Broughton Junior School

BROUGHTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 18 th March 2004

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BROUGHTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Broughton 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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BROUGHTON 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. Broughton Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 217

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Broughton Avenue Aylesbury Buckinghamshire Postcode: HP20 1NQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01296 423276 Fax number: 01296 431761

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Local Education Authority Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Allum

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 4 February 2002

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Broughton Junior School is located in an urban area close to the centre of Aylesbury. It is average in size with 217 pupils currently on roll, of which 120 are boys and 97 are girls. Seventeen percent of the pupils are from Asian backgrounds and five percent from mixed Caribbean backgrounds. The percentage of pupils whose first language is not English is above average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs, mainly specific learning difficulties and some emotional and behavioural difficulties, is well above average. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals and the mobility of pupils are both below average. The majority of pupils come to the school from the neighbouring Infant School and are from mixed but overall broadly average socio-economic neighbourhoods. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school, based on their National Curriculum assessment results in the Infant School, is average in some years and slightly above average in

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

4357 Ian Wilson Lead inspector Science, information and communication technology, design and technology 8941 John Fletcher Lay inspector 32747 Kathy Faulkner Team inspector English, art, music, physical education 29378 Ken Watson Team inspector Maths, history, geography, religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Penta International Upperton House Eastbourne BN21 3YB

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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.ofsted.gov.uk). Broughton Junior School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

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

The school is now effective and providing satisfactory value for money . It no longer has serious weaknesses, as judged at the last inspection, but work is needed to consolidate the very positive developments of the past six months.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The headteacher brings a clarity of vision, sense of purpose and high aspirations to the school • Procedures that help raise standards are being effectively implemented; however, standards in English and mathematics are not yet good enough and pupils’ progress and achievement are not sufficiently consistent throughout the school • Lessons are well planned, have clear learning objectives and teachers manage pupils well • The school’s ethos contributes well to pupils’ personal development and consequently pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and attendance are all good • There are good arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety • The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in different curriculum areas, although improving is underdeveloped and there is no policy for the teaching of reading • The school has a substantial budget deficit and very little money to buy learning resources

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Broughton Junior School was last inspected in February 2002 and was judged to have serious weaknesses. The school has gone through a very difficult period since then with problems over staff recruitment and retention, a large budget deficit and two terms with an acting headteacher. Governors were not sufficiently involved and aware of the issues to be able to hold the school to account. Governance is, however, now much better. Under the leadership of the new headteacher, appointed last September, there have been very substantial developments in the school. Pupils’ behaviour is much better, standards are improving, the curriculum is now broad and balanced, assessment of pupils has improved, pupils’ attendance is much better and action to improve the quality of teaching has been successful. Overall improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory and it has been very good during the last six months.

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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 E D D E mathematics E E E E science E D D D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in National Curriculum assessments at the end of Year 6 have been below or well below average during the past three years. Standards in English for pupils in Year 6 are now at the expected level. In other years, standards, though improving, are below average overall in reading and writing and average in speaking and listening. Standards in science seen during the course of the inspection matched expectations for pupils’ ages throughout the school. Standards in mathematics are still below national expectations, but they are improving both in Year 6 and in other year groups. Standards in ICT, art and geography judged to be too low at the time of the last inspection, now match national expectations. Standards in religious education have improved and now match the expectations of the agreed syllabus. Overall achievement of pupils in the school is now satisfactory, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is not

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

their first language, but pupils’ achievement is better in some year groups than in others. Broughton Junior School - 7

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The development of pupils’ personal qualities, including their social, moral, spiritual and

cultural development, is good. Pupils’ attitudes to school and learning are good. Overall, behaviour is good and pupils enjoy strong relationships with others. The vast majority of pupils develop their social skills well, respect the feelings of others and show good appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions. Attendance levels are good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education. There is quite a high proportion of good and very good teaching spread across all year groups but the proportion of satisfactory and very occasionally unsatisfactory teaching is higher in some year groups than in others and therefore the overall quality of teaching is satisfactory. As a result, the overall quality of pupils’ learning is also satisfactory. The school curriculum is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. It offers pupils a sound range of learning opportunities. There is no policy for the teaching of reading. Links between subjects, a weakness in the last inspection, have improved, particularly the use of ICT in English. However, the use of ICT in other areas of the curriculum is still underdeveloped. The planning and provision for pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory and have improved since the last inspection. The school provides well for pupils with English as an additional language

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

and as a result, these pupils make good progress and achieve well. The arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are good. Teaching and support staff have good relationships with pupils and provide a good level of care for them. Links with parents, other schools and the local community are satisfactory.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall . The governing body now has a sound grasp of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, is monitoring finance effectively and has a clear focus on raising standards and improving the quality of education. The headteacher provides good leadership. His effective and appropriate action coupled with the developing leadership of other staff and good team work are responsible for the improvements seen this year and also mean that the school has the capacity to continue to improve. There is an outline school development plan and a plan to address the budget deficit but as yet, there is not a detailed strategic plan for the whole school aimed at driving improvements forward.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think the school is improving. They feel that their children settle well into school, are happy and are well looked after. A majority feel that their children progress well but they have concerns about the quality of provision in some classes and about the misbehaviour of a small group of pupils in one year. Parents value the regular newsletter but feel that overall communication could be improved. Pupils like the school. They feel that they are listened to and are well supported and safe.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are to: • raise standards and improve pupils’ achievements in English and mathematics; • ensure more consistency in the quality of teaching throughout the school; • consolidate developments already started in improving behaviour, developing the curriculum, improving assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress and developing the roles of staff with leadership responsibilities • develop a carefully prioritised strategic plan supported by detailed action plans which address the above issues and the continued development of the school and incorporate the existing plan to deal with the budget deficit. Broughton Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards and pupils’ achievement in the school have improved since the last inspection. Overall achievement of pupils in the school, including those with special educational needs and for whom English is not their first language is now satisfactory but it is better in some year groups than in others. Standards being attained by pupils leaving school at the end of this year match national expectations all areas of the curriculum except mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the core subjects are improving but overall standards in mathematics are still below average • Standards in other subject areas that were below average at the time of the last inspection now match national expectations • Effective strategies are in place to improve achievement and raise standards • Achievement is good in Year 6 and in some other classes but it is not yet sufficiently consistent throughout the school

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Commentary

1. Standards obtained by pupils in National Curriculum assessments in 2003 were below average in English and science and well below average in mathematics. The science results are very slightly better than in the previous year, English results are similar to the previous year’s results and mathematics results are lower. Overall results are similar to those seen at the time of the previous inspection. Boys are attaining slightly less well than girls in English but in mathematics and science the attainment of boys and girls is similar. The trend in results in these core subjects is below the national average and the school did not meet its targets for 2003. The school has set ambitious targets for 2004 and 2005 and monitoring data indicates that the school is making progress towards achieving them.

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Commentary

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 25.8 ( 25.9 ) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 24.6 ( 25.3 ) 26.8 (26.7) science 27.8 ( 27.5 ) 28.6 (28.3) There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Standards in the core subjects are improving. Standards in English for pupils in Year 6 are now in line with national expectations. In other years, pupils’ overall attainment matches that expected for pupils of a similar age in speaking and listening but is lower in reading and writing. Standards in science seen during the course of the inspection matched expectations for pupils’ ages throughout the school. Standards in mathematics are still below national expectations overall, but they are improving both in Year 6 and in other year groups.

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Commentary

3. Standards in ICT, art, geography and religious education, judged to be too low at the time of the last inspection, now match national expectations and, in the case of religious education, the expectations of the agreed syllabus. It was not possible to make overall judgements about standards or pupils’ achievement in design and technology, history, music and physical education during the period of the inspection. Broughton Junior School - 9 4. The achievement of pupils in the school has been unsatisfactory in the past. Most pupils join the school from the nearby Infant School whose results in National Curriculum assessments are average in some years and above average in others. These standards were not being sustained by the Junior School and, because of this, improving achievement and raising standards were key issues in the last inspection. Progress on this key issue has until recently been slow. The school

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Commentary

has found it difficult to recruit and retain staff, there have been two changes of headteacher and the school has had severe budget difficulties. However, since September, when the current headteacher was appointed, the situation has improved significantly. A range of strategies to raise standards is being successfully implemented. These include improved monitoring and assessment, improvements to the curriculum and improved behaviour management. Good use is also being made of the national literacy and numeracy strategies. Achievement throughout the school is rising and pupils’ overall achievement in lessons is now satisfactory although not yet consistent throughout the school. Boys and girls of all abilities achieve well in Year 6 because teachers have high expectations, good subject knowledge and teaching is consistently good or better. In other years, pupils’ overall achievement is good in some classes and satisfactory in others. Two classes in

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Commentary

particular have had an unsettled year and this has reflected in pupils’ achievement and progress which, until recently, has been unsatisfactory. However, changes of teacher coupled with some additional support are helping reverse this situation and pupils in these classes are now achieving satisfactorily in their lessons.

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Commentary

5. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported in development of their literacy and numeracy skills and their overall achievement is satisfactory. Current developments such as improvement to individual education plans and better monitoring of progress are helping to improve achievement. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve well.

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Commentary

6. Parents had varied views on how well their children were progressing. Parents of children in some classes were happy with the standards their children were attaining and the progress they were making, whilst parents of other year groups and classes were not, reflecting a feeling by parents of a lack of consistency in the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

7. Pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development are all good. As a result the majority of pupils have good attitudes to school and learning, behave well and enjoy strong relationships with others. They develop their social skills well, respecting the feelings of others and showing good appreciation of their own and others’ cultural traditions. Attendance levels are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides an orderly environment in which the vast majority of pupils behave well and develop increasing maturity. • Relationships between pupils and with staff are good and most pupils show tolerance for others’ feelings and beliefs, a growing awareness and respect for the school community and a good appreciation of cultural traditions. • Attendance levels are above the national average, have improved significantly since the last inspection and reflect pupils’ interest and enjoyment of school life. • Opportunities for pupils to take responsibility and enhance their personal and social skills are increasing but are still limited.

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Commentary

8. The school is a safe and orderly environment which encourages pupils’ achievement and development. It is largely free from bullying and harassment, but where incidents occur they are dealt with effectively. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and has improved significantly during the current year. Parents, pupils and staff acknowledge that standards of behaviour deteriorated during the turbulent period up to last September but all now comment on the improvement that has occurred in the last six months. The vast majority of pupils are now happy to Broughton Junior School - 10 follow the new code, respond enthusiastically to the merit and target setting schemes and show pride in their own and others achievements. At breaks, pupils interact with each other and adults in a friendly and polite manner. They were happy to enter into conversation with inspectors and keen to offer directions or hold open doors in a natural and polite manner. Records of the instances of

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Commentary

disturbed or poor behaviour, now much reduced, show that the school works effectively to minimise the disruption to others’ learning and to support the pupils concerned. The behaviour of a small number of boys in Year 5 is still an issue but it is improving. The number of exclusions from school has fallen dramatically this year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 153 27 White – Irish 2 White – any other White background 1 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 10 5 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 Asian or Asian British – Indian 5 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 37 3 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 Chinese 2 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

9. Relationships between pupils and with staff are good and contribute significantly to the development of good social skills. Pupils’ levels of confidence and self awareness grow during their time at the school. In lessons, pupils listen, make good uninhibited contributions, share resources amicably and support each other constructively and helpfully. Around the school, pupils adjust well to a range of social contexts, show respect for others and a developing appreciation of the school community. Spiritual development is good. The opportunities provided to reflect, think and discuss with friends are effectively helping pupils to develop their own values and a balanced perspective on life. Pupils’ multicultural awareness is good. There is a wide range of cultural diversity in the school and pupils enjoy and are eager to learn about others beliefs and traditions. The school draws effectively on the wider community to celebrate festivals and to explore cultural differences. The

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Exclusions

school promotes racial harmony well – all pupils are treated equally and all are valued.

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Exclusions

10. Attendance levels are good throughout the school and are having a positive impact on the progress pupils make. Since the last inspection, the school has established thorough systems to follow up unexplained absence and to monitor patterns of attendance. Pupils and parents experiencing difficulty with attendance are supported sensitively and effectively by the school and the educational welfare officer. Punctuality to school is good and daily proceedings run to time. Broughton Junior School - 11 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Exclusions

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 School data 0.3 National data 5.4 National data 0.4

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Exclusions

The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

11. Pupils like attending Broughton Juniors. Discussions with pupils of all ages revealed enthusiastic young people enjoying their activities and making the most of what the school offers. Pupils highlighted a wide range of subjects as being their favourites and spoke positively about outings and visits. However pupils in Year 6 spoke with regret about the recent cancellation of what would have been their first residential visit. Pupils of all ages respond positively and proudly to the opportunities given to take on responsibility within the school. These are limited but in the last six months they have started to increase with the formation of a school council, a reading buddy scheme for pupils in Year 5 and 6 working alongside infant school children and the launch of a pupil newspaper. Pupils in Year 6 expressed some sadness that they would be leaving the school just as these new initiatives were being started.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

12. The quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory but there is not enough consistency in the quality of provision for different classes. Teaching is satisfactory overall and the curriculum provides a satisfactory range of learning opportunities for pupils. The school provides a good level of care and links with parents and the local community, currently satisfactory, are improving. More needs to be done to develop the curriculum and keep parents informed about school policies and practice.

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Teaching and learning

13. The quality of teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to excellent. Overall, it is satisfactory. The quality of pupils’ learning and assessment of pupils are also satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned and have clear learning objectives • Class management is good; teachers have high expectations of behaviour and encourage and engage pupils well • Assessment arrangements are developing well but teachers do not always ensure that pupils respond to marking • In some lessons, insufficient account is taken of prior learning and the pace is too slow • There is little planning for the use of ICT in lessons other than English and mathematics

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Commentary

14. The quality of teaching is improving and appropriate action has been taken by the school to address the weakest teaching. A slightly higher proportion of lessons were judged to be good or very good than at the time of the previous inspection and school data shows that the amount of unsatisfactory teaching is lower than it was last year. Assessment is improving rapidly because of recent developments and is no longer unsatisfactory. Broughton Junior School - 12 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 37 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

1 (3 %) 7 (19 %) 14 (38 %) 12 (32 %) 3 (8 %) ( 0 %) ( 0 %)

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

15. Teaching in the school has many strengths. Nearly all lessons are planned very carefully, have clear learning objectives and are well structured with activities that are generally well matched to the abilities of pupils. Teachers generally settle pupils down quickly and then start lessons well with a clear discussion and explanation of the work and reminder of previous work. Learning objectives are shared consistently well with pupils and this prepares pupils effectively for what they should know, be able to understand and do by the end of the lesson. Teachers manage pupils effectively, most lessons proceed with good pace and little time is wasted. For example, pupils move promptly from whole class teaching to individual or group work. Many lessons finish with effective plenary sessions which check on pupils’ learning and reinforce the learning objectives. As a result of this effective teaching, pupils of all abilities make good progress in many lessons.

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Commentary

16. Although the quality of teaching is improving, it is not consistent throughout the school. Whilst good or better teaching takes place in all year groups, the proportion of satisfactory and very occasionally unsatisfactory teaching is higher in some year groups than in others. As a consequence, pupils’ overall progress and achievement is satisfactory rather than good. Factors which distinguished the satisfactory from the good teaching included too much teacher talk or over direction and not taking pupils’ prior learning into account, leading to tasks which were either insufficiently challenging or too demanding. The small proportion of unsatisfactory teaching seen was principally associated with insufficiently good behaviour management or lack of pace in lessons. Teachers’ expectations of presentation are not consistent enough.

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Commentary

17. Pupils are generally keen to learn and they feel well supported by their teachers. Relationships between teachers and pupils and between pupils are good. As a result, pupils in most classes work well individually, concentrating well and persevering; pupils work very well with each other. However, in two classes, which have had changes of teacher, pupils are less well settled and are more easily distracted. Examination of pupils’ work confirmed that the progress of pupils in these classes, though now satisfactory, has been significantly weaker than that of other pupils, confirming parents’ concerns about their children’s learning.

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Commentary

18. Day to day assessment of pupils’ learning was judged to be unsatisfactory in the previous inspection primarily because it did not give guidance to pupils on how to improve. Assessment practice is improving well. It is now satisfactory overall and with the potential to improve further. Pupils’ work is regularly marked with supportive comments. However, an issue for the school is to ensure that pupils respond to the marking, which is frequently not the case at present. A good feature of the new assessment arrangements is the use of ‘learning targets’, which all pupils have inside their English, mathematics and science exercise books. These targets are linked to pupils’ prior attainment and so they are realistic for pupils. Pupils know their targets and are working towards them. Pupils with special education needs have their targets from their individual education plans on the desks as a brief reminder of what they are aiming to achieve. Other assessment

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Commentary

activities such as questioning, discussion and observation of pupils are used effectively by most teachers to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding.

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Commentary

19. A variety of strategies are used to support pupils. Pupils are grouped by attainment for English and mathematics. This arrangement is effective in some year groups but, in classes which have had a change of teacher, the benefits of setting are presently outweighed by the need for pupils’ to have stability and consistent routines. Group and individual support is used flexibly, and is based on identified need, to help different groups of pupils including those with special educational needs to make satisfactory progress. The teaching assistants have access to teaching plans and are generally used well to support different groups. However, their use is not consistently effective Broughton Junior School - 13 particularly when whole class teaching is taking place. The teaching assistant for pupils with English as an additional language quietly supports pupils in lessons, translating and giving further

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Commentary

explanations to enable the pupils to have access to the learning and, as a result, they achieve well.

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Commentary

20. Classrooms are well organised and attractive displays make the rooms good environments for learning. Learning resources are used effectively by teachers. Good use is made of ICT, particularly in English, facilitated by the timetabling of some English lessons each week in the ICT suite. However, too little use is made of ICT to teach other areas of the curriculum.

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The curriculum

21. The curriculum in the school has improved since the last inspection when it was judged to be unsatisfactory. The main weaknesses identified at the last inspection have been dealt with and the curriculum is now satisfactory as it is broad, balanced and meets statutory requirements. It offers pupils a sound range of learning opportunities and provides satisfactory opportunities for enrichment through extra curricular activities. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s ethos contributes well to pupils’ personal development • The school works hard to ensure equal opportunities for all pupils but there is no additional provision for gifted and talented pupils • The school has spacious accommodation • There is a lack of cross curricular planning, particularly for the use of ICT and no policy for the teaching of reading • The use of visits and visitors is rather limited

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Commentary

22. The concerns about the curriculum raised in the last inspection have now been addressed but only in this academic year since the arrival of the new headteacher. The school day has been lengthened and the amount of teaching time now matches the recommended time of twenty three and a half hours a week. The breadth and balance of the curriculum has also been significantly improved. The time allocated for different subject areas is now appropriate and the balance of the school day is much better so that pupils now have a better distribution of academic, practical, physical and creative aspects of the curriculum. Early indications are that this is having a positive impact on learning. Effective use is made of both the national literacy and numeracy strategies but there is still no policy for the teaching of reading which lacks coherence as a consequence.

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Commentary

23. Curriculum planning is based around nationally provided schemes of work and this helps ensure that National Curriculum requirements are met. Teachers of parallel classes plan together and this aids continuity of experience between classes. Although planning generally is matched well to pupils’ prior learning and attainment in Year 3, it does not take sufficient account of pupils’ experiences in the Infant school. Planning for links between different curriculum areas was a weakness in the last inspection. Links have improved and in particular the links between English and ICT are now much better. However, systematic planning of links between different areas of the curriculum has not been tackled so that, for example, there is no regular planning for the use of ICT in other subjects. The school has not yet developed a ‘curriculum map’ setting which aspects of each subject are going to be taught each year and how subjects will be linked.

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Commentary

24. The school works hard to ensure equal opportunities for all pupils. The planning and provision for pupils with special educational needs have improved since the last inspection and there are no aspects which are now unsatisfactory. The school has reviewed the arrangements for the allocation of the use of learning support and this is now done more systematically and based on a whole school understanding of pupils’ needs. The special education needs coordinator reviews pupil’s individual education plans to ensure consistency of provision and pupils’ needs are met Broughton Junior School - 14 satisfactorily by a combination of in class support or carefully planned withdrawal. Teaching staff still need to develop expertise in writing individual education plans that have appropriate targets to help pupils improve. The school makes good use of specialist LEA staff to support individual pupils and it

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Commentary

provides well for pupils with English as an additional language. There is no specific additional curriculum provision for gifted and talented pupils.

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Commentary

25. Provision for the development of pupils’ personal, social and health education is improving and is now satisfactory. Sex and drugs education is provided and circle time and the school council provide opportunities for personal development. Appropriate statutory policies are in place. Provision is very well underpinned by the ethos of the school, such as, for example, the good relationships, the good role models provided by adults and the valuing of individuals. The lack of a scheme of work, to draw together the various strands of provision and build links with different areas of the curriculum is a weakness which the school recognises.

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Commentary

26. There are satisfactory links with the community and visits from musicians, local religious leaders and the police help enhance the curriculum. There are opportunities for pupils to undertake visits but these are limited. The school provides a satisfactory range of extra curricular activities including sports, music and chess. Arrangements for the transition of pupils to secondary school are satisfactory and the school participates fully in the Local Education Authority’s arrangements.

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Commentary

27. Staffing levels and the experience of teachers currently matches the need of the curriculum satisfactorily. However, the school has had very considerable difficulties in recruiting and retaining suitably qualified staff in the recent past and this has had a very substantial impact on the quality of education provided by the school. The school has spacious accommodation and some good specialist facilities which it is now making better use of. Teaching and learning resources in the subjects inspected were adequate and reasonably well organised.

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Care, guidance and support

28. The arrangements to ensure pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety are good. Pupils themselves feel that they are listened to, are well supported and safe.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Child protection and health and safety procedures are consistently followed and the school is vigilant in meeting its statutory responsibilities • Staff show good levels of care and concern for pupils and they work successfully to build positive trusting relationships with most pupils • Good monitoring and review systems ensure that pupils receive good support and help with their personal and social development • Increasingly good use of academic tracking data is effectively helping teachers to target and guide individual pupil progress and achievement • Pupils are involved in setting and agreeing personal targets and their views and opinions on school development are valued but not yet formally sought.

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Commentary

29. Daily routines are well established and respected by pupils and staff and the school is both vigilant and sensitive in exercising its responsibilities. Appropriate supervision is always provided and full risk assessments are always undertaken in relation to off site activities. Staff ensure that day to day activities are carried out safely. Records of incidents and accidents are up to date and the school is quick to inform parents of any illness or injury. The vast majority of pupils respond well to the consistent caring approach and enjoy strong, trusting relationships with all adults. Parents were happy with the care provided by the school. Broughton Junior School - 15 30. The rewards and sanctions systems provide good information on pupils’ behaviour and personal development. Monitoring of these records quickly alerts the school to any pupils experiencing difficulties, enabling tailored support to be provided. Effective support programmes

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Commentary

involve agreeing daily and weekly targets with pupils and can involve external agency guidance or help from the local pupil referral unit. Teachers carry out progress reviews with the pupils in their class who have special educational needs. New assessment procedures are starting to provide good quality data on academic progress, which is being increasingly well used to guide and support individual pupil progress and achievement.

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Commentary

31. Effective links with the neighbouring Infant School ensures that pupils are prepared for the transition to the Junior School.

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Commentary

32. The contribution of pupils to establishing routines and influencing school development is satisfactory overall. There is no regular consultation procedure to gather pupils’ views, although pupils are encouraged to express opinions on aspects of the provision at an individual level. Since the start of the year new initiatives to involve pupils more have been launched and the school is committed to extending opportunities further. Pupils are now involved in agreeing and reviewing their own development targets and a school council has recently been established to provide a formal means for pupils to contribute to the development of the community.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

33. The school’s partnership with parents is satisfactory and it has improved since the start of the year. Satisfactory use is made of the local community to enrich learning opportunities. Links with the neighbouring infant school are satisfactory and are improving.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are supportive of the school and overwhelmingly agree that their children enjoy attending Broughton • The new and closer working link with the infant school is ensuring better continuity for transferring pupils and increasing development opportunities for all pupils • Parents acknowledge improvements that have been made in the last school year but retain some concerns over the quality of education being provided • More could be done to inform parents about school policies

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Commentary

34. Parents and carers agree that settling in arrangements are good and that children are treated equally and fairly. There is widespread acknowledgement that since September 2003 behaviour has improved significantly, that communication is improving and that there is a more open and approachable style which values parents’ views and opinions. Whilst parents hold positive hopes for further improvement, they have serious concerns about staff turnover and the use of supply teachers which is seen to be badly affecting pupils’ progress and achievement in some classes.

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Commentary

35. The quality and frequency of communication with parents is satisfactory and improving. Information on pupils’ progress is made available through well attended termly evenings and through the annual report. Staff at the school are quick to involve parents if they have any concerns and they are always happy to discuss parental worries. Good and effective arrangements ensure that parents of children with individual education plans are closely involved in target setting and reviews. New initiatives to enable parental help with learning at home are much appreciated by parents but there is a strong view that more help would be valued. Parents value the regular newsletter which keeps them aware of changes, achievements and forthcoming events but parents are not well enough informed about school policies and they rightly feel that overall communication could be improved. There is a good level of support for school functions and many parents support the various sports

p.15

Commentary

teams. Broughton Junior School - 16 36. Some positive links with community organisations and facilities are well used to widen the learning and development experiences for pupils. There are good sporting links with the local football, rugby, hockey and golf clubs, which provide specialist coaching sessions. Swimming has been restored to the school’s physical education programme and pupils in Year 4 now visit the local swimming centre. Members of the local community church take assemblies at the school each term and there is a strong link with the local mosque which involves the Imam leading festival celebrations in the school. There are regular visits from musicians teaching particular instruments and the school choir is involved in a number of performances including entertaining senior citizens at Christmas.

p.15

Commentary

37. The school has always provided a good level of personal support and care to ensure that pupils transferring from the neighbouring infant school settle in well but there has been little other interaction between the schools. Since the start of this school year, a new programme for closer liaison and interaction between the schools has been agreed and is being implemented. The plan involves close links between curriculum coordinators and between special needs coordinators aimed at securing a smoother transition with minimum interruption to learning and achievement. The closer links are already starting to provide increased opportunities for pupils to interact with each other and the schools are starting to organise joint activities and events.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

38. Leadership and management are satisfactory . The headteacher provides good leadership and both governance and the leadership of other staff are developing well.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher brings a clarity of vision, sense of purpose and high aspirations to the school • Procedures that help raise standards are being effectively implemented • Staff with responsibilities positively contribute to the effectiveness of the school • The budget is in deficit and will remain so for several years • Governors have not been fully aware of the underachievement of significant numbers of pupils until this year • The school development plan lacks detail

p.16

Commentary

39. The school has gone through a difficult period since the last inspection. Standards, which were well below average then, had not improved, and neither the governing body nor the school senior management team had been able to make the necessary changes in order to raise standards. Until quite recently the governors did not know the strengths and weaknesses of the school well enough. The school has a large budget deficit and this has left the school with very little to spend on learning resources. This indicates a lack of forward planning over the past few years. The school has had difficulty recruiting the required number of governors and there are still unfilled posts. However, over the past year the Governing Body has worked hard to address these problems. New governors have been appointed and committee structures are now in place with clear terms of reference understood by all. The governing body now has a sound grasp of the

p.16

Commentary

school’s strengths and weaknesses through working more closely with the school and through the chairman’s attendance at review meetings with the local education authority (LEA). There is a clear focus on raising standards and improving the quality of education. Finance is now being effectively monitored, and a five year budget recovery plan has been implemented. Statutory requirements are met but governors need to develop a better understanding of how to achieve best value.

p.16

Commentary

40. Since joining the school in September 2003, the headteacher has shown good leadership in the way he has focussed everyone on the changes necessary to raise standards. A priority has been to improve pupils’ behaviour. With the support of the staff, he has succeeded to such an extent that the attitudes and behaviour of the vast majority of the pupils in the school are now good. Staff as Broughton Junior School - 17 a whole provide good role models for the pupils. More rigorous procedures to evaluate and monitor pupils’ work in all areas of the curriculum and track their progress have been introduced, with the result that teachers are now much clearer about how well their classes are performing, and what needs to be done to raise standards. The headteacher has implemented changes to the timetable which have resulted in a much better use of time and a fairer balance between different curriculum

p.16

Commentary

areas. Changes to the senior management team have reduced costs and improved efficiency. Difficult staffing issues have been dealt with effectively. Good use has been made of LEA advisers and consultants and there has been focussed staff development. There are still some staff recruitment problems, but the headteacher is determined to recruit teachers of the highest quality whenever possible.

p.17

Commentary

41. Managing all these changes inevitably takes time, but it is a tribute to the headteacher’s management skills and to the hard work and dedication of other staff with leadership and management responsibilities that so much has been achieved in such a short time. Subject leaders now have clear job descriptions and have been empowered to make the necessary changes to improve teaching and learning in their subjects. Their success is evidenced in the good learning now taking place in many lessons, particularly in English and mathematics where the main focus has been. Good leadership is also evident in other areas of the work of the school, standards in such subjects as art and religious education have risen accordingly and assessment practice and support for pupils with special educational needs show significant improvements. Teamwork among the staff is now very evident and teachers plan together well in year groups. A constraining factor is

p.17

Commentary

that staff with leadership responsibilities have little or no non contact time to a carry out their responsibilities and few opportunities to observe and support their colleagues at work in classes. Therefore the capacity of teachers to learn from each other and spread best practice is limited.

p.17

Commentary

42. There is an outline development plan and co-ordinators have drawn up action plans for their subjects, which list their ideas for development. There is a need, though, for a detailed strategic plan to be drawn up for the whole school that identifies priorities, targets, timescales and costs. This should be aimed at driving improvements forward and should enable the governors to carry out their monitoring role more effectively. The plan needs to be linked to performance management arrangements so that staff have clearer objectives for improving pupils’ progress than they do at present.

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 409,838 Balance from previous year - 105,017 Total expenditure 524,385 Balance carried forward to the next - 114,547 Expenditure per pupil 2,416 Broughton Junior School - 18

p.17

ENGLISH

43. Provision in English is satisfactory

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English are rising • Individual pupil targets are helping pupils improve • The teaching of reading and handwriting is not systematic enough • Leadership and management of the subject are good

p.18

Commentary

44. For the past three years, standards of attainment in English at the end of Year 6 have, consistently, been well below average and boys have attained less well than girls. Overall results in 2003 were similar to those in 2002 although the percentage of pupils attaining at the higher levels matched national averages. The school has placed a greater emphasis on improving standards in literacy, particularly in the last six months and termly assessments for writing, reading and spelling show pupils making significant progress especially in Years 5 and 6. Standards in English for pupils in Year 6 are now in line with national expectations. Although overall standards in other years are lower than expected for pupils of a similar age in reading and writing and are similar in speaking and listening, they are improving. Overall improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

p.18

Commentary

45. Standards in writing in the school have particularly improved because of the increased whole school focus on planning for the pupils to write for a variety of purposes. In some years, pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work is not good enough. Pupils are not taught how to join letters legibly and the school has not established a handwriting style. As a result, pupils’ work is often untidy and so does not accurately represent the quality of the contents of their writing.

p.18

Commentary

46. Improvement in reading is less well marked than improvement in writing. The school does not yet have a clear policy for the teaching of reading. As a result the teaching of reading skills is not sufficiently systematic and progression through the school is not clear for pupils or parents.

p.18

Commentary

47. Pupils’ standards in speaking and listening are satisfactory. Pupils demonstrate that they are able to listen and respond to other points of view in class discussions and when working collaboratively. This is an improvement on the standards found in the last inspection.

p.18

Commentary

48. The quality of teaching ranges from unsatisfactory to excellent. Overall it is good and as a result, the achievement of the pupils, both boys and girls, in the majority of lessons observed was always satisfactory and often good. Teachers plan lessons well, explain clearly the purpose of the learning and expect the pupils to work hard. New assessment arrangements are helping the teachers to track pupil progress and set well matched individual pupil targets. The targets are referred to in lessons and pupils know what they need to improve upon. “What I need to do to move to the next level” cards are used to show the pupils the next steps in their learning. Some teachers acknowledge achievements at the beginning of lessons, referring to the previous day’s lesson. One example of this was seen in a Year 5 lesson where pupils were helped to identify their own errors. Time was set aside in the lesson for the pupils to correct mistakes and the outcome was improved

p.18

Commentary

quality of writing. Some teachers use marking for improvement as a way of helping pupils improve their own work but the quality of marking is variable and some pupils are not clear as to how well they have achieved. Broughton Junior School - 19 49. The pupils are set by ability for literacy lessons. This is effective in Year 6 and is helping to meet the needs of pupils of different levels of attainment. Setting is, however, not always effective, particularly in those classes containing the younger pupils. This is because the pupils are unsettled in the sets and teachers are spending a disproportionate amount of time managing their behaviour. Pupils with special educational needs are mainly supported well by teaching assistants. Sometimes at the beginning of lessons, directions are not clear enough for the assistants to effectively support pupils’ learning. The assistant for pupils with English as an additional language plays a pivotal role in

p.18

Commentary

literacy lessons. Texts are translated and vocabulary explained for these pupils and they make good progress in literacy lessons. In a Year 6 lesson where all the pupils were learning the skills of writing a balanced argument, the EAL assistant modelled the teaching again for the pupils and they were able to achieve the learning objective.

p.19

Commentary

50. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject leader’s commitment to improving standards is making a real difference. Since September, the teaching of English has been thoroughly reviewed. There is a whole school focus on improving standards in English. The guidance from the National Literacy Strategy is now embedded into teacher’s plans, pupils’ progress is monitored, and work samples are collected and moderated. Good use has been made of the support of LEA literacy consultants. These various activities are helping improve standards. There is a governor for literacy who meets regularly with the subject leader and formal reports are written for the full governing body. This is helping the governors to understand how the school staff work as a team to improve the attainment in English. Increasingly effective use is being made of the school library which has been relocated and is being redeveloped. The school’s literacy action plan contains

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

51. There are some thoughtfully planned opportunities for pupils to apply writing skills in history, science and religious education and good use is beginning to be made of ICT. These opportunities give pupils the chance to write in a purposeful way and at length, showing an improvement since the last inspection in both the quality and range of writing skills. In a history lesson about the first moon landing, pupils were challenged to write and present their work in the form of report writing. A pupil with special educational needs showed good understanding of the impact of newspaper headlines and the use of powerful vocabulary, by writing the headline, “11 o’clock, Space Rocks ”. Speaking and listening skills are being further improved in ICT lessons and assemblies. In an assembly about Holy Books, pupils were able to describe their favourite books and one pupil retold a Hindu story confidently whilst the rest of the school listened attentively. Such activities are enabling the pupils to

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

use subject-specific vocabulary and explain themselves to a wider audience.

p.19

MATHEMATICS

52. Provision in mathematics is satisfactory

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The National Numeracy Strategy is embedded well throughout the school • Most teaching is good • Subject leadership is developing well • Teachers’ expectations for pupils’ attainment in the past have not been high enough and consequently standards are below the national average.

p.19

Commentary

53. Standards in last year’s national tests in mathematics were well below average in Year 6 when compared with similar schools. Pupils had not made the expected progress and achievement was well below average when compared with their results at the end of Year 2. This poor rate of progress was due to teachers’ lack of expectations and their insecure judgements about pupils’ Broughton Junior School - 20 standards of attainment. This situation has been compounded in recent years by difficulties in recruiting staff, and changes of teacher in some classes. However, since the new headteacher was appointed in September there has been a marked improvement. Although standards are still below average and there is still a high proportion of pupils who are unlikely to achieve the expected standards by the end of Year 6, teachers’ expectations are now much higher and standards are rising both in Year 6 and in other year groups. The recently administered half-year test showed that

p.19

Commentary

most pupils have made at least sound progress since September, and some much better than that. Overall there has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.20

Commentary

54. Lesson planning is good. The National Numeracy Strategy is being used consistently throughout the school to ensure that there is continuity and that pupils can build on previous learning. Fundamental to this improvement is the good use made of assessment. Teachers now know what levels pupils are working at, and whether they are in line with expectations. The systems now in place enable the school to track each pupil’s progress throughout the year and consequently identify underachievement or gaps in knowledge much more readily. Good use is made of individual and group targets, which help pupils to focus on what they need to do to improve. This is successful in helping all pupils, including those with special educational needs and higher attainers to make sound progress.

p.20

Commentary

55. The teaching of basic number work is much better than at the time of the last inspection. For instance, most pupils in Year 3 know by heart the facts for the 2, 5 and 10 times table and can count onwards or backwards in tens from a given number. By the time they reach Year 6, most are able to solve problems using the four number operations both mentally and using a variety of written methods. Nevertheless, there are a significant number who still lack confidence, and there are gaps in knowledge that can affect attainment in other areas of mathematics. For example, pupils in Year 5 were able to draw up with confidence a line graph showing a range of temperatures, but lack of secure knowledge about decimal fractions led to mistakes, and many were insecure in their understanding of how to interpret the finished graph.

p.20

Commentary

56. A strong feature of the teaching is the way lesson objectives are used to help pupils to understand what they are trying to achieve in each lesson. These objectives are recorded by the pupils, and often referred to by the teachers in their marking. Where this is done consistently, it helps pupils to understand what they have learned and what they will need to do next. Teaching in the majority of lessons observed was good. In these lessons, teachers plan and organise well so that the lessons proceed at a good pace and the work is appropriately challenging for all pupils. Relationships are very good and pupils behave well and try hard. Plenary sessions at the end of the lesson are used well to reinforce learning and identify where further work is needed. As a result of this good teaching, pupils’ achievement is always satisfactory and sometimes good. In the less effective lessons, teachers sometimes find it hard to motivate the pupils, and, because behaviour is

p.20

Commentary

not as good, they spend too much time and effort in trying to get pupils settled. This is sometimes because teachers are new to the class, or because the system of setting by ability takes pupils away from the security of their own class group.

p.20

Commentary

57. It is still too early for the more effective monitoring of standards, achievement and teaching to have had a significant impact on standards. Nevertheless, the subject leader now has a firm hold on what needs to be done and is developing strategies for improvement. If the good practice observed in the majority of lessons can be established more securely in every class, there is every prospect that standards will continue to rise.

p.20

Mathematics across the curriculum

58. Pupils’ skills in mathematics are used satisfactorily in other subjects. There is appropriate use of co-ordinates to develop mapping skills in geography. Pupils’ ability to measure data accurately is promoted satisfactorily in science and pupils often record results of investigations or surveys in a variety of graphs and charts. This sometimes involves the use of information and communication technology, but generally, as has already been identified by the co-ordinator, there is room for improvement in the way ICT is used to support the mathematics curriculum. Broughton Junior School - 21

p.20

SCIENCE

59. Provision in science is satisfactory

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are improving • Lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives • The science curriculum does not take sufficient account of learning in the Infant School and makes too little use of ICT

p.21

Commentary

60. Standards attained by pupils aged eleven in statutory National Curriculum teacher assessments and tests have been below average in comparison with all schools. However, standards are improving and evidence from classroom observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that, overall, pupils’ attainment matched expectations for pupils’ ages and meets the standards expected nationally by Year 6.

p.21

Commentary

61. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. It is better in some year groups and classes than others and this is reflected in the learning and achievement of pupils, which is satisfactory overall. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress because of the additional support they are given by teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils with English as an additional language are well supported and achieve well. Pupils are developing sound scientific knowledge and understanding. For example, younger pupils categorise different materials according to their properties and older pupils could explain changes of state between solids, liquids and gases. They are developing their scientific vocabulary well. Pupils carry out a range of investigations, developing practical and observation skills. They know what the conditions for a fair test are and can make predictions about the possible results. They record the results well in tables and can draw graphs

p.21

Commentary

and charts, for example of rate of cooling. Overall investigational skills are satisfactory.

p.21

Commentary

62. A strength of teaching is the use of learning objectives when planning lessons and the consistent way in which these are shared with pupils; this helps give a clear focus to teaching and helps pupils know what they are expected to learn. Further strengths of teaching are the clear explanations given by teachers, appropriate emphasis on scientific language and improvements to assessment of pupils. A weakness in some lessons is overlong discussion by the class teacher which sometimes leads to pupils losing concentration. ‘Learning targets’ give pupils an objective to aim for and work in books is marked well in most classes. Not all teachers ensure, however, that pupils respond to the marking so that much of the benefit is lost.

p.21

Commentary

63. Some good use of ICT was seen in Year 4 in which pupils used the internet to research minibeasts prior to producing a report to help develop non fiction writing skills in English. Generally, though, far too little use is made of ICT in science and links between science and other areas of the curriculum, for example, health education, are not well developed. Most lessons are well planned and there is a satisfactory match of work to pupils’ prior attainment but the curriculum in Year 3 does not at present build sufficiently well on the Year 2 curriculum in the Infant School resulting in a lack of challenge in some activities.

p.21

Commentary

64. The recently appointed science subject leader is enthusiastic, keen to develop the subject and has a sound understanding of strengths and weaknesses in the subject based on lesson observations and scrutiny of pupils’ work. This monitoring is helping to ensure that requirements of the national curriculum are met but is not yet having an impact on standards. There is a subject action plan but it lacks targets for attainment, specific action with dates and criteria for success. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the previous inspection. Broughton Junior School - 22

p.21

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

65. Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improvement since the last inspection has been good • The teaching of ICT is good • Good use is made of the ICT suite • ICT is used well in the teaching of English but there is too little use of ICT in other areas of the curriculum

p.22

Commentary

66. Standards in ICT match national expectations. For example, younger pupils can organise data such as results of a car park survey in a spreadsheet and then display the results in graphs and charts. Older pupils are confident internet users able to use search engines and present information found into a report, switching between different software packages. This is a considerable improvement since the last inspection when standards and pupils’ progress were judged to be unsatisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection. It ranges from satisfactory to very good and is good overall. Lessons are well planned with clear objectives. Teachers explain things well and give clear directions and good support to pupils with special educational needs or with English as an additional language. Activities are interesting and appropriately matched to pupils’ abilities. Pupils are enthusiastic users of ICT and they work very well together taking turns where necessary and supporting each other. In all lessons seen, pupils of all abilities achieved well making good gains in knowledge and skills.

p.22

Commentary

68. The ICT suite is a good resource and used well by the school. Every class has a dedicated ICT lesson and additional time in the suite for use of ICT in English and mathematics. The school also has a separate small network in the special educational needs room, which is also used well. Facilities in classrooms, however, are variable. Not all classrooms have computers and not all rooms with computers have printers. Software available for these machines is limited. None of the machines in the classrooms were seen in use during the course of the inspection.

p.22

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. ICT activities support work in English well and in mathematics satisfactorily. Examples seen included an English lesson in which pupils extracted information from the Internet to produce a report which contained the features of a good explanatory text, and mathematics lesson involving spreadsheets which developed pupils understanding of formulas. There are some good links also to other areas of the curriculum, for example, pupils used ICT to find out about different rivers and small creatures and to process results about water usage. However, the use of ICT in most subjects is underdeveloped and this was a weakness at the time of the last inspection.

p.22

HUMANITIES

70. One lesson in history, two lessons in geography and two lessons in religious education were observed. Additionally, in geography and religious education, pupils’ work from different year groups was analysed and teachers’ planning was scrutinised as these were areas of focus in the inspection. Broughton Junior School - 23

p.22

History

71. Each year group has been studying a different period such as the Tudors, Victorians or Ancient Greeks. A good variety of approaches are evident such as writing from a particular point of view or finding evidence from the study of artefacts. Some good links are made with other subjects, for instance with art and design through the illustrations and models of Greek pots. Many classes use time lines to show how their particular period fits into the wider picture, and many displays feature questions aimed at stimulating pupils to think and use correct language.

p.23

Geography

72. Provision in geography is satisfactory

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well organised • Planning is consistent in all classes • There is some variation in quality of work in different classes

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

73. Standards in geography overall are in line with national expectations. This means that standards have improved as they were found to be below expectations at the last inspection. Work in pupils’ books is generally of a sound standard, but there is some variation in quality between classes. Pupils’ overall achievement is satisfactory. The subject leader has ensured that the requirements of the national curriculum are met but has not yet had the time to evaluate the work to make sure that standards are consistent and to help spread best practice.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

74. In a very good geography lesson in Year 6, pupils showed their developing understanding of the impact on people’s lives of projects like the damming of the Nile River. The teacher questioned skilfully to draw out pupils’ opinions, and gave ample opportunity for them to discuss the issues with each other and formulate their own ideas. They made good use of a script downloaded from the internet to highlight and annotate the relevant information. The way the tasks were organised and the support given in the classroom enabled all pupils, including those with special needs and some whose first language is not English, to make good progress. In another lesson on water in the home, learning was not as good because the teacher gave few opportunities for pupils to talk about their ideas and experiences, and the closed nature of discussion did little to develop the pupils’ thinking skills. Teaching overall is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

75. The curriculum is organised to give good coverage of the subject throughout the school. All classrooms have areas set aside for displays, and these show that there is a consistent approach to teaching and learning in all year groups. The co-ordinator has not yet had the time to evaluate the work to make sure that standards are consistent and that best practice can be spread through all year groups and classes.

p.23

Religious Education

76. Provision in Religious Education is satisfactory

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved and are now in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus • The subject makes a significant contribution to spiritual, moral, social and cultural development • Leadership of the subject is good Broughton Junior School - 24

p.23

Commentary

77. Standards in religious education have improved since the last inspection and are now in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus by the end of Year 6. Standards seen in lessons together with evidence from pupils’ books, teachers’ planning and pupil discussion show that most pupils make sound progress in their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.24

Commentary

78. The subject leader has worked hard to improve the curriculum and to raise standards through better evaluation and monitoring. Strengths and weaknesses have been identified and feed back provided to staff. The curriculum is well organised with appropriate units of work for each year group. Main learning objectives and success criteria are clearly identified and good quality resources including books, videos and artefacts are readily available to support each unit. This has been instrumental in raising teacher confidence and teaching, now satisfactory overall, is better than at the time of the last inspection.

p.24

Commentary

79. Pupils have a sound knowledge of the major world religions particularly Christianity and Islam, and many have a good understanding of the basic elements of each faith. They know that symbols such as candlelight or water play an important part in many faiths, for example the use of water in the christening ceremony. In one lesson, pupils heard the story of Noah and were encouraged to think about the significance of the rainbow in the Christian and Muslim traditions. Good links are made with other subjects, for instance, with art through Hindu hand patterns. Respect for different beliefs and traditions is a strong feature of much of the teaching, and this is reflected in the way the pupils themselves, who come from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds, work together in an atmosphere free from any tension or oppression. Good use is made of individuals such as the support teacher for English as an additional language, who regularly

p.24

Commentary

80. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well in lessons. In a Year 6 lesson, the pupils considered the qualities needed to be a good leader, and took part in a role play situation where a group were stranded on a desert island. This led to lots of interaction and co- operation and was very successful in developing social skills. Pupils have learned about great leaders from a variety of cultural backgrounds, such as Gandhi and Martin Luther-King. The emphasis on the moral aspects of all the major religions is very successful in helping pupils to understand the difference between right and wrong.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. No lessons in design technology, music or physical education were observed as these were not areas of focus in the inspection. In art, two lessons were observed, pupils’ work from different year groups was analysed and teachers’ planning was scrutinised.

p.24

Design technology

82. Evidence from school and teachers’ planning indicates that national curriculum requirements are met. Some good examples of project work were displayed around the school, including work on hats and slippers from different countries.

p.24

Music

83. Music is an important part of school life and a committed and enthusiastic subject leader leads the subject. The curriculum overview shows that the teaching is based on national guidelines with an emphasis on listening, singing, composing and performing. This is a supportive means of ensuring that musical learning will progressively improve as pupils move through the school. There is also some limited assessment in Years 4 and 5 of pupils’ knowledge of composers and instruments of the orchestra. The pupils have the opportunity to receive expert tuition in a range of Broughton Junior School - 25 musical instruments. The pupils join with other local schools for musical performances. This enables pupils to improve their personal and social skills in being part of a team, listening, sharing and raising confidence and self-esteem. Within school, the recorder club enables pupils to benefit from very good teaching of the treble and descant recorder. Here the pupils were observed to be

p.24

Music

really enjoying learning, listening, practising and performing with their friends and teacher.

p.25

Physical education

84. The distribution of physical education lessons during the course of each week has improved thereby adding balance to the curriculum for pupils. The scheme of work is based on the national guidelines and the curriculum provided meets the statutory requirements. The subject leader for physical education is new to the post and so has had little opportunity to advise and support colleagues with the teaching of physical education. Systems for assessing pupils’ skills and using the outcomes to improve achievement are under developed. After school football and netball clubs are very popular but the overall range of extra curricular sporting activities offered is limited.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision has improved since the last inspection and pupils achieve well • Good opportunities for the pupils to explore and experiment are provided • Assessment of the subject is at an early stage of development • The leadership of the subject is good

p.25

Commentary

86. Provision for art has improved since the last inspection and, as a result, standards have improved and are now in line with national expectations. The subject leader has a clear overview of the progress and continuity of learning in the subject, has good skills and knowledge, leads by example and gives other teachers confidence to teach in an effective way. The school has developed a scheme of work based on national guidelines that is adjusted to meet the needs of the pupils in the school. The scheme ensures that there is a coherent development of pupils’ skills and knowledge as they move through the school. Teacher’s skills and knowledge have been improved as has planning, the quality and range of resources and displays. A system for tracking and recording pupils’ attainments is at an early stage.

p.25

Commentary

87. The lessons seen were planned well and taught enthusiastically. Good explanations, appropriately challenging activities, good classroom management and teaching of necessary skills motivated pupils to work hard and achieve well. For example in one lesson, pupils were able to use charcoal to make good observational drawings of musical instruments drawn from different perspectives and they were able to shade the drawings accurately. In another lesson, pupils’ creativity was encouraged through giving them the opportunity to investigate and experiment with materials before designing and making a collage.

p.25

Commentary

88. The standards of displays reflect the work that the pupils have achieved in lessons. Pupil’s pictures based on Van Gogh’s “ Starry Night” painting showed how they were able to use and apply paint to create a similar texture in their own paintings. Pupils have created a hanging based on the story of Wooden Horse of Troy using planning boards, sketches and proposed materials before working collaboratively together to complete the project. Broughton Junior School - 26

p.25

Personal, social and health education (PSHE)

89. Provision in personal, social and health education is satisfactory

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s ethos contributes well to developing pupils personally and socially. • Good opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss views and feelings. • There is no scheme of work for the subject.

p.26

Commentary

90. Only one lesson in PSHE was observed but provision is underpinned through the everyday work of the school. Provision in the curriculum area is improving. It is taught mainly through specific time set aside during the week. Sex and drugs education is provided supported by visitors such as a nurse and the local police. Circle time is used well and provides the opportunity for pupils to discuss thoughts and feelings. The necessary statutory policies are in place. The school’s ethos, for example, the very good relationships, the high level of care for individuals, the good role models of all staff and the generally high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, all make a substantial contribution to the overall provision. The lack of a scheme of work, to draw together the various strands of provision and build links with different areas of the curriculum is a weakness which the school recognises.

p.26

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 5 Pupils’ achievement 4

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

p.27

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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