Bridge Junior School

BRIDGE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th – 30 th June 2004

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BRIDGE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bridge Junior School - 2 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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BRIDGE 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. Bridge Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 354

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mere Close Off Mere Road Leicester Leicestershire Postcode: LE5 3HH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (0116) 2536092 Fax number: (0116) 2536092

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Paul Archdeacon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th – 30 th April 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Bridge Junior School is a larger than average school educating 354 pupils. There are broadly equal numbers of boys and girls. The school serves a very diverse ethnic community in which 17 different languages are spoken; Gujerati, Kutchi, Somali and Punjabi predominate and 83 per cent of pupils are supported through an additional government ethnic minority achievement grant. Sixty pupils are at the earliest stages of learning English, which reflects the very high mobility in the school, as pupils often join the school with little or no spoken English. Pupils’ attainment on entry is well below average. Muslim, Hindi, Sikh and Christian pupils are all represented. Since the last inspection, the profile of pupils joining the school has altered, with more refugees and an increase in the proportion of Muslim pupils. The school is situated in a densely populated area. Pupils are mostly from lower than average social circumstances. Many pupils live in social housing and overcrowding is high. A

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

higher than average proportion of pupils are currently on the special educational needs register (SEN). Of the 92 pupils on this, 22 have significant needs and three have statements. Most have moderate learning difficulties, but a high proportion has severe learning, speech, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. A higher than average proportion of pupils have free school meals. However, this does not include others who might also be eligible, as the school is not able to provide a suitable catering service for Muslim pupils. A major building project is shortly to be finished to increase the accommodation and remove most mobile classrooms. The school is part of a ‘Social Cohesion Project’, which links with other organisations and the local catholic school to enhance racial harmony. The school gained a ‘School Achievement Award’ in 2002. Bridge Junior School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23674 Wendy Simmons Lead inspector English 9569 Jan Leaning Lay inspector Personal, social and health education (PSHE) 29695 Jill Lance Team inspector Art, music, religious education (RE) and special educational needs (SEN) 31192 John Stewart Team inspector Information and communication technology, geography and physical education (PE) 21334 Savi Ramnath Team inspector English as an additional language and science 32556 Stephen Greenhall Team inspector Mathematics, design and technology (DT), and history

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e-Qualitas Limited

Langshaw Pastens Road Limpsfield chart Oxted Surrey RH8 ORE

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e-Qualitas Limited

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Bridge Junior School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Bridge Junior School is a good school providing an effective overall standard of education. Teaching and learning are good. Good leadership and management are resulting in good achievement and improving standards overall. Provision for the very high proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language (EAL) and for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good. This very caring and inclusive school provides very good value for money to the diverse ethnic community in which 17 different languages are spoken and 83 per cent of pupils are supported through a government ethnic minority achievement grant. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are • Good leadership and management by the headteacher, senior staff and governors underpin pupils’ good achievement, although the role of subject managers is underdeveloped • The high quality care of pupils and very effective personal, social, spiritual and cultural

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OVERALL EVALUATION

curriculum results in pupils showing very good attitudes to learning and very good behaviour • Teaching and learning are good overall in all year groups, especially for English, information and communication technology (ICT) and science and result in good achievement by Year 6 • Higher ability pupils, especially girls, are not challenged enough in their mathematics work • Writing is improving, but presentation and handwriting are not always of high enough quality • There is good overall provision for pupils with SEN • Very good links with parents and the community enrich pupils’ learning and racial harmony Satisfactory improvement has been made since the last inspection in 1998 . Standards of work are not as high due to differences in the mix of skills pupils have, however, pupils continue to make good progress. High standards have been maintained in pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, links with parents and the

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OVERALL EVALUATION

community, and in the care of pupils. The ‘Social Cohesion Project’ and ‘Bookshare’ are very successful new initiatives. There has been good overall improvement in most key issues, especially in the provision for information and communication technology (ICT). Aspects of assessment still require development and progress in updating SEN has been slow. Rightly, the school is working to improve writing, the role of subject managers and the accommodation.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is good overall . Although standards of work are below average achievement is good from pupils’ low starting point in their English skills. Pupils do best in improving their speaking and reading skills, especially through ’Bookshare’. Currently, standards are below average in English, just below average in science and average in mathematics. In ICT, standards areas expected. Pupils achieve well in English, ICT, science, religious education (RE) geography and history, as teachers work effectively to widen pupils’ vocabulary, knowledge and skills. In mathematics, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, given their starting point, but higher ability pupils, especially girls, are not always given enough of a challenge in lessons. Pupils with SEN achieve well. The following table shows that pupils were reaching well below average standards in national tests up to 2003 in English and science. The provisional results for the 2004 national tests show good improvement in

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English and science. When comparing Bridge with other similar schools the national data used does not take account of the high number of SEN pupils. Furthermore, some families do not receive free school meals, as the school is not able to provide suitable catering service for Muslim pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools Similar schools’ Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D E E C mathematics C D C B science D D E C Key: A* top 5% of schools – A well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - in the lowest 5% of schools Similar schools are those with a similar percentage of pupils having free school meals. Bridge Junior School - 7

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

are very good . Pupils show very good attitudes and behaviour. The ‘Social Cohesion Project’, has a positive impact on racial harmony. Attendance is currently satisfactory, as fewer parents are taking their children out of school in term time for pilgrimages and holidays.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good . The very good care shown by staff contributes to pupils’ very good personal development and pupils’ keen interest in learning. The quality of teaching and learning is good and well supported by a good curriculum. There is a very strong emphasis on literacy and basic mathematical skills. Pupils work hard and teachers have high expectations overall, although in mathematics they are not high enough for some higher ability girls. Very good questioning by teachers and the ‘Bookshare’ programme, help pupils to think, understand and learn new things. Relationships are very good. Writing is developing well, although many pupils still find it hard to present their work well or use joined writing. Assessment procedures are satisfactory. The information from these assessments is used well to set termly targets for pupils’ improvement. However, there is some inconsistency in how teachers mark pupils’ work and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

use assessment information to plan daily lessons. Extra activities, including visits enrich pupils’ learning. Assistants give good overall support.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall . The headteacher provides good leadership and is ably supported by the deputy and senior staff. Management by subject co- ordinators is satisfactory, but their monitoring of teaching and learning is often too limited. Governance is good and ensures compliance with all statutory responsibilities.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents and pupils like the school very much, they feel that their views are valued and that this is a school where children are cared for, valued and given the skills to succeed in life.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are • Improve the challenges in mathematics for higher attaining pupils • Develop the management role of the subject leaders • Continue to develop writing, to further raise standards Bridge Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good, although standards of work are below average by Year 6, which reflects the very high proportion of pupils who are at the early stages of learning English and the higher than average proportion of pupils with SEN.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership is resulting in improving standards • From pupils very low starting point they make good progress, showing good achievement in English, ICT, science, RE, history and geography • In mathematics, higher ability girls are not always sufficiently challenged • Presentation of writing and handwriting is not always of high enough quality

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Commentary

1. Since the school’s last inspection, standards of work have declined because of the changes in the local area and because of the high mobility in the school. Nonetheless, pupils continue to make good progress and achieve well. From Year 3 to Year 6, achievement is good because there is a drive from the headteacher, staff and governors to help pupils to do their best whatever their ability and background. Pupils are helped to grow in their confidence and self-esteem, which helps them to tackle things that they often find difficult. Good teaching and learning opportunities have a significant impact on pupils’ achievement. Pupils commented that they have to work hard and especially like having targets to work towards. 2. A typical group of pupils starting the school in Year 3 has lower than usual skills, knowledge and standards of work in English and science, but have more confidence and above average standards

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Commentary

in mathematics. However, a high proportion of pupils join and leave the school in years 4, 5 and 6. This affects overall attainment on entry significantly because of the numbers of pupils at an early stage of learning English. So, overall, attainment on entry is well below average, with attainment on entry in mathematics close to average. A very high proportion of pupils have English as an additional language (EAL) in this school and are not yet fully confident in using English. Moreover, many of the pupils joining the school are at the very earliest stages of learning English. For example, of the current Year 6, 33 pupils (37 per cent) were judged to be very early learners of English when arriving at the school, and of these, 11 joined after Year 3. Many of the new arrivals, have never experienced science activities and so, the overall starting point in science is well below average. 3. Pupils with EAL, achieve well. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English achieve well

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Commentary

because the school pays good attention to individual needs and ensures that pupils are fully involved in lessons. Although these pupils make good progress at least in their speaking skills, and sometimes very good progress, at times, their language is too restricted for them to express themselves with clarity and this is a factor which adversely affects standards in writing and the development of concepts in mathematics and science. This is a significant factor in the lower than average standards achieved overall in the school by Year 6. 4. Pupils with SEN are well-supported and good quality regular assessment provides tasks which are sufficiently challenging and appropriate for the age and ability of each pupil. As a result, pupils with SEN make good progress and achieve well. 5. Standards of work in English are lower than average overall. Pupils do especially well in developing their speaking and reading skills. In the last two years there has been a drive to further lift standards

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Commentary

in reading and writing. This has been successful, especially in reading, where standards are average and pupils achieve very well due to very good ‘Bookshare’ provision. Provisional national test results of 2004 show that, of the Year 6 pupils, 84 per cent are reading at the expected level, which is and of this, 38 per cent are working at the higher Level 5. The school is still working on improving writing. A strength of pupils’ achievement in writing is their ability to write in different styles, often using interesting words. However, as yet, presentation and handwriting are not of a high enough standard. English standards are improving. Provisional test results for 2004 show a Bridge Junior School - 9 rise from 62 per cent in 2003 to 72 per cent working at an average Level 4 or higher. The table below gives 2003 data, as 2004 results are not finalised. Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 25.3 (25.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 26.6 (26.2) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.0 (28.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 90 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. 6. In mathematics, achievement is satisfactory. For pupils with SEN and those at the earliest stages of learning English, achievement is good, as there is a strong emphasis on basic skills and reinforcement of mathematical language. The school has been successful at getting pupils to an average Level 4 standard but not enough pupils are reaching the higher Level 5 at the moment. Indeed, the provisional 2004 national test results show a fall in the proportion gaining a higher Level 5 from 2003. This is partly due to insufficient opportunities for higher ability pupils to do really challenging activities in lessons. More significantly, teachers do not always ensure that girls are

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Commentary

active in lessons to think for themselves and achieve their best. The school is very aware that there has been a history of boys doing better than girls. The school monitors girl’s and boys’ attainment and has been working to help girls to achieve their best in science, although in mathematics there has not been a focus on developing their attainment. 7. In science, in the last year, pupils have been doing more experiments and visits. This is helping to improve standards. They have taken successful action to help girls to improve. Standards have improved from well below average in 2003 to slightly below average in the current Year 6 grouping, which reflects good achievement. Good leadership is helping standards to rise. Test results have improved from 72 per cent gaining an average Level 4 result or higher in 2003 to a provisional 85 per cent in 2004. 8. The school is likely to exceed its targets for improvement this year, which suggests that future

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Commentary

targets require greater challenge. Until 2003, national tests results have been broadly in line with the national trend for improvement, except in science, where between 2000 and 2003, this showed a downward trend. While the school appears to do satisfactorily compared with other very similar schools, other data suggests that the school does well by the pupils in their care. For example, in 2002, the school received a ‘School’s Achievement Award’. Similar school’s comparison does not take account of the high number of SEN pupils, who achieve well and free school meals data may not be sufficiently accurate for some pupils. Other value added data against pupils’ prior attainment is favourable. 9. In, RE, history and geography, pupils achieve. In ICT and DT, standards have risen considerably since 1998. The school is now beginning to increase the use of ICT skills to enhance pupils’ achievement in other subjects.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes, values, behaviour and other personal qualities are very good. They are supported by the very good provision for their social, moral, cultural, including multi-cultural development and by the good provision for spiritual development. Attendance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very positive about school: they are well-motivated, confident learners and they are happy to seek advice from adults • The head teacher's vision for the school underpins the pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour and this has a positive impact on their achievement • The school’s ethos, care of staff, use of the school’s council, and links with the ‘Social Cohesion Project’ give very good support to pupils’ personal development • Very good relationships and very good provision for their social, moral, cultural, including multi- cultural development, support pupils’ personal development • In the last reporting year, attendance was lower than average Bridge Junior School - 10

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Commentary

10. Pupils show real enthusiasm for school. They are courteous and polite to each other and to the adults who provide very good role models. They say that their teachers are fair and kind and that they can always speak to someone if they have any problems. They are keen to help each other and work very well together. Many pupils have responsibilities around the school and this helps develop their individual strengths and self esteem very effectively, including those with SEN and those who are at the earliest stages of learning English. 11. Pupils' attitudes to school and to their learning are very good because of the school's high expectations and care of pupils. They settle quickly to work, listen carefully and concentrate well on their tasks. Pupils behave very well in class. In a very restricted playground, due to building works, play was happy and purposeful. 12. Pupils work and play very well together and develop good levels of independence and this has a

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Commentary

positive effect on their achievement. They show respect for the environment and handle resources with care. No bullying was seen during the inspection. There has been one exclusion in the last year. Pupils feel that they can go to staff if any incidence of bullying occurs and parents and pupils have confidence that firm action will be taken address this. 13. In this happy school with its many different cultures, integration is seamless. The school's very good ethos is clearly linked to high expectations and the school aims for every pupil to do their best. Very good relationships, a very strong moral focus and very good opportunities for social interaction extend pupils' opportunities. Their cultural development is enhanced by the many visits and visitors and by the good use made of the local environment. A visit by 'Mighty Zulu Nation', enabled pupils to really feel good about themselves by participating in a dance and music workshop. As a multi

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Commentary

faith school, children are encouraged to develop respect for the religions and cultures of other people. The development of 'Bookshare' aids their cultural and spiritual development using a range of literature to explore feelings and emotions. 14. The school has a sharp focus on the importance of regular attendance and the latest analysis shows improvement. From the well below average levels of 2003, Data from January to date reflects improvement. However, some families take extended holidays and this sometimes has a detrimental effect on attendance. The school is now taking firmer action to ensure that parents are aware that the school does not authorise long absences. Despite constant reminders, a few parents bring their children to school late and so, miss valuable learning time. Pupils who miss school for long periods of schooling need considerable help to catch up with their learning and achievement.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 93.0 School data 0.1 National data 94.6 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Bridge Junior School - 11 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 13 0 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed –White and Black Caribbean 5 1 0 Black or Black British-Caribbean 1 0 0 Black or Black British-African 29 0 0 Black or Black British-other Black background 2 0 0 Mixed- White and Asian 3 0 0 Mixed- any other mixed background 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British-Indian 207 0 0 Asian or Asian British-Pakistani 42 0 0 Asian or Asian British- Bangladeshi 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British- other Asian background 35 0 0 Parent/pupil preferred not to say 8 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is good overall. Pupils are very well cared for. Pupils’ views are highly valued and the school seeks to ensure that all pupils have equal opportunities and are included in activities. Teaching and learning are good. The curriculum is good and enriched by a good range of activities. Very good links with parents and the community support pupils’ learning. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ basic skills and staff have good overall awareness of pupils different and specific needs • Teaching and learning are good in English, ICT and science • The quality of teachers’ questioning to raise pupils’ achievement is very good • Challenges for the most able in mathematics are inconsistent, especially for girls • The quality of marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent • Very good relationships help pupils to be keen learners • There is good provision for SEN, although pupils’ individual targets are too general

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3%) 5 (14%) 21 (60%) 7 (20%) 1 (3%) 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons. The percentage is in brackets. 15. Pupils and parents feel that teaching and learning are good and the inspection findings agree with parents and pupils’ views. Staff work very hard to help pupils to be interested and keen learners. They are very successful in this due to the ethos in the school. Very good relationships between Bridge Junior School - 12 staff and pupils help pupils to feel valued and confident to try new things with out being worried about making mistakes. Assistants give good support. Extra activities and very good links with the community enrich pupils’ learning. Developments in science mean that pupils are doing more investigations for themselves, which makes learning better. 16. Since the last inspection, the overall quality of teaching and learning has been maintained as good.

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Commentary

The school has successfully acted on the former key issues of improving the teaching and learning in ICT. Discussions with pupils and samples of work show that the school has also improved pupils’ learning in DT. 17. The school has worked to improve several aspects of assessment and overall assessment is satisfactory. The best features of improvement in assessment include the regular assessment of pupils’ skills and knowledge in core subjects. This information is gathered together by senior staff and evaluated and then, each pupil is given a termly target for improvement. Pupils like this as it helps to motivate them to work hard and succeed, although for pupils with SEN, the targets in their individual education plans are too general. Overall, the information from assessments is used best for planning work on a termly basis. Teachers and assistants make good use of discussions with pupils to assess pupils’ understanding and learning. However, marking of pupils’ work remains an

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Commentary

area for development, as also noted in 1998, as not all staff give pupils guidance about how they might improve their work. Furthermore, time is not always set aside so that pupils can act on teachers’ comments, for example, as a means of improving extended pieces of writing. Nor are higher ability pupils often asked to explore ways of explaining their calculations in different ways. 18. The overall quality of teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is good. There is a whole school emphasis on helping pupils to become confident and competent in their literacy skills. While pupils are often well supported in group activities some teachers do not always identify the language demands of the activities in lesson plans. Despite this, most teachers are fully aware of the needs of their pupils and support them well when specialist help is not available. In a very good Year 6 lesson, pupils worked on their daily spelling programme and were then quickly included into

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Commentary

the main lesson by the teacher who worked directly with this group to ensure that they were included in the poetry lessons alongside other pupils. 19. Staff have good subject knowledge and high expectations in most subjects, especially in developing pupils’ skills in speaking and reading. Literacy is used as a tool for helping pupils to learn in other subjects, but as yet, while the teaching of writing has improved, there is not enough emphasis on improving the quality of handwriting. Overall, work is carefully planned, so that pupils link their learning. For example, in art, pupils learn how to research the life of artists using reference books and the Internet. Following this, literacy lessons have been used to help pupils to make attractive factual books. A strength of teaching is the very good questions that teachers ask, as these make pupils think and widen their vocabulary when answering. 20. Through ‘Bookshare’ pupils learn important skills. Provision in this is very good and this is where the

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Commentary

greatest proportion of very good teaching and learning were observed, especially as pupils learn how to express their opinions. One excellent lesson encapsulated how the school is seeking to widen pupils’ understanding of the richness of English through reading. Higher ability Year 6 pupils used the book ‘Stormsearch’ and collected words and phrase to sort in to idioms, similes and personification from the storm scene. For example ‘a cat with two tails’, ‘a blue moon’ were discussed, so that pupils developed their understanding about literal meanings. They also added phrases, such as ‘running like the wind’ (as a simile) and ‘she looked a little battered’ (as personification) All of these ideas were carefully noted, so that pupils could use them for their individual pieces of writing. 21. Work is suitably planned to meet the needs of pupils of all abilities overall, but challenges in mathematics are not always demanding enough for higher ability pupils. Sometimes, teachers are

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Commentary

not proactive enough in ensuring that higher ability girls get as much attention as boys in lessons. Nonetheless, overall in mathematics there is a strong drive to help most pupils to learn good basic skills in manipulating numbers in different ways to ensure that pupils’ understand both mental and written calculations. Staff make effective use of the National Numeracy Strategy to help pupils to build up skills progressively from Year 3 to Year 6. Bridge Junior School - 13 22. Teaching and learning opportunities are good for pupils with SEN. There is a strong emphasis on developing literacy skills. Good quality regular assessments are made of pupils’ learning and development of skills, although some pupils are not always assessed quickly enough when they arrive at the school. Teaching assistants are an effective team. They have very good and trusting relationships with pupils. There is good quality support for learning out of the classroom and regular

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Commentary

in-class support, although the timetable for this is not clear enough. Where teaching and learning are very good for pupils with SEN, staff have very high expectations and are supported by well written plans that have focused targets. However, sharply focused targets are not yet evident in every pupils’ individual education plan.

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum complemented by good enrichment opportunities. There is a strong, appropriate emphasis on English and mathematics. The accommodation is satisfactory and improving. Levels of staffing and resources for learning are also satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been good improvement in ICT, DT and reading since the last inspection • Opportunities to use literacy skills are very good • The curriculum is enhanced by a good variety of interesting activities • Provision for personal and social education is very good • Sporting opportunities are limited • Although improvements are being made to the accommodation the open-plan nature of some classrooms can be intrusive to learning

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Commentary

23. Overall, the curriculum is good. It is well planned and now meets all statutory requirements. The school is successful in providing a curriculum that reflects a positive attitude towards other cultures and languages. Pupils have good opportunities to gain confidence through different curriculum activities, such as, through religious education, music, art and dance. The allocation of curriculum time ensures that literacy and numeracy are well covered. 24. There is a strong emphasis on building pupils’ basic skills in English, which is evident from the time they join the school. Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted well in other subjects and are central to their overall good achievement. The use of stories, report writing and instructions are featured well in subjects such as RE, geography and science. Speaking and reading skills are very well promoted in a wide variety of subjects. For example, teachers help pupils to use specific mathematical words

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Commentary

to explain and share their mental calculations. In music, teachers ensure that pupils learn the special vocabulary. Opportunities for discussions improve learning. 25. The school has made good progress in developing ICT and DT since the last inspection. The school is now working to make greater use of ICT to enhance learning in a wide range of subjects. The curriculum is enriched effectively by a number of educational visits and visitors. Within the school day the curriculum is greatly enhanced by ‘Bookshare’, which is most successful in helping all pupils increase their love for books. Opportunities for pupils to learn outside the school day are satisfactory. However, sporting activities are generally limited and further restricted by the hall and playground space. Since the onset of the building work, some clubs have been put on hold. The school is beginning to support and encourage gifted pupils in sport, by arranging links with local

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Commentary

clubs. Parents commented that they would like more sports clubs and a dance club in particular. The curriculum places an important and very effective focus on the development of pupils’ personal and social skills. 26. The breadth of curricular opportunities for pupils with SEN is good. Following assessment, good quality measures are put in place effectively to support pupils with SEN and improve their basic skills. Good quality shared central areas are effectively used for additional pupil support. Resources for SEN are sufficient, of good quality and well used. 27. The curriculum for pupils who are at the early stages of learning English is good overall and pupils are well supported. As pupils move through the school, most of them become competent in English and, by Year 6, very few pupils, other than those who are new arrivals to the country, have a lack of Bridge Junior School - 14 understanding of English. Indeed, a few pupils have been helped to reach very high Level 5 results

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Commentary

in English. 28. The school has sufficient teachers and a good range of teaching assistants. Learning support staff have satisfactory skills for early English learners. Their effectiveness is often dependent on their own personal skills, rather than through additional training and monitoring about how best to support pupils who are at the earlier stages of learning English. Assistants have good skills for pupils with SEN and several have attended additional training courses. 29. During the inspection, major building works were in progress and some disruptions to learning are temporary. However, the open-plan nature of some of the classrooms means that noise travels easily from area to area. Sometimes one class are trying to listen, while another class is already busy on group activities, which creates more noise. This noise can be intrusive. Nonetheless, both pupils and teachers cope well with the potential distractions to learning.

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Care, guidance and support

This is a very caring school, which is at the heart of its ethos. The school makes very good provision for pupils' care, welfare, health and safety. Support, advice and guidance based on monitoring of pupils' achievement is very good. The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is very good.

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Main strengths

• Care is central to the needs of pupils and embedded in the school’s ethos • Very good and trusting relationships support pupils’ learning • Support for pupils with SEN is strong • There are very good procedures for child protection, health and safety, attendance and behaviour management • The school has good arrangements for pupils entering the school

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Commentary

30. The school is committed to being a caring community and pastoral care is a strength of the school. The three rules are to be calm, kind and caring so that all pupils feel valued, enjoy learning and look forward to every new day. Pupils know the staff well, are confident in approaching them, and know that they will be listened to. The class and school council are very effective in raising pupils' self esteem. Pupils are carefully looked after on the many school visits and these and the visitors enhance their learning opportunities well. 31. Pupils praise their teachers highly and the help and guidance that teachers give effectively supports pupils’ learning. If there are personal difficulties, the school has good liaison with parents and other agencies, such as social services, to help resolve them. Translators often help parents. All the staff have attended a first aid course and parents know that if their children are unwell they will be cared

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Commentary

for. 32. Following assessment, good quality measures are put in place effectively to support pupils with special educational needs. A high proportion of pupils join the school in Years 4, 5 and 6. They are helped to feel welcome and well supported to ensure that they quickly achieve well. Those who are just beginning to learn English often receive specific help from teachers and assistants, several of whom speak a range of languages, which enable these pupils to grow in confidence and enjoy their new school. 33. Very good procedures ensure that health safety and welfare are carefully monitored by means of good routines and practices and with regular risk assessment in place. All staff are familiar with Child Protection procedures. Appropriate checks of items such as electrical and physical education equipment and regular random fire drills are carried out and recorded; thus ensuring that pupils are

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Commentary

working in a safe environment. 34. Many pupils come to school from the nearby infant school and links with this are good. Parents are invited to an open morning and can look round while their children go to their new classroom with the teacher. Again translators are available if required. Pupils go to eleven different secondary schools and links with these are satisfactory. Pupils are well prepared for, and are looking forward to moving on to the next stage of their education. Bridge Junior School - 15

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents, the community and with the other schools.

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Main strengths

• Parents have very positive views of the school and are provided with very good information. Parents feel welcome and say staff are extremely approachable • There are very good links with the local community • Annual and termly reports are good and liked by parents • Parents give good support, which enhances pupils’ learning • Links with parents for pupils with SEN are good

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Commentary

35. Since 1998, the school has maintained its very good links with parents and the wider community. Leadership by the headteacher, governors and staff recognise the importance of this as a means of helping pupils to become successful learners and citizens. The school has very good links with parents and works successfully to ensure that all parents feel welcome in school. There is very good support for those who are less familiar with the English language. 36. Parents commented that they are especially pleased with the care and education their children receive. Parents' views on the questionnaires were very positive. Over fifty parents, representing all ethnic backgrounds, attended the meeting with inspectors. They were unanimous in their opinion that this school helped to link the community through the strong leadership and supportive staff. Relationships were described as “Fantastic”. Parents are confident that their children like school,

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Commentary

behave very well and are making good progress. Good teaching and high expectations support their children's progress very well and staff treat their children fairly. The inspection findings support parents’ very positive views. 37. Since 1998, the school has made further significant progress in ensuring that the very good links reported on in 1998 have been maintained, especially as the community has altered. The headteacher has been instrumental in setting up the ‘Social Cohesion Project’. Following some incidences of racial harassment in the area this school has worked very successfully with another local primary school by joining forces for teaching and learning activities. Parents give very good support to this project by attending performances in the two schools and at the African Caribbean Centre. Since the project began, parents from the two schools have joined in activities and this co- operation was unheard of before the project started. Many parents helped with costumes and with

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Commentary

their children's investigative work on apartheid. Pupils in Year 5 from both schools gave a high quality and moving performance at the open morning for parents of children starting in September, using extracts from the Zulu music workshop. The resulting easy communication between the two schools has a hugely positive impact on the local area. Moreover, it helps pupils to develop respect, tolerance and understanding of others. 38. Annual reports are good and are supported by a very good termly report, which focuses on achievement and what pupils should do to improve in both their academic work and in their personal and social development. Parents, especially like the reports, as they help them to know how to support their children. The school works effectively with parents of pupils needing special additional support by providing termly information about the pupils’ standards and progress. Parents are

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Commentary

encouraged to receive copies of their child’s SEN individual education plan and are invited to attend annual reviews and support pupils’ learning at home. The school has good links with related SEN professional bodies in the local community. However, slow processing of paperwork, outside the school, is leading to an inappropriate delay in helping pupils to gain their statements of special needs. 39. Other information to parents includes good regular newsletters, curriculum information every term and meetings. Most parents' attend the parents' evenings. The school quickly addresses any concerns that parents raise and are currently seeking to increase the time allocated to PE. A few parents help in school and on visits and, through the support of the school, two have become learning support assistants. Parents help with ‘Bookshare’ at home, and occasionally in school, which has a very positive impact on pupils’ achievement in reading.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership by the head teacher is good and the deputy head teacher provides very good support. Management is good. Leadership and management by subject leaders are satisfactory. Governance is good and governors comply with all statutory responsibilities.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The head teacher has a clear vision for the future development of the school • The very good ethos in the school, as promoted by the headteacher, staff and governors is central to the good achievement of pupils • The head teacher is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and key senior staff • Governors are effective and supportive • Management of English is good • Improvement in ICT reflects the strong vision from senior staff • The role of some subject managers is underdeveloped • Good performance management is helping to raise the quality of teaching and learning • Financial and office management is good

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Commentary

40. The head teacher is passionate about the school and has a clear vision and ambition for future development. He has been in post for 12 years and has had a significant, positive impact on the ethos of the school. His focus, throughout that time, has been to create a culture that motivates pupils to learn. As a result, pupils’ display very positive attitudes and achieve well. The headteacher has been especially successful in developing links with the surrounding local community, which is a major factor in why pupils and parents for many different cultural backgrounds feel welcomed and included in school life. Moreover, this has a positive impact on pupils’ learning and wider achievement. His vision has enabled many staff to grow in confidence to develop their skills and professional development. For example, by helping local people to help informally in the school and from this to attended formal courses. Now, several are successfully employed as assistants,

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Commentary

teachers or administrative staff. Professional development and high expectations of staff are seen as a very important way of raising standards. 41. The deputy head teacher works very closely with all staff and provides very good management support for the head teacher in all areas. The deputy headteacher is especially effective in assessing and tracking all pupils’ progress and in supporting the leadership of English. The leadership team, which includes two other senior staff, is effective and shares the ambition and vision for the school. Roles are clearly defined and weekly leadership meetings ensure that decisions are shared. The school has a very diverse population but is committed to full inclusion and equality of access for all pupils. Pupils’ respect for the staff in this school is a direct result of the caring leadership of the headteacher and senior staff who put the needs of the children first when

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Commentary

planning the next stages of the school’s improvement. 42. Management of the school is good, overall. The school is aware of where there are weaknesses and strengths, and has effective strategies for improvement. All staff and governors work closely together, showing good communication and together they are involved in planning school developments effectively. The school development plan identifies clear and appropriate priorities for the school, for example, the continuing intentions to improve writing. 43. The headteacher and senior staff recognise that the management role of some subject leaders is underdeveloped. The school has a good system to monitor the overall quality of teaching and learning which includes classroom evaluation and targets for teachers’ improvement, which are shared and reviewed with teaching staff. However, the head teacher and senior staff carry out the majority of these observations, which limits the opportunities for some other subject leaders to

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Commentary

develop their roles. Nonetheless, subject managers provide satisfactory leadership and management overall. Leadership and management are especially good in English and the drive to improve standards, by the headteacher, senior staff and governors has had a particular impact on the provision for ICT since the last inspection. Good features of all subject managers’ work includes the monitoring of teachers’ planning; evaluation of pupils’ work, and their involvement in the school’s Bridge Junior School - 17 development plan. Performance management systems are good and have a good impact on the quality of teaching. 44. The subject manager has a good knowledge of special needs and keeps good quality records for each pupil on the SEN register. However, whilst SEN files are in good order, management of SEN is not fully developed. For example, the quality of individual education plans are too variable and the

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Commentary

managers does not monitor lessons to see how well pupils with SEN are doing. The school has commented that there has been a delay in administrative processes, outside the school’s control, in getting needy pupils a statement. The school is trying to address this to best effect with the resources available to them. 45. The deputy headteacher works closely with senior staff to lead and manage the provision for pupils learning English as an additional language. There is also a part-time manager. The overall leadership of pupils learning English as an additional language is good, but management is satisfactory. Good features include how senior staff assess and track all pupils’ progress and show a drive to improve standards and all pupils’ achievement. The role of the overall EAL co-ordinator is underdeveloped in monitoring teaching and tracking pupils’ learning. A detailed action plan has been written, but this is not yet fully implemented.

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Commentary

46. Whole school procedures to monitor the academic progress of pupils are good. The progress of different groups of pupils is carefully evaluated by senior staff. They compare the progress of boys and girls and those with SEN as well as those at the earliest stages of learning English. Girls had not been performing as well as boys overall. Firm action has been taken to address this in science, but in mathematics, further action is required. 47. Administrative staff, including a part-time bursar, are effective and the school finances are well managed. Recommendations from the LEA audit report have been addressed and the school complies well with the principles of best value when purchasing goods and services. Prudent management is ensuring that resources such as books and computers have increased, which is helping to lift standards, especially through ‘Bookshare’, despite a lower than average amount to

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Commentary

spend on pupils. The ethnic minority achievement grant (EMAG) has been allocated to the school but a period of change in the Local Education Authority have had an impact on the efficiency with which early English language provision is managed in the school. 48. The governors show very good commitment to the school and are very supportive. They are a diverse group who fully reflect the richness of the surrounding multicultural community. They are well organised into committees and have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Their knowledge of what the school needs to do to improve is clear and they share the ambitions of the school. The governing body plays an active part in strategic planning for improvement, offering challenge as, for example, when discussing financial priorities. They are aware of the positive influence of leadership of the school on pupils’ achievement and are aware of

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Commentary

the standards. There are good links between the SEN manager and the designated SEN governor. Statutory requirements are met. Currently, they are reviewing the sex education policy to ensure that it reflects the cultural values of the community. Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 840524 Balance from previous year 18443 Total expenditure 810705 Balance carried forward to the next 29821 Expenditure per pupil 2374 Bridge Junior School - 18

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good leadership and management are resulting in good overall achievement • Teaching and learning are good, with a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ speaking and reading through ‘Bookshare’ activities • Pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject and this makes them successful learners • Pupils’ presentation of written work and handwriting skills require improvement • There is a strong emphasis on poetry in the school • English contributes very well to pupils’ personal, spiritual, social and cultural development

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Commentary

49. Standards by Year 6 are below average in English. This shows improvement on the 2003 results, which were well below average. Pupils’ achievement is good. Care is taken to provide equally well for pupils with SEN and higher ability pupils. At the time of the last inspection, standards were found to be average. They are no longer as high. This reflects the changes in pupils attending the school and the increase in the proportion of pupils with little or no English. Since 1998, the school has continued to ensure that pupils make good progress. There have been further good improvements in developing the provision in English. 50. Pupils’ very positive attitudes and very good behaviour make a significant contribution to their good achievement. Pupils are interested in the activities and concentrate well. Teachers have a secure understanding of literacy and have modified the National Literacy Strategy to suit the specific needs

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Commentary

of the pupils in this school. Sometimes, the first parts of English lessons are overlong, as teachers place a very strong emphasis on speaking and listening. However, this reduces the time left for pupils to write and finish work. When pupils are working on individual or group tasks, activities are matched well to their abilities, which extends their learning well. Teaching assistants are well prepared and give good support in lessons and for groups for those with SEN and those very new to learning English. For example, they help these pupils to learn letter sounds to spell words on a daily basis. In these lessons, pupils’ learning is organised into small and measurable steps, which is very good practice, as pupils really enjoy the success of quickly mastering skills. However, in some of the individual education plans for pupils with SEN, their individual targets are too general, which makes it harder to evaluate pupils’ progress precisely over a few weeks.

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Commentary

51. Provision for developing speaking and listening is good. Standards are lower than average by Year 6, in speaking. This represents good overall achievement for pupils. For those just mastering basic English, achievement is often very good and greatly enhances pupils’ social and cultural development. Teachers work especially hard to widen pupils’ vocabulary and to enjoy thought provoking discussions. They have created very warm and trusting relationships with pupils, which help pupils to feel secure, take risks and overcome mistakes. Moreover, they grow in confidence to speak out within an audience, For example, in Year 5, pupils discussed the rights and wrongs of parents smacking their children thoughtfully. Teachers ask very good questions that make pupils think and answer using longer sentences. Teachers sensitively re-phase pupils’ answers, so as to improve pupils’ vocabulary and grammar. The deputy headteacher rigorously tracks pupils’ progress

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Commentary

in speaking, although class teachers are less involved in this process. 52. As a result of the good provision for reading, standards are broadly average. This reflects very good achievement and strong leadership and management in raising standards. Most evidently, boys are doing particularly well, as texts are carefully chosen to meet their needs. During the last year, the school has been working very successfully on ‘Bookshare’ to further raise standards. This initiative is ably led and managed by senior staff. All pupils have the opportunity to work in small groups reading books with either a teacher or an assistant. They learn how to extract and use sentences and words to understand different texts, as seen when pupils explained what was happening in the Bridge Junior School - 19 story ‘The Ghost Behind the wall’. Most pupils read texts accurately and know how to work out unfamiliar words. Assessment for reading is good. Homework from ‘Bookshare’ activities is good

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Commentary

and well thought out to make learning fun. 53. Provision for writing is satisfactory. The school is currently working to develop writing. Pupils find writing hard, but are very enthusiastic. There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ use of descriptive vocabulary and a satisfactory emphasis on grammar and punctuation. Presentation of work is sometimes messy and many pupils do not use a sharp pencil and too few use pens. Overall there is not enough joined up writing in pupils’ work. Most pupils have a secure grasp of the spelling of common words and use adjectives well. They write confidently for a range of purposes. Teachers set regular targets to help pupils to improve their standards of attainment. However, when marking pupils’ work too few teachers give clear guidance on what to improve. A particular strength of writing is in pupils’ understanding of how to write poetry, which enhances pupils’ cultural and

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Commentary

spiritual development. Achievement in this aspect of writing is good and supported by visiting poets and musical experiences. Skills build up progressively and by Year 6, pupils write short pieces with creativity and emotion. In a very good lesson, pupils extracted descriptive vocabulary form ‘Kensack’s Kingdom’ and created the noise and the build up of fear in a four verse poem about drowning. 54. The quality of leadership and management of English is good. Results of national tests are analysed rigorously to identify areas where pupils have difficulty. Senior staff set satisfactory targets for raising standards. Evidence indicates that targets will have been exceeded this year. The deputy headteacher works very closely with the subject manager, so that together they have a clear overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. Links with other subjects are good. Speaking and listening and reading skills are developed very well through all subjects. Pupils confidently use reference information including the Internet and resource books to support their learning. In history, pupils make books about different historical characters. In science, there is good emphasis on developing pupils’ use of specific vocabulary, especially through visits. Skills in ICT is used satisfactorily overall. For example pupils in Year 4 develop their skills of persuasive writing by designing posters for different adventure park rides. There are missed opportunities to use the word processor to edit and re-draft writing. There are good links with music and art.

p.19

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show very positive attitudes and are keen to learn mathematics • The challenges offered to higher ability pupils, especially girls are not always demanding enough • Pupils with SEN and those at the earliest stages of learning English achieve well

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Commentary

56. Standards at the end of Year 6 are average. Boys attain higher than girls overall. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout their time at the school and show very positive attitudes towards mathematics. Results in 2003, show that pupils attainment was average and when compared to similar schools, the pupils here have been doing well. The school is successful at getting pupils up to the expected average Level 4. Pupils with SEN and those at the earliest stages of learning English achieve well. However, not enough higher ability pupils reach Level 5, thus, overall achievement is satisfactory. 57. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers’ plans are clear and adapted from the national numeracy strategy, and where appropriate teaching assistants are briefed about which pupils to support. It is not always clear however which pupils have special needs and which need extra language support. Teaching is usually brisk and pupils respond well. Good questioning by teachers

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Commentary

ensures pupils can explain different methods of calculation and use jottings to support their thinking. Pupils can tackle word problems systematically, identifying language features, which calculation to use and how to present the answers. Bridge Junior School - 20 58. Some teaching lacks challenge and more able pupils are not always given stimulating work that matches their ability and thinking skills to their full capacity. Similarly, some girls are not always encouraged to take an active part in discussions and reviewing of maths tasks. Pupils are not always encouraged to reflect upon their learning and how they might improve. Opportunities to use and apply their mathematics and to develop investigational skills are sometimes underdeveloped. 59. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject leader, who is very enthusiastic and committed, coordinates resources and keeps colleagues up to date. There has been no major

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Commentary

mathematics training for the last two years following the successful introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy. The subject leader has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and there is a clear plan for next year involving ‘Mathshare’, which will be on the lines of the successful ‘Bookshare’. There are plans to widen pupils’ opportunities to use and apply mathematics in different ways. The monitoring of teaching and learning is carried out by the headteacher and deputy head teacher. There are insufficient opportunities for the subject manager to evaluate and assess data to help teachers to modify their lesson planning and thus, cater equally well for the needs of all ability groups.

p.20

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Links with other subjects are satisfactory. In design and technology, calculations are used to accurately measure templates to make slippers, which are then advertised for sale at various discount prices. In RE, the number of different religions in a class is represented using bar graphs. In Geography, work on population surveys, is recorded on pie charts. Symmetrical patterns are made in art, while in History the Egyptian numbering system is compared to that of today. Links are good overall.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a result of the good teaching • Teachers place a good emphasis on pupils learning the language of science and on investigative work • Good use is made of pupils’ literacy skills • Insufficient use is made of ICT to support science

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Commentary

61. Pupils achieve well because of well-organised lessons, an emphasis on practical activities, and good teaching. As a result, standards are better than those reported in the 2003 National Curriculum test and are just below average at the end of Year 6. Inspection findings are not as high as those reported in the last inspection. This is because there are fewer higher attaining pupils, a significant proportion of pupils are not yet fully fluent in English and the mobility rate of pupils is high in the present Year 6 class. Nevertheless, pupils make good progress. There is no significant variation in attainment between pupils of different gender, ethnicity or background. Pupils with SEN as well as those at the early stages learning English are well supported in class and achieve standards that are appropriate to their ability. 62. Pupils in Year 6 have a good understanding of living organisms, the classification of plants and

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Commentary

animals, the physical processes of electricity and forces and the properties of a wide range of materials. From discussions with them it is clear that they have been taught well because they have a secure knowledge of the scientific concepts that they have been learning. They explain well why investigations have been set up in certain ways and know about the importance of fair testing. Across the school pupils are very keen to learn about science and to get involved with practical activities. Pupils make good strides in their learning. 63. Overall, teaching and learning are good in Years 3 to 6, contributing directly to pupils’ good achievement. Teachers do a lot to help pupils understand scientific concepts. They use discussion sessions well to develop the scientific thinking of pupils. This emphasis has a very beneficial effect on pupils who are not yet fully fluent in English and those with special educational needs. Where

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Commentary

lessons are highly practical, teaching is good and pupils learn well. One such example was in a Bridge Junior School - 21 Year 5 lesson where pupils were preparing a presentation on ‘Day and Night’. Working in groups, using well-chosen resources pupils investigated different ways of demonstrating ‘Day and Night’. This good approach to investigative science is continued across the school. In a Year 3 class, pupils were learning about how different types of materials made different shadows. Given some support, the majority of pupils gained a good understanding of why opaque, translucent and transparent materials create shadows of varying degrees of darkness. In all lessons seen there was a good emphasis on the correct use of specific vocabulary, which ensured that pupils developed a good understanding of scientific terms. Questions are well used to check pupils’ understanding and advance their thinking. One such example was a Year 4 lesson where pupils were investigating

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Commentary

which shape moves fastest through water. The teacher very skilfully targeted questions, which encouraged pupils to use knowledge, which they had acquired in earlier sessions to draw conclusions about why some shapes are more suitable than others. 64. The subject co-ordinator has an increasing awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the subject through scrutinising pupils’ work and overall, provides satisfactory leadership and management. Leadership has had a positive impact on encouraging teachers to provide pupils with more opportunities to undertake practical science. Nonetheless, there remain some areas for development. For example, the monitoring of teaching and learning and the analysis of statistical data has not been sufficiently rigorous to identify particular weaknesses in pupils’ performance. In addition, the school is only just beginning to use ICT to support and extend learning. Despite this,

p.21

Commentary

the school has shown good improvement since the previous inspection. This is because the curriculum has improved significantly, with the much greater emphasis on investigative work and the school has managed to sustain the good achievement of pupils by the end of Year 6, due to the good leadership shown by senior staff and governors in monitoring pupils’ performance and setting plans in place to improve science, especially for girls.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There has been significant improvement in provision since the last inspection • Good teaching enables pupils to achieve well • Pupils gain new skills and apply them in challenging, interesting tasks • Monitoring of teaching and learning is not fully developed • Standards are improving • Facilities have improved but the computer suite is only big enough for half-classes

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Commentary

65. Standards in ICT are as expected by the end of Year 6. Pupils, including those with SEN and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve well throughout the school and gain new skills and knowledge from year to year. Pupils in Year 4, for example, can input data onto spreadsheets and make good use of toolbars to produce graphs, which they label and save for analysis. Year 5, pupils are able to use a computer programme and choose the appropriate tools to control and operate traffic lights. They know that such systems are used in everyday life to control programmes such as burglar alarms. They edit and refine their instructions to include delays into the programme in order to simulate real- life situations. In Year 6, pupils work independently to select information from the network to produce slides about such people as Henry Ford. They are confident when editing text, but there are missed opportunities to redraft writing. They confidently use shortcuts and

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Commentary

toolbars. 66. Teaching and learning are consistently good and lessons focus on clear objectives that are shared with pupils. Teachers have good knowledge and provide realistic, simulated tasks that are interesting and challenging. Relationships are very good and, consequently, pupils display very good attitudes and behaviour. They listen carefully, concentrate on tasks and are courteous when answering questions. Instructions and explanations are clear so that pupils know what to do and demonstrations are used well to enable them to work independently and solve problems. Teachers ask open questions which challenge pupils to show their previous learning and identify improving understanding of real systems that use ICT. Teaching assistants give effective support to lower attaining pupils. Bridge Junior School - 22 67. Very good leadership by the headteacher, staff and governors has resulted in very good overall

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Commentary

improvement in the subject since the last inspection. Management is good, but there are limited opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in lessons. Strengths of management include the very clear vision for future development and schemes of work are fully in place to support teachers when planning for learning. Class teachers assess pupils’ achievement but pupils’ progress from year to year is not as tightly monitored and tracked. The computer suite is new since the last inspection. Although it is small, it is well used. Improvement since the last inspection is very good. Standards, the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement have improved and the number of computers in school is now above average. Teachers’ expertise is greatly improved as a result of good support for staff.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

68. Displays around the school show that the use of ICT across the curriculum is variable, but satisfactory, overall. For example, an ICT board in the hall shows “ICT in action”, showing the use of word - processed extended and informative writing, graphs and flow charts of instructions. Pupils have made a good school web site, which often means they have to use digital cameras. Pupils use search engines for research in literacy and geography. In mathematics, pupils use computers to reinforce learning.

p.22

HUMANITIES

69. No geography lessons were seen during the inspection and only one history and RE lesson were observed, thus, the overall provision in these subjects is not judged. However, from evaluation of the range of work seen, it was possible to judge standards and pupils’ achievement. These subjects make a very positive contribution to pupils’ personal, social, spiritual and cultural development. 70. In geography , from the sample of work seen, standards are as expected and pupils achieve well as they move through the school. Achievement is satisfactory in Year 3, as pupils learn about cities in the United Kingdom and widen their knowledge about climate. However there is a limited amount of recorded work for the year as a whole. In Year 4, pupils develop their ability to use and understand maps and compare city life with that in a village. They are beginning to develop their opinions and express their views in individual projects on such as water. Here, links with mathematics are good,

p.22

HUMANITIES

especially through the transport survey work. In Year 6, pupils show good knowledge of physical features of rivers, mountains and the wider environment and pupils use good geographical vocabulary in their writing. Pupils are encouraged to think independently, as seen in their Alpine brochures. There are missed opportunities for teachers to mark pupils’ work to develop their learning. 71. In history , from pupils’ work and a discussion with the subject co-ordinator, and one lesson, the school provides a good curriculum, with strong links to literacy. Pupils’ work in books and in the lessons seen indicate that their achievement is good overall and that standards by Year 6 are as expected. The subject leader has been in this position for one year and has monitored samples of pupils’ work and keeps colleagues up to date about resources including the use of Internet resources. Visits support pupils’ learning well and have included one visit to a local Victorian country

p.22

HUMANITIES

house and a nearby museum noted for its Egyptian gallery. 72. In RE , a good proportion of work covered in religious education lessons centres around discussion, drawing on pupils’ own knowledge and understanding of different faiths. Scrutiny of pupils’ work and discussion with the religious education coordinator suggests that pupils achieve well and standards are average. It was not possible to talk to year 6 pupils about RE, as they were away from the school visiting their new secondary school for one of the inspection days and discussion time had to focus on other core subjects. The ethos of the school warmly encourages pupils to apply religious values in their everyday lives and makes a very good contribution to pupils’ personal development. There are good examples of links with other subjects. Older pupils worked collaboratively to make pictures in art, using fabric, to illustrate religious and cultural themes. Pupils have visited the local

p.22

HUMANITIES

church and mosque and confidently compare different religious symbols. The school follows the Leicester syllabus for religious education, which is currently under review, but has thoughtfully added other relevant material more closely to reflect the faiths of the school. The quality and quantity of artefacts is good, with a growing use of ICT to support learning. The key issue from the Bridge Junior School - 23 last inspection to improve the character and organisation of alternative collective worship has been addressed.

p.22

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

73. The main focus areas for the inspection were English, mathematics, science and ICT Thus creative aspects did not receive as much inspection time and this is why provision overall is not judged in each subject. Inspectors talked to pupils, held discussions with teachers, and sampled pupils’ work. Links with pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development are very good and there are good links with English. 74. In art , one Year 5 lesson was seen during the inspection. In this lesson pupils used textiles to express Aztec fairytales and achieved well. Evidence gathered from scrutiny of work and discussions indicates that the good range of curricular opportunities promotes expected standards, with a small proportion of pupils achieving above this for their age. Skills build up progressively from Year 3 to year 6. The topics taught are well planned, well resourced. Links with other subjects are good. For example, in the Year 5 ‘Talking Textiles’ unit pupils work collaboratively to express

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

their learning in literacy, geography or RE through fabric, with a growing understanding of how depth of colour and texture adds a greater dimension. The subject co-ordinator supports the non- subject specialist teacher and has a clear vision for the role and a good sense of purpose. 75. Limited information was gathered on design and technology . A discussion was held with the subject leader and pupils’ work was examined. There was also evidence from class displays. Evidence shows that pupils are working at the expected levels for their ages. This indicates good improvement in provision and standards since the last inspection. The subject leader has a clear idea of priorities including keeping resources up to date and supporting colleagues as appropriate. Pupils have an interest and pride in their work. Some high quality displays including making slippers and designing chairs, show that pupils have a clear idea about planning, making and critically

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

evaluating their work and the advantages and disadvantages of materials. 76. In music , one lesson, taught by the subject specialist. Overall, there was not enough evidence to judge standards and pupils’ achievement. Weekly music lessons are not consistently taught by the subject specialist, as she is only available to teach music one day a week. They are more usually taught by the class teacher. Topics are chosen with care to be varied, interesting and effectively link to other subjects. For example ‘The Dragon who Chased Clouds’ learned in Year 3, relates closely to Sikh and Hindu communities and supports RE and English very well. Pupils worked collaboratively to use percussion sounds to illustrate a story. Pupils develop good listening skills as music is played before and after daily school meetings. Music lessons and opportunities to perform help pupils to grow in confidence. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and has

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

established an effective scheme of work for teachers to use, which includes assessment. Leadership shows a clear vision and a sense of purpose. 77. It was not possible to gain sufficient evidence about PE to form firm judgements. However, one lesson was seen in games, which was unsatisfactory, as pupils spent too much time waiting for turns, rather than being active. Physical education activities were discussed with groups who were engaged in another lesson. Here, pupils were all busy and had satisfactory opportunities to do vigorous exercise, although the space in the playground limited running opportunities. Links with mathematics were good as pupils recorded their times when running 25 meters, noting result to two decimal places. Pupils swim at the local community pool. Opportunities for PE are limited and difficult because of the size of the hall and playground. The school is beginning to improve this. Two

p.23

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

mobile classrooms are to be removed to increase outside space. Sporting links with other schools are increasing and are satisfactory. They include cricket and girls' five-a-side football and support from Leicester City Football Club. Pupils have participated in tag rugby and basketball. Bridge Junior School - 24

p.23

Personal, social and health education

Provision in personal, social, health education and citizenship is very good.

p.24

Main strengths

• The curriculum, learning and links with parents and the community are very good • Pupils’ self-esteem and respect for others is very well promoted • Pupils’ views are valued and pupils learn respect for each other and their community

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Commentary

78. There are very good opportunities for pupils to develop their personal and social skills in this school. There is a clear policy and the subject is promoted very well in lessons and through very strong links with parents and the community. Parents are involved in helping to raise money for charities including the local hospice, comic relief, National Children's Homes and Bhuj (Gujerat earthquake). Pupils are encouraged to show their feelings and express their emotions and staff work effectively to enhance pupils’ self-esteem. For example, they explore their emotions through appreciation of books, art and music. Classroom charts and displays often focus on pupils’ moods and feeling. Moreover, they emphasise the importance of sharing good things and learning to work together. In lessons, staff plan activities, which help pupils to work successfully in groups, sharing tasks and making decisions. The hugely successful ‘Social Cohesion Project’ has helped pupils to

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Commentary

understanding what friendship means and to enhance their awareness of the importance of racial harmony in the local community. 79. The staff help pupils to grow into become confident individuals and respect their ideas and opinions. For example, the school council widens pupils' understanding of the democratic system and is run very professionally. Pupils talked confidently about their litter focus and understand about having a manifesto for elections. They have organised a tree planting project and were instrumental in getting the toilets refurbished to a high standard. Future projects include raising money for a football pitch. The suggestion box in the hall is used sensibly and gives pupils a way of expressing their ideas without fear of ridicule or misunderstanding. Members of the caring, medical and emergency services help to enrich pupils’ learning. Bridge Junior School - 25

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 4 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out -of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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