Other · Ofsted report

Denfield Park Primary School

Inspected — · published 20 Oct 2003 · URN 121942

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Full report text

DENFIELD PARK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: June 30 th - July 3rd, 2003

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DENFIELD PARK JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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DENFIELD PARK 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. Denfield Park Junior School - 3 – July 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Victoria Rd, Rushden, Northants.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr V Carradice

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th October, 1997 Denfield Park Junior School - 4 – July 2003

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responsibilities

2700 Peter Sudworth Registered inspector Science; Information and communication technology; Music; Physical education; English as an additional language. What sort of school is it? The school’s results and achievements; How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further?

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responsibilities

9457 Gill Bindoff Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development; How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 18370 Kevin Johnson Team inspector English; Geography; History; Religious education. How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

1193 Gill Wiles Team inspector Mathematics; Art and design; Design and technology; Educational inclusion; Special educational needs. How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Denfield Park Junior School - 5 – July 2003 The inspection contractor was:

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responsibilities

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Limited

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responsibilities

Strathblane House Ashfield Rd Cheadle Cheshire SK8 1YG

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Denfield Park Junior School - 6 – July 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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OTHER SPECIFIED FEATURES 25

Designated provision for pupils with special educational needs

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 31

Denfield Park Junior School - 7 – July 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Denfield Park Junior School, situated close to the town centre of Rushden, educates girls and boys aged 7-11 years. It is served by two local schools. It draws most of its pupils from the mixed housing area surrounding the school. The private housing consists mainly of lower cost homes. There are 248 pupils on roll, almost all of whom are of white British heritage. There are no pupils with English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils for whom free school meals are claimed is about the national average, though Rushden East ward, in which the school is situated, has many factors associated with social disadvantage. The school has an above average percentage of pupils with special educational needs and a higher than average proportion of pupils with statements. Most of these pupils have either moderate learning difficulties or emotional problems. Additionally the school has a unit for pupils with moderate learning difficulties; eight pupils were registered at the unit at the

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

time of inspection. There is little movement in and out of the school during an academic year. Overall, attainment on entry is below average. The school has had acting headteachers for the past two years. One of the acting the headteachers has now taken over the headship.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Denfield Park Junior School provides a sound education for its pupils. It has suffered badly from staffing instability in the past two years, but despite this, the school has soldiered on and coped with the difficulties. A very good feature is the support for pupils who have special educational needs. Pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with expectations in most subjects by age 11 and they achieve well in some. The overall quality of teaching is good. The very good management and leadership of the two acting headteachers have done much to maintain the family atmosphere, improve further the relationships in the school and maintain the pupils’ good work rate. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What the school does well • The good progress that pupils make in English, mathematics, science and geography; • The overall good quality of teaching, the very good management of pupils’ behaviour and the very good support provided by the learning support assistants; • The very good leadership and management of the consecutive acting headteachers; • The good provision for pupils who have special educational needs and the good progress that they make; • The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development; • The very good procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour; • Pupils’ good attitudes to school, the very good relationships and the caring and happy atmosphere.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What could be improved • Curriculum opportunities and pupils’ progress in information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education; • The staff’s confidence in teaching art and design, design and technology and information and communication technology; • The arrangements for subject co-ordinators to manage, monitor and develop their subject responsibilities; • The consistency of record keeping systems and their use. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Denfield Park Junior School - 8 – July 2003 HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has made satisfactory progress since its last inspection in October, 1997. Some staff have held subject responsibilities temporarily during the staffing difficulties and it has not been possible for them to work alongside colleagues in a planned way. There is now some, but inconsistent, use of assessment to inform the next stage of pupils’ learning. Pupils with special educational needs make better progress in meeting their targets. Pupils’ attainment in English, science and religious education is not as high as reported previously but the current cohort of pupils contains a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs, some of whom have statements. Their attainment is not as high in information and communication technology and design and technology as reported previously. There is a greater focus on learning intentions in teachers’ planning. The relationships in the school have improved from good to very good. The balance in the

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

curriculum is not so well assured. The governing body has become more involved in the work of the school and its work is now good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Pupils make good progress in English, mathematics and science. Taking the overall picture of the last four years, the school has exceeded the national average in Year 6 tests in English, exceeded it significantly in science but fallen below it in mathematics. In 2002, the school met its challenging targets in English and mathematics. The current group of Year 6 pupils has more pupils with special educational needs. Overall their attainment in English, mathematics and science is broadly average and they achieve well. Pupils reach the expected level in art and design, geography and in most aspects of music. They achieve soundly in music and art and design and make good progress in geography. Pupils make steady progress in history and reach the expected standard by age 11. They make unsatisfactory progress in design and technology and in information and communication technology. Their attainment is below average in both subjects because they do not have enough

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

opportunities. There was an insufficient range of activity in physical education to judge the pupils’ attainment but the once weekly lesson is insufficient to promote good skills in the subject. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Pupils’ achievements are at least satisfactory in most subjects but unsatisfactory in design and technology and information and communication technology. There was insufficient evidence to judge attainment in physical education. Pupils’ attainment in religious education meets local requirements.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and are keen to contribute in lessons. They enjoy the variety of activities that the school provides.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. Pupils are very well aware of the school’s expectations. There is a friendly, sociable atmosphere. Denfield Park Junior School - 9 – July 2003 Personal development and relationships Pupils are tolerant, caring and friendly. They are quick to help each other. They work well together in groups. Relationships are very good. They show good levels of personal responsibility when they carry out duties. They contribute ideas to the running of the school.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Attendance About the national average. Most pupils are punctual for school.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Overall, the quality of teaching is good, ensuring pupils make good progress in important elements of their learning. Just over one-half of all lessons observed were good or very good. About one-sixth of lessons in all were very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed, though some lessons had features that needed improvement. A particular strength in the teaching is the very good use of the learning support assistants, who are very skilled in their work, particularly with those who have special educational needs. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well so they develop positive attitudes to learning and want to do their best. Good use is made of resources in many lessons and this helps pupils’ understanding. The quality of teachers’ questioning is generally good, encouraging pupils to take part in discussion and to engage in activities with interest. Teachers plan lessons to meet different needs, but sometimes in mathematics the able pupils are not extended enough. Teachers

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

show good subject knowledge in many lessons, but many teachers are less confident in information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education and also in art and design. This affects the quality of pupils’ progress in these subjects. The teaching of literacy, numeracy, English and mathematics is mostly good.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The quality and range of the curriculum Generally sound. The quality is satisfactory in most subjects but there is limited provision for information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education. There is a satisfactory range of extra-curricular activities.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is good provision for all pupils with special educational needs, including those in the unit. Pupils with special educational needs work alongside others for the different activities and this arrangement works well.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development is good. There is very good provision for pupils’ spiritual and moral development, good arrangements for their social development and satisfactory provision for their cultural development.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the school cares for its pupils Good arrangements are made for pupils’ welfare, racial equality and child protection. The very good procedures for the promotion of good behaviour work well. The monitoring of attendance is satisfactory. Record keeping systems are not yet consistent across the school. There are satisfactory procedures to monitor pupils’ progress. The school has good links with parents. Communication is good, although more could be done to inform the parents about their future studies. The Parents’ Association works hard for the school. Denfield Park Junior School - 10 – July 2003 HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED Aspect Comment

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The school is managed very well. The acting headteacher has worked very hard and with much commitment during the newly appointed headteacher’s absence. The headteacher herself has a very clear sense of purpose and vision for the school’s future development. Senior members of staff have done much to provide stability during a difficult period for the school.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is well led and fulfils most of its statutory responsibilities. There are some omissions in the annual report and prospectus. It has a good committee structure.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school uses test results to check where improvements can be made in pupils’ learning. The progress of the school development plan is discussed at regular intervals.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The strategic use of resources The school makes good use of learning resources. Staff are deployed effectively. Grants are used for their intended purposes.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The school has a good complement of staff. Accommodation is satisfactory overall but with some small classrooms. Learning resources are adequate. There are good systems to ensure best value is obtained.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

• Their children like school, work hard and are making good progress; • Behaviour is good and the school is developing the pupils’ levels of maturity; • The school is well led and managed; • Teaching is good; • They feel comfortable approaching the school with any concerns; • The school works closely with parents and they are well informed about how their children are getting on. • Their children do not get the right amount of homework; • Concerns about changes in staff; • The range of activities outside lessons.

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

The inspection team agrees with parents’ positive views. There is some inconsistency in the homework provision. The range of activities provided outside lessons is satisfactory. The annual reports are of good quality. The school has done its best to cope with the staffing difficulties. Denfield Park Junior School - 11 – July 2003

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Overall, pupils enter the school with a below average level of attainment. The current group of Year 6 pupils has a larger than average number of pupils with special educational needs. This is representative, however, of the much larger than national average proportion in the school in general, including pupils with statements. Despite this, the pupils make good progress in English, mathematics, science and geography. Taking the overall picture of the last four years, the school has exceeded the national average in Year 6 tests in English, exceeded it significantly in science but fallen below it in mathematics. Standards have risen slowly but steadily in the last three years in English and at a more rapid rate in science. In 2002, the school met its challenging targets in English and mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The school’s boys have been performing as well as boys nationally in English and it’s girls better than the national picture for girls, although their performance against them in mathematics has not been as high. In science, girls do as well as girls nationally and boys do better than the average for boys nationally. Overall in the last three years, the combined performances of the Year 6 pupils in national tests has been broadly the same as the national picture for 11-year-olds and in line with the national trend. The very small number of pupils from ethnic minorities make similar rates of progress as other pupils. The greatest improvement has been in science over the last few years. All pupils achieve well in science because it is taught well and promotes the thinking of all pupils.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Almost all parents state that their children are making good progress and that the school expects their children to work hard and do their best. This is borne out in practice. Pupils with special talents, in particular musicians, have good opportunities to achieve well and higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively throughout the school in English, and in mathematics in Year 6. The grouping into ability classes in mathematics has helped to match the work to their capabilities in Year 6. In other year groups, higher attaining pupils in mathematics sometimes do the same tasks as other pupils for too long and this reduces their rate of progress.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Currently, pupils’ attainment in English by the end of Year 6 is broadly average but not quite as high as in 2002 because of the larger proportion of pupils with special educational needs and the disruption to their learning caused by staffing problems during the year. Pupils achieve well. Their speaking and listening skills are in line with expectations and a minority speak with a mature confidence for their age. Their attainment in writing is average but currently below that at the time of the last inspection. Whilst girls have been performing better than the boys in English, little difference was noted in their respective levels of attainment during the inspection. Overall, pupils make good progress in English and achieve well from the below average base at entry. Most pupils enjoy reading and discuss favourite authors and books with interest. They have satisfactory library skills. Their written sentences are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

usually grammatically correct and they write in a clear legible style.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. As in English, pupils’ mathematics skills by the end of Year 6 are broadly average , which represents good progress and achievement from their below average attainment at entry. However, sometimes the progress of the more able pupils is impeded because all pupils do the same tasks. Pupils find the application of mathematics more difficult than pure calculation, particularly when faced with Denfield Park Junior School - 12 – July 2003 problems. The lower attaining pupils have a weak grasp of place value. Pupils’ skills in data handling are not as well developed as they might be. They do well in calculating using the four rules of number.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils make good progress in science and enjoy the practical nature of the subject. Current Year 6 pupils reach the nationally expected level. They show a satisfactory understanding of investigational techniques. They communicate their work well and use their literacy skills to good effect in the subject but they do not make enough use of mathematics and information and communication technology.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Pupils reach the expected level in art and design, geography and in most aspects of music, although they do not compose music using computer software. They achieve soundly in music and art and design and make good progress in geography. Their achievements could be higher in art if they used a wider range of media and built up their skills more through the school because some pupils show good ability. Year 5 pupils are attaining more highly than Year 6 pupils in music and there are signs of better levels of attainment filtering through the school because of the good teaching of the knowledgeable music co-ordinator. Pupils make steady progress in history and reach the expected standard by age 11.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Pupils make unsatisfactory progress in design and technology and information and communication technology, a fall in attainment since the last inspection. Their attainment is below average in both subjects and progress is unsatisfactory. In information and communication technology this is due to some of the National Curriculum Programmes of Study not being fulfilled and a lack of teacher confidence. More significantly it is due to insufficient opportunities for pupils to use the computers. Pupils need much individual support when they do work on them. In design and technology, pupils do not have enough opportunities to develop key skills in the subject. There was an insufficient range of activity in physical education to judge the pupils’ attainment but the once weekly lesson is insufficient to promote good skills in the subject. Pupils’ attainment in religious education meets local requirements.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements, are very well supported and make good progress in relation to their starting points and to the targets set out in their individual education plans. Although these pupils sometimes make only modest gains in relation to the National Curriculum criteria, their achievements represent significant advances in their own learning. At the same time, some catch up lost ground and attain standards close to those expected in the national tests for Year 6 pupils. In a small number of mathematics lessons, where the tasks they are given are too hard and do not match their level of development, they do not make good progress, despite the skilled support given to them by learning support assistants. Pupils in the unit make good progress and achieve well for their capabilities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The school has been successful in maintaining pupils’ good attitudes and behaviour since the previous inspection. Pupils have remained positive about their learning, even though some pupils have unavoidably had several changes of class teachers in the past year. Pupils’ positive response to lessons and interest in what they learn contribute very significantly to their overall good achievements. Parents support the attitudes and values that the school promotes. They think that their children are helped to become mature and responsible. They state that their children like school and are expected to work hard, and the inspection team confirms this. Pupils learn Denfield Park Junior School - 13 – July 2003 effectively in a well integrated community, which is free from racial and bullying type incidents.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. In most lessons, pupils are keen to contribute by answering questions and offering ideas. Class teachers motivate pupils well and pupils mostly sustain their interest and effort. Pupils in a Year 5 mathematics lesson tried to think of as many two- and three-dimensional shapes as they could and, with the encouragement of the class teacher, pupils of all abilities were able to contribute well. Year 5 pupils were also engrossed in a science lesson in which they examined flowers using magnifying glasses to identify the different parts. They treated the flowers with great care and were fascinated by what they discovered. However, in a small number of lessons, where tasks are not well matched to pupils’ abilities, pupils lose confidence and become restless. Pupils with special educational needs have very positive attitudes to learning and enjoy all aspects of school life. They work hard within their own

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

capabilities, and they relate well to their peers and to all staff who teach and support them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils enjoy the variety of activities that the school provides outside lessons. They especially value the residential visits. Year 6 pupils stated that they had ‘a wonderful time’ at Scarborough. They enjoyed staying in a local hotel and visiting York. They said, “Everyone liked it”.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and around the school. They are very well aware of the school’s expectations about behaviour and created the acronym ‘PROUD’ for the school’s motto. Amongst other features, this promotes respect for themselves and others and encourages them ‘to listen carefully and talk quietly’. Pupils respond very well to the consistent approach to good behaviour and co- operation, which is encouraged by all adults in the school. They play well together at playtimes and there is a friendly, sociable atmosphere. During wet playtimes, when they cannot go outside, pupils know the routines well and settle quietly to read, chat or play games. Pupils understand that their actions have consequences and that they have to make choices about how to behave. Several pupils have severe behaviour difficulties. This does not usually disrupt either their own learning or that of other pupils because class teachers manage it very well with the very good support

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

of the skilled learning support assistants. Two pupils were excluded for short, fixed periods in the last year but no pupils have been excluded during the current year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils are confident to write about their feelings and to contribute these in assemblies. Year 5 pupils read out their thoughts about their special friends. These included, ‘He helps me when I’m down or stuck’, ‘She makes me laugh’ and ‘She is loyal and will always be my partner when I ask her’. One pupil described his feelings at the Holocaust Museum where he had felt overwhelmed by the terrible things that had happened.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The school is effective in integrating all pupils into a community where differences are valued and pupils are tolerant, caring and friendly. Pupils are quick to help each other and to see when help is needed. Relationships amongst pupils themselves and between pupils and the adults in the school are very good and help pupils to gain self-confidence and self-esteem. There are some good opportunities for pupils to learn about the beliefs of others and they show respect for them. They enjoy taking responsibility for class monitor duties and for other tasks around the school. Pupils from all year groups are elected as members of the school council and take an active interest in the life of the school and in introducing new ideas. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to act on their own initiative or to develop as independent learners. Denfield Park Junior School - 14 – July 2003

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Attendance and unauthorised absences are broadly in line with the national average. Most pupils arrive in good time for the start of the morning session and few pupils are late.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. Just over one-half of all lessons observed were good or very good. About one-sixth of all lessons were very good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed, though several lessons had features that were in need of improvement. This is a similar picture to that at the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. A particular strength in the teaching is the very good use of the learning support assistants, who are well briefed by the teachers and clearly know what role they will take in the lessons. They are very well prepared as a result and are justifiably confident in their own abilities. They show particularly good skills when they teach groups in English and mathematics sessions and in supporting pupils in the information and communication technology suite. These well thought out arrangements, which link learning support assistants to teachers and facilitate group teaching and more individual support, are a major reason for the overall good progress that the pupils make. They are very supportive of pupils with special educational needs and this support enables the pupils with moderate learning difficulties in the unit to take part in lessons with other pupils and to be accepted. The support of all staff for statemented pupils enables them to make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

The learning support assistants are very skilled in reaching the level of pupils’ understanding in the group work with pupils who have special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well and this is partly due to the calm atmosphere that teachers create in lessons. They treat pupils with respect and, in return, pupils show a good attitude in their lessons and want to do their best. The learning support assistants are very supportive of the teachers in managing the emotional problems of a few pupils who are less co-operative in lessons, and enable the lessons to proceed smoothly.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Good use is made of resources in many lessons to help pupils’ understanding and good use is made of visits to places of interest, including residential visits. In mathematics lessons, however, the individual pupils’ whiteboards are sometimes not used enough to ensure that all pupils are thinking for themselves. Occasionally, good use is made of the school grounds, as when Year 4 pupils examined dandelions and noticed that they had different characteristics according to their location. In a history lesson, postcards of a town the pupils had visited brought back memories of their recent visit and helped in the flow of discussion. Ration books, food of the period and posters fostered pupils’ understanding of conditions in war- time Britain. Percussion instruments are used well in music lessons so all pupils can be involved. In an art and design lesson, pupils were taught how to use special crayons and this added to the quality of their finished work. In Year 5, pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

examined flower heads with hand lenses to find the features they had learned about in theory and they were able to identify the reproductive parts.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers develop pupils’ vocabulary by using more adult language and explaining its meaning. In a Year 4 science lesson, pupils were introduced to the word ‘adaptation’ and in Year 3 to words such as ‘moisture’ and ‘germinate’. Good use is made of vocabulary relevant to particular subjects to inform the learning that takes place and pupils then use this for themselves, which helps to confirm their understanding. Denfield Park Junior School - 15 – July 2003 22. The quality of teachers’ questioning is generally good. They use a range of questioning techniques to draw information from pupils and to assess their knowledge but the quality is not consistent. At best it is probing and gets pupils to relate to other people’s feelings. Year 5 pupils studied a text about child labour in India and were asked how they would feel if they were working in those conditions. Very good questioning was observed in a Year 6 art and design lesson and this

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

enabled the pupils to pick out focal points in the pictures being discussed and contributed to an increased appreciation of works of art and the skills of the painter. The teacher demonstrated very good subject knowledge in this lesson and heightened pupils’ knowledge. Teachers also show good subject knowledge in some other lessons, most notably in English and science. There is some variability in other subjects, linked directly to their general confidence in teaching the subject. Many teachers are less confident in information and communication technology, design and technology and physical education and also in art and design. It is this lack of confidence, combined with the inadequate opportunities to learn in these subjects, that affects the quality of work produced. Specialist teaching of music is of a good quality and the good use of the music co-ordinator influences to good effect the quality of work in those classes she teaches.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. The teaching of English, including literacy, and mathematics, including numeracy, is mostly good. The good teaching has been sustained since the last inspection because most teachers have good subject knowledge, based on a thorough understanding of the English and mathematics programmes of study and the national guidance. More capable pupils are extended and challenged effectively in English. Good use is made of English across the curriculum. Opportunities are not seized on so well to use mathematics and information and communication technology in other subjects. In mathematics lessons themselves, the setting arrangements have helped to promote the work of more capable pupils in Year 6. In other mathematics lessons, pupils’ progress is sometimes held up because they undertake common tasks for too long. Sometimes, during mental activities, teachers do not assess pupils’ responses enough in order to adapt their examples to match the level of understanding.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

Nevertheless, explanations and demonstrations are usually clear in mathematics. In the best lessons, the teacher’s clear explanations support the pupils’ progress, as in a Year 3 mathematics lesson on rounding up to the nearest ten, which increased the pupils’ understanding of this concept.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. All teachers explain the intentions of the lessons at the start, usually in language that the pupils can understand. Nevertheless, there is much variety in the quality of explanation in the tasks that the pupils are to undertake and in the explanation of the learning that leads up to them. On some other occasions, there are too many explanations that confuse the pupils’ thinking, learning is moved on too fast and teachers assume a knowledge that is not there. In the best lessons, clear step-by- step explanations support the learning intentions, as in a Year 4 mathematics lesson which included a good emphasis on getting pupils to explain their thinking.

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25. The teaching across year groups is not consistent in quality and teachers do not always plan sufficiently together to share ideas and to obtain best practice. This was apparent in the Year 3 design and technology lessons on the same theme of making a purse from felt. In one class the work was over directed, pupils were informed how to make the fastening and there was little opportunity for problem solving and evaluation. In the other class there was a greater range of felts to choose from and more choice of techniques for closing the purse. Pupils had much more independence and their own ideas were actively encouraged. Denfield Park Junior School - 16 – July 2003 26. Teachers’ marking is satisfactory. It is up to date, but teachers do not sufficiently indicate to pupils how they might improve their work in the written comments at the end of the pupils’ work. Record keeping systems are not yet consistent across the

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school nor is their use in planning future work. Satisfactory use is made of homework and this supports their learning in school, although there are some inconsistencies in its provision with some tasks only being set on an occasional basis. There are some weaknesses in the monitoring of homework diaries. Overall, better homework arrangements are made for those who have learning difficulties.

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27. The school provides a generally sound curriculum . It meets the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and National Curriculum expectations in most other subjects, but there are some areas for development. The provision for information and communication technology is unsatisfactory because not all the programmes of study are fulfilled and there is limited use of information and communication technology in other subjects. The provision for design and technology is unsatisfactory because individual teachers do not give enough time to it and some aspects, such as knowledge and understanding of materials, are not taught well enough for pupils to make the expected rate of progress. This represents a decline in the quality of the curriculum provided in information and communication technology and design and technology since the last inspection. In both subjects, many teachers lack the confidence and expertise to teach these subjects effectively. In art

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and design and design and technology, the progressive development of pupils’ key skills is not secure. This is reflected in the schemes of work for both subjects. The music curriculum, whilst containing many good features, does not yet offer pupils opportunities to compose using computer software. There are very good opportunities for all pupils to learn to play a range of musical instruments with specialist teachers. Insufficient time is given to physical education and, consequently, pupils do not have good enough opportunities to achieve well. In all other respects, the current curriculum meets statutory requirements.

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28. Sufficient time is allocated for literacy and numeracy and the national strategies for these key areas of learning are having a beneficial effect on pupils’ progress. Literacy lessons are well planned but in mathematics, the numeracy unit plans, designed to support the National Numeracy Strategy for individual lessons, are not always well adapted for all pupils in each lesson, although the setting arrangements in Year 6 promote an effective match of work to pupils’ capabilities. A particular strength is the very good range of opportunities in different subjects, which enrich the learning of pupils with special educational needs currently within the designated special provision.

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29. Provision for extra-curricular activities, largely sport and music, with some art and craft, is sound. The choir is popular with both girls and boys. The many recent changes in staffing have made the provision of lunch-time and after-school clubs difficult. Opportunities for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 for residential visits are particularly good and contribute very well to pupils’ learning and to their personal and social development. A weekly activity hour for all pupils, time-tabled to occur during the school day, provides choices for pupils across a range of activities. These are open to any age-group. This could not be observed during the inspection because the arrangement is discontinued during the second part of the summer term. Evidence suggests that this time is well used, particularly in art and craft, in which pupils’ work was of a high quality following their study of Australian aboriginal art.

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Denfield Park Junior School - 17 – July 2003 30. Provision for personal, social and health education is satisfactory. At present the subject is under review and renewal. The current subject leader has been away on extended sick leave, and the school is waiting for the new agreed syllabus for religious education, currently being updated, so that personal, social and health education can be aligned to the aims and objectives within it. The school not only focuses on promoting healthy lifestyles and appropriate sex, relationships and drugs education but also on fostering tolerance, self-esteem and mutual self-respect. In one such lesson, in which the main focus was the question ‘How can you tell what a person is like?’, pupils were challenged to think hard about inner qualities and outer appearances. Some teachers use discussion times when pupils gather in a circle as a strategy for promoting personal development but this is not a consistent practice

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throughout the school. Good use is made of the expertise of outside visitors to enhance provision, such as the community police.

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31. Maximum use is made of the well organised residential provision for pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 to widen the scope of the curriculum, such as in art and design, geography and history. The pupils’ involvement with the community, as when the choir sings to the elderly at Christmas, makes a good contribution to their learning and personal development. Pupils benefit from a good range of local educational visits. The locality is explored well in field trips to widen pupils’ experience and understanding in history and geography. Good use is made of these visits in activities that follow, and widened by applying the experiences to other subjects, such as observational drawings in art.

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32. The school has good links overall with the local feeder schools. It takes advantage of the national initiative to support the development of information and communication technology in partnership with a Beacon school and this has made a positive contribution to the subject within the school, although there is much room for further development in the subject. A previously weak link with the infant schools, whose pupils move on to this school, has been considerably strengthened since the school joined the Network Learning Community. This is funded by the National College of School Leadership. Liaison with the feeder high schools has given rise to a mutually agreed method of communicating useful information about pupils and Denfield Park works hard to ensure that its pupils receive a satisfactory induction to their new school. The school has good links with teacher training institutions and offers places

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33. This is a school that is aware of the needs of its pupils in many respects and works hard to promote and monitor their personal development in order for them to benefit from all the school has to offer. All pupils in the appropriate year groups have access to the residential visits. Pupils feel valued by their school and express high levels of satisfaction with the way their contributions are appreciated. Pupils with special educational needs are given every opportunity to succeed. The large number and high quality of well trained learning support assistants give these pupils effective support in lessons.

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34. The curricular provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school has developed a variety of very effective organisational and teaching strategies that work well in the pupils’ interest. All those involved share a strong commitment to help each pupil achieve his or her best and evidence demonstrates that their combined efforts result in happy, hard-working pupils who enjoy their learning and take pride in their achievements. When these pupils are withdrawn to receive help individually or in small groups, the support teacher and learning support assistants ensure that they are working on similar tasks explored by others but at an appropriate level to meet their own needs. Those pupils who have individual Denfield Park Junior School - 18 – July 2003 educational plans make good progress because these contain well written targets specific to their needs that are very well matched to appropriate programmes of work.

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Procedures are clear but teachers need more help in maintaining efficient records because there are weaknesses in how well procedures are followed for those who are not on the higher levels of special need.

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35. Provision for pupils’ personal development is good and there are particular strengths in the very good provision for both spiritual and moral development. This sustains the good quality provision identified as an area of strength in the previous inspection. Parents support the values promoted by the school and think that the school helps their children to become mature.

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36. The provision for pupils’ spiritual awareness is very good. Acts of worship are very well planned and give pupils very good opportunities to experience a spiritual dimension in their lives. They are encouraged to reflect on their feelings and to articulate their thoughts, for example, about the qualities of good friends and about moving on to secondary school. Year 6 pupils read their own prayers in one assembly; these included ‘Help us to remember that our friends help us through the hard times’ and ‘Help us to become better friends to other people’. Very good opportunities are provided for pupils to explore their spirituality in lessons and in out of school visits. Year 3 pupils have visited Priory Country Park where they used binoculars to observe birds from a hide. The visit is celebrated in school in a very good display of photographs and examples of pupils’ work. Pupils wrote: ‘We saw a

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heron near her nest’ and ‘I enjoyed it when we went bug hunting because I saw a lizard and a dragonfly’. These experiences help pupils to value the natural world and to understand why it is important to protect the environment.

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37. The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. There is a strong emphasis on pupils treating each other with care and respect in their moral awareness and the adults provide very good role models. Pupils know that they are valued as individuals. Pupils are expected to behave well and to act responsibly and pupils respond very well. Pupils helped to devise the school’s motto, PROUD, which emphasises the moral values the school promotes. These underpin the life of the school and pupils are well aware of the importance of honesty and truthfulness and the willingness to understand each other. Pupils have some good opportunities to discuss and reflect on situations and actions, which might be considered to be fair and unfair, and to compare their lives with those of children in other parts of the world where child labour is common.

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38. The school provides good opportunities for pupils to gain self-confidence and to develop good social skills. Pupils are expected to work together co-operatively, sharing ideas and helping each other. They are invited to contribute to assemblies and have many opportunities to take responsibility for aspects of the school’s life. Year 6 pupils assist younger pupils at playtimes and help run the morning tuck shop. Pupils in all year groups are represented on the school council and learn to consult their classes and to put forward their suggestions. Some very good provision is made for a group of pupils with special educational needs to help them to interact more sociably with other people.

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39. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. There are some very good opportunities for pupils to learn about their own area and to visit places of interest which represent aspects of the cultural history of the United Kingdom. Year 5 pupils visited the Imperial War Museum as part of their studies on World War Two. Year 6 pupils visited an art gallery and the Viking museum in York. However, pupils do not have enough opportunities to experience and learn about other cultures. There is Denfield Park Junior School - 19 – July 2003 some good practice in art in which pupils have produced good work based on Aboriginal symbols and Hindu patterns but pupils do not learn enough about the diversity of cultures in Britain. Learning resources, especially reference books, do not sufficiently reflect the cultural diversity of the wider community. The school is aware that this is an area for improvement and is working within the local cluster of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. A strength of the school is the happy and purposeful environment provided for learning where all pupils are made to feel special. The calm, cheerful atmosphere was also noted in the previous inspection. Praise and encouragement are used very effectively to motivate pupils and to help them gain self-confidence and self-esteem. As a result, pupils work hard and achieve well in some subjects. The adults in the school have very caring attitudes to the pupils and pupils follow their lead by helping each other and by developing tolerance and understanding of each other’s needs. A Year 6 pupil summarised her feelings about the school by saying, “ Everyone is really nice and friendly. It is easy to talk to someone”. Parents also value the good care their children receive and say that they too feel welcomed and find it easy to approach the staff if they have a problem to raise. This openness ensures that

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parents are able to work closely with the school to support their children.

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41. Good procedures are in place for child protection and meet the locally agreed requirements. A governor with expertise in child protection supports this area of the school’s work very well and has contributed to the recently revised policy. The Education Welfare Officer is also actively involved. All members of staff have been trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and to respond to any disclosures pupils may make to them. The very good links with the local community police officer, who is also a governor of the school, contribute to pupils’ confidence to tell adults when they have a problem. Some good provision is made within individual lessons for pupils to learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe and how to make choices about their personal lives. However, there is not a well constructed programme throughout the school and opportunities for pupils are inconsistent between classes. There are also no systematic procedures to assess pupils’

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personal development, although this is done very well for pupils with special educational needs. The school is aware that these are areas for improvement and is currently reviewing its practice.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Good provision is made for first-aid and some staff are very well trained. The procedures for health and safety are generally thorough. The school has developed a very responsible approach to assessing the risks associated with school activities, including out of school educational visits. There are still some aspects of health and safety that are in need of review, including the provision of suitably sized chairs and tables for pupils in some classes and arrangements for electrical cables when overhead projectors are in use in classrooms. Whilst the school is aware of the need for supervision during Internet use, the current research provision does not ensure that the pupils are free from unsuitable material when the program is first opened up and the headlines are displayed. The school has a good awareness of accessibility so that all pupils can use the building and its facilities and there are already some

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built-in features, such as a disabled toilet.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Very good strategies are in place for the management of pupils’ behaviour. These include systematic monitoring procedures that can respond effectively to any potential incidents of sexual and racial harassment and bullying. Expectations are consistent throughout the school and pupils are very well aware of the behaviour Denfield Park Junior School - 20 – July 2003 expected. There is a strong emphasis on the values promoted in the school’s motto and good strategies to reward good behaviour. There are very good links between home and school to help pupils who have difficulty in managing their own behaviour. The school monitors the progress pupils make towards their personal behaviour targets very well. There is a clear understanding of the importance of racial harmony and this is built in to the behaviour policy guidelines.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school encourages good attendance and punctuality and most parents bring their children to school regularly and on time. There is an area for improvement in the analysis of attendance data. The school does not use the data to assess the effect of attendance on learning by the age, gender, ethnicity or background of pupils. The school also does not sufficiently record detail of the reasons why pupils are absent and this limits information, which may lead to concerns about child protection.

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45. The school’s arrangements for record keeping and assessment are satisfactory but there is room for improvement. The school tracks pupils’ progress to good effect over periods of time in English and mathematics and checks to see if the pupils are making appropriate progress. Teachers have group targets for the pupils that help them to know where they need to improve. The school analyses test results to good purpose by checking which aspects of work pupils are having difficulty with, although there is less analysis by gender. Several tests are undertaken at different times of the year, which help to monitor pupils’ progress and enable the staff to group the pupils in mathematics and English lessons by their level of understanding. Teachers keep their own style of record keeping based on an agreed recording format but currently there is not a consistency in the way that records are kept, except in English

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and mathematics. There is also scope for better use of records in planning future work. Some teachers keep informal notes, whereas others record the degree of success against learning intentions. The school lacks a coherent system that all teachers follow.

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46. Procedures for identifying pupils with special educational needs and for assessing their progress are thorough. The results of assessments are used very well to ensure that each child receives the particular kind of help he or she needs to make best progress. Careful records are kept by learning support staff and updated on a day-to-day basis. A strong feature in the school is the level of shared information between teachers and learning support assistants, which enables pupils’ progress to be well documented and discussed. Regular reviews are held to discuss progress in relation to targets on individual education plans. The school works effectively with professionals outside the school. The school meets the requirements of pupils who have statements of special educational needs well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. Parents have positive views of the school and value the education provided for their children. In particular, they like the friendly, caring atmosphere and say that their children are happy at school. They think that the teaching is good and this helps their children to work hard and make good progress. They feel welcomed and are comfortable approaching the school if they need to raise a problem. Inspectors support these views. Parents’ views echo those at the previous inspection.

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48. Some parents have concerns about the use of homework, the range of activities provided outside lessons and the information they receive about their child’s progress. Concerns are also held about the effect of many changes of staff on pupils’ learning. In general, inspectors did not find evidence to support these Denfield Park Junior School - 21 – July 2003 concerns. The school has tried very hard to support pupils through a period of staffing instability and, as a result, pupils have sustained good attitudes to their learning and achieve well in the main. There are some inconsistencies in the provision of homework, with some tasks only set on an occasional basis. In addition, parents do not often see completed homework tasks, which have been marked and so do not know how their child got on. Homework diaries are used effectively in some classes for communication between home and school, although there is not yet

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a system to inform parents of their children’s future studies. However, parents do not have enough information about homework procedures and what the outcomes are in order to improve their support for their child’s learning at home. There are good formal and informal opportunities for parents to find out how their children are getting on and end of year written reports give some good guidance about the knowledge and skills pupils have gained and what they must do to improve further. The school works closely with parents when pupils’ learning difficulties have been identified.

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49. Parents contribute to the day-to-day life of the school and several help in the classroom as volunteers. They are given very good guidance about their role and support pupils’ learning effectively. The Parents’ Association is well managed and organises social and fund-raising events. Parents have worked very hard to raise significant funds towards the current building programme, which will considerably improve facilities at the school.

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50. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are kept informed of their child’s progress. The annual reports sent to parents provide detailed information and state clearly what needs to be done next. The parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs attend formal annual reviews of their child’s progress whenever possible. Not enough is done, however, to involve parents of pupils with special educational needs as partners in the learning process. Records show an inconsistency in the recording of parental and pupils’ views. The school has identified the development of parental partnerships as a target for action in the school’s development plan.

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