Berkeley Primary School

BERKELEY JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th July 2005

p.1

BERKELEY JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Berkeley Junior School - 2 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

p.1

BERKELEY 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. Berkeley Junior School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 353

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Marsden Drive Scunthorpe Postcode: DN15 8AH

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01724 867065 Fax number: 01724 873037

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs R Taylor

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 th April 1999

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is a larger than average sized junior school serving a mixed socio-economic area. The majority of the pupils are of white British heritage. Other main heritages represented include Asian and Black-British African. There are no pupils in public care. Less than one per cent of the pupils are learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is broadly average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs is below average although the proportion of pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs is above average. These pupils receive support for specific and moderate learning difficulties, and for social, emotional, behavioural and autistic learning needs. The school attained a Healthy Schools Award and an Activemark Gold in 2005. Changes since the last inspection include a separate governing body from the adjacent infant school and extended accommodation. The school

p.3

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

has experienced a high turnover of staff including the appointment of a new deputy headteacher. It is recently receiving extra support from the local education authority. The pupils’ attainment on entry is well above average. Berkeley Junior School - 4

p.3

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

16173 Mrs L Murphy Lead inspector Physical education 13459 Mrs E Mills Lay inspector 19041 Mr R Linstead Team inspector English Art and design Music English as an additional language 25352 Mrs G Taujanskas Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Citizenship Geography History 2266 Mr J Allen Team inspector Science Design and technology Religious education Special educational needs

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Independent School Inspection Service [ISIS] 3 Harrowby Road West Park Leeds LS16 5HN

p.4

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Berkeley Junior School - 5

p.4

STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

p.5

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

p.5

OVERALL EVALUATION

The overall effectiveness of the school is unsatisfactory ; the school is failing to provide an adequate standard of education for its pupils. Although standards are broadly average in English, mathematics and science at Year 6 they are relatively much lower than when the pupils entered at Year 3. Achievement is poor. A barrier to achievement has been staff absence, including senior staff, resulting in patchy teaching that has adversely affected the pupils’ achievement over time. Leadership and management at all levels are unsatisfactory because the school has not checked the decline in standards or the unsatisfactory teaching. The value for money the school provides is unsatisfactory.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• attendance is very good and pupils have good attitudes to learning; • the pupils’ achievement is poor; • leadership and management at all levels are unsatisfactory; • the quality of teaching and learning is too variable and unsatisfactory overall; • the curriculum does not cater for the overall needs of all the pupils or ensure progression in learning; however, it is well enriched and there are very good links with other schools; • the school provides a good level of pastoral care for its pupils; • high quality financial control has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The effectiveness of the school has declined considerably since the last inspection in 1999. Improvement is poor. Little progress has been made on the key issue to extend the role of subject leaders. Homework has been addressed soundly. There has been a decline in all aspects of the school’s provision other than in the care given to the pupils, the links with parents and the quality of financial management which have remained the same. The rate of attendance has improved very well.

p.6

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

In accordance with section 13 (7) of the School Inspections Act 1996 I am of the opinion, and HMCI agrees, that special measures are required in relation to this school.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004 English C C C E mathematics D E D E* science C D C E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average; E* - in the bottom five per cent of the country Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Most pupils enter the school at Year 3 with standards well above average and are leaving this year at Year 6 with standards that are broadly average in English, mathematics and science. The standards achieved by boys are worse than those of the girls. Achievement is poor. In 2004, when compared to schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2, standards were well below average in English and science, and in the bottom five Berkeley Junior School - 7 per cent in mathematics. The trend in the school’s average results in these subjects was below the national trend over the period 2002 to 2004.

p.6

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Standards in other subjects of the National Curriculum and in religious education are at the expected level for pupils’ ages at Year 6 and achievement is satisfactory.

p.7

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

The achievement of the pupils who have special educational needs, those who are learning English as an additional language and the gifted and talented is unsatisfactory overall. Although extra provision is made, the day-to-day learning is insufficiently well tailored to the pupils’ needs.

p.7

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

development, are satisfactory. The pupils’ behaviour, while satisfactory overall, has strengths and weaknesses. Where teaching fails to engage them the pupils’ behaviour is unsatisfactory and at lunch time the behaviour of a minority of boys spoils the general ambience for all. In most lessons pupils behave well and have good attitudes to learning. Attendance is very good and punctuality is good.

p.7

QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is unsatisfactory. Although there is some effective teaching and learning, the overall quality is unsatisfactory ; it is not bringing about the required improvements. Weaknesses in teaching and learning include unsatisfactory assessment which results in low expectations and lack of challenge. The teaching methods take insufficient account of the pupils’ different needs and styles in learning. Strengths are in the effective use of resources to promote the pupils’ learning. The curriculum is unsatisfactory although broadened by clubs, visits, visitors, good links with the community and the very good links with other schools. The provision for the pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is good. Support and guidance are unsatisfactory. Links with parents are satisfactory.

p.7

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management, including governance, are unsatisfactory overall. The changes in senior staff including significant periods when the school functioned with no deputy headteacher have placed a large workload on the headteacher. The headteacher has had few people to delegate responsibility to and few personnel to support innovation and change in the curriculum and teaching. As a result too little action has been taken to improve matters. The roles of subject leaders are underdeveloped, and they have not always been willing to take on appropriate responsibility. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties but has been insufficiently effective in halting the decline in the pupils’ achievement.

p.7

PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are generally satisfied with the school. A minority of parents have concerns about communication between home and school, the pupils’ behaviour and the standards achieved. The judgement of the inspection is that information to parents is of good quality. The pupils’ behaviour is satisfactory overall. However, inspectors agree that the pupils’ achievement is poor. The pupils are pleased with their school and say that they learn new things in lessons, that teachers help them and that they listen to their ideas. Only just over half of the respondents to the pupils’ questionnaire say that other children behave well. Berkeley Junior School - 8

p.7

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

p.8

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• raise the pupils’ achievement in English, mathematics and science; • improve the leadership and management, including governance; • improve the quality of teaching, learning, assessment and the curriculum. Berkeley Junior School - 9

p.8

Standards achieved in subjects

The pupils’ achievement is poor overall. Achievement for those pupils who have special educational needs, those who are learning English as an additional language and the pupils who are gifted and talented is unsatisfactory. Standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average at the end of Year 6.

p.9

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is unacceptable variation between the achievements of different groups of pupils; • standards in reading are above average at the end of Year 6; • pupils’ achievement is poor in mathematics and science; unsatisfactory in English and satisfactory in other subjects.

p.9

Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2004

p.9

Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 26.9 (26.8) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 26.2 (25.5) 27.0 (26.8) science 28.7 (28.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 83 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

p.9

Commentary

1. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 have been at the national average in English and have fluctuated between average and well below average in mathematics and science since 2002. When compared to schools where pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2, the school has not performed well and in 2004 was well below average in English and science and in the bottom five per cent in mathematics. As a result the school’s performance in all subjects tested nationally was below the national trend in 2004. 2. Pupils’ achievement is poor given that they entered the school with standards well above average and are leaving with standards that are relatively much lower. This has been caused by unsatisfactory leadership of the curriculum and teaching. It has been brought about by a lack of leadership in the face of many changes in staff including the senior leadership team. Very recently the headteacher raised awareness among

p.9

Commentary

the staff of the need for improvement. Recent intervention by the local education authority, at the request of the school, has been adversely affected because the headteacher has not ensured that improvements continue in the face of staff absence.

p.9

Commentary

3. The boys achieve less well than the girls but achievement has not been addressed by the school. In many lessons the girls are passive learners. Where the teaching was unsatisfactory the girls were patient and compliant and their learning was often adversely affected by the boys who through continuous low-level distraction prevented Berkeley Junior School - 10 others from concentrating on their tasks. This was not dealt with well enough through the teaching.

p.9

Commentary

4. The broadly average standards in English and science have not risen since 2004. In mathematics standards are broadly average which is better than last year’s results. However, the school is not well placed to maintain improvements given the absence of the subject leader and a lack of monitoring and evaluation. The school did not meet its targets for English and mathematics in 2004 and has not met them this year. Assessment is unsatisfactory. It is not being used well enough to match work to the pupils’ needs or to track their progress and provide secure predictions. The unsatisfactory curriculum does not support achievement well enough because it does not cater for the particular needs of individuals and ensure progression in the pupils’ learning.

p.10

Commentary

5. In reading standards are above average by the end of Year 6 because many parents regularly help their children to read at home. Pupils’ have good attitudes to reading and enjoy the texts they are given. As a result the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.10

Commentary

6. Pupils who have special educational needs make unsatisfactory progress overall. The help they receive in lessons is variable, depending on the quality of teaching, learning and support. They receive sound support when withdrawn sensitively for extra help to enable them to achieve the targets specified in their individual education plans. At other times the lesson planning takes too little account of the pupils’ individual targets. The achievement of those pupils who have special gifts and talents is unsatisfactory. The school goes some way to meeting their needs through its links with other schools but the day-to-day provision is not focused sufficiently well. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language make sound progress in English with external support although overall their achievement is unsatisfactory because lesson planning does not highlight their needs and consequently they are not fully addressed through

p.10

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Levels of attendance are very good. Pupils’ attitudes to their work are good and their behaviour is satisfactory overall. Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral social and cultural development, are satisfactory.

p.10

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and levels of attendance are high; • the majority of pupils work hard in their lessons and behave well in and around school; • the behaviour of a small minority of boys is unsatisfactory; • by the time they reach Year 6, most pupils are mature and confident, responding well when given positions of responsibility.

p.10

Commentary

7. Most pupils are keen to come to school and enjoy their lessons. This view is endorsed by the majority of parents who report that their children are reluctant to be absent from school. The rate of attendance is well above the national median. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. There are very good procedures in place Berkeley Junior School - 11 to monitor attendance and punctuality and there is virtually no unauthorised absence from the school.

p.10

Commentary

8. In the majority of lessons the pupils work hard and listen well to their teachers. In these lessons the good attitudes of pupils helps them to learn. They handle equipment carefully and are sensible when carrying out tasks with minimal supervision. The imbalance in the number of boys and girls in most lessons sometimes results in boys dominating discussions. The boys tend to be more vocal and extrovert while the girls tend to sit patiently and listen. However, boys and girls work well together when they are required to do so. Pupils take an active part in extra-curricular activities and where lessons are interesting pupils are well motivated and keen to learn.

p.11

Commentary

9. The pupils’ behaviour in and around school is variable. It has declined since the last inspection. Most pupils are well behaved, polite and co-operative. They open doors for each other and for visitors, show respect to adults and socialise well in the playground. However, there is a small minority of pupils, mainly boys, who do not behave well. When teaching is unsatisfactory and pupils are not sufficiently interested or involved in their lessons, there are some pupils who do not co-operate and they disrupt the learning of others. On occasions, some teachers do not follow the school’s policy on managing the pupils’ behaviour and agreed sanctions are not applied. In the playground there were some instances of rudeness and bad language evidenced during the inspection. The school works hard to avoid excluding pupils and consequently there are few exclusions from the school. Incidents of bullying, racist

p.11

Commentary

10. The satisfactory provision for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has declined since the last inspection when it was judged to be very good. The pupils in Year 6 are given responsibilities in the running of the school which they carry out well and with maturity. Pupils help to organise equipment, act as monitors in the supervision of younger pupils and as Road Safety Officers. Pupils throughout the school raise funds for various charities which increases their awareness of the needs of others.

p.11

Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (95.9%)

p.11

Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.1 School data 0.0 National data 5.1 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

p.11

Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.11

Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 341 1 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Berkeley Junior School - 12 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 5 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0 Black or Black British – African 2 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.11

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides an unsatisfactory quality of education for its pupils. The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory and has been over time. The curriculum is unsatisfactory although there is a good range of extra opportunities. The school provides a good level of care and welfare for its pupils. Support, advice and guidance based on monitoring are unsatisfactory. There are satisfactory links with parents and good links with the community. Links with other schools are very good. Berkeley Junior School - 13

p.12

Teaching and learning

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

p.13

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources are used effectively to promote the pupils’ learning; • the pupils do not get equal chances to learn because the quality of teaching and learning ranges from unsatisfactory to very good; • assessment is at an early stage and is not used well enough to match tasks to pupils’ needs through lesson planning. As a result challenge and expectations are low; • the teaching methods take insufficient account of the pupils’ style of learning; • the quality of support provided by teaching assistants is variable although satisfactory overall.

p.13

Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 41 lessons

p.13

Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.13

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.

p.13

Commentary

11. The quality of the teaching, learning and assessment has declined since the last inspection when it was judged to be very good. This is because the school has been hampered by many staff changes and staff absence including that of senior leaders and as a result any training or monitoring has not on the whole had time to impact favourably before staff have had to be replaced. Due to the absence of senior staff, class teachers have often gone their own way doing what they consider to be best for the pupils but the consistency and monitoring of teaching have been unsatisfactory. As a result, as can be seen in the table above, the quality of teaching varies unacceptably and is unsatisfactory overall. Groups of pupils learn at different rates since the provision is variable and insufficiently well monitored by the headteacher.

p.13

Commentary

12. The majority of parents think that teaching is good. The pupils say that they learn new things in lessons and that teachers show them how to make their work better. This is certainly the case when the quality of teaching and learning is good or better, where classes are well organised and managed, and time is used well. Direct teaching is addressed well through the teachers’ good subject knowledge. The very good teaching adds to this a spark of creativity and provides very good role models for speech and reading.

p.13

Commentary

13. Generally resources for teaching are used effectively to promote the pupils’ learning. This is particularly so in the use of interactive boards. These are used well to provide clarity to learning objectives and to make some of the teaching more active, thus enabling greater participation by the pupils. The learning environment is conducive to teaching and learning. Berkeley Junior School - 14 14. Satisfactory teaching and learning are marked by good relationships and clear objectives to learning. In the unsatisfactory teaching and learning a slow pace occurs because the management of the pupils’ behaviour is insufficient and pupils are not ready to learn. A lack of match between the pupils’ needs and the tasks adversely impacts on the pupils’ learning. This is also a more general weakness. Although teaching groups are arranged by the pupils’ level of attainment in English, mathematics and science, there is often little difference in what is expected from within

p.13

Commentary

each group. The lesson planning does not make clear how the needs of individuals are to be met so that the pupils are challenged at an appropriate level.

p.14

Commentary

15. Recently appropriate procedures for assessment have been introduced but the introductory work has not continued because staff absence has been allowed to hold back progress. As it stands, assessment provides an insufficiently secure basis for tracking the progress the pupils make or for planning lessons that meet the pupils’ individual needs. As a result some tasks are too difficult and others are too easy. When this is the case the pupils mark time, especially those capable of high attainment and those who are gifted and talented.

p.14

Commentary

16. Teaching methods are insufficiently focused on the pupils’ differing learning styles. One reason that boys achieve less well than girls is that teachers expect the pupils to be seated for lengthy periods with little to do but listen. This does not suit the boys who are particularly anxious to be getting on with activities in a more active and dynamic way. In the unsatisfactory teaching the boys often use diversionary tactics to avoid work.

p.14

Commentary

17. Pupils who have special educational needs are often taught individually or in smaller groups with a teaching assistant or sometimes by the support teacher from the local education authority. These pupils make unsatisfactory progress overall. They make sound progress when they receive support targeted at their needs which motivates them to learn. However, individual education plans are not always sufficiently well reflected in day-to-day lesson planning and provision becomes unsatisfactory when teaching is unsatisfactory. On some occasions the teaching assistant's time with pupils is not always used to best effect. The quality of support provided by teaching assistants in lessons is variable and satisfactory overall; the inconsistencies in the use of learning support in classes are evident in the variations in the quality of questioning and discussion that is promoted with individual pupils. At best this is of good quality

p.14

Commentary

and helps the pupils to achieve their targets. At its weakest very little extra support is provided even though other adults are present in the class. Pupils who are learning English as an additional language learn English at a sound rate because staff have an awareness of their needs and external support is provided. In other subjects they learn at a rate commensurate with the class or teaching group to which they belong because lesson planning does not address their particular needs.

p.14

The curriculum

The curriculum is unsatisfactory because it does not meet the needs of all groups of pupils. It is well enriched. The range and quality of resources and accommodation are good.

p.14

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are good opportunities for enrichment and extra-curricular provision; • the curriculum does not take enough account of the needs of different groups of pupils; Berkeley Junior School - 15 • there is too little focus on developing and assessing the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning; staff are insufficiently trained and experienced to do this effectively; • there are very good links with local schools and colleges; • resources and accommodation are used effectively to support pupils’ learning.

p.14

Commentary

18. Clubs and activities outside the school day offer opportunities for pupils who attend to develop new skills and develop their social skills. These clubs include art and sports, as well as a homework club. Staff from the local sports college lead football coaching, inspiring pupils to work hard to improve their skills. Visits and visitors are organised which enhance the curriculum effectively. These opportunities motivate pupils through practical experiences to link learning in school with the local and wider community and the environment in which they live. A residential visit for the pupils in Year 6 offers good opportunities for pupils to experience adventurous activities away from home and school. This is a big commitment from school staff to provide an enhanced curriculum for the pupils.

p.15

Commentary

19. Overall there is too little focus on developing the basic curriculum and the school has not kept pace with developments nationally nor has it assessed the impact of the curriculum on pupils’ learning until very recently. The quality of the curriculum has declined since the last inspection when it was judged to be very good. While all required subjects are taught, the school lacks experienced subject leaders to manage the development of their subjects and provide a strategic overview of the effectiveness of current schemes and resources. This results in too little curricular support for class teachers to help them to provide interesting, relevant and inspiring lessons for all groups of pupils. Insufficient teaching staff are available to develop the curriculum effectively. A combination of staff absence, new staff and temporary staff means often inexperienced staff are in post and are not being monitored and supported well

p.15

Commentary

enough to ensure there is effective teaching and learning taking place. Only recently has the school asked the local education authority to help with some aspects of the curriculum. The lack of focus on curricular development means that the school does not analyse well enough the pupils’ individual needs or achievement or use the information to make appropriate modifications to its provision.

p.15

Commentary

20. Very well-established links with local schools and colleges means that pupils, including gifted and talented pupils, benefit from the chance to participate in a range of subjects with specialist teachers, including science and physical education. In these areas the school better prepares pupils for transfer than in other subjects, particularly in the confidence the pupils gain and in other social aspects. However, because the pupils’ achievement is poor overall they are not well enough prepared for the general demands of the curriculum on transfer to the secondary schools.

p.15

Commentary

21. Resources and accommodation have been improved since the last inspection to help pupils learn more effectively. Interactive boards in classrooms enable teachers to broaden the range of strategies to help pupils learn in lessons. Work in the suite of computers provides pupils with positive experiences. A relative weakness is that the library areas are positioned along the corridor and many of the books are outdated. As a result standards in finding information are at a level typical for pupils’ ages at Year 6 but no higher. Berkeley Junior School - 16 22. There is a satisfactory programme for personal, social and health education in place, including drugs awareness and sex and relationships education. The school has successfully taken up opportunities to participate in initiatives such as Healthy Schools and the Activemark which have extended the provision for the pupils’ personal development. The provision for pupils who have special educational needs is

p.15

Commentary

strengthened through a teacher employed by the local educational authority who trains and supports the teaching assistants that work with pupils who have special educational needs. The teacher also regularly withdraws some pupils from class for extra individual tuition. Overall, however, the day-to-day provision for pupils who have special educational needs is unsatisfactory because targets from individual education plans are not reflected in the lesson planning. This represents a significant decline since the last inspection. External support for those pupils learning English as an additional language enables them to achieve soundly in English.

p.16

Care, guidance and support

The school has good procedures in place to ensure the health, welfare and safety of pupils. The pupils’ involvement in the work and development of the school is satisfactory. Support, advice and guidance are unsatisfactory. Berkeley Junior School - 17

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has very good transfer arrangements to secondary schools but the curriculum, assessment and progression in pupils’ learning are not preparing pupils well enough for the next stage of learning; • the learning mentor provides useful additional support for pupils who experience problems in school; • the marking of pupils’ work does not always give pupils sufficient guidance, and methods of tracking pupils’ progress are insufficiently effective; • healthy living is promoted well and this contributes to the pupils’ well-being.

p.17

Commentary

23. The school has good procedures in place to support the health, safety and welfare of pupils. This includes the arrangements for child protection, which are managed effectively. Governors are fully involved in the health and safety procedures to ensure that the building is free from hazards and that visits out of school are subject to the necessary assessments of risk. The school has attained the Healthy Schools Award and Activemark Gold accreditation which have enhanced the focus on healthy living which is promoted well. Fruit is on sale during morning break and pupils are encouraged to drink plenty of water and take part in physical exercise.

p.17

Commentary

24. The school’s arrangements for pupils in Year 6 to transfer to secondary school are very good. Pupils visit the two local specialist colleges regularly. Higher attaining pupils in Year 6 are taught science at the specialist technology college for a full year which brings about more pupils attaining a high level in the national tests than in other subjects. Work linked to that which pupils will carry out in secondary school is provided, including ‘taster’ lessons in French which are taught by secondary school staff. Pupils in Year 6 feel that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. A weakness is that the underachievement by pupils at Year 6 does not set them up well to cope with the demands of the secondary curriculum.

p.17

Commentary

25. Additional academic and personal support is provided for pupils by the learning mentor who works with pupils who have problems with some aspects of school life. Pupils who are vulnerable or reserved are helped to build up confidence and self- esteem. Those with problems in their personal life are provided with counselling and pupils with difficulties in their attitudes to work are given extra support and advice, including how to manage their anger. A homework club provides additional facilities for those pupils who require extra help or simply a quiet place to do their work. Generally the supervision of pupils at playtime is not always organised effectively to ensure that there are sufficient members of staff within sight of pupils and available to deal with any instances of misbehaviour.

p.17

Commentary

26. Pupils are set targets and these are clearly conveyed to both pupils and parents. The targets are not always the best fit to the pupils’ needs because assessment is unsatisfactory. Pupils’ work is marked regularly but often this marking does not give pupils sufficient guidance on how they can improve. Insufficient use is made of the tracking of pupils’ learning in order to assess their progress and check they are achieving well enough. Appropriate processes for assessment have been very recently introduced but have not become embedded quickly enough which leads to unsatisfactory guidance in the pupils’ academic work. Berkeley Junior School - 18 27. The pupils who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs receive good pastoral care. This is through the close liaison between the headteacher, the local education authority’s special needs support teacher, teaching assistants and class teachers. A

p.17

Commentary

weakness is that too little attention is given to the detailed individual educational plans to guide the teaching and learning, resulting in unsatisfactory provision overall. Berkeley Junior School - 19

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Links with other schools broaden the pupils’ experiences; • parents are provided with a good range of information about the school and its work; • links with the community enhance the curriculum; • although many parents have positive views of the school, some have concerns and few provide active help in school.

p.19

Commentary

28. Most parents are supportive of the school and feel that it works well in the education of their children. Some have concerns, however, notably about their children’s achievement, their behaviour and the communication between school and home. The first two are substantiated by the inspection. The school provides good information about the school and its work. A website has recently been set up which is a very useful initiative to convey information and to improve communication between staff and parents. Parents are provided with detailed information about how their children have behaved and are informed of their children’s targets to improve their work. Annual written reports to parents are satisfactory.

p.19

Commentary

29. A small minority of parents feel that the school is not sufficiently welcoming to parents and although the school invites parents to help out in classrooms and to attend celebration assemblies, few actually take up this invitation. Many provide useful help with out-of-school visits, including sporting events.

p.19

Commentary

30. The school’s links with local secondary schools are very good and are good with the local infant school. The headteachers of the local cluster of schools work closely together collaborating on joint initiatives, including the current focus on improving behaviour and in securing additional funding for project work. Liaison with two specialist secondary schools is successful in broadening the experiences of pupils and in ensuring that the transition to the next stage of education is as smooth as possible. For example, every year group has a sporting festival linked with the local sports college and pupils from Year 6 regularly visit the nearby technology college for science lessons. Secondary school staff visit the school to teach French and mathematics to gifted and talented pupils. Many of these links include contact within the local community and subjects such as geography effectively include local studies

p.19

Commentary

which broaden the pupils’ understanding of their locality. Through visitors to school, pupils come to a better understanding of their place in the community and their responsibilities within it.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are unsatisfactory. The quality of leadership by the headteacher and other key staff is unsatisfactory. The governance of the school is unsatisfactory. Berkeley Junior School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Governors do not have an adequate understanding of the school's needs; • leadership by the headteacher has failed to tackle persistent underachievement; • there are weaknesses in the leadership of other key staff; • the school’s self-evaluation is ineffective; • the school maintains high standards of financial control.

p.20

Commentary

31. The governing body is well organised in its committees and links to the school. Governors have supported the school, particularly through major staffing difficulties in the last two years. The school also benefits from the expertise of governors, for example in finance, health and safety. Governors ensure that the school fully meets all its statutory requirements. However, they have taken far too long to recognise that most pupils are not doing as well as they should. Nor have they given senior staff the degree of challenge needed to generate effective strategies to improve the pupils’ achievement. For these reasons governance is unsatisfactory.

p.20

Commentary

32. Leadership and management of the headteacher and senior staff are also unsatisfactory. Standards by the end of Year 6 have not improved overall for four years and have declined since the last inspection. The headteacher has been without a permanent deputy headteacher for much of this time. As a result the headteacher has spent time resolving staffing problems that have beset the school and in the day- to-day management. As a result initiatives to tackle underachievement have not been prioritised or monitored and have been too little and too late. Very recent additional support from the local education authority has yet to raise standards.

p.20

Commentary

33. The senior leadership team has also failed to focus the school's efforts to improve. New and inexperienced year group leaders have provided support to their teams, particularly to newcomers and newly-qualified teachers. However, their efforts lack co- ordination, sometimes pushing teaching approaches in different directions.

p.20

Commentary

34. Subject leadership has very recently begun to address weaknesses and inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning. Several subject leaders have done a good deal in a short time. However, leadership in the key subjects of English, mathematics and science and in special educational needs is ineffective because staffing changes and staff absence due to illness have been allowed to lead to a lack of continuity in raising standards. At the time of the inspection there were no permanent leaders in school for English, mathematics, information and communication technology, religious education or history.

p.20

Commentary

35. Shortcomings in leadership at all levels prevent the school’s self-evaluation systems from working to raise standards. For example, the action plans raised by subject leaders pay little attention to standards or the quality of teaching but these have been allowed to stand. Intensive monitoring of teaching and learning at the beginning of the year has not improved quality or standards. Nor is there a strategic long-term plan. As a result strategies to tackle issues such as unsatisfactory progress in writing or boys' underachievement fizzle out. Lack of long-term strategic planning also denies the school the means of checking its progress towards achieving improvement targets. Berkeley Junior School - 21 The link between planning to achieve the school’s goals and spending is insufficiently evaluated. The school has maintained the high standards of financial control noted at the previous inspection. The school benefits from running its own bank account and

p.20

Commentary

the considerable skill and financial expertise of its business manager. Judicious budgeting is allowing the school to retain three-form entry as rolls fall. This accounts for the high level of budget carried forward to the next year. The teamwork and efficiency of administrative and support staff guarantee the smooth day-to-day running of the school. However, insufficient attention is given to the cost effectiveness of spending decisions. The unsatisfactory quality of education shows that the school is not effective and provides unsatisfactory value for money. Berkeley Junior School - 22

p.21

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.22

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 859514 Balance from previous year 93223 Total expenditure 863473 Balance carried forward to the next 89264 Expenditure per pupil 2593 Berkeley Junior School - 23

p.22

ENGLISH

Provision in English is unsatisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils are not making enough progress and standards have declined since the last inspection; • the quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory; • the school does not do enough to improve pupils' speech and skills of listening; • achievement in reading is satisfactory although library provision is not; • teachers do not develop pupils' basic writing skills securely; • assessment and marking are not improving achievement enough.

p.23

Commentary

36. Standards have fallen from above average to average since the last inspection. Standards in speaking, listening and writing are average. Reading standards are above average. Over the last four years in the national tests for pupils in Year 6 the school’s results have remained at an average level. Given their well above average standards at the start of Year 3, pupils are not achieving as well as they should. For example, by Year 6, in 2004, standards were much lower than those in schools whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2. Girls achieve much better standards than boys and the gap is greater than it is nationally.

p.23

Commentary

37. The arrangements to teach the pupils in three groups by their level of attainment in each year go some way to meeting their needs but within each group learning is not finely enough tuned to the pupils’ individual needs. Pupils learning English as an additional language make sound progress in acquiring English. Those who have special educational needs make unsatisfactory progress because their individual education plans are insufficiently linked to the lesson planning. Teaching in the upper groups does not always challenge gifted and talented pupils. Most pupils do not make steady progress through the school because of differences in the quality of teaching from one class to another. These differences arise from shortcomings in leadership and management that have not monitored, evaluated and taken appropriate action to raise standards. For example, there is good quality teaching in Year 6, but the quality

p.23

Commentary

varies between unsatisfactory and very good in other classes. Teachers’ use of interactive boards, clear explanations, attractive books and stimulating tasks get nearly all lessons off to a good start and make learning enjoyable. However, pupils commonly make too little progress because teachers do not challenge them enough on the quality, rate and amount of their work.

p.23

Commentary

38. Teachers' own good examples of listening, clear and expressive speech and reading, and skilled questioning help to develop the pupils' speaking and listening skills. Discussion in most lessons also improves speech. However, there is not usually enough reading aloud during lessons to develop confidence, vocabularies and expression. Lessons do not systematically develop speech because teachers have Berkeley Junior School - 24 only recently begun to build it into their planning. The lower priority given to speech in English assessment also limits the step-by-step development of individual skills.

p.23

Commentary

39. Arrangements to develop reading are satisfactory. Pupils regularly read at home because of the sound partnership between teachers and parents to support them. Classrooms have a good stock of books and pupils log their own progress through the reading scheme in daily silent reading sessions. Understanding of text deepens through work each day in literacy lessons. However, the quality of guidance to reading varies a great deal from class to class. Library resources and accommodation are not good enough. Books are outdated and the two parts of the library are housed in corridors. However, pupils use the library areas regularly to change books and for research. Basic library skills are as expected for the pupils’ ages at Year 6 as a result but no higher.

p.24

Commentary

40. Weaknesses in leadership and management and recent staffing difficulties have particularly hampered the development of writing. Standards in handwriting often decline year on year and most pupils’ punctuation skills are unsatisfactory when they leave at the end of Year 6. A significant number of lower attaining pupils have not mastered cursive writing by Year 6. Success in weekly spelling tests does not transfer into many pupils’ everyday writing. The school lacks coherent schemes to develop both handwriting and spelling, and expectations of both are not high enough. Good quality lessons in Year 6 do not make up for gaps in writing skills or correct bad habits in writing that have gone unchecked over the years. However, pupils gain a sound understanding of different forms and styles and often communicate a personal voice in their writing. Marking encourages pupils, but assessment fails to involve them enough

p.24

Commentary

in checking their own learning or consistently improving standards.

p.24

Language and literacy across the curriculum

41. The use and development of English in other subjects are satisfactory. The pupils’ use of speech, listening, reading and writing in most lessons consolidates these skills. Discussions in most subjects improve the pupils’ confidence and expression. Writing opportunities in science, religious education, design and technology and history help to improve structure and imaginative writing. Increasing use of computers challenges and extends pupils’ reading and improves editing but not standards of spelling.

p.24

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is unsatisfactory .

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are too low by the end of Year 6 and the pupils’ achievement is poor; • assessment is not used well enough to help teachers plan for the next steps in the pupils’ learning; • monitoring is not effective in improving the quality of teaching and learning; • pupils are grouped by their level of attainment for teaching which goes part way, but not far enough, in matching work to the pupils’ needs.

p.24

Commentary

Berkeley Junior School - 25 42. Pupils usually enter Year 3 with standards which are well above those expected for pupils of this age. They make poor progress overall so by the end of Year 6 standards are only in line with those expected nationally. Pupils are not achieving well enough. Standards and provision have declined since the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

43. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 were below the national average. Present standards in Year 6 show a slight rise on last year’s results although the school has not met its targets for mathematics for the last two years and in both cases boys are achieving less well than girls.

p.25

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. Scrutiny of work, discussions with pupils and analysis of data indicate that over time teaching and learning have not been good enough to raise standards.

p.25

Commentary

45. Good relationships are evident in most classes and well-organised class routines help set a positive environment for learning. The grouping of pupils by their level of attainment works satisfactorily in allowing teachers to plan for a narrower range of ability. This is not built upon in lesson planning to precisely match work to the pupils’ needs within each group. Activities are not well-matched to the needs of the pupils, particularly higher attaining pupils in the class, and there is too little challenge involved. Scrutiny of pupils’ books shows pages of well-set out examples of work, almost all correct, indicating too little challenge for these pupils. Very little use is made of marking to help raise standards. Commonly the pace of lessons is not energetic enough and lacks inspiration to help pupils become excited about mathematics. Time is not used well; a common approach is that the pupils have to listen to their teachers

p.25

Commentary

for an over-long introduction thus allowing insufficient time for other aspects of learning. On occasions the pupils have too little idea how much time is allowed for activities and they work at a leisurely pace.

p.25

Commentary

46. Some good and very good teaching was observed although insufficient teaching of good quality was seen for the pupils to obtain higher standards by the time they leave the school. In the better teaching, time is used well and as a result the pupils are keen to finish in time for the next activity. They enjoy mathematics and gain satisfaction from their learning. Classrooms are well organised and managed. Pupils want to do well in these classes. This good teaching is enthusiastic and confident, in using the interactive board for example, and helps the pupils to learn at a good rate.

p.25

Commentary

47. Teachers do not always have all the information they need to meet the needs of all the class or group. Systems of assessment are not securely in place to enable teachers to see what pupils know and what they need to learn next. Although annual tests are analysed, information is not yet used effectively to secure higher achievement. For example, there are high numbers of boys in some year groups but they are under- represented in the higher sets. Efforts have been made to assess pupils’ learning styles but this information has not been used effectively to help teachers understand how the pupils learn best. The pupils who are learning English as an additional language learn at the same rate as their classmates. Those pupils who have special educational needs make unsatisfactory progress overall. It is sound for those who have a Statement of Special Educational Need when teaching assistants are well

p.25

Commentary

briefed and involve the pupils in much discussion about methods being used. It is unsatisfactory when teaching assistants are under-deployed. Extra provision from secondary schools helps those who are gifted and talented but the day-to-day teaching takes too little account of their needs and their achievement is unsatisfactory. Berkeley Junior School - 26 48. The leadership and management are unsatisfactory. The temporary leadership has not taken sufficient action to maintain the subject’s priority effectively. This has a detrimental effect on pupils’ learning. Although some monitoring of teaching is carried out, it is limited and not followed through vigorously to ensure that the quality of teaching improves. Assessment is not rigorously used to check how much progress pupils make from one year to the next and whether this is sufficient. It is not clear how much improvement is expected for pupils each year and whether that target has been

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

49. Satisfactory use is made of mathematics in other lessons, particularly in making charts and graphs in subjects such as science and geography.

p.26

SCIENCE

Provision in science is unsatisfactory . Berkeley Junior School - 27

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are very good links with a local technology college which help to enrich the curriculum; • girls have a good attitude to science. As a result they outperform the boys; • resources for science are good; • although standards are broadly average at the end of Year 6 the pupils’ achievement is poor over time; • teaching and learning are unsatisfactory; there is often a lack of challenge in the work provided.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. The school’s results in the national tests in 2004 for pupils in Year 6 were average when compared with results from all schools nationally. The results were well below average when compared with those in schools where the pupils attained similarly at Year 2. The inspection judgement is that standards in the current Year 6 have declined slightly since 2004 although overall are broadly average. There are very good links with a local technology college where higher attainers in Year 6 receive their science lessons in the year prior to their transfer to secondary school. This includes almost a third of the year group. The outcome is that in science a greater proportion of pupils attain at a level higher then typically expected for their age than in English or mathematics which follows the national pattern. Nonetheless this was a lower proportion than found nationally in 2004. These pupils are well prepared for the transfer

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

to Year 7 science lessons through a transition unit that links the curriculum between Year 6 and Year 7. Taking into account the pupils' well above average attainment at entry, achievement in science between Year 3 and Year 6 is poor.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. The quality of teaching and learning is unsatisfactory. This is a decline since the last inspection when it was judged to be good. Assessment is not used well enough to precisely match work to the pupils’ needs. The weaker teaching lacks challenge and activities do not easily enable pupils to achieve the stated learning objectives. The match of work to pupils’ needs is not well planned. On occasions there is weakness in the teachers’ subject knowledge, for example confusing a fair test and an investigation, and this leads to lack of clarity in the pupils’ understanding. In some lessons pupils do not have appropriate opportunities to get practically involved because time is not used well. In other lessons there is too much emphasis on comprehension skills at the expense of scientific skills. The pace of learning in lessons is often slow. In the better teaching and learning teachers enable pupils to

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

recall their previous learning and relate it to what they are doing in the current lesson. Teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject and use appropriate scientific language to enable pupils to further their learning. Questioning skills are used well and pupils have opportunities to discuss their work, suggest hypotheses and test these practically.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

52. In most lessons pupils are interested and enthusiastic. The attitudes of girls to science are better overall than those of the boys, resulting in part in the girls generally attaining better in the national tests when compared to the boys.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

53. Although marking and written feedback to pupils are generally satisfactory there is a high degree of inconsistency. Almost all pupils' work is marked but too often this is merely a tick to indicate that the work has been seen. However, some teachers helpfully link their constructive comments to the learning objectives for the lesson, stating why the work is good and what pupils could do to improve it. Berkeley Junior School - 28 54. Leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory. The planned release from classroom duties to check progress as recommended at the last inspection has not fully materialised and monitoring and evaluation are limited. For example, although the curriculum does not meet the needs of all pupils this has not been identified as a priority for improvement. The involvement by the subject leader in many initiatives often based out of school has enriched the curriculum but it has involved too much time out of school and overall adversely

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

affected the leadership of the subject and the raising of standards.

p.28

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Improvements since the last inspection in resources and the teachers’ subject knowledge have helped to maintain standards at the expected level for the pupils’ ages at the end of Year 6; • overall too little use is made of information and communication technology to support teaching and learning in other subjects; • the absence of a subject leader has a limiting effect on the priority given to improvements.

p.28

Commentary

55. The pupils’ achievement is satisfactory and standards by the end of Year 6 are in line with those expected for pupils this age. The school’s partnership with a nearby secondary school, which allows classes to use their extensive facilities, staff and suite of computers, has enabled older pupils to experience a broad curriculum. This is effective in maintaining both standards and interest in the subject. Older pupils have chances to develop their expertise through a residential visit where they work on computers. The pupils who have special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language also achieve soundly.

p.28

Commentary

56. Teachers have attended training and have substantially developed their skills such as in the use of interactive boards, which are in classrooms throughout the school. This has led to better learning for pupils supported by improved resources. Pupils benefit from class lessons in the computer suite, generally working together in pairs on set tasks. Teachers monitor progress and provide support and additional teaching points as the lessons progress. However, insufficient attention is paid to setting really challenging work for higher attaining pupils, and this means they do not always learn as effectively, describing tasks honestly as ‘a bit of fun’, rather than a challenge.

p.28

Commentary

57. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, ranging from good to unsatisfactory. Where teaching is good pupils are enthused and keen to work. The lessons move at a smart pace and the teacher helps pupils to learn the technical vocabulary they need. Good classroom management means pupils are clear about the consequences of unacceptable behaviour. This helps all pupils to learn effectively. Conversely, where pupils’ behaviour is not checked effectively they distract others, swinging on chairs, chatting noisily and often deleting their work. This means pupils miss chances to learn, and particularly to reflect on their own and others’ work. Berkeley Junior School - 29 58. Improved resources are complemented by improved staffing. Resources and maintenance of the hardware are managed effectively by a part-time technician. Assessment is at an early stage, currently being trialled in school, and is not used

p.28

Commentary

effectively as a tool to plan challenging work for all pupils to raise standards.

p.29

Commentary

59. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Currently there is a management committee which is responsible for the curriculum. This is a useful way of maintaining standards but the absence of a subject leader means there is insufficient drive and focus on development. For example, the subject action plan is vague and lacks a time frame so it is not clear what will be done and when. Berkeley Junior School - 30

p.29

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

60. The use of information and communication technology in other subjects is unsatisfactory. This is because it is not sufficiently well planned in the medium and short-term curricular planning. The use of the Internet for research is underdeveloped. However, pupils are very competent in using the Internet to communicate with each other and thoroughly enjoy sending messages to their friends in school.

p.30

HUMANITIES

61. Geography was not a focus of this inspection. No lessons were observed so it is not possible to make a judgement about provision. An evaluation of pupils’ recorded work shows that standards are similar to those expected of pupils in Year 6. Pupils study an appropriate range of topics and the curriculum ensures that geographical skills are built upon year on year. There are no opportunities for the subject leader to observe lessons and evaluate the impact of teaching and learning. Assessment is underdeveloped.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers plan interesting lessons to motivate pupils to learn about the past; • visits and visitors bring history alive for pupils; • too little challenge is provided for pupils who learn quickly; • the teachers give pupils too little indication of how they can improve their work.

p.30

Commentary

62. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards expected for pupils of this age. The pupils’ achievement is satisfactory whereas at the time of the last inspection the pupils made good progress. The curriculum is planned soundly so that as well as gaining knowledge and information pupils gain the skills involved in learning about the past. Topics usefully begin by checking what pupils already know.

p.30

Commentary

63. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teachers plan interesting lessons which successfully capture pupils’ attention. For example, in Year 6, pupils studied objects from the past and thought of ways of finding out more about them. The pupils’ behaviour is good. They are interested and work hard to complete their tasks. Too little is planned for higher attaining pupils to challenge them effectively. In some lessons pupils work too slowly because staff do not give clear time limits to complete work. Marking is inconsistent and often minimal with little to encourage pupils to gain higher standards. Some comments are complex and difficult to understand, giving pupils little indication about how to improve.

p.30

Commentary

64. Visits and visitors broaden the curriculum and have a good impact on the pupils’ attitudes; the pupils talk enthusiastically about what they have learned from visits. The pupils in Year 6 go to Eden Camp to learn more about World War II and pupils in Year Berkeley Junior School - 31 5 experience the Viking way of life with a visit from a ‘Viking warrior’. Such opportunities provide pupils with first hand experiences to motivate and inspire them in their learning.

p.30

Commentary

65. Leadership and management are satisfactory. A temporary subject leader has an overview of the curriculum. The pupils’ learning is checked through scrutiny of completed work each half term although insufficient time is allocated to monitor teaching effectively. This means there are too few opportunities for teachers to improve their teaching through analysing strengths and weaknesses.

p.31

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Resources for religious education are good; • leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory; • there are insufficient opportunities for pupils’ reflection.

p.31

Commentary

66. Standards attained by the end of Year 6 are in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Throughout the school, pupils are developing a broad range of understanding about a variety of religions, including Christianity, Sikhism, Judaism and aspects of Islam. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory.

p.31

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Strengths are that some teachers have a good understanding of the subject and enthusiastically draw on their extensive knowledge. Teachers have access to good resources and use them well, including visits to local places of worship. Pupils have a good attitude to the subject and the older ones expressed the view that knowing and understanding about different religions would be useful in later life.

p.31

Commentary

68. In a very good lesson in Year 6, when pupils were given good opportunities to discuss and consider their feelings, their understanding and empathy developed well. Some of the more able pupils are independently able to describe their feelings effectively in their writing. However, lessons do not generally provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to reflect on the similarities and differences between the faiths they study or express their feelings because time is skewed to developing the pupils’ knowledge.

p.31

Commentary

69. The leadership and management are unsatisfactory, as there is no member of staff with the responsibility to co-ordinate the work. This accounts for the decline in the pupils’ achievement since the last inspection because monitoring and evaluation of the subject have not been undertaken for some time and there is inconsistency in the recording and tracking of pupils' progress against the key objectives. Assessment is unsatisfactory. The subject has not been a priority for development. The chair of governors maintains an overview and ensures that the school complies with statutory requirements. The policy is outdated and there is no development plan for the subject.

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

70. Provision in art and design was not a focus of this inspection and no lessons were observed. Standards of work seen in books, portfolios and display are as expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Year 6. Scrutiny of work showed pupils use a satisfactory Berkeley Junior School - 32 range of tools and materials. The curriculum meets statutory requirements and follows current national guidance. Teachers ensure pupils make good use of sketchbooks to plan and develop ideas, note observations and experiment with techniques and media. Art and design is used well in other subjects, particularly geography and history, to record and enrich learning.

p.31

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory . Berkeley Junior School - 33

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are close links with partner secondary schools which broaden the curricular opportunities; • design and control technology are relatively weaker aspects of the teaching and learning.

p.33

Commentary

71. Standards are at the expected level for pupils’ ages at Year 6 and the pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. This represents a decline in standards achieved since the last inspection. Pupils are given appropriate opportunities to work with a variety of materials and are taught to develop their skills progressively. Work through the local partnership of schools in the evaluation of the curriculum has rightly identified relative weaknesses in the pupils’ skills in the design processes and in the use of control technology. This is reflected in the teachers’ subject knowledge and is being addressed through support from the local education authority.

p.33

Commentary

72. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, although it ranges from unsatisfactory to very good. This represents a decline overall since the last inspection. In the strongest teaching and learning, the objectives of the lesson are clearly displayed and shared with the pupils. As a result the pupils are clear about what is expected of them and make good gains. A variety of tools are used appropriately and pupils are able to describe the processes undertaken and why certain mechanisms are used in preference to others. Pupils' learning is furthered as teachers use, and encourage the pupils to use, subject specific language. Care is taken in the making and in the presentation of the finished product. Pupils are encouraged and guided to reflect upon their work and suggest areas for improvement.

p.33

Commentary

73. When teaching is unsatisfactory, the pupils' behaviour is not managed well and time is wasted. The pace of learning slows when the teacher has to continually break from moving the lesson forward to manage the pupils’ behaviour. Methods used do not engage the pupils and there is a lack of challenge in the level of activities provided because assessment is unsatisfactory. Pupils' attitudes are unsatisfactory and this has a negative impact upon achievement.

p.33

Commentary

74. The close links with a local secondary school enhance the curriculum for the pupils in Year 6. Some good examples of buggies made by Year 6 pupils have developed from these links. Pupils had developed and planned their work using tools and equipment appropriately. The finished products incorporated information and communication technology control and electrical circuits; some included switches.

p.33

Commentary

75. Overall, the leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject leader has worked hard in the short time that she has had responsibility for the subject. A new policy has been written and discussed with staff and a subject action plan has been produced, although not linked sufficiently to standards and the quality of teaching and learning.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The pupils enjoy music; • the quality of teaching and learning varies too much from one class to another; • the school provides good opportunities to develop individual skills. Berkeley Junior School - 34

p.33

Commentary

76. The pupils’ achievement in music is satisfactory, as at the time of the last inspection. Standards are as expected for pupils’ ages at the end of Year 6. Enthusiastic leadership of music continues to improve provision. The curriculum follows national guidance and gives pupils varied and interesting experiences of making and appreciating music. The new subject leader has taken effective steps to monitor teaching and learning.

p.34

Commentary

77. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers foster pupils’ enjoyment of lessons by involving them fully in music making. This was so in Year 6 group compositions, Year 4 explorations of pulse and rhythm and Year 3 class singing. Pupils enjoy the challenge of singing in two parts and teamwork in composing atmospheric music for voice and percussion. They also enjoy opportunities to explore their appreciation of music through speech, writing and art which contribute to the pupils’ spiritual development. However, there is too much variation in teaching quality between classes, mainly because of differences in teachers’ musical skills and confidence, and the levels of challenge and engagement for pupils. The school has begun to address this through greater use of the staff’s subject expertise.

p.34

Commentary

78. Arrangements to foster pupils' talents are good. The school offers instrumental lessons in recorder, violin, cello, flute, clarinet and guitar. The choir is open to all, and performs and rehearses throughout the year. All pupils have weekly hymn singing practices and sing in assembly each day with piano accompaniment. Professional musicians and pupils from local secondary schools come in to perform to the school from time to time adding extra opportunities for the pupils to develop their knowledge and appreciate a range of music.

p.34

Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in swimming are above those expected at the end of Year 6; • curricular planning and the quality of teaching are not adequately monitored; • the link with the local sports college is broadening the curriculum well, as are extra- curricular sports clubs; • the pupils enjoy physical education.

p.34

Commentary

79. Standards are at the expected level at the end of Year 6. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall although variable. In swimming the pupils achieve well and standards are higher than typically expected for the pupils’ ages at Year 6. This is because the school is part of a project that provides a full programme of swimming lessons and opportunities for swimming out of school hours.

p.34

Commentary

80. Other variations in achievement are linked to variations in the quality of teaching. The subject leader sets a good example in the quality of teaching and learning. Here, effective subject knowledge gives confidence to the teaching and responsibility to the pupils, for example to Berkeley Junior School - 35 lead the beginning of lessons using a range of techniques to warm up muscles prior to exercise. Through questions and answers the pupils are challenged intellectually as well as physically. In a lesson in Year 6 this resulted in good improvements in the pupils’ style of running. Conversely, where teaching and consequently learning and achievement were unsatisfactory, the teaching was not organised sufficiently to ensure that enough physical activity took place. The pace was slow and activities not developed well enough so that the pupils had far too little time to practise and improve their skills at jumping. Since the last

p.34

Commentary

inspection the quality of teaching has declined from good to satisfactory overall.

p.35

Commentary

81. The pupils derive much enjoyment from participating in the provision for sports. Pupils are keen to represent their school at local and regional fixtures and have been successful in this. A significant number of pupils take part in the wide range of sports on offer through extra- curricular clubs and opportunities to work with leading professionals. This commitment to providing an environment that encourages participation in sports and promotion of a healthy lifestyle has contributed well to the school achieving the Activemark Gold for its sports endeavours. The pupils have a good understanding of the importance of staying healthy.

p.35

Commentary

82. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Strengths are in the work with the local sports college which is broadening the curriculum to include many out-of-school activities, providing clear direction for the leadership of the subject and improving the teachers’ subject knowledge. A shortcoming is that the curricular planning is insufficiently well monitored which means that weaknesses in the use of planning and in teaching and learning including assessment are not identified early and remedied. The school does not ensure that all pupils take part in physical education because of problems over kit that have yet to be resolved.

p.35

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

83. Citizenship was not a focus of this inspection. Time is allocated in classes for discussions to promote healthy living and citizenship. The pupils are encouraged to express feelings and talk about the issues which interest them. This year has seen the development of a new and more structured programme in all classes and year groups which includes relationships and sex education and drugs education. This curriculum is sensibly being evaluated by the new subject leader. The Healthy School Award is one way the school has demonstrated its commitment to, and the importance of, this programme in school. Berkeley Junior School - 36

p.35

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 5 How inclusive the school is 5 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 6 Value for money provided by the school 5

p.36

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 6 Pupils’ achievement 6

p.36

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (ethos) 4 Attendance 2 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 4 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 4

p.36

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 5 The quality of teaching 5 How well pupils learn 5 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 5 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 5 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 4 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

p.36

PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 5 The governance of the school 5 The leadership of the headteacher 5 The leadership of other key staff 5 The effectiveness of management 5

p.36

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).

p.36