Harefield Infant and Junior School

HAREFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 – 20 October 2004

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HAREFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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HAREFIELD 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. Harefield Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Park Lane Harefield Uxbridge Middlesex Postcode: UB9 6BJ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01895 824447 Fax number: 01895 824098

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Barrie Evans

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 1 February 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in the heart of Harefield, a village community in Hillingdon near the boundary of Greater London and Buckinghamshire. The school serves a mixed area of well-established owner-occupied dwellings and local authority housing; the percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals has increased in recent years and is now above the national average. The school is smaller than the average junior school, with 221 pupils organised into 8 classes, but about the same size as the average primary school (239 pupils). The vast majority of pupils are from white British families; there is a fewer number of pupils whose first language is not English than in most schools and very few who are in the early stages of learning the language. There are a few pupils of Indian or Afro-Caribbean descent.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment on entry is broadly average, with variations from year to year in the proportions of higher attaining children and of those with special educational needs. The overall proportion of pupils with special educational needs is currently well above the national average; the proportion with a statement of special educational need is broadly average. As well as a range of learning difficulties, the special educational needs in the school include social, emotional and behavioural, autistic, and speech or communication needs.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

In 2004 the school gained a Healthy Schools Award, as well as an Artsmark and Investor in People recognition. It had previously gained a Charter Mark in 2003, Activemark in 2002, and a Basic Skills Quality Mark and a School Achievement Award in 2001. Harefield Junior School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

19623 Michael Cahill Lead inspector English as an additional language Mathematics Science Music Physical education 9334 Jenny Mynett Lay inspector 11901 Pat Lowe Team inspector Special educational needs English Geography History 22831 Clive Lewis Team inspector Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 10

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very effective school that provides very good value for money. Leadership and management are very good and directed towards raising standards through continually improving the quality of education provided. Pupils achieve very well in attaining standards that are well above average and are prepared very well for subsequent stages of education.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Very good leadership and management have created a strong and cohesive team with high expectations and a shared commitment to raising pupils’ achievement. • Very effective promotion of pupils’ confidence and self-esteem stimulates their desire to learn; attitudes, behaviour and relationships are all good. • The overall quality of teaching and learning is high and pupils achieve very well; the use of self- assessment and target setting is relatively undeveloped. • The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those with particular gifts and talents, including those for whom English is an additional language. • The curriculum is broad and well-planned, it meets pupils’ needs very well and is enriched by a wide range of extra activities; pupils’ developing ICT skills are not fully used in other subjects. • Test results in Year 6 in English, mathematics and science are well above the national average;

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OVERALL EVALUATION

standards in art and design and in history are also well above average.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

There has been a very good level of improvement since the last inspection in 1999; standards are now higher across the curriculum and the overall quality of education, including the teaching and the use of the National Literacy Strategy, has been improved.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English D B A A mathematics D C A A* science C A A A Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ achievement is very good overall ; pupils of all abilities make very good progress in relation to their differing starting points. They develop very well the learning skills and attitudes that are the foundation for further learning.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

National test results for Year 6 pupils have been improving over the last five years to an extent that is better than the national picture. Inspection evidence indicates that the standards attained by Year 6 pupils are well above the national average in English, mathematics, science, art and design and history; test results for 2004 confirm this judgement, with the school easily surpassing the targets agreed with the local education authority for the proportion of Year 6 pupils achieving Level 4 and Level 5 in English and mathematics. Standards in most other National Curriculum subjects Harefield Junior School - 7 are above average and musical performance is often well above average. Standards in religious education exceed the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Harefield Junior School - 8

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

development, are promoted very well. Attitudes and behaviour are good; most pupils contribute well to maintaining a pleasant and purposeful working atmosphere. Attendance is below the national average and this is unsatisfactory; punctuality is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good quality of education for all of its pupils . The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers have high expectations of the standards of work and behaviour and pupils respond positively, for example by taking a lot of care with the presentation of their work. The teamwork between teachers and other adults in the classroom is very effective in making sure that all pupils are fully involved and supported in lessons. Pupils of all abilities, including those for whom English is an additional language, become increasingly confident young learners. There are not, however, sufficient opportunities for pupils to assess their own learning and recognise for themselves what they need to do to improve.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum meets pupils’ needs very well and there are very good opportunities for them to enrich their experience through other activities, especially in music and sports. ICT resources are used well in some subjects but there is scope for further development across the curriculum. The school provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils and maintains a good partnership with their parents. The school maintains good links with the community and with other schools and colleges.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good . The leadership of the headteacher and other key staff is very good and focused on raising the achievement of all pupils. Governance is very good and all statutory requirements are fully met. The school is very well managed and there are particularly effective systems for keeping track of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics and for setting targets; such systems are relatively under-developed in other subjects.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents express a high level of satisfaction with the school, which they find to be welcoming, caring and open . They value the way the school keeps them informed and actively consults with them. Pupils are very happy and speak very highly of the school and the teachers. They appreciate being consulted and speak enthusiastically about how they are helping to make the school a better place and about their involvement in the healthy eating initiative.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • share and implement consistently in all subjects the very good practice in the school with respect to assessment, pupil self-assessment, target setting and tracking pupils’ progress. • take full advantage of the opportunities presented by improved resources for using ICT more fully to support learning in all subject areas. • continue to impress on all parents the importance of regular attendance and of not taking their children on holiday during term time. Harefield Junior School - 9

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Standards achieved in subjects

Pupils’ achievement is very good; test results in English, mathematics and science over the last five years have usually been above the national average and have improved at a better rate than the national trend.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils make very good gains in their skills, knowledge and understanding because of very good teaching, based on high expectations. • Overall national test results in 2004 for Year 6 pupils were well above the national average. • Pupils’ attainment in art and design and in history is well above expectations for their age.

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

Standards in: School results National results English 28.4 (28.0) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 29.1 (27.5) 27.0 (26.8) Science 30.2 (30.2) 28.6 (28.6) There were 54 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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

1. Over the five years since the last inspection, the school’s national test results for pupils in Year 6 have improved at a rate better than the national trend. In 2004, results were well above average in each of English, mathematics and science. There are differences from year to year in the relative performance of boys and girls but these are explained by normal year group variations in the distribution of higher and lower ability pupils. Overall, there are no significant differences in the achievement of any group of pupils, including those from minority ethnic families.

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

2. In 2004, the school has greatly exceeded the targets agreed with the local education authority for the proportions of pupils achieving Level 4 and Level 5 in both English and mathematics. Targets for the current Year 6 are appropriately realistic and challenging.

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

3. Attainment on entry is broadly average but with a sizeable proportion of pupils having special educational needs. National test results in Year 2 for those pupils transferring from the neighbouring infant school have generally been average or below average in reading, writing, mathematics and science. As the Year 6 national test results show, pupils have been helped to build very successfully on their attainment on entry; their achievement is very good.

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

4. Pupils with a wide range of special educational needs achieve very well. Due to the very good quality and level of support, pupils make very good progress towards their individual learning targets. Many pupils with special educational needs achieve the national expectations in a range of subjects. The school also makes very good provision for pupils that it identifies as gifted and talented and they too achieve very well. Pupils who speak English as an additional language or who are from minority ethnic backgrounds are performing as well as other pupils, often to well above average standards. Harefield Junior School - 10 Harefield Junior School - 11 5. By Year 6 pupils attain standards that are well above average in English, mathematics, science, art and design and history. Standards are above average in the other subjects inspected, geography and music. Standards in religious education exceed the requirements of

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

the locally agreed syllabus. Although pupils in Year 6 did not have the benefit of the now improved ICT facilities in their earlier years, most are competent users of the technology.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are good and the provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good, overall. Pupils’ attendance is unsatisfactory and below the national average. Most pupils are punctual to school in the mornings.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school stimulates in pupils a desire to learn and consequently pupils have positive attitudes to school and, by the time they leave, demonstrate a good level of confidence and self-esteem. • Behaviour in and around the school is good overall and improves significantly as pupils move through the school. • The very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development results in them valuing and respecting others and developing a clear understanding of right and wrong. • Attendance is unsatisfactory because of term time holidays and a small number of individuals who do not attend school regularly or arrive on time.

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Commentary

6. Pupils enjoy coming to school and show a high level of interest in school life and the very good range of learning opportunities provided for them. They willingly accept responsibility, demonstrated in the way older pupils take responsibility for preparing assemblies, the Year 6 playground “Gold Band” troupe who, in the words of one of them, “Look after little people that are upset”, and through the well-established school council that meets weekly. Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities throughout the curriculum for personal development and these opportunities, coupled with the school’s high expectations and very consistent whole- school policies for improving behaviour, result in pupils’ relationships with others and their levels of confidence and self-esteem improving significantly as they get older. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in all aspects of school life. Their good attitudes,

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Commentary

behaviour and relationships contribute to their integration and very good achievement. There were only two exclusions in the last school year; the school very rarely uses this sanction.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – British 211 2 0 White – any other White background 1 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 8 0 0 Harefield Junior School - 12 Black or Black British – Caribbean 4 0 0 Black or Black British – African 1 0 0 Chinese 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. 7. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well integrated into the curriculum and contributes very effectively to pupils’ personal development. The school utilises a wide range of opportunities to develop pupils’ self-knowledge and spiritual awareness and pupils, as a result, show respect for the values and beliefs of others. Provision for moral development is very good; pupils are fully aware of the way their actions affect others, and stories in assemblies, supported by class activities provide a clear moral code for

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

behaviour. Provision for social development is similarly very good and results in most cases in very constructive relationships between staff and pupils and among pupils themselves.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

8. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors and to each other and these positive attitudes and eagerness to learn enable them to make very good progress. There is a very good working atmosphere and this has a significant positive impact on achievement. The school promotes an awareness of pupils’ own culture very effectively and knowledge of the local culture and history is supported very well through a good range of links with the community. Education for life in a culturally diverse society has been improved since the last inspection when the report judged that “there is room for further development of this aspect of the school’s work”. This aspect is now addressed appropriately through a combination of outside contacts and visitors and the school recognises the potential contribution of ICT in this respect.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

9. Most pupils are happy to come to school and are eager to learn. The attendance level of the majority of pupils continues to be satisfactory. However, there are still a small number of pupils whose attendance is not so regular and this, as well as holidays taken in term time, affects the overall attendance figures of the school, and impacts on these pupils’ levels of attainment. Most parents bring their children to school punctually in the mornings and lessons start on time. The school has developed a number of initiatives to promote better punctuality and attendance including a breakfast club, which has encouraged pupils to arrive earlier in the mornings. The school is rigorous in monitoring attendance and following up individuals who give cause for concern.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.1 School data 0.4 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.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality education for all its pupils. Teaching and learning are very good. Curriculum provision is very good overall. The school provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils and maintains a good partnership with their parents. The school has good links with the community and with other schools and colleges. Harefield Junior School - 13

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils achieve very well. Assessment procedures are satisfactory, overall, with good features as well as areas for development. The teaching has improved since the last inspection. Harefield Junior School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants helps to maintain a very good working atmosphere and ensures that all pupils are fully included in lessons and achieve to their potential. • Teachers communicate high expectations of work and behaviour and most pupils respond well to this and develop good work habits. • Teachers make good use of information and communication technology resources in literacy but its use in other subjects is relatively under-developed. • Teachers keep good track of pupils’ progress but there is some inconsistency in the promotion of self-assessment and in the definition and use of targets.

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Commentary

10. Teaching was at least good in most lessons seen; in almost a half it was very good and, in one instance, excellent. There was no teaching that was less than satisfactory. Evidence from looking at the work of pupils during the previous school year supports the judgement that the overall quality of teaching and learning is very good. Over time this very good teaching has led to very good achievement in each of English, mathematics and science. There are many very good examples of the planned development and use of the skills of literacy in other subjects, particularly history, but fewer in the case of numeracy. The teaching of other subjects is almost always at least good and is often very good. As a result of this consistently high quality of teaching, pupils achieve very well across the curriculum.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

11. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is very good and is instrumental in their very good achievement; many attain the national expectation in Year 6. Individual Education Plans are well written and provide short-term, specific targets and suggest teaching and learning strategies. Pupils’ individual needs are met through carefully planned work and the high quality of the support provided. They benefit from working with pupils of similar ability for short periods each week; this helps them to develop their basic skills and improve their confidence and self-esteem. Trained teaching assistants provide very valuable support, particularly in literacy and numeracy lessons, enabling pupils to access the curriculum fully. Pupils who have been identified as gifted or talented have regular sessions of more challenging work and also benefit from lesson planning that acknowledges their

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

particular abilities. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are well integrated into lessons and given the support that they need; they achieve as well as their peers.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

12. Teachers have high expectations of pupils in terms of work and behaviour and at best this is supported by very good day-to-day assessments that enable tasks to be very well tailored to pupils’ learning needs. For example, this was a considerable strength of the excellent mathematics lesson with pupils in Year 4, focused on written methods for addition of large numbers. In this lesson, as in many others, very good teamwork between the teacher and the teaching assistant ensured that all pupils were fully included and had the support that they needed. Pupils’ learning was greatly enhanced because they knew and understood their individual improvement targets and these were constantly referred to and updated during the lesson. However, there is inconsistency across subjects and classes in the encouragement of self-assessment and the use of short-term achievable targets to help pupils know what they

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

Harefield Junior School - 15 need to do to improve. Teachers do assess and record information about pupils’ attainment and this is very effectively used in the greatly appreciated reports to parents. However the information is much less used, apart from in English and mathematics, to promote further learning and achievement by sharing targets related to National Curriculum levels with pupils. This area for further development has been clearly identified by the assessment co-ordinator in the school’s improvement planning

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 28 lessons

13. The very good teaching, learning and achievement are underpinned by the maintenance of very good working relationships between adults and pupils that promote a very pleasant and purposeful working atmosphere in classrooms. Because pupils know what is expected of them and teachers go to a lot of trouble to make learning interesting, pupils develop good attitudes to their learning. They work well together and independently of adult direction when that is appropriate; they are well on the way to becoming confident and self-motivated young learners. When they are given the opportunity to use ICT resources they do so confidently, for example when Year 6 pupils completed a Rationing Challenge on the interactive whiteboard. The use of word processing in developing literacy skills is well developed but the wider use of ICT across the curriculum is not securely embedded in planning throughout the school

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The curriculum

The curriculum meets pupils’ needs very well. There is a very broad range of curricular opportunities and the curriculum is very well enriched. The quality of accommodation is excellent and the range of learning resources in most areas of the curriculum is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good provision for equality of opportunity and inclusion for all pupils promotes very good achievement. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those with particular gifts and talents is very good. • Good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education. • The school provides a very good range of opportunities for learning outside of lessons.

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Commentary

14. The school provides a very broad, balanced and coherent curriculum, with a very secure level of continuity and progression and a very good range of opportunities for enrichment. This constitutes very good improvement since the last inspection. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements, including provision for religious education and collective worship and provides effective personal, social and health education, including, where appropriate, sex and drugs awareness education.

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Commentary

15. The school provides pupils with a very good range of interesting and relevant and well- attended extra-curricular activities. Of particular note are the sporting and cultural visits linked to the curriculum which are organised to extend pupils’ experiences and the good range of visitors who work in the school during the year. Lunchtime provision is very well planned and resourced, with teaching assistants employed to organise games during lunchtimes.

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Commentary

16. There is a very good level of equality of opportunity for all pupils and the school is very inclusive in all its policies and practices. For example, teaching assistants are very well deployed to support those pupils who need help in having full access to the curriculum and participation in extra-curricular activities is open to all. There are consistent whole-school approaches to teaching and applying literacy and mathematics across the curriculum and there is evidence of the school’s willingness to adopt new strategies and to seek and accept Harefield Junior School - 16 guidance on reformulating the curriculum in order to make improvements. Its current involvement in the local education authority’s Excellence initiative is a case in point. Pupils are well prepared for later stages of education.

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Commentary

17. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. It is organised to meet the specific needs of individual pupils, or groups of pupils. Very good support from the co- ordinators for special educational needs, class teachers and experienced teaching assistants, enables pupils to work confidently alongside their peers. Individual Education Plans are discussed with pupils and parents and are reviewed each term or more often if necessary. Provision for pupils with particular gifts and talents is also very good; pupils are identified and placed on a register and a co-ordinator ensures that they are provided with a very good range of appropriate additional opportunities.

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Commentary

18. The school is well staffed with teachers and other adults and there is a strong sense of teamwork. The accommodation is excellent, with a number of additional subject rooms, including a technology/breakfast club room, an ICT Suite, a music room, and a food technology room, and the classrooms are very spacious and well-decorated. The school accommodation, which is utilised well, is exceptionally well decorated with very attractive, informative and colourful displays celebrating pupils’ work. The accommodation is extremely well maintained by very conscientious cleaning staff and this contributes very effectively to the positive school ethos. Resources for most subject areas are very good and are well organised and easily accessible.

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Care, guidance and support

Systems to ensure pupils’ health, safety and welfare are very good and ensure pupils are well supported during their time at school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a very caring and supportive environment where pupils can grow into confident and happy individuals. • The learning mentor and welfare assistant provide well-focused support for ‘needy’ pupils. • Formal procedures to monitor and promote pupils’ personal development are relatively under- developed. • Very good induction arrangements ensure an easy transfer from the infant school, and help pupils settle quickly into school. • Pupils feel that they are consulted and that there is always somebody they can talk to.

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Commentary

19. This is a very caring school with teachers and other adults providing a safe environment for pupils. The overall provision for pupils’ health, welfare and protection is very good and well managed, as it was at the time of the last inspection. Parents are delighted by the way the school takes care of the individual needs of their children. Arrangements for child protection and procedures relating to health and safety are secure and sensitively managed, with the governors taking their responsibility for health and safety issues conscientiously. The welfare assistant provides a caring role for those who are ill or need support. The induction process into the school is well thought out and effectively implemented, with very good links established with the neighbouring infant school. The transition process to the various different secondary schools is also well managed to ensure that pupils progress to the next

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Commentary

stage of education as smoothly as possible.

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Commentary

20. Procedures to monitor and support pupils’ academic development and progress are good, particularly in English and mathematics. However, whilst the class teachers and support staff Harefield Junior School - 17 know their pupils very well, their personal development is less well tracked, apart from those who have personal support plans. The school has good systems in place offering support and guidance for those pupils with special educational needs and the various outside agencies are involved as necessary. The learning mentor has been working closely with a small number of pupils and their parents. She has been very effective in developing a number of successful inclusion strategies to help vulnerable pupils and those who find difficulties responding appropriately to the learning environment. This assistance is making a significant contribution to their personal and academic development by helping to set boundaries and raise their

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Commentary

confidence and self-esteem. A focus on improving attendance and punctuality is also being successful in encouraging these pupils to attend more regularly.

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Commentary

21. Pupils are very happy and think it is a safe and secure school. They speak very highly of the school and teachers and respond well to the trust placed in them. They feel that they are well known by their class teachers and that this is fostering very good relationships. Pupils are confident that they can turn to any member of staff if they have a problem or are unhappy, and that issues will be dealt with swiftly: ‘Teachers are always there to help you.’ Opportunities to consult with pupils and to take their views into consideration are well developed. The school council encourages pupils to be more responsible, and gives them a voice by involving them in decision-making processes in the school. Pupils speak enthusiastically about how they are helping to make the school a better place and about their current involvement in the healthy eating initiative.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents have very positive views about the school. The partnerships with parents, the local community and other schools are good and continue to be among the many strengths of the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school actively consults the very strong and supportive parent body and parents hold the school in high regard. • The school plays a central role within the village and there are good links with the local community. • The links with the neighbouring infant school are very good.

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Commentary

22. The school continues to foster very good relationships with parents, keeping them fully informed and providing them with many opportunities to become involved in their child’s education. Parents expressed a high level of satisfaction about the work of the school, which they find to be ‘welcoming, caring and open’ . They feel it promotes equality in a consistent way and treats pupils fairly. They feel the school caters very effectively for all groups of people including those for whom English is an additional language as well as providing challenge for the more able, gifted and talented pupils. Parents think the school is very well managed and find the headteacher and staff very approachable. They value the way the school seeks to keep them informed and actively consults with them. Frequent newsletters keep parents updated on events and activities. Curriculum information is shared with parents

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Commentary

each term so they know what their child is doing and can help them at home. Parents are particularly delighted by the open door policy, how teachers are always available to deal with any issues or problems and the way they are welcomed into the school.

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Commentary

23. The majority of parents take an active interest in their child’s learning and are involved in it by listening to reading and supporting homework projects; this has a positive impacts on pupils’ levels of achievement. A small minority, however, take their children on holiday during term time and a few do not ensure that their children attend regularly and arrive on time. The Harefield Junior School - 18 school welcomes volunteers and a small number of parents and local villagers help around school by listening to reading, assisting in the classroom, undertaking various tasks or helping out on school visits. Information evenings as well as school events including sports days, plays and performances are very well attended. Parents are kept fully informed about their children’s progress through regular consultation meetings and the helpful annual reports. These clearly state what their children have covered as well as evaluating how well they are

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Commentary

doing, indicating pupils’ levels of attainment and identifying targets for improvement.

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Commentary

24. Links with the local community are good and help enrich pupils’ learning opportunities. The school is central to local community life and many villagers are involved in school activities and attending functions run by the school. As well as the very close working partnership with the neighbouring infant school, there are effective links with local churches, the police and local craftsmen, which also enhance pupils’ learning. Links with local business have helped to sponsor the schools sports kit and provide prizes for raffles or vouchers to reward full attendance. The welfare assistant is the focal point for the parent-teacher association. With the help of a number of enthusiastic parents she organises and helps run a number of social and fund raising activities each year. These events are well supported by parents and help to generate money for additional resources or equipment for the school. This school hopes to

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Commentary

extend the role of the parent-teacher association in the future to act as an initial sounding board for new ideas.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are very good. The headteacher leads and manages the school very well and is very ably supported by key staff. The governance of the school is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has an excellent vision for the future development of the school and has the full support of staff and governors. • The governing body provides a very good level of challenge and support and takes a very active role in shaping the vision and direction of the school. • Very efficient management systems reflect the emphasis on self-evaluation and commitment to improvement. • Approaches to financial management are very good and the management of the budget is excellent.

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Commentary

25. The headteacher provides very good leadership. Her high aspirations and vision for future development are evident in the school’s strategic planning and fully reflect the school’s aims and values. She is very ably supported by the deputy headteacher and senior staff. They form a very effective team and demonstrate a strong commitment to raising pupils’ standards and achievement. Leadership of the curriculum and teaching is strong and is based on a framework of shared values. Aspect and subject leaders give careful consideration to future developments and inspire, motivate and influence staff and pupils very well, thereby establishing a very positive climate for learning in which all pupils flourish. There is a very strong commitment to equal access to all that the school has to offer and to the development of pupils’ full potential, independence and self-esteem.

p.18

Commentary

26. The management of the school is very good. There are very good systems for the monitoring and evaluation of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics. These provide clear evidence of achievement, and lead to further improvements in the quality of education provided. The school recognises the need to establish a more uniform approach in other subjects, based on this good practice. The management of most subjects and aspects is very good. Senior staff Harefield Junior School - 19 monitor the quality of teaching and learning, carry out regular evaluations and identify areas for further improvement. The school manages the recruitment, retention, deployment and workload of staff very well. Induction procedures, performance management and the continuing professional development of staff are very effective in bringing about improvement. The school’s very good links with teacher training colleges are mutually beneficial to the

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Commentary

teachers in training and the school. The management of the school budget, by the headteacher, administrative officer and the governing body is excellent. Development planning is very good and the governing body, headteacher and senior staff keep all aspects of the school’s performance under continuous review. The allocation of financial resources follows the school’s identified priorities for improvement very well. 27. The governance of the school is very good. The governing body is very well organised, under the leadership of a very experienced chairman and takes an active role in helping to shape the vision and direction of the school. Members of the governing body take full advantage of available training opportunities and give generously of their time and varied experience, in support of the school. They have a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, as a result of the monitoring undertaken by individual governors and

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Commentary

committees. Governors make sure that all statutory requirements, including those related to race and disability legislation, are fully met. They challenge, as well as support, the leadership and management of the school and are prepared to take difficult decisions, when necessary. They have fully addressed the issues identified in the last inspection report and are rigorous in ensuring that the school fulfils its statutory duties. Their approach to financial management is very good. The management and use of resources, based on the principle of obtaining best value for money, is very efficient.

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 730 063 Balance from previous year 25 627 Total expenditure 707 890 Balance carried forward to the next 47 800 Expenditure per pupil 3051

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

The balance carried forward includes an element of some £25000 allocated to capital expenditure. Harefield Junior School - 20

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Literacy skills are taught very well across the curriculum • Teachers’ very good subject knowledge promotes very good teaching which, in turn, leads to very good learning for pupils of all abilities. • The strong emphasis on the teaching of basic skills enables pupils to achieve well above national expectations. • The time devoted to guided reading is not planned rigorously enough. • Good assessment and tracking procedures are used effectively in response to individual needs, but pupils are not sufficiently involved in the evaluation of their own learning.

p.20

Commentary

28. Pupils enter Year 3 with standards that are broadly in line with national expectations but that in a significant minority of case are well below expectations. They make very good progress in all year groups and standards in Year 6 are well above national expectations. This reflects the results achieved in the 2004 national tests. All groups of pupils, including the gifted and talented, those with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language achieve very well, due to very good teaching and the very good climate for learning. Inspection findings suggest that pupils in Year 6 should meet the challenging targets set for them and, in some cases, exceed them.

p.20

Commentary

29. Standards in speaking and listening are well above those expected of pupils in Year 6, due to the fact that there are planned opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills in every area of the curriculum. Most pupils listen attentively for sustained periods of time and contribute well to discussions. They respect the contributions of others and await their turn when others are speaking. Teachers use good questioning skills to ensure the active involvement of all pupils and to challenge their thinking.

p.20

Commentary

30. Standards in reading are well above those expected of pupils in Year 6. Pupils’ attainment is tracked, and the results are used to improve standards. There are planned opportunities for individual and group reading in most areas of the curriculum. However, not all groups of pupils in guided reading sessions are given specific tasks and so time is not always used effectively. The purchase of more non-fiction books to engage the interest of boys has been instrumental in reducing the gender gap. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of books and authors. Discussions with staff and pupils indicate that most pupils are well supported in their reading at home.

p.20

Commentary

31. Standards in writing are well above those expected of pupils in Year 6. There are planned opportunities for writing in most subjects and this has a very positive impact on standards. Pupils develop the ability to write at length, using extended sentences. Their progress in spelling is carefully tracked, and the results are used to address the needs of individual pupils. Pupils’ handwriting is exceptionally neat and legible, and most pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work. Displays are of a very high quality and demonstrate the value that is placed on pupils’ work. Harefield Junior School - 21 32. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. Teachers have a very good understanding of pupils’ individual learning needs, and use a range of successful strategies to engage their interest and challenge their thinking. Very good support for pupils of all abilities ensures their

p.20

Commentary

full inclusion in all activities, and leads to very good achievement. Most pupils work very well, both independently and collaboratively. Good assessment and tracking procedures are used effectively in response to individual needs. The marking of written work is generally good. However, there are limited opportunities for pupils to assess their own learning. Discussions with pupils revealed that few know what National Curriculum level they have reached, or have a good understanding of how they can improve.

p.21

Commentary

33. Leadership and management are very good. The subject leader has a very clear vision for future development and has created a very effective team. She has successfully implemented new approaches to learning, in order to raise standards further. The curriculum is enriched by the use of interactive technology, drama and special events. Provision shows very good improvement since the last inspection. Standards have improved significantly in all aspects of English. Issues raised at the last inspection have been fully addressed; the National Literacy Strategy has been implemented fully. Gender issues have been addressed and boys now achieve as well as girls. Over the last four years, the school has consistently achieved results above the national trend.

p.21

Language and literacy across the curriculum

34. There are very good opportunities for pupils to use their language and literacy skills in other areas of the curriculum. There are particularly good examples in history, where pupils are encouraged to record their work in a variety of interesting ways, such as eye-witness accounts. Drama and role-play enhance pupils’ speaking and listening skills and develop their confidence and self-esteem. Resources are very good and help teachers to develop the elements of the literacy strategy very effectively.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The overall quality of teaching is very good and this is promoting very good achievement. • The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management, focused on improving standards. • Test results improved at better than the national rate from 1999 onwards; standards are well above average by the end of Year 6. • Not enough use is made of investigative methods or of pupil self-assessment.

p.21

Commentary

35. National test results in 2004 were well above average in Year 6 when compared with all schools and with similar schools. In recent years, the school’s results in Year 6 have been improving faster than the national trend; in 2003 they were above those recorded at the time of the last inspection. There has been good improvement in provision and standards since that time. Pupils enter the school with average attainment and most achieve very well as a result of very good teaching that identifies and meets individual learning needs. Many pupils with special educational needs attain the national standard and those with particular aptitude for mathematics are given very good opportunities for exploring more demanding work. Pupils from minority ethnic groups, including those for whom English is an additional language, generally achieve very well. Harefield Junior School - 22 36. Examination of the work of pupils in Year 6, both last year and currently, indicates particularly

p.21

Commentary

strong performance in written calculations. Lesson observations confirm a clear emphasis on teaching for understanding. A very good feature of the learning evident in the Year 6 lesson observed was that pupils of all abilities explained clearly their mental calculation methods and their strategies for tackling an investigation. Overall, however, there is not enough investigative work and the co-ordinator has rightly identified this as an area for development alongside a greater emphasis on mental methods. For an example of excellent practice in teaching mathematics see paragraph 12 above. The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good and leads to very good pupil achievement.

p.22

Commentary

37. The co-ordinator provides very good leadership and management, based on very good expertise in, and enthusiasm for, the subject. She makes good use of the optional end-of- year tests and has correctly identified areas for development through which standards can be raised even further. In particular, developing pupils’ self-assessment skills and their awareness of their progress in terms of National Curriculum levels will be part of the whole- school focus on moving assessment and target setting forward.

p.22

Mathematics across the curriculum

38. There are a few good examples of pupils using their mathematical skills in other subjects, including science and geography, where the results of a traffic survey were presented in graphical form. In this project, ICT was used effectively to support learning in mathematics but overall there are few such planned opportunities.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average and pupils’ achievement is very good. • Very well-informed and purposeful leadership and management are promoting further improvements in pupils’ achievements. • The quality of teaching and learning is very good and pupils develop their investigative and their recording skills very well. • There are very good links with literacy but those with mathematics and ICT are less well developed.

p.22

Commentary

39. Around 20 per cent of pupils have not achieved the national expectation for Year 2 pupils when they join the school and very few have exceeded it; attainment on entry is well below average. By the time that they leave Year 6, the vast majority achieve the national expectation for their age and well over half exceed it; this is very good achievement. The provisional national test results for 2004 are well above average. There has been very good improvement in provision and standards since the last inspection.

p.22

Commentary

40. The overall quality of teaching and learning is very good throughout the school. The very experienced co-ordinator has provided training for colleagues in developing the experimental and investigative aspects of the curriculum and these are now strengths. Year 5 pupils showed good group and practical skills as they carried out a number of activities designed to promote greater understanding of sound, for example in terms of pitch, vibration and insulation. Their teachers combined the two classes and arranged the various equipment needed for the tasks around the hall. A very good level of teaching assistant support helped to enhance pupils’ learning. Harefield Junior School - 23 41. Year 6 pupils showed very good understanding of scientific method and the principles of fair testing when investigating how size, weight and shape may affect the rate at which objects fall. The lesson was very well structured and the teacher used questions very well to refine

p.22

Commentary

pupils’ understanding and insisted that they give full explanations for what they were observing. All, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with learning difficulties, achieved very well during the lesson because of very good adult support and the appropriate mix of practical work and theory. Work completed before the inspection supports the view that pupils develop a very good scientific knowledge base and understanding of scientific method.

p.23

Commentary

42. There is a very good structure for developing pupils’ skills in writing accounts of their experimental work and by Year 6 the quality is often very good indeed. The subject also provides many opportunities for developing pupils’ oral skills as they work in groups or report back to the class. Use is clearly made of pupils’ mathematical skills, for example when they calculate the mean in a repeated experiment on dissolving salt. However, the co-ordinator, who provides very good leadership and management, recognises the potential value of more systematic planning in this respect. Not enough use is made of the school’s ICT resources in enhancing pupils’ learning in science and this has rightly been identified as an area for development.

p.23

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision for information and communication technology is satisfactory .

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is insufficiently embedded in most teachers’ planning. • There has been a significant improvement in the quality and quantity of resources for the subject since the last inspection.

p.23

Commentary

43. Standards in the subject by Year 6 are in line with expectations, as they were at the last inspection in 1999. There has been good improvement in provision since then; a new ICT suite has been created and fitted out with more than 20 computers and several classes have been fitted with interactive whiteboards. In addition, all classrooms have two networked desktop PCs. All pupils now receive at least one lesson in the suite each week. Due to this more regular ‘hands-on’ practice, indications are that pupils lower down the school are developing increasing confidence and a higher level of skills in the subject and that pupils are achieving well as a result of the improved provision.

p.23

Commentary

44. The quality of teaching in the lessons observed ranged from very good to good and was good overall. In a Year 4 lesson in the ICT suite, where pupils were learning about the copy, cut and paste function on an art package and were creating wrapping paper designs, teaching was very good and was based on very secure subject knowledge and the generation of a high level of enthusiasm. The teacher successfully created and maintained interest by giving very clear instructions and demonstrating patterns that she had prepared earlier; as a result, pupils made very good progress.

p.23

Commentary

45. Leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinator is committed to continued improvement and has overseen a significant enhancement in staff subject knowledge and confidence and in the quality and scope of resources for the subject. All staff have received training in the use of the new interactive whiteboards. Funding provided from Harefield Junior School - 24 the government’s ‘National Grid for Learning’ scheme and from grants and fundraising has been used well to purchase new hardware and software; resources for the subject are now very good. Harefield Junior School - 25

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

46. There were good examples of the use of ICT in other subjects, for example in literacy and history during the inspection. Overall, however, planning for the use of ICT across the curriculum is currently only broadly satisfactory. Further development rightly has a high priority in the school’s improvement planning.

p.25

Religious education

The school’s provision for religious education is good

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve good standards by Year 6. • Good leadership by the subject co-ordinator

p.25

Commentary

47. Two religious education lessons were observed and several whole-school assemblies were attended. This evidence, in conjunction with a scrutiny of pupils’ books, demonstrates clearly that, by the end of Year 6, standards are above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education.

p.25

Commentary

48. Teaching in the lessons seen ranged from very good to good and is good overall. Where teaching was very good, in a Year 6 lesson about the characteristics and qualities of St. Paul, the teacher’s very good relationships with pupils and the way she clearly valued their contributions led to pupils offering their own ideas confidently and making very good progress as a result. The work done during the previous school year indicates that each year pupils throughout the school undertake a good range of work designed to develop their knowledge and understanding in the main attainment targets of the agreed syllabus.

p.25

Commentary

49. Regular whole-school assemblies make a very significant and positive contribution to pupils’ understanding of the Christian religion. Leadership of the subject is good. A new scheme of work has recently been introduced, with weekly lesson plans written by the co-ordinator with the support of the deputy head teacher, and this provides very good support and guidance for the non-specialist class teachers. Resources are good and are well utilised.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The emphasis on historical enquiry skills promotes independent learning. • Pupils have insufficient opportunities to evaluate their own learning.

p.25

Commentary

50. Standards are well above expectations in Year 6. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs, those for whom English is an additional language and gifted and talented pupils, achieve very well. Analysis of pupils’ work indicates very good progress in the knowledge and understanding of major events in the past and their impact on the present. Harefield Junior School - 26 Portfolios of pupils’ work and displays are of a very high standard and demonstrate the value that is placed on pupils’ work. Pupils in Year 5 researched Greek theatres on the Internet, in order to produce a leaflet for another class. Year 6 pupils extended their knowledge of the constraints of wartime Britain through the use of visual stimuli, and demonstrated a rapid response when an air raid siren sent them into hiding. Pupils use their literacy skills well in writing reports, diaries and eye-witness accounts. Mathematical skills are developed through

p.25

Commentary

the use of time lines and the presentation of information in graphical form. The subject contributes to pupils’ cultural development. Very good resources, including interactive technology, are used well to bring history alive for pupils.

p.26

Commentary

51. Teaching is very good and leads to very good learning for pupils of all abilities. Strengths of teaching are teachers’ very good subject knowledge, encouragement of independent research and very effective teaching methods that engage pupils’ interest. Insistence on high standards of behaviour creates a very positive climate for learning in which pupils use their research skills well to explore historical questions.

p.26

Commentary

52. Leadership and management are very good. The subject leader is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and has a very clear vision for future development. The curriculum is enriched through historical role-play and drama, visitors such as ‘a Roman soldier’ and visits to St. Albans and Hampton Court. Ongoing assessment is used to plan for individual pupils’ needs, but pupils have few opportunities to evaluate their own work or develop an understanding of their attainment in relation to national expectations for their age. Improvement since the last inspection has been very good, particularly with regard to teaching and the progress made by pupils.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong emphasis on geographical enquiry skills. • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to evaluate their own learning.

p.26

Commentary

53. Standards are above expectations in Year 6, due to good teaching and the emphasis on mapping skills and geographical enquiry skills. All pupils, including gifted and talented pupils, pupils for whom English is an additional language and pupils with special educational needs, make good progress, due to good teaching and support, and achieve well. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection, in which pupils in Year 3 demonstrated their developing ability to read and use plans, in order to find out information about the school. Displays and portfolios of pupils’ work are of a good standard. Of particular merit is the ongoing development of pupils’ understanding of the local area through detailed local studies, including traffic surveys and a study of the River Colne. Annual residential visits to the Isle of Wight, and visits to local field centres enable pupils to develop an understanding of contrasting areas

p.26

Commentary

and the impact of physical and human factors on the environment.

p.26

Commentary

54. Teaching is good. Strengths of teaching are teachers’ good subject knowledge, breadth of coverage, high expectations and challenge, and the very good support given by teaching assistants, leading to a good response from pupils. The quality and range of opportunities are very good and very good resources support learning. Links are made with literacy through interviews with local shopkeepers, discussion, research and writing. Pupils use their mathematical skills when working on plans, map co-ordinates and direction. Their cultural development is enhanced by the study of a village in India and the annual Anzac celebrations Harefield Junior School - 27 in Harefield. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning and develop pupils’ skills.

p.26

Commentary

55. Leadership and management are good. The subject leader provides valuable guidance for staff and pupils and has a clear vision for future development. As a result of assessment and monitoring, she has a good understanding of pupils’ achievement. However, there are few opportunities for self-assessment on the part of pupils, and they are generally unaware of their attainment in terms of national standards or what they need to do to achieve the next National Curriculum level. Improvement since the last inspection has been good, with improvements in teaching and resources.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

56. Only one design and technology lesson was observed during the inspection and this provided insufficient evidence on which to make secure judgements about standards or the quality of teaching, learning or achievement in the subject. However, a scrutiny of the work on display around the school demonstrates that pupils throughout the school undertake an appropriate range of ‘design and make’ activities, often through lessons followed by small group support in the technology room with a teaching assistant.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

57. Co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory. The scheme of work for design and technology is in the process of finalisation but is largely based on government and local education authority recommended schemes of work, adapted by the co-ordinator to suit the school. This ensures appropriate continuity and progression in the key skills as pupils move through the school. Resources for the subject are very good, as is accommodation - the school has the significant advantage of a technology room and a food technology room for small-group activities with adult supervision; evidence suggests these are used well to support learning.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

58. Physical education has a high profile in the school but could only be sampled during the inspection. There are many committed and enthusiastic members of staff, including the learning mentor and one of the caretakers, who provide a wide range of clubs and after- school activities, covering all the major sports. Pupils regularly compete against other schools. The school has gained the Activemark award.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

59. Pupils have swimming lessons in Year 5 and it is usual for everyone to achieve the national expectation of swimming 25 metres unaided. Outdoor and adventurous activities are provided through orienteering in the extensive school grounds and most Year 6 pupils have the opportunity of an active residential experience. All areas of the physical education curriculum are represented in the school’s programme.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

60. There were no physical education lessons seen in Years 3 and 5 during the inspection although a video of the Year 3 Bottle Dance showed a good level of skill and improvisation. Those observed in Years 4 and 6 were gymnastics-based and were well taught. In the Year 4 lesson, for example, the teacher’s very good subject knowledge and focus on improvement promoted very good learning as pupils refined their sequences of balances on the apparatus. Although there was insufficient evidence on which to base overall judgements on standards, teaching and learning, examples of above average attainment were observed and the school’s record in inter-school competition indicates that pupils are achieving well.

p.27

Art and design

Provision for art and design is very good .

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

Harefield Junior School - 28 • Standards in the subject are well above average as a result of very good teaching. • The school accords art a high priority and status; display is of very high quality. Harefield Junior School - 29

p.28

Commentary

61. Pupils’ standards are well above expectations, demonstrated very effectively by the work on display around the school, some of which is of an excellent quality, and which covers a very wide range of techniques and crafts. Although the quality of teaching in the two lessons observed during the inspection was good, the copious evidence of work of a very good standard on display around the school confirms that, over time, teaching overall is of very good quality. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and plan and resource their lessons very well. They have very high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour and, as a result, pupils are well motivated and apply themselves to their work with enthusiasm. This was seen, for example, in a Year 6 lesson where pupils were exploring movement in two and three dimensions. The teacher’s very good relationships with the class and evident enthusiasm for the work under discussion led to pupils responding very confidently and

p.29

Commentary

responsibly and, as the lesson progressed, the very good working atmosphere generated and the use of relevant resources led to good progress in learning.

p.29

Commentary

62. Until very recently, the subject has been led by a very well-qualified and enthusiastic promoter of the importance of art and design in the primary curriculum. Following her departure, responsibility for the subject has been taken over by the headteacher, an equally well-qualified and enthusiastic proponent; a newly qualified teacher working in the school is due to take over full responsibility. The scheme of work for art and design is based on government guidance and supported well by recently published resources. A number of lunchtime and after-school art clubs are held and attended enthusiastically; these make a distinct contribution to pupils’ very good achievement. Resources and accommodation for the subject are very good. A particular strength of art and design within the school is the very good and often excellent quality of displays of pupils’ work which, as well as celebrating their work,

p.29

Commentary

ensure an exciting and vibrant working environment for all pupils.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Music has a high status within the school and many pupils benefit from instrumental tuition and the wide range of opportunities for making music together. • The co-ordinator provides very well-informed and enthusiastic leadership and management directed towards raising standards. • Pupils greatly enjoy music and their performance skills are above average, overall

p.29

Commentary

63. As well as their fortnightly hour-long music lesson pupils benefit from a wide variety of musical experiences during their time at the school. These include opportunities to learn the recorder and a brass or string instrument and to perform at different venues, which have included the Royal Festival Hall. The singing club (choir) and the music club (orchestra) are regular extra- curricular activities run by the co-ordinator that make a very important contribution to the quality of pupils’ achievement. Music plays a key role in the daily acts of collective worship. Pupils listen well, for example to Scott Joplin’s Ragtime and learn about the composer from projected information. The choir, orchestra and recorder groups take a leading role in the worship and contribute valuably to the overall atmosphere of reverence and reflection.

p.29

Commentary

64. The time allocated to music lessons has a very positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and their achievement. For example, in both of the very good lessons observed during the inspection pupils had sufficient time to develop their compositions and to benefit Harefield Junior School - 30 from the suggestions for improvement offered by the teacher or, on occasions, by other pupils. The school has a very good stock of tuned and untuned percussion and this was used to full advantage. There has been good improvement in terms of the multicultural dimension of resources since the last inspection. In addition, pupils benefit from workshops led by visiting musicians from a range of cultural background, including West African drummers.

p.29

Commentary

65. Pupils with particular gifts and talents have benefited from extra provision, for example working with pupils from other schools on an arts and music day as part of the work of the excellence cluster to which the school belongs. Pupils from Year 6 worked with two visiting musicians and their electronic equipment to make a CD. The school has recently upgraded its ICT equipment and some music software can no longer be used; the school has obtained a suitable program and its use will be the subject of a music training day for staff.

p.30

Commentary

66. The co-ordinator rightly sees the quality of classroom music as the prime focus of her work and she has been very successful in promoting this throughout the school. Pupils clearly enjoy music; they achieve very well and overall standards are above average. On the basis of performances in assemblies and the evidence on video, standards of some groups are often well above average. Music makes an essential contribution to the school’s ethos.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

67. The school places a high priority on promoting pupils’ personal development through assemblies, lessons and the work of teachers and other adults, including the learning mentor who works with vulnerable children. Year 6 pupils, for example, benefited from a sensitively taught lesson that encouraged them to explore their positive and negative feelings. The organisation of the school, for example the arrangements for assemblies and at break times and lunchtimes, very successfully promotes personal responsibility and growing independence. Health education is taught effectively and the school gained the Healthy Schools award in 2004 in recognition of its achievements in this respect. The school provides sex and relationships education and pupils are made aware of drugs-related issues.

p.30

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

68. There is a strong emphasis on caring for others, and pupils support charities and third world projects. The school council provides a valuable opportunity for acquiring citizenship skills and for contributing to the development of the school community. Pupils run meetings themselves and were enthusiastic about their involvement in promoting healthy eating. The school’s success in promoting pupils’ personal development is evident in the very pleasant and purposeful working atmosphere that adults and pupils maintain. Harefield Junior School - 31

p.30

The overall effectiveness of the school 2

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

p.31

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

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

p.31

The quality of education provided by the school 2

The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 2 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

p.31

The leadership and management of the school 2

The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2 Harefield Junior School - 32 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

p.31