West Byfleet Junior School

WEST BYFLEET JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 th – 26 th February 2004

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WEST BYFLEET JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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WEST BYFLEET 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. West Byfleet Junior School - 1

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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: 235

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Camphill Road West Byfleet Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01932) 348 961 Fax number: (01932) 356 492

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr Keith Creswell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 8 th June 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is an average-sized primary school with 235 pupils on roll. It is situated at the edge of West Byfleet and it draws most pupils from the immediate area of West Byfleet and New Haw. Pupils come from a wide range of backgrounds but overall their socio-economic background is more favourable than that found nationally. The proportion of pupils known to be entitled to free school meals (four per cent) is below the national average. Pupils are predominantly of white UK heritage. The small proportion of pupils with English as an additional language (five per cent) are fluent English speakers. Most pupils join the school from the Infant school that shares the same site. Attainment on entry is good. Pupils join with above average literacy and numeracy skills. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs (19 per cent) is average. Five pupils have statements of special educational need.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school received Investors in People award in 2003 and it received a school achievement award in 2002. West Byfleet Junior School - 2

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23744 Peter Howlett Lead inspector Mathematics Geography History Physical education 8986 Philip Andrew Lay inspector 31075 Daphne Harris Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Special educational needs 3574 Kanaljit Singh Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Music Religious education English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Tribal PPI Barley House Oakfield Grove Clifton Bristol BS8 2BN

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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 637 833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). West Byfleet Junior School - 3

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 6 - 10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10 - 15

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is an effective school. The school provides good quality education and the quality of teaching and learning is good. Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science but are not high enough in the humanities. The school is well led and managed. Financial management is good and ensures the school provides good value for money .

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. • The quality of teaching is good overall and good in English, mathematics and science. • The headteacher and deputy headteacher together give very strong and positive leadership. • Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and achieve well in English and mathematics. • The school could do more to raise the achievement of higher attaining pupils. • Pupils should achieve higher standards in history, geography and religious education. • Pupils’ behaviour, relationships and attitudes to their schoolwork are very good. • The school fosters and promotes effectively pupils’ very good personal development. • Assessment in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT) is good but it is unsatisfactory in other subjects. • The governing body makes a good contribution to the work of the school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection is broadly satisfactory. The issues raised then have been dealt with effectively. However, the school has found it hard to maintain the good standards evidenced at the last inspection because of difficulties in recruiting staff. The overall trend in the national test results in Year 6 has been below the national trend of improvement, primarily as a result of the sharp fall in results in English and mathematics in 2003. The results in 2003 were unusually low for the school. Inspection evidence confirms that the school has reversed the downward trend and that standards are higher in the current Year 6. Whilst standards in some subjects are below those at the time of the last inspection, the school under the current leadership is well placed to improve further.

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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 A B C C mathematics A B D D science A 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

Overall achievement is satisfactory. Pupils achieve well in English, and standards are well above average in speaking and listening, and above average in reading and writing. Achievement in mathematics and science is satisfactory and standards are above average. Standards in ICT are average but are steadily improving and achievement is satisfactory. Standards in religious education, history and geography are average but pupils’ achievement is not as good as it could be. Pupils’ achievement in other subjects is generally satisfactory. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and their achievement is good in English and mathematics. The achievement of the higher attaining pupils is broadly satisfactory but sometimes not enough is expected of them, West Byfleet Junior School - 5 particularly those who are gifted and talented. The small number of pupils whose mother tongue is not English achieve as well as their peers.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal development is very good as a result of the school’s very good provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are happy at school and show real interest in their work. They behave very well in class and at playtimes, and their relationships with one another are very good . Attendance and punctuality are good . These personal qualities make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality education . The curriculum is broad and balanced and is enriched by a good range of extra-curricular activities. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teaching in English, mathematics and science is good but there are shortcomings in the teaching of the humanities. There are many strengths in teaching that have a positive impact on pupils’ learning, including very good management of pupils, effective planning of lessons, the good range of teaching methods, the way in which the pupils are made aware of their own learning and the support for the lower attaining pupils. In most lessons, pupils respond very well to their teachers, listen attentively and apply themselves well to their tasks. The main shortcoming is the failure at times to stretch the more able pupils. There are effective systems for tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics, science and ICT but not in other subjects. The school’s accommodation is

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

very good and resources for learning are good. Procedures to ensure the care and welfare of pupils are good. Very good partnership with parents underpins the good teaching in the school.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The school is well led and managed. The headteacher has high aspirations for the school and, in partnership with the deputy headteacher, provides very positive and strong leadership. Teamwork is good. The school is well organised and runs smoothly. Whilst the school has a clear agenda for improvement and has set out some long-term goals, there is no effective longer-term whole-school strategic plan to show how these are to be achieved. The school has a number of effective procedures to monitor its work and check how well it is doing. The use of assessment data to evaluate pupils’ progress is good. Governors are well informed, committed and supportive of the school and ensure that statutory requirements are met. Finances are managed prudently.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Most parents and pupils view the school positively. Parents have confidence in the leadership of the school. They feel they are welcomed in the school and are kept well informed. Pupils like and support their school and report being treated fairly. A minority of pupils report that some other pupils do not always behave as well as they should.

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

• Raise pupils’ achievement in history, geography and religious education. • Ensure that the more able pupils are sufficiently challenged. • Build upon the good developments in assessment. West Byfleet Junior School - 6

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Standards achieved in subjects

Overall achievement is satisfactory. Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards are generally as expected in other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average. • Standards in ICT are improving; although average in Year 6, they are above average in Years 3 and 4. • Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills and standards are well above those typically found nationally. • Pupils’ achievement in the humanities (religious education, history, geography) is not as good as it should be. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in English and mathematics. • The more able pupils achieve satisfactorily but more could be done to extend them further.

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Commentary

1. When pupils start school in Year 3, there is a wide spread of attainment. Standards on entry vary from year to year but generally they are above average in English and mathematics. In most years, results in the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 2 for the group of pupils starting in Year 3 are above average.

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Commentary

2. The table below shows that results in the 2003 tests for Year 6 pupils were average in English and science but below average in mathematics. The overall trend in results in the past five years has been below the national trend of improvement. This is primarily as a result of the sharp fall in results in English and mathematics in 2003. The results in 2003 were unusually low for the school. The percentage of pupils achieving above the expected Level 4 was close to national averages in the three subjects. The performance of girls in the English and mathematics tests was not as good as that of boys.

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Commentary

3. The results in the 2003 tests need to be placed in a proper context. Test results for this group of pupils at the end of Year 2 show that their overall attainment on entry to the school was broadly in line with the national picture. The 2003 results when compared to the results for the same pupils at the end of Year 2 indicate satisfactory achievement in English and science but unsatisfactory achievement in mathematics. Results in English and science tests were average when compared with those for similar schools (schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2), although below average in mathematics.

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Commentary

4. Analysis of the school’s performance in the national tests results over the past five years gives a more accurate picture than the performance in 2003. In English and mathematics, results in the national tests in each of the four years prior to 2003 were above or well above average. In science, results over the same period were well above average for three years, followed by a sharp fall to below average in 2002 and recovering to match the national average in 2003. West Byfleet Junior School - 7 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 (28.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 26.2 (26.8) 27.9 (26.7) science 28.7 (28.6) 27.8 (28.3) There were 62 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Commentary

5. Inspection evidence confirms that the school has reversed the downward trend in standards in English, mathematics and science as evidenced by the national test results. Standards in English, mathematics and science are above average by Year 6. Standards are average in ICT, religious education, history, geography, design and technology, and music. No judgement was made on standards in physical education. Whilst the school has maintained standards in English and mathematics since the last inspection, there has been some decline in overall standards in science, history, geography, and design and technology.

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Commentary

6. Despite the results in the 2003 national tests and the relative decline in standards in some subjects since the last inspection, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. The school has rectified the weaknesses in provision inherited by the present management, particularly as regards the quality of teaching and difficulties with the recruitment of staff. Uncertainties in management and staffing difficulties had left a legacy of some underachievement. The good quality teaching and strong leadership focused on raising standards contribute to pupils’ improving achievement.

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Commentary

7. Pupils achieve well in English. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills, encouraging them to present their ideas and responses clearly. The school provides a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop their writing and reading skills in English lessons, although there are missed opportunities to develop further their writing skills in history, geography and religious education. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory by Year 6 in mathematics, science and ICT but with good teaching it is improving in other year groups.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ achievement in religious education, history and geography is not good enough. Pupils do not cover work in these subjects in sufficient depth. The range of written activities is not extensive enough to sufficiently develop pupils’ knowledge and skills to a level appropriate to their capabilities. Pupils are achieving well in design and technology, and satisfactorily in other subjects.

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Commentary

9. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in English and mathematics, given their starting points on entry to the school. The achievement of the higher attaining pupils is broadly satisfactory but sometimes not enough is expected of them, particularly those who are gifted and talented. The proportion of pupils who achieve above the expected levels in the national tests is not as high as might be expected, given their starting points. In the light of girls’ underachievement in the national tests in 2003 (only 60 per cent achieved the expected levels in English and mathematics), a particular focus for the inspection was the performance of the girls. No significant differences in the overall rates of achievement were noticed.

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Commentary

10. There are a small number of pupils whose mother tongue is not English. All these pupils, apart from one new pupil, are fluent in English and access the curriculum fully. All these pupils, with West Byfleet Junior School - 8 the one exception, make similar progress as their peers and their standards of attainment are on a par with the more capable or average ability pupils.

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Commentary

11. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to develop their writing across the curriculum but the school needs to develop this aspect develop further in the humanities. The use of ICT and numeracy in other subjects is satisfactory but the school recognises the need for further development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils are enthusiastic about school and have very good attitudes towards their work. Their behaviour in and out of classrooms is very good . Their personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, is also very good . Their attendance is good . These personal qualities make an effective contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils possess a high level of interest in their school life. • Pupils are confident and have high levels of self-esteem and self-confidence. • Relationships and behaviour are very good. • Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are very good, due to very good staff role models and a high level of respect shown to all pupils. • Attendance and punctuality are good.

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Commentary

12. Pupils like school. They behave very well and contribute to making the school the friendly, welcoming and harmonious place it is. These are similar to the findings of the last inspection.

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Commentary

13. Pupils are very keen to come to school and have very positive attitudes to learning. Nearly all say that they enjoy their lessons. They are happy and highly enthusiastic about everything the school offers. Pupils respond well to their teachers and are keen to find out and do things for themselves. Pupils with special educational needs are positive about school. They enjoy the challenges of learning, and their confidence and self-esteem are enhanced when they achieve their targets. Behaviour, both inside and outside the school building, is very good. Pupils are very well behaved in assembly, listening attentively and appreciatively. Firmly established strategies, such as corridor monitors and ‘House Leaders’ to help in the playground, work well in reducing the risk of friction amongst pupils at break times. Pupils are confident and have a high degree of self-esteem. Their relationships with peers are very good and they say that they

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Commentary

all ‘have a friend to play with’. Teachers create a good working environment, and pupils work well together, and are good at sharing equipment and taking turns. In discussions, pupils show respect for the views and opinions of others. Parents are supportive of the school and happy with the values the school promotes.

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Commentary

14. Parents are confident that the school deals effectively with any incidents of bullying if they occur. Pupils agree that there is no bullying, only that sometimes some pupils are not very nice to others. Pupils have a strong sense of what is right and what is wrong, and agree that the school policy of awards and sanctions works very well. However, the few pupils who have behavioural problems are well integrated into school life and respond well to the caring support they receive. No hint of aggressive behaviour was observed during the inspection. West Byfleet Junior School - 9

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Exclusions

There were two fixed term exclusions in this school year. These exclusions involved two new pupils joining from other schools. However, they have been well supported by the school and are making good progress.

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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 196 2 0 White – any other White background 8 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 2 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British-Indian 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 5 0 0 Asian or Asian British- Bangladeshi 3 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 17 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

15. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has strengthened since the last inspection and is very good overall.

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Exclusions

16. Pupils’ personal development flourishes because of the school’s positive and supportive ethos. There are clear routines that help pupils feel secure and to be independent. The family ethos in the school is immediately apparent to visitors and very successfully nurtures pupils’ moral and social development. Outings and residential visits provide ample opportunities for their social development. Pupils write about their achievements in their ‘Record of Achievement’ and assess their own work in, for example, English, mathematics and ICT. This makes them feel positive about themselves. Pupils are encouraged to collect funds for a range of charities and this develops their sense of responsibility for others.

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Exclusions

17. A sense of spirituality and thoughtfulness is evident throughout the day. Pupils treat each other with respect and are given very good opportunities to develop their self-knowledge through reflection in religious education, assemblies and circle time. Art, drama, geography and music make a good contribution to pupils’ cultural development. There are also good initiatives to give pupils a genuine experience of their own and other cultures through their work in religious education and through the well-chosen visits and visitors in school.

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Attendance

18. The level of attendance for this school year is running at 95.5 per cent, which is above the national average and is judged to be good. The level has fallen since the previous report but the school has reversed a decline that had taken place over the last three years. The current systems for monitoring and promoting attendance are good and proving effective. The incidences of late arrival are very low. Registration is carried out promptly and efficiently at the start of the school day and there is no leeway for pupils arriving late. West Byfleet Junior School - 10 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.8 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality education for its pupils because teaching is good, the curriculum is broad and balanced, the support for pupils’ personal and academic progress is good and the school works well in partnership with parents. However, work is not always covered in sufficient depth in the humanities, and assessment arrangements in subjects other than English, mathematics, science and ICT are inadequate.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good. There are effective systems for tracking pupils’ progress in English, mathematics, science and ICT but not in other subjects. The school effectively promotes pupils’ understanding of how they can improve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The quality of teaching is good and there is a very good ethos for learning. • The teaching of English, mathematics and science is good. • Teaching in the humanities does not provide sufficient challenge for pupils. • There is sometimes a lack of challenge for more able pupils. • Teachers manage pupils very well, plan lessons effectively and use a good range of teaching methods. • There is good support for pupils with special educational needs. • The quality of assessment in English, mathematics, science and ICT is good. • There is good emphasis on pupils assessing their own progress.

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Commentary

19. Despite past difficulties in recruiting teachers, the quality of teaching and learning is good. This judgement is similar to that of the last inspection. Eight in every ten lessons seen were at least good, including more than a quarter that were very good. Only one out of 43 lessons was unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning in English, mathematics and science is good. However, there are shortcomings in the teaching of the humanities. There are many strengths in teaching that have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The strong features of teaching throughout the school include the management of pupils, planning of lessons, the way in which the pupils are made aware of their own learning, the variety of teaching methods to interest and stimulate the pupils, and the support for the lower attaining pupils. The main shortcoming is the failure at times to stretch the more able pupils. Both parents and pupils are

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Commentary

positive about the teaching staff. West Byfleet Junior School - 11 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 33 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 12 (28%) 21 (49%) 9 (21%) 1 (2%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

20. Teachers manage pupils’ learning well. Pupils are expected to work hard and a strength throughout the school is the productive and purposeful learning environment within which pupils are taught. Teachers have high expectations of good behaviour and relationships are very good; they foster a positive ethos, using praise and recognition of success to encourage pupils. In most lessons, pupils respond very well and are keen to discuss, listen and learn, and help each other. Lessons usually proceed at a brisk pace with pupils applying themselves and staying on task well.

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Commentary

21. There is good consistency across the school in planning lessons. Teachers prepare and organise lessons well. Lessons are based on clearly identified learning objectives. These are shared and discussed with pupils and as a result pupils are clear on what they are expected to learn and why. Teachers evaluate the outcomes of their lessons, assessing how well pupils have learnt, and use this information in further planning so that following lessons are clearly linked to previous learning. In English, mathematics and science, teachers plan work that is at least reasonably well matched to pupils’ prior levels of attainment, taking account of their different learning needs, although there is sometimes a lack of challenge for more able pupils.

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Commentary

22. Teachers used a good range of teaching methods to stimulate pupils’ interest. Their clear explanations, instructions and demonstrations help pupils with their learning. Effective questioning challenges pupils to think for themselves and involves all pupils during whole-class discussions. They use pupils’ ideas well and value the contribution pupils make in lessons so pupils work with confidence. Teachers use a good range of resources, and the introduction of interactive whiteboards is a recent and successful innovation.

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Commentary

23. Support for pupils with learning difficulties is good. Teachers are sensitive to their learning needs, plan appropriate work and give them good support. Learning support staff are generally well briefed by the teachers and make a useful contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning, although the quality of this support is variable. In English and mathematics, an additional support teacher is employed on three days a week to enable Year 6 pupils to be organised into three teaching groups by levels of attainment. These arrangements are generally effective in addressing the different learning needs of pupils. This teacher is very experienced and gives good support, and pupils with special educational needs achieve well in these small group sessions.

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Commentary

24. Throughout the school and in many subjects, the more able pupils do not consistently receive challenging work, and this slows their progress. In some lessons, teachers provide the higher achieving pupils with extra challenges but this good practice is not consistent.

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Commentary

25. Shortcomings in lessons generally relate to specific lessons rather than to common features across the school. However, teachers’ expectations are not high enough in religious education, geography and history. Pupils mostly do similar work and teachers do not require pupils to record their work enough to sufficiently develop their knowledge and skills. The teacher’s low expectations and lack of challenge led to an unsatisfactory religious education lesson. In an West Byfleet Junior School - 12 otherwise satisfactory geography lesson, the teacher missed opportunities to develop pupils’ recording skills by allowing too much time on unfocused discussion.

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Commentary

26. Improvement in its assessment procedures is a school priority and significant advances have been made in improving their effectiveness. Assessment procedures in English, mathematics, science and ICT are good, although in other subjects they are at early stages of development. Satisfactory arrangements to assess and record pupils’ achievements in the humanities, music, art and design, design and technology, music and physical education are not in place. The school tracks and monitors the progress and achievement of pupils with English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs well.

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Commentary

27. In English, mathematics and science, the school has good systems for tracking pupils’ progress against national benchmarks and makes good use of assessment data to set targets for individual pupils, year cohorts and the school. There are regular assessments to check pupils’ achievement. The senior management is good at analysing data and initiating plans to support pupils judged not to be making sufficient progress but a weakness is that this process does not involve sufficiently the subject co-ordinators and other teachers.

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Commentary

28. The school does much to encourage pupils’ involvement in their own learning and their understanding of how to improve. Pupils have individual learning targets in English and mathematics that are useful in helping them know what they need to learn next. Pupils’ work is marked well and provides constructive comments that help pupils to know what they need to do to improve. The school places good emphasis on pupils assessing their own progress. In ICT pupils assess their progress against specific learning objectives and teachers assess pupils’ attainment against nationally agreed criteria. This gives pupils a clear picture of the next steps in their learning. The school has introduced a potentially effective ‘traffic light’ system to enable pupils to assess their grasp of learning objectives and the main teaching points in lessons. Pupils use the three colours in traffic lights to communicate to teachers their own

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Commentary

confidence level in a specific skill or understanding of a particular idea. As yet, this is not being used consistently in all subjects across the school.

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The curriculum

The overall quality, breadth and balance of the curriculum are good . The curriculum is enriched by good extra-curricular provision. The school’s accommodation is very good and resources for learning are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Curriculum planning is effective and is monitored regularly. • The school provides a good range of worthwhile curricular opportunities with strengths in its provision for English, mathematics and science. • There is a very good range of extra-curricular opportunities. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education is good. • Links between subjects to enhance pupils’ learning are not well established. • The school’s accommodation and resources support pupils’ learning well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

29. The school has maintained the effectiveness of the curriculum since the last inspection. The curriculum is broad and balanced, includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, and fully meets statutory requirements. It caters well for the learning needs West Byfleet Junior School - 13 of pupils and is inclusive. Curricular provision in English, mathematics and science are strengths. However, in the humanities, work is not always covered in sufficient depth. A good feature of the curriculum is that French is taught to all pupils and there is evidence that pupils are making good progress in their learning of a modern foreign language. The school’s personal, social and health education provision is good and the school has an agreed policy for sex education that includes relationships. The school develops the pupils’ sense of responsibility and awareness of the views of others very well. There is a school council that is

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Main strengths and weaknesses

encouraged to make decisions about various aspects of school life.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

30. Curriculum planning is effective. The headteacher oversees the curriculum and, between her and subject co-ordinators, pupils’ work and teachers’ planning are monitored regularly. In addition, the school provides some non-contact time to enable teachers and classroom assistants to plan together. These steps help ensure a high degree of consistency in lesson planning across the school. English, mathematics and science are particularly well planned with pupils’ different learning recognised and planned for. The school places good emphasis on English and mathematics and teachers use the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy well as a basis for lesson planning. All subjects have schemes of work to support teachers’ planning. However, links between subjects that enhance pupils’ learning require greater identification within the planning. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to

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Main strengths and weaknesses

develop their speaking and listening skills in other subjects. The application of pupils’ writing skills is satisfactory in some subjects but not as good as it could be in the humanities. The use of ICT to support learning in other subjects is satisfactory but there is scope for further development. Opportunities for pupils to apply their numeracy skills are not sufficiently well planned for.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

31. Pupils play a full part in the school’s life and participate in all its activities. This gives them good equality of opportunity, and gives pupils a strong sense of pride in achievement and an understanding that hard work is required to succeed.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

32. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The learning needs of these pupils are well planned for, particularly in class. These pupils are mainly taught with their peers but are occasionally withdrawn to receive some specific teaching. This has only been introduced this year and its effectiveness in improving pupils’ performance has not yet been evaluated. The school has a large number of support staff, who are trained and effectively deployed so that they make a sound contribution to the pupils’ achievements. The school is developing a policy for the gifted and talented, and a register of the more able pupils. This is not yet impacting on classroom practice and the school recognises that this is an area that requires further development. However, there are master classes in mathematics and science held at the local secondary school that some pupils attend. There are 13 pupils whose mother tongue

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Main strengths and weaknesses

is not English. All these pupils are fluent in English and access the curriculum, except one new pupil, who is an elective mute. She takes part in all activities, completes the written assignments, but does not respond orally.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

33. The school provides a good range of additional activities that enrich and extend the curriculum for pupils, broadening their horizons and giving them confidence in different situations. These include educational visits, such as those to the National Gallery in Years 4 and 6 and the Arts weeks with visiting artists, as well as workshops on Shakespearian plays. Other visitors include those from different faiths, including Christian and Islamic, a “Roman gladiator” and a variety of musicians. A wide range of extra-curricular activities enhances the overall provision, both at lunchtime and after school. During this term, these have included choir, drama, art and ICT, as well as such sporting activities as badminton, golf, high 5, cross country and football. There is also a range of external clubs available on site, such as judo, karate, rugby and dancing. West Byfleet Junior School - 14 Accommodation and resources

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Main strengths and weaknesses

34. There are a good number of well-qualified teachers and the school has addressed the problems of retention and recruitment well. This is now providing greater stability and therefore subject managers are developing their roles in all areas of the curriculum. Since the last inspection, the school has done much to improve its accommodation and create an attractive learning environment for pupils. The school’s accommodation is now very good. There is a good range of specialist areas that support the implementation of the curriculum well. These include a music room, a computer suite, and a design and technology and art room. There is a good-sized hall, a well-stocked and attractive library, and a room that can be used to teach pupils with special educational needs. The school grounds contain extensive fields and hard surface areas. Resources such as sophisticated ICT equipment, a wide range of musical

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Main strengths and weaknesses

instruments and extensive provision for English, mathematics and science support teaching and learning well.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

The school takes good care of pupils, ensuring their welfare and safety. Pupils have good access to well-informed support and guidance. The school pays very good attention to pupils’ views and to involving them in its work and its developments.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Child protection procedures are good and all staff fully trained. • The school values pupils’ views and takes these into account in planning school improvements. • The induction arrangements for the transfer of the pupils from the Infant school are good. • The management of pupils with behavioural problems is very good and supports effectively the school’s inclusion policies.

p.16

Commentary

Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety

p.16

Commentary

35. The school provides a caring and supportive environment for its pupils. The child protection procedures are good and all the staff have been trained in the correct procedures. The school works closely with the outside agencies. All routine health and safety checks have been carried out to the agreed schedules. There is a well-equipped sick room and six members of staff are trained in first aid procedures. Eight pupils from across the school were asked about the procedures for evacuation in case of fire and all answered correctly. The good provision noted in the previous report has been maintained.

p.16

Commentary

36. Pupils have good and trusting relationships with all the staff. All staff contribute strongly to the care, guidance and support of pupils. The school’s monitoring of personal development to provide support and guidance is good. Pupils’ development is systematically recorded and, in addition to the monitoring, this information is used to give guidance to the parents in the annual school reports.

p.16

Commentary

37. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and their parents are consulted in the development of the individual education plans. The class teachers have responsibility for the pupils’ individual education plans and these have clear and manageable targets with the criteria that indicate success in their achievement. The special educational needs co-ordinator ensures that the records are efficiently kept and parents are fully informed and involved. The school, supported by a behaviour consultant, is giving good support to two pupils with severe West Byfleet Junior School - 15 behaviour problems and ensures that these pupils are fully included in the school. However, there are occasions when the sanction of exclusion has to be invoked.

p.16

Commentary

38. The induction of the pupils from the infant school is very carefully planned to ensure a seamless transition. The staff and the Year 6 pupils give a presentation to the parents. The school makes full use of the fact that the infant school is on the same site in arranging visits in the summer term to attend an assembly and meet with the Year 5 pupils who will act as mentors at the start of the new school year.

p.17

Commentary

Pupils’ involvement in the school’s work

p.17

Commentary

39. The school takes note of pupils’ views through a well-run and effective school council. The council is instrumental in providing the school with pupils’ views and suggestions that are fully considered and, where appropriate, incorporated into the school improvement plan. Pupils say that through the school council they have managed to improve the playground area with markings for games and this has improved play facilities.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with the parents. This has a positive impact on the achievements of the pupils. There are good links with the community and with the other schools.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The partnership with the parents is very good. • Parents have positive views of the school. • The school has good links with the community, including the infant school.

p.17

Commentary

40. The school has developed and nurtured very good links with the parents. There is an open door policy that encourages parents to informally meet the staff. There are two parents’ representatives from each class who meet with the headteacher every two weeks. The parents’ views are sought annually through a questionnaire. Their views form part of the evidence base for the preparation of the school development plan. In recognition of the school’s efforts to forge good links with parents, the school received the Local Education Authority’s Parents in Partnership award in 2003. Parents express good support for the school. Most parents view the school positively and have confidence in the school. They feel they are welcomed in the school and are kept well informed.

p.17

Commentary

41. There are two meetings each year, in the autumn and spring terms, when parents have the opportunity of reviewing their children’s achievements and targets for further development. The reading diaries/homework books are very well used and showed continuing dialogue between teachers and parents. The parents of children with special educational needs are consulted during the preparation of the individual educational plans. The annual school reports are clear and well written, giving targets for development in the next school year.

p.17

Commentary

Links with other schools and the local community

p.17

Commentary

42. The school has maintained the good provision noted in the previous report. The community makes very good use of the school buildings and grounds, for example, the use by a local football club of the grounds and the hall for indoor sports clubs. Strong links with the local and wider community enhance the children’s appreciation of the wider society. The good links with the infant school and the community college ensure that the children are well looked after when they change school. West Byfleet Junior School - 16

p.17

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The overall leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher and deputy headteacher together provide very effective leadership. Other staff are developing their management roles well. The overall governance of the school is good. Finances are managed well and the school gives good value for money.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The strong partnership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher provides very effective educational leadership to the school. • A strength of the school is its very positive ethos that fosters pupils’ personal qualities very well and offers a purposeful environment for learning. • Many subject co-ordinators are relatively new to their positions and have not had sufficient time to have made an impact on provision in their subjects. • There is good analysis of performance data and tracking of pupils’ progress over time. • An effective governing body provides good support to the school. • Financial management is good. • There is no longer-term whole-school strategic plan. • Staffing mobility and difficulties with recruitment have been a barrier to pupils’ achievement.

p.18

Commentary

43. The school is well led. The headteacher provides effective leadership. She has very high expectations of staff and pupils, and is well supported by the deputy headteacher. The deputy head provides a very good model of classroom practice for colleagues and as a subject leader. Together, they make a very strong management team, and give very positive and focused educational leadership to the school community. In consequence, there is a clear sense of purpose to all aspects of school life. Other adults, teaching, administrative and learning support staff respond well to their positive leadership and, as a result, good teamwork is a strong feature of the school. All staff support the aims of the school and show a clear commitment to improving pupils’ achievement and supporting their academic and personal development.

p.18

Commentary

44. The school shows a clear commitment to inclusion and to meeting the needs of all its pupils. The headteacher and other staff are committed to ensuring that pupils of all abilities achieve to their full capabilities. The deputy headteacher has developed effective systems to monitor individual pupils’ progress in English and mathematics, and the school uses this information well to target support. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and the school aspires to encourage and foster those pupils with particular gifts and talents. A significant strength of the school is its very positive ethos, which fosters pupils’ personal qualities very well within a purposeful and harmonious learning environment.

p.18

Commentary

45. The senior managers have a very clear agenda for improvement. There are sound procedures for planning actions and initiatives. Development planning has proved a useful tool, giving the school a clear set of priorities and planned actions. In consequence, there have been good improvements in many areas since the appointment of the current headteacher. However, whilst the school has set out some long-term goals, there is no longer-term whole-school strategic plan to show how they are to be achieved, and this is a weakness.

p.18

Commentary

46. Curriculum leadership is satisfactory overall and subject co-ordinators are developing their roles well. Many of the co-ordinators are relatively new to their positions and have not had sufficient time to have made an impact on provision in their subjects. Nevertheless, they all have a clear understanding of the priorities for development, although their subject action plans West Byfleet Junior School - 17 vary in quality. Leadership in English, science and ICT is good. In other subjects, it is satisfactory.

p.18

Commentary

47. Management of the school is good. The school is well organised and runs smoothly. The staff in the school office provide a very welcoming and efficient first step for parents and visitors. The school has good routines and procedures, which are clearly understood and applied by all. The headteacher has put in place appropriate management structures with roles and responsibilities clearly outlined. Delegation is satisfactory but at present aspects of subject management, in particular, those related to the analysis of performance data, are too much in the hands of senior managers rather than the subject co-ordinators. Performance management procedures are well established and effective.

p.19

Commentary

48. Under the leadership of the headteacher and deputy headteacher, the school is becoming better at evaluating its work. The school has a number of effective procedures to monitor its work and check how well it is doing. However, there is not always sufficient involvement of other staff in self-evaluation. Procedures for monitoring the performances of teachers by senior managers are good, but the involvement of subject co-ordinators, apart from the literacy co-ordinator in this process is underdeveloped. The use of assessment data to evaluate pupils’ progress is good but is primarily undertaken by senior management. However, monitoring of pupils’ work through sampling and moderation exercises and of what is taught through looking at curriculum planning is helpful to co-ordinators in gaining first-hand insight into provision in their subjects. Actions and initiatives undertaken are not always carefully evaluated for their

p.19

Commentary

49. Financial management is good with prudent planning against overall school priorities. Although formal links between the budgetary decisions and the school improvement plan are not clear, senior management considers carefully the impact of budgetary decisions on pupils’ learning. The school has effective procedures for monitoring the budget. The governing body oversees financial matters appropriately and the chair of the finance committee is well informed. Day-to day administration is efficient and financial control is secure. Best value principles are recognised but there is no formal statement to guide practice and ensure that these principles are an integral part of management.

p.19

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.19

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 531,126 Balance from previous year 30,031 Total expenditure 544,282 Balance carried forward to the next 16,875 Expenditure per pupil 2,230

p.19

Financial information

50. The governing body makes a good contribution to the work of the school. It has good procedures in place to enable it to conduct its business efficiently and ensure that statutory responsibilities are fully met. Some decision-making powers are delegated to appropriate committees but major decisions and policy matters are rightly made at full governing body meetings. Governors are committed to the school and very supportive of its work. The full governing body is well informed by the headteacher and other senior managers, and through its own arrangements for monitoring the work of the school. For example, it monitors the progress of pupils against school targets and the school’s progress towards achieving the priorities in its improvement plan. Governors meet with specific members of staff related to West Byfleet Junior School - 18 their own area of responsibility. As a consequence of these good links, governors show sound

p.19

Financial information

understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and generally use this information appropriately to challenge the management of the school. The governing body has a specific committee charged with contributing to the strategic long-term planning for the school. However, the format of the current school improvement plan does not readily lend itself to effective review or help governors shape the long-term priorities of the school.

p.20

Financial information

The impact of recruitment issues on pupils’ achievement

p.20

Financial information

51. There has been a high turnover of teaching staff over the last few years and the school has faced difficulties in recruiting quality teachers. This has led to some dissatisfaction among parents about perceived variability in the quality of teaching between classes. The school has found it hard to maintain the good standards evidenced at the last inspection, to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they could or to make improvements in provision in some subjects, for example, the humanities. The impact on pupils’ achievement is evidenced in the fall in national test results and a discernible legacy on the current achievement of pupils in Year 6, which good teaching and learning have not completely rectified. West Byfleet Junior School - 19

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking and listening are very good. • Standards in reading and writing are above average. • Teaching is good overall, and sometimes very good, and as a result, pupils achieve well in lessons. • More able pupils are not fully challenged in all classes. • Teachers’ expectations ensure that pupils behave well and demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning. • Very effective planning supports pupils’ learning well. • Teachers’ marking supports pupils in evaluating their own progress.

p.21

Commentary

52. Standards are above average by Year 6. This is a similar judgement to the last inspection. Pupils’ achievement overall is good. The achievement of lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good, and that of higher attaining pupils satisfactory.

p.21

Commentary

53. Results in the Year 6 national tests fell over the last two years, indicating that by 2003 standards in Year 6 were average and lower than at the time of the previous inspection. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was close to the national average. However, evidence from pupils’ work and in lessons confirms that the school has reversed this downward trend, and that standards have improved and are now above average in all groups.

p.21

Commentary

54. Teachers provide very good opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills, encouraging them to present their ideas and responses clearly. Their skilful use of questioning encourages pupils to respond in full sentences with justification of their answers and viewpoints. In Year 3, pupils wrote performance poems and, after a group demonstrated their poem with actions, one pupil evaluated it by commenting, “I like the way the voices and actions fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle”. In a Year 5 class, all the pupils were keen to use open questions to a pupil who was acting the part of the Sheriff of Nottingham. Teachers act as good role models, emphasising the use of correct vocabulary in other subjects, for example, in mathematics and science. By the age of 11, pupils listen well to instructions, and express themselves confidently in discussions, and give clear and lucid reasons when

p.21

Commentary

55. Reading is good throughout the school. By the age of 11, most pupils read confidently, fluently and with expression. In guided reading sessions in Year 5, pupils achieve well in developing skills for reading for meaning. The library is a good resource and used well. It is attractive and has a good range of fiction and non-fiction books and is catalogued under the Dewey system. Pupils have regular opportunities to use the library and are being taught how to access books, using a computerised classification system.

p.21

Commentary

56. In English lessons, the school is providing a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills, including appropriate time to write extended pieces. In Year 3, high achieving pupils are using a good variety of sentence structures with the correct use of punctuation. In West Byfleet Junior School - 20 handwriting, letters are generally well formed and words are well spaced, clear and legible. Spelling is of a good standard overall. In Year 6, most pupils display a good range of vocabulary and phraseology that they can use in their writing. In the work seen in this academic year, pupils have been able to express well-developed ideas for a range of different situations. Most written work in Year 6 shows good use of punctuation, including speech marks and paragraphing. This has improved significantly over the period since September, indicating that the legacy of past underachievement has been rectified. Written work is neatly presented

p.21

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Lessons are well planned and proceed at a good pace, and a significant proportion seen was very good. Teachers’ high expectations ensure that pupils behave well and demonstrate very positive attitudes to their learning. Teachers model their expectations well and have a secure understanding of the subject. They use challenging vocabulary and use questioning very effectively to develop pupils’ thinking. Generally, teachers support pupils at all levels of attainment well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in class and make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. In some lessons, teachers provide the higher achieving pupils with extra challenges but this good practice is not consistent as more able pupils are not always fully challenged. Pupils’ work is marked well and provides constructive comments that help pupils

p.22

Commentary

to know what they need to do to improve. This provides pupils with a sound knowledge of their own achievements, and older pupils are beginning to evaluate their achievements against National Curriculum criteria and level their own work. Pupils are provided with a satisfactory range of opportunities to use ICT for word processing their work.

p.22

Commentary

58. Leadership and management are good, although the subject manager was only appointed last September. She has time allocated for monitoring to carry out her role effectively on a regular basis and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. Good assessment takes place, both formally and informally. The school now tracks the progress of individual pupils from the time they enter school. Regular assessments of their work enable teachers to measure the progress pupils make from their Year 2 national test assessments. The school has regular assessments of pupils’ writing which help to inform what the pupils will learn next. The writing of specific learning targets is well developed with pupils well aware of what they have to do to improve.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

59. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented well and adapted to support effective learning. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to develop their writing across the curriculum but the school could develop this aspect further in religious education, history and geography. Work is always well set out, such as when writing up science experiments, and pupils are encouraged to extend their understanding of technical vocabulary according to the subject.

p.22

Modern foreign languages

60. All pupils are taught French on a regular basis. It was not possible to observe teaching during the inspection but a display of pupils’ work demonstrates a satisfactory range of activities. These include naming colours and the playing of games. A club (parental contributions required) is also held at lunchtime where pupils enjoy speaking and singing in French.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average. West Byfleet Junior School - 21 • Results in the 2003 national tests for Year 6 pupils were below average. • More able pupils are not fully challenged in all classes. • Teaching and learning are good. • Assessment arrangements are good, and systems for tracking pupils’ performance and monitoring their progress are effective. • There is insufficient planning for the use of numeracy in other subjects.

p.22

Commentary

61. Standards are above average by Year 6. This is a similar judgement to the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

62. The overall trend in results in the national tests for Year 6 pupils in the past five years has been below the national trend of improvement. This is primarily as a result of the sharp fall in results in 2003. The results in 2003 were unusually low for the school and were below the national average. Results when compared with those for similar schools (schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2) were also below average. Results in the national tests in each of the four years prior to 2003 were above or well above average. In the last two years, girls have not done as well as boys in the tests and in 2003 girls’ performances fell sharply.

p.23

Commentary

63. Notwithstanding the results in the 2003 tests, standards are judged to be above average in Year 6 and in other year groups across the school. Pupils have a good understanding of numbers and by Year 6 are competent in completing complex written calculations accurately. Their understanding of data, shape and measures is secure. They are generally secure in deciding which operation is needed within a given context, in problem solving and in using precise mathematical language when describing a method used, or to be used, to solve a problem.

p.23

Commentary

64. There are a number of factors, apart from the good quality teaching, that contribute to pupils’ satisfactory achievement. The good analysis of performance data enables the school to set appropriate targets for each pupil, which are shared with them. There is satisfactory deployment of additional staff to support the needs of those pupils with learning difficulties. An additional teacher is employed for three of the five weekly mathematics lessons to enable Year 6 pupils to be organised into three teaching groups set by prior levels of attainment. These arrangements are effective in addressing the different learning needs of pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are particularly well supported and achieve well because the size of the teaching group is small enough for individual support. Higher attaining pupils make satisfactory progress but at times some of the most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged.

p.23

Commentary

In the light of the test results, a particular focus for the inspection was the performance of girls. No discernable difference in the achievement or attitudes to learning was noticed, except in the top Year 6 set, where boys tend to dominate oral sessions.

p.23

Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In all lessons seen, teaching was at least good, and sometimes very good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations of their pupils; pupils show positive attitudes to the subject and respond well to their teachers’ expectations. Lessons are well planned and many teachers use imaginative ways of presenting activities, with the aid of resources, including, where available, interactive whiteboards, to motivate pupils. They use mini-whiteboards effectively during lessons to check individual gains in learning. Teachers take due account of the National Numeracy Strategy. For example, they make good use of oral and mental sessions at the beginning of lessons to practise and reinforce known number facts. At the concluding part of lessons, their effective questioning promotes good responses from pupils, who are articulate and confident in their

p.23

Commentary

explanations and reasoning. Teachers set work for pupils’ different levels of understanding. Generally, this is appropriate for most pupils. In addition, lower attaining pupils often receive sound support from the classroom assistants. Work for the more able is sufficiently challenging for most of them but a few of the most able are not given work which stretches them enough. There is good consistency across the school in encouraging pupils to develop strategies to solve problems and be able to explain how they used them. There is a clear West Byfleet Junior School - 22 structure for the teaching of formal recording of calculations. Teachers mark their work constructively, helping pupils to extend their knowledge and understanding.

p.23

Commentary

66. The subject is well managed. The co-ordinator is enthusiastic and gives sound leadership. Her own teaching provides a good role model but she is not sufficiently involved in monitoring standards and provision. However, she is well supported by the senior management team, and the formal monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher, and monitoring of standards by the deputy headteacher, are effective. Assessment arrangements are good. Teachers undertake regular assessments of pupils’ achievements, and there is an effective system for tracking pupils’ performance and monitoring their progress.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

There are some examples of the application of numeracy skills in other subjects, such as science and geography. However, such opportunities are not sufficiently planned for to help pupils improve their skills.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards achieved across the school are above average. • The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is now good across the school. • More able pupils are not consistently challenged. • Teachers place good emphasis on providing opportunities for investigative work. • The subject is well managed by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator. • The subject makes a good contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Opportunities for linking science and ICT are good. • Assessment procedures are good. Pupils’ progress is tracked and individual targets are set.

p.24

Commentary

67. Standards are above average by Year 6. This is a decline in standards since the last inspection when they were judged to be well above average. However, they are above those of last year when results in the national tests indicate that standards were average. The achievement of pupils is satisfactory. Pupils who have special educational needs are well supported and their achievement is satisfactory. More able pupils could do better. Boys and girls achieve equally well.

p.24

Commentary

68. Results in the 2002 and 2003 national tests for Year 6 pupils were considerably lower than in the three previous years, below average in 2002 and average in 2003. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher Level 5 was close to the national average.

p.24

Commentary

69. Pupils in the current Year 6 are in line to attain above average standards. They have a good knowledge and understanding of the science topics they have covered. They are able to hypothesise well, to adopt a rigorous scientific approach in their work, to record their work accurately and communicate reasoned explanations of what they have done. Pupils are introduced effectively to the process of scientific investigation, and they know how to predict and find out by ‘fair testing’ and record results and conclusions, as was seen in pupils’ books. Year 6 pupils have many opportunities to plan a fair test, for example, ‘How does the weight of the spinner affect the speed it falls?’ Pupils use scientific vocabulary appropriately, such as ‘air resistance’, ‘variables’ and ‘control situations’, when they discuss their work. They apply literacy and numeracy skills well when they record work. Standards in other year groups are

p.24

Commentary

also above those typically found nationally. West Byfleet Junior School - 23 70. The quality of teaching and learning across the school is good. Lesson planning is effective. Teachers set clear learning objectives and pupils are aware of what is expected of them. They understand how the present lesson links to previous work. Pupils are managed very well across the school. Teachers use praise and encouragement successfully to motivate pupils. Pupils’ interest is maintained by careful questioning. Year 6 pupils receive appropriately challenging work when they work in groups set according to ability. However, throughout the school, the more able pupils do not consistently receive challenging work, and this slows their progress. There are some good examples of the use of ICT to support pupils’ learning. For example, in Year 6, results collected as part of an investigation on pulse rates were presented in graphical and table forms.

p.24

Commentary

71. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator has a good view of the working of the subject across the school and an appropriate plan for improvement. Assessment procedures are good. The quality of teacher assessments has improved since the introduction of moderation of work against National Curriculum Levels. Termly meetings to moderate pupils’ work are held to ensure that teachers make accurate assessments. Assessment data is analysed, and pupils’ progress is tracked, and appropriate plans for supporting pupils are implemented. However, this information remains with the assessment co-ordinator and is not readily available to teachers.

p.25

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of attainment are rising and are above average in Years 3 and 4. • There is good leadership and management of the subject. • Good assessment provides clear feedback to pupils on how they are progressing. • The quality of teaching and learning is good. • The introduction of interactive whiteboards is having a positive effect on teaching and learning. • ICT is not used well to support pupils’ learning in some subjects.

p.25

Commentary

72. Standards are average by Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. This is a similar judgement as the last inspection. However, standards in Years 3 and 4 are above those typically found nationally and pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported. Pupils who speak English as an additional language attain standards similar to their peers. There are no differences in the performance of boys and girls. However, in some lessons, the activities are not sufficiently challenging for the more capable pupils. This has been identified as a priority for improvement.

p.25

Commentary

73. Pupils experience the expected range of opportunities to develop their ICT skills in word- processing, graphics, using the email, spreadsheets, the Internet, data handling, and control and modelling. Their skills are in line with those expected by Year 6. Pupils use computers confidently with real enjoyment, as was seen in Year 4 when they were sending emails, and in Year 6, when they were learning to control a set of traffic lights and give power point presentations.

p.25

Commentary

74. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers plan lessons well and pupils know exactly what they are learning. The interactive whiteboards are used very well to aid whole- class demonstrations. Teachers set clear learning objectives and pupils are aware of what they are learning. The lessons are clearly linked to previous learning and this helps pupils to make appropriate progress. Teachers know their subject well and an ICT technician provides West Byfleet Junior School - 24 good backup support. Pupils are managed well and, as a result, pupils’ behaviour is good. Teachers use praise and encouragement, and this motivates pupils well.

p.25

Commentary

75. Management of the subject is good . The newly appointed co-ordinator has taken effective action to secure improvements in the school’s provision, such as the introduction of interactive whiteboards. She has ensured that gaps in the curriculum in the use of control and modelling are filled. She has introduced assessment booklets in which pupils assess their progress against their learning objectives and teachers monitor these regularly. This gives pupils a clear picture of what they know, can do and understand, and what are the next steps in their learning. Teachers assess pupils’ attainment against nationally agreed criteria, and have a clear view of how well pupils are doing compared with standards nationally. The co-ordinator’s monitoring of teachers’ plans enables her to guide colleagues and to ensure that they receive appropriate training so that they confidently introduce new skills to pupils. The ICT technician

p.26

Commentary

ensures that hardware is working well and also provides sound support to pupils during lessons.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

76. The use of ICT in other subjects is satisfactory but the school recognises the need for further development. Word processing and Internet research skills are used satisfactorily in several subjects, such as English, science and religious education. Teachers make good use of ICT in science when pupils prepare power point presentations on their work and make graphs of the effects of exercise on the pulse rate. There are some examples of the use of ICT in mathematics lessons, for example, in making graphs and finding areas of shapes, but such opportunities are not sufficient. In addition, opportunities are missed to use ICT to support pupils’ learning in history, geography, music and art.

p.26

HUMANITIES

It is not possible to report in detail on all subjects within this curriculum area. A total of seven lessons were observed: five in religious education and one each in history and geography. A judgement on the quality of teaching and learning in history and geography is not therefore possible. Further evidence was gained from teachers’ records and planning, and from discussions with subject co- ordinators. The analysis of pupils’ work in the current year provides additional evidence of standards in all three subjects.

p.26

History and Geography

Provision in history and geography is satisfactory but with some shortcomings.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are not achieving as well as they could because, in both subjects, a sound range of work is covered but not in sufficient depth. • Standards of presentation are good. • Assessment arrangements are inadequate. • There are insufficient resources for geography.

p.26

Commentary

77. In both subjects, standards seen are as expected. Standards are not as high as at the last inspection when pupils were judged to have exceeded the standards expected nationally. Given pupils’ capabilities, pupils’ achievement is not good enough. Higher attaining pupils in particular are not sufficiently challenged. Pupils cover a sound range of historical and geographical topics in line with national requirements but do not cover these in sufficient depth. The range of written activities is not extensive enough to sufficiently develop pupils’ knowledge West Byfleet Junior School - 25 and skills to a level commensurate with their capabilities. For example, there is little evidence of pupils working at levels higher than expected. Standards of presentation are good.

p.26

Commentary

78. In geography , the standard of pupils’ work in Years 3 to 5 is of an appropriate level for their ages. For example, Year 5 pupils have sound understanding of human and physical features of India, and can make appropriate comparisons between village life in India and England. Year 4 pupils have a sound knowledge of location and can use atlases, globes, holiday brochures, reference books and the Internet to find information on different places, but not always efficiently. For example, two pupils knew how to use a search engine on the Internet but could not refine their search criteria to make their research efficient. There are some opportunities for pupils to develop their map skills but these are insufficient. No work was available in Year 6.

p.27

Commentary

79. In history , standards seen are as expected. Pupils are clear about chronology and are learning to interpret artefacts and other sources of evidence. The standard of work produced by Year 6 pupils on their Ancient Greece topic is similar to that found nationally. Pupils show sound knowledge and understanding in their descriptions of past events and can organise their work appropriately. Pupils in Year 5 showed a sound appreciation of conditions in Britain during World War II. They confidently expressed opinions on the meaning behind war posters.

p.27

Commentary

80. In both lessons seen, teachers used a variety of teaching methods to stimulate pupils’ interest. Effective introductions set the scene well. Teaching was satisfactory in the geography lesson and good in the history lesson. However, teachers’ expectations are not high enough. There is little evidence of work planned to meet the different learning needs of pupils. The over-use of worksheets limits opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy skills. In both subjects, ICT is not used sufficiently to support pupils’ learning.

p.27

Commentary

81. Management of both subjects is satisfactory. Both co-ordinators are new to these positions and show good understanding of what needs to be done. For example, although assessment arrangements are inadequate at present, arrangements to assess and record pupils’ achievements at the end of units of study are being introduced. There are adequate resources for history but not for geography.

p.27

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Religious education makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Good use is made of visitors to support pupils’ learning. • There is insufficient recorded work. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

82. Standards of attainment are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and similar to those at the last inspection. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, are achieving satisfactorily. However, not enough is required of the higher-attaining pupils.

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Commentary

83. Pupils are sensitive to others’ beliefs and through role-play showed good understanding about how Muslims lead their lives. Year 6 pupils pretended to be Muslims and discussed the difficulties encountered in living in a Christian majority community. They showed empathy with the believers and demonstrated the need to be tolerant, and the need to promote equal opportunities for all. West Byfleet Junior School - 26 84. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Some good and very good teaching was observed. In these lessons, teachers’ subject knowledge was good and lessons were interesting. Good use was made of pupils’ knowledge of their own religions to support the learning of others. In the study of Islam, a practising Muslim was invited to talk about her faith, and pupils were given opportunities to ask questions and improve their learning about the religion. Teachers encourage pupils to reflect on their own beliefs and those of others. This

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Commentary

makes a positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural provision.

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Commentary

85. Pupils’ recorded work in their books is insufficient and does not show clearly what they know and understand about the religions being studied. This also indicates that their literacy skills are not being used to develop their subject fully. The co-ordinator has taken the responsibility recently and her role is developing satisfactorily. Assessment is unsatisfactory as there are no procedures in place to monitor pupils’ progress.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

It is not possible to report in detail on all subjects within this curriculum area. A total of 13 lessons were observed: five in design and technology, three in art and design and physical education, and two in music. A judgement on the overall quality of teaching and learning in music and physical education is not therefore possible. Further evidence was gained from teachers’ records and planning, and from discussions with subject co-ordinators. The analysis of pupils’ work in the current year provides additional evidence of standards in art and design and design and technology.

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Art and design

Provision in art and design is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

86. Standards are in line with those expected, as they were at the last inspection. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

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Commentary

87. Generally, work seen across the school is as expected, although some of the pupils’ work displayed is of a very high standard, such as Year 6 pupils’ work, depicting their emotions in the style of Munch. Year 3 pupils have produced mosaics to a sound standard, linking appropriately with their history work on Romans. Pupils in Year 4 used a range of resources to decide on the most appropriate medium to develop their pictures . In Year 6, pupils’ work in sketchbooks and in their portfolios shows a wide range of different mediums and styles through the use of pencils, different materials and paints. The use of sketchbooks has improved since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

88. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. In the lessons seen, teaching ranged from satisfactory to good and pupils made at least satisfactory progress. Pupils in Year 5 made good progress in their observational drawings as a result of effective questioning and demonstrations by the teacher. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good and show obvious enjoyment. Visits such as those to the National Gallery enhance pupils’ understanding of art. Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory. Although pupils are encouraged to evaluate their work within the lessons, and use technical vocabulary to describe techniques and composition, work is not dated or assessed systematically. The new subject leader has already identified this as an area that requires improvement.

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Design and technology

West Byfleet Junior School - 27 Provision in design and technology is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school’s very good accommodation and resources support pupils’ learning well. • The quality of teaching is good overall. Skills are well taught with appropriate reference to health and safety. • Assessment procedures are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

89. Standards overall are in line with those expected. Standards were judged to be above expectations at the last inspection. Nevertheless, pupils in all year groups have a good range of experiences to design, make and evaluate products so their achievement is often good.

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Commentary

90. The quality of teaching and learning is good. In the lessons observed, teaching was good, and sometimes very good. Pupils’ attitudes are very good and they are keen to discuss, listen and learn and help each other. In a very good lesson, pupils were asked to develop an idea according to logistical constraint,s such as materials, time and size. As a result of effective questioning and the teacher’s high expectations, pupils could explain the pneumatic system, using the correct technical vocabulary. Pupils’ work shows clear evidence of them being engaged in effective planning represented by sketches, descriptions and annotated diagrams. Pupils are involved in practical tasks designed to develop specific skills, such as sewing a variety of stitches necessary for making subsequent products such as slippers. Teachers give health and safety issues a high priority, for example, when pupils used saws, drills and a glue

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Commentary

gun to make a prototype of a cam. These practical tasks focused well on teaching pupils skills and techniques. There is an appropriate emphasis on pupils evaluating their own and each other’s work. For example, pupils discussed in pairs the pneumatic models they designed in order to identify potential areas for further development. However, teachers are not consistently providing pupils with precise criteria to inform these evaluations or marking and highlighting the strengths of their work as well as areas for future development.

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Commentary

91. Resources are very good and a designated practical working room provides very good accommodation. The subject manager is very new but already she has revised the policy and is reviewing the progression of skills. She recognises that, as yet, assessment is not providing effective information about pupil progress against key objectives for each unit of work, and that there is a need to link this to the identification of examples of pupils’ work assessed against National Curriculum criteria.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in singing are good. • Pupils have very positive attitudes and participate well in lessons. • Leadership of the subject is good. • Assessment arrangements are unsatisfactory. West Byfleet Junior School - 28

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Commentary

92. Standards are similar to those at the last inspection and pupils’ attainment is in line with expected standards by Year 6. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Standards in singing are above expected levels but are as expected in appraising and composing skills.

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Commentary

93. Music is entirely inclusive and embraces the whole school. The quality of singing in assembly is above that usually found. Pupils have very positive attitudes and enjoy composing. They make music and experiment with sound in a secure environment. Relationships are good and pupils enjoy making music together in pairs and groups. For example, when they compose music for ‘going on a journey’, or the ‘sound of lightning’. Pupils with learning difficulties are well supported and take full part in all lessons.

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Commentary

94. Only two lessons were seen and a short observation in a third. In both lessons, teaching and learning were good. Teachers made good use of the music room and the variety of percussion instruments available to encourage pupils to compose music to express various moods and events. Pupils evaluate each other’s work and suggest ways for further improvements.

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Commentary

95. The co-ordinator provides good leadership. She monitors teachers’ plans and provides appropriate support and guidance. The music programme is well co-ordinated and adds significantly to pupils’ enjoyment and personal development. The pupils are offered appropriate opportunities to learn to play the violin, piano, flute and guitar. The school has a good stock of quality instruments that are used well in the music room. Priorities for future development appropriately include monitoring of teaching and learning, and developing assessment procedures, neither of which are satisfactory.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

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Commentary

96. Standards in dance in Years 4 and 5 are similar to those seen nationally. Pupils’ games skills in Year 3 are as expected. Pupils engage in activities enthusiastically and energetically but do not always show sufficient desire to improve the quality of their movements.

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Commentary

97. Lessons are well planned and engage the interest of the pupils. Teachers pay appropriate attention to health and safety issues. A shortcoming in one lesson was the lack of opportunity for pupils to observe and appraise the performance of others.

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Commentary

98. The school retains a strong commitment to providing a broad and balanced curriculum. It offers pupils the required range of activities and provision is enhanced by good opportunities for pupils to be involved in extra-curricular activities, competitive matches and a residential experience for older pupils. The school provides swimming lessons to each year group. The scheme of work has been recently updated and provides adequate guidance to help teachers plan lessons. At present, assessment is informal and procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress are not formally established. Facilities are good with a good-sized hall and large areas under hard and grass surfaces.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision for personal, social and health education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision is well planned and is well supported across the curriculum. West Byfleet Junior School - 29

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Commentary

99. The school provides effective personal, social and health education, including sex and relationships education. Activities such as class discussions to raise awareness of personal development issues are well established. The school helps pupils to become mature, self- assured, friendly young people who are considerate towards others.

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Commentary

100. The teaching in personal, social and health education is given appropriate importance within the curriculum. It is specifically timetabled and throughout the school pupils are given time to reflect in lessons and when preparing to go for assemblies. The school uses the six “thinking hats” - caution, information, creativity, benefits, organisation and feelings - as a support for reflection on both personal attributes and their learning. Year 3 pupils have studied and written about honesty, kindness and rules. In one lesson, they were encouraged to recognise their self-worth. In Year 6, pupils have looked at rights and responsibilities, debated the changing roles of men and women, and surveyed the views of parents and other pupils. Teachers support sensitively the development of pupils’ understanding of the feelings and emotions of others, preparing them well for their future citizenship.

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Commentary

101. The school supports the school council that meets regularly. Each term, with the exception of the chairman and secretary, there are new members from each class, thus giving opportunities for a greater number of pupils to have a responsible role within the school. The chairman wrote a report that outlined the achievements within his term of office. They included involvement in the deputy head interviews, arranging for water coolers in the corridors, liquid soap in the toilets and the purchasing of new playground equipment. West Byfleet Junior School - 30

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 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 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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