Marchwood Junior School

MARCHWOOD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 – 12 January 2005

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MARCHWOOD JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Marchwood 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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MARCHWOOD 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. Marchwood Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 304

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Main Road Marchwood Southampton Hampshire Postcode: SO40 4ZH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 023 8086 3105 Fax number: 023 8087 2892

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Ms D Carr

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 June 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a large junior school with 304 pupils on roll. There are more girls than boys, with the greatest imbalance in years 3 and 4. There are ten classes, each with two year groups. Most pupils are taught in single year groups for English and mathematics. There is a small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and Traveller families. All pupils speak English as their first language. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is below average. The majority of these has learning difficulties.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The proportion of pupils that is eligible for free school meals is below average. The vast majority of pupils come from the village of Marchwood and attend the local infant school prior to joining the juniors. Their attainment on entry is above average. The number of pupils that enter or leave the school during a school year is slightly higher than is usually found. Marchwood Junior School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

4343 Ms S Billington Lead inspector English Art and design Design and technology English as an additional language 11096 Ms M Davie Lay inspector 4341 Mr D Clegg Team inspector Mathematics Geography Physical Education Special educational needs 16971 Mr R Hardaker Team inspector Science Information and communication technology History Music Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

3 Greenacres Puddletown Dorchester Dorset DT2 8GF

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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). Marchwood Junior School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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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 11

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a satisfactory education and has some particular strengths. It has a very caring ethos and good provision is made for pupils’ personal development. There is a very good range of activities in which pupils can participate outside of lessons. Overall, pupils’ achievement is satisfactory, but there is some variation in how well they are doing in different subjects. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and some aspects are good. The school is competently led; senior staff and governors have rightly identified the need to raise standards further. The school provides sound value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils achieve well in science and information and communication technology (ICT) • In English, pupils do well in speaking, listening and reading, but could achieve more in writing • A significant proportion of pupils underachieve in mathematics • Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good • Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good • The curriculum is enriched by a very good range of clubs, visits, visitors and special events • There are good links with parents and very good links with the community • There is not enough rigour in the use of performance data to tackle some weaknesses

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the last inspection, standards in English have declined but are now showing improvement. Standards in mathematics have declined and are not as high as they should be. Opportunities for problem-solving in mathematics have improved, but there is a need to further improve provision for this area. Good standards in science and ICT have been maintained. Pupils now have good opportunities for investigative work in science. Provision for, and teaching in, religious education and music have improved and music is now a strong feature of the school’s work. Monitoring and evaluation strategies are now in place but there needs to be greater rigour in the use of assessment information to bring about improvement. There are still some weaknesses in planning work for pupils of different abilities and in the presentation of pupils’ work .

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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 D C B mathematics C C C C science C B B 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 satisfactory overall, although there is variation in different subjects. Achievement in English is satisfactory. Action taken to raise standards has had a positive impact; test results improved in 2004, although the proportion of pupils that attained the higher levels was lower than predicted. Pupils’ skills in reading are stronger than those in writing and this affected overall test results. In mathematics, the rate of progress is erratic. Higher attaining pupils are generally doing well but a significant proportion of average attainers are underachieving. Achievement in science and ICT is good and standards are above average. Standards in other subjects are broadly in line with expectations. Marchwood Junior School - 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a satisfactory education. Teaching and learning are satisfactory . However, there is too much variation in the quality of teaching, with lessons ranging from very good to unsatisfactory. While lessons are generally well-organised and expectations of pupils’ behaviour is high, too often the pace of learning is slow. Potentially good assessment information is not being used enough to raise expectations of what pupils might achieve. Support staff are used well, particularly to help pupils with learning difficulties. However, the work that these pupils are given is not always modified enough to meet their needs.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum has some very good features, particularly the opportunities to participate in clubs and special activities.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Pupils are well cared for in school and parents are encouraged to support their children’s learning.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The head and senior staff have successfully created a positive ethos in which individual children are encouraged to mature and to take on a range of responsibilities. The need to raise standards in English and mathematics is a current priority, but there needs to be more rigour in the way in which this is being tackled. In particular, there is a need to make more use of the data that is available on pupils’ progress to inform improvement planning and to make sure that all pupils achieve as well as they should in all year groups.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Governors are well organised to fulfil their main responsibilities and are aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very happy with most aspects of the school. They feel that staff are approachable and their children enjoy school. A significant number expressed some justifiable concerns about aspects of communication; the school recognises the need for some improvements in this area and plans are in hand for some changes from this term.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils are very positive about school. They particularly enjoy the range of clubs, visits and visitors. Year 6 pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities and are enthusiastic about the rewards and certificates that they can earn.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should in writing and mathematics • Make more effective use of performance data to raise expectations and to target and measure improvements

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure that all staff are trained in child protection procedures • Monitor and report on the outcomes of the race equality policy Marchwood Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in English and science are above average. In mathematics, standards are broadly average. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, but they are doing better in science and some aspects of English than they are in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in science are above average and pupils achieve well in this subject • Standards in English have risen, but there is scope for further improvement • A significant proportion of pupils are not achieving as well as they should in mathematics • Pupils have good skills in information and communication technology (ICT) and use these well across the curriculum

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Test results

1. Over the past four years, results of national tests have not kept pace with the improvement in schools nationally. This is largely because there was a dip in 2002, particularly in English. The school has identified that, to a large extent, this was caused by a significant number of pupils joining the school in year 6, many of whom had learning difficulties. However, while performance in national tests has improved since then, there is still scope for further improvement. Results in English and mathematics in 2004 were broadly in line with the national average but, as the school recognises, standards should be higher given the good skills of pupils when they join in year 3. The picture of standards in science is much more consistent, with performance generally above the national average.

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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 27.5 (26.4) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 27.2 (26.9) 27.0 (26.8) science 29.8 (29.4) 28.6 (28.6) There were 84 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Inspection findings

2. The inspection found standards in English to be above average overall. Pupils have good speaking and listening skills and use these well in a range of lessons. The majority has good skills in reading. Pupils use a variety of strategies to make sense of what they read and show a good understanding of the main themes and ideas in a text. Skills in writing are not at the same level and this is an area targeted for improvement. Too many pupils do not achieve as well as they should in this area, particularly in the lower part of the school.

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Inspection findings

3. Standards in mathematics are broadly average. While a good proportion of pupils attain good standards, too many average attainers do not achieve as well as they should. This is largely because of some weaknesses in teaching and a lack of attention to tracking pupils’ progress and ensuring that this is sustained at a steady rate. Marchwood Junior School - 9 4. A good programme of work in science and good leadership underpin the good standards and good achievement in this subject. In ICT, pupils develop a good range of skills in most aspects and apply these well to support their learning in a range of subjects.

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Inspection findings

5. Standards in religious education, music and history are broadly in line with expectations. It was not possible to make an overall judgement on physical education (PE) but pupils achieve well in a range of sporting activities. Similarly in art and design and design and technology (DT), while it is not possible to judge standards overall, pupils are achieving well in areas such as observational drawing and design. It was not possible to make a judgement on standards in geography.

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Boys, girls and minority groups

6. In national tests, there has been no significant difference in the performance of boys and girls over the past three years. In 2004, however, girls did much better than boys in English, particularly in writing. Observations during the inspection suggest that there is still a gap in achievement in this area, in terms of both the quality and the presentation of written work.

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Boys, girls and minority groups

7. The school monitors the attainment of minority ethnic groups and has not identified any significant differences in their achievement compared with that of their peers.

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Boys, girls and minority groups

8. Pupils with special educational needs benefit from targeted support from learning support assistants (LSAs). This is often effective in enabling the pupils to participate, and to offer their ideas, in whole class and group activities. The achievement of these pupils is satisfactory overall. In mathematics, pupils with learning difficulties generally have work that takes account of the targets on their individual education plans (IEPs). However, the tasks that they are given in English are not always modified sufficiently to meet their needs and do not always recognise their particular difficulties. This inhibits their progress and achievement.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

This is a good feature of the school. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and behave very well. Their personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are good. Attendance rates are high, but unauthorised absences are above the national average.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils like school and participate enthusiastically in all activities • Pupils’ work habits are good and they are motivated in lessons • Relationships are very good and pupils work together very well • The moral and social development of the pupils is particularly good • Good efforts are being made to reduce the rate of unauthorised absence

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Commentary

9. Pupils are very positive about all aspects of school life. They showed this in their responses to a recent survey and in discussions during the inspection. They are particularly keen on the wide range of extra-curricular clubs and many participate enthusiastically in these. Pupils also like being able to influence school life through the school council. At a meeting of the council during the inspection, pupils showed how sensitive they are to world events, voting unanimously to undertake fundraising to support the victims of the recent tsunami disaster.

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Commentary

10. Pupils’ work habits are good; they get on with their tasks quickly and maintain their concentration for lengthy periods. Their high levels of motivation have a positive impact on their learning. For example, in a year 5 mathematics lesson, after a short introduction on how to calculate perimeter, pupils worked hard and consequently reinforced their understanding and Marchwood Junior School - 10 applied what they had learned. Pupils benefit greatly from their good ability to work together. In a health education lesson with years 5 and 6, for example, each group worked in such a positive and focused way that learning was good, even though the time was short.

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Commentary

11. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is very good. There is a friendly, harmonious atmosphere, which encourages all pupils to develop very good relationships both with their teachers and peers. Pupils play and work together very well in an environment where all are fully included. Expectations of the pupils are high; they are encouraged to always do their best, be kind and give a ‘helping hand’ where it is needed. They take their responsibilities seriously, helping their friends, for example, to resolve personal issues. Several of the older pupils help around the school or in the office. Some keep the ICT suite and cloakrooms tidy and deliver messages. These responsibilities help pupils to become mature and independent, a strong feature of the school for many parents.

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Commentary

12. It was necessary to temporarily exclude one pupil during the course of the last school year for unacceptable behaviour. Every effort was made to avoid taking this step and additional support provided when the pupil returned to school has prevented a recurrence. Pupils do not feel there is a problem with bullying and both they and their parents are confident that staff will sort out any incidents should these occur. School records show that any concerns are thoroughly investigated.

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Commentary

13. Pupils of all ages willingly act as school councillors and are serious about the way they gather the views of their peers to ensure all have an influence on decisions at council meetings. Links with the local parish council give pupils very good opportunities to develop their understanding of citizenship through participation in ‘The Good Citizens Partnership Project’. This encourages them to specify a problem and suggest possible solutions to a community issue. Recent discussions have resulted in the siting of additional benches in the village for the use of the elderly.

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Commentary

14. Attendance rates are good when compared to the national average. However, the poor attendance of a very small number of pupils, mainly from Traveller families, increases the overall level of unauthorised absence. The school is doing all that can reasonably be expected to improve the attendance of these pupils and to minimise the effect that prolonged absences have on their progress.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 3.9 School data 0.6 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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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 White – British 287 1 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Marchwood Junior School - 11 Mixed – White and Black African 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 2 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 1 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No ethnic group recorded 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Assessment arrangements are also satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is some good teaching in all subjects, but in too many lessons not enough is expected of the pupils • Teaching time is not always used in the most effective way • Pupils are well managed and expectations of their behaviour are very high • LSAs are used well to support pupils with learning difficulties • Pupils have good learning habits • The quality of marking is too variable

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Commentary

15. While there is good teaching across all subjects, the quality varies too much, particularly in English and mathematics. The teaching of science and ICT is consistently good; lessons are purposeful and well-structured. There is a good balance between teacher input or demonstration and ‘hands-on’ experience so that pupils use and apply what they have learned.

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Commentary

16. Lessons are generally well organised, although on occasions the organisation is not helpful in ensuring that good learning occurs. This was a weakness in a mathematics lesson in which pupils worked in large groups on sequences of numbers. They shared the task of recording the next number but the size of the groups meant that their involvement in the task was very limited. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are high and they respond well to established routines and systems. However, expectations of what they might achieve are sometimes too low. In some lessons, not enough account is taken of what pupils have already learned and they spend too much time re-visiting areas in which they are already competent.

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Commentary

17. Time is not always used efficiently, particularly in English and mathematics lessons. Introductory sessions sometimes take a lengthy time as pupils answer teachers’ questions on an individual basis. During the inspection, not enough use was made of strategies to involve all pupils from the start of lessons by, for instance, asking them to write their responses on whiteboards or to make quick notes of their initial ideas. In some lessons, limited time is allowed for pupils to tackle their independent or group tasks and, as a result, work is often unfinished.

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Commentary

18. Learning support assistants are generally well deployed and their skills are effectively used. They support individual and small groups of pupils, sometimes expanding the teachers’ explanations at the start of lessons or encouraging pupils to offer an answer. In group work, they help pupils to understand what they need to do and to organise their work. At times, they act as scribes, thereby helping the pupils to concentrate on articulating their ideas without struggling to record. Marchwood Junior School - 12 19. The vast majority of pupils are keen to learn and apply themselves well throughout lessons. They work hard at their individual tasks and also in collaborative group work. Their discussion during group work is almost always related to the task; they often help each other with learning by, for example, explaining how to do something on the computer or what strategy to use to solve a mathematical problem.

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Commentary

20. Pupils’ progress is regularly assessed but the information is not always used to inform planning and to take learning forward. Marking of work is often very focused and evaluative but there are occasions when comments are too generalised or difficult to read. Pupils are generally aware of their targets for improvement; the most effective marking refers to these targets and indicates to the pupil the progress that s/he is making.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 32 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The school provides a good curriculum that is significantly enriched through a very good range of extra-curricular activities. Accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum is well planned to cope with mixed age classes; occasionally some work is not adapted enough to meet the needs of individual pupils • There is a very good range of clubs; opportunities to participate in sport and the arts are very good • There is good provision for personal, social and health education • The school makes good use of its grounds

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Commentary

21. The curriculum generally takes account of the needs of pupils and the school copes well with the mixed age classes by sensibly planning much work over a two year cycle. There are, however, occasions when the work given to pupils is not sufficiently adapted to their individual needs. When this occurs, the higher attaining pupils are not sufficiently challenged and in pupils with learning difficulties do not have work that is matched to their particular needs. While the work for pupils with special educational needs is often well planned in mathematics lessons, sometimes in English lessons not enough is done to adapt the task and provide the right resources to meet the needs of the pupils.

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Commentary

22. The curriculum is enhanced by very good extra provision that includes clubs for music, sport and the arts. The school is very keen to get involved in sporting and artistic initiatives. These have increased the links with local schools and resulted in children’s artwork being exhibited in Southampton Art Gallery. There is a good number of visitors to the school as well as plenty of opportunities to widen pupils’ experience through visits out, including two residential visits for the older pupils.

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Commentary

23. There is a worthwhile programme to give pupils a good grounding in personal development. Throughout the school, teachers use circle time to encourage pupils to talk about personal concerns and subjects that may be more difficult to discuss in everyday situations. Some of the teaching on these occasions is very good; it builds a strong sense of trust between pupils and adults and encourages a genuine sense of reflection on the part of pupils. Marchwood Junior School - 13 24. The accommodation is good, although some classrooms and the ICT suite are a little cramped. The grounds provide a wonderful resource and are well used. Children have a key responsibility in looking after the grounds by gardening and creating a range of different environments. The work that they do contributes well to their learning in science.

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Care, guidance and support

Good steps are taken to ensure pupils are well looked after and that their views influence the work of the school. The support and guidance they receive is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Rewards are used well to encourage pupils and they feel well supported by staff • The quality of academic support and guidance is inconsistent and staff are not up to date with training in child protection • There are good opportunities for pupils to be involved in the school’s work and development • Induction arrangements are good and liked by parents

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Commentary

25. Reward certificates and cups are used well to encourage pupils to work hard and behave well. Displays around the school remind them what they need to do to get a headteacher’s certificate; two are awarded every week and these are highly coveted. Pupils say they trust the adults who work with them and this has a positive impact on their achievements because it gives them the confidence to discuss their work or any problems. Written reports show that teachers know their pupils well and are very familiar with their personal needs.

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Commentary

26. The way the school keeps track of how well pupils are doing academically is satisfactory overall, but the best use is not made of the information gathered to ensure that work is suited to individual needs. This means that some pupils are not doing as well as they should be. The records on pupils with special educational needs are carefully maintained; most learning targets are appropriate although some targets are too vague and this is not helpful when reviewing progress.

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Commentary

27. There is a very caring ethos in the school and good attention is paid to pupils’ welfare and safety. However, some support staff have not had up to date training in child protection procedures and this is a weakness in the otherwise good arrangements.

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Commentary

28. The school council is a lively forum that gives pupils good opportunities to have a say in the development of the school. A meeting attended during the inspection showed pupils are very confident about getting their views across and that staff take these seriously. A discussion about the merits of school lockers showed pupils had really thought the issues through, ranging from where these might be located to whether they should be open or locked. They were able to make good alternative suggestions for storage.

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Commentary

29. Parents are pleased with the arrangements made for their children when they transfer from the infant school. Pupils get plenty of opportunities to meet the staff and tour the building so that they are comfortable when they first start. A mathematics programme started in year 2 and finished when children enter year 3 is used to help maintain continuity in learning.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Links with parents and other local schools are good. Links with the community are very good and impact significantly on pupils’ development.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Marchwood Junior School - 14 • Information for parents is good, but parents have some concerns about means of communication • Parents’ views are sought regularly and taken seriously • Partnership with the local community impacts very positively on pupils’ achievements

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Commentary

30. Most parents are happy with the way the school works with them. They are pleased that their children feel happy at school and are encouraged to work hard and do their best. They are generally happy about the information they get about school life but there are concerns about the reliance that is placed on pupils to deliver newsletters and other messages and take responsibility for noting down homework requirements. While many pupils manage this well, parents feel there are inevitably some who are not yet ready to take this on; they are unhappy that there are no back up systems in place to help to ensure that the correct information gets home.

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Commentary

31. In the last academic year, some parents had justifiable concerns about the way they were informed about how well their child was getting on. While they got a good number of detailed written reports on progress, only those who were invited were given an opportunity to discuss reports with the class teacher. The school noted the dissatisfaction of parents with this arrangement and, as a result, will give all parents the opportunity to meet with their child’s class teacher this year.

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Commentary

32. Parents’ views are regularly canvassed through questionnaires and suggestions and concerns are taken seriously. One outcome of this has been the introduction of the ‘Start Right’ programme, introduced in response to parents’ worries that too much was expected of their children, particularly at the beginning of the new school year. The first week in the autumn term is now dedicated to helping all pupils, particularly the new year 3s, to familiarise themselves with the school, staff and expectations such as the completion of homework diaries. The outcomes of the most recent survey, which was generally very positive, have been shared with parents and the school is hoping to make further improvements to the home/school partnership in the near future.

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Commentary

33. Links with the local community provide good opportunities for family learning and support. A survey of parents who attended mathematics and basic computing courses showed they found them very helpful, boosting their own confidence and helping them to support their child with school work.

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Commentary

34. There is a very strong partnership with Marchwood Parish Council and this contributes significantly to pupils’ social development and understanding of citizenship. Participation in ‘The Good Citizenship Partnership Project’ gives them the opportunity to think of the needs of the wider community and to get involved in addressing issues such as vandalism and litter. The programme also helps them to understand how local government works.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the headteacher and key staff is satisfactory. Management is satisfactory. Governance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The head provides a strong lead in promoting a positive ethos • The headteacher, senior staff and governors recognise the need to raise standards further • The use of performance data is at an early stage and is not yet used to raise expectations of what pupils might achieve • Governors are well organised to fulfil their responsibilities Marchwood Junior School - 15

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Commentary

35. The school is very successful in promoting a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development and providing a good range of opportunities for them to appreciate their place in the school and the wider community. A good deal of time and attention is given to meeting the pastoral needs of pupils, particularly those that are experiencing learning or personal difficulties. The school is very inclusive and staff work hard to raise the self-esteem of all pupils. Senior staff recognise that standards could be higher; some successful strategies have been put in place to improve standards in English but there is still more to be done in this subject and in mathematics.

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Commentary

36. While staff with key responsibilities take these seriously, the impact that they have is variable. Strong leadership in science has ensured good provision in the subject. In other subjects, while there are systems in place for checking up on the quality of teaching and learning, there is a lack of rigour in the identification of any weaknesses and planning for improvement. To some extent this is because the data that is available on pupils’ attainment is not used enough at all levels. Individual teachers do not have a clear view of the profile and potential of the groups that they are teaching; the data is not used to set measurable targets for the progress of cohorts and individual pupils in each year group throughout the school. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is satisfactorily managed. The liaison with outside agencies is effective and the deployment and training of the learning assistants is a good feature of the provision.

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Commentary

37. The governing body is well organised and has clear lines of responsibility. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, for example, they are very clear that pupils are not doing as well as they should be in mathematics. They play a key role in planning for development through their work with senior staff on the strategic planning group. Links with subject managers mean that governors are well informed about the way the curriculum is organised. Financial management is good and governors seek best value in making their spending decisions.

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Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 850,551 Balance from previous year 2,314 Total expenditure 828,412 Balance carried forward to the next 22,139

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Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Expenditure per pupil 2,533 Marchwood Junior School - 16

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils have good speaking, listening and reading skills but do not achieve as well as they should in writing • Some recent initiatives have helped to raise standards, but there is a need for further improvement

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Commentary

38. Standards are above average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall. However, they do better in speaking and listening and in reading than they do in writing. Throughout the school pupils have good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills in a variety of contexts. They are often encouraged to work in pairs and small groups in lessons; in this situation most pupils explain their ideas clearly, listen to what others have to say and take their suggestions on board. Many of the older pupils talk with assurance in a more formal context and understand the need to adapt their vocabulary and expression to suit the situation. The vast majority of pupils are competent and enthusiastic readers. As they go through the school, they develop fluency and expression and show a good understanding of what they read. Year 6 pupils are encouraged to read widely and develop their critical appreciation of the styles of

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Commentary

different authors. They use their skills to research information and to organise and present their findings.

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Commentary

39. Given pupils’ good skills in reading and extensive vocabulary, more could be expected of them in terms of their achievement in writing. While standards are broadly average overall, and there are some examples of good quality written work in years 5 and 6, the rate of progress and the range of opportunities to write vary across the school. In years 3 and 4, many pupils, particularly the higher attainers, do not make the gains that they should. While these pupils have some imaginative ideas and write in a variety of forms, written work is often brief or unfinished; there is limited opportunity to write extended stories or accounts. Pupils in years 5 and 6 often produce good written work in a variety of forms such as letters, poems and stories based on a study of Shakespeare’s plays. As with the younger pupils, there is limited extended written work or drafting and editing for improvement. Presentation is very variable and some teachers do not

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Commentary

expect enough of pupils in terms of transferring the skills learned in handwriting practice tasks to their independent written work.

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Commentary

40. Teaching is satisfactory overall but varies from good to unsatisfactory. A significant amount of time is allowed for the teaching of English but this is not always used as effectively as it might be. Most lessons follow the structure of the literacy hour but this has not been adapted sufficiently to meet the needs of the pupils. Too much time is being given in some lessons to routine practice tasks that are often identical for pupils of all abilities. This leads to some higher attaining pupils not moving on as they should and to some pupils with learning difficulties being given work that is too difficult. In the better lessons, teachers and pupils work to a clear objective, there is a brisk pace and sense of purpose and pupils are encouraged to apply what they have previously learned in a new situation.

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Commentary

41. Following the dip in standards in 2002, the subject manager introduced a range of strategies to bring about improvements. Analysis of test results identified some of the weaker aspects of pupils’ written work and these have informed in-service training. Guidance has been introduced to help teachers to be more accurate in their assessments and to set targets for improvement. Marchwood Junior School - 17 While the work undertaken has had a positive impact, the school recognises that there is more to be done to improve the overall quality of teaching and to ensure that pupils make consistent and sustained progress in all aspects of the subject.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

42. Pupils use their skills well in a range of subjects across the curriculum. In science, they make notes of their observations and write up their findings. In design and technology, they label plans, make lists of materials needed and write up evaluations of the products made. Year 5 and 6 pupils have made good use of ICT skills in making booklets about life in Ancient Greece. There is scope to make more use of subjects for extended research and written work, for example, through specific projects in history and geography.

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MATHEMATICS

The provision for mathematics is unsatisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are broadly average, but a significant minority of pupils could achieve more • There is too much variation in the quality of teaching • Information about how pupils are doing is not used rigorously enough

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Commentary

43. The school recognises that there is a need to improve standards in mathematics. Results in national tests have remained broadly average for the last three years, although in the most recent results there was an improvement in the proportion of pupils attaining above average levels.

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Commentary

44. Although the majority of pupils achieve satisfactorily, there is a significant minority who do not achieve as much as they could in lessons and over time. By the time they leave school, pupils have a sound grasp of how numbers work; they successfully use the four operations but are not always confident about using what they know to solve number problems.

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Commentary

45. There are a number of reasons why not all pupils do as well as they could. There is too much variation in the quality of teaching because there is not enough checking up on how successful lessons are. In too many lessons, teachers’ expectations of how much pupils will learn in a lesson are too low and not enough ground is covered. Whilst most planning is adequate, there is not enough attention given to the needs of individual pupils to ensure that, during the lesson, all pupils are working at full stretch on work that is challenging. Some teaching is good, with clear instructions and work that is well matched to different needs. A key factor in the success of many lessons is the very good behaviour of pupils and the way they apply themselves and maintain a high level of concentration.

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Commentary

46. There are some positive features of the way in which the subject is managed. The results of tests are analysed to identify any weaknesses in particular aspects of mathematics and there is some checking on the quality of work in pupils’ books, although the latter is not done as rigorously as it needs to be done. The subject manager has worked hard to respond to the issues raised in the last inspection report. A series of initiatives has been put in place, including increasing the use of mathematical skills to solve problems and providing guidance to teachers to improve the overall quality of teaching. However, it is only recently that the school has started to make a concerted effort to use the results of assessments to inform how the subject improves. The work of the deputy headteacher has been instrumental in this and it is beginning to make a difference. For instance, pupils who may be underachieving are being identified, but

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Commentary

there is no follow-up check on what happens as a result of the identification. Marchwood Junior School - 18

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Mathematics across the curriculum

47. Pupils’ mathematical skills are used well to support learning in other subjects. The subject manager has been very supportive and fully involved in this. Numeracy and measuring skills are used to record results and design products in science and design and technology. Skills such as data-handling, measuring and calculating are used in geographical surveys.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is a strong focus on practical work and this helps children to understand new ideas • Overall the quality of teaching and learning is good • Pupils enjoy science lessons and apply their skills well • The subject is very well led by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic teacher

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Commentary

48. Throughout the school pupils enjoy their lessons. They work hard and achieve well in all areas of the subject. Those with special educational needs also do well, largely as a result of the good support they receive from both teachers and learning support assistants.

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Commentary

49. Teaching is good. Lessons are interesting and relevant with the result that most pupils respond well and learn well. They enjoy investigating and finding out about things. For example, year 5 and 6 pupils became fully absorbed when finding out how forces are used in everyday actions. They are inquisitive, they raise their own questions and they seek answers. They use their knowledge to speculate about differing situations and contexts. For example, they used their knowledge of forces to suggest what life would be like if no gravitational forces were at work. They use their existing knowledge to make generalisations. A significant number could explain how forces act on an object that does not move. A practical approach is helping them to understand scientific ideas. The general level of understanding of year 6 pupils about forces and other physical phenomena is well above that expected of pupils this age.

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Commentary

50. The subject benefits from good leadership and management. The subject leader makes sure that teachers have good resources at their disposal and she effectively monitors curriculum provision which enables her to instigate good improvements. She is herself a very good teacher of the subject and thus able to give very good support and advice to her colleagues.

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Commentary

51. Since the last inspection the subject has developed well. Good standards have been maintained as a result of a much stronger focus on investigative work. Pupils are given more opportunities to use their English and mathematical skills in their studies. They record their findings in a variety of ways, for example, in written notes and using graphical representation and tables. They use their mathematical skills to make measurements and to produce graphs. Effective use continues to be made of good outdoor facilities, enabling teachers to raise pupils’ awareness of environmental issues to a good level. The broad curriculum also enables teachers to improve pupils’ understanding of health related issues. In these ways, the subject makes a good contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good. Marchwood Junior School - 19

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and attain above average standards • Teachers are confident in using new technology and they teach well • Pupils work enthusiastically in the computer suite and have good opportunities to use computers in other subjects • The subject is well managed

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Commentary

52. By year 6 pupils display good levels of knowledge, skills and understanding. They have good knowledge of everyday applications of communication technology, especially those relating to the use of some types of sensoring device. Via the keyboard, they give computers written instructions to make them respond in a specific way and control what happens on the screen. They know they must frame instructions very precisely and carefully in order to gain required outcomes. Their understanding of how to control events using technology is good. They work confidently and they discuss their work knowledgeably. They are well motivated and they cooperate well together when learning.

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Commentary

53. Pupils’ learning is good largely because teaching is good and sometimes very good. Teachers are knowledgeable and confident with new technology. They give pupils concise instructions and they clearly explain procedures.

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Commentary

54. The subject is managed well. The current subject manager has only been in post for a short time. She took over a successful subject area and has already started to make positive changes to further improve provision. For example, she has amended planning in order to give it more coherence and she has further developed ICT links across other subjects. She is knowledgeable and gives the subject a good capacity to move further forward and to continue to improve in the future.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

55. Pupils use computers well to support and enhance learning across several subject areas. For example, in history, pupils studied how people in Southampton experienced life during World War 2. They then prepared audio-visual presentations using a computer program that enabled them to show these in animated form. In geography, year 3 and 4 pupils use the Internet to search for information when studying India. In music, year 5 and 6 pupils use computer software to help them compose simple tunes. Computers also assist pupils in their learning in design technology, science, mathematics art and English.

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Religious education

Provision in religious education (RE) is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good improvement has been made since the last inspection

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Commentary

56. As a result of good leadership and management, many of the concerns expressed in the last report have been effectively addressed. At the time of the last inspection there was no coordinator in post. The present subject manager is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable teacher determined to bring about improvement. As a result of more effective planning and better quality of teaching, which is now at least satisfactory, progress in learning is overall satisfactory and Marchwood Junior School - 20 more consistent across the school. Achievement of pupils is satisfactory, with the overall attainment of year 6 pupils meeting the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus.

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Commentary

57. During their time in school, pupils study Christianity, Sikhism and Judaism. They effectively learn about the main religious traditions and faiths and the impact these have on people’s lives, in the past and present. They learn to compare and contrast the way people worship. Their learning in this area is enhanced by a range of visits. For example, years 3 and 4 visit Winchester Cathedral, some pupils visit the local parish church, and some visit a local synagogue and a Gurdwara. These visits make learning more interesting and relevant. A good collection of artefacts relating to the religions studied gives pupils first hand experience of objects used in worship.

p.20

History and geography

58. No lessons were seen in history so it is not possible to evaluate the overall provision in this subject. However, there is evidence of some good learning opportunities being available to pupils. Pupils are taken out on visits in order to make learning more relevant. For example, year 3 and 4 pupils are taken to a Tudor merchant’s house. Visitors, for example, an expert on Roman life, talk to the pupils to help to bring history to life. Overall, the curriculum is satisfactory and meets requirements. As a result of their studies on Ancient Greece, some pupils in year 6 have good recall of the key facts relating to this period.

p.20

History and geography

59. No geography lessons were seen so it is not possible to give an overall judgement about the quality of provision. Teachers’ planning, discussions with the subject manager and the work in children’s books indicate that pupils have a full experience of the geography curriculum. There is some particularly good work on the local environment with pupils being successfully encouraged to think about how the locality can be improved. Teachers make good use of fieldwork; for instance, the work on the local shopping precinct is very effective in mapping its use and charting the use of vehicles to and from the shops. There would appear to be a good emphasis on teaching key geographical skills such as surveys and mapping. Some of the maps drawn by pupils of their routes to school are detailed and make full use of symbols explained in keys.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

60. No lessons were seen in art and design or in design and technology and it is not possible to judge the quality of provision. Discussions with the subject managers, incidental observations and a review of pupils’ work indicate that pupils have a good range of experiences in both subjects.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

61. In art and design , pupils make good use of sketchbooks to try out a range of techniques and to experiment with a variety of media. In years 3 and 4, pupils explore pattern and design and experiment with colour, for example, blending pastels to match skin colour. In years 5 and 6, pupils utilise their experiences of line drawing, for instance, in close studies of plants. Work on texture and pattern gives the opportunity for some good evaluation as pupils compare the properties and effect of charcoal and pastels. Throughout the school, many pupils show a good eye for detail in observational drawing. This was evident in years 3 and 4 as pupils drew parts of Tudor buildings in connection with their history work and in years 5 and 6 in studies of bananas. A link with Southampton art gallery enhances provision for the subject, with loans allowing pupils to study the work of a range of artists and explore particular themes. Pupils’ work is exhibited at

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

the gallery and they are encouraged to enter a variety of competitions to allow them to apply and extend their experiences in the subject.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

62. Work in design and technology links well with learning in other subjects. In years 3 and 4, pupils use their knowledge of circuits in their planning and making of ‘illuminated boxes’. Years 5 and 6 use their mathematical skills to plan a measured design for vehicles with moving parts. Pupils experience, and improve their skills in, all aspects of the design-make-evaluate process. Marchwood Junior School - 21 Their designs become more detailed and specific and they learn to use a range of techniques to shape and join a variety of materials. Some areas for development have been recognised and in-service training is planned to support teachers in work on structures and mechanisms.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Leadership and management is good and has contributed to good improvement • Good opportunities are available for pupils to sing and make music

p.21

Commentary

63. In the two lessons seen, pupils’ skills were broadly as expected. Most readily participate in singing and many show a good sense of rhythm, responding to the beat and changes in pitch. Pupils clearly enjoy listening to music. This was apparent in a year 5 and 6 lesson in which pupils swayed and clapped to a calypso beat clearly keeping time with the beat and moving in patterns related to the rhythm.

p.21

Commentary

64. An enthusiastic and knowledgeable subject manager supports teachers well, helping them plan lessons and giving those who feel less secure the confidence to teach effectively. A number of concerns were expressed in the last report. These have all been successfully addressed:

p.21

Commentary

• in class lessons, the progress that pupils make is now at least satisfactory • sufficient time is allowed for music making • the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall • a music coordinator is actively engaged in successfully moving the subject forward

p.21

Commentary

65. The routine curriculum is well supported by a wide range of other activities. Many opportunities are available for pupils to sing and make music. Regular practices in hymn singing for the whole school lead to ambitious part-singing in harmony in some assemblies. The quality of singing is overall satisfactory and sometimes good. Pupils who volunteer to join the choir practise hard and reach a good standard of singing. Opportunities are also available for tuition in woodwind, brass and stringed instruments. Pupils have opportunities to talk to and listen to a range of instrumental players. During World Music Day, groups of instrumentalists visit the school and play and talk about instruments representative of a range of musical cultures. Members of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra visit school to play for the pupils.

p.21

Physical Education

Provision for physical education (PE) is good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good extra-curricular provision and good participation in sport • The subject is well managed; curriculum planning is helpful

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Commentary

66. Physical education has a high profile in the school. The subject is enthusiastically managed and several teachers are actively involved in enhancing provision through clubs and sporting competitions.

p.21

Commentary

67. Only lessons in gymnastics were seen during the inspection and standards in this aspect were very much in line with expectations. However, there is plenty of evidence that pupils achieve well Marchwood Junior School - 22 in a number of sports including cross-country running, football and athletics. The partnership with local schools is very successful in increasing opportunities for pupils to compete and participate. There are also a good number of after-school clubs that enhance the opportunities pupils have to experience sporting activities.

p.21

Commentary

68. The teaching in the lessons seen was satisfactory with some good features. The planning, provided by the subject manager, is very helpful in giving teachers clear guidance about key teaching points. Warm-ups are effective, particularly where teachers encourage pupils to identify how their bodies respond to the exercise. Occasionally, not enough attention is given to the quality of the movement in lessons and, although performance improves as the lessons progress, pupils could do better with more guidance.

p.22

Commentary

69. Teachers use individual pupils to demonstrate particular actions such as jumps or stretches. This makes the most impact when there is some careful evaluation of the demonstration and teaching focuses on how the individual movements or sequences could be refined.

p.22

Commentary

70. The enthusiastic management has maintained the good provision noted in the last inspection. Teachers are given very clear guidance and resources are good. The curriculum is well planned and covers all aspects of the subject.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

71. Only one lesson was seen and it is not possible to judge the overall quality of provision. However, this aspect of pupils’ development is given a high profile and contributes significantly to the very good ethos within the school. A new subject manager has recently been appointed in order to further develop this area of provision. Support for pupils includes regular lessons covering aspects of personal well being, the opportunity to explore feelings and emotions in circle time discussions, encouraging healthy snacks at break times and access to a specially trained member of staff to help with any emotional issues. Provision for sex and drugs education meets requirements and parents are given the opportunity to view the materials that will be shown to their children. During the inspection, lessons in this subject focused on understanding bullying and how pupils should deal with it if it happens. In a year 5 and 6 lesson, because of the

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

very good relationships within the class, pupils felt able to be very honest about their own experiences and responded maturely and sensibly to each other’s views. Marchwood Junior School - 23

p.22

The overall effectiveness of the school 4

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3

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

p.23

The quality of education provided by the school 4

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

p.23

The leadership and management of the school 4

The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4

p.23

The leadership and management of the school 4

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7). Marchwood Junior School - 24

p.23