Freegrounds Junior School

FREEGROUNDS JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Freegrounds Junior - 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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FREEGROUNDS 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. Freegrounds Junior - 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: 350

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Hobb Lane Hedge End Southampton Hampshire Postcode: SO30 0GG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01489 782295 Fax number: 01489 790282

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Roberta Smith

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This junior school has 350 pupils aged between 7 and 11 years and is above average in size. The school serves a broadly average socio-economic community within the Hedge End area of Southampton. About six per cent of the pupils come from minority ethnic backgrounds; five pupils speak English as a language different to their mother tongue and two pupils receive specialist language support. These numbers are also below average. Approximately 13 per cent of the pupils have special educational needs, a below average proportion, and these include specific and moderate learning and multi-sensory and physical impairment. Just under one per cent of the pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Needs and this is a below average percentage. Most of the pupils have transferred from the adjacent infant school but an increasing number come from other schools. The attainment of pupils on entry to the school is above average. The school holds several

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

awards including: ‘Active Mark 2002’, ‘Basic Skills Quality Mark 2001’, ‘Investors in People 2002’, ‘Networked Learning Community 2003’, ‘Football Association Community Charter 2003’ and ‘Healthy Schools 2003’. Freegrounds Junior - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25217 Paul Baxter Lead inspector English as an additional language Mathematics Geography Physical education 13548 Patricia Bowen Lay inspector 31029 Peter Thrussell Team inspector Special educational needs English Music 1710 Thelma Edwards Team inspector Science History Religious education 24342 Denise Franklin Team Inspector Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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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). Freegrounds Junior - 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 school provides a good level of effectiveness that continues to improve as strengthened provision impacts more fully on pupils’ learning. It has many very good and some outstanding features, not least the excellent relationships and the outstanding leadership of the headteacher. Pupils achieve well to reach standards that are above average by the time they leave the school. In response to a high proportion of teaching that is good or better, standards continue to rise and an increasing number of pupils throughout the school achieve very well. The headteacher ensures very good leadership and management overall. Other senior managers, including the chair of governors and the deputy headteacher give very good support and all staff and governors work very effectively as a team to promote the shared vision of ongoing improvement. This is reflected in the good and improving value for money provided by the school.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Under the inspirational leadership of the headteacher the school demonstrates an extremely effective commitment to improvement. • With high quality support from staff, pupils show excellent attitudes and behaviour and enjoy excellent relationships, all of which enrich their learning significantly. • By the end of Year 6, standards are above average in all subjects inspected, reflecting the pupils’ good achievement in response to teaching that is good overall. • Almost all areas of provision are at least very good and aspects such as the headteacher’s leadership and provision for pupils’ moral and social development are excellent features that underpin the very effective ethos of learning throughout the school. • Assessment is used well in most subjects, but information is not always used as effectively to support pupils’ learning in English.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement has been very good since the last inspection and this continues. Most areas of provision were identified as key issues for improvement. These have undergone very good improvement, including notably leadership and management and the curriculum, raising the effectiveness of the school. The quality of teaching has been improved well and continues to strengthen. Unsatisfactory teaching is no longer evident. Standards and achievement have improved in all subjects, especially in reading, science, information and communication technology (ICT) and geography where achievement was previously unsatisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English D B B A Mathematics E D B B Science D A A A 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

Achievement is good overall , and improving. The pupils’ performance in national tests at Year 6 has risen, matching the trend found nationally in recent years, but with a significant improvement over the last two years. Last year, for example, the pupils’ performance showed very good achievement in relation to similar schools in the table above. Inspection shows that this has been accomplished by ongoing improvements to the quality of the teaching and learning across the school. As a result standards are above average by the end of Year 6 in all the subjects inspected, Freegrounds Junior - 7 including English, mathematics and science. Given that the attainment on entry to school of the current Year 6 pupils was average, these standards show that most pupils, including higher attainers, pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language, achieve well.

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

are very good overall. The pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are excellent. Attendance and punctuality are very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teaching is very good in art and design and ICT and in mathematics, especially in numeracy. The positive impact of teaching on pupils’ learning stems from its mostly good and often better quality across the school that enables pupils to learn and develop a breadth of knowledge and skill. Consistently strong features include warm relationships, the teachers’ very good knowledge of the National Curriculum and good questioning skills. Teaching assistants respond to pupils’ needs well. Assessments of pupils’ work are generally used well to enrich learning but less effectively in some English lessons. At times too much direction by the teacher constrains pupils’ independent learning. The curriculum is very good with an excellent range of clubs. Partnerships with parents, the local community and with nearby schools, and provision for the pupils’ care, health and welfare are also

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

very good. Collectively these enrich pupils’ achievement significantly.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher provides excellent leadership. He works most effectively in close partnership with a very efficient deputy headteacher and a very capable Chair of Governors and ensures that all pupils are valued and fully included in the life of the school. With very good support from other key staff and governors the headteacher ensures that very good management procedures underpin the success of the school. The strongly shared commitment to improvement and capacity to do so are key strengths. The governors complete their statutory duties very well and financial management is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The vast majority of parents value the quality and are fully appreciative of all aspects of school life. Overall, parents’ views of the school are very good . The school values the parents’ support and has very effective procedures for dealing with any issues that may arise.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Overall , pupils’ views of the school are very good . The overwhelming majority of pupils are proud of their school and they particularly welcome the care, help and support they receive from all staff. Pupils appreciate the many responsibilities offered to them. The inspection team agrees with these comments.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Strengthen the use of assessments of pupils’ work, particularly in English, so that teaching addresses all pupils’ needs, for example, by promoting speaking skills, with equal effectiveness. Freegrounds Junior - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Achievement is good in all years, regardless of gender or prior levels of attainment. Pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language also achieve well. Standards are above average in English, mathematics, science and all other subjects that were inspected. In response to good overall teaching and learning, standards are rising and achievement is improving throughout the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards overall are above average by the end of Year 6. • There have been significant improvements in achievement and attainment since the last inspection and this improvement continues in response to increasingly very effective provision. • Standards are rising especially in Years 3 to 5 as improved provision impacts more fully on pupils’ learning over time.

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Commentary

1. In the National Curriculum tests for 2002, standards were above average in English, below average in mathematics and well above average in science. In 2003 standards were similar in English and science, but in mathematics were above average. The results in English and mathematics mirrored those found in similar schools, but in science they were considerably better, reflecting the pupils’ positive response to the school’s increased emphasis on practical investigation. Judgements based on the pupils’ performance in Year 2 tests compared to their performance in Year 6 tests showed that the achievement of Year 6 pupils who left school in 2003 was very good. Overall pupils’ performance in National Curriculum tests show that here has been an improving trend in standards in recent years.

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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 28.2 (27.9) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 27.8 (26.4) 26.8 (26.7) Science 30.7 (30.1) 28.6 (28.3) There were 88 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Work seen during the inspection shows that standards in mathematics are above average. There is some variation within English. Whereas the work in English shows overall standards still to be above average, this now comprises well above average standards in reading, but average standards in speaking and listening and in writing. This has arisen because of the school’s more established and effective approach to the teaching of reading than the other aspects of English. The school now recognises this through its particularly strong and increased focus on speaking and listening and writing in its current school improvement plan. Although the pupils’ knowledge and general investigative skills are improving well in science, the overall quality of pupils’ work seen in Year 6 indicates above average standards, reflecting the learning needs of some of the pupils in this year group. This also shows that pupils’

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Commentary

observational skills are better developed than their higher order investigative skills, for example, choosing, setting up and conducting their own lines of enquiry. Nevertheless, in relation to the pupils’ capability, overall achievement in these three core subjects is now good. Freegrounds Junior - 9 3. Standards in design and technology and history are not reported on. In the remaining subjects standards are now above average. Taking all subjects into account, there has been very significant improvement since the last inspection where overall average standards were reported. Inspection shows that standards continue to rise, especially in Years 3 to 5 where pupils are able to experience the improved and very effective provision from the onset and build progressively on their previous learning as they move through the school.

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Commentary

4. Very good improvements have been made in standards and achievement in ICT due to very good teaching and continually improving facilities. A whole school focus on the teaching of reading, along with vastly improved library facilities, has brought about excellent improvement in standards in this aspect of English. At the last inspection standards in mathematics and music were similar. Although the previously above average standards in mathematics had declined, successful well-planned developments were put into place, for example, a focus on using and applying mathematics' skills, to again raise and further improve standards. Above average standards in music have been well maintained despite staff changes and an end to solely specialist class teaching.

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Commentary

5. The current Year 6 pupils entered the school with average levels of attainment, and have achieved well to improve these standards. Later year groups have entered the school with above average levels of attainment and are achieving well to maintain and improve these standards. There are several reasons why pupils achieve well and overall attain above average standards. The school now provides a very rich curriculum that stimulates the pupils; a stable staff sustains a good and often better quality of teaching; careful assessment generally ensures that tasks are well matched to the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; subjects are very well led and managed and well resourced; and pupils' excellent behaviour and attitudes are promoted warmly and highly effectively by staff and these too impact most positively on their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The attitudes and the behaviour of the pupils are excellent. Pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is very good. Attendance and punctuality is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Excellent attitudes and relationships help pupils to achieve well. • Excellent relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults sustain the pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • The pupils’ moral and social development is excellent and their spiritual and cultural development is very good.

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Commentary

6. The good attitudes and behaviour reported at the last inspection have improved very well and are now excellent. All the staff, teaching and non-teaching, have very high expectations for pupils’ conduct and as a result pupils behave well in the classroom and around the school. The very inclusive ethos of the school means that all pupils are able to learn in a safe and happy environment.

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Commentary

7. The pupils are very positive about their school. They are enthusiastic about the many varied extra-curricular activities provided for them. The pupils have been involved in new initiatives to enhance the school grounds through the ‘Landscape Project’. In addition, the School Council is active in suggesting new equipment for the pupils to use during playtimes. The pupils respect the rules and play happily together showing awareness of those around them. Freegrounds Junior - 10 8. In lessons the pupils are keen to participate and offer their ideas. They work well individually and in groups. They are confident in expressing their views and listening to others in the class, while to outsiders they are welcoming and courteous.

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Commentary

9. The vast majority of parents are confident that any minor incidents of bullying or harassment are dealt with quickly and effectively. The school is successful in supporting the particular learning needs of the pupils, which makes a very positive contribution to their achievement. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection.

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Commentary

10. The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Once again, the inclusive nature of the school encourages pupils to reflect on the needs of others and be aware of those around them. The children work hard to raise money for charity, ranging from helping conservation projects in a local zoo by helping to sponsor a jaguar to discussing in the School Council the possibility of sponsoring a child in Rwanda.

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Commentary

11. The pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved significantly since the last inspection. This is particularly so in cultural provision, which was judged to be unsatisfactory. Provision for pupils’ personal development is now a significant strength of the school, consequently the pupils’ develop these personal qualities very well. Subject leaders have been briefed to look for opportunities to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural in their subjects and teachers clearly identify these opportunities in their lesson planning. The headteacher monitors planning very effectively and this focus has impacted very positively on provision.

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Commentary

12. School assemblies create a very positive ethos in which pupils feel valued and make a significant contribution to their understanding of social and moral issues. School rules and expectations of behaviour are clearly displayed around the school and pupils have very good opportunities to learn how to get on with others. Through their work in class, being representatives on the School Council and through the ‘House System’, pupils have many opportunities to develop their social skills. They are able to feel very involved in the decision- making processes in the school. For example, they have been fully consulted and very active in improving the school environment both inside and outside.

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Commentary

13. Strong induction procedures for new pupils support the pupils’ personal development extremely well. These include a tour of the school by a prefect or member of Year 6, a ‘buddy’ for the first few weeks of term, a talk by the ‘House Captains’, and regular contact with the headteacher, who takes groups of pupils for a range of activities so that he gets to know each pupil well. After two weeks in the school the headteacher contacts parents to ensure that their child has settled and does not have any social problems. A governor also interviews the pupils, to ensure that they have settled into the school routine.

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Commentary

14. The pupils’ cultural development is very good and pupils are prepared very effectively for life in Britain’s diverse society. Pupils have lots of opportunities to visit places of interest and visitors to school such as visitors from Mexico and local Members of Parliament support pupils’ cultural development very well. Work in religious education and assembly topics and local studies all include beneficial references to life in a multi-cultural community. During ‘World of Work Week’, many parents and members of the community talk to groups of pupils about their jobs and experiences. The very good curriculum provided for pupils also makes a significant contribution to their cultural development.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.6 School data 0.4 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 Freegrounds Junior - 11 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

15. Attendance is well above the national average and reflects the pupils’ great enthusiasm for their school and learning. The school has good systems in place to monitor absence and encourage attendance.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice This school has succeeded in creating an environment where all, from the headteacher to the youngest pupil in the school, have a commitment to making it an even better place to be. The strong partnership between staff and pupils ensures that learning is enjoyed in secure and happy surroundings. Representatives of pupils from each class attend the School Council where their views are welcomed by the headteacher and contribute to the development of the school, for example, of the school grounds. As a consequence pupils feel ownership and are proud of their school. Throughout the school there are excellent relationships. The teachers show respect and concern for the children but have high expectations of them, both academically and personally, and the children respond by wanting to do their best. The pupils feel that they are a valuable part of the school. They continually seek ways to assist staff and in these informal ways

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Commentary

and through more formal systems, the school is successful in enabling pupils to become mature and responsible. The school also fosters a joy in learning through sport, art, music and dance.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided by the school is very good. Teaching and learning are good overall with a significant and increasing amount of very good teaching. All other areas contributing to the quality of education provided by the school are very good and these include the planned curriculum, provision for the pupils’ health and welfare, and partnerships with parents, other schools and the local community. In unison, these aspects have a very beneficial impact on pupils’ achievement.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good overall; they are very good in mathematics, art and design and ICT and are good in all other subjects where judgements could be made. Assessment of pupils’ work is good overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high proportion of good and better teaching is impacting strongly on pupils’ learning and is raising standards and achievement. • Teachers and teaching assistants promote excellent relationships and enrich classrooms and shared areas with stimulating displays; these motivate the pupils very well, lift their confidence and promote learning successfully. • Teaching in mathematics is very effective because work closely matches the pupils’ needs. • Literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are taught and developed well throughout the curriculum. • In English lessons, teachers do not always make best use of assessments to address the needs of average attaining pupils.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 56 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory 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 lesson; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Freegrounds Junior - 12 16. The overall quality of teaching and learning in the school has improved well since the last inspection. This clearly demonstrates the success of leadership and management, the sharing of expertise, the focused professional development and the collegiate commitment to improvement by the staff of the school. Inspection shows that unsatisfactory teaching has been eliminated whereas at the time of the previous inspection in 1998 close to two in ten lessons were unsatisfactory. Over time good teaching results in good achievement but in most subjects an increasing proportion of very good lessons is helping more pupils to achieve very well in relation to their capabilities. Pupils with special educational needs and gifted and talented

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Commentary

pupils, in particular, benefit from provision that has been improved since the last inspection. Pupils’ independence in learning has also been significantly improved since the last inspection and continues to have a very positive impact on both their enjoyment and success in school.

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Commentary

17. Across the school the quality of teaching and learning is very good in mathematics, ICT and art and design. Teaching is good in all other subjects inspected, including English and science. A key reason for the pupils’ excellent response in lessons is that teaching and learning are considerably strengthened by warm relationships, the value placed on pupils’ contributions by all staff and innovative strategies that excite and interest the pupils; as, for example, in a Year 6 geography lesson where the teacher dressed in costume as ‘Professor Canopy’ highlighting constituent parts of the rain forest regions of the world with precision and good humour and consequently enriching the pupils’ enthusiasm and understanding.

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Commentary

18. Through careful questioning the teachers develop links with the pupils’ previous work and make clear connections with their prior experience that extend their understanding. As a result, the pupils feel empowered, gain confidence and learn well. This was seen in a very good ICT lesson in Year 5 where no time was wasted due to the teacher’s accurate expectations and very effective use of ‘quick fire’ questions to review previous learning. These strategies also ensure that all pupils, including higher attainers and pupils who speak English as an additional language, are taught and learn well. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support in lessons, particularly in English and mathematics, and on the occasions when they are withdrawn.

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Commentary

19. Several very good and a few excellent lessons were also observed and illustrated the considerable improvements since the last inspection and the highly developed knowledge and skills that teachers possess. A good example from English is given below. In a Year 3 science lesson the teacher began with a quick but very effective resume of what pupils knew about how rocks were formed, imparting confidence to the pupils from the outset. Excellent organisation of resources that promoted ‘hands on’ practical discovery and warm but rigorous management of pupils’ learning activities sustained a brisk pace and enabled pupils to build very well on previous learning. In another outstanding lesson, this time in music in Year 6, excellent relationships and thoroughly organised and well-thought out teaching strategies boosted pupils’ interest and excitement and their successful learning. Led by the teacher, the pupils responded

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Commentary

joyfully in groups as they maintained their rhythms alongside other groups. There was a spontaneous and clear sense of wonder as the sounds combined to create a true ‘Samba rhythm’.

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Commentary

Example of outstanding practice In an excellent Year 3 English lesson, excellent use of resources made learning fun and developed pupils’ phonic skills In this excellent lesson the class teacher and assistant made learning fun by presenting an enjoyable and stimulating version of the well-known television programme ‘Ready Steady Cook’. This clear and lively use of a familiar team approach to communication and creativity enthused the pupils, enriching their phonic skills and raising their awareness of the need for accuracy when giving instructions.

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Commentary

20. ICT is used effectively throughout the school to enrich pupils’ learning, reflecting another substantial improvement since the last inspection. This was seen when pupils visited the newly refurbished and very well equipped computer suite and also when pupils were using class- Freegrounds Junior - 13 based computers, for example, to use CD ROMS to research secondary sources in geography.

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Commentary

21. In most subjects the teachers use good assessment procedures well to track progress and match tasks to the needs of pupils. In English, even though work is well planned and challenging for higher attaining pupils it does not always take enough account of what other pupils, particularly average attainers, need to learn and understand to help them reach their particular levels, so that their progress is hindered. In contrast, lively questioning and very effective use of whiteboards during mental arithmetic sessions at the beginning of mathematics lessons enriched the pupils’ learning and enabled the teachers to assess the pupils’ progress and to target future needs accurately. Teaching assistants make effective contributions as they help groups of pupils during these activities. In most cases, through the constructive marking of work, good introductions to learning objectives in lessons and individual target books, pupils are

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Commentary

helped to be aware of their own learning, how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve. As a result pupils make good and often better progress in most lessons.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good curriculum with many opportunities for personal development. This is a marked improvement since the last inspection. Pupils are able to develop their knowledge, skills and interests beyond school time as well as in lessons. Provision for physical education, sport and the arts is excellent. The accommodation is very good and resources for learning are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are excellent opportunities for the enrichment of the curriculum and pupils' learning, which are well taken up by the pupils themselves. • There are very good opportunities for pupils to extend the knowledge and skills learned in one subject through their use in other subjects. • There is a good emphasis on the development of the investigative side of science. • The provision for pupils who have special educational needs or who are learning English as an additional language is good. • Accommodation and resources are used very well to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum.

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Commentary

22. The National Curriculum is taught effectively through interesting schemes of work that encourage all pupils to achieve well. Where appropriate there are good cross-curricular links, as in Local Studies in Year 3. Mathematics is used well in science investigations and the school is focussing on the development of writing across a range of subjects. Spanish and German are taught, enriching the breadth of the curriculum. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Through well-planned support they are helped to acquire the skills necessary to access the full curriculum effectively.

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Commentary

23. The excellent provision outside the school day includes 14 clubs. These range through physical education and the arts to learning French and gardening. There is extensive music education, including a large choir and an orchestra. A third of the pupils learn to play a musical instrument. The arts are also very well supported by the strong focus given to this area of learning during ‘Arts Week’. Two thirds of the school take part in after-school physical education and sports, which include the team games of football, netball, basketball and rugby. Pupils also choose from activities such as dance, cross-country running and martial arts. These opportunities widen the pupils’ experiences significantly and enrich their development of skills and understanding and promote their interest and enjoyment in school life. At present, 40 per cent of the girls regularly take part in two or more sports and 90 per cent of the boys.

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Commentary

Freegrounds Junior - 14 24. The school is very much part of the local community and visits many places of interest in connection with studies in religious education, history and geography. It is involved in many activities. An impressive ‘Landscape Project’ is underway which will provide pupils with many learning opportunities. As part of environmental education, pupils have recycled waste materials. Some pupils, interested in design and technology, made a solar powered car and successfully raced it around a local track. The school wins many local, and sometimes national, awards, for example, ‘Networked Learning Community’ and ‘Healthy Schools 2003’. The pupils and staff benefit very much from the active involvement of the governors, some of whom have expert knowledge such as in the building of the solar powered car.

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Commentary

25. Much work has been done recently and ongoing development continues to improve the accommodation and create a very attractive learning environment. Internal improvements, particularly decoration, have improved significantly since the last inspection and everyone works hard to display pupils’ work extremely well. The pupils’ work in art, for example, is used very effectively to celebrate and enrich pupils’ recorded work in the range of curriculum subjects. There is no wheel-chair access to the classrooms on the first floor, but the school has made alternative and appropriate arrangements so that children with wheelchairs can be accommodated in the classrooms on the ground floor. Improvement of the outdoor environment is ongoing and contributes very well to the very good curriculum provided for the pupils. For example, the range of opportunities for pupils to learn through practical experiences is extended most effectively in physical education, science and art and design using these

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Commentary

26. Resources are good overall. Resources for physical education, the recently refurbished ICT suite and the school library are very good and are having a very positive impact on improvement in standards. The school librarian has worked particularly hard to provide an attractive facility for the pupils, ably supported by a team of very well trained school librarians, who are continuing to keep the library open in her absence. The librarian knows the pupils very well, encouraging pupils to read a wide range of books and also offering advice to individuals. This supports reading provision very well.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very good care and welfare for all the pupils and ensures that they work in a secure, healthy and safe environment. The relationships in the school are excellent and enable the staff to give very good support and guidance for the pupils’ personal development and good advice for academic development. There are very good systems in place to elicit the views of pupils and act upon them.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures to ensure a healthy and safe working environment are very good. • The headteacher and staff know the pupils well and the welfare and development of each individual pupil has a high priority. • Induction arrangements for pupils are very good.

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Commentary

27. This area has been improved very well since the last inspection and provision is impacting very positively on pupils’ personal development. The staff know the pupils very well and are committed to helping them to make the most of their capabilities. Each pupil has a target book and they know what they need to do to improve. New pupils are made to feel very welcome and the very effective induction arrangements ensure a confident entry into school. Targets for pupils with special educational needs are specific and well focused. They are shared with parents and pupils so that they can be aware of the support being given and the progress being made to meet them. Pupils with statements receive their full entitlement of support. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also receive close and effective support for their Freegrounds Junior - 15 individual needs and receive specialist help when it is needed. The very good links with the

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Commentary

infant and secondary schools ensure that the focused support given to pupils is consistently maintained.

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Commentary

28. Pupils know that they can enlist the help of teaching or other staff if they have any problems. The school has a well-established School Council which provides a very effective means of ascertaining the views of the pupils. The members of the council display a mature and responsible attitude to their role and have various methods of disseminating information and stimulating ideas from their class-mates.

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Commentary

29. The school is committed to ensuring that the pupils work in a secure, happy and safe environment. The staff are aware of issues relating to child protection and have good procedures to note any concerns. Regular inspections of equipment are carried out and there are effective systems to ensure that identified hazards are noted and rectified. The school has considered the security of the site and the ongoing ‘Landscape Project’ is enhancing the appearance and the facilities of the school grounds.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents and the local community. Links with other schools are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very strong links with parents benefit the learning and social development of all pupils. • The whole staff work very well together and with the vast majority of parents to meet pupils’ needs and to provide high levels of parental satisfaction. • The school’s very good partnerships with the community and with local schools enrich the pupils’ learning. • The school has very good systems in place to ease pupils’ transition to the senior school.

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Commentary

30. The school has successfully built on the good links reported at the time of the last inspection. The parents responding to the questionnaire and those attending the meeting were very positive about the school and the leadership of the headteacher. They were very happy with the information provided for them by the school. The annual reports on the pupils have been amended in response to parents’ requests and now give a very clear indication of how the pupils are doing in all subjects covered. The school sends out newsletters and children take home their reading diaries each day. Overall the school provides very good information to parents. The parents are confident that they can help their children at home. Homework is set each Friday to be handed in the following Thursday and the majority of parents are happy with this. The parents report good relationships with their children’s class teachers and are happy to

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Commentary

raise any concerns that they might have, confident that the school will respond sensitively and effectively. The school has an active ‘School Association’ which organises social events and raises money for the school.

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Commentary

31. Parents of children with special educational needs are well informed of the progress their children are making. Targets on individual education plans are shared fully with them, and they are able to contribute to reviews.

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Commentary

32. The school has very good links with the local community. Good use is made of the local environment through visits, and a local firm sponsors the pupils’ sports kit. A number of people come into the school to give the pupils a wide range of views. The pupils respond to this by taking an active part in raising money for a number of charities locally, nationally and internationally. Freegrounds Junior - 16 33. There are good links with the infant school and with the secondary to which most pupils transfer. The school also makes a valuable contribution to the local ‘Networked Learning Community’ and has taken on new initiatives and piloted projects for the group which have enriched the learning opportunities offered to the pupils, especially, for example, sporting events.

p.15

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good overall. The headteacher provides excellent leadership and the leadership and management provided by other key members of staff is very good. Governance is very good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher is committed to high standards and continual all-round improvement. • Through his excellent leadership and very effective management skills he enables other members of staff, including subject leaders, to fulfil their roles very well. • Governors know the strengths and weaknesses of their school and generously share their time and expertise to help enhance the quality of education. They contribute to the development and day-to-day functioning of the school very effectively. • Governors support the staff very well and meet their statutory obligations in full. • Financial management and control are good and the school provides good value for money.

p.16

Commentary

34. The headteacher's excellent leadership and commitment to high standards has brought about many remarkable improvements in all areas of provision since his appointment just after the last inspection. The senior management team and the leaders of subjects and year groups share the headteacher's high aspirations for the school and play a major role in raising standards across the board. The improved quality of provision has had a very good effect on the way pupils learn and has helped to raise achievement. Their joint efforts show that through accurate strategies of self-evaluation the school has a clear knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses and is very capable of continuing improvement. With the headteacher, they monitor pupils' achievements and strongly support their colleagues as they plan the curriculum. The dedicated concern that all staff give to the inclusion of all pupils contributes strongly to the

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Commentary

very good ethos of the school. Pupils' eagerness and interest in their work are testimony to their success.

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Commentary

35. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well led and managed by the co- ordinator. Well-planned development over the last two years has helped to reorganise and improve provision. The school has greatly increased the number of learning support assistants and provided further training opportunities for them. Their work is carefully planned and monitored, and well focused to help pupils achieve their targets.

p.16

Commentary

36. The school's emphasis on personal, social and health education, and good behaviour, described as variable in the last report, is now a strength. There is a strong and very effective focus on training and self-evaluation throughout the school. The headteacher, with support from the deputy headteacher and increasingly other subject leaders monitors the quality of teaching and learning very well. As other subject leaders have increasing opportunities to observe lessons and advise on the teaching of their subjects, this should help to raise the already good teaching and learning to the very high quality of the best. A focus should be on how to use assessment most effectively to plan for all pupils, especially in their English lessons.

p.16

Commentary

37. Under the focused and strong direction of an experienced chair of governors, the governing body fulfils its duties very effectively. Chairs of committees, for example, of curriculum and finance contribute strongly. Governors are particularly active and supportive of subject leaders and play an important role in promoting improvement. Governors have also been especially Freegrounds Junior - 17 effective in supporting the headteacher in his efforts to develop a team approach and a shared commitment to the management and ongoing improvement of the school. For example, shrewd appointments of staff, expectant monitoring of provision and standards, and warm appreciation of staff typify the very good contributions from governors.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 756,406 Balance from previous year 14,500 Total expenditure 796,862 Balance carried forward to the next -25,956 Expenditure per pupil 2,283

p.17

Commentary

38. The headteacher, assisted by the knowledgeable chair of the governors’ finance committee, ensures that the educational needs of the school are carefully considered alongside the budget available. With help from administrative, clerical and other colleagues they provide effective financial management and control. The school is well staffed and resourced and these are used well to promote the pupils’ achievement. The governors consider ‘best value’ well. The £25,956 overspend from 2002/2003 represented a claw back of funds by the local education authority due to unforeseen additional staffing costs. By careful budgeting and financial control and by accurately costing proposed developments the school is on course to meet its target of balancing the budget and eliminating the overspend by the end of this financial year (2003/2004). This resolution of a difficult financial situation whilst maintaining the very positive

p.17

Commentary

drive for improvement reflects the significant strength of the leadership and management of the school and their determination and ability to achieve its aims in the future. The school has done very well to establish good value for money and is well placed to improve even more. Freegrounds Junior - 18

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and by Year 6 overall standards are above average. • The subject is very well led, bringing about very good improvement since the last inspection. • Day-to-day assessment is not always used well enough to match work to individual ability. • Teaching and learning are good. • Pupils' excellent attitudes and behaviour make a very strong impact on their learning.

p.18

Commentary

39. All pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs, higher attainers and those who speak English as an additional language. Standards in reading are well above average and show excellent improvement since the last inspection, when they were below average. This has been brought about by a whole school focus on improving the teaching of reading and book resources to support learning. The school now has a very good, very well organised and attractive central library that is used well. This, along with attractive book corners in classrooms and the involvement of parents and other adults, has greatly improved pupils' attitudes to reading. This was confirmed when hearing pupils read. Standards in speaking and listening and in writing remain broadly average. The school, through comprehensive development planning, is now starting to raise standards in these areas.

p.18

Commentary

40. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Lessons ranged from satisfactory to excellent. In the one excellent lesson, extremely good methods were used to make learning interesting and stimulating for lower attaining pupils. A 'Ready Steady Cook' session, with the teacher as the compere and the assistant as the contestant, produced a very memorable way for pupils to understand the importance of giving careful instructions in the right order when making a jam sandwich. In other lessons where teaching was stronger, good methods were also used that added interest and made learning relevant and challenging, for example when planning formal letters inviting people to the opening of the school's new computer suite. Lessons are generally planned and prepared well, and learning support assistants are used to best advantage in supporting lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, so that they

p.18

Commentary

are fully included in lessons. Teachers have excellent relationships with their classes that result in extremely high standards of behaviour and very positive attitudes to learning. Pupils work hard and co-operate well. Good provision is made for homework, which is set regularly, encourages independent work and supports classroom learning well.

p.18

Commentary

41. One factor that limits achievement, especially in writing, is day-to-day assessment. In some weaker lessons seen assessment had not enabled teachers to more accurately plan the next small steps in learning, with regard for the National Curriculum target levels that particular pupils are working towards. For example, in an extended writing lesson higher attaining pupils were well challenged to produce stories using planned paragraphs, complex sentences and a full range of punctuation. Insufficient account was taken of the stages lower attaining pupils had reached in their writing and the work they could be expected to produce, so that they did not make as much progress as others.

p.18

Commentary

42. Subject leadership is very good and has been highly successful in bringing about very good improvement since the last inspection. As well as improvements in reading, teaching and lesson planning, the achievement of all pupils have improved through careful monitoring and Freegrounds Junior - 19 well-planned developments. Good tracking procedures now enable pupils' progress to be carefully monitored, although the school recognises that teachers themselves need to be more aware of the information generated, and how to use it more effectively to raise achievement further.

p.18

English across the curriculum

43. Literacy has been well developed through pupils using their research and writing skills to support work in other subjects. In history pupils write about the Greek theatre and in geography they consider issues concerning the rain forests. In science investigations are well recorded. Other opportunities are provided beyond the classroom, for example when producing the school newspaper. Pupils are encouraged to speak confidently when giving reports and saying prayers in assembly, and when taking part in regular school productions. Word processing skills are well developed in ICT.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good across the school, particularly in numeracy, and pupils are increasingly achieving very well as a result. • The organisation of classes based on the pupils’ prior attainment in this subject (setting) enables the teachers to meet the pupils’ needs successfully. • The teachers are particularly skilful in developing the pupils’ using and applying skills, especially in everyday problem solving situations; as a result, attainment is above average by the end of Year 6, with an increasing number of pupils reaching higher than average standards in all year groups. • Subject leadership and curricular provision are very good. • Numeracy skills are used and developed well in other subjects.

p.19

Commentary

44. Pupils reach above average standards in all strands of the subject by the end of Year 6. In relation to their capability this represents good achievement for most pupils in Year 6, including higher attainers, pupils with special educational needs and pupils who speak English as an additional language. Achievement is particularly strong in numeracy because teachers are rigorous in promoting these skills in the mental-oral sessions at the beginning of lessons and develop numeracy skills further through everyday problem-solving exercises. For example, in Year 6, pupils showed good skills and understanding when calculating the costs of taking different groups of people to visit famous places of interest in London. The development of consistently effective planning and teaching strategies within classes based on the pupils’ prior attainment is enabling teachers to match the work closely to the pupils’ learning needs. Over

p.19

Commentary

time this is having an increasingly positive impact on pupils’ attainment and achievement and observation of lessons in Years 3 to 5 shows that an increasing number of pupils are achieving very well.

p.19

Commentary

45. The quality of teaching and learning is very good overall. Teachers plan the curriculum very effectively and present the lessons in an interesting and stimulating manner. For example, in a lesson with higher attaining pupils in Year 6, the teacher used real timetables to challenge the pupils to plan possible visits to various London attractions. As a consequence the pupils were enthusiastic and responded excitedly to the challenge presented to them. Pupils are taught in classes based on their ability and as a result understand the work presented to them. For example, in a lesson with lower attaining pupils in Year 5, the teacher discussed the level of challenge with the pupils when considering multiplication of money calculations. In response Freegrounds Junior - 20 the pupils knew what was expected and set about their work in a confident way that supported their learning. Very occasionally introductory sessions at the beginning of lessons are too long,

p.19

Commentary

especially in classes of lower and average attaining pupils, and this limits the time for more appropriate practical learning experiences. The teachers are very knowledgeable about the subject and demonstrate and use this knowledge very effectively when responding to the pupils’ ideas and when questioning the pupils about their problem solving strategies. This consistent emphasis on pupils explaining their strategies is a key feature of most lessons and has a strong impact on pupils’ understanding and application of number and problem solving skills.

p.20

Commentary

46. The headteacher leads the subject very effectively. As acting subject leader, he has had very good support from the link governors for numeracy. Together they have ensured that improving provision and standards have received strong emphasis across the school. By monitoring the quality of teaching and learning, through lesson observations, reviewing teachers’ planning and scrutinising pupils’ work and performance in National Curriculum and other tests he has had a beneficial impact on learning in the subject. Curriculum planning and the assessment of pupils’ work are very good. Resources are of good quality and range and are used effectively by all teachers. Learning using ICT is a regular and supportive feature of most lessons and is particularly supportive in promoting the pupils’ independence when solving problems. There has been good improvement since the last inspection and the ongoing development of provision in

p.20

Commentary

this subject continues to raise standards.

p.20

Mathematics across the curriculum

47. The pupils’ numeracy skills are used and extended effectively in other subjects. This was particularly evident in a science lesson in Year 6 where the pupils measured the force needed to pull a weight across different surfaces and considered the effect of different lubricants on the time taken and the distance travelled. Measuring length, considering proportion and using maps drawn to scale are features of work in art and design, design and technology and geography respectively and contribute well to the pupils’ understanding.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Year 6. • Achievement is good because the teaching and learning are good. Occasionally teaching is very good or excellent, promoting very good achievement for an increasing number of pupils. • In the investigative side of science, pupils achieve particularly well. This is a good improvement since the last inspection. • The subject is led very effectively by the subject leader.

p.20

Commentary

48. Pupils achieve well, overall, and very well in the youngest classes. They achieve particularly well in the investigative side of science because of a combination of good teaching, an interesting and well-planned curriculum and the many opportunities they are given to develop skills in this important area of science. Pupils make good use of what they are learning in mathematics as they observe and record, with particularly good use of line graphs. They also have a good knowledge of the different areas of National Curriculum science, notably materials and physical processes.

p.20

Commentary

49. The ongoing development of investigative science is a focus in the ‘School Improvement Plan’ and the subject leader has promoted this very successfully. Although pupils perform very well in the National Curriculum tests she is aware that the next step in raising the pupils’ ability to apply scientific skill is for Year 6 pupils to be given more opportunities to plan, carry out and present Freegrounds Junior - 21 investigations for themselves, drawing upon the knowledge and skills that they have developed in earlier years.

p.20

Commentary

50. An example of excellent practice was seen in a Year 3 lesson where pupils, who had begun to study different kinds of rocks, were to test them for their hardness. Pupils quickly shared ideas with one another in groups on how the investigation could be conducted. The young teacher's probing questions then helped them to think through their resulting suggestions, and one child said, 'Yes. If we rub them with sandpaper, we would not know which bits are from the sandstone and which from the sandpaper.' Picking up on another comment from a pupil about rocks in the sea, the teacher skilfully led the class to considering two tests, rubbing with a coin and pouring water to test porosity. A pupil then pointed out that the water test should be done second because it could affect the results of rubbing. The whole class finally conducted fair tests, which they had all agreed on, and recorded their results carefully.

p.21

Commentary

51. The school is well resourced and the ‘Landscape Project’, currently underway, is already providing excellent opportunities for science work.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average by the end of Year 6. • Very good resources support pupils’ learning very well. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good and promotes the pupils’ very good achievement. • Leadership and management are very good. • Since the last inspection there have been very good improvements.

p.21

Commentary

52. At the time of the last inspection, pupils’ attainment in Year 6 was below that expected for their age and skills such as simulation, modelling or control were underdeveloped across the school. Since then the improvement has been very good and many pupils now exceed the national average by the end of Year 6. The ICT suite has been developed on several occasions and has just had another upgrade. New computers have been installed, releasing existing computers for use in classrooms. The resources are now very good and are having a very positive impact on standards. Consequently pupils are achieving very well.

p.21

Commentary

53. By Year 6 pupils confidently log on and know that a computer can control an output device using a control box. They write simple commands to make their fairground models work. Pupils in Year 3 send and receive e-mails. They can use an address book. Older pupils understand that a screen turtle obeys the same commands as a floor turtle and can type their own commands. Others use a special device called a ‘logger’ to monitor environmental conditions.

p.21

Commentary

54. Teaching is very good and supported by high quality medium-term plans, based on the national recommended guidelines, which are provided by the subject leader. Teachers have the very good subject knowledge necessary to help pupils develop their ICT skills. This is particularly evident because the new suite has only been in place for two weeks and all staff are already very familiar with all the resources. All teachers have high expectations of behaviour and in all lessons observed pupils were interested, enthusiastic and well behaved. Assessment procedures are in place and each pupil has a record of achievement, used to record their own successes. Teachers use the National Curriculum level descriptions of pupils’ attainment regularly and effectively, for assessment purposes, so that they know what each pupil has Freegrounds Junior - 22 attained at the end of each year and they use this information well when planning future

p.21

Commentary

55. Leadership and management are very good. The subject leader is very knowledgeable and has continued to respond very effectively to the need to improve provision. She regularly seeks the views of other staff and pupils to ensure that the school is providing good quality provision. She monitors planning and samples of pupils’ work effectively. This is having a very positive impact on standards. The senior management team monitors the quality of teaching and learning in a systematic and beneficial manner and outcomes are reported to the subject leader.

p.22

ICT across the curriculum

56. Teachers clearly identify opportunities for pupils to develop the skills they have been taught through other subjects in their lesson planning. Consequently pupils use technology well to complement work in other subjects, notably history, science, art and design, design and technology and religious education. For example, pupils use special equipment to help them investigate the most suitable materials for curtains and they use the Internet to research historical information. The pupils attached their models of fairground rides, designed and made in design and technology lessons, to computers and used an ICT program with confidence to make their models move.

p.22

HUMANITIES

Geography and religious education were inspected in full and are reported below. History was sampled.

p.22

HUMANITIES

57. In history it was not possible to make a judgement about the standards of work or the quality of teaching and learning across the school. However, in the lessons seen, the teaching and learning ranged from good to satisfactory. Pupils enjoy their lessons and are learning about primary and secondary sources of evidence as well as different historical periods. Good use is made of the local area, particularly for studies of the Romans, and pupils are encouraged in their work by the colourful classroom displays.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and achievement is good because teaching is consistently good. • The school takes every opportunity to enrich the curriculum, promoting pupils’ interest and thereby raising standards. • Relationships are excellent and pupils respond enthusiastically knowing that teachers and fellow pupils value their ideas.

p.22

Commentary

58. Provision and pupils’ achievement in this subject were judged to be unsatisfactory at the time of the last inspection in 1998. Since then, with encouragement form the headteacher, subject leaders have ensured that geography received strong and appropriate emphasis and it now forms its rightful place within a wide curriculum. As a consequence, provision and standards have been improved significantly and pupils’ achievement is now good. Development has focused on pupils understanding the relevance of their studies and this has promoted the pupils’ interest and enjoyment in their work. The pupils’ map-reading and map-making skills, in particular, are developed well. This was evident in all the lessons observed where pupils willingly shared their ideas and collaborated successfully. The pupils’ neatly recorded work also Freegrounds Junior - 23 showed their careful application. These very good responses enrich the pupils’ spiritual

p.22

Commentary

59. The scrutiny of pupils’ work revealed that they develop a wide range of skills well. In Years 3 and 4 pupils have written letters describing local amenities and have studied what their local environment has to offer. Pupils demonstrate above average knowledge and build on their knowledge of the local area by studying and making maps of Britain’s position in Europe. Pupils in Year 5 continue to learn well in their increasingly more complex studies of the local area – of Southampton, for example - and consider physical features such as the ‘Water Cycle’ and consider its impact on human habitation. By Year 6, the pupils show above average skills in their studies on land use and use their developing literacy skills well when reflecting about traffic concerns in Hedge End.

p.23

Commentary

60. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils co-operate well, willingly share ideas and respond productively to the teachers’ carefully planned lessons. Teachers cultivate warm relationships and make learning fun and this encourages learning. For example, in Year 6 the teacher dressed in costume to illustrate layers of the rainforest and enthused the pupils in their learning. Teachers make close and effective links with the pupils’ previous knowledge and experience. This was seen in a lesson in Year 3, where pupils considered how to encourage wildlife to settle in the school grounds and began to map ideal locations for their ideas, of log piles, for example, to promote insect life. Such activities involve pupils actually applying skills and strengthen their understanding.

p.23

Commentary

61. The subject leader provides very good leadership and direction to the subject. She continues to revise and update the curriculum to make sure that units of work are relevant to the pupils’ needs. The pupils’ close participation in the development of the school grounds through the ‘Landscape Project’ is bringing considerable enrichment to work in this subject and standards are rising through the school.

p.23

Religious Education

Provision in religious education is good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average and pupils achieve well because teaching and subsequent learning are good. • The newly appointed subject leader provides very good leadership and management.

p.23

Commentary

62. Pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject because they are learning about Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism through a combination of a well-planned and interesting curriculum and well-taught lessons. This is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

63. Pupils have many opportunities to study the Bible and hear the stories. Teachers also encourage class and group discussions where pupils can explore their own ideas and feelings and empathise with others. Pupils are given time to think and share their thoughts with one another. Pupils develop their understanding well and interesting writing is often the result. For example, sensitive poetry was produced after a Year 6 class had pondered on the Passion of Christ. A Year 3 class, having heard the story of the Crucifixion as the school term moves towards Easter, began to write a diary as one of the disciples at the Cross. One child wrote, 'I opened my eyes from prayer, and froze.' Another wrote, 'I felt so scared, I didn't know where I was going.' Similarly interesting work is being done as pupils learn about Judaism and older pupils have learned about the life of Buddha. Freegrounds Junior - 24 64. The knowledgeable subject leader specialised in religious education in her training and she

p.23

Commentary

provides very good leadership. She has worked hard and successfully since taking responsibility for the subject two terms ago and is supporting her colleagues by a very good scheme of work. The subject leader is successfully raising the profile of the subject in the school. Future plans include more opportunity to observe the teaching, to share the good practice and to give further support with the teaching of Buddhism.

p.24

Commentary

65. The subject makes a very good contribution to pupils' spiritual development and to the school's current focus on writing. It is well supported by the governor for religious education, who has discussions with the subject leader, sees lessons and is actively involved helping to plan school visits.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Art and design, music and physical education were inspected in full and are reported below. Design and technology was sampled.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

66. One lesson in design and technology was observed during the inspection. Scrutiny of books, work on display and discussions with pupils and teachers shows that pupils are gaining good experience of a range of materials and techniques in this subject. In Year 6 pupils design and make very attractive fairground rides and were particularly excited and pleased when they made them work using ICT. In Year 3 pupils made Roman chariots and identified what they found most difficult and which skill they need to improve. Other projects undertaken by pupils include investigating levers and linkages, to make pages move in a book and to make moving toys.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. The school is also extremely successful when entering design and technology competitions with other schools in the community. For example, they recently won a competition to build a bridge and a ‘great egg’ competition. Pupils were also successful in making a solar car that was the fastest car on a racetrack. The pupils are working with a local car company to make use of the solar panel, which they won in the competition, to build a solar-powered go-cart. Pupils are also fully involved in school projects to improve their school environment. For example, both the courtyard garden and the newly constructed large wooden table, outside, were designed by pupils in the school.

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. The current subject leader has been in post for just four months and already has a good overview of the subject, including standards and areas for development. An enthusiastic governor, who works regularly with groups of pupils on various design and technology projects, supports her very effectively.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards attained throughout the school are above average and achievement is good. • Art and design has a high profile in the school and pupils’ work is very attractively displayed. • The quality of teaching observed was consistently very good and is raising standards across the school. • There is very good leadership and management of the subject.

p.24

Commentary

69. All pupils achieve well, including higher attainers, pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. There has been good improvement in the Freegrounds Junior - 25 quality of provision and standards since the last inspection. Pupils’ artwork is appreciated and attractive displays contribute very well to the quality of the school environment. Currently pupils in several year groups are linking art and history to develop their skills. For example, in Year 4 pupils are making print blocks, using Egyptian themes. In Year 5 pupils are making pots based on designs of pots used by the Ancient Greeks. Older pupils are studying the works of famous artists such as Henri Rousseau and experimenting with painting in his particular style. Pupils’ work is imaginative and reflects a high quality of creative ability.

p.24

Commentary

70. The quality of teaching is very good. The subject manager has successfully raised the profile of art in the school and she provides teachers with a range of training opportunities. This has had a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Lessons are well planned and pupils are encouraged to make good use of sketchbooks for experimenting and developing techniques. Marking, in these sketchbooks, has improved significantly and pupils know what they have to do to improve their work. These improvements are impacting with increasing effect on pupils’ skills.

p.25

Commentary

71. Leadership and management are very good and the subject leader is well supported by the governor responsible for art. The subject leader effectively monitors standards through looking at samples of pupils’ work on display and pupils’ sketchbooks but there have been no opportunities for her to monitor the quality of teaching. She works closely with the art department in the secondary school and feedback from them has helped the school to focus on specific skills where there were weaknesses. Resources are good and pupils benefited greatly from ‘Arts Week’ held last year.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and standards are above average by Year 6. • The subject is very well led and managed. • Teaching and learning and subsequent pupils’ achievements are good. • Pupils enjoy their lessons are very keen to take part in other musical activities provided.

p.25

Commentary

72. Standards and achievement were similar at the last inspection, and have been sustained well. At the last inspection music was taken by a specialist teacher, which in part accounted for the high standards achieved. Teachers now take their own classes for music. They are very well supported by the co-ordinator. She has fully reviewed the scheme of work and produced excellent planning for teachers to follow, often linked to the topics classes are following and strongly reflecting a range of music from different parts of the world. Pointers for assessment are given at the end of the different units of study. Training through workshops is often provided to tie in with the units to be followed. This has enabled teachers to confidently deliver good lessons and to carefully assess the progress pupils are making.

p.25

Commentary

73. Teaching seen during the inspection was good overall, and included one lesson, taken by the co-ordinator, that was judged to be excellent. Very high expectations and excellent subject knowledge were demonstrated. The sheer enjoyment and enthusiasm of pupils was shown in the way pupils combined Samba rhythms with a developing skill. Very good opportunities for self-evaluation enabled pupils to improve their performance. Similar positive features were also evident in other lessons. Another key factor to success in lessons is the excellent behaviour and attitudes of pupils. They very quickly settle, listen carefully to what they have to do and co- operate fully with each other so that good progress is always made in learning. Freegrounds Junior - 26 74. The curriculum is further enriched through other opportunities provided that contribute to the above average standards achieved. Almost a third of the pupils are learning to play a musical

p.25

Commentary

instrument; there is large school choir and a school orchestra that play an important part in the productions staged by the school, for example, ‘Grease’ and ‘Oliver’.

p.26

Physical Education

Provision for physical education is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s excellent range and quality of extra-curricular sports clubs provide significant enhancement to the curriculum and have a very positive impact on the pupils’ attitudes and skills. • Strong and very effective subject leadership is a key factor in developing effective provision across the breadth of the subject. This is raising the teachers’ confidence enabling them to teach well. • Teachers use the school’s very good facilities and resources effectively to challenge and motivate the pupils and this enriches their learning. • Occasionally there is insufficient emphasis on the benefits of physical exercise in dance lessons.

p.26

Commentary

75. Pupils attain above average standards by the end of Year 6 and most pupils achieve well. Swimming lessons in Year 5 ensure that pupils can swim the nationally expected 25 metres by the time they leave the school. Many develop much greater skill than this. Observations of pupils at play, during club activities and in lessons show that most, including higher attainers, develop their skills well across a wide range of physical activity. Individual skills such as cross- country running are promoted well and team skills are developed successfully through a variety of games, not least the popular lunchtime football tournaments.

p.26

Commentary

76. In the lessons seen the overall quality of the teaching and learning was good. Teaching is characterised by warm relationships, clear instructions and good use of resources and facilities. Teaching in games is a strength that is enriched by the spacious indoor and outdoor facilities and plentiful resources available. For example, in an outdoor hockey lesson in Year 5, the teacher’s strong emphasis on teaching the skill of tackling and regaining the possession of the ball benefited from these resources. The quality of teaching and learning in dance was more variable and occasionally there was too little emphasis on aerobic activity and this limited the benefits to pupils’ health. Teachers develop the pupils’ social skills well though dance, however, and there are benefits to their spiritual development.

p.26

Commentary

77. Subject leadership is very effective; the subject leader has a clear vision of how the subject is to be developed and in a relatively short time she has built upon the existing strong provision across all strands of the subject. In particular, although practice was good, she is developing monitoring strategies to evaluate standards more systematically. The curriculum is very good and is enriched significantly by very good links with local schools. The curriculum and subsequently pupils’ learning are also extended substantially by the excellent range of extra- curricular clubs provided by the school. Staff make an immense contribution and the school makes good use of supportive community links to extend the activities available. Currently about two thirds of all pupils are involved in sports ranging from football and netball to dance and martial arts. In some year groups over 80 per cent of the pupils take part and the co-

p.26

Commentary

ordinator is keen to raise the level of overall participation to 75 per cent. Many pupils develop their skills to an above average standard as a result of their regular sporting activity and several reach even higher standards and participate in local clubs. Freegrounds Junior - 27

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

This area of the curriculum was sampled.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

78. No specific lessons were observed, but it is evident from seeing pupils as they conduct themselves around the school that relationships, mutual respect and self-confidence are strengths across all year groups. The curriculum for this area of learning is well developed and links closely with the very good provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. There is full inclusion, with pupils from different backgrounds and skills playing a full part in all aspects of school life. The school’s involvement in several award schemes brings enrichment to this area of learning, for example, the ‘Healthy Schools Award’. Such studies bring a wider dimension to the pupils’ learning and link their work in other subjects, for example, traffic surveys in geography, and this aids their understanding. Freegrounds Junior - 28

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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 2 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 2 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 1 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 2 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 1 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 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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