Burlington Junior School

BURLINGTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Burlington 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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BURLINGTON 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. Burlington 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: 381

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Burlington Road New Malden Surrey Postcode: KT3 4LT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8942 2687 Fax number: 020 8942 3522

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Gerald Leonard

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 – 30 April 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Burlington Junior School, situated near the centre of New Malden, has 381 pupils on roll. Most transfer from the infant school which is on the same site. They come from a wide range of social backgrounds. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below average. The overall attainment of pupils on entry is wide ranging but overall average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs is broadly average and this is more than at the time of the last inspection in 1998. The majority of special educational needs are associated with learning difficulties. The pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and a very high percentage (53 per cent) speaks English as an additional language. Twenty one different languages are spoken. The main ones other than English are Tamil, Urdu, Gujerati and Korean. A significant number (around 20 per cent) enter the school other than at the usual time of starting and many of these

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils speak very little English on entry. Twenty per cent of the current Year 6 joined the school after the usual start date. The school has recently been awarded the Artsmark and also the Basic Skills Quality Mark. The school is organised into three classes per year group each with their own class teacher. One extra teacher, as well as a teaching assistant, is attached to each year group in order to provide flexibility in staffing. Specialist staff from the local authority’s Behaviour Support Team, the Speech/Language Support Team and also the English as an Additional Language Team work in the school for part of each week. The headteacher was appointed in 2001. There have been a significant number of staff (9.8) appointed in the last two years. Burlington Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 1718 Kay Charlton Lead inspector English, English as an additional language, information and communication technology 9977 Fran Luke Lay inspector 18116 Chris Taylor Team inspector Art and design, physical education, design and technology 1516 Mike Warman Team inspector Mathematics, music, religious education 22704 Garry Williams Team inspector Science, geography, history

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

icp 360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road LONDON N17 9LN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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). Burlington 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

This is a good school with many very good features. Standards in Year 6 are above average with pupils having made good progress since starting in Year 3. The quality of teaching and learning is good, and overall standards of leadership and management are very good. The school gives good value for money.

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Overall evaluation

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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Overall evaluation

• Pupils achieve well. They achieve very well in speaking and listening, reading and mathematics. • Pupils could achieve more in writing. • A strong team of staff challenge and support pupils well. • There is an excellent range of opportunities to enrich the curriculum. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good; they behave very well and approach learning with enthusiasm. • Relationships are excellent and pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and abilities are fully included in all aspects of school life. • The leadership of the school is very effective and supports new staff very well. • Opportunities for pupils to improve their skills in writing across different curriculum areas are not fully exploited.

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Overall evaluation

Improvement since the last inspection in 1998 has been good. Standards in English and science have risen gradually, in line with the national picture. Standards in mathematics have improved significantly and in the current Year 6 are well above average. All the key issues from the last inspection have been addressed with good improvements in the quality of teaching, pupils’ behaviour and spiritual development. The arrangements for homework are much improved as is the school’s provision in information and communication technology. A rigorous system of school self-evaluation has been developed and this is having a significant impact on raising standards.

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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 C B B B Mathematics B A B A Science C B C B 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

Overall, pupils’ achievements are good. The national test results in 2003 show that standards in English and mathematics are above the national average whilst those in science are average. The school’s performance is good in English and science and very good in mathematics when compared to similar schools. The figures show that the school adds very good value to pupils’ learning. Inspection findings reflect this very positive picture. Standards in the current Year 6 are well above average in mathematics and above average in English and science. Pupils achieve very well in mathematics. In both English and science pupils achieve well but they could achieve better still with more consistent use of spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting in their written work.

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Standards achieved

Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good. They behave very well and have very positive attitudes to school and learning. Relationships are excellent and pupils are proud of their backgrounds and beliefs. Teachers’ high expectations of Burlington Junior School - 7 tolerance and friendship lead to a high degree of respect for each other’s views. The school is a racially harmonious community.

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Standards achieved

Attendance rates are satisfactory. The school is using a wide range of strategies and attendance is improving. Pupils come to school on time.

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Quality of education

The overall quality of education is good . Teaching is good and this leads to good quality learning. There is very good teaching of speaking and listening, reading and mathematics. Teachers have a secure knowledge of their subjects which gives pupils confidence as learners. Work is planned thoroughly and is carefully matched to the pupils’ levels of understanding so that they are challenged effectively. Teachers are keen and enthusiastic, and make learning fun. A wide range of strategies is used, including work with individual and small groups of pupils, to help those pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as additional language. Teaching assistants play an important part in supporting this work. Although the teaching of writing is satisfactory overall there is some inconsistency of practice. This is notable in the ways staff show pupils how to write and ensure that pupils are clear about how they might improve their written work both in English and

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Quality of education

across the other subjects of the curriculum.

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Quality of education

The curriculum is good and enriched by an outstanding range of interesting activities including after- school clubs, educational visits and ‘special’ events. Provision for pupils’ care, guidance and support is very good and pupils are very well supported in their learning. The involvement of pupils by seeking and acting on their views is also very good. There is a good partnership with parents, other schools and the community.

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Leadership and management

Leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher is a very effective leader with particularly high aspirations for the pupils. The high quality governing body and team of senior staff share these aspirations and support the headteacher very well. The school has seen many changes in recent years including the appointment of the present headteacher in 2001. There has been a significant number of new staff appointed and a number of new initiatives, particularly in mathematics and reading. The overall leadership and management of the school have supported these changes very well and the school is well placed to improve further. All statutory requirements are met.

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Parents’ and pupils’ views of the school

Parents hold the school in high regard and express very positive views especially about the ways in which staff try to make ‘learning fun’ for their children. Pupils are proud of their school.

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Improvements needed

The most important things the school should do to improve are:

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Improvements needed

• Improve standards in writing. • Make better use of those opportunities that exist across different curriculum areas to develop and extend pupils’ skills in writing. Burlington Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Overall, pupils’ achievements are good . They attain above average standards in Year 6 in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics. Girls and boys achieve equally well. Pupils from different ethnic groups achieve well overall. They achieve very well in the development of their skills in speaking and listening.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve particularly well in mathematics because of the high expectations set. • They achieve very well in speaking and listening and reading but they could do better in writing. • They achieve well in science although their recorded work is not always of the highest quality. • Pupils identified as having special educational needs achieve very well against the targets in their individual education plans. • Pupils who speak English as an additional language develop their proficiency in English very well. • Standards in information and communication technology are above average and have improved significantly since the previous inspection.

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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 27.6 (28.1) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 28.2 (28.7) 26.8 (26.7 ) Science 29.3 (29.7) 28.6 (28.3 ) There were 103 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. The school has sustained its good results since the last inspection, maintaining improvements in line with schools nationally. The 2003 national test results in English, mathematics and science for pupils in Year 6 were not quite as high as in 2002. This is because there were more pupils with special educational needs in this year group. The current Year 6 group of pupils are attaining above average standards in English and science and well above average standards in mathematics. The very good quality of teaching in mathematics is having a particularly positive impact on pupils’ learning in this subject. The school has set very challenging targets for English, mathematics and science for Summer 2004 and the pupils are well placed to meet them.

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Commentary

2. In mathematics, improvement since the last inspection is very good. At that time standards were average and now they are well above average. This has been brought about as a direct result of the increased levels of staff expertise in the subject. Pupils achieve very well as many confidently work out problems independently. For example, when some of the Year 6 pupils worked out that irrespective of variations in the size, the angles in a triangle will always add up to 180 degrees. Pupils say that they enjoy the high degree of challenge set in mathematics and this is reflected in their achievements.

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Commentary

3. In English, pupils achieve well overall. Pupils develop their skills in speaking and listening very well so that standards are above those usually seen by Year 6. Pupils are generally articulate and use a wide vocabulary confidently. They listen very well to each other and are keen to express their ideas and opinions. They recognise the importance of showing others that they appreciate their Burlington Junior School - 9 views. For example, one pupil said ‘I understand that you might be worried by the noise pollution’ when presenting a case for the redevelopment of a nearby site. All are keen to tell others about their school and present information to the class, a group, or the whole-school, showing good appreciation of the audience. Many, including pupils and parents, refer to the success of the whole school productions as a testament to this. There is a high commitment from the school to ensuring

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Commentary

that pupils who speak English as an additional language are given extra support so that they develop their skills in English very well.

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Commentary

4. In reading pupils achieve very well and standards are above average in Year 6. There is a very systematic approach to the teaching of reading throughout the school and pupils receive a lot of individual attention, especially those who have been identified as having special educational needs. As a result, by Year 6 virtually all pupils are accurate and fluent readers who express opinions about books and authors in a very knowledgeable way. Many are able to make inferences from texts. Pupils of all ages use reference texts very well to support their learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

5. Pupils’ achievements in writing are satisfactory and so they can still achieve more. They learn to write for a range of purposes and they develop very interesting ideas. For example, when writing about imaginary characters in Year 4, one child described the traits of her imaginary giant particularly well. Pupils are usually keen to write and are prepared to share their ideas. They often use different techniques to engage the attention of the reader. However, pupils do not always apply their skills of spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting consistently. The school is working hard to improve this in all year groups.

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Commentary

6. In science, the strong emphasis given to investigative work has a particularly positive impact on pupils’ learning. They enjoy the practical activities and build up good understanding of the scientific process. In religious education pupils show good understanding about a range of different religions. However, in both subjects pupils’ recorded work is not of the same high quality as the levels of understanding shown by them during discussion.

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Commentary

7. Standards in information and communication technology have improved significantly since the last inspection and are now above those expected. Pupils now show good levels of confidence across all aspects of the subject and their achievements are good.

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Commentary

8. The school ensures equality of opportunity for all and includes all pupils regardless of ability or background in its life so that pupils achieve well overall. Throughout all age groups pupils with special educational needs achieve the targets set out in their individual plans as they receive a high level of support. Those from different ethnic backgrounds achieve well. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language make very good progress in learning English so that they often achieve similar or better standards to those of other pupils in their class by the time they leave. More able pupils are suitably catered for and achieve in line with their abilities. Those who are identified as gifted or talented are also encouraged well with particular achievements in sport, gymnastics and music. For example, one pupil played her violin for a school assembly with such a high degree of

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Commentary

skill she left the whole school in awe of her achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to their school and their learning are very good. Behaviour is very good in and around the school. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also very good. This area is a strong feature of the school and much improved since the time of the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and work with enthusiasm. • They enjoy excellent relationships with each other and staff, leading to a racially harmonious community. • Pupils have a great deal of respect for each other’s values and beliefs. Burlington Junior School - 10 • All demonstrate high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem. • The school council contributes effectively to the well being of the school.

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Commentary

9. Pupils of different backgrounds and abilities enjoy coming to school. They are proud of their school and their very positive attitudes are reflected in their enthusiasm for learning. They appreciate the excellent range of clubs and enrichment activities that go on before and after school as well as at lunchtime. There is a happy and positive atmosphere and pupils are polite. In lessons, they listen attentively, show enthusiasm for their work and sustain concentration. In particular, they say they enjoy discussions and practical work.

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Commentary

10. Behaviour is very good at all times. Pupils behave very well in lessons and when they come together for assemblies or for lunch. They play together sensibly in the playground. Incidents of bullying or racism are rare, and if any occur the school handles them very effectively. Pupils respond very well to the rules that are agreed by all. The work of the Behaviour Support staff and initiatives, such as the ‘mediation service’ run by pupils and the playground ‘buddy’ system, has helped greatly in improving pupils’ behaviour which was judged to be only satisfactory at the last inspection. There was one fixed period exclusion in the year prior to the inspection and this was dealt with appropriately.

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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 164 1 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 11 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 10 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 9 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 23 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 101 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0 Black or Black British – African 3 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 0 0 Chinese 6 0 0 Any other ethnic group 43 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

11. The school promotes excellent relationships. As a result, there is a high degree of racial harmony and pupils are proud of their backgrounds and beliefs. There is a high expectation of everyone and pupils and staff work together very effectively to create a strong sense of community. All show a high degree of respect for each other and everyone’s views are listened to. There is a very active school council, which has a direct impact on the work of the school. Pupils value having their opinions discussed by the council and their recommendations considered. They enjoy the Burlington Junior School - 11 many opportunities where they learn to co-operate with each other and in turn they develop high levels of self-confidence, maturity and self-esteem. Pupils respond very well to opportunities to take responsibility and to help others both in class and around the school; for example by helping to set

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Exclusions

up the equipment for assemblies and assisting at playtimes.

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Exclusions

12. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Assemblies, religious education, personal, social and health lessons and the very wide range of extra-curricular opportunities make a particular contribution to pupils’ development. Spiritual development is much improved since the time of the last inspection when it was judged to be satisfactory. Pupils show very good respect for moments of silence in assemblies when they are asked to pray to ‘their own God’. They respond very well indeed to situations such as musical performances given by other pupils and show a real sense of wonder at others’ achievements. They have a clear understanding about what is right and what is wrong. They consider the feelings and values of others, and to respect individual and cultural differences, recognising that on occasion differences have to be resolved. Pupils work collaboratively, take responsibility for daily tasks and participate confidently in

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Exclusions

the democratic processes of the school. Educational outings, including residential visits, are an important part of school life and contribute significantly to pupils’ social development. The school recently obtained the Artsmark and pupils’ social and cultural development is enhanced very well by the wide range of activities associated with the arts. There is a strong emphasis on pupils learning about different cultures and beliefs, and the quality and range of resources used in the school, such as those for art, dance and music, reflect this.

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Attendance

Attendance is broadly in line with the national picture and is satisfactory. Unauthorised absence is also similar to that found in most schools. Staff monitor attendance very closely. They have good strategies in place to encourage attendance and the rate of attendance is improving. The school works closely with the education welfare service, which provides a good level of support. Pupils are generally very eager to come to school, arrive punctually and lessons begin promptly.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (94.6%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.0 School data 0.4 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is good. Teaching and learning are good. The quality of care, guidance and support is very good. Assessment is good and also the overall quality of the curriculum. The school’s links with parents are good. Resources are good and the accommodation is satisfactory.

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Teaching and learning

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Senior staff provide a very good model as teachers and all staff work together very well as a team sharing high aspirations for pupils. Burlington Junior School - 12 • The teaching of speaking and listening, reading and mathematics is very good. • Teaching of writing is satisfactory but improvements are needed in order to improve pupils’ skills in spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting. • Staff working with pupils with special educational needs or who speak English as an additional language support teaching and learning very well. • The arrangements for homework are much better than at the time of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Poor Very Poor

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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

13. The quality of teaching is good. All teaching is at least satisfactory with the majority being good, very good or excellent. This is an improvement since the last inspection when there was a small amount of unsatisfactory teaching and little very good or excellent teaching.

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Commentary

14. The senior staff provide very good role models of teaching and all staff in the school, contribute to the school’s ethos to work together for the benefit of the pupils. Good use is made of individual strengths and all work with a real sense of enthusiasm. Teachers have secure knowledge of their subjects and they plan lessons thoroughly. They ensure that the needs of pupils of all ages, abilities and backgrounds are met and that learning is both challenging and fun. Particularly good support is given to pupils who speak English as an additional language, those who have been identified as having special educational needs as well as to more able pupils. The work for these pupils is very well organised.

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Commentary

15. A key feature of the teaching throughout the school is the way in which staff manage pupils’ behaviour, particularly the small number of pupils who find self-discipline difficult. Very good support is given by the Behaviour Support staff and there is a calm and consistent approach throughout resulting in a good working atmosphere for all.

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Commentary

16. The teaching of English is good overall, with effective use made of the National Literacy Strategy. The teaching of the skills of speaking and listening and reading is very good. Teachers have good understanding of the most effective ways to teach speaking and listening and reading and they are particularly successful in supporting pupils in these areas. All adults use consistent approaches to ensure pupils build up their skills effectively over time. A strong focus is given by staff to ensuring correct use of the technical vocabulary associated with different subjects such as science, and design and technology. They draw pupils’ attention to specific words and often ask them for explanations of their meaning. Good use is made of a wide range of techniques, such as ‘talk partners’ and this gives pupils confidence in expressing their thinking. Staff listen carefully to pupils and their questioning takes good account of individual needs. Class and group discussions

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Commentary

are used well, with staff often modelling the type of response they would expect. Throughout the school, individual and group reading sessions are particularly effective. In reading, staff make it very clear to pupils which strategies they should employ, for example when attempting to understand unfamiliar words pupils are encouraged to draw on their phonic knowledge and also inferences from the illustrations in the book. As a result of this very systematic approach pupils make significant gains in their understanding.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of writing is satisfactory overall. However, practice is not as consistent as in the teaching of speaking and listening and reading, and important opportunities are missed to draw pupils’ attention to the ways in which improvements might be made. Teachers plan conscientiously to develop pupils’ skills. They set clear objectives for the lesson but they do not always make best Burlington Junior School - 13 use of different techniques to model writing or take into account pupils’ individual or group targets for improvement. As a result there is sometimes a lack of clarity amongst pupils about what is expected or how they might improve their writing. Feedback and reviews generally focus on the specific lesson objectives but do not make sufficient reference to pupils’ specific targets.

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Commentary

18. The quality of teaching in mathematics is very good overall, with excellent teaching seen in one Year 5 and one Year 6 class. Good use is made of the National Numeracy Strategy as a basis for planning three part lessons. The pupils are grouped and taught according to their ability in Years 3 to 6 and these arrangements are working well enhancing the rate of pupils’ achievements. Lessons start off with oral and mental ‘starters’ that are conducted at a quick pace and pupils rise to meet this challenge eagerly. For example, in a Year 5 lesson when pupils learned about multiples they showed high levels of motivation. Teachers make particularly good use of mathematical vocabulary and often encourage pupils to give explanations and this helps significantly in improving pupils’ understanding. Teachers set time limits for activities and these help to instil a sense of urgency. Pupils respond very well to the challenging tasks presented to them and are keen to

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Commentary

complete them. Teachers show a keen appreciation of the needs of individuals in each class. Work is matched closely to pupils’ needs and feedback helps them to understand what they are doing and this increases their determination to succeed.

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Commentary

19. Science teaching is good. The high focus given to practical work and to the development of pupils’ skills in scientific investigation is particularly effective and helps teachers capture and sustain pupils’ interest. Teaching in religious education is also good and well supported by the open approach that staff have towards discussions, especially when talking about very personal issues and the faiths followed within the community. Overall, pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology are developed well across the curriculum. However, there are times when opportunities are missed to improve pupils’ skills in writing, for example by making more explicit reference to the ways in which pupils should apply the skills of spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting in their work in different subjects.

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Commentary

20. Staff who work with pupils with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language, support teaching and learning very effectively through the school. They have established a good partnership with class teachers so that pupils can contribute fully in lessons. The activities they undertake relate well to the main activities of the class. Support, given on a one- to-one and small-group basis, works very well.

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Commentary

21. The school’s arrangements for homework are much improved since the last inspection and are now very good. They are particularly effective because of the way in which staff communicate with parents and carers about the work which pupils have to complete at home.

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Commentary

22. Assessment is good. Pupils are well known to staff, and staff effectively track their progress over time. The results of termly tests are used effectively to set targets and measure pupils’ progress towards them. Books are marked carefully, and often contain comments that show how well pupils have achieved the lesson objective. There is not always, however, the same clarity for pupils about how well they have achieved their group or individual targets and what they need to do to improve further. This is particularly true in relation to writing. Pupils with special educational needs have very clear individual education plans which set out the steps they need to take to improve. Assessments of pupils who speak English as an additional language ensure that they have a very clear stepped programme to help improve their proficiency in English.

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Curriculum

The quality of the curriculum throughout the school is good. Accommodation is satisfactory and resources good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Burlington Junior School - 14 • The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, religious education and collective worship. • There is an excellent range of activities to enrich the curriculum. • The school identifies and plans specifically for pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. • Speaking and listening, reading, numeracy and information and communication technology are used well across the curriculum. However, situations where pupils might improve their skills in writing are not always used to advantage.

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Commentary

23. The school is fully inclusive and provides an enriched, well-balanced and well-planned curriculum to which all pupils have equal access. Statutory requirements are met in all subjects, including religious education, and in the daily act of collective worship. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the range of enrichment activities offered.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum is extended and enriched by an exceptionally wide range of opportunities. These include residential visits for Years 4, 5 and 6 and one-day visits such as, those to Kingston music festival, the British Museum, Hampton Court Palace and Kew Gardens. The school organises special days, such as the India Day, the Victorian Day, the Multicultural Day and the Citizenship Day and these have a very positive effect on pupils’ understanding. There are also special weeks when a high focus is given to a particular area such as science or mathematics. There is a very good range of visitors who come to school to work with the pupils. These include musicians, artists, authors and poets as well as the local police, fire service, school nurse, dentist and the Educational Life Bus. There is also a very wide range of before and after school clubs, and lunchtime activities. For example, the 8.00am early risers orchestra, the judo club, the computer

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Commentary

club, the maths fun club, the Spanish club and the French club add much to pupils educational experiences. Pupils also take part in out-of-school sports such as hockey, football, rugby and netball. All of these involve a significant number of pupils. Pupils also run clubs, such as the games club, provided there is an adult to act as a supervisor. Further enrichment is provided by staff from local secondary schools who come into the school to take lessons, for example in German. Overall, the school reinforces and underpins the statutory curriculum with many varied, interesting and challenging experiences.

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Commentary

25. Careful monitoring of the curriculum is achieved through a whole-school approach. This gives the school a continuous appraisal of its provision. The curriculum is underpinned by effective long, medium and short term planning to ensure equitability of coverage of subjects in terms of time and content. Particularly good links are made between subjects. Across the whole curriculum there are good opportunities to promote pupils’ skills in speaking and listening skills, numeracy and information and communication technology. However, not all opportunities to develop and extend pupils’ skills in writing are exploited to the full.

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Commentary

26. The school caters particularly well for pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. Early identification of needs triggers immediate action and intervention strategies are brought into play for each pupil involved. All staff who work with each pupil are involved so that everyone, including teaching assistants, are well prepared and fully aware how programmes should be amended to match the pupil’s needs.

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Commentary

27. Pupils are very well supported in their personal, social and health development. There is a comprehensive programme which helps them to understand how they should live and work together, and also about the importance of having rules. Pupils learn about safety and the need to make sensible decisions, for example about where it is safe to play. They rightly learn about ‘saying no to strangers’. There is also a good focus on keeping healthy and pupils are aware of the dangers of drugs and alcohol abuse. There are appropriate arrangements for sex education.

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Commentary

28. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. Although the building is split into two parts with different year groups being taught in each the design does not place any restrictions on the Burlington Junior School - 15 curriculum. The school has worked hard to improve its overall appearance so that it is a pleasant place to learn. The garden areas enhance the environment very well. Displays are imaginative and of good quality reflecting the value teachers place on pupils’ efforts. Resources are mostly good but those for information and communication technology are very good.

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Care, guidance and support

The provision for pupils’ care, guidance and support is very good. The monitoring of pupils’ personal and academic development is good. The involvement of pupils through seeking and acting on their views is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good procedures for health and safety, child protection and first aid. • Adults know pupils well and provide very good levels of care. • Pupils feel well supported by all staff in the school. • The involvement of pupils in the school’s work and development is very good. • The induction arrangements for pupils when they enter the school are good.

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Commentary

29. The school has very good health and safety procedures in place. Governors and staff make regular health and safety checks. The local authority has recently carried out a full health and safety review and the relatively minor issues raised have been addressed. Regular risk assessments are carried out and checks made to grounds, buildings and equipment. The headteacher is the nominated officer for child protection procedures and has received appropriate training. The headteacher has ensured that all staff have been briefed on the procedures and they are well aware of the need to inform her should they have any concerns. Arrangements for the administration of first aid and for the care of children who are unwell, or who have specific medical needs, are very effective and help them to feel safe and secure at school.

p.15

Commentary

30. There are good induction arrangements for pupils, either when they enter the school in Year 3, or if they enter at a later date. Procedures are well set out and ensure that pupils feel welcome in the school, settle well and have a good start to their school life. Liaison with the infant school is generally good. Pupils visit the school prior to transfer and meet their new teacher. In their responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire, parents overwhelmingly said that they felt the arrangements were good.

p.15

Commentary

31. Pupils are very well supported and cared for. All adults who work in the school form close and trusting relationships with the pupils and they support pupils very well and help them grow in confidence. Those pupils spoken to during the inspection confirm that there are always a number of adults to go to if they are worried or need help or comfort and that they feel safe and secure. They are also very confident that the ‘school mediators’ will help them if they have a problem.

p.15

Commentary

32. Pupils’ personal and academic development is monitored well. Teachers and support staff know the pupils very well as individuals and they monitor their personal development very effectively. The school tracks pupils’ academic progress well. Staff are skilled at analysing the outcomes of tests and using the results to set challenging individual targets for pupils. Mostly, teachers’ marking and discussion help pupils understand how they might improve their work. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs have a tight focus so that pupils are able to learn effectively in small steps. The pupils and their parents are fully included in setting new targets and reviewing progress towards those previously agreed.

p.15

Commentary

33. Pupils are confident that their views are heard because of resulting changes. The school council seeks suggestions and ideas from every class. Pupils from Year 3 to Year 6 are elected to represent their class and take their responsibilities very seriously. They express their views Burlington Junior School - 16 confidently because they know that they will contribute to positive changes in school life, such as the provision of equipment in the playground and improvements to the toilets. Pupils take a real pride in their school because they know their views matter. They enjoy helping others by contributing to school development.

p.15

Commentary

34. Overall, there has been good improvement in the care, guidance and support given to pupils since the time of the last inspection.

p.16

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school’s links with parents are good . Links with the community and with other schools are also good. The school has continued to build on the improvements noted in this area at the last inspection.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents have very positive views of the school. • Parents provide a positive contribution to pupils’ learning at home and at school. • The school provides parents with a good range of information about the curriculum and how to help their children at home. • Written reports on pupils’ progress are very good and inform parents clearly how well their children are progressing. • The school deals very effectively with parental concerns. • Liaison with other schools is effective and helps to ensure smooth transition for pupils. • Links with the community are good and contribute well to pupils’ learning.

p.16

Commentary

35. Parents and carers hold the school in high regard. At the pre-inspection parents’ meeting they confirmed that they were always welcome in the school, they were very comfortable about approaching the school with concerns or complaints and that staff were always available to talk to them. The school works very hard to ensure that parents work with them and regularly seeks their views through questionnaires. Parents are encouraged to support its work through the Friends’ Association and to help their children with homework. A small number of parents help in the classrooms.

p.16

Commentary

36. The school provides a good range of information for parents about what is happening as well as regular information about the curriculum. Parents value this information, which they find very helpful. There are good opportunities for parents to meet staff formally and informally to discuss their children’s progress. Written information about pupils’ progress is very good. Interim reports give information about how well pupils are progressing through the year and at the end of the year parents receive comprehensive written reports, which inform them about what their children know, understand and can do, and give areas for development. Parents confirm that they feel well informed about their children’s progress and are very happy with these reports, which give national curriculum levels for their children.

p.16

Commentary

37. Links with other schools are good. Most children transfer from the infant school, with which the school shares a site. Curriculum links are being organised and discussions take place between subject co-ordinators. The school sends pupils to a large number of secondary schools, and close links have been established with three of these. Exchanges of staff for sports, foreign languages and mathematics enhance curricular provision. All of these links help to ensure a smooth transition for pupils when they move schools.

p.16

Commentary

38. The school has good links with the local community; a number of visitors come into school to talk to the children, such as the community police and the fire service. In addition, the school has developed links with two local churches, pupils visit these and the ministers of both come in to Burlington Junior School - 17 school and take assembly. Pupils also visit local elderly residents and work with local music and theatre groups. Burlington Junior School - 18

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management provided by the headteacher, key staff and the governing body are very good. The headteacher and the governing body have a shared vision for the school and a very clear understanding of how the school should develop and grow.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a very high commitment to the inclusion and equality of opportunity for all. • The governing body is highly effective and works actively towards shaping the future of the school. Governors have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. • The headteacher is a very effective leader and manager. • The senior management team is particularly effective and has a very good understanding of its role. • Year leaders, subject leaders and other key staff have developed their roles and are very effective.

p.18

Commentary

39. All leaders are committed to running an equitable and inclusive school in which each individual matters. Very good support is given to new staff and everyone has a strong commitment to future improvement.

p.18

Commentary

40. The governing body is very good. Governors have a very clear view of the needs of the school and what needs to happen to promote further development. They are very well informed by the headteacher and other key staff and are actively involved in all aspects of the school’s work. The governing body has developed a very effective committee structure that enables the main committee to concentrate on major decisions. It focuses clearly on school improvement and complements the school’s own monitoring and evaluation systems. It has a direct impact on raising standards and on the continuing development of the school. Governors are fully involved in setting the school improvement plan, and progress towards meeting the priorities in the plan is monitored regularly. Efficient systems ensure that the budget is used to best effect and in line with educational priorities. Performance management procedures are closely monitored by the governing body. Governors

p.18

Commentary

take their responsibilities very seriously and are very successful. They work closely with the headteacher and are able to both challenge and support within a climate of mutual respect and trust.

p.18

Commentary

41. The headteacher is a very effective leader who leads the school with determination and a strong sense of purpose. Since her appointment she has been very successful in improving the skills of other leaders and in raising standards, particularly in mathematics. She has a very clear view of how the school should continue to develop and is very effective as a team leader in expecting and enabling colleagues to take part in and achieve the school’s aims. This is particularly evident in her development of the senior management team. This has strengthened since the previous inspection and is now very successful in overseeing and leading development, particularly in supporting the school’s focus on self-evaluation. All members of the team have a clear view of their role in future developments and are committed to continuous improvement. The headteacher’s very effective leadership is also evident in the development of subject leaders and other key staff. Their

p.18

Commentary

roles have been strengthened as staff develop their confidence and skills, and there is a very clear understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement in all areas.

p.18

Commentary

42. The quality of management is very good. The school has very good systems that help it understand its current position and plan effectively for improvement. The school has introduced a rigorous system of school self-evaluation since the previous inspection which involves all staff, those with management responsibilities, governors, pupils and parents, in determining success in all aspects of its work. The senior management team has a crucial role to play in monitoring and evaluating major areas of work. Subject leaders and other key staff are closely involved in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning within their subject or area of work and the impact on standards. The school is very secure and energetic in setting challenging targets, Burlington Junior School - 19 particularly in the core subjects and for individual pupils. There are very good systems to ensure rigorous analysis of teachers’ assessment and test results. This is proving to be very effective in

p.18

Commentary

raising standards. The school has already highlighted in its improvement plan the importance of raising standards in writing.

p.19

Commentary

43. The school’s effective performance management arrangements have helped to ensure that new staff are very well supported by more senior colleagues. Since the appointment of the headteacher in 2001 many new staff have been appointed and also a number of new initiatives taken on board, for example in reading and mathematics. Year group leaders and other key staff have been particularly effective in helping new colleagues to settle and improve aspects of their teaching. There are very good arrangements for staff professional development. As a result the quality of teaching is continually improving and is markedly better than at the previous inspection.

p.19

Commentary

44. The budget is managed very well and the headteacher and governors are careful in applying the principles of best value. In the 2002/3 financial year there was a planned surplus of approximately ten per cent of the overall budget which has been used effectively to improve resources. The projected surplus for the current financial year is much smaller and is unlikely to exceed five per cent of the budget.

p.19

Commentary

45. Leadership and management has made good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the use of whole-school self-evaluation procedures.

p.19

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,027,249.12 Balance from previous year 11,785.66 Total expenditure 950,853.18 Balance carried forward to the next 76,396.04 Expenditure per pupil 2,296.75 Burlington Junior School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils attain above average standards by Year 6. Standards in Year 6 have improved over time in line with the national picture. • Pupils of different backgrounds and abilities make very good progress in speaking and listening, and in reading. • The teaching of writing is satisfactory overall but practice is not as consistent as in the teaching of speaking and listening and reading. • The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. • Leadership is very good.

p.20

Commentary

46. Pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are above those expected for their age in Year 6 as pupils achieve very well. On entry, either into Year 3 or sometimes into older year groups, a significant number of pupils are not fluent in speaking English but by Year 6, almost all are confident speakers, both in class and in more formal situations and they are keen to express opinions. Pupils respond very well to the teachers’ encouragement to contribute to assemblies and class discussions. They answer questions and make comments thoughtfully as they listen actively and attentively. Circle time, which is organised as part of the personal, social and health education programme throughout the school, plays an important part in helping to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills since they need to listen very carefully at this time to others’ points of view.

p.20

Commentary

47. Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading and achieve highly. Teachers and support staff are consistent in the ways they use different strategies to help pupils with their reading. In Year 6, many pupils show very good levels of comprehension, and appreciate the underlying ideas and subtleties in the text. They refer to what they consider to be successful use of writing techniques by the author, for example when building up the distinctive features of a particular character. They can explain clearly why they like certain books, giving informed reasons for their choice. They often refer to key features of the text or relevant phrases to support their views, for example when one pupil referred to a humorous section in his book. Pupils use a library, indexes, glossaries and contents pages successfully to find information from books. Research skills are used effectively to support their work in other subjects of the curriculum.

p.20

Commentary

48. Pupils’ skills in writing are not as good as their skills in speaking and listening and reading. This is noticeable in all year groups. In Year 6, pupils have a clear understanding that writing needs to be organised in different ways depending on its purpose, for example when writing poetry or a play script. Pupils’ writing is logical and often shows original ideas which capture the interest of the reader, for example when one pupil introduced a piece about Nelson Mandela’s life by writing ‘This is wrong! This country should belong to everyone!’ Generally, however, pupils throughout the school are not applying the skills of spelling, grammar, punctuation and handwriting with sufficient consistency.

p.20

Commentary

49. The teaching of speaking and listening and reading is very good. A strong emphasis is placed on these aspects throughout the school. Pupils receive a significant amount of individual attention from adults in developing these skills. There are well thought out approaches to Burlington Junior School - 21 encouraging pupils’ independence. Consequently, pupils are motivated and confident. Many are able to describe the strategies they need to use to be successful readers. Teachers build their lesson planning appropriately on the National Literacy Strategy and lessons are usually good or very good in the introductory stages when there is a focus on speaking and listening and reading. Staff are secure in using techniques, such as ‘talk partners’ to help pupils gain confidence in spoken language. They place a strong focus on ensuring pupils use vocabulary correctly. When teaching reading they use the technical vocabulary associated with it well, for example when describing parts

p.20

Commentary

of a word and elements of the text. Pupils try hard and they respond particularly well to the high expectations which are made of them. Teachers and support staff work together closely with good liaison to help ensure that work is well matched to pupils’ levels of understanding and all including the most able pupils are challenged very well. The daily guided reading sessions are effective.

p.21

Commentary

50. The teaching of writing is satisfactory overall but practice is not consistent. Teachers plan thoroughly and conscientiously to develop pupils’ writing and give good guidance on the specific skills to be learned in the lesson. However, they do not always model these effectively. Also pupils are not always clear enough about how particular skills learnt in previous lessons, such as features of punctuation, should be applied in the current work or about the ways in which they should use the individual and group targets that have already been agreed.

p.21

Commentary

51. Support staff, including teachers and teaching assistants, work together very well with class teachers to help pupils who speak English as an additional language and those who have been identified as having special educational needs. All work together to ensure that there is a seamless programme in place for the pupils they are supporting.

p.21

Commentary

52. The co-ordination of English is very good. The subject leader is very knowledgeable in the subject and the teaching of English has improved since the last inspection. Standards of attainment and also standards of teaching and learning are monitored carefully. Once strengths and weaknesses are identified, attention is focused on bringing about improvement. Good examples of this are the way in which the teaching of reading has improved and the way in which the subject leader has supported new or less experienced colleagues. There are also noticeable improvements in the arrangements for homework. There is currently a clear action plan in place to improve pupils’ skills in writing. This forms a key priority within the school improvement plan. Information and communication technology is used well to support pupils’ learning in English.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

53. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented and adapted successfully to suit the school’s situation. Pupils use their skills of speaking and listening, and reading well in subjects like science and religious education. Writing across the curriculum is not developed well enough.

p.21

MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are high by Year 6. • Pupils are taught very well so they achieve very well. • Standards have risen significantly since the previous inspection. • The subject is very well led. • Good use is made of assessment to modify the curriculum, to track individual pupils’ progress and to set targets. • Good use is made of pupils’ information and communication skills in mathematics lessons. Burlington Junior School - 22

p.21

Commentary

54. Standards in Year 6 are well above average, and the pupils are on course to achieve very good results in the 2004 national tests. This is because they are taught to a consistently high standard and teachers have high but realistic expectations of what they can achieve. The pupils enjoy mathematics and are very keen to be successful. This can be seen in the way they tackle the challenging problems they are set in most lessons. It is also a considerable improvement since the previous inspection when standards were average and pupils made satisfactory progress. Now, in Years 3 to 6, pupils’ books demonstrate very good progress.

p.22

Commentary

55. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers have very secure mathematical knowledge, plan very thoroughly drawing on the guidance in the National Numeracy Strategy, and take great care to set work that challenges and interests pupils at the correct level of difficulty. Teaching seen during the inspection in one Year 5 class and one Year 6 class was excellent. In these lessons, pupils were inspired by the teacher’s own expertise and enthusiasm and clearly enjoyed grappling with the progressively more challenging activities, so that they were disappointed when the lesson had to end. Particularly good use was made of information and communication technology in the Year 6 lesson where the pupils used a computer program to test out their own ideas and develop a ‘rule’ relating to the angles of a triangle.

p.22

Commentary

56. Throughout the school, pupils learn very effectively because they are taught to understand mathematical concepts and ideas, rather than just learning mechanical processes that will get a correct answer without full understanding. They are also taught the strategies that will help them to solve large or complex number problems very successfully and are consistently being asked to explain how they arrived at a particular solution. Teachers use mathematical language extensively in their teaching. Pupils listen carefully, and use the new vocabulary accurately in their own answers. For example, pupils in Year 5 are very confident about discussing inverse operations to help them check if they had got the right result. This increased their mathematical understanding and confidence.

p.22

Commentary

57. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language receive individual help when needed, they are fully included in lessons, and make very good progress. Pupils who have a particular talent for mathematics are supported very well and provided with work that challenges and makes them think hard. In this way they achieve highly. Teachers use homework very well, not only to reinforce work done in the classroom but also to challenge pupils’ understanding and move their learning forward.

p.22

Commentary

58. The subject is very well led and managed by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable member of staff. Very good use is made of the particular knowledge and expertise of other members of staff to help to raise standards. School and national tests results are analysed very carefully and changes are made to the curriculum where necessary. Pupils’ progress is tracked carefully year by year, and targets are set that are realistic as well as challenging. New staff are very well supported by senior colleagues.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

59. Pupils make good use of their numeracy skills in other subjects, for example, accurate measurement was seen in science and design and technology, and pupils show good understanding of the sequence of historic events using a chronological time line. A very good example of cross- curricular numeracy was seen in a Year 4 information and communication technology lesson where pupils wrote directions for the computer to create a range of different repeating shapes. Burlington Junior School - 23

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above those normally expected in Year 6. • The quality of teaching is good. • There is good provision for investigative science. • Written work is not always of the same high standard as pupils’ practical work. • Good use of real life situations engages and motivates pupils and ensures that the work is relevant to their experiences. • Teachers place good emphasis on the use of scientific technical language so that pupils use key scientific words well. • Opportunities for pupils to plan and understand the principles of a fair test in investigative work are in place.

p.23

Commentary

60. Pupils achieve well and standards in the current Year 6 are above average. There is a strong emphasis on investigative science. This helps to motivate pupils and is having a positive impact on raising standards. Boys and girls achieve equally well. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are particularly well supported and achieve well. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

61. The quality of teaching is good. In the lessons observed, it varied between good and excellent, with the majority being good, and as a result pupils are achieving well. Planning is detailed and teachers have secure subject knowledge and this is reflected in their clear explanations and probing questioning. Pupils display enthusiasm for their work and high levels of engagement. This is due to the emphasis placed on planning work in contexts which are relevant and motivating, and also by placing a strong focus on investigative work. For example, work in Year 5 focused on the need to streamline an object in order to reduce air resistance and improve performance. In discussion, pupils immediately recognised the implications for streamlining cars, boats and planes. They recorded their findings in groups. They then compared these findings to their own predictions and also to those of other groups. Pupils responded very well to the opportunity to plan and investigate

p.23

Commentary

ideas in an independent or collaborative way.

p.23

Commentary

62. Planning for lessons consistently provides sufficient challenge for the higher attaining pupils. Where these opportunities are provided, pupils respond enthusiastically and make very good progress. In all lessons seen there is strong emphasis on the correct use of scientific vocabulary in relation to knowledge and investigative processes. Good emphasis was also placed on pupils developing the skills to record their work systematically. The scrutiny of work shows that from Year 3 onwards pupils are regularly encouraged to use the language of method, prediction, results and conclusion. Overall, teachers set high expectations for pupils. Teachers’ explanations are clear, appropriate and sufficiently detailed, with time taken to ensure pupils understand. In discussions, they probe pupils’ knowledge and challenge their thinking. Their practical and investigative activities are purposeful and pupils are encouraged to think about what they have learned and apply and

p.23

Commentary

extend this learning in new contexts. However, there are missed opportunities to improve the quality of writing during pupils’ recording of their findings and work in pupils’ books is not always of the same high quality as their practical work.

p.23

Commentary

63. Assessment in investigative science is good and pupils’ progress is tracked very carefully over time. Marking is supportive and often praises pupils’ efforts. There is, however, some inconsistency in the quality of the comments and as a result pupils are not always clear enough about the ways in which they might improve their work. Burlington Junior School - 24 64. The leadership and management of the subject is very good. The subject leader provides a good level of support to colleagues. Since the subject leader was appointed, the national test results and trends in improvement have been monitored. Time allocation has been reviewed as well as continuity and progression as they move through the school. As a result, the subject leader has a clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and is bringing about improvements very effectively. Assessment is fully in place and is good overall. The subject leader’s clear vision for

p.23

Commentary

development in science is helping to raise standards. There is a clear action plan for future development. Resources are good. There is effective use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning in science, for example when Year 6 staff used a large scale projected diagram of a plant to help pupils understand the functions of different parts.

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have risen since the previous inspection. • Pupils make achieve well because of good teaching. • The information and communication technology resources are used well.

p.24

Commentary

65. There has been significant improvement made since the previous inspection. The programme of training to update skills for all staff and address any areas of uncertainty has contributed significantly to the development of the subject. Information and communication technology is included in teachers’ planning so that it is used to enhance achievements across the curriculum. The school is not complacent and continues to review practice to ensure it makes best use of the new resources and staff expertise. There is enthusiasm and commitment from governors, senior management team and all staff to ongoing improvement in the subject.

p.24

Commentary

66. Standards in Year 6 are above those expected nationally. Pupils use information and communication technology very competently to present information, for example when using a multi- media package to tell an audience about the extended stories they had written. They exchange information and ideas with others in a variety of ways, including the use of e-mail and the Internet. Pupils model events, for example when working out the rules for what happens to the x and y coordinates when the coordinates are reflected, and also to interpret data that has been collected through sensing devices. Throughout the school pupils talk knowledgeably about the use of information and communication technology in everyday life.

p.24

Commentary

67. Pupils are very enthusiastic about using information and communication technology and work very well either individually or in pairs. They behave very well and usually show very good levels of concentration even though the computer suite is situated in an open area which is used as a thoroughfare.

p.24

Commentary

68. The quality of teaching is good. Staff are confident in the subject and plan well for the regularly timetabled information and communication technology lessons. Pupils learn very well because they are given clear instructions and plenty of opportunities to experiment, practise and learn from their mistakes. They also learn quickly because tasks are interesting and teachers’ own positive approaches and interesting ideas catch their attention. For example, when pupils in Year 5 learned how to present information about their ‘Cat and Mouse’ work in English using both a video camera and a Powerpoint presentation. Non-teaching staff support the quality of teaching very well; for example, when giving support to pupils in Year 4 when they were learning how to give instructions to the computer in order to draw patterns using repeating shapes. There is a clear system of assessment in the subject and pupils’ progress is tracked. However, pupils are not sufficiently

p.24

Commentary

involved in recording information about the progress they are making. This means they are not always clear enough about what they need to do to improve. Burlington Junior School - 25 69. The subject is very well managed with significant improvements over time. The subject leader provides a very good role model to staff in his own teaching and also provides very good support to any colleagues who are less sure. Resources are much improved and are very good overall. They are used to good effect. There is a clear policy concerning safe use of the Internet. There are very good arrangements for monitoring the subject and the subject leader is clear that pupils now need to become much more involved in their own assessment.

p.24

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

70. Information and communication technology skills are taught with relevant links to other subjects. Staff use information and communication technology in all areas of the curriculum. Planning across the curriculum is thorough and a range of equipment including interactive whiteboards and lap top computers are used effectively to promote pupils’ learning in many subjects.

p.25

HUMANITIES

71. During the inspection week it was not possible to observe any of the timetabled lessons in geography or history and so it is not realistic to make judgements about provision. Teachers’ planning ensures good coverage of both subjects and the programmes of work are well balanced. Appropriate time is allocated to each subject. A major strength is that in both subjects emphasis is firmly placed on providing pupils with as much direct experience as possible. This is achieved by a wide range of well-planned visits out of school and by using visitors to school, role-play and drama. In history, for example, the school has taken part in a Roman Day when pupils dressed up as Romans and simulated aspects of life in Roman times. This was further supported by a visit to Kingston museum to attend a Roman artefacts workshop. Work in geography is similarly supported by a wide range of meaningful activities, for example, Year 5 pupils visit Kingston town centre as part

p.25

HUMANITIES

of their geographical studies to promote their research skills and extend their knowledge. They have gathered considerable data from the Internet about their geographical studies. The management of both subjects is good. The subject leader is well informed and enthusiastic and in the short time since his appointment has already undertaken a variety of measures to raise standards, including supporting colleagues well. There are sufficient resources to deliver the subject effectively. Discussions with pupils showed good levels of understanding of the topics covered but their recorded work does not always reflect this quality.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in Year 6 are above the levels expected in the locally agreed syllabus. • Pupils have positive attitudes towards religious education. • Most lessons are well taught. • The level of resources is good.

p.25

Commentary

72. Standards in Year 6 are above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils have a lively interest in religious education and enjoy expressing their own ideas and beliefs. They are very open-minded and non-judgemental, and readily discuss a variety of views about matters of faith. They recall in detail stories from the Bible and other sacred books. They show a good understanding of the principal facts of Christianity and other principal religions, including the importance of Easter and the Resurrection. Pupils know about Sikhism and Judaism. The standards pupils demonstrated during discussion and in the oral parts of the lessons are higher than those seen in Burlington Junior School - 26 pupils’ books as the amount of pupils’ writing is limited. The use of worksheets limits pupils’ opportunities to write and express their views and feelings in their own way.

p.25

Commentary

73. Overall, the teaching seen was good. Pupils made good progress because teachers had good subject knowledge and caught pupils’ interest through the use of well-chosen resources. For example, in Year 6 a video of the last days of Jesus was used very well to help pupils understand the complex relationships of the main characters and promote a very sensitive discussion. This lesson was particularly effective because the teacher gave the pupils confidence to ask questions and seek for a greater understanding. Teachers make very good links between the beliefs of the particular faith being studied and those of other religions. Good links are also made between times gone by and the present day life of the pupils.

p.26

Commentary

74. The subject is very well led and as a result the subject has a high profile in the school. The subject leader has a good understanding of the quality of the provision from monitoring of teachers’ planning, pupils’ books and lessons. Resources are good, and effective use is made of a range of visits to local places of worship and visitors also come to school to talk to the pupils about the different religions.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

75. During the week of the inspection only a few of the timetabled lessons were seen in each of the following subjects: art and design, design and technology, music and physical education. It is not possible therefore to make firm judgements about provision. In addition to observing lessons, inspectors spoke to subject leaders about their work, scrutinised teachers’ planning and looked at pupils’ work. They spoke to the pupils about what they had learnt.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

76. Examples of work around the school and in books indicate that due weighting is given to each element of the design and technology process. The range of activities undertaken includes cooking, working with textiles, woodwork and card modelling. The displays currently illustrate work of good quality. In the one lesson seen in Year 4, teaching was very good and consequently pupils were learning very well. Pupils were engrossed in the activity, which involved making money wallets using different textiles, and they produced work above the levels expected. The subject leader for design and technology has had a significant impact on the development of the subject. Resources have been audited and an effective assessment system developed. The subject leader has monitored teaching, lesson plans and pupils’ work. Because of this good work and support, teachers feel confident in the delivery of the subject.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

77. At the time of the last inspection, standards in art and design were well above national expectations and aspects of work seen currently in displays and in sketch books are of a good standard, with some very good work being seen. Teachers’ planning covers an appropriate range of activities. The pupils have opportunities to sketch and paint from observation and to work with a range of media, including computers. There is a flourishing craft club. The subject leader is very effective and has monitored teaching, lesson plans and pupils’ work. The subject policy, scheme of work and assessment system as well as the very good resources make a significant contribution to pupils’ achievements.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. The school provides an appropriate curriculum for music and pupils have good opportunities to perform, compose and appraise music from a wide range of different cultures. There are very good opportunities for them to learn to play an instrument, take part in the school choir and play in the orchestra. Pupils respond to these very well. The subject leader for music provides a very good role model for others and monitors the subject well. A good range of resources have been built up and these are much improved since the last inspection.

p.26

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. In physical education , there is good coverage of all areas of the curriculum. During the inspection, parts of two lessons in dance and games were seen and these were good. Pupils have opportunities to participate in an appropriate range of physical activities, including gymnastics, games, swimming, dance and athletics, and also outdoor and adventurous activities. Teachers’ Burlington Junior School - 27 planning shows that the National Curriculum requirements are met. Pupils dress appropriately for physical education lessons. Facilities for the subject are good. The school makes good use of its hall, field and two outdoor areas. There is a good range of equipment to enable development in the subject, including large and small apparatus and games resources. Apparatus has been purchased for the playground to provide pupils with opportunities to be physically active at lunchtimes. The subject is very well managed by the subject leader. Lessons and teachers’ plans have been

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

monitored. Resources have been audited and there is a subject policy, scheme of work and a useful system of assessment. A very good range of out of school activities, such as hockey, rugby, football and netball contribute to pupils’ enjoyment of the subject.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

80. No overall judgement of provision is possible because very few lessons were seen during the inspection. Pupils’ personal development is a very high priority within the school and they are given a wide range of opportunities to discuss ideas, feelings and matters of importance within a context of trust and mutual respect. Pupils of all ages are mature and articulate, and discussions with them about their work indicated that they hold firm personal views, but also respected those of others with different opinions. Pupils are made fully aware of social and moral issues appropriate to their ages and levels of understanding, and are actively encouraged to develop a healthy lifestyle. The school council provides a good forum for pupils to take part in and witness democracy at first hand. The programme is very well supported by visits out of school and by visitors, such as health professionals, who come to school to give the pupils advice.

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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 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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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 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 3 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 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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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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