quality of teaching in Year 5 is consistently good.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The school has less than ten pupils whose home language is English. In order for the great majority of pupils to make progress in the subjects of the National Curriculum, learning English as an additional language must take a high priority. The last inspection found that the school did not have a language policy and that tuition in speaking and listening was not as good as it could be. This has been addressed well and now pupils have lots of opportunities to talk to each other and their teachers and to listen to their peers talking about their work. Opportunities for drama and activities such as the school council and separate discussion groups for boys and girls all help to show the importance placed on the spoken word. Assemblies and skilled teaching during which pupils listen to their teachers talk about beautiful words such as ‘archaeology’, help pupils appreciate spoken language. Bilingual assistants offer good support by providing

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

‘running translations’ so pupils can keep up with the rest of the class. Some teachers and assistants use well-aimed materials to help pupils understand the classroom tasks, but this is by no means always available.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress throughout the school, particularly in English. A pupil with severe learning difficulties with a statement of special educational needs, for example, was unable to separate words when writing at the beginning of the year and very few words were spelled correctly. Now sentences are beginning to be formed correctly and the spelling of frequently used words is often accurate. These levels of success improve pupils’ confidence and help to motivate pupils to carry on making progress. When appropriate, pupils are grouped for additional support or work individually with the special needs support teacher, the special educational needs coordinator or trained teaching assistants. Individual pupils work with the special educational needs teachers following well-structured programmes to improve specific aspects of learning, for example, identifying the

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

sounds that letters or letter combinations make in order to read words. This has had a significant impact on the progress pupils make. Unobtrusive and well-focused support Maidenhall Junior School - 12 within the classroom ensures that pupils make as much progress as they are able to and the teaching assistants keep notes of the progress made. For some subjects, for example, science, pupils have additional support beforehand so that they are able to make the most of the class lesson and work effectively with their peers.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. High attaining pupils make good progress in Years 3 to 5 but in Year 6 the rate of progress is satisfactory. This is because of the narrowness of the Year 6 curriculum and the lack of opportunity for pupils to design and carry out investigations and to work in practical situations in which they can apply their skills.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. All pupils, including those at an early stage in their development of English language skills and those with special educational needs, have very good attitudes to their learning and to school life. Their response to the very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural values promoted by the school is very positive. As a result, during their time in school, they mature into friendly, sensible and well-balanced individuals who make a significant contribution to the happy and purposeful community atmosphere evident in the school. These aspects of pupils’ development have improved since the last inspection.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils’ enthusiasm for school, their hard work and commitment to do well are major factors in the good rate of progress their achieve. They are well motivated, keen to learn and very enthusiastic about many aspects of their lives in school. They comment that their lessons are interesting and often fun. Because of the good levels of extra support provided for some pupils in lessons, all are enabled to understand and participate fully in the lessons. In whole class discussion sessions, pupils are eager to answer questions and many express their opinions clearly and thoughtfully. They particularly enjoy the competitive nature of the mental mathematics sessions, trying hard to get the right answers as quickly as possible. Many pupils talk with enthusiasm about the books they have read and favourite stories they are familiar with, sometimes describing their favourite bits at some length. They value the lunchtime and after

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

school clubs which are well supported. Parents who expressed an opinion prior to and during the inspection feel that their children like coming to school and this was confirmed by many of the pupils.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The delight that the teachers and teaching assistants show when pupils with special educational needs achieve well ensures that pupils enjoy learning. Pupils are thrilled when they complete a page of their spelling programme in paired language sessions or learn their spellings correctly. During the inspection one boy with special educational needs visited the special educational needs teacher at the end of school twice to demand his “new words”. Pupils feel valued by the adults and their classmates due to the very good inclusion in all activities and the respect that the pupils have for each other, whatever their abilities or ethnicity. This helps them to feel good about themselves and confident in their ability to achieve well.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. All staff members expect high standards of behaviour from the pupils and the effective systems and consistency of approach ensure that this is achieved. The school is an orderly community in which pupils feel secure and valued. The behaviour of all pupils in assemblies is excellent and this contributes very significantly to the strong sense of community in the school. Pupils are unfailingly courteous to adults and most treat the school building and resources carefully. A few pupils are concerned about minor pilfering but they feel that their teachers do as much as they can to deal with it. Most pupils behave sensibly at Maidenhall Junior School - 13 playtimes and generally respond quickly to instructions. There have been no exclusions.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ personal development is very good. The relationships between the pupils are usually very good. They work and play happily together and there is no evidence of any racial tension. Pupils do talk about bullying and the interesting survey conducted by the school council shows that a small number of pupils do feel unhappy about this. Because this issue is a strong feature in the personal, social and health education lessons, pupils are developing strategies to cope with it. The presentation by the Year 6 boys’ discussion group in assembly clearly showed what a pupil experiencing bullying should do and demonstrated a successful outcome. The relationships between the pupils, their teachers and other adults who work with them are very good and often excellent. Pupils trust their teachers and know that they or the headteacher will help them if they are worried about something. They say that if they do not understand

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

something in their lessons, they feel confident to ask for help and are never made to feel awkward. They gain an insight into their own and others’ feelings during their personal, social and health education lessons and this encourages them to care for and respect each other. They understand that what they do has an impact on others and learn to value the differences between them. One pupil, when choosing a reading book, was looking for a book about “feelings” which she felt would help her to improve her own behaviour and understand her friends better. In their religious education lessons they learn to respect the views and beliefs of those from different cultures. The events celebrating religious and cultural festivals of many countries are enjoyed by pupils and parents and the exciting visual displays and performances successfully encourage understanding and tolerance. In many of their lessons, particularly in

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

literacy and religious education, pupils are encouraged to examine the words and text in depth and, as a result, are developing a recognition of the beauty of language and many empathise well with characters and situations. Evidence from the photographs of pupils taking part in design and technology shows a good level of teamwork in completing their projects. Through their fund raising activities, pupils become aware of the difficulties of others less fortunate than themselves. All pupils carry out their classroom responsibilities sensibly and older pupils perform their whole school responsibilities conscientiously. The members of the school council are tackling important issues and their ideas are having a positive impact on the day-to-day life in the school.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. The level of attendance has improved since the last inspection and is good. Last year it was recorded at a little above that found in most primary schools, and records for last term show a further improvement. This has a good impact on the amount of progress pupils make during their time at school. A small number of pupils take extended holidays during term time and miss important elements of their learning. Most pupils arrive at school in good time, registration is quick and lessons start promptly.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

15. The quality of teaching is good overall and has improved since the last inspection. In this inspection there were fewer examples of unsatisfactory teaching and more lessons in which the quality of teaching was good, very good or excellent. In all year groups there are examples of good and very good teaching. The strongest teaching is in Year 5, where teaching is consistently good and occasionally excellent. The teaching in other year groups is more variable. This is due to the inconsistent interpretation of the year group plans due to a lack of teachers’ subject knowledge and confidence. All year group leaders demonstrate teaching strengths. Given the school’s past difficulties in recruiting and retaining teachers the work to improve teachers’ skills is well directed and has been successful, although more work needs to be done in certain areas. The Maidenhall Junior School - 14 following tables show the aspects of lessons in which the quality of teaching was very

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

good. Generally these aspects were not as sharp where teaching was judged to be satisfactory.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

16. Teaching strengths which result in effective learning § Teachers use carefully chosen language and emphasise specific words which are important in subjects è Pupils learn which words they need to explain their ideas and what they have understood in lessons

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

This is one of the crucial areas of teaching in a school with such a high proportion of pupils who need to learn English. In very good lessons teachers take many opportunities to introduce new words, show their pupils how enthusiastic they are about interesting words and ensure pupils practise these words. Important words are written on the whiteboards in different colours. This ensures that pupils take notice of the subject vocabulary. Teaching is particularly effective when teachers ask pupils to pronounce words accurately. Teachers model the word correctly and pupils rehearse the sounds. In this way pupils’ articulation improves and they make good progress in their reading and writing. As pupils learn new words and how to pronounce them correctly they begin to use the words and expressions when explaining what they have understood. A good example of this occurs in science when pupils in the early stages

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

of learning English as an additional language have separate sessions to introduce new terms and expressions.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

§ Teachers use a wide range of methods è These methods ensure pupils, whatever their needs, learn effectively 17.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

Teachers recognise the importance of research and base their methods on these results. For example, inspectors saw many examples of learning reinforced by chanting, singing and movement. This helps pupils to bolster their learning. For example, in a Year 5 mathematics set pupils showed which arithmetic operation they would use in a calculation by moving their arms and hands while saying the correct word. This also supported the quick mental recall of numbers facts and multiplication tables, for example. In any successful lesson inspectors saw teachers’ specific use of methods which support effective learning by boys, girls and the various minority ethnic groups in each class. In English and science lessons in Year 6 teachers work as a team and this helps to share teachers’ subject knowledge and provide a range of practical activities such as drama, role play, note-taking and science investigations.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

§ Teachers clearly set out what pupils have to learn during a lesson è Pupils know what they are to learn in each lesson and keep the aim of the lesson in their mind 18.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

Because boys in particular need to be reminded frequently what they have to learn, teachers in successful lessons continually and in a variety of ways, returned to the aim of the lesson. Because teachers recap the learning aims during lessons, pupils measure their new learning against what the teachers have planned for them. Teachers ask pupils if they have learned anything new and if so what have they gained. This helps build confidence and therefore new learning has a firm foundation.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

19. § The teaching of reading, writing, number and computing skills is good è Pupils use their basic skills in a range of subjects, not just English and mathematics. Pupils use computers naturally and in a range of subjects Maidenhall Junior School - 15 Pupils’ learning in English is particularly effective and in mathematics and science, achievements are improving. As pupils learn new words or how to calculate more effectively they apply this new learning in different situations. Pupils use computers over a wide range of their work. For example, the school council used a spreadsheet to record the findings of the bullying survey they carried out.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

§ Teachers manage behaviour well è This ensures pupils concentrate and that lessons and learning are not interrupted by unacceptable behaviour 20.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

All adults treat pupils with respect and value their contributions. They are kind but insistent and firm when pupils begin to drift from the school’s code of conduct. In a Year 6 dance lesson the teacher spoke calmly and with just the right amount of pressure to a group of pupils who needed further guidance about how they should behave. This worked well and the pupils settled to their work, completing their tasks. Pupils concentrate very hard in lessons and work for long periods. They understand the need to cooperate within their groups.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

21. § Learning support assistants work very well with teachers to support pupils with particular learning needs è Whether pupils have special educational needs, learn English as an additional language or are bright and quick learners, they are helped to understand more and remember what they have learned by their support assistants.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

The pre-lesson support for subjects like science helps the pupils to be effective learners during the class lesson. In lessons, almost all teachers speak clearly and explain things very well. In one mathematics lesson, with a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, the teaching assistants moved from pupil to pupil, unobtrusively testing understanding and supporting appropriately with questions that enabled pupils to think for themselves. Similar questions from the class teacher enabled her to adjust the lesson to ensure that pupil made very good progress. The teaching assistants made very good records of the outcomes of the lesson so that the teacher knew who needed extra help.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

22. Pupils with special educational needs are taught very well. A strength of the teaching is the very good liaison between the specialist special educational needs teachers, the teaching assistants and the class teachers. Teaching assistants work with several pupils so that each pupil’s needs are understood by several adults, ensuring a good continuity of support. The class teacher plans the work and the support for his or her pupils and there are regular reviews of the pupils’ progress.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

23. Whether pupils learn effectively and consistently from lesson to lesson depends to a great extent on the capabilities of teachers in each year group. This is particularly the case in Years 5 and 6 where sets are in operation and pupils change classes. Although the very good procedures of the performance management system and the subsequent professional development have helped to improve teachers’ subject knowledge, more work needs to be done in this area.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

24. Teaching weaknesses which result in ineffective learning § Subject knowledge is weak in some classes è Pupils do not learn at the same rate as in other classes because not enough is expected of them Maidenhall Junior School - 16 This weakness has a number of effects: - Pupils do not develop an understanding of how good their work should be and they complete work which is below the standards seen in other classes. This is particularly the case in subjects such as geography and history. In English and mathematics the national strategies help to set expectations about what pupils should be achieving. - The lack of subject knowledge also affects the interpretation of the year group’s plans. In some classes where teachers are enthusiastic and set interesting tasks, pupils react very well and learning is rapid. In others where teachers lack the subject knowledge, learning is more pedantic and at times teachers do not

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

get to the heart of the activities planned by the year group. - This lack of confidence in subjects also leads to the use of a restricted range of teaching methods. Pupils are less motivated and hence learn less well. - Brighter pupils are not stretched enough in Year 6 mathematics lessons.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

§ In some classes marking and day-to-day assessments are not used to build on what pupils know and can do è Pupils lack an understanding of how well they have done, what needs to be achieved beyond the scope of the current lesson and what they need to do to improve 25.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

In some classes marking is good; teachers develop a dialogue between themselves and their class which results in pupils having a very clear understanding about how well they are working. However, in too many classes marking is narrow and limited to simple ticks or one or two word comments. This means that in the classes where pupils’ work is well marked, pupils make more progress because they know what to do to improve. Where work is lightly marked, pupils continue to make common errors, develop little understanding about what should be improved and do not see their work improving. This limits their confidence and hence the rate of progress they make.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

§ In some lessons language teachers and bilingual assistants do not provide different tasks and resources for pupils at the early stages of learning English è Pupils at the early stages of learning English do not make as much progress as they should 26.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

At times language teachers and bilingual assistants do not have tasks and resources to hand, which will help pupils understand what they have to do. In some classes bilingual assistants and language teachers used a white board to provide illustrations of what teachers were saying. In Year 5 mathematics group the bilingual class teacher supported pupils who are learning English as an additional language while the language teacher taught the main part of the lesson. This worked well and pupils learned well.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT

27. In the best lessons there is an effervescent mood in the classrooms. Enthusiastic and bubbly teachers share their own joy of learning with pupils and reflect the wonder of new discoveries.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

28. In literacy and numeracy the curriculum the school provides meets the needs of the pupils well. There is an extra and successful emphasis on the teaching of English which as the basis of most learning is particularly necessary for the extremely large Maidenhall Junior School - 17 proportion of the pupils for whom it is not their first language. In order to improve the pupils’ self-esteem there is also an emphasis on those parts of the curriculum which support their personal development, such as personal, social and health education, and those sections of, for example, religious education and history which encourage the pupils to be reflective about feelings. This has a positive influence on their achievements in all parts of the curriculum. The provision for music is currently unsatisfactory, though other areas of the curriculum for creative arts such as art and dance are covered well. Control technology in information and communication

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

technology (ICT) is not yet fully developed. The patterns of study in geography and history though broadly satisfactory do not allow for the efficient development and maintenance of skills in these subjects. Taking into account the narrowness of the curriculum in Year 6 and the lack of music throughout the school the quality and range of the curriculum are unsatisfactory.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

29. The school has sound long-term plans for the further development of the range of topics in areas outside the core subjects of English, mathematics, science, religious education and ICT. There are carefully structured programmes for sex and personal relationship education as well as for drugs awareness. Considerable attention is paid to education in citizenship especially in the provision of a very active pupils’ school council.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

30. The programme for the teaching of literacy is well planned and managed and has had a significant impact on recent results. While the programme for numeracy is effectively planned and managed and is beginning to have an impact on standards, these have not yet had a positive influence on results. This is because the mathematics curriculum is too narrow in Year 6 and does not include enough opportunities for pupils, particularly brighter pupils to be stretched and challenged in practical investigations. This is not the case in English and science in this year group. Team teaching activities in Year 6 in English and science also help to ensure that teachers’ subject knowledge is spread throughout the classes.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

31. There is a good range of activities provided for pupils after school and at lunchtimes. It is a good mix of sporting, creative and general interest clubs including drama, ICT, football, discussion groups for Year 6 pupils and the school council. There is also a class in Arabic. The school takes considerable care to ensure that there is equality of opportunity and access to all activities for boys and girls and all pupils from whatever background they come. There is a very good programme of personal, social and health education. This is a major contributor to the school’s particular ethos and characteristics. It improves links with the community and the extra self-esteem developed among the pupils improves levels of achievement in all areas of school life.

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

32. Pupils with special educational needs receive the whole curriculum offered by the school. This inclusion is enhanced by pre-lesson support to enable pupils to take an active part in the class lesson. The targets in individual education plans, although sometimes rather long-term, are relevant to each pupil’s needs and work well because of the quality of the support given. The teamwork amongst all adults and the good planning for pupils with special educational needs for most lessons ensure that pupils get the most from the curriculum. The personal, social and health education provision is particularly effective in supporting pupils with emotional, behavioural and social difficulties and the thorough planning for the development of literacy skills has a big impact on pupils’ progress. The special educational needs coordinator liases with her colleague in the infant school and the special educational needs coordinator for the high

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

school attends the pupils’ final review before moving to the next stage in their education. Maidenhall Junior School - 18 33. Since the last inspection the level of liaison and co-operation with the adjacent infant school has improved and is now good. Formal and informal contact between the staff of both schools ensures that the transition of infant pupils to the junior school is accomplished with the minimum of disruption. The infant pupils recently attended the Eid presentation in the junior school and such events allow the Year 2 pupils to experience the happy and friendly environment of the junior school. There are established links with the secondary schools to which the Year 6 pupils transfer. Appropriate records of pupils’ academic and personal achievements are sent to the secondary schools and parents and pupils have the opportunity to visit the schools, meet staff and experience a little of what to expect in Year 7. There is good liaison

p.17

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

between the staff and these good links help pupils to settle into their new school.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

34. The school has extended its links with the local community since the last inspection and these good links provide a valuable extra dimension to pupils’ learning. Pupils visit a number of local amenities and a range of interesting visitors is invited into the school to extend pupils’ learning. For example, a local drugs awareness team has recently begun working with the older pupils. Local businesses, through the Education Business Partnership, provide a rota of readers who come into school regularly to read with individual pupils. Pupils benefit from the sports coaching provided by members of the community and the time and commitment of a community member and role model working with the Year 6 boys’ discussion group is valued by the school. The work of the On-Track team has raised the profile of the school within the local community and the involvement of local support agencies is very good.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

35. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development is very good and this represents an improvement since the last inspection. The school aim “to encourage the spiritual and moral development of every child” is achieved very well. The provision for social and cultural development is good and the quality of this provision has been maintained well since the last inspection.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

36. In lessons, pupils are encouraged to express their feelings and to listen to those of others. Many teachers skilfully guide pupils during discussion sessions to develop a sense of empathy for characters in stories and to make links between their lives and those of the characters depicted in the story. This was particularly evident in an excellent religious education lesson in Year 5 examining the story of the Good Samaritan. Teachers and all support assistants value pupils’ questions and allow them opportunities to develop their own thoughts and ideas. Pupils show delight when looking at the displays of symmetry and patterns in the corridors appreciating the aesthetic as well as the beautifully logical form. Assemblies are used well to promote spiritual development. In an assembly about communication there was an audible gasp of amazement when the pupils realised how huge a whale was. When asked to

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

demonstrate how whales communicate they were able to produce a range of interesting sounds.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

37. The school provides a clear moral code through its mission statement, published aims and the total respect with which staff treat each other and the pupils. The school rules are displayed in each class and around the corridors there are many posters which reinforce the school’s moral aims. All members of staff are very good role models, courteous, kind and sensitive to others’ differences and individual needs. Pupils’ achievements both academic and personal are celebrated and valued and this contributes significantly to the development of self-esteem. In religious education lessons, pupils learn about temptation and how to resist it. Moral issues, such as bullying, are discussed in personal, social and health education lessons and in assemblies and pupils learn how to make the right choices. In history, for example, in Maidenhall Junior School - 19 their study of the lives of Victorian children they are encouraged to make comparisons

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

between their own lives and those of the children they are studying.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

38. There are many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for day-to-day life in the school community. The school council members are elected by their classmates and represent their views well at the weekly meetings. Although the meetings are guided by a member of staff, the chair controls the flow of discussion and the secretary keeps good notes of what is said. Their decisions and actions are having a positive impact on the quality of social development in the school. Pupils are encouraged to tidy up in classes and care for the resources and the prefects perform a number of useful tasks which contribute to the smooth operation of the school day. All staff continuously and consistently praise pupils for thoughtful and caring acts. There is a range of interesting opportunities that encourage teamwork and reinforce the notion of belonging to a community. Participation in the lunchtime and after school clubs allows pupils to

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

extend their social skills. The pupils take part in productions enjoyed by many parents, and the daily assembly which all members of staff attend makes a significant contribution to the caring community atmosphere in the school. The opportunities for quality social interaction on the playground and in the canteen are limited by the somewhat bleak nature of those environments.

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

39. Pupils’ cultural development is fostered well overall, but the lack of sufficient opportunity to learn about and appreciate music is a weakness. A very good range of music is played at the beginning of each assembly, but there is insufficient formal provision to enable pupils to learn about how music can reflect cultural differences. When studying art, literature and drama teachers create many opportunities for pupils to explore the key elements in different cultures. There are visits to museums and theatres that are not only fun, but also give pupils direct first-hand experiences of different cultures. Celebrations of religious and cultural festivals take place and pupils learn about the different foods, clothes and ideas that make each different. The interesting displays of artefacts from, for example, the Chinese, African, Hawaiian and Jamaican cultures, together with religious objects representing the major world faiths, indicates the high

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS

value the school places upon ensuring that pupils are encouraged to appreciate the wonder and delight of a wide range of cultures. Pupils are prepared well for life in a multi-ethnic society.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

40. The welfare of all pupils is a fundamental priority for the governors, headteacher and all who work in the school. The school provides a high level of care. The quality of this care has improved since the last inspection and is now very good. The kindness and commitment of all adults who work with and care for the pupils ensures that the day-to- day educational and personal support and care for individual pupils is very good. Although the procedures to monitor pupils’ academic progress are now very good, the application of these procedures is not yet consistent in all subjects and the overall monitoring of progress is good. The provision made for those pupils with a statement of special educational need is very good. Parents say that they trust the school to take care of their children and are confident that they will be kept informed of any problems that may arise.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

41. The school cares for the pupils with special educational needs very well. The identification of pupils who may have special educational needs is very good and there is a clear distinction between those with special educational needs and pupils who are in the early stages of English acquisition. The support given is extremely flexible and there is a swift response to new situations. Very good liaison with the local education authority ensures that appropriate specialist support is on hand. Regular and frequent Maidenhall Junior School - 20 discussions and the notes made by the teaching assistants mean that any problems are swiftly identified and acted upon. The school tracks each pupil’s progress and uses the information to set targets and to adjust the levels and type of support given. Some pupils are involved in the target setting process. This gives them more responsibility and an understanding of their own progress.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

42. The school has very good procedures and established practices to govern health and safety and child protection. A programme of very good quality risk assessment has been established and staff have a good awareness of the importance of health and safety in the daily routines of the school. The site manager and cleaning staff maintain a clean and healthy environment. The provision for first aid is very good and fire drills take place regularly. The deputy headteacher has attended appropriate training for her role as child protection co-ordinator. All staff follow recognised guidelines and have a very good awareness of the particular needs of the pupils in their care. The school is very well supported in this work by the On-Track family worker and by other external agencies. Teachers ensure that pupils understand how to use resources safely and the importance of good hygiene and diet. Pupils receive appropriate information about

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

sex and drugs through the personal, social and health education programme, their science lessons and a local drugs awareness team. Visitors come to school to talk to pupils about issues of personal safety. Supervision during playtimes and lunchtimes is good.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

43. Because of the very good relationships that teachers have with the pupils, the formal and informal procedures for monitoring and supporting personal development are very good. The very effective systems that monitor and promote pupils’ attendance have successfully raised the level of attendance. The majority of parents inform the school of reasons for absence and any unexplained absence is followed up. The school is well supported in its commitment to raising attendance by the on track team and the education welfare officer who reinforces to parents the importance of regular attendance at school. There are individual and class awards for high levels of attendance and pupils are eager to achieve these. Morning and afternoon registration procedures comply with legal requirements. Good formal and informal systems monitor and improve behaviour. Pupils try hard to receive their teacher’s praise for

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

good behaviour and to be awarded house points. Pupils receiving merit certificates in assembly show pride in their achievement and others are generous in their applause. Staff are generally consistent in applying the rewards and sanctions and pupils say that they are fairly treated. Pupils understand what is expected of them and trust the staff to handle any poor behaviour effectively. Appropriate records are kept and details of any incidents are recorded in pupils’ individual files. The school’s race equality policy is clearly acted upon at every turn. Separate records are kept of any bullying or racist incidents, although such formal recording is very rarely needed. Pupils learn about the nature of bullying and name calling through their personal, social and health education lessons and in assemblies. The school council’s recent focus on bullying has resulted in a decision to raise funds to buy a friendship bench for the playground and to

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

investigate the introduction of a buddy system. Pupils understand the need to tell someone if they are unhappy and are confident that they will be helped.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

44. There has been a very thorough response to the issues raised in the last inspection about the use made of test and assessment data. Over the past two years, the school has made major improvements in procedures for assessing pupils’ academic attainment. The analysis of test data is now very good. The results are carefully analysed to discover what the pupil knows, what needs to be taught next and which aspects of the subjects the pupil finds difficult. The identification of strengths and weaknesses in pupils learning is a major factor in the rapid rise in standards. Records are clear and well kept. The assessment of pupils’ academic development is very Maidenhall Junior School - 21 good for English, mathematics and science. An excellent feature is the breakdown of results for different language groups. Analysis of results by gender is routinely carried out. All the information gained from analysing tests then informs curricular planning.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS

The school makes very good use of computer-generated data. The school has made a secure start with target setting. However, targets need sharpening and the links with marking are not strong enough. Assessments for other subjects are not as well as developed as those in English, mathematics and science and remain informal. While notes are made of pupils; progress they do not provide a clear picture of pupils’ achievements. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership in this important area of the school's work.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

45. The school’s partnership with parents has improved since the last inspection and good constructive and effective links have been established. The small number of parents who expressed an opinion prior to and during the inspection have positive views about most aspects of school life. Of that small number, several were concerned about the amount of homework their children receive. Inspection evidence shows that although there are some inconsistencies between classes, homework provision overall is satisfactory. Although the majority of parents want to become involved in their children’s learning, a significant minority lack the language skills to accomplish this. Parents’ involvement in the life of the school, although improving rapidly, is currently satisfactory.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

46. The information provided for parents about the school is very good. The prospectus and governors’ annual report contain useful and practical information about the school. Parents receive termly curriculum information and a class newsletter. Letters about upcoming visits, events and developments in the school supplement this information. Although this information is not usually provided in translation, parents are made aware of the help available in the school for this. The On-Track team, as well as many members of staff, have a range of language skills and are always willing to help those parents whose home language is not English. The school offers a formal consultation opportunity for parents to speak to teachers about their children’s progress each term. Interpreters are provided for these important meetings and the majority of parents attend. The written annual reports on pupils’ progress are very good. They give

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

parents a clear indication of their child’s attainment, specific targets to help them improve and good information about what has been done during the year. The headteacher and class teachers will always make time to talk to parents if more information is required.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

47. The special educational needs coordinator ensures that parents are fully involved in reviewing the progress their pupils make towards their targets. The school ensures that communications are in the mother tongue when appropriate and parents are contacted personally by telephone before review meetings. There is a very good level of bilingual support in school with two Bengali and thirteen Urdu speakers amongst the staff. These reviews meet the requirements of the Code of Practice and all recent review have been attended by a parent or guardian who receive written reports from the reviews. Parents are encouraged to approach the school whenever they wish and to keep the school informed about anything that may affect their children’s learning or welfare.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

48. The school recognises the positive impact of parental involvement in raising attainment and improving school life. A small number of parents are actively involved within the school and their help and that of the parent governors is valued. The majority of the small number of parents who expressed a view prior to and during the inspection feel Maidenhall Junior School - 22 welcome in the school and this is confirmed by the very large number of parents who attend the meeting for the annual governors’ report and the other functions arranged on the same evening. Parents send their children to school regularly, on time and ready to learn. Many children say that their parents help them with their homework, listening to them read and checking their spellings. There are, however, a significant number of parents who do not have the skills to do more than encourage their children. The school provides facilities for an English language course for parents and part of the

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

motivation for the five mothers attending the current course is to enable them to help their children. The On-Track team visit parents at home and explain simple ways in which they can help. The professional commitment provided by the On-Track team has been a major factor in the improved involvement of parents. They have befriended and supported families providing an invaluable link between the home and school. This has had a positive impact on the involvement of these parents and on the progress their children make, both academically and socially, in school. Although the school has not formally canvassed parents’ opinions about the school, their views are expressed through the On-Track team, informal discussions with teachers and other members of staff, and through the work of the parent governors. The headteacher is very accessible and welcoming to parents and places a high value on how they feel about

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

49. The last inspection judged that leadership and management required substantial improvement and that the headteacher did not provide clear leadership in some aspects of the school’s work. The current headteacher has been in post for a little over two years and in that time has made a substantial improvement to many aspects of the school. All of the key issues identified in the last inspection have been addressed well and standards have begun to rise; the school’s performance is no longer in the bottom five per cent of the country’s schools. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and manages the school extremely well.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED

50. There are a number of ways in which the headteacher’s leadership has benefited the school.

p.22

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ The headteacher has developed a very strong sense of purpose within the ‘school team’ è The impression of teamwork is very strong in this school. Staff members, pupils, governors, and in many instances parents, work very hard for the school and have the same goals of high achievements

p.22

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ Everyone in the school has very high aspirations for the pupils è Teachers, assistants, governors, parents and pupils are unwilling to accept the current position of pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds being at the bottom of the league tables

p.22

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ The rapid development of very high quality systems to check on the school’s work è Aspects such as assessment, monitoring pupils’ personal development, performance management and improving the quality of teaching have all helped raise standards

p.22

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ Professional and open links have been formed è Community members, whether religious or secular, have a very good understanding that the Maidenhall Junior School - 23 with the community headteacher means to ensure that all pupils achieve well, whatever their background. This has helped raise the aspirations of many pupils and their families

p.22

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ The school uses national and international research findings to improve pupils’ achievement è School staff are eager to use research based on pupils’ learning to improve practice, for example, identifying the methods which are most effective to secure good rates of learning for boys and girls

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ A wide range of imaginative and effective strategies have been used to improve pupils’ personal development è Activities such as separate boys and girls discussion groups, the school council, adapting the On-Track model to meet the school’s needs and developing a real and effective partnership between adults and pupils have all resulted in improvements to provision.

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ Effective teachers have been appointed and promoted è The headteacher has improved the quality of teaching and bilingual support for pupils by appointing skilled teachers and recognising the strengths and areas for developments of existing teaching staff.

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

§ In a very short space of time areas of weakness have been identified and improved è The quality of teaching has improved because of the high quality of performance management. Other weaknesses in teaching, for example in English and science in Year 6, have been imaginatively addressed by the use of whole year group sessions, in which all of the teachers share their expertise.

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

55. The headteacher has designed an effective leadership and management structure. Year leaders, strong teachers in their own right, are also charged with communicating the school’s aspirations for pupils and in their subject development plans curriculum managers clearly show these high aims. However, because of recruitment and retention difficulties, teachers, such as the deputy headteacher, have too many areas to manage. The work of the deputy headteacher and other subject and aspect managers is very good. Of particular note are the high quality analyses of pupils’ achievements and areas that need to be improved to strengthen pupils’ progress. For example, the error analysis of tests and scrutinies of pupils’ work has shown the need to set up more opportunities for pupils to run their own investigations and the need to provide more challenge for brighter pupils in Year 6 mathematics lessons. The special

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

educational needs co-ordinator manages this aspect of the school’s work extremely well. A real strength of her management is the flexibility she is able to exercise because she is also responsible for English language support and the deployment of the support staff throughout the school. The work of coordinators has improved since the last inspection.

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

56. The work of the governing body has improved a great deal since the last inspection. At that time they were supportive but not well informed and did not take an active part in the leadership or management of the school. Now governors are very active and have strong links to subjects. They take a thorough and sharp look at pupils’ performance, how the budget is managed and spent and how the school can continue its upward Maidenhall Junior School - 24 trend. They share the sense of how well the school should be doing and set relevant targets for the headteacher.

p.23

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

57. The headteacher and governors have a critical understanding of how the budget should be allocated to develop further the school’s provision. They give a very good account of how they look for the best value when purchasing resources and are keen to use the expertise of specific governors and advice from other professionals. They contrast the work of the school to others in the area and across the country.

p.24

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

58. The teaching and support staff are plentiful and work extremely well together for the benefit of the pupils. Pupils are very well supported and resources are good. The library, although located in a small room, is very comfortable, well stocked and very well managed. ICT equipment is used well. However, there are shortcomings in the accommodation in the lack of sports facilities and the shortage of playground space. Some of these aspects are soon to be remedied and the school has a sensible, programme of internal redecoration and refurbishment.

p.24

Leadership qualities which have led to improvements

59. The leadership and management of the school are successful because leaders and managers concentrate of pupils’ progress and welfare and are totally unwilling to accept that these pupils, whatever their backgrounds, cannot do well.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

60. In order to raise standards and improve the quality of education, the governors, headteacher and staff:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

(1) *Raise standards in geography, history and music and continue to do so in English, mathematics and science by: § improving teachers’ subject knowledge § improving the consistency of interpretation of lesson plans § raising the quality and consistency of marking § raising the expectations, especially of high attaining pupils in Year 6 mathematics lessons (Paragraphs 15-27, 62, 63, 72, 81, 83, 85, 90, 91, 93)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

(2) *Revise the curriculum arrangements in order to: § ensure pupils enjoy their curriculum entitlement to music § provide pupils with more frequent opportunities to study geography and history § enable pupils to more often select and use resources, take charge of their own learning and devise and carry out investigations (Paragraphs 3, 28, 75, 86, 102, 104, 109, 115-117)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

Minor issues which the governors may wish to include in their action plan: * Ensure pupils in the early stages of learning English as an additional language have tasks and resources which meet their needs

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

* Issues already identified by governors and staff and in the process of development .

p.24

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

61. Nearly all pupils in the school are from minority ethnic groups and almost all speak English as an additional language. A fifth of pupils are in the early stage of acquiring the English language. The majority of pupils enter school with much lower than expected Maidenhall Junior School - 25 levels of attainment and many need additional support to access the curriculum. The school has a range of effective strategies, based on thorough analyses of pupils’ language needs and, as a result of this, most make good progress in reading, speaking and listening. However, pupils’ standards in reading and writing remain below the national average.

p.24

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

62. The quality of teaching for pupils for whom English is an additional language is at least satisfactory and sometimes good. Class teachers, learning support assistants and bilingual assistants work effectively together to ensure pupils have good access to the curriculum. Bilingual assistants and language teachers are used to assess pupils’ attainment levels when they first enter the school. This enables staff to build on what pupils know, understand and can do. The class teacher and specialists often deliver the lesson jointly. In nearly all sessions pupils start the lesson with the whole group and always join in at the plenary to share what they have learnt. The active engagement of all staff working together gives a very important message to the pupils about their contributions and teachers’ expectations of them. Teachers, specialist language teachers and bilingual assistants, all consistently explain new vocabulary to the pupils.

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

This emphasis helps them to understand new technical vocabulary, such as words like ‘vibration’ and ‘pitch’ in science. Nearly all staff articulate words clearly and, hence, set good examples for pupils to follow. The school organisation of support for pupils with English as an additional language is very good. There is a good balance of whole-class teaching and small withdrawal groups in all English, mathematics and science. In addition, there are specialist instructional groups for beginners and booster sessions for consolidating new learning. Ensuring that teachers and specialist teachers plan withdrawal group work jointly could strengthen these well-planned strategies further. Additionally, better preparation of visual materials, charts and cards to support withdrawal groups of pupils with English as an additional language would enable them to learn more quickly and effectively. Current practice does not always provide different

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

activities for pupils who cannot speak English fluently.

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

63. In the beginners group, teaching is inconsistent. The specialist language teachers’ plans do not always provide information about how tasks are to be matched to the individual needs of the pupils learning English as an additional language. There was also a lack of effective intervention when pupils struggled with new words like ‘trolleys’. As a result, there are some occasions when tasks do not help pupils to move forward in their learning.

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

64. The curriculum for pupils for whom English is an additional language is good. The language policy separates out teaching specific skills for oracy and literacy and supporting language development in the context of the curriculum. These strategies, which place emphasis on developing and improving pupils’ communication skills and the acquisition of appropriate language to help them access all the subjects of the curriculum, are making a positive impact on the overall standard of English in the school. Another important factor, which supports pupils’ learning, is the involvement of the wider community and parents. The school is very successful in establishing good relationships with the parents. Parents respect teachers’ hard work and value the ethos of the school, which respects home language, cultures and faiths.

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

65. The assessment procedures for pupils for whom English is an additional language are good. All tests and assessment results are analysed by ethnicity and gender. The end of Key Stage 2 SATs papers are analysed for errors to identify specific language difficulties which prevent pupils from understanding the questions, such as the word ‘feature’ in a science paper which asked pupils to describe specific ‘features which helped animals to live in their environment’. Additionally, pupils are given reading tests twice termly and their results are tracked individually. These results show the good Maidenhall Junior School - 26 progress pupils are making in reading. Useful records are maintained indicating pupils’ progress and performance, which relate to their progress. However, the language levels used are not linked to the National Curriculum levels and the school now needs to adopt national assessment guidance. This, in turn, will also help to improve individual

p.25

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

learning plans, which currently have targets that are too general.

p.26

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

66. Home visits are arranged for all pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Where possible, bilingual language assistants are available to enable parents to access the teaching staff and the headteacher.

p.26

THE PROVISION FOR PUPILS WITH ENGLISH AS AN ADDITIONAL LANGUAGE

67. The co-ordinator for language and learning manages both special educational needs and English as an additional language provision effectively. She has recently acquired responsibility for English as an additional language and in the relatively short time has carried out an accurate audit of strengths and weaknesses. The new action plan is well focused and identifies many of the issues raised in the report. Regular meetings with all English and additional language staff ensure that she is well informed and gives good, clear guidance. Monitoring procedures are well identified with good support from the local education authority and the link governors. Maidenhall Junior School - 27

p.26

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 48

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.27

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y3-Y6

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 352

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 124

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 3

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 81

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 340

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 46

p.27

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 30

p.27

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.27

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Maidenhall Junior School - 28

p.27

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 50 51 101

p.28

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 31 26 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 38 25 39

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 69 (56) 51 (40) 77 (60) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.28

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.28

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

Boys 21 26 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 32 25 34

p.28

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

Percentage of pupils School 53 (39) 50 (42) 65 (55) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.28

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Maidenhall Junior School - 29

p.28

Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.29

Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 6

p.29

Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background

p.29

Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Maidenhall Junior School - 30

p.29

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 18.7 Financial year 2001-2002

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.3

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y3-Y6 Total income 1,024531

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 1,009354

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 429 Expenditure per pupil 2,750

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 122,633

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 137,810

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 8.7

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9.4

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Maidenhall Junior School - 31

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 45 49 4 2 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 29 9 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 47 29 16 5 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 51 35 11 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 44 47 0 2 7

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 75 25 0 0 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 55 40 2 2 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 64 33 0 0 4

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 33 2 0 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 49 36 5 0 9

p.31

Summary of parents’ and carers’ responses

No parents attended the pre-inspection meeting. Maidenhall Junior School - 32

p.31

ENGLISH

68. Standards in English are improving rapidly. In last year’s national tests standards were still well below the national average though compared to similar schools they are average. The 2002 test results were 15 per cent higher than 2001’s and this year’s Year 6 is working at a higher, though still below average, standard. Better results are beginning to reflect the well directed effort made by the school to raise standards. Standards in writing are higher than reading. Pupils, including the most able are making very good progress from a low starting point. This is the result of improvements in teaching and very good guidance from the co-ordinator. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language are making very good progress. Special educational needs staff and specialist teachers of English as an additional language have all made a substantial

p.32

ENGLISH

contribution to rising standards. Pupils have a positive attitude to the subject, work hard and behave well often because lessons are interesting.

p.32

ENGLISH

69. In speaking and listening, pupils are making very good progress throughout the school. The majority of pupils learn English as an additional language. Indeed several pupils speak three or four languages with considerable fluency. Teachers are very good at providing models and in all lessons attention is paid to teaching new vocabulary. Class discussion is a key feature of most lessons. Pupils listen well to their teachers and each other so contributions are pertinent. All pupils, even those who are just beginning to learn English, are encouraged to join in. In an excellent lesson a support assistant gave mother tongue support so that the pupil was able to keep up with and contribute to the discussion. Although most pupils are achieving reasonable fluency, some pupils’ ability to communicate is impaired because of incorrect grammar, sentence cadence and mispronunciation. In the best lessons teachers are aware of this and provide lots

p.32

ENGLISH

of opportunities for pupils to copy modelled speech. Member of staff speak clearly and fluently and the great majority offer pupils very good models of spoken English. In one lesson, for example, a teacher made tea and encouraged pupils to say the new word 'utensil' in a meaningful context until they felt comfortable and confident.

p.32

ENGLISH

70. Progress in reading is good though standards are below average compared to national averages. Pupils take books home and are given good support from family members. They borrow books from the school library and many are also taken to the town library as well. Most pupils can use the library for research purposes. Pupils enjoy their reading and are accurate readers who know how to use sounds to work out difficult words. They also know that picture and reading on will help them when they are stuck. Guided reading sessions in class are very focussed on the needs of groups of pupils. In Year 6 in a very good lesson the teacher helped a group of pupils to use a text so that they could deal more successfully with multi-choice questions. These pupils achieved mastery of the techniques and were able to reflect on what they had learnt and give useful tips to the class. Reading provision in school is good so pupils have access to a

p.32

ENGLISH

wide range of interesting books. Teachers give pupils good guidance so they are choosing books which they can read and understand. In consequence, their learning of English is enhanced. Pupils read aloud with confidence but many need help to develop the appropriate expression needed to give meaning to the text. Other adults, particularly skilled support staff and classroom assistants make very good contributions to the teaching of reading. More able pupils are given regular support from staff from a local business. Pupils are making good use of ICT for research Maidenhall Junior School - 33 purposes. They used computers to access information about Narnia when reading the C.S. Lewis chronicles.

p.32

ENGLISH

71. Pupils’ attainment in writing, though still below national levels, is higher than reading and progress is very good. Handwriting is joined and neat when required. Pupils know that notes can be presented less carefully, for example when recording scientific experiments. Punctuation is used accurately and ideas are sequenced logically. The speech patterns of pupils’ home languages are sometimes reflected in the writing. Sometimes this results in incorrect grammar and sometimes in unusual phrasing. Spelling is phonetically plausible, though sometimes based on an original mispronunciation. The school has timetabled extra English lessons so that pupils write extended pieces of work regularly. This is having a positive effect on standards but independent writing is still limited in scope and complexity. Pupils achieve higher standards when answering questions or focussing on technical exercises.

p.33

ENGLISH

72. Standards are improving because teaching is generally good, with half the lessons seen being very good and excellent. In each year group there are very good teachers. Teachers plan their work very well together and share good practice. Teachers are making good use of the National Literacy Strategy. They make very good use of guided reading and writing to advance the skills of groups of pupils. This is linked to very good classroom management and good behaviour. Teachers focus very well on improving English. They are helping pupils to relish English and to approach the subject with confidence. As many class teachers are bi-lingual they are able to bring this knowledge to bear in their lessons. One teacher who learnt English as a second language was able to recount her difficulty with poetry because it broke her carefully acquired set of rules. Other teachers also benefit from their colleagues linguistic

p.33

ENGLISH

expertise. Visual resources including demonstrations and even toy rats are used to enliven lessons and to help pupils acquire mastery of English. However, in a few lessons there is a lack of pace and use of dull textbook comprehension exercises. Drama is used well and enjoyed by pupils. Teachers work in role; for example, a Year 6 teacher acted Little Red Riding Hood to develop pupils' understanding of dramatic text. Support staff make a strong contribution to lessons. In a very few instances, however, a lack of simple drawing equipment limited the assistance they offered. Sets and groups ensure that pupils of different ability including those with special educational needs and high attaining pupils are suitably challenged. Oral feedback in lessons is good so pupils know when they make a good contribution to a discussion or contribute an interesting word. Marking however is variable and often too widely focussed. It is

p.33

ENGLISH

not linked specifically enough to improvement. This is particularly apparent when pupils are repeatedly making the same grammatical errors. The weaknesses in marking are linked to pupils' targets which are often too broad.

p.33

ENGLISH

73. The subject is very well led by a very good co-ordinator. She has established very good priorities for the subject in an action plan. She has made a very strong contribution to raising standards. Her analysis of assessment data is very good and she knows the strengths and weaknesses in the subject well. Other staff are not so confident about teacher assessment and there is a need for more moderation across the school. She is very conscientious and seeks to extend her own skills in the subject. She has worked closely with the literacy consultant who has provided good support and also involved herself in the national marking programme. She has made a good start with monitoring by looking at teaching plans and children's work. Recently she monitored guided reading for groups in the classroom. She has evaluated outcomes and organised training to sharpen teachers’ skills and increase confidence.

p.33

ENGLISH

74. The following issues identified in the last inspection have been fully addressed. - devise a policy to develop language and literacy across the curriculum Maidenhall Junior School - 34 - broaden the range of teaching styles to improve speaking and literacy skills - use data gathered from tests and assessment to plan pupils' learning.

p.33

MATHEMATICS

75. The standards achieved by pupils in Year 6 in the 2002 national tests were well below the national average and well below those of pupils from similar schools. The present Year 6 pupils have similar achievements. However, pupils make good progress throughout the school, as their attainment is low when they join the school in Year 3. Pupils in Year 5 make very good progress because of the very good mathematics teaching. The more able pupils in Year 5 are achieving higher levels than pupils in Year 6 with similar abilities and the overall attainment of pupils in Year 5 is average for their age. The regular tracking of the pupils’ progress carried out by the school shows that, although pupils in Year 5 make very good progress, the more able pupils in Year 6 do not make enough progress. The teachers do not expect enough of these pupils so they underachieve; this is particularly the case in investigations. Standards have improved

p.34

MATHEMATICS

more quickly than the national trend over the last two years after a dip since 1997.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

76. There is no marked difference in the performance of boys and girls or those of different ethnic origins. Pupils with English as an additional language make similarly good progress throughout the school. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress overall and there are pockets of very good teaching of the least able pupils that enables them to make very good progress. In Years 3 and 4, however, a lack of flexibility with the planning and teaching of the mathematics lessons to meet the needs of slower learners means that some less able pupils do not understand their work as well as they should and their progress is no more than satisfactory in spite of good support form the teaching assistants.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

77. Pupils enter the school with poor mathematical skills with less than half of them achieving average standards for their age. The pupils with average and above average abilities make good progress and now many Year 3 pupils add and subtract accurately within 20 and many know the 2, 3, 5 and 10 times tables. They are beginning to find different methods to solve problems and more able pupils are challenged to find easy ways to add pairs of numbers that total more than 100. Pupils in Year 6 apply their knowledge of number patterns to break down calculations into easy steps. Their mathematical vocabulary is secure and they use terms like “multiple” “factor” and “partition” accurately. Very few pupils are working at the higher Level 5 although almost all the work in the books of the most able pupils examined during the inspection was correct. These pupils are not achieving as well as they could be because their work is

p.34

MATHEMATICS

not challenging enough. This is because the successful strategies for team teaching used in English and science are not employed in mathematics.

p.34

MATHEMATICS

78. Throughout the school pupils understand how to display and retrieve data in appropriate ways and than an appropriate understanding of the properties of flat and solid shapes. They use measures accurately. There are few opportunities for the pupils to carry out their own investigation or pursue their own line of enquiry although there are opportunities for them to use their mathematical skills within science, geography and design and technology and ICT is used well throughout the school, particularly for recording information. The school council, for example, has carried out a comprehensive survey of pupils’ ideas about bullying throughout the school and made a good analysis of their findings using a data program. This survey, a rare example of independent research, made an excellent contribution to pupils’ moral and social education. Maidenhall Junior School - 35 79. The teaching of mathematics is good overall and there is no unsatisfactory teaching. In

p.34

MATHEMATICS

a third of the lessons observed during the inspection the teaching was very good while a quarter of the teaching was satisfactory. In the very good lessons the teachers maintain a good pace throughout and have some very good strategies for helping pupils learn. These often involve physical movement to help pupils remember number patterns. The use of a pendulum in some lessons, for example, and hand signals in others encourage both pace and accuracy. These teachers are very good at explaining very clearly and adjust their planning as the lesson progresses to ensure that pupils learn as much as they can. They understand the difficulties pupils have with English and are conscientious about ensuring both understanding and clear diction on the part of the pupils. Very good questioning, direct eye contact and plenty of humour ensures that the pupils enjoy their lessons and learn very well. In a very good lesson in Year 5,

p.35

MATHEMATICS

for example, pupils begged to be allowed to work at the levels of the most able pupils in the top set and cheered when confronted with their challenge. There was a buzz of good quality discussion as pupils worked in groups to find appropriate methods to solve, for example 45x18.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

80. In the less successful lessons, half of which were in Year 6, the teachers did not expect enough of their pupils and there was a lack of pace. In one lesson, for example, the teacher set a time limit but did not stick to it and pupils had finished their task with nothing to do. In another lesson, although pupils joined in the whole class session well, the pace slackened as they worked individually and lost the momentum of the lively discussion, some not achieving the task. In other lessons the teachers did not adjust the lesson planning sufficiently to meet the needs of the less able pupils who struggled to understand their work.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

81. All teachers are familiar and secure with the National Numeracy Strategy and, with one or two exceptions, plan their lessons very well. A strength of the teaching is the use of teaching assistants to support pupils and the very good relationships that all teachers have with their pupils. As a result, pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons and work hard individually, in groups and as a class. Teachers are conscientious about ensuring that pupils know what the object of the lesson is and achievements are discussed at the end of each lesson. However, the quality of marking in the pupils’ books varies throughout the school and very few teachers give pupils guidance on how to improve their work. The pupils’ targets are not referred to and there are very few written comments to challenge or extend learning.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

82. There are excellent systems for tracking pupils’ progress throughout the school. Half- termly tests are analysed to map individual progress and any differences in the progress of boys and girls from different ethnic groups. The tests identify any common weaknesses in the pupils’ knowledge so that teachers can adjust the planning to address gaps in learning. From the same tests, teachers set individual and group targets and move pupils between the different ability groups in necessary. Pupils with special educational needs or needing additional language support are identified swiftly and given additional help. Teachers set homework to support the work in the classroom and regular mental arithmetic tests encourage the pupils achieve well. Pupils have general targets for improvement but more focused, short-term targets that can be achieved quickly are needed to challenge pupils further.

p.35

MATHEMATICS

83. There has been a considerable improvement in the provision for mathematics over the last two years. The coordinator is a very good mathematics teacher and monitors her subject very effectively. Her plans for the development of the subject are based on a very good understanding of pupils’ needs and her enthusiasm since taking up the post in September is already spreading to other teachers. She now needs to ensure that all teachers have her high expectations of what the pupils can achieve and to share her Maidenhall Junior School - 36 expertise with those teachers who have a less flexible approach to their planning and teaching. The marking throughout the school does not help pupils to improve their work and the coordinator has already identified this as an area for development.

p.35

SCIENCE

84. The results of the 2002 National Curriculum tests for science for Year 6 pupils were well below the national average. Compared with similar schools, standards were below average at Level 4 and average at the higher Level 5. The school performance in science has improved since the 1999 results and overall trends are in line with the national trend. Inspection evidence indicates that the standards of the current Year 5 are in line with what would be expected for this age group. The current Year 6, while below the national average, makes satisfactory and often good progress and is on course to achieve improved results in 2003. The rate of achievement is good in one Year 3 class and two Year 5 and 6 classes in other classes progress is satisfactory and overall, most pupils make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language are making good

p.36

SCIENCE

85. Three factors prevent pupils from making better progress than they do: - teachers in the same year group interpret National Curriculum requirements differently, resulting in inconsistent coverage - some of the National Curriculum requirements are not addressed in sufficient depth, for example, life processes and living things. - there is a mismatch between test results and teacher assessments. This is partly due to staff turnover and partly due to a lack of secure knowledge and understanding of National Curriculum levels and teacher expectations. The school is addressing these factors.

p.36

SCIENCE

86. Pupils are now achieving satisfactory standards in scientific enquiry as a result the greater emphasis placed on practical investigation. Pupils are given a very clear structured approach to investigate and encouraged to record their findings and draw simple conclusions. Most understand the principle of fair testing and the resources used to assist pupils in their understanding are helpful. Whilst the structured approach has greatly assisted pupils who learn English as an additional language, for the higher attaining pupils more opportunities are needed to carry out and design their own investigations. Throughout the school, pupils use computers to record their findings and the use of mobile laptops helps in this area of pupils’ work.

p.36

SCIENCE

87. Standards in the current Year 5 are broadly in line with national expectations. For example, in their work on sound, most pupils understand that sound is caused by vibration and the higher attainers establish that the length, width and the thickness of the rubber band changes the pitch. They are increasing their knowledge of electrical circuits and can include a simple switch. They comment accurately that the brightness of the bulb is linked to the number of batteries and the energy they represent.

p.36

SCIENCE

88. In Year 6 a range of topics, which were identified in the 2002 results as weak, are covered in greater depth. Pupils have done a considerable amount of work on change in materials. They understand how to separate substances using the appropriate method of sieving, filtering and evaporation. They understand what a saturated solution means.

p.36

SCIENCE

89. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Good teaching was mainly observed in Years 5 and 6 classes. Good teaching was observed in classes where teachers had Maidenhall Junior School - 37 secure knowledge and understanding of the subject and had a very clear understanding of how pupils learn, particularly pupils with English as an additional language. In these classes, pupils increase their knowledge, understanding and skills rapidly. This was exemplified in a Year 5 and 6 lesson where pupils were learning about sounds and vibrations. The introduction and recapping of the technical vocabulary at the beginning of the session was taught in a lively and imaginative way. Pupils sang words like ‘vibrating’ to show the waves of sound, or the pitch of sound. This activity was fun for the pupils but also consolidated their learning. In a Year 6 class, in an exceptionally well-planned lesson, pupils were taught how to draw line graphs using data. The

p.36

SCIENCE

teacher taught each step using a graph to illustrate the correlation between the learning objectives and the finished task. This was followed by step-by-step instructions and questions. The pace was judged carefully. The teacher allowed time for the pupils to observe and understand and raise questions but firm discipline and high expectations ensured that a few boys, whose attention was likely to wander, were kept involved. She concluded the activity when pupils completed the same task on their own and then had to complete two different graphs, interpret them and draw conclusions. Activities were differentiated and appropriately challenging.

p.37

SCIENCE

90. In lessons that were just satisfactory there was a lack of clarity about learning objectives and activities chosen. This resulted in pupils being engaged in practical work without fully understanding what they were doing. For instance, in a Year 3 class, pupils who were studying the care of teeth poured five different liquids on eggshells in order to study the effect on enamel. Pupils were not sure why they were conducting this experiment and in addition there was further confusion because the liquid containers were not labelled and pupils with English as an additional language struggled with the language. In addition, because the teacher did not demonstrate, pupils were not clear what they had to do.

p.37

SCIENCE

91. Usually, teachers prepare and use resources well. This careful preparation of resources and emphasis on practical activities ensure a high level of enjoyment and even those pupils who were at the first stage of language learning felt they could contribute. Another strength is the consistency in teaching new technical vocabulary. Immediate support by bi-lingual assistants cements new concepts. Often, joint teaching by specialist language and class teachers reinforced each other’s position and showed clearly how much pupils with English as an additional language were part of the whole class. Where language teachers did not plan with the class teachers, pupils’ learning is not consolidated or enhanced, for example when Year 3 pupils were studying teeth, first stage learners with language teachers followed the same lesson and the same activity. They were given splendid models of the jaw, from which they

p.37

SCIENCE

could pull out different teeth, but this resource was not used effectively and the lack of other visual resources, such as cards or charts, impeded the pupils’ progress.

p.37

SCIENCE

92. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very enthusiastic. They are keen to participate and contribute. A good learning ethos in the school encourages pupils to have confidence to contribute even though sometimes their limited language means their responses are confused. Boys and girls work well together which is an important factor in moderating any difference in achievement by gender. The school has established a good code of practice and ethos and teachers implement this effectively. Pupils’ understanding of equal opportunities is very good and exemplified in a lively Year 3 lesson in which the teacher was firing rapid questions. A boy interrupted and confidently reminded her of the class rule that it should be ‘boy and girl in turn’!

p.37

SCIENCE

93. The subject is co-ordinated effectively, despite the temporary nature of the post. Two years ago there was no agreed school policy, scheme of work, assessment or monitoring. All these aspects are now in place. Very thorough analysis of the National Maidenhall Junior School - 38 Curriculum results and test papers by gender, ethnicity and error analysis have pinpointed specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills, and identified the achievement of pupils from different minority groups. The headteacher has helped with the monitoring. The key areas for development, especially the professional development of teachers, have been identified very accurately. For example, the analyses show that where teachers’ subject knowledge is insecure, expectations are low or sometimes inappropriate. Work is not pitched at appropriate levels and this in part explains the significant mismatch between the National Curriculum test results and the teacher

p.37

SCIENCE

assessments in 2002. As a result, the headteacher and co-ordinator have introduced team teaching in Year 6 in order to maximise the subject expertise of teachers. This strategy is making a significant impact on learning and ensures consistency in teaching. Both are aware of the need to ensure that all National Curriculum programmes of study are taught incrementally. Current practice varies considerably from class to class.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

94. Standards have improved since the last inspection. The quality of the pupils’ work is now generally in line with that expected nationally. Some work, particularly drawings from close observation of natural material such as dried flowers and seed heads, is of above average quality. The frequent use of good quality sketchbooks has contributed strongly to the development of the pupils’ ability to observe and recreate form and tone. The work of a good range of artists from a variety of cultures is used very well in lessons to broaden pupils' imagination and extend their stylistic repertoire. A knowledgeable co-ordinator has resourced the subject well and provides a strong teaching model and very good leadership. Lessons are often exciting so pupils really enjoy the subject and look forward to their lessons. They concentrate hard and are developing high personal standards. Pupils with special educational needs and those

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

at an early stage of English are making good progress because of skilful teaching.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

95. Pupils use a variety of different media well, including paint, pencil and pastel. They are particularly good at pencil drawing. They are discerning when choosing equipment and often have a technical outcome in mind. Pupils' observational drawings are accurate. They extend their interpretation of landscape well after examining the work of other artists. One pupil was interested in the smudged Turner sky and another the swirling effect achieved by Van Gogh when painting the cornfields. Another pupil selected to work in blue, such was her mastery of line and texture that the movement of the sea and the silky shimmering quality of the sky were well portrayed. Pupils use ICT imaginatively in art. They experiment with fonts and use them to create attractive designs. Clip art is used well in Year 3. Pupils in this year group also experiment with repeating abstract patterns to form attractive print design. Year 6 pupils, including a

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

pupil from a local special school, constructed some very attractive and robust masks. Pupils use colour with confidence. They start to experiment with tone in Year 3 and by Year 5 can lighten and darken and discuss their work, sometimes referring to warmth or seasonal references. Pupils in Year 4 made good use of plastic material to model chairs and then to carefully decorate using colourful abstract designs.

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

96. Teaching in the limited number of lessons seen was always satisfactory and sometimes very good. Work around the school and in sketchbooks indicates that many pupils receive high quality teaching. A particular strength is skilful teaching to help pupils develop good observational skills. Alongside this, teachers help pupils to develop an appropriate range of drawing skills so that impressions can be accurately recorded. These skills are further developed by examination of photographs and prints by established artist to examine their approach to similar subjects. In one lesson the Maidenhall Junior School - 39 teacher made very good use of the overhead projector so that all pupils could focus on lines in a photograph of the desert. Pupils in this class were able to develop their language in a rich way. The teacher further enhanced this by concluding the lesson with paired evaluation. Discussions are used well in lessons and contribute strongly to

p.38

ART AND DESIGN

the development of technical language. In a few lessons some isolated silly behaviour, left unchecked, distracted pupils’ attention. Teachers’ own display work is good and there are many attractive displays of plants and artefacts around the school. Some of these displays contain beautiful examples of Islamic calligraphy which are influencing the high quality of pupils line drawing. Many teachers, including classroom assistants, are well qualified to teach this subject. Demonstrations from these teachers develops pupils' understanding well partly because these teachers talk through their decision making as they work. A few teachers lack subject confidence so pupils are less clear about the purpose of an activity for example when making a clay bowl. In the best lessons, feedback by teachers is very helpful so pupils are helped to develop personal informed judgements and extend their ability to evaluate their own work.

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

97. The co-ordinator is very knowledgeable. The subject action plan is realistic and relevant. The range of resources she has chosen to help teach the subject reflects this. As well as high quality drawing and painting materials there are good collections available to use for still life and tone work. The comprehensive set of cross cultural photographs and prints is used constantly in lessons to enhance teaching and subject vocabulary. There are good opportunities for pupils to extend their work in art lessons across the curriculum. In Year 6 work on Etruscan vases showed high attention to detail, skill and imagination. Artwork significantly enhanced the geography as pupils extend their insight into desert scenery when making a close study of a photograph in a lesson. Outside lessons pupils can attend art or design clubs. There is also a termly competition. Later this term there is an art week with professional artists which

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

focuses on three dimensional work. This event will be preceded by in-service training for teachers. The co-ordinator has made a good start with monitoring. She looks at children's work although has not observed teaching. Arrangements for assessment are awaiting review so that the policy is clearer. However, pupils evaluate their own work well and check that their objectives have been met.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. No design and technology was being taught during the inspection and judgements are based on an analysis of the school’s documents, photographic evidence, portfolios of work and discussion with the oldest pupils. While no judgement can be made about pupils’ use of tools, the other evidence shows that pupils in Year 6 have an appropriate understanding of the function of products and their components, the process of planning, designing, making and evaluating their work and safety issues. The use of ICT has yet to be developed beyond using a graphics program to draw designs but photographs of pupils’ work indicates that they consider the appearance of their finished work and take a pride in their achievements.

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. At the time of the last inspection there was little evidence of opportunities for pupils to disassemble objects and there was no scheme of work for the subject. These weaknesses have now been addressed and the school uses national guidance for design and technology. Pupils have taken apart packaging and torches to help them to understand how to construct their own. There are good links with both mathematics and science as pupils measure accurately and construct circuits to make battery- operated products. Maidenhall Junior School - 40 100. The coordinator has generated a great deal of enthusiasm for the subject and has raised the profile of design and technology throughout the school. A major success has been the community links through the Construction Industry Training Board [CITB], the building experience workshop and the Wimpy Workshop. Pupils have worked with their peers from local schools and had first-hand experience of building walls and

p.39

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

arches, decorating, including hanging wallpaper, plumbing and fixing fastenings for windows and doors. The life-skills gained and the teamwork involved make a major contribution to pupils’ personal, social and health education and aspects of citizenship. These real life skills are particularly relevant for the school’s rich mix of cultures and have practical uses within the community. A design and technology club meets weekly and pupils are working at the CITB award scheme that is closely linked to the National Curriculum for design and technology.

p.40

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. There are no formal systems for measuring how well pupils develop their skills throughout the school or ICT programs to support design and technology. There are large blocks of time when the subject is not taught so pupils cannot regularly develop their knowledge and skills. Most of these weaknesses have already been identified as areas for development within the comprehensive development plan.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

102. Geography was timetabled only in Year 4 classes during the period of the inspection. Two lessons were observed. Evidence from conversations from pupils, their limited previous work and displays around the school confirm that standards, at the end of Year 6, are below the national average. This matches the findings of the previous inspection. Staffing shortages have meant that the new geography co-ordinator has only very recently taken up this responsibility. The lack of regular teaching of the subject results in uneven progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

103. There is evidence of limited but satisfactory work in one or two classes in each year. For example, in Year 4 pupils are studying St Lucia and some of the pupils can locate the island on a map and can name the key physical features, such as volcanoes and mountains. They have some understanding of vegetation and plantations. They learn how to use a key to locate specific features on a map. Year 5 pupils have studied the history of Luton and considered modern Luton and its industry. In one Year 6 class there is evidence of a sound level of understanding of attainment in their study of the contrasting locations of Chembakoli and Luton. They have looked at housing and schools and, in another Year 6 class, Tenby has been studied as a contrasting location. However, discussion with pupils indicated that they had gained very limited knowledge and understanding of even some of the main differences between Luton and

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

Tenby. Their geographical skills to use co-ordinates and grid references to locate places in an atlas are underdeveloped. Their general geographical knowledge and understanding of regional and world geography are also underdeveloped. Pupils are enthusiastic about the subject and are keen to share what they know.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

104. The quality of teaching is broadly satisfactory. In both lessons seen there was not a good match between lesson objectives and activities, with the result that pupils were confused about what they were learning. They enjoyed the activities. Teachers’ planning does not show a good grasp of the need to develop pupils’ skills and knowledge systematically. The amount of work pupils do and the selection of the topic vary from year to year and from class to class. This hinders pupils increasing their knowledge and understanding systematically. Also, teachers do not always show pupils Maidenhall Junior School - 41 learning English as an additional language how to make links between different aspects of the subject. Fragmented learning impedes progress and understanding.

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

105. The recently appointed co-ordinator has quickly identified the main strengths and weaknesses of the provision. He has produced a policy and introduced nationally agreed schemes of work. An audit of resources has been carried out and new resources have been ordered. He has started collecting examples of lesson plans and pupils’ work. He is aware of the professional development needs of the teachers .The co-ordinator is enthusiastic. In order to meet his high aspirations, the co-ordinator will need to establish a secure understanding of what would be age-related National Curriculum requirements and levels.

p.41

HISTORY

106. The pupils’ understanding of history when they enter the school is well below what is expected at the beginning of Year 3. By the time they leave, while the proportion of pupils attaining the expected standards in history is lower than would be expected, they have made good progress, and achievement is satisfactory. The very good support provided for pupils for whom English is an additional language as well as those with special educational needs ensures that they make good progress in learning. This is similar to the standard noted in the previous inspection.

p.41

HISTORY

107. It is significant that in each year group the pupils’ achievement in understanding what it would feel like to be someone living in the age they are studying is better than usual. For example, they speak with feeling about the dangers and difficulties faced by orphaned children chimney sweeps in Victorian Britain or accurately describe what it would be like to be a schoolchild in Roman times. As they learn to search for information about their topics they develop sound skills in interpreting pictures as well as understanding passages in books or on the Internet. Pupils strive with developing success to express what they have discovered. However, pupils find it difficult to differentiate between what is important in what they are reading and what is less so. The school is, through its varied and successful language programmes, working to overcome this difficulty well. But one result of this is that the range of the pupils’

p.41

HISTORY

knowledge of history by the time they leave school is less wide than is nationally expected.

p.41

HISTORY

108. The teaching of history is always satisfactory and sometimes good or very good. Most of the teachers have a generally sound level of knowledge and understanding of the subject, but there is room for improvement to bring weakest up to levels of best. The most imaginative teaching builds on the pupils’ feelings to explore what life in the past was like. The pupils find this an exciting and challenging approach and work hard to develop their understanding of previous ages. Work in other areas of the curriculum, concerned with personal development improves the pupils’ self-esteem and builds up good relationships between the pupils and with the teachers. This enables them to be adventurous with ideas and not to fear making a mistake in trying to understand the past, such as making interesting suggestions as to why small children were used to clean under the machines in factories. It also promotes very positive attitudes to

p.41

HISTORY

109. The school’s history scheme was based on material selected from the nationally recommended programme following the previous inspection. The teachers in each year group plan the lessons together. This makes good use of their varied skills and enthusiasm. When these plans are carefully adapted to the needs of particular classes, and the tasks matched to the abilities of particular groups, the system works effectively. Maidenhall Junior School - 42 In some of the classes in each year group this is not done well and sometimes standards suffer as a result. There is still no generally effective method of monitoring and assessing the work done in history so that improvements can be made, but there are active plans for this to be undertaken. The plans for the future development of the subject include the possibility of a review of the pattern and distribution of the topics taught. The long gaps of time between them make the development and maintenance

p.41

HISTORY

of historical skills less effective than they might be. Good use is made of the resources for history possessed by the school or borrowed through the library service. Good use is also made of the school’s ICT resources with pupils using the Internet to find out about their history topics. This is an area in which future development is planned. Visits such as that to Bedford Museum are also used well to deepen the pupils’ understanding.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

110. By the time they leave the school at the end of Year 6 pupils are achieving well in all aspects of ICT, with the exception of control technology. They are attaining standards overall that are in line with national expectations. This represents good progress from the low levels of attainment they possess on entry to the school. The pupils in Year 6 demonstrate a satisfactory level of skill and understanding of a range of computer programmes, using them in a number of practical applications, such as the development of a multimedia programme or the presentation of the results of the School Council’s survey on bullying. These standards are similar to those recorded in the previous inspection. Since then there have been improvements in the planning of the work using a scheme based on the nationally recommended Qualifications and Curriculum Agency guidelines, from which the year groups plan their lessons together.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

111. The resources, both of machines and programmes, provided for ICT are of a good quality and are well used. The computer suite is regularly utilised for the development and reinforcement of ICT skills with good results. The pupils have very positive attitudes towards the subject. They behave well and concentrate hard for long periods of time achieving good levels of progress. This is true for both boys and girls. The pupils cooperate well and are generous in their support for one another. The mobile set of laptop computers successfully supports work in other areas of the curriculum such as history when pupils researched life in Roman times. The satisfactory range of interesting ICT activities gives the pupils a sense of pride in their abilities and serves to improve standards. It is promoted effectively by the well-planned programme of teaching. This encourages the progressive acquisition of computer skills as well as

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

allowing for the understanding of the subject. The very good support provided for pupils for whom English is an additional language is a very important element in the good levels of achievement of pupils in all classes, as is that for those pupils with special educational needs.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

112. The quality of the teaching of ICT is generally good and never less than satisfactory. The best teaching by enthusiastic and engaging teachers leads to swift learning of skills and an understanding of how they can be used. The good teaching allows the pupils to achieve something to be proud of, and this enhances the quality of their learning. Both teachers and support staff maintain a good balance between challenging the pupils to try things for themselves and providing clear instructions and suggestions to move their learning on. In most classes the teachers share with the pupils what they expect them to learn, and this involvement in their own learning adds to their motivation to work hard. Maidenhall Junior School - 43 113. There are some variations in the quality of teaching and learning between classes. This is largely the result of the differing levels of skill and understanding of the subject

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

possessed by members of staff. Where the teachers are less confident with the subject the lessons are slower in pace, and more of the teacher’s time is taken up with maintaining order and repeating instructions. In no case is this unsatisfactory and regular provision of opportunities for the development of skills by staff is a positive feature of the leadership of the subject.

p.43

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

114. The subject is well led by an experienced co-ordinator. Careful planning for the future takes account of the expected increase of the use of ICT to support other subjects in the curriculum such as art and design, numeracy and science. This is a good example of the way that the subject has kept abreast of recent developments. The formal assessment of the subject is also planned for the future. The monitoring of teaching and learning has already begun; though it is too recent for its impact on standards to be seen. The co-ordinator is also aware of the need to extend the subject to include opportunities for control technology.

p.43

MUSIC

115. Very little music was taught during the four days of the inspection and none for pupils in Years 5 and 6. However, from discussion with the oldest pupils it is apparent that their musical knowledge, experiences of creating and developing musical ideas, responding to music and evaluating skills and the ability to listen with discrimination and apply what they have heard to their own work are well below average. Pupils’ performing skills cannot be assessed from the limited music making observed during the inspection. Standards are lower than at the time of the last inspection when they were below average. This is because the school has been concentrating on raising standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science. There are considerable lengths of time when music is not taught. Year 5 and 6, for example, have only had one lesson since September and they had very few lessons during the previous year.

p.43

MUSIC

Pupils make poor progress during their time in school and the school does not meet its statutory requirement for teaching the National Curriculum for music.

p.43

MUSIC

116. The teaching was satisfactory in the two music lessons observed during the inspection. In one lesson the teacher coped well with an unfamiliar Year 3 class and established good relationships, spiced with humour. The teaching assistants supporting pupils with little English were very effective, explaining in Urdu when appropriate. Rather too much teacher input, suggesting ways to move to the music, inhibited pupils’ own ideas. The teacher generally used appropriate musical vocabulary although she was insecure about some aspects of the lesson, for example, counting pupils in before singing and playing instruments. Pupils with special educational needs were supported very well and the teaching assistant used quiet words and eye contact to support a pupil with emotional, behavioural and social difficulties. Pupils a year older identify whole, half and quarter beats in rhythmic patterns and sing simple songs

p.43

MUSIC

tunefully and rhythmically. They find it difficult to maintain the pulse and the rhythm without significant adult support. The four teachers working with the year group made an effective team but a lack of pace as the lead teacher selected pupils or discussed aspects of the lesson generated some restlessness amongst the pupils.

p.43

MUSIC

117. The subject coordinator is not a music specialist and is aware that music is underdeveloped throughout the school. Pupils have the opportunity to learn to play strings, woodwind or brass instruments as well as the tabla and harmonium and are taught by peripatetic music teachers. At present only pupils from Years 3 and 4 have instrumental lessons. Pupils enjoy these and work well. There are regular concerts Maidenhall Junior School - 44 and pupils participate in the Luton Junior Schools Choir Festival. A good range of music from different cultures is played during assemblies. The curriculum is undergoing a change as the Local Education Authority scheme is being developed and the coordinator is aware that musical skills are not being developed consistently throughout the school. There are appropriate resources to support the subject apart from programs to use ICT. The action plan identifies the need for raising the profile of

p.43

MUSIC

the subject, improving teachers’ subject knowledge and ensuring that the curriculum is taught. As a matter of some urgency the school needs to ensure that pupils have regular and frequent access to the music curriculum so that they make appropriate progress in the subject.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. The standards in swimming and dance are below the average levels expected in Year 6. These were the only aspects seen because of the way the timetable is organised. At the last inspection attainment was judged to be average and at times good although there were shortfalls in the curriculum, assessment and only one after school club. Since that time the school has lost the use of a hall which had been used for gymnastics and indoor games and the gymnastics equipment stored in this hall.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Until the arrival of the current headteacher little had changed but now, with the help of the acting co-ordinator, provision is beginning to improve. Recently the school has: - started building a sports hall which will help the school to provide a broad and balanced curriculum as well as add significantly to the sports facilities in the local community - employed football, hockey and cricket coaches - increased the number of pupils swimming - established a wide range of after-school sports activities - increased the number of parents and supporters - re-entered local competitions and sports events - formed links to local sports clubs - participated in local and national sporting initiatives.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Pupils made good progress in the lessons seen because the quality of teaching is good. In the second swimming lesson in a series, boys and girls in Year 3 practised water safety skills and became acclimatised to working in the pool. This was a very important aspect of the lesson as none of the pupils have had experience in a swimming lesson. Pupils became more confident as they used armbands and floats to develop their skills of floating and kicking back and forward across the school. The swimming coaches made sure that pupils of different capabilities were supported in an appropriate manner. By the end of the lesson most pupils could raise their feet off the pool bottom and more than a half of them kicked confidently across the width of pool. Boys tended to be more confident than girls although both groups made good progress in the lesson. The teaching and coaching ensured that pupils grew in confidence and

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

improved their skills. The school’s plan for a girls after-school swimming session is very useful and soundly based on pupils’ needs. This is just one example where sensitive planning by the school, helps meets pupils needs.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. In the two dance lessons seen in Years 5 and 6, teaching was good and had strengths in planning, preparation, resources and the way in which teachers asked pupils to judge how successful they had been in their tasks. In Year 5, pupils were asked to plan sequences of movements, to two wildly varying pieces of music. In Year 5 pupils listened to a piece of percussion music, The Mighty Machine. In this and the other dance lesson seen, pupils were aware of the need for warm-up and that gentle Maidenhall Junior School - 45 exercise and stretching should prepare their bodies for the main part of the lesson. A vigorous session, controlled well by the teacher using a tambourine, helped pupils prepare well for the main dance in which in groups of 4 or 5, pupils devised a sequence of movements based on their suggestions after listening to the music. In the Year 6 the class used a chant by North American natives. Mixed groups of boys and girls

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

cooperated well and based on the teacher’s good quality advice improved their sequences of dance steps. The music generated an atmosphere of calm and spirituality and pupils work reflected this mood. The ideas board generated by the teacher also helped pupils devise new steps and sequences.

p.45

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. The co-ordinator has worked very hard to continue to improve the school’s resources and ability to deliver the physical education curriculum. Lessons have been observed and a shrewd understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject have been developed. The co-ordinator has produced a good quality improvement plan which includes the need to continue development of the scheme of work and assessment arrangements.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. By the time they leave Year 6 the pupils’ standards of attainment in religious education are in line with expected standards and similar to those identified in the previous inspection. Their understanding of how religions influence people’s lives and of what their faith means to a believer is now better than that usually found. This represents very good achievement and progress from the low level of attainment on entering the school, especially in their ability to talk and write about their understanding of the subject. The achievement of the pupils currently in Year 5 are higher than that expected, while those in Year 4 and Year 3 are broadly in line with expectations. Pupils throughout the school have a sound knowledge and understanding of the significance of symbols, celebrations, holy buildings and books and the teachings of religious leaders from the variety of faiths studied.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. The pupils’ own religious faith and practice is used sympathetically to enable them to understand faiths other than their own, as in an excellent lesson explaining the teaching of Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan. Here the actions of the priest in the parable were explained very clearly and the pupils sensitively discussed how the teaching could be related to everyday life. The generally good teaching builds very well on this. The subject is taken seriously throughout the school. Its importance in developing and maintaining the pupils’ self-esteem and maintaining the good and strengthening links with the local community is clearly recognised.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. The teaching is well planned with the lessons based on the scheme of work derived from the local education authority’s Agreed Syllabus of religious education. The teachers working as a team plan the lessons for each year group. In this way they can use each other’s strengths both in teaching methods and the knowledge and understanding of the variety of religions taught, some of which are also represented among the staff. This diversity is perceived and used as a strength of the provision.

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

126. The school pays very considerable attention to the personal development of the pupils through the programme of personal, social and health education as well as activities such as the Year 6 discussion groups and the school council. This creates a situation of trust between pupils and between them and the staff. This in turn promotes a situation where pupils can discuss important feelings, both emotional and spiritual, without anxiety enabling them to deepen their understanding of the effects of religious beliefs and practices on people’s ways of life. Maidenhall Junior School - 46 127. The teachers share with the pupils what they hope they will learn from the lessons. This deepens the pupils’ involvement in their learning. The support staff help those pupils with special educational needs to benefit well from the lessons, while those supporting pupils for whom English is an additional language enable them to make

p.45

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

good progress. In some lessons the common plan for the different classes in the year group has not been sufficiently adapted, or the tasks have not been matched to the needs of pupils with different levels of ability. In these cases the quality of learning is lower and sometimes the pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are less good. This tends to coincide with a less secure level of subject knowledge on the part of the teacher. Currently the assessment of religious education is not used adequately to improve planning for the future.

p.46

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

128. The recently appointed co-ordinator for religious education has already had a positive impact on the subject. A start has been made on the moderation of the pupils’ learning and the teachers’ planning. Good use has been made of the local authority inspector for advice about the necessary future developments in the subject and about further training.

p.46