Higher Bebington Junior School

HIGHER BEBINGTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th October 2004

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HIGHER BEBINGTON JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Higher Bebington 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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HIGHER BEBINGTON 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. Higher Bebington 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: 328

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mill Road Higher Bebington Wirral Merseyside Postcode: CH63 8QE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0151 608 1011 Fax number: 0151 608 1011

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Hall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th June 1999

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Higher Bebington Community Junior School is bigger than most other primary schools with 328 boys and girls aged seven to eleven years and in recent years there has been a gradual increase in numbers. The socio-economic circumstances of the school are better than elsewhere. The number of pupils in receipt of free school meals is lower than most other schools. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is broadly similar to that usually found. Their main difficulties are specific learning problems, speech and communication difficulties, visual impairment and physical impairment. The percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational needs is in line with national figures. The school has very few pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue and the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is low. Mobility of pupils in and out of the school other than at the normal time of admission is below average. The attainment of most pupils on entry to the school is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has been awarded Healthy School status and has achieved the Sports ActiveMark. Higher Bebington Junior School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1390 A Markham Lead inspector Science, art and design, physical education, English as an additional language

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20010 J Sangster Team inspector English, geography, history, religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

10144 M Marriott Team inspector Mathematics, information and communication technology, design and technology, music, Special educational needs

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

peakschoolhaus BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Newark Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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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). Higher Bebington Junior School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 28

Higher Bebington Junior School - 6 Higher Bebington Junior School - 7

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

This is an excellent school that provides very good value for money. The school is extremely well led and managed. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning, achieve very well and attain high standards in English, mathematics and science. Parents and pupils have very positive views of the school.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Leadership of the headteacher is excellent. He has successfully developed a very hard working, committed team. • Pupils achieve very well and attain high standards that are well above expected levels because the teaching is very good. • The curriculum is very good; it meets the needs of all pupils very well and is enhanced by an excellent range of extra-curricular opportunities. • Promotion of pupils’ personal development is outstanding. • The school caters for the needs of all its pupils very well, including those with special educational needs. • Links with parents are excellent.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made very good improvement since the last inspection. All the issues raised have been tackled successfully and standards have been maintained at a high level. The school has successfully raised the quality of teaching, subject co-ordination is now very good, support staff are effectively deployed to meet the needs of pupils and the range and quality of books in the library have improved. In addition provision in information and communication technology (ICT) has improved and standards are well above average. Teachers are now more confident when teaching the subject and computers are used effectively in other subjects. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour continue to be a particular strength of the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 English A* A A C mathematics A* A* A B science A* A* A A Key: A* in the top five percent of schools; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average. Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Achievement is very good . Pupils make very good progress and by the end of Year 6 attain standards that are consistently well above national averages and often in the top five per cent of schools. Performance in national tests in English, mathematics and science has been very good over the last four years and has generally compared extremely well with that in schools with a similar number of pupils eligible for free school meals. In 2003 standards were well above average in all three subjects and a high proportion of pupils attained the higher level 5. The high performance in tests continued in 2004 when results were again well above national averages. Higher Bebington Junior School - 8 The present Year 6 pupils are attaining standards that are well above average in English, mathematics and science. Standards in ICT have improved and are well above those expected. Pupils achieve standards that are well above those expected in history, art and design, religious

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

education, music and physical education. Standards in geography and design and technology are above those expected.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils’ personal qualities are excellent . They relate extremely well to one another and to the adults in the school. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent . Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is excellent. They have extremely positive attitudes towards their work and enjoy coming to school. Attendance is well above average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is very good . Teaching and learning are very good . Teachers have very good subject knowledge and very high expectations of standards and behaviour. Their planning is very effective and ensures that different groups of pupils have equal opportunities to achieve well. Teachers’ very good relationships with their pupils motivate pupils to work hard. Support staff are used very effectively to ensure that the differing needs of pupils are catered for and equality of opportunity is consequently very good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is very good. It is well organised and benefits from very effective links with parents and the local community. Close attention is given to the development of basic skills in English and mathematics, but the school also ensures that the arts and humanities are developed very well. An excellent range of extra-curricular activities enhances the curriculum and provision for sport is very good. The school cares for its pupils extremely well. The very good assessment arrangements ensure that their progress in learning is carefully monitored in order to plan effective support and guidance.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are excellent . The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. He presents a very positive role model, motivates staff well and has created a committed team approach within the school. He is extremely well supported by the deputy headteacher and other senior staff. Procedures for school self-evaluation are excellent and information is used very effectively to inform strategic planning. Governors have a very good awareness of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, fulfil their responsibilities very well and ensure that all statutory requirements are met.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are extremely positive about the school, particularly the leadership and the quality of the teaching. They feel strongly that the staff are very approachable and that their children are encouraged to work very hard and greatly enjoy coming to school. The pupils have very positive views about the school and enjoy taking on responsibility. They feel very confident that there is an adult they can go to if they are worried.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

This is an excellent school with no significant educational weaknesses. An area for improvement that the governors and headteacher should pursue is: Higher Bebington Junior School - 9 • Increase the range of visits to places of worship to further improve pupils’ understanding of faiths other than Christian. Higher Bebington Junior School - 10

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards in the school are well above average . Achievement throughout the school is very good . By the end of Year 6, standards are well above average in English, mathematics, science and ICT. There are no significant differences in the levels of achievement of boys and girls.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching and the pupils’ positive attitudes to work promote high standards in English, mathematics and science. • Standards have been maintained at a high level in national tests over the last four years. • Achievement throughout the school is very good; children enter the school with above average levels of attainment, and greatly exceed national levels by the time they leave. • Standards in ICT, history, art and design, music and physical education are all well above those expected nationally. • Standards in religious education are well above those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. • Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and achieve very well.

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Commentary

1. Over the last four years, the performance of the pupils in national tests has been very good. Results in English, mathematics and science have been consistently well above average and often within the top five per cent of schools in the country. These results indicate that very good teaching and strong leadership have enabled pupils to improve upon the above average standards with which they entered the school. When compared with schools having a similar number of pupils entitled to free school meals, standards have also been consistently well above average and often in the top five per cent of such schools.

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Commentary

2. In 2003, test results at the end of Year 6 were well above the national average in English, mathematics and science, with well above average numbers of pupils achieving the higher level 5. Compared to the results obtained by these pupils in the Year 2 tests their performance showed that they made very good progress and achieved very well overall. Whilst there was a slight dip in performance in 2003 in English and mathematics because there was a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs than usual, the school successfully achieved the targets it had set for attainment at level 4 in both subjects and the higher level 5 in mathematics, but not in English. In 2004 performance improved and was again well above national averages in all three subjects. This very good performance in tests is reflected in the average points score tables below.

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Commentary

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003 Standards in: School results National results English 28.7 (29.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 29.3 (30.6) 26.8 (26.7) Higher Bebington Junior School - 11 science 31.3 (31.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 72 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Pupils are expected nationally to go up by one point every term. The table shows that pupils at the school do very well. For example, the table above shows that in mathematics in 2003, pupils nationally averaged 26.8 points but at Higher Bebington Junior School, they averaged 29.3 points. Pupils were therefore 2.5 terms ahead of pupils nationally.

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Commentary

3. Pupils make very good progress and achieve very well because there is an excellent learning ethos in the school. They consequently have excellent attitudes to learning. The high expectations teachers have mean that pupils work very productively in lessons. The standards being attained in English, mathematics and science by the present group of Year 6 pupils continue to be well above average. Their basic literacy and numeracy skills are very good and they apply these very well to support their learning in many subjects. Most pupils read fluently and write for a variety of purposes with a very good range of styles. Pupils’ very good knowledge and understanding of basic number facts, their ability to measure accurately, to organise and interpret data systematically and their well-developed problem-solving skills ensure that they attain high standards in mathematics.

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Commentary

4. There has been good improvement since the last inspection in the standards pupils attain in ICT. Standards are well above average. Pupils show well-developed skills and use ICT in other subjects effectively. In most other subjects standards are also well above those expected. The use of specialist teaching is a particularly strong feature in lifting standards in subjects such as art and design, music and physical education. Standards are consequently well above those expected in these subjects. Standards are also well above those expected in history and religious education. In geography and design and technology standards are above expectations. In the inspection, no difference in achievement between boys and girls was noticed.

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Commentary

5. The school works hard to ensure that the differing needs of pupils are met. Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. The school is aware of these pupils’ strengths and weaknesses through its very good assessment and testing procedures and teachers plan suitably challenging work for them, especially in English and mathematics. Good provision is made for the small number of gifted and talented pupils who have been identified and consequently they achieve very well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ personal development is excellent . They are extremely enthusiastic about school and find lessons interesting and challenging which leads to their behaviour and attitudes to learning being excellent . Attendance is well above the national average and pupils arrive at school punctually.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils really enjoy coming to school because they find lessons interesting and participate in an excellent range of extra-curricular activities. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They concentrate very well, work hard and take pride in their achievements. • Behaviour in lessons, at playtime and around the school is excellent and bullying is not an issue for pupils or parents. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is excellent. They understand the difference between right and wrong and have excellent relationships with their peers and other adults. Higher Bebington Junior School - 12 • Cultural development, particularly through art, music, drama and the study of their own culture and traditions, is excellent. • Attendance is very good and pupils arrive at school punctually ensuring a prompt start to the school day.

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Commentary

6. Pupils are really keen and eager to come to school because they enjoy lessons and have caring and friendly teachers. This is reflected in their very good attendance and punctuality. In the classroom, their behaviour is excellent. They listen to instructions and focus on the tasks they are given. Because of this they work hard and make very good progress. They take part in and enjoy an excellent range of school clubs and extra-curricular activities, which cater for all ages, and this impacts significantly on their personal and social development.

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Commentary

7. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. They concentrate really well in lessons and take pride in what they are doing. Work habits are well developed and pupils are highly motivated. As a result, pupils learn well and produce work of a high quality. They have excellent relationships with each other and with all adults in the school and value and respect the views of others. Behaviour throughout the school is excellent and there have been no exclusions in the last school year. In the playground, pupils play well together and there is no sign of rough or aggressive behaviour. Play and lunchtimes are social occasions where pupils enjoy the company of their friends in a very safe environment. Bullying is not an issue with either pupils or parents.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. A particular strength is the expectation the school places on the Year 6 pupils to set high standards of behaviour, a strong work ethos and positive attitudes to learning. This responsibility is taken seriously and sets an excellent example, which permeates through the whole school. Assemblies give pupils the opportunity to consider a range of moral and social issues and are also used to celebrate achievement and success. Pupils have a clear understanding of the difference between right and wrong. They are involved in establishing the school’s and their own class rules and understand why they are necessary. Cultural development, particularly through art, drama and music is strong and the pupils have the opportunity to visit art galleries, concert halls, theatres and museums to enrich the work they do in school. Pupils’ studies of local history gives them an excellent understanding of their own culture and

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Commentary

traditions and they are also well informed about the beliefs of others and show respect and tolerance for them.

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Commentary

9. Pupils are encouraged to take on additional responsibility and display initiative. All pupils have the opportunity to become classroom monitors and as they get older, pupils are given specific responsibilities around the school. A recent innovation, which has been particularly successful, is the setting up of a team of playground managers where some of the older pupils volunteer to demonstrate a range of playground equipment and encourage children who have nobody to play with to join in. In the Years 3 and 4 playground, this is particularly effective in encouraging relationships across the year groups. There is a very effective school council with elected representatives from each class, which meets every fortnight. Councillors take their responsibility very seriously and the council gives them a real voice on how the school operates.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Higher Bebington Junior School - 13 Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.2 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education provided is very good . The quality of teaching and learning is very good throughout the school. The curriculum is very good and is enriched by a wide range of extra-curricular learning opportunities. Excellent levels of care, guidance and support and an excellent partnership with parents strengthen the ethos and climate for learning. The school has also developed very good links with the local community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning throughout the school are very good . Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ work and progress is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers have very good subject knowledge and specialist teaching is used well. • Teachers’ planning is very good and gives close attention to meeting the needs of all pupils. • The management of pupils is excellent; very good relationships between teachers and pupils promote very good learning. • Teachers make very good use of resources and of the time available to them. • The school has very good systems for assessment, which teachers use very well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In a small number of lessons teachers’ introductions are too lengthy.

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Commentary

10. The proportions of good and very good teaching have increased significantly since the previous inspection and the increases contribute directly to the pupils’ very good achievement.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 40 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 22 (55%) 15 (37.5%) 3 (7.5%) 0 0 0 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

11. Teaching has many strong features. Teachers have a very good understanding of the subjects they teach and their explanations and demonstrations are lively and stimulating. Very good use is made of teachers’ specific specialist knowledge to teach classes other than their own in subjects such as ICT, art and design, music and physical education. For instance, in an art lesson with Year 3 the teacher’s ability to demonstrate fine brush strokes with watercolours prompted some very good work from pupils in the style of Utrillo. Lessons Higher Bebington Junior School - 14 build on previous learning, with teachers making very good use of questions to review the previous work in order to develop pupils’ understanding and lead into the new learning effectively. Very effective use of feedback and comments develops and challenges pupils’ learning. In a physical education lesson in Year 4 the teacher’s evaluative comments

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Commentary

successfully challenged pupils to improve their performance as they developed a gymnastic sequence.

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Commentary

12. Teachers plan lessons very well to cater for the full range of ability in their class. In nearly all cases teachers explain the learning objectives to pupils in order that they develop a clear understanding of what they are to learn. In particularly good lessons the teacher returns to these objectives at the end to enable pupils to evaluate what they have learned. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from the methodical approach given to the teaching of basic skills. Individual education plans are well constructed and are used as a basis for classroom planning. The effective use of teaching assistants in lessons ensures that these pupils understand their tasks and make very good progress.

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Commentary

13. Teachers manage classes very well. They have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, which the pupils strive to fulfil. The atmosphere in lessons is very good with pupils working well together and having very positive and enthusiastic attitudes to their learning. Relationships are very good and this gives pupils the confidence to contribute in lessons, knowing that their views will be respected. For example, in a religious education lesson in Year 3, pupils of different experiences were able to take part in a sensitive discussion about marriage, prompted by their study of the Ten Commandments. Occasionally, however, the introduction by the teacher goes on for too long, so that the opportunities for pupils to contribute and to work independently are restricted.

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Commentary

14. Teachers make very good use of resources to ensure that tasks are interesting and challenging. They create attractive, stimulating learning environments so that pupils are highly motivated and keen to learn. Visits to places of interest, such as Speke Hall, enrich pupils’ experience and learning. In most lessons a good pace is maintained so that pupils remain interested and time is used well. Homework is used well to reinforce and extend learning from lessons and pupils often bring work in from home to contribute to work in school.

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Commentary

15. Formal assessment arrangements are very good and teachers use the information obtained effectively to set targets for individual pupils and plan work that suitably challenges their capabilities. Teachers check regularly on the progress pupils are making through targeted questioning and the use of more formal assessments. The use of standardised tests in English and mathematics enables the careful monitoring of pupils’ progress every year. In other subjects pupils’ progress is tracked through systems which the school has devised. Pupils know their targets and are also fully involved themselves in assessing when they have met them. Higher Bebington Junior School - 15

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good , wide and well-balanced curriculum that meets all statutory requirements. The opportunities provided for enrichment of the curriculum through clubs, visits and special events are excellent . The accommodation and resources are good .

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The curriculum

• Provision for personal, social and health education is excellent. • Opportunities for enrichment through sport and other activities are excellent. • The school ensures that all groups of pupils are fully included in the experiences that it offers. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • Pupils are prepared very well for the later stages of their education. • Accommodation and resources are good.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements and very effectively implements the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. All groups of pupils achieve very well in all subjects of the curriculum because it is organised very well to challenge pupils’ varying abilities. The imaginative teaching of the curriculum, both within and beyond the school day, brings excitement and challenge to learning and successfully extends pupils’ skills. Due emphasis is placed on literacy and numeracy and many effective links are made between subjects. The emphasis placed on the arts and sport results in a very stimulating curriculum that presents a wide range of learning opportunities to pupils. These factors stimulate all pupils’ learning and contribute to the high standards of achievement. The curriculum has improved well since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

17. Provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education and citizenship, including drugs and sex education, is excellent . The curriculum is successfully enriched through a range of activities, which enhance pupils’ personal development including the Civic Award scheme, the school council, a health promotion week, a house system and a playground managers system. These effectively develop pupils’ understanding of the roles and responsibilities of citizenship. A very strong emphasis is given to fostering pupils’ self-esteem and confidence. The school gives pupils many opportunities to develop their communication skills through discussions with each other, their teacher and other adults, including visitors to the school. As a result pupils become more confident and responsible members of the school community.

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Commentary

18. An excellent range of extra-curricular activities enriches the curriculum. The school has achieved the Sport England ActiveMark and pupils are presented with many opportunities to develop their sporting prowess including football, cross-country running, indoor and outdoor athletics, tag rugby, netball and swimming. Two residential visits, one for Year 5 and one for Year 6, further enhance learning beyond the classroom. Very good use is made of visits and visitors to extend pupils’ all-round education. Peripatetic teachers are used effectively to provide music tuition and each year the school hosts its own Festival of Performing Arts, during which pupils compete on a house basis in dance, drama, music, writing, poetry recital and a variety of performance art. Higher Bebington Junior School - 16 19. The needs of all pupils including those with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils are catered for very effectively and consequently pupils achieve very well. Pupils with

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Commentary

special educational needs are fully involved in lessons, whether they are withdrawn to a quiet place or involved in the classroom. Their learning needs are diagnosed and analysed and careful attention is given to planning learning programmes that meet their needs. The provision for gifted and talented pupils is very good and the work is suitably challenging for them, and consequently their achievement is very high.

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Commentary

20. The school works closely with the secondary schools that pupils transfer to and puts into place the necessary support to enable a successful transition for pupils. 21. The school’s accommodation is good. There is plenty of space both inside and outside the building and the good quality and quantity of resources support teaching and learning. The school is bright and attractively decorated, and rich displays of pupils’ work enhance the learning environment.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is excellent. The school has excellent procedures in place to ensure that the pupils learn in a safe and caring environment. There are excellent opportunities for pupils’ views to be sought and acted upon.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a safe, caring and healthy environment for all its pupils. • Pupils’ relationships with teachers and other adults in the school are excellent. • Pupils have excellent opportunities to express their views and be involved in decision- making. • Support and guidance for pupils’ academic and personal development are very good. • Induction arrangements for pupils are very good.

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Commentary

22. Relations with teachers and other adults in the school are excellent and pupils find staff caring and friendly. Because of this, pupils feel confident to approach their teachers if they have any problems or concerns. This view is fully endorsed by parents.

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Commentary

23. The school has extremely effective policies and procedures in place including the use of the Internet to ensure that pupils can learn in a safe and caring environment. The arrangements to ensure health and safety, and child protection, are very good and carried out consistently on a day-to-day basis. All staff are very clear about what to do should they have concerns about a child and they are alert to any changes in mood or attitude. There are regular health and safety inspections by the governors and headteacher. The child protection policy is very detailed and includes regular training for staff. There are qualified first aiders on the staff and clear procedures in place for dealing with accidents and special medical needs.

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Commentary

24. Teachers know the children really well and personal development is very effectively monitored. Very effective procedures are in place to ensure that pupils receive very good support, advice and guidance for their academic and personal development. Assessment procedures are very good and data is analysed very well and used effectively. Annual reports provide information on what pupils know and understand and include areas for development in some subjects. Reports also contain specific comments on personal and Higher Bebington Junior School - 17 social development. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and the gifted and talented, are very well supported.

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Commentary

25. The school provides excellent opportunities for pupils to express their ideas and opinions through questionnaires and the school council. Pupils’ views are taken seriously and always considered. Pupils are involved in establishing school rules and they are consulted about equipment to be purchased with funds raised by the home school association.

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Commentary

26. Induction arrangements are very good. Pupils from the infant school visit the school where they are shown around by the Year 5 pupils and have the opportunity to meet their new teachers and visit their new classrooms. Pupils settle in very quickly and make friends easily,

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has excellent links with parents and an extremely effective partnership has been developed. Links with other schools and the local community are very good . Higher Bebington Junior School - 18

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are totally supportive of the work it does. • Information to parents about the school, curriculum and pupils’ progress is excellent. • There is an extremely active home school association, which raises significant funds to improve school facilities. • Relationships between parents and the school are excellent. • Parents support their children with homework and many help in the classroom and with school visits.

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Commentary

27. Parents are extremely supportive of the school and the work it does. They feel that the school provides an excellent education, and has high expectations, good teaching and excellent leadership and management.

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Commentary

28. The school provides excellent information to parents about the school, curriculum, and pupils’ progress. The school prospectus, the governors’ annual report to parents and annual newsletters are extremely detailed and easy to read and provide information on the curriculum and what is happening in the school. Parent teacher consultations are held twice a year and are attended by all parents. They provide an excellent opportunity for parents to discuss attainment and progress and be made aware of specific areas for development. Pupils’ annual reports provide parents with a clear statement on what their children are being taught in school and how they learn.

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Commentary

29. There is an extremely active home school association, which organises a wide range of social and fund-raising activities for parents, pupils and families. The association has very good support from local businesses and very effective links with the local community. Last year, the association raised £14,000 for the school. Funds raised by the association go towards improving the educational facilities at the school and have enabled the purchase of interactive whiteboards, computer hardware and software, a new stage and books. Members of the association, the school and the pupils always decide jointly how the money is spent.

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Commentary

30. Parents are provided with excellent information on what topics are to be covered in school every term and this enables them to support their children with homework. This contributes very well to pupils’ attainment and progress in school. Some parents regularly help in the classroom and many more support school visits and sporting events. Parents’ contributions are highly valued by the school.

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Commentary

31. The school has very good links with local secondary schools to which pupils transfer. These links are particularly strong with the two schools that specialise in sport and modern languages. There is an induction day where all pupils have the opportunity to visit the schools to which they will transfer, to visit classes and meet their new teachers.

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Commentary

32. The school has very good community links. It makes very good use of the local community for topics such as a study of the local area of Bebington and, further afield, of the Wirral peninsula. The school organises visits to museums, art galleries, concert halls and local churches. There are very good links with the police who visit the school on a regular basis to talk to the pupils about personal safety and many pupils take part in the Civic Award scheme, which encourages them to learn more about how the community operates. The Higher Bebington Junior School - 19 school also makes very good use of governors who are local councillors, who visit the school to talk about their role and explain the local election process. This impacts significantly on pupils’ understanding of local politics and citizenship. Higher Bebington Junior School - 20

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are excellent . The leadership provided by the headteacher is excellent . The school runs very smoothly because the quality of management is excellent . Governance is very good ; governors give very good support to the school and meet their responsibilities well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The outstanding leadership of the headteacher provides an excellent role model for staff and provides a very clear educational direction to the school. • The deputy headteacher and senior staff support the headteacher extremely well. • The staff are a very committed and hard-working team. • The school’s self-evaluation procedures are excellent and information is very effectively used. • The school runs very smoothly because it is extremely well managed. • Subject management is very good. • The governing body gives very good support and works well with the headteacher in the strategic management of the school.

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Commentary

33. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. He is energetic, determined and rigorous in pursuit of high standards, both in terms of academic attainment and in pupils’ personal development. He has a very clear vision for the future development of the school and his hard work and determined approach to improving the work of the school presents an excellent role model for staff. He is highly regarded by staff, governors, parents and pupils alike. The deputy headteacher and senior staff share his commitment to high achievement and give him excellent support. Relationships in the school are very good. There is a very good team approach throughout all staff with a commitment to providing for the needs of all pupils to ensure equality of opportunity and high quality education. Similarly, pupils care very well for each other and there is a very positive ethos throughout the school. The headteacher and staff have successfully created an enthusiasm for learning in pupils and

p.20

Commentary

34. Management procedures are extremely well organised. Procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school are rigorous and the information gathered is used effectively to plan action to further improve provision. As a result, the school development plan gives a clear direction to school improvement. Priorities for attention and action to be taken are clearly identified, and progress is closely monitored and evaluated. Assessment procedures are very good. Performance in tests is carefully analysed and the information gathered on individuals and different groups of pupils is used to plan support and intervention. This ensures that pupils’ progress is tracked throughout their time in the school. Performance management is used very well. Performance targets focus on improving teaching and learning and link effectively with the school development plan. This helps to ensure that staff are fully involved in the school’s development, and is a powerful

p.20

Commentary

tool in improving the performance of the school. A very good start has been made to the requirement to remodel the workload of the workforce.

p.20

Commentary

35. The headteacher ensures that teaching and learning are regularly monitored and evaluated. Subject management is very well organised and effective. Co-ordinators monitor their Higher Bebington Junior School - 21 subjects closely, draw up action plans and regularly review progress. The quality of teaching has improved as a result of this process. The particular skills and abilities of staff are employed very effectively. For example, the use of teachers’ particular subject expertise is used very well and has been instrumental in raising standards in subjects such as science, ICT, art, music and physical education.

p.20

Commentary

36. Financial management and planning are very good. The finances available to the school are used well to meet clear educational priorities. The last financial audit showed that control systems are well organised and finances are well managed. Governors are closely involved and make decisions based clearly on helping the school achieve its educational priorities. They work closely with the headteacher to ensure that the principles of best value apply in all aspects of the school’s work.

p.21

Commentary

37. Leadership and management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs are very good. The school has a reasonable number of additional staff who are deployed well so that the educational needs of pupils with special learning needs and some higher attaining pupils are effectively met. There is a clear vision of equality and inclusion for the pupils concerned.

p.21

Commentary

38. The governors support the school well. They carry out their statutory duties effectively, monitor the work of the school closely and have a very good awareness of its strengths and weaknesses. Governors are rightly proud of the school and have an absolute commitment to maintaining standards and improving the quality of provision for the pupils. The chair of governors keeps well abreast of pupils’ progress at the school and meets with the headteacher on a regular basis. Governors for literacy and numeracy have meetings with the subject co-ordinators to discuss progress in the subjects. The named governor for special educational needs shows commitment to the pupils through regular visits to the school. These procedures ensure that the governors are well informed in order to both challenge and support the school, which they do very well.

p.21

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.21

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 765611 Balance from previous year 20796 Total expenditure 755302 Balance carried forward to the next 31105 Expenditure per pupil 2302 Higher Bebington Junior School - 22 Higher Bebington Junior School - 23

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are well above average and pupils achieve very well because teaching and learning are very good. • The subject is very well led and managed. • Very good use is made of opportunities to develop writing in other subjects, as well as in English. • The school develops pupils’ speaking and listening very well.

p.23

Commentary

39. Pupils enter the school with levels of attainment which are above average. They make very good progress and achieve very well and by the time they leave the school in Year 6, achieve standards which are well above average.

p.23

Commentary

40. The quality of teaching is very good and pupils consequently learn very well. Teachers set very clear individual targets for pupils, which enable them to take some of the responsibility for their own learning very well. As a consequence, pupils are fully involved in their learning, behave in an exemplary manner and make very good progress. Lessons progress at a fast pace, but sometimes the introduction to a lesson is too long, which means that the time for pupils to work independently (which they do very well) is restricted.

p.23

Commentary

41. Teachers have a very good understanding of the subject and plan lessons very well. When addressing pupils in lessons they provide good role models of how to speak and give very good attention to developing a wide range of vocabulary to help pupils explain themselves clearly. As a result standards of speaking and listening are very good. Teachers give very close attention to developing pupils’ reading and writing skills. The most able pupils read very fluently and with excellent understanding of some complex texts. They read a wide range of fiction and some non-fiction. All pupils are able to locate information in reference books and enjoy reading. Pupils’ writing is developed very well from the time they enter the school. They write extensively, drafting and redrafting their work, sometimes producing the finished version in word-processed form. Spelling and handwriting are usually very good and the neat presentation of their work reflects the pride pupils take in it.

p.23

Commentary

42. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. The co-ordinator has a very good understanding of what is happening in the school from looking at pupils’ work, observing lessons and analysing the data which is available from the very effective testing and assessment which is carried out. She very effectively leads the literacy team made up of representatives from each year group. This team meets regularly and ensures a consistency of approach throughout the school. Higher Bebington Junior School - 24 43. There has been good improvement since the last inspection. High standards of achievement have been maintained; the overall quality of teaching, good at the last inspection, is now very good, with a consequential impact on pupils’ learning. Resources, described as barely adequate at the last inspection, are now good. The range of books in the library is satisfactory and it is now used well, particularly at lunchtimes.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

44. Pupils develop their language skills very well in other subjects. For instance, in history they write extensively and with empathy about the life of a Victorian child or in biographical form about the life of Florence Nightingale. Very good emphasis is also placed on writing skills in other subjects; pupils learn key vocabulary and their spelling is corrected where it is necessary. Teachers expect very good standards of handwriting in all subjects and pupils are encouraged to use word processing to present their work more effectively.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The high expectations of teachers and the very good teaching of basic skills mean that pupils achieve very well. • The school uses assessment data skilfully to strengthen pupils’ learning. • The excellent relationships within classrooms ensure that pupils are eager to succeed. • The very effective leadership and management of the subject have ensured consistently high standards in recent years.

p.25

Commentary

45. Pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 6 is well above average. This is similar to the position at the last inspection. Pupils have very good number skills because teachers are very clear in their explanations, are rigorous in ensuring that pupils have plenty of practice, and make learning fun. Pupils in Year 6 for instance swiftly reinforced their mental and oral skills as they rapidly answered questions involving the four rules of number. Pupils are good at solving problems and have plenty of opportunities to develop their own. Pupils’ achievement is very good by the time they leave the school, and there is little difference between the achievement of boys and girls. Pupils with special educational needs achieve as well as other pupils because of the high quality support that they receive from their teachers and support assistants.

p.25

Commentary

46. The quality of teaching is very good. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of mathematics, how to teach it and how pupils learn. This very good subject knowledge, and skilful questioning in particular, help them to adapt the National Numeracy Strategy to suit pupils of different abilities. As a result of very good assessment procedures, including self-assessment by pupils of how they are doing in lessons, teachers plan effective individual targets for all pupils. This includes those pupils with special educational needs who have targets in their individual education plans and pupils who are gifted and talented who have their own targets to achieve. The effective use of assessment and feedback in lessons helps pupils to understand how well they are doing and what to do next. Teachers maintain a very good balance between intervention and independence in lessons, by giving close support to lower attainers and pupils with special educational

p.25

Commentary

needs, but challenging higher attaining pupils and those pupils who are gifted in mathematics to do more for themselves. These practices result in very effective learning by pupils of all capabilities. Higher Bebington Junior School - 26 47. Classrooms are happy and purposeful places. Pupils are eager to learn and relish the cut and thrust of mental activities. They regard such activity as a personal challenge. Teachers focus pupils’ attention very well by use of computer projection onto a large screen to support and clarify learning.

p.25

Commentary

48. The very good subject leadership and management have enabled both teaching and support staff to receive effective training to help them to adjust to all aspects of the National Numeracy Strategy in order to meet the needs of all groups of pupils. Because the staff work together as a team the co-ordinator has been able to develop the subject very well. His high quality teaching presents a very good role model for others and this has successfully developed the expertise of staff and raised their confidence in teaching the subject. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

49. Pupils are given plenty of opportunities to apply their mathematical skills in other subjects. For example, they devise time lines in history, use graphs and charts in science and measure and investigate shape in art and design.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• As a result of very good teaching, pupils achieve very well and attain well above average standards. • Good attention is given to developing pupils’ investigative skills. • Teachers make effective links with other subjects to enhance learning, but the use of ICT is under-developed. • Leadership and management are very good.

p.26

Commentary

50. By the end of Year 6, standards are well above average, with a high proportion of the pupils on course to reach the higher level 5. Throughout the school pupils make very good progress and achievement is very good. Pupils with special educational needs are given very good support and achieve very well. The high standards found at the previous inspection have been maintained.

p.26

Commentary

51. The quality of teaching is very good overall. Teachers have a very secure knowledge of the subject and ensure that pupils are clear about what they are expected to do and what this will help them to learn. Teachers provide interesting and challenging work for pupils of all abilities. They explain scientific principles in a way that all pupils can understand, and pay particular attention to developing pupils’ scientific vocabulary. They make the subject interesting by giving pupils good opportunities for practical work. As a result, pupils have very good attitudes to the subject. They listen carefully to instructions, concentrate well and work hard at the tasks they are set.

p.26

Commentary

52. A high emphasis is placed on developing pupils’ investigative skills. Teachers’ very good subject knowledge gives them the confidence to provide opportunities for pupils to carry out Higher Bebington Junior School - 27 independent and group investigations. This develops the pupils’ understanding of the principles of prediction, repeat testing and what constitutes a ‘fair test’ very well. In a very good lesson with Year 4, pupils investigated the length of time that a range of materials take to dissolve in water. The pupils showed a high level of involvement and excitement when they measured sugar, flour and coffee and timed how long each took to dissolve. The teacher took a great deal of care to develop their understanding of the importance of making the test ‘fair’. By Year 6 pupils’ skills in carrying out such experiments are well developed and they confidently carry out experiments independently without the need for

p.26

Commentary

53. Links with other subjects are developed well. Good use is made of the pupils' literacy and numeracy skills. The pupils' work shows their ability to use scientific language accurately to describe their activities. They record their methods, predict the outcomes of their investigations and draw conclusions showing a good understanding of scientific methodology. Good use is made of graphs, charts and tables to show the results of their investigations. The use of ICT is less well developed. Although the school has recently obtained a range of computerised measuring equipment, there is at present little evidence of its use.

p.27

Commentary

54. The subject is very well led and managed. The co-ordinator has a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject and supports teachers effectively. Assessment is well organised. A review of the subject is carried out each year in order to inform the drafting of an action plan. The co-ordinator consequently has a clear view of the areas for development. Improvement since the last inspection has been good.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers teach the basic skills very well and give pupils ample scope to learn for themselves. • The quality of specialist teaching is particularly effective.

p.27

Commentary

55. Standards by the end of Year 6 are well above average overall. This is similar to the standards seen at the last inspection. However, the use of control technology that was in line with the average at the previous inspection has improved and is now good. All groups of pupils achieve very well and make very good progress in their acquisition of ICT skills. Word processing is used well in other subjects. Pupils competently move text and input pictures into their writing to improve their work. For example, pupils in Year 4 confidently organised and re-organised text as they generated a newspaper report. By Year 6, pupils make effective use of multi-media presentations when creating a video storyboard based on a Victorian study. In this lesson high quality teaching provided pupils with a very clear explanation of the program they were to use and how to operate it. Pupils showed good skills when changing the size of characters and their posture and rotating them. Learning

p.27

Commentary

was very good as pupils rose to the challenge presented by the activity and showed a high level of interest and concentration. Higher Bebington Junior School - 28 56. The school makes very effective use of particular teachers’ specialist knowledge to teach the subject to other classes. These teachers are very confident in ICT and teach it very well. As a result pupils make rapid progress and learning is very good. Teachers demonstrate techniques clearly and effectively, using the interactive whiteboard to reinforce learning. They encourage pupils to investigate what computers can do and this helps pupils to learn from their mistakes and to explore new ideas. They ensure that lessons have a very focused atmosphere, and this makes pupils keen and enthusiastic learners. The more able pupils and those who are gifted and talented are given plenty of opportunities to develop their own ideas and use challenging new software. For example, a group of Year 6 pupils

p.27

Commentary

created their own ‘Video storyboard’, for pupils in Year 3, using some newly acquired software. The excitement they generated as they created the story and added music from pupils who were creating their own composition in a music lesson which was taking place at the same time, was infectious.

p.28

Commentary

57. The subject is led and managed very well. The two co-ordinators have a clear overview of the subject and give very good support to colleagues. Teaching and support staff have received appropriate training to help them to adjust to all aspects of the subject and this helps them to meet the needs of all groups of pupils.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

58. The use of ICT across the curriculum is developing very well and teachers are becoming more aware of its use in other subjects. Good quality guidance has been developed which incorporates other subjects in the planning. ICT is used particularly well in history and English where pupils use word processing to produce original stories and poems. Pupils also make effective use of ICT in mathematics to produce graphs and charts, but its use is under-developed in science. Higher Bebington Junior School - 29

p.28

HUMANITIES

59. No lessons were seen in history and it is therefore not possible to judge the quality of provision.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Because of good teaching and learning, standards are above those expected. • Good use is made of fieldwork. • The subject is led and managed well. • Some resources need renewing.

p.29

Commentary

60. Standards are above those expected throughout the school and pupils achieve well. Pupils in Year 6 have a good knowledge of their local area and of changes which have occurred. They use maps effectively to compare the locality with how it was in 1899 and use aerial photographs skilfully to recognise features. They show good skills in identifying some of the reasons for the changes. They can identify countries, capitals and other features on a map of Europe and have a deeper understanding of aspects of France. Pupils in Year 3 identify features on a walk round the locality and then draw a map to show their location. Pupils in Year 4 use Ordnance Survey maps and other maps of the Wirral area well and show a reasonable understanding of grid references. Previous work from Year 6 shows that pupils’ geographical knowledge is extended further when they study the Ancient Greeks or the Aztecs in history.

p.29

Commentary

61. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Lessons are well planned and teachers make clear what pupils are to learn. Lessons build on previous learning and good use is made of repetition so pupils have the opportunity to consolidate their understanding. Effective use is made of the interactive whiteboard to make learning interesting. In a very good lesson in Year 6, the use of the interactive whiteboard to show maps and aerial photographs successfully helped pupils understand clearly the changes caused by human activity on the local area. Teachers make good use of fieldwork to give pupils experience of their own locality, such as the River Mersey in Year 5. Teachers use new technology well, and pupils have opportunities to use CD-ROMs, the Internet and e-mail in their work. Other resources are adequate, but some Ordnance Survey maps are in need of renewal.

p.29

Commentary

62. The co-ordinator leads the subject well. She has a clear understanding of its strengths and the areas for development. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection; planning has been revised and an annual geography week, involving the whole school, organised. Methods of assessing pupils’ work have been updated to assist teachers in their planning of the next stage of learning. Improvement has been good.

p.29

Commentary

63. In history pupils’ written work and displays of work in classrooms indicate that standards are well above those usually found. Pupils achieve well. In Year 6 they have undertaken a detailed study of the Victorians and made very good comparisons with the present day, for Higher Bebington Junior School - 30 instance in school life. This study has been supplemented by a visit to Wigan Pier, where pupils were taught in a ‘Victorian’ classroom, and a subsequent Victorian day at school. Very good links are made with other subjects; for instance, in music pupils learn and perform music hall songs and in ICT they use the Internet to research information. Using this information they write at length. Teaching is well organised and effective. Teachers make very good use of resources, including visits and visitors, to support the pupils’ learning. The subject is led and managed well by the subject co-ordinator, who has only recently taken

p.29

Commentary

over the role. Higher Bebington Junior School - 31

p.30

Religious education

Provision for religious education is very good .

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve standards well above those expected because teaching is very good. • Pupils have excellent attitudes to religious education, which makes a very good contribution to their personal development. • The subject is very well led and managed. • There are good opportunities for pupils to visit local churches, but links with other faiths could be developed further.

p.31

Commentary

64. By the end of Year 6, standards are well above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ written work shows a good knowledge of some well-known Christians and the effect their actions had on others, as well as a good understanding of aspects of Judaism, such as beliefs about creation and the covenant between God and Abraham. Their earlier work, in Years 3, 4 and 5, shows a good basic knowledge of Sikhism, Buddhism and Islam, as well as stories from the Old and New Testaments. In discussions in lessons pupils show a very thoughtful approach to questions of belief, including those which have moral implications. For instance, in Year 6 they wrestled with the problem of how to right injustice by non-violent means. Their own ‘dreams’, inspired by their listening to the words of Martin Luther King, showed a very strong moral sense, as well as an ability to reflect on difficult issues. In a lesson in Year 5, pupils showed a very good understanding of

p.31

Commentary

aspects of Islam, as they thought about the significance of Ramadan, as well as listening to one pupil’s own experience of it. Pupils’ achievement is very good. Their written work shows great care and their interest and involvement in lessons are outstanding. The subject makes a very good contribution to their spiritual and moral development.

p.31

Commentary

65. Pupils learn very well as a result of very good teaching. Teachers have a very good understanding of the subject and plan lessons very well. They engage pupils’ interest well and develop a good knowledge and understanding of the principal world faiths. Teachers use questions well and give pupils opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills. Pupils are very willing to answer because they know that their responses will be respected. Teachers make learning interesting by presenting pupils with challenging practical tasks. For example, in a very good lesson with Year 4 on the Jewish festival of Sukkoth, in preparation for a harvest assembly, a group of pupils worked enthusiastically with a teaching assistant to build a Sukkah , which would be a focus for the celebration. At the same time a group of higher attaining pupils worked with a support teacher researching the symbolism of the plants used in the festival, while others worked with the class teacher

p.31

Commentary

discussing the significance of the festival to Jewish children.

p.31

Commentary

66. The subject is led and managed very well by the co-ordinator, who has a very good knowledge of the subject and has ensured that issues raised at the last inspection have been addressed. Improvement since then has been very good. The quality of both teaching and standards has improved and resources are now good. Currently, however, pupils have the opportunity to visit only Christian places of worship; there are no visits to those of other faiths, nor does the school make regular use of visitors from these faiths. This would add yet another dimension to pupils’ learning. Higher Bebington Junior School - 32 Higher Bebington Junior School - 33

p.31

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. No lessons were seen in design and technology. Therefore it is not possible to judge the quality of provision in this subject.

p.33

Art and design

Provision in art and design is very good .

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Specialist teaching is used very effectively so that pupils achieve very well. • Teachers give good attention to the progressive development of skills. • Effective use is made of the work of famous artists to inspire pupils. • Effective links are made between art and other subjects. • The opportunities presented to pupils to participate in art clubs enrich provision. • Good use is made of sketchbooks. ?

p.33

Commentary

68. Pupils achieve very well and standards in all aspects of art are well above those expected. The wide range of work seen is the direct result of the very good teaching and learning in the subject. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress in developing their skills using a wide range of materials and techniques. The school has successfully maintained standards at the well above average level found at the last inspection.

p.33

Commentary

69. Teaching and learning are very good. The use of the special skills of particular teachers successfully provides pupils with very good learning opportunities. Teachers demonstrate new techniques clearly, use targeted questions well to ensure that pupils understand the tasks, and develop pupils’ understanding by circulating and giving constructive feedback in lessons. Close attention is given to the progressive development of pupils’ drawing skills. Sketchbooks are used well to practise new techniques, pupils’ sketches showing very good use of line, tone and shade in a variety of media.

p.33

Commentary

70. The work of famous artists is used well. Teachers give close attention to developing pupils’ observation skills and pupils’ drawings of buildings in the local area are very detailed. There is a good focus on three-dimensional work, particularly in model making with different materials.

p.33

Commentary

71. Throughout the school, displays of work show that art is used well in many other areas of the curriculum, particularly history. The paintings of Tudor kings and queens by pupils in Year 5 show very good use of colour and close attention to detail. Computer-generated art based on the work of Modigliani shows good links with ICT.

p.33

Commentary

72. The school places a high emphasis on developing the arts and this is reflected in the high quality artwork around the school. Pupils’ work is carefully done and well displayed and this creates a very stimulating and aesthetically pleasing learning environment. The extra- curricular art clubs provide further very good learning opportunities for the pupils to extend their artistic skills. Displays of work produced by pupils who attend these clubs are of a very high quality. Higher Bebington Junior School - 34 73. Art is very well led and managed by the two enthusiastic subject co-ordinators, who lead by example. They are well skilled and present effective models of good practice to colleagues. They have a good awareness of areas for development as a result of their monitoring of the subject.

p.33

Commentary

74. In design and technology pupils’ attainment is good. Pupils’ work and displays around the school indicate that pupils learn well and that their skills in designing, making and evaluating their work are above those expected. This is an improvement from the last inspection when they were average. The range of work available shows that pupils have a good understanding of the design process. Pupils have good skills in making a variety of different items such as purses, moving monsters, pop-up books, a fairground model and musical instruments. They can assemble simple wood structures when they make a toy using cams, ensuring rigidity. They stitch textiles and are given many opportunities to develop their own designs using their imagination. Pupils evaluate their work on completion so that they can learn from their mistakes. Pupils are very self-critical and this is very good practice. The subject benefits from good resources which are organised very efficiently by

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are highly motivated and keen to learn. • Specialist teaching enhances the subject. • Singing is of a high standard. • The curriculum is enriched by opportunities to perform. • Pupils are enabled to listen to a wide variety of music every week.

p.34

Commentary

75. Standards in music are well above those expected. All pupils make very good progress and achieve very well. This is similar to the position at the last inspection.

p.34

Commentary

76. Pupils learn very well because the teaching is very good. The use of specialist teachers greatly enhances provision. The teachers’ very good subject knowledge successfully develops pupils’ performance when singing and playing instruments. They skilfully engage and challenge pupils, their high expectations of work and behaviour raising performance to a high level. Good attention is given to the progressive development of pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding. Pupils respond enthusiastically and show very good attitudes to the subject. They apply themselves well to their work and are highly motivated and keen to learn. Pupils listen attentively and learn and recall sounds well. They combine pitch, dynamics, duration, tempo and texture simply and expressively.

p.34

Commentary

77. Pupils are given many opportunities to sing and the quality of their singing is very good. Their singing of rounds is well controlled and very pleasing to the ear. In assemblies pupils sing tunefully, with good volume and a high degree of enthusiasm. In lessons, pupils practise songs and hymns in preparation for the celebration of the Harvest Festival. The active participation of pupils with particular skills is encouraged on many occasions. For Higher Bebington Junior School - 35 instance, at the beginning of assembly a violinist played on one occasion and on another a saxophonist played as pupils entered and left the hall. This is typical of the very good quality and range of learning opportunities.

p.34

Commentary

78. The curriculum is enriched through extra-curricular activities, such as choir and recorder groups. They perform at a local residential home and in the local church at Christmas. Individual tuition is available in a number of instruments. There is a very strong tradition of performance that is part of school life.

p.35

Commentary

79. The enjoyment of music is evident throughout the school. Good links are made with other subjects. For example, in history, pupils in Year 6 developed their own accompaniment to a poem, ‘Tatters’, linked to their history topic on the Victorians. As they were linking a range of tuned and un-tuned instruments into their composition, a group of Year 6 boys who were developing a video story board for Year 3 pupils, added the composition into the video. This unexpected development excited and enthused all pupils who were taking part and exemplifies the excellence of relationships within the school.

p.35

Commentary

80. The subject is very well led and managed. Teachers have a good training in the subject because the co-ordinator is a very good practitioner and because the school uses its specialist teachers to teach the subject. There has been good improvement since the last inspection.

p.35

Physical education

Provision in physical education is very good .

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils attain well above average standards and achieve very well because of very good teaching. • The emphasis teachers give to developing pupils’ self-evaluation skills successfully raises pupils’ performance. • Pupils enjoy the subject, have very good attitudes and put a good degree of effort into their activities. • A very wide range of extra-curricular activities enriches provision.

p.35

Commentary

81. Pupils’ achievements are very good and standards are well above those expected for pupils of this age, maintaining the position at the previous inspection. All pupils have swimming lessons and consequently standards are high. By the time they leave the school virtually all pupils are able to swim the expected 25 metres.

p.35

Commentary

82. The curriculum is well planned and covers all aspects of the subject. During the inspection lessons were seen in gymnastics and ball games. It is clear that the pupils’ skills in ball games are progressively developed through the school. Pupils in Year 3 demonstrated good skills when passing and controlling a ball with their foot. The level of skill demonstrated by pupils in Year 5 showed clear progression. They confidently used a chest pass to throw a ball to their partner and were aware of the need to move into space to receive a return pass. Pupils have very good gymnastic skills. In the lessons with Years 4 and 6 the use of specialist teaching successfully raised the standard of pupils’ performance Higher Bebington Junior School - 36 to a well above average level. The pupils incorporated graceful movements and challenging balances in their imaginative sequences when working in pairs. In all lessons the high level

p.35

Commentary

of effort and enthusiasm displayed by all pupils clearly demonstrated their very good attitudes to the subject.

p.36

Commentary

83. Teaching is very good. Lessons are well planned and teachers ensure that pupils start the lesson with a warm-up activity and finish with a cool down. Teachers have very good subject expertise and present good role models. They dress appropriately and demonstrate activities very clearly. They join in the activities with the pupils and make constructive comments in a pleasant manner. Lessons are very orderly and move at a good pace as pupils are made to work hard. Good use is made of pupils to demonstrate to others in order to develop their ability to evaluate performance. At the end of lessons pupils are asked what they have learned and how they might improve. These strategies successfully improve the pupils’ skills and techniques.

p.36

Commentary

84. The range of opportunities for pupils to participate in different sports is impressive. These include football, netball, tag rugby, cross-country running, indoor and outdoor athletics and cricket. In addition the school makes very good use of external coaches in judo, dance and fencing and two residential visits are held. Resources are good and well organised and the school has very good facilities, including a hall and large playing field.

p.36

Commentary

85. The subject is very well led and managed. The co-ordinator has a high level of expertise and is very enthusiastic. He has a good awareness of the areas for development as a result of his effective monitoring of the subject and has drawn up an action plan to address these. Higher Bebington Junior School - 37

p.36

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHE)

86. Personal, social and health education and citizenship were sampled.

p.37

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHE)

87. Planning shows that this area is taught in specific lessons and also through other subjects in the curriculum. This indicates that the school puts a very strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The school has attained the Healthy School Award and careful attention is given to developing pupils’ awareness of the value of a good diet, sex and drugs education and personal health and safety. In the one PSHE lesson observed pupils in Year 3 discussed the various hazards facing child pedestrians as they travel to school. Pupils expressed their views well and they showed a reasonable understanding of the dangers and the way that they might be overcome. The excellent ethos of the school helps pupils to become mature and responsible and to show respect for others. This is evidenced in other lessons, for example in a religious education lesson pupils had a good understanding of the contrasting lives of Muslim pupils as they discussed the similarities

p.37

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHE)

88. Pupils are given opportunities to express their views, and this develops their confidence and sense of responsibility. The members of the school council take their responsibilities seriously and make positive suggestions about how to improve the school. These views are given close attention by the school and pupils are consequently developing a good awareness of the democratic process. Pupils collect for a number of charities and show a care and concern for others.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP (PSHE)

89. A feature of the work of the school is the way it works to ensure that each child is cared for very well. Teachers are very good role models and have very good relations with pupils. The atmosphere in the school is consequently very calm and well ordered with pupils being very courteous and polite, holding doors open for adults and waiting for them to pass in corridors. Their appreciation of the performance of others is shown by the way they break into spontaneous applause in physical education lessons. The range of responsibilities presented to pupils is successful in developing their social awareness and they demonstrate very mature approaches to life in the school. The ethos in the school is excellent; it is warm and friendly and conducive to developing a sense of security and well- being in pupils. Higher Bebington Junior School - 38

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 1 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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities (Ethos) 1 Attendance 2 Attitudes 1 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 1 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 1 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 1 The leadership of other key staff 1 The effectiveness of management 1

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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