Shinfield St Mary's CofE Junior School

SHINFIELD ST MARY’S CE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 3 rd March 2004

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SHINFIELD ST MARY’S CE JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Shinfield St. Mary’s CE 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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SHINFIELD ST MARY’S CE 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. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Voluntary aided Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 221

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Chestnut Crescent Shinfield Reading Berkshire Postcode: RG2 9EJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0118 988 3663 Fax number: 0118 988 6138

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Shinfield St. Mary’s is a fairly large, voluntary aided Church of England junior school. There are 226 boys and girls on roll between the ages of 7 and 11 years. The school is in a village location, but the majority of the pupils come from South Reading, some distance from the school. Most pupils are from white British backgrounds, but there is a good mix of cultures and ethnicity. The next largest groups come from other white backgrounds and from Caribbean roots. There are also pupils from Indian, Pakistani and African origins. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average, but there are no pupils at the early stages of learning English. The proportion of pupils who need support for a range of learning and behavioural needs is above the national average. There are two pupils with statements to support their special needs, which is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who join at other times than the usual time of

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

entry is higher than would be normally expected. Most of these pupils join late in Years 5 or 6. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school in Year 3 is generally in line with expected levels. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23233 Jo Cheadle Lead inspector Science History Physical education English as an additional language 9103 Anita Strong Lay inspector 21547 Pearl White Team inspector English Art and design Music 32531 Sue Pearce Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Geography

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Altecq Education 102 Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7JX

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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 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). Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 5

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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 10

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 22

Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Shinfield St. Mary’s is an effective school where pupils achieve well. The headteacher’s good leadership, effective work of senior managers and efficient management of the school overall have ensured that improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory despite the obstacle of decreasing finances. Teaching is good overall, and a high proportion of very good teaching was observed during the inspection. The governors provide good support and advice for the school. The school achieves good value for the money it receives.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in mathematics are above the expected levels. • There is very effective provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Pupils’ personal and social skills are very well developed and they are effectively prepared for the next stages in education. • There is a real sense of team spirit and a commitment to improve, supported by very good partnerships with parents, the local community and other schools. • Finances have been well managed during a difficult period. • Standards in music are unsatisfactory by the end of Year 6. • Some co-ordinators are new to their roles and need time to have an impact on provision and standards.

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How the effectiveness of the school has changed since the last inspection

As a result of issues raised at the time of the previous inspection, the school has channelled finances into developing the provision for information and communication technology (ICT). Costs for this project have been far greater than first thought. Despite tight budgets, the school has maintained many strengths noted during the previous inspection and has made satisfactory improvements overall. • The school’s computer suite is of a good quality and overall provision for ICT is satisfactory. • Learning opportunities in physical education have improved. • Good provision for mathematics has been maintained. • The curriculum has been made more interesting and enjoyable for pupils. • The quality of teaching is better. • The school has thought carefully about future developments and made wise decisions for the future.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

Pupils achieve well overall and the majority attain standards that are in line with expected levels by the end of Year 6. Standards in mathematics and speaking are better than expected. When pupils begin at the school in Year 3, overall levels of attainment are broadly in line with national expectations. Literacy skills are less well developed than other aspects of pupils’ work and the school supports these needs effectively. In music, pupils do not reach the expected levels by the end Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 7 of Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs often achieve very well, to reach the levels expected by the end of Year 6. The school’s good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development encourages very positive attitudes. Some pupils need support to behave well at all times, but the school has a clear moral code that develops pupils’ good behaviour and well

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

developed social and personal skills. This contributes significantly to pupils’ good achievements. Attendance rates at the school, however, are unsatisfactory and too many holidays are taken in term time.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good education for its pupils. Teaching is good overall and has many very positive features. The school has a good curriculum. It is interesting for pupils and well enriched by a good range of extra activities that extend their learning. Pupils who need support for their learning difficulties are very well included. The school offers high levels of care and welfare to pupils to support their academic and personal development. Good provision is made for pupils who speak English as an additional language and the school is well aware of the special gifts and talents of individual pupils and does well to promote them. The school has very strong links with many parents, the community and with other schools that have a positive impact on developments and standards.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall quality of leadership and management is good . The headteacher leads the school well. There is a clear sense of purpose about the schools’ work and all staff know their roles in achieving the targets set for improvement. The roles of the deputy head and other key staff are carried out effectively. The leadership and management of the provision for special educational needs are very effective. Where co-ordinators are new they have had limited opportunities so far to influence standards, but there are clear action plans for development and improvement. Long-term developments and day-to-day business are carried out efficiently. Finances are well managed and the school has worked effectively to deal with past shortfalls in finances. Governors have taken a key role in planning future developments with the school concerning financial issues. They are knowledgeable and offer the school good support. Overall governance of the school is good.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are happy with the school. They appreciate that they are made to feel welcome. Many commented on the important role that the school secretary plays in encouraging good relations with them. They feel able to ask questions and make suggestions. Some felt that they would like more information about what their children are being taught and inspectors agree that this information could be improved. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the work they do.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The school has identified suitable areas for improvement in its development plan. The priorities within these areas are: • The role of new subject co-ordinators. • The provision for and standards in music. • Careful management of the budget. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils of all abilities achieve well and standards are in line with national expectations overall. Pupils who are supported for their individual learning and behavioural needs do particularly well. Standards in mathematics exceed the nationally expected level. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well in mathematics to reach standards that exceed national expectations. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. • Standards in speaking are good. • Pupils do not reach expected levels in writing by the end of Year 6. • Pupils have good skills in team games and sporting activities • Standards in music are below the nationally expected level by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

1. In national tests in 2003, the proportion of pupils gaining the expected level or above was better than the national average. Pupils enter school in Year 3 with the expected standards in mathematics, but the majority of pupils achieve well to reach standards that are better than would be expected by the end of Year 6. Pupils apply and use their number skills and learned strategies to solve problems effectively. They make good use of mathematics skills in other subjects.

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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 27.0 (25.1) 27.0 (27.0) mathematics 28.0(25.5) 27.0 (26.7) science 28.6 (27.5) 28.8 (28.3) There were 55 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. The school’s test results in English, mathematics and science are improving because very good support is given to pupils with special educational needs and lower attaining pupils to help them gain the nationally expected levels by the end of Year 6. The majority of pupils who are specifically supported for their individual learning and behavioural needs achieve very well. This means that even though these pupils start with low levels in Year 3, most will achieve the expected Level 4 by the end of Year 6.

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Commentary

3. When pupils start at the school, their literacy skills are not as strong as other aspects of their work. The school has targeted writing as a key area for development. While there is no significant difference in performance in English tests over time, the school has highlighted that boys need careful support strategies to help them achieve as well as girls. Motivating boys through interesting themes and resources is having a marked impact on their achievements. Speaking skills are well developed throughout the school and pupils become confident and accurate speakers. As pupils become increasingly more adept at expressing their ideas orally, their written work is becoming more creative and imaginative. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are given good opportunities and specific support to learn and use new vocabulary and achieve well in speaking English. While standards in Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 9

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Commentary

writing are below expected levels overall, there are clear signs that the school is working well to raise standards.

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Commentary

4. The school has focussed on developing the physical education curriculum since the previous inspection. Standards are in line with expected levels overall, but pupils have a strong grasp of the skills and concepts associated with team games and sporting challenge. They develop speed and accuracy with ball control and tactics, and school teams are becoming successful in competitions and team events. Girls and boys are equally enthusiastic to participate and train hard in after-school clubs. The school’s good outdoor accommodation benefits sporting activities.

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Commentary

5. Standards in the current Year 6 classes do not meet expectations in music because there has been a lack of consistency in the planning and delivery of the music curriculum in the past years. While all pupils now have equal access to all aspects of the subject, pupils in Year 6 have little time to revisit skills that they should have acquired in earlier year groups. Standards are improving lower down the school and this is a positive indicator for better outcomes in Year 6 in the future.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well with the result that they develop very positive attitudes to learning, good social and personal skills and behave well. Attendance at the school is below the national average and is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ enthusiastic attitudes contribute very effectively to their learning. • Good social and personal development throughout the school promotes pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. • Cultural provision is a very well developed and fully integrated aspect of the curriculum. • Attendance is below average because some pupils take holidays during term time.

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Commentary

6. Pupils enjoy coming to school and talk animatedly about what they like best. They enjoy being challenged and having responsibility. They respond well to praise and work hard to achieve certificates and medals. In lessons pupils’ attitudes are very good. They show enthusiasm, listen carefully, respond immediately and relate well to each other. Standards of behaviour throughout the school are good. Over the last few years the intake has changed considerably and pupils come from much further afield than the local village. The headteacher and staff have worked hard to ensure that expectations about behaviour are clear. Provision for pupils’ moral development is good. All pupils are taught the difference between right and wrong and as a result they behave well in lessons and break times. Each class contributes to its own set of classroom rules at the beginning of the year. Staff encourage pupils to discuss social

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Commentary

and moral issues which in turn enables them to have a very clear understanding of what constitutes good citizenship. This is preparing them well for later life.

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Commentary

7. Provision for pupils’ social development is good. Pupils gain an awareness of the needs of others through supporting a number of charities and local community events. They have a strong sense of fairness and look after each other well. Relationships between all members of the school community are good. Pupils run their own class and school council meetings with little support from their teachers. They develop their personal and social skills and awareness through residential trips.

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Commentary

8. Cultural development throughout the school is very good. Pupils are given many opportunities to experience other lifestyles and faiths. They define and talk maturely about the cultures that they have studied. Cultural understanding is promoted well through many subjects and a number of visitors to school. The school celebrates the representative cultures of its pupils Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 10 and staff and a number of them welcomed inspectors in their own first language. This was preceded by a spiritually moving Maori Hakka ceremony conducted as the inspectors entered the school. The school makes good provision for pupils’ spiritual development. Throughout the school pupils are given the opportunity to reflect on what they have seen or heard. Teachers value pupil’s ideas and contributions to lessons, which in turn develop feelings of self-worth.

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Commentary

9. Attendance remains unsatisfactory in spite of the very rigorous monitoring by the school. Authorised and unauthorised absences continue to be mainly due to holidays persistently taken in term time. Registration meets all requirements and the pupils are eager to begin work.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) 2002/3 Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 5.8 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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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 178 1 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality education where good teaching, high levels of care and regard for pupils’ health and safety, very good links with parents, the local community and other schools and a strong ethos effectively support pupils’ achievements.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching is good and pupils learn well. Teachers make satisfactory use of assessment information to plan for learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is very good in Year 6. • Setting arrangements have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and achievement in mathematics and English. • Pupils with special educational needs are taught very effectively. • Teachers successfully emphasise the development of speaking skills. • Writing skills are not as well taught as other aspects of English. • Assessment information is not consistently well used to plan learning.

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Commentary

10. Consistency in the quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection and many examples of very good teaching and learning were observed. Teaching is most often very good in Year 6 and this is of particular value to pupils who join later than in Year 3 and need Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 11 continually good learning experiences to catch up with work they have missed before moving to secondary school. In all classes, teachers and support staff have very good relationships with pupils and this encourages good learning attitudes and a supportive working environment. In the unsatisfactory lessons observed, best use was not made of teaching assistants to encourage effective learning for groups of pupils and the teacher needed more time to develop better classroom management. The school is providing good support to iron out these issues, but as yet there have been few opportunities for the teacher concerned to

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Commentary

observe lessons taught by the most successful teachers at the school.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 24 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 lessons.

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Commentary

11. Setting arrangements for English and mathematics have a positive impact on how well pupils learn. For these sessions assessment information is well used to plan work at a suitable level for each ability group, ensuring that pupils are able to succeed, but challenging them suitably to move forward in their learning. As the school’s intake has changed and the breadth of pupils’ attainment levels has widened on entry to Year 3, the setting arrangements are enabling teachers to carefully focus on a narrower range of ability in each group and learning is more effective as a result. Teachers’ use of assessment in other classes and for other subjects lacks the sharpness of assessment in English and mathematics. This was generally the case when teaching and learning were graded as satisfactory.

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Commentary

12. Teachers who work with pupils with special educational needs, or lower attaining pupils from English and mathematics set groups are very effective in their work. They make very good use of effective working strategies and programmes to keep pupils interested, help them to learn skills and support their progress in small steps. Good use is made of learning support assistants in these groups to allow really focussed attention to small groups of pupils or individuals. Pupils benefit greatly from these sessions and return to class feeling a real sense of achievement. When pupils who speak English as an additional language are supported in this way, the specialist teacher focuses very well on learning new vocabulary and structuring answers accurately. This supports pupils in all of their work and helps them to achieve well. The targeted group of boys who work with the specialist mathematics teacher not only

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Commentary

improve their basic numeracy skills, but also extend their spoken language skills when posing and answering questions. Teaching and learning arranged in this way ensures that all pupils are included in the full range of curriculum opportunities.

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Commentary

13. Throughout the school, teachers place good emphasis on the development of speaking skills and this encourages good progress on weak starting levels. Pupils are consistently encouraged to talk through their ideas, clarify what they want to say, refine the contributions they make and present a polished response. Grammar and pronunciation inaccuracies are earnestly checked and pupils model teachers’ examples. This encourages good standards by the end of Year 6, even for the majority of pupils who do not speak English as their first language. The development of writing is not yet as methodical, but the model for developing speaking is more often being used by teachers to ensure better standards. In the best lessons, writing grew and developed from a planning stage through to a final presentation in the same small steps as spoken language development. Pupils were encouraged to mull through their ideas in any sort of planning format, make decisions about the most effective

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Commentary

content, draft and edit their work and present a finished example. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 12

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum is good. A good range of extra-curricular activities enriches pupils’ learning. Resources and accommodation are satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • A good range of extra curricular activities enriches the curriculum. • Personal, social and health education is good and is an integral part of the curriculum. • Some areas of the internal accommodation appear shabby.

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Commentary

14. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Specialist teaching of pupils with specific learning, emotional and behavioural difficulties in both literacy and numeracy enables pupils to learn very effectively. The specialist accommodation is very well resourced and very welcoming. The provision impacts significantly on overall standards in numeracy and literacy across the school. Effective provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language ensures that they reach the standards they should.

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Commentary

15. The curriculum focuses very well on pupils’ personal, social and health development alongside academic aspects of learning and this in turn encourages pupils’ good achievement overall. Circle time 1 and personal, social and health education lessons are regularly planned and good links are made through other subjects. The curriculum gives emphasis to developing pupils’ thinking skills through suitably challenging discussions and activities. This work prepares them well for later stages of education.

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Commentary

16. Opportunities for enrichment both during the school day and in after school clubs and activities are very good. The school has links with local businesses, church and surrounding community as well as Reading Football Club and Twickenham Rugby Club. The curriculum is well planned. It meets all statutory requirements and is enriched by a good range of visits and visitors to school. The school uses a wide range of outside resources such as visiting poets, police officers, theatre groups, musicians and members of the community. A commonwealth teacher exchange and a cultural visit to Barbados by another member of staff have further enhanced the curriculum.

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Commentary

17. While the school’s accommodation is satisfactory overall and classrooms are mainly well presented, some open corridor areas appear shabby and in need of a coat of paint. The school hall is a walkway between classrooms and the office area and is very cold on occasions. The outside environment is very pleasant and enhances pupils’ curricular opportunities. It provides two climbing areas, a large quiet area with attractive gardens and two seating areas that provide shelter. Year 6 have their own playground which they value greatly. There is a large playing field leading onto open countryside, both assets to the curriculum in many respects. The new ICT suite is of a good quality and provides pupils with access to 30 computers.

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Care, guidance and support

Pupils are well cared for and supported effectively in their academic and personal development. They are provided with good opportunities to contribute to school developments.

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Care, guidance and support

1 During Circle Time pupils discuss a wide a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and therefore pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference or interruption from other children. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 13

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are happy to come to school and are very well looked after. • Staff show good levels of care and concern to all groups of pupils, so that the school is very inclusive in its practice and procedures. • Good support from staff for developing personal and social skills is helping the children to understand what it means to be a good citizen. • Academic progress is well tracked to ensure that pupils achieve well over time.

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Commentary

18. The school looks after all its pupils very well. Procedures for monitoring individual progress are effective. This school can be justifiably proud that its Christian ethos is reflected in the very caring support it gives to all its pupils. Absence is rigorously followed up and through consistent implementation of agreed methods there has been a marked improvement in behaviour in the school after a period of time when behaviour became a concern. Child protection procedures are very good and all the staff are clear about what to do if they have concerns. The educational welfare officer and other agencies provide strong support when required. There is a very strict policy for the administration of medicines and all staff have received training in first aid. The Healthy Schools Project is now an influential part of the school’s everyday life. Provision for health and safety is good overall and there are detailed

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Commentary

risk assessments carried out including all school visits.

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Commentary

19. The school is sensitive to pupils’ views and feelings and takes good account of them. Pupils are able to express emotions, concerns and ideas in planned lessons and through the school and class councils. Annual reports comment clearly on personal development and citizenship and pupils are confident to express their likes and dislikes about school. Individual certificates, rewards and house points promote both individual self-esteem and responsibility to others. There is a very good induction programme for pupils joining the school in Year 3. Pupils joining at other times are effectively supported and settle quickly. Parents of pupils transferring into the school from other areas say their children have been made very welcome. The breakfast club and the after school club have both proved very successful and provide further opportunity for the pupils from both schools to work and play together.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has established very good links with parents and works hard to establish productive links with all parents. Links with other schools and colleges are very good. Pupils benefit from very effective use of the wider community.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The majority of parents have very positive views of the school. • The school works very hard to ensure its place in the community and benefits from strengthening links with other schools and colleges. • While there are regular communications with parents, the team supports the view of those parents who would like more information on their children’s future curriculum.

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Commentary

20. The school has worked hard to create a very strong partnership with parents and very effective links with the community. All parents who shared their views during the inspection expressed high levels of satisfaction with the school. They trust the staff to deal with the care of their child at school and praise the 'open door' policy. They say that their children are happy, enjoy the after school clubs and have confidence in their teachers dealing with any bullying. The school produces two reports a year, a well-detailed annual report and a report of achievement in February. However, a small number of parents felt that they would like more Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 14 information on their child’s curriculum and the inspection team supports this view. The school has sought parents’ views and suggestions on specific matters.

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Commentary

21. A significant number of parents help regularly in the school. The parents and teachers association is a small, hard working group who organise fundraising events. More than two thirds of families live at some distance on the north side of the motorway that runs near the school. While this must sometimes cause problems or inconvenience to attend all school events, the team found no evidence of it having any negative effect on the quality of the partnership. The school has very strong links with the local church where special services are held. A group of pupils attend the parish annual meeting and talk about their school. The school has positive links with a local business, and the choir was invited to sing in the local shopping area. There are very good procedures in place for preparing pupils in Year 6 for the next stage of their education. These are aided by the very successful relationships with other

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Commentary

schools and colleges. The school competes with others in sport and has an important partnership with the local university.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall leadership of the school is good and the work of the school is suitably managed. School governance is good overall. There are minor omissions from the Governors’ Annual Report to parents.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides strong leadership for the school and is ably supported by her deputy. • There is a strong drive for improvement shared by all staff, which is enabling the school to make satisfactory improvements despite budget constraints. • Staff have a high commitment to equal opportunity and meeting the needs of all pupils. • Leadership and management of mathematics and special educational needs are very effective and, as a consequence, pupils’ individual needs are very well met. • The governing body supports the school well. • Some co-ordinators are new to their roles and have had little time to influence standards.

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Commentary

22. The headteacher has a clear vision, built on the aim of involving all children in all aspects of school life. She communicates this strong commitment to inclusion issues effectively to all staff. Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language and for pupils with special educational needs are very well led and managed. The headteacher successfully motivates both staff and pupils to work as a mutually supportive team. The deputy head ably supports the headteacher and has a positive influence on pupils’ learning and achievements, particularly in Year 6 where she provides a good role model for other teachers. Senior managers have a good impact on the work of the school because they motivate staff and pupils to give of their best. As a result, there is an atmosphere of friendship and trust between pupils and staff and a very obvious commitment to improve.

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Commentary

23. The school runs smoothly. Procedures are clear and generally followed. There is an up-to- date management plan that outlines the school’s priorities for development. As yet, however, the plan is not being closely monitored to ensure that all decisions taken and action implemented is resulting in improved standards. The finances the school receives are managed well. However, due to major issues with a difficult building project for the new computer suite and an unexpected fall in numbers due to transport arrangements for pupils outside of the village, the school has a deficit budget approved by the local authority, with a three-year plan to clear the over spend. This situation has been well managed by the school and governors. All staff have shared in the responsibility of tightening the belt . Everyone realises however, that the recent lack of funds has limited the opportunities for some subject

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Commentary

leaders to fulfil their roles fully and implement planned developments to raise standards Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 15 further. In the circumstances the school has done well to continue to improve and raise standards in the core subjects.

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Commentary

24. Performance management has been successfully implemented and all staff are given targets to work towards. However, budget constraints have also meant that there have been limited opportunities for teachers to develop their subject expertise by attending training courses where a cost is involved. Prudent budgeting this year has meant that the end-of-year deficit has not increased, however, money will be tight in the immediate future. Continued lack of funds is a barrier to the school’s development to raise standards further.

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Commentary

25. The governing body is well organized and effective in its work. Governors are committed to the continuing development of the school and have planned carefully and worked very hard to bring increased benefits by changing its status to ‘voluntary aided’. Information about the school's performance in the national testing programme is shared with the governors to ensure that they have a good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Governors visit the school regularly and offer good support. For example, the governor responsible for finance has been very closely involved with monitoring the budget during a crisis period and the deficit is quickly reducing. The governor responsible for special educational needs meets regularly with the co-ordinator to monitor pupils’ progress. Governors apply the principles of best value well. Governors agree the school’s main priorities for development, but as yet are not fully involved in formulating them with the school.

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Commentary

They are acutely aware of what developments are needed, but the impact of changes made is not yet consistently evaluated in relation to how standards are improving as a result. The Governors’ Annual report to parents omits to present test results for the school alongside national averages.

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Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 584,252.30 Balance from previous year 2,771 Total expenditure 594,192.67 Balance carried forward to the next -9,941 Expenditure per pupil 2,595 Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Speaking skills are developed well across the curriculum. • Teaching is good overall and leads to good learning in lessons. • Pupils have good attitudes to the subject and enjoy their lessons.

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Commentary

26. Standards in English are in line with national expectations. The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected level or better in Year 6 tests is similar to the national average. Throughout the school, pupils achieve well in English and make good gains on their starting levels, particularly in speaking. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well and many reach the expected level by the end of Year 6 despite low starting levels. Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve equally as well as all others.

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Commentary

27. Pupils’ speaking is good. Throughout the school, teachers work hard to ensure that pupils are given good opportunities to develop these skills and this encourages effective learning. Pupils are confident and keen to speak out in lessons. They are learning to use sophisticated vocabulary and, in a very good lesson in Year 6, pupils expressed themselves clearly when presenting a persuasive argument.

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Commentary

28. Pupils achieve well in reading and standards are good. The co-ordinator analyses reading test data well to identify the aspects of reading that pupils find most difficult. Setting arrangements throughout the school make good use of this information to group pupils accurately and plan the most beneficial work for them. These arrangements are having a positive impact on standards. Higher-attaining pupils are provided with good challenge and lower-attaining pupils are effectively supported to achieve well. Pupils enjoy reading and understand its importance in all aspects of their learning.

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Commentary

29. Standards in writing are lower than would be expected by the end of Year 6. This is because far more pupils now have lower starting points and there are more pupils who need support for the special educational needs in language. Teaching focuses effectively on developing speaking and reading skills to influence standards in writing and this supports pupils overall achievements and prepares them well for the challenges of secondary school. Higher attaining pupils achieve the levels expected of them, but there are too few higher attaining writers to influence overall levels in this aspect of English. The school is aware of the need to track standards of pupils’ writing across the school to identify areas of weakness that can be included in future planning and raise standards further.

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Commentary

30. The quality of teaching overall is good and in Year 6 teaching is very good. This consistency encourages good learning throughout the school. Teachers are confident and have a knowledgeable approach. Teachers plan interesting lessons that assist pupils to view learning as an enjoyable task and they have fun in their studies. Teachers explain clearly what pupils are to learn in the lesson and, because pupils understand what is expected of them, they make good progress. For example, in a good lesson, pupils enjoyed the challenge of matching sentences they had written to particular pictures. Teachers are very aware of the variety of ways in which pupils learn and, throughout the school, different teaching styles are used to help pupils make good progress. Learning is reviewed well at the end of lessons, so that pupils see for themselves how much progress they have made. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 17

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Commentary

31. Overall leadership and management of English are good, because the school has supported developments through the combined work of the co-ordinator and other senior managers. There has been satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection. However, teaching and learning have not been monitored in all classes as yet, so the impact of developments can not be fully evaluated through the whole school. Resources have improved and have been targeted at areas of need, for example, books to engage boys’ interest in reading have been purchased.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

32. English language and literacy skills are developed suitably through other subjects. Good opportunities for pupils to develop speaking and listening skills are a primary focus of many lessons. For example, in a mathematics lesson pupils were encouraged to use appropriate vocabulary to describe how they had solved money problems. Pupils enjoy reading, and teachers plan many opportunities for them to do so in many aspects of the curriculum. However, teachers do not consistently highlight the importance of writing in all subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. • Teaching is effective so that pupils learn well in lessons and achieve standards that are above expected levels by the end of Year 6. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to the subject. • The tracking of pupils’ progress by class teachers is inconsistent.

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Commentary

33. By the end of Year 6 standards are better than the expected levels because the quality of teaching and learning across the key stage is good. The majority of pupils achieve well on their starting levels. Lower attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs often achieve very well as a result of very successful specialist teaching. The successful use of setting for mathematics is enabling a close match of work to pupils’ prior levels and suitable challenge for all groups. Standards are maintained at high levels as a result.

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Commentary

34. Pupils with special educational needs in mathematics benefit from having good individual educational plans. Pupils’ success is measured effectively against carefully set individual targets, which are recorded in their own assessment book. This is very good practice and enables pupils to track their own progress and focus on what they need to do to reach the next target. The teacher also ensures that the targets are challenging but within reach, skilfully reinforcing pupils’ self-confidence, making them feel good about themselves.

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Commentary

35. Overall the quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and use effective teaching methods and resources and make good use of time in order to ensure pupils work hard and achieve well. Pupils enjoy mathematics and have very good attitudes in lessons. They respond very well to their teachers and are given many opportunities to articulate their thinking as they develop their own strategies for problem solving.

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Commentary

36. Pupils’ progress is tracked over time by the co-ordinator, but not all teachers consistently carry such careful assessments to inform their own planning. All pupils, however, have individual targets for improvement.

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Commentary

37. Leadership and management of the subject are good. Having audited provision the co- ordinator has a secure understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of mathematics Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 18 across the school. She has been able to monitor teaching, working alongside a local education authority adviser for the subject. Detailed analyses of optional test questions have been completed and findings shared with teachers so that necessary changes in planning can be implemented for individuals and set groups.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

38. Mathematic skills are used well in other subjects. In Year 4, pupils accurately read the scales when measuring force on a Newton meter. In a Year 5 geography lesson, pupils interpret bar charts and line graphs when comparing the climates of India and the United Kingdom. They suggest reasons for the rise and fall of the chart, using appropriate mathematical language.

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SCIENCE

Provision in science is satisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is well led and managed. • Developments are restricted by tight budgets. • Teaching in lessons during the inspection was of a good quality. • Investigative skills are well supported by the whole school approach to developing thinking skills.

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Commentary

39. Standards in science are in line with expected levels and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. This is a maintained picture since the previous inspection. The subject co- ordinator has a very clear understanding of the curriculum requirements and standards expected. He has developed the curriculum well by working with colleagues from other schools and personal contacts. A development plan for improvements to the science provision has been constructed effectively and the focus on investigation skills has been a major focus area. Leadership and management of the subject are good.

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Commentary

40. Despite good development planning, actual improvements have been hindered by a lack of money over recent years. There have been limited opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor standards in teaching and learning throughout the school due to the lack of funds to cover his own teaching commitments. Resources, which are adequate at present, have not been updated of late. Subject strengths are being maintained, but developments to ensure that weaknesses are overcome are slower in implementation.

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Commentary

41. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, but examples of good teaching were observed during the inspection. In these lessons, pupils made good progress because the content of lessons was interesting, challenge was stimulating and work was well matched to their levels. Good collaboration skills are encouraged through science work and a range of work with partners and discussions within a group add interest for pupils. In other lessons where teaching was satisfactory, pupils spent too long explaining and writing about what they thought would happen in an experiment rather than actually carrying out the test.

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Commentary

42. Investigative skills are effectively promoted by the general ethos of the school that encourages inquisitive attitudes and promotes thinking skills. Pupils are taught to ask questions, make suggestions, create hypotheses, think of explanations and be imaginative in their ideas through personal and social education, English, mathematics and a range of other subjects. These attitudes benefit pupils’ science work, especially in Year 6, because pupils try to see beyond the obvious. Good links with a local secondary school serve to extend these investigation skills and this is a strong aspect of pupils’ achievements.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 19 Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new computer suite has significantly improved the school’s provision for ICT. • The coordinator has a good understanding of her role and responsibilities and these are improving standards. • Some teachers require additional support in using the computer suite, new software and other ICT resources.

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Commentary

43. Standards in ICT meet national expectations and achievement is satisfactory. Much of this has happened since the appointment of the new coordinator last year and the opening of the ICT suite. These improvements are having a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes and interest in the subject. The coordinator has a good understanding of the subject and leads it well. Together with the local education authority adviser she has reviewed provision across the whole school. Strengths and weaknesses have been identified and a detailed action plan produced to enable further improvements and raise standards. This has brought about good improvement since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

44. The new ICT suite is a purpose built room, which provides 30 computers along with an interactive whiteboard. It is of a good quality and complements teachers’ growing confidence and skills with ICT to ensure pupils’ better standards of achievement and attainment. Some staff are still developing their ICT skills and require continued support to use the new suite and the good range of software available to them. The co-ordinator has the necessary skills and knowledge to support her colleagues effectively.

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Commentary

45. Good systems for assessing pupils’ learning in ICT are now being developed. Pupils record their self-assessment alongside teacher assessment in their individual record books. This promotes independence and gives pupils a clearer understanding of their own progress over time.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

46. Good opportunities to use ICT skills are now more regularly used to promote learning in other subjects. Pupils across the school access a variety of programs to gain knowledge and improve the presentation of their work. Pupils make good use of the Internet to support learning in other subjects. The e-beam resource enables classroom whiteboards to become digitally interactive and is put to good use in supporting the teaching of mathematics and other subjects.

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Geography

Provision in geography is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The new coordinator is enthusiastic and has made suitable improvements to the overall provision since her appointment. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 20

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Commentary

47. Standards in geography meet national expectations and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. Satisfactory improvements have been made in the subject since the since the appointment of a new coordinator in September. She has sound knowledge of the curriculum and enthusiasm to drive the subject forward. A subject audit revealed a lack of resources for some topics, but resources for the subject are currently satisfactory. This is an improvement since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

48. One geography lesson was observed. Little evidence of pupils’ work was available because geography is taught during the second half of the academic year. However, Year 6 pupils have good recall of mapping skills and demonstrate a clear understanding of the water cycle, which is part of their current river study topic, indicating that for these pupils, teaching and learning is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils gain exciting hands on experience of historical periods. • The curriculum is effectively enriched by the use of visitors to the school.

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Commentary

49. Standards in history are in line with nationally expected levels and pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. Pupils learn well in lessons where a very good range of historical artefacts is available for pupils to look at and use. The artefacts enable pupils to gain hands on experience of what it was like to cook with rationed food, work as an air raid patrol warden or dress as a Roman soldier, for example. This type of learning promotes positive attitudes and a solid base of historical knowledge.

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Commentary

50. The school makes good use of visiting speakers and presenters to enrich the history curriculum. Visitors with very good subject specialisms are instrumental in developing a knowledge and understanding of history that is broader than curriculum requirements. Teaching, which is generally satisfactory, is very well supported by this expert contribution, and learning, which is satisfactory overall, excels when the school makes use of such opportunities to enrich the curriculum. Leadership and management are satisfactory and the co-ordinator leads these developments suitably within the constraints of the school’s tight budget.

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Art and design and design and technology

51. Neither subject was fully evaluated during the inspection due to timetabling issues and a lack of time. Planning documents and discussions with pupils indicate that statutory coverage requirements of the National Curriculum are met. There is a new co-ordinator for art and design, who is very keen to raise the profile of art and improve standards throughout the school. Linking with other schools in the area, she organized well a whole-school art project that contributed greatly to pupils’ cultural development. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 21

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Music

Provision in music is unsatisfactory overall.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards at the end of Year 6 are lower than expected levels. • The subject co-ordinator has a clear understanding of where strengths and weaknesses lie, but little opportunity to influence improvements at present.

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Commentary

52. Standards in music are lower than expected levels by the end of Year 6 and achievement is unsatisfactory. Discussions with pupils show that they have had few opportunities for composing their own music. From lessons seen and discussions with pupils, standards in other year groups are broadly in line with expectations. Only two music lessons were seen. In one good lesson the teacher identified clear steps for learning to ensure that pupils created interesting melodies. Pupils responded well and played these successfully using a variety of percussion instruments. They made good progress in creating a repetitive musical pattern. Singing is taught suitably in assembly and at the school choir practices and standards are satisfactory. In an after-school club pupils enjoyed composing a short melody on tuned percussion instruments to create different moods.

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Commentary

53. A new co-ordinator has recently been appointed who is keen to raise standards across the school and is capable of doing so. The provision has already improved since her appointment and there has been satisfactory improvement overall since the previous inspection. However, staff lack confidence in teaching this subject and so far the co-ordinator has had limited opportunity to influence teaching and learning in the school in order to improve standards.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in team games and competitive sports are good. • The subject is very well led and managed. • There are good opportunities to practise skills beyond lessons and promote positive attitudes.

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Commentary

54. Since the appointment of the current co-ordinator, the profile of physical education at the school has grown enormously. The subject is led and managed with a professional and enthusiastic approach that motivates pupils to train hard and give of their best. This is especially obvious in their commitment to the game of tag rugby. The school team competes in league matches and boys and girls alike are proud of their achievements. Last year, players were invited to Twickenham Rugby ground to play. This was the highlight of a successful match year. Standards in team games are better than would be expected for pupils of this age.

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Commentary

55. Overall standards in physical education meet national expectations and, as a result of more consistently effective learning, pupils’ achievements are good. The programme of study includes all elements of the curriculum, including swimming, although not all year groups have the chance to swim regularly due to the cost of transport. After school clubs and lunchtime practice sessions provide good opportunities for pupils to extend and consolidate their skills. Pupils have very positive attitudes to physical activities and enjoy making use of the school’s extensive grounds. Shinfield St. Mary’s CE Junior School - 22

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 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 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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