Minet Junior School

MINET JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 2 – 4 November 2004

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MINET JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Minet Junior School - 3 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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MINET 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. Minet Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 to 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 423

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Avondale Drive Hayes Middlesex Postcode: UB3 3NR

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8573 5300 Fax number: 020 8573 6647

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr R Hill

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Minet Junior School has 423 pupils in 16 classes and is bigger than most primary schools. There are equal numbers of boys and girls except in Year 3 where there is about one tenth more boys than girls. There are many pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the main groups from Indian, Pakistani and African backgrounds. Almost half of the pupils learn English as an additional language, and about one fifth of the pupils are at an early stage of learning English. There is a small group of pupils who are refugees or asylum seekers, and another small group who are from Traveller backgrounds. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is well above the national average and the proportion with statements of special educational needs is above average. These pupils have a variety of special needs that include: moderate learning; social, emotional and behavioural; communication; and physical. Many pupils join or leave the school other than at the

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

start and end of the school year. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above national averages. The area from which the school draws most of its pupils is disadvantaged socially and economically, but some pupils come from advantaged backgrounds. About 95% of the school’s intake at the start of Year 3 is from the infants’ school on the same site. Pupils’ overall standards on entry are well below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2002, the school received an achievement award from the Department for Education and Skills, and has received excellent certificates for the Hillingdon Healthy Living Award. Minet Junior School - 5

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

1723 M Milton Lead inspector Science Geography Information and communication technology Personal, social and health education 32655 J Bostock Lay inspector 32136 L Brookes Team inspector Design and technology Physical education Religious education 32153 M Panichelli Team inspector Special educational needs English History Music 21334 S Ramnath Team inspector English as an additional language Mathematics Art and design

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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). Minet Junior School - 6

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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

Minet Junior School is a good, effective school with some very good features. As a result of the headteacher’s clear vision for the school and a strong sense of purpose, particularly good features are the racial harmony within the school community and the very good way in which it helps every pupil to learn. The pupils are from diverse backgrounds and all learn well. The teaching and support staff are all committed to the school’s community, and all work hard to improve the education that the school provides. Overall, pupils’ achievement is good, with very good achievement in English and science. The quality of teaching is good. The school’s expenditure per pupil is above average because of the additional funding it receives for pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language. The school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The quality of teaching and learning is good, but not consistently so; • Pupils’ very good behaviour and very good attitudes to work help create an ethos in which almost all pupils are keen to learn; • All pupils achieve well, including those with English as an additional language, and pupils with special educational needs achieve very well; • There is very good enrichment of what is taught in classroom lessons; • The school does not check the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning well enough; • The school has very good relationships with the local community which contribute to pupils’ learning; • The links with the infant school on the same site about the teaching of basic skills are not strong enough.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made good improvements since the previous inspection in 1999. The key issues identified by the previous report have been addressed successfully. The school’s strengths have been maintained and it has improved what is taught, and raised standards in English, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT).

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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 C D B mathematics D D D B science D D C 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

Taking all subjects into account, pupils’ achievement is good. Their achievement in English and science is very good. On entry to the school in Year 3, pupils’ standards are well below national averages. Year 6 pupils are on track to reach national averages in English and science by next summer, and below average standards in mathematics. Overall, the school adds good value to pupils’ learning as they move from Year 3 to Year 6, with very good value added for English and science. In ICT and religious education, Year 6 pupils are on track to achieve standards that match national expectations by next summer. Pupils’ achievement is good because the effective teaching Minet Junior School - 8 takes account of pupils’ individual learning needs, especially in English and mathematics, and places a great emphasis on speaking, listening and learning and using the correct vocabulary. This is supported by an ethos in which pupils help each other to learn and in which the overwhelming

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

majority of pupils are keen to learn as much as they can, even when the teaching is not stimulating. Although relatively large numbers of pupils join or leave the school at times other than the start and end of the school year, the school’s staff is experienced and stable so continuity of teaching is provided for all classes. Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are very good . Pupils’ behaviour is very good. Their attendance in 2003-4 was well below national averages but has been satisfactory so far during the 2004-5 school year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good quality of education. The quality of teaching is good , although there were some weaknesses in about one third of the lessons seen. Strengths of many lessons include effective class management that results in a very good working atmosphere in all classes, and very good opportunities for pupils to listen, speak and learn new vocabulary. The teaching assistants are almost always fully involved in helping pupils to learn during all parts of lessons. Although it is occasionally too long, whole-class teaching is usually clear and motivates pupils to learn. Weaknesses in the teaching of a few lessons include a slow pace during some parts of lessons, insufficient challenge for more-able pupils and learning resources that are not interesting or well matched to pupils’ learning needs. The overall quality of assessment is good; it is very good for English and mathematics.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

What is taught provides a good range of learning opportunities for all pupils. There is very good enrichment of the curriculum through after-school and lunchtime clubs, pupils’ visits to museums and other places of interest. There are very good links with the local community, and visitors to the school include local clergy and other religious leaders, the police, the fire services, sports clubs, artists and drama groups. The school takes very good care of the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. Links with primary schools provide very good opportunities for competitive sports.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher and other key staff provide good leadership and sound management. Their very good team spirit and determination to improve the school have a very positive impact on pupils’ good levels of achievement. The quality of teaching and learning, and the standards in different subjects are not checked well enough. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well managed. The governance of the school is good, and governors carry out their statutory responsibilities effectively.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents hold the school in high regard and no negative views are held by significant numbers of parents. Pupils also have very positive views of the school. They enjoy going to school and are keen to be actively involved in the wide range of activities it provides.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are to: • make sure that the quality of teaching is at least good in all lessons; • check and evaluate all aspects of its work rigorously; • strengthen curriculum links with the infants’ school on the same site for the teaching and learning of the key skills of literacy and numeracy. Minet Junior School - 9

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Standards achieved in subjects

The overall achievement of all groups of pupils is good throughout the school. In Year 6, pupils are on track to reach average standards in English and science by next summer, and below average standards in mathematics.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is very good in English and science, and good in almost all other subjects. • By Year 6, pupils with English as an additional language reach broadly similar standards to other pupils. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. • The school adds good value to pupils’ learning as they move from Year 3 to Year 6. • In dance, standards are above national expectations. • Standards in English and ICT have risen since the last inspection.

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Commentary

1. Standards are the levels of knowledge, understanding and skills that pupils reach compared with pupils of the same age nationally. Achievement is an assessment of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to their capability, and it is a judgement about whether pupils are doing as well as they should.

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Commentary

2. The attainment on entry of pupils into Year 3 is well below national averages. In the 2004 national tests, the results for English and mathematics were below the national averages for all schools while the results for science were at the national average. In comparison with schools whose pupils had similar standards at the start of Year 3, the 2004 results for English were above national averages, and the results for mathematics and science were well above national averages. These results were broadly similar to those in 2003, although then the English results matched national averages for all schools. Value-added measures show that in both 2003 and 2004 the Year 6 pupils’ results were better than those expected from their results at the end of Year 2. Between 1999 and 2003, the trend in the school’s results was above the national trend for improvement. In 2004, the school achieved its targets for the

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Commentary

proportions of Year 6 pupils reaching the average and above-average standards in English and mathematics.

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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 26.0 (27.5) [ ] ( 26.8) Minet Junior School - 10 mathematics 26.3 (26.0) [ ] (26.8) science 29.3 (28.5) [ ] (28.3) There were 105 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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

3. The school has a detailed analysis of its national test results by gender and by the different groups of pupils. Standards attained by pupils with English as an additional language can be gauged from the whole-school’s results, as a significant proportion of pupils have English as an additional language. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning English achieve well because the school pays good attention to their individual needs and ensures that pupils are fully involved in English and mathematics lessons. Although these pupils make good progress in their language skills, their language at times is limited so that they cannot express themselves clearly. This adversely affects the development of some understanding in mathematics and science. Many of the pupils who have acquired a good grasp of English reach standards that are above average for the school.

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

4. The achievements and attainment of pupils with special educational needs are monitored thoroughly and pupils make very good progress towards the targets on their Individual Education Plans. Pupils achieve very well in relation to their prior attainment. The small number of pupils in public care achieve average or above average standards. The pupils from Traveller backgrounds are fully involved in the school’s life and achieve similar results to other pupils. The analysis of Year 6 test results shows that girls achieve better results than boys in particular years and, for example, girls’ results for writing in 2004 were significantly better than those for boys. However, there was no evidence of girls achieving higher standards than boys during the inspection except in writing. One of the school’s priorities is the improvement of writing standards by both boys and girls.

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

5. A high proportion of parents rightly consider that their children are making good progress. Pupils’ achievement is good because the effective teaching takes account of the learning needs of individual pupils, especially in English and mathematics, and places a great emphasis on speaking, listening and learning and using the correct vocabulary. This is supported by an ethos in which pupils help each other to learn and in which the overwhelming majority of pupils are keen to learn as much as they can, even when the teaching is not stimulating. Although relatively large numbers of pupils join or leave the school at times other than the start and end of the school year, the school’s staff is experienced and stable so continuity of teaching is provided for all classes.

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

6. Taking all subjects into account, the achievement of the current Year 6 pupils is good. Their achievement is very good in English and science, and for these subjects they are on track to reach average standards by next summer. In mathematics, they are on track to reach below average standards. For ICT, history, physical education and religious education, pupils are on track to reach the expected standards nationally by next summer. Standards in dance are above national expectations. Since the last inspection in 1999, pupils’ standards have risen in English and ICT. Very good teaching in English together with effective target setting for groups and individual pupils has resulted in pupils’ very good achievement and higher standards. The ICT standards have improved because of better computers and software, and improvements to the ICT skills of teachers and teaching assistants. Standards are above

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

national expectation in dance because of teaching that inspires pupils and has high expectations of their creativity.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good overall . So far this term, attendance is in line with average national levels, which is an improvement on last year’s attendance rate . Minet Junior School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school sets high expectations of good behaviour, and nearly all pupils respond well, enabling teachers to concentrate on teaching. • Pupils have very good attitudes to their work and this contributes to their good learning. • The development of pupils’ cultural and social understanding is very good. • Pupils` attendance was well below national average levels in the last full school year. Minet Junior School - 12

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Commentary

7. When they start at the school, pupils are made aware that good behaviour is required, and school and class rules emphasise this. This school’s high expectation of behaviour is supported by a good policy of using encouragement, rewards and, where necessary, sanctions. Behaviour is very good in lessons and around the school. Most pupils show self- discipline in lessons, even when there are weaknesses in teaching, and this allows teachers to focus on teaching with only minor reminders to pupils about their behaviour. During playtime, pupils are lively, energetic and play together well.

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Commentary

8. Pupils enjoy school, and work in an environment free from oppressive behaviour such as racism and bullying. They are keen to get on with their work, especially when it involves practical activity. They usually listen well and are keen to get on with tasks and contribute to lessons. They co-operate well in joint activities and work hard individually. These positive attitudes help them to make good gains in their learning, especially when teaching is stimulating and interesting.

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Commentary

9. The development of pupils’ social and cultural understanding is a strong feature of the school’s work. They learn about their immediate community, and about life in other countries through geography, history, art, music and religious education. Their learning includes the context and implications of the recent disasters in Florida and Beslan. There is a thorough, well-structured provision for spiritual and moral development through the visitors to the school (such as police, Salvation Army, local clergy and the fire brigade) and visits in support of different subjects where pupils mix with other pupils and adults. The strong school council and supporting class councils provide a good demonstration of democracy in action. Pupils learn about right and wrong, and respect for the feelings of others throughout their schooling.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 6.4 School data 1.3 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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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

10. Attendance levels in the 2002-3 school year were very low in comparison with other schools but during the 2003-4 school year they improved substantially although still well below national averages. This low attendance resulted from a combination of high levels of sickness and some parents who did not support the school well by ensuring the regular attendance of their children. The school is working hard to improve attendance by using a very good range of strategies, including telephone calls to parents and carers and, in the first half of the current term, attendance levels have improved further.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

11. During the 2003-4 school year there were 20 fixed-term exclusions and one permanent exclusion. These pupils were often those who joined the school after Year 3. The school’s reasons for the exclusions are justifiable. The school is involved in a national project to improve behaviour, and has challenging targets for reducing exclusions. There have been no exclusions so far in the 2004-5 school year. Minet Junior School - 13

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – British 136 13 1 White – Irish 6 2 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 6 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 7 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 67 1 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 38 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 19 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 16 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 7 3 0 Black or Black British – African 51 1 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Chinese 1 0 0 Any other ethnic group 34 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 12 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is good. Although teaching and learning are very good in English and for pupils with special educational needs, there are weaknesses in the teaching of some lessons. Enrichment of the curriculum is very good, and the work for pupils’ personal, social and health education is very good. There are not effective links with the nearby infant school to ensure common approaches to teaching literacy and numeracy skills.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. Assessment is used well to help pupils to learn.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Minet Junior School - 14 • Teaching and learning are very good in English. • Particular strengths of teaching are class management and the development of pupils’ literacy skills through all subjects. • In about one third of lessons, there were some weaknesses in teaching. • Assessment makes an important contribution to pupils’ learning in English and mathematics. Minet Junior School - 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

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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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

12. In English, teachers know their pupils’ learning needs well and have challenging but realistic expectations about what they can achieve. As a result of very good planning, lessons are well structured and interesting, and include the imaginative use of role play. Pupils have good opportunities to apply their literacy skills in work for other subjects. As pupils are taught in ability groups and teachers make effective use of assessment information to plan pupils’ next steps of learning, they are offered tasks that are well adapted to their learning needs and know what they need to do to improve their standards.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

13. The common features of the good teaching and learning include: • effective class management with high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and what they can achieve so that pupils and are very interested in learning, with the result that the working atmosphere in classes makes a major contribution to pupils’ achievement even when there are weaknesses in teaching; • the provision of very good opportunities for speaking, listening and learning new vocabulary, including the use of talking partners, when pairs of pupils quickly discuss a particular question before sharing their findings with the rest of the class, and role play as – for instance – in history a pupil took the role of Henry VIII and answered questions from the rest of the class; • the work of teaching assistants, who are almost always engaged in helping pupils to learn in all parts of lessons, as they provide support for targeted pupils and group which include

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

those pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language; • the clarity of whole-class teaching as teachers use their good subject knowledge to give clear, step-by-step explanations and instructions that hold the pupils’ interest and motivate them to learn; • the use of plenary sessions at the ends of lessons to add to pupils’ learning by, for example, reviewing examples of pupils’ work in ICT and providing feedback on how it could be improved, and providing opportunities for pupils to apply the skills they had learnt during an English lesson in a role play that used telephone conversations about a safari park; • the effective use of questions by teachers and teaching assistants to involve a wide range of pupils actively in lessons, to check pupils’ knowledge and understanding, to help pupils explain their reasons and answers, and to help motivate them to learn; • a brisk pace of learning so that pupils learn a great deal in a relatively short time as, for

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

example, when pairs of Year 6 pupils selected an electrical circuit that worked and explained why in a short time so that they then had a good block of time to test a whole range of circuits; • work that is well matched to pupils’ different learning needs, especially in English and mathematics for which they are taught in sets, but also in a good proportion of lessons for science and ICT.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

14. In just under one third of the lessons seen, pupils’ learning was satisfactory or better but there were weaknesses in the teaching that limited pupils’ learning a little. The weaknesses that were in a few lessons included: Minet Junior School - 16 • a slow pace in sections of the lesson so that pupils’ rate of learning is reduced as, for example, they all put away their whiteboards on the same shelf before starting the task or the whole-class teaching is too long so that some pupils lose their concentration; • insufficient opportunity for pupils’ speaking and not enough emphasis on developing pupils’ vocabulary as, for example, pupils were not asked for their own examples of alliteration and adjectives following a structured English task; • learning resources that were not interesting or were not well matched to pupils’ own knowledge; • insufficient challenge for higher-attaining pupils as, for example, when they completed a

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

cut-and-paste task in science to classify objects according to their material, and completed a straight forward comprehension exercise to fill in blanks in a text using words from a list in religious education; • insufficient use of practical materials in mathematics to help pupils establish basic understanding about numbers.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

15. There were two unsatisfactory lessons. In one, all pupils were not involved in learning for the whole lesson, the pace of learning slowed for significant periods of time and the lesson content was insufficient for the time available. In the other lesson, there was a slow pace to some of the teaching and the resource was not well matched to the pupils’ learning needs.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

16. The overall quality of teaching for pupils with English as an additional language is good. However, there are instances when class teachers do not identify the language demands of the activities and provide additional learning resources for pupils who are the early stages of learning English. Despite this, most teachers are aware of the needs of their pupils and support them well, especially when specialist help is not available.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

17. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs is very good and planning in English and mathematics links directly to targets on pupils’ Individual Education Plans. The setting of pupils in these subjects means that their learning needs are met through a thorough, structured approach. The brisk pace of lessons and a range of activities sustain interest and concentration. Skilled questioning and a focus on the individual lead every pupil to achieve well. When pupils are supported in classes by teaching assistants, they learn very well. Individual Education Plans are drawn up by the special educational needs co-ordinator or class teacher, and targets are reviewed on a termly basis. There is close liaison between the special educational needs co-ordinator and class teachers, and assessments are analysed to inform future lesson planning.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 53 lessons

18. The overall quality of assessment is good. For English and mathematics, whole-school assessment records are used to track the progress of individual pupils and to set short-term challenging targets for groups and individuals, which pupils understand. This information is used in year-group meetings to monitor the progress of individual pupils and address the causes of any underachievement that is identified. Marking in English and mathematics does not always make clear to pupils how they can improve their work. There are good assessment systems in place for science and ICT, and these include opportunities for self- assessment by pupils. In subjects such as history, religious education and physical education, there are not consistent, whole-school approaches to assessment.

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The curriculum

The curriculum provides a good range of learning opportunities for all pupils. There is very good provision to enrich the curriculum. Accommodation and learning resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The setting for English and mathematics helps match work to pupils’ differing learning needs. Minet Junior School - 17 • The extra-curricular provision is very good. • There are many school visits and visitors to the school. • The work for pupils’ personal, social and health education (PHSE) is very good. • The learning opportunities for pupils with special educational needs are very good. • The location of the library in a corridor creates some problems for its use. • There is insufficient collaboration with the infant school on the same site.

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Commentary

19. The learning activities and tasks that pupils undertake meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and agreed syllabus for religious education, and provide the pupils with a good range of learning opportunities that meet their academic and personal development needs. For English and mathematics, the pupils are divided into sets based on their ability and this helps match the work to their differing learning needs. In English, the fours classes in each year are divided into five sets and for mathematics there are four sets in Years 3 to 5, and five sets in Year 6. Links between subjects are developing well and are particularly strong between English, history and ICT. The very good PHSE provision for sexual health and relationships education, healthy eating, citizenship and drugs awareness has been evaluated and improved in a systematic way, and has been accredited by the local education authority’s

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Commentary

20. The curriculum is enriched by an annual arts week, and in 2004 this included street jazz, African dance, a giant collage, and digital video and film animation. Visits include those to the Roald Dahl Museum, Hampton Court and the British Museum, as well as to various places of worship. There is a school journey to the Isle of Wight for Year 6 pupils. Visitors to the school include artists, drama groups and representatives of different religions. The very good range of lunchtime and after-school clubs is attended by about half of the pupils, and includes sports such as athletics, football, cricket, rugby and netball with a good range of competitive matches. There are also very good nurture groups for each year group for pupils with particular needs, and after-school homework clubs for each year group. There is not close liaison with the nearby infants’ school to ensure that there are common approaches to the

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Commentary

teaching of reading, writing and mathematics in the two schools.

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Commentary

21. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and they achieve very well, particularly when working with specialist teachers in English and mathematics sets. They are supported well in classes by teaching assistants, but there is not always evidence of differentiated planning in subjects other than English and mathematics. Gifted and talented pupils are identified and supported, and have individual education plans. Their progress is monitored by the co-ordinator for the gifted and talented. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good, although, as the school is aware, there are aspects that could be further improved such as the match of learning resources to pupils’ needs.

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Commentary

22. The buildings include two temporary classrooms and are well maintained and cared for. A good range of improvements has been carried out over recent years, and more are planned. The large grounds provide excellent playing fields and a wildlife area. The location of the library in a corridor is limiting, particularly for the teaching of library skills and for the pupils’ use of the library at lunchtime. Instead of using library tickets, use is made of a biometric measure as part of a programme to encourage boys to read. Learning resources are good, and include an ICT suite. Plans are in hand to improve the ICT facilities in each class. The stable, experienced staff meet the needs of the curriculum and make a strong contribution to pupils’ achievement, and new staff are inducted effectively.

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Care, guidance and support

The school takes very good care of the welfare, health and safety of its pupils. It provides pupils with good support, advice and guidance and takes good account of their views. Minet Junior School - 18

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school takes account of pupils’ views in a systematic way. • The provision to ensure pupils’ care and welfare is handled thoroughly and sensitively. • The school’s thorough management of safety arrangements ensures that pupils and staff are secure. • The induction of pupils and their progress through the school are managed well.

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Commentary

23. Pupils’ opinions are heard very effectively through a strong school council, which is linked to the council in each class. The school council meets frequently, represents all years and is well supported and guided by a teacher. It covers topics relevant to pupils such as school uniform, healthy food, and safety. The school also surveys pupils’ views and uses circle time well, when pupils sit in a circle and discuss issues that are important to them. Nearly all pupils feel there is an adult they could turn to in case of anxiety or concern.

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Commentary

24. The school, through its very well organised arrangements (such as for child protection, use of healthcare experts and risk assessments for visits), ensures that the care and welfare of pupils and staff is very well managed. It uses the resources of other agencies well to supplement its own activities. The Healthy School Award was granted recently and this is reflected in the lunch menus. On a day-to-day basis, the staff are very caring of the pupils and this results in them trusting the adults in the school when they have problems. Pupils also help at lunch and breaks by being “playground friends”. Pupils with particular needs are given very effective support through four nurture groups. Parents feel satisfied that the school takes good care of their children – as do the pupils.

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Commentary

25. There are good systematic procedures for ensuring the safety of pupils. Equipment is maintained in a timely and appropriate way, and all necessary processes (such as facility risk assessments) are in place.

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Commentary

26. There are good arrangements for the induction of new pupils at the start of Year 3 and during the school year. The school is in the process of improving this good provision by compiling induction packs that will be suitable for pupils with English as an additional language. As pupils progress through the school, teachers pass on comprehensive details of their progress and personal development. Pupils who join the school during the school year meet the headteacher with their parents, tour the school and meet their teachers and other pupils. On arrival they will be “buddied” with another pupil to help them settle in. Almost all parents consider that the school’s induction arrangements are good.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Partnership arrangements with parents are good. Links with the community are very good and links with other schools and colleges are good .

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good links with other schools benefit the learning of pupils. • Pupils benefit from the way in which the school makes use of its community links. • Parents consider the school performs well and provide good support to it.

p.18

Commentary

27. The school benefits from its links with two secondary schools with which it has projects to help the transfer of its pupils at the end of Year 6. Transfer of pupils to these secondary schools is handled satisfactorily, with very good provision for potentially vulnerable pupils, Minet Junior School - 19 who are supported strongly by the learning mentors. Teachers meet to discuss the pupils’ academic and personal needs. Secondary school teachers visit to meet pupils, and pupils have “taster” days at the senior schools.

p.18

Commentary

28. The school uses its community links very well to add to pupils’ learning in their various subjects as well as supporting their personal development. Visitors to the school represent many functions in society, such as police and fire services, local clergy and other religious leaders, and professional sports clubs. A wide range of visits focuses on specific topics and subjects. For example, trips take place related to history projects on Tudor England and also work linked to the environment and nature. Local businesses have responded to pupils’ requests by providing sponsorship for development of a garden and wildlife area at the school. Local community organisations make use of the school’s facilities for meetings, including the local MP and language classes run by minority ethnic groups. The school has provided family learning programmes for literacy and numeracy in the last two years.

p.19

Commentary

29. Parents comment very favourably about the school, praising all aspects of its performance and especially induction arrangements and how comfortable they feel about approaching the school with any concerns. They feel well informed by communications about the daily life of the school. The school is developing a website . The Parent-Teacher Association is active and is widening its contacts by developing into a “Friends of the school”. Pupils value the summer and Christmas fairs that it organises. The school consults its parents well with regard to policies such as relationships and sex education.

p.19

Commentary

30. The relationship between the school and parents of pupils with special needs is generally good. Parents are invited to meetings to discuss the review of individual education plans or statements and are kept informed of their children’s progress on a regular basis.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides good leadership and manages the school satisfactorily. Leadership by other key staff is good. The very good team spirit and determination to improve is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievements. The governance of the school is good and governors fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher has a clear vision for the school and a strong sense of purpose. • The checking of the quality of teaching and learning is not rigorous enough. • The governing body influences the work of the school very effectively. • Governors have a very clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. • Approaches to financial management are good.

p.19

Commentary

31. The headteacher leads his staff with a strong vision for the improvement of educational standards in the school and the successful development of all aspects of the education of each pupil. He has a clear ambition for the improvement of the school and has had a significant, positive impact on the ethos of the school and this makes a strong impact on pupils’ good learning.

p.19

Commentary

32. The headteacher has successfully established a united and supportive staff team who are committed to making good provision for the all-round development of pupils. He has built a senior management team which is given the responsibility of making corporate decisions. Although the two assistant headteachers share the ambition and vision for the school, their roles are not sufficiently defined in terms of the long-term development of the school. Minet Junior School - 20 Nonetheless, they are especially effective in assessing and tracking all pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science, and in the leadership of the work for mathematics and pupils with special educational needs.

p.19

Commentary

33. The school has a clear picture of what it does well and where it needs to improve. It has put in place a good system to track pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics, and it makes good use of the analysis of tests and performance data to inform target setting. Although the headteacher and, sometimes, senior managers observe lessons, other subject managers are not as effective as they ought to be, especially in relation to monitoring and evaluating provision and standards in their particular areas. Informally, staff support their colleagues with advice and are aware of some aspects of the subjects that need improvement but they have not yet had time to work alongside other teachers. Overall, systems to check the quality of teaching and learning in order to share good practice and to eliminate inconsistencies are not systematic and lack rigour so that areas of strength or weakness are not being identified

p.20

Commentary

clearly enough in order to improve pupils’ achievement. Performance management systems are employed well in order to directly contribute towards school improvement. There are good systems in place for the day-to-day management and also effective support from the school’s administrative staff, so that the school runs smoothly

p.20

Commentary

34. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very well led and managed. The co- ordinator is very experienced and knowledgeable and has an overview of individual education plans. She supports and trains teaching assistants, advises teachers and liaises effectively with the main feeder infant school and secondary schools.

p.20

Commentary

35. The headteacher works closely with the recently appointed teacher to lead and manage the provision for pupils learning English as an additional language. The overall leadership of pupils learning English as an additional language is good, but management is satisfactory. Good features include how senior staff assess and track all pupils’ progress, and show a drive to improve the standards and achievement of all pupils. However, the role of the co-ordinator is underdeveloped in monitoring teaching to ensure that the needs of pupils who are not yet fully fluent are met in subjects other than English and mathematics. A detailed action plan has been written, but this is not yet fully implemented.

p.20

Commentary

36. The governors share the headteacher’s vision and are committed to supporting the school and ensuring that it continues to develop further. The governing body is a diverse group, which partly reflects the richness of the surrounding multicultural community. Governors are well organised into committees, which enables them to have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Their knowledge of what the school needs to do to improve is clear and they share the ambitions of the school. They have played a proactive role in the development of ICT in the school. The governing body ensures that the school meets its statutory responsibilities. They are aware of the positive influence of leadership of the school on pupils’ achievement and are aware of the standards attained by the pupils.

p.20

Commentary

37. Financial management is good and the school makes effective use of its financial and other resources. Specific grants are used well to help the school to achieve educational priorities. An example of this is the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant, which is used effectively to promote English language development in a school of 27 different nationalities. The headteacher and the governors keep a careful check on spending and this has enabled priority needs to be met. The finance committee ensures that spending is carefully reviewed so that the best possible value is achieved. The carry-forward figure in the budget is higher than would be expected and is the result of unexpected savings on salaries. The school has plans for the use of this money to benefit the pupils’ education.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,385,817 Balance from previous year 98,423 Total expenditure 1,272,805 Balance carried forward to the next 113,011

p.21

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

Expenditure per pupil 3,074 Minet Junior School - 22

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well and make very good progress. • Teaching is very good. • Writing is used imaginatively to support learning in other subjects. • Ability grouping ensures the provision of appropriate learning opportunities. • Leadership of the subject is very good. • The location of the library hinders access to books. • Boys achieve less well than girls in writing.

p.22

Commentary

38. Year 6 pupils are on track to reach standards that broadly match national averages by next summer. Standards have improved since the last inspection when they were below average. Pupils’ attainment on entry is well below average and they make very good progress in speaking and listening, reading and writing. The school builds successfully on pupils’ prior learning, and pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. Pupils with English as an additional language achieve very well because they are fully involved in lessons, teaching emphasises the value of speaking and listening, there is an emphasis on the meaning of vocabulary, and teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support to groups and individuals during tasks.

p.22

Commentary

39. Standards of speaking and listening have improved because of the very good teaching which allows pupils to develop their speaking skills effectively. Teachers offer questioning that engages their thinking or probes their understanding. Older pupils are challenged in discussions and are given opportunities to present their work for example when they use PowerPoint presentations at the end of a topic. Younger pupils are encouraged to share their views and these are carefully considered by teachers, who take every opportunity to help pupils by extending and reinforcing vocabulary. Pupils listen well to teachers and each other, and they collaborate well in pairs and in groups. In a Year 5 lesson, the teacher extended pupils’ speaking and listening skills at the end of the lesson by asking them to formulate questions and answers in a role play, which was linked to the story. Pupils participated with

p.22

Commentary

enjoyment and their achievement was very good.

p.22

Commentary

40. Pupils are given the opportunity to read in shared reading and guided reading sessions in lessons. Many pupils use a range of approaches to tackle new words and early reading skills are taught systematically and thoroughly. By Year 6, higher-attaining pupils read a range of challenging texts but lower-attaining pupils still need guidance on ways to read unknown words to gain fluency. The library is used well and pupils are encouraged to take books home, although its location in a corridor is limiting, particularly when teaching library skills. A new boys’ reading club is helping to encourage boys to enjoy books and they are appreciative of the new book titles which have been introduced.

p.22

Commentary

41. The achievement of boys in writing is less than that of the girls, although all pupils are encouraged to write at length. This is the focus of class language sessions when pupils are given the opportunity to write on a range of topics from different subjects. Writing is given a high profile in the school and some pupils participated in the “Write Here, Write Now” writing awards. Topics in literacy lessons are interesting and pupils are encouraged to write for a range of purposes in a variety of styles. In Year 3, pupils worked well on creating speech for Minet Junior School - 23 characters in a story and, in Year 4, they used descriptive language well when writing about the characters in a play script. Pupils are aware of the importance of correct spelling and punctuation, and work on grammar and sentence structure is thorough. Presentation and handwriting vary, but are generally satisfactory.

p.22

Commentary

42. The quality of teaching and learning is very good because teachers know their pupils well and have high expectations for their success. Teachers’ planning is very good and as a result, lessons are well-structured and interesting. As pupils are taught in ability groups, they are offered tasks that are well adapted to their learning needs. Pupils with special educational needs are given a secure, thorough grounding on which to build skills and knowledge. Similarly, pupils with English as an additional language have very good opportunities to develop their basic literacy skills, and they make rapid progress. Assessments inform effective individual and group target setting and pupils can move between ability groups each term. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and pupils in Year 6 responded well to oral work and practical activities on complex sentences, which were then used effectively in their written

p.23

Commentary

work. Teaching assistants offer good well-focused support and their questioning is good. Marking varies between classes, it is generally encouraging but does not always show pupils how they can improve their work.

p.23

Commentary

43. Leadership of the subject is very good and management is good. The co-ordinator has a clear view of the priorities for improvement. Pupils’ achievements are tracked from the outset and the analysis of results is used to identify how pupils’ work can be improved. Although the co- ordinator monitors planning, teachers’ evaluations and pupils’ work, she has not yet had the opportunity to monitor lessons and feed back to colleagues.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

44. Reading and writing skills are regularly used to support learning in other areas of the curriculum, especially in history, where pupils write at length. Older pupils use research skills, including the Internet, in subjects such as religious education, history and science. Speaking and listening skills are developed in all subjects and teachers frequently employ drama or role play to enrich pupils’ understanding of historical characters. Computers are used for word- processing, editing, e-mailing and for PowerPoint presentations.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a result of the good teaching. • The teaching of pupils in groups organised by ability is having a positive effect on achievement. • Marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and generally gives inadequate guidance on how to improve work. • The co-ordinator has had little opportunity to monitor classroom practice, and so evaluate what needs to be done to bring about further improvement in teaching and learning.

p.23

Commentary

45. Pupils in Year 6 are on track to reach standards below those that are average for their ages by next summer. However, given the low levels of attainment with which many pupils begin Year 3, their achievement is good. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well. Inspection findings match the National Curriculum test results for 2004 and are similar to the findings of the last inspection. Minet Junior School - 24 Minet Junior School - 25 46. Overall, a number of factors, including an above average number of pupils with special educational needs, high mobility and a significant proportion who are not yet fully fluent in English affect standards across the school. However, the grouping of pupils on the basis of prior attainment allows them to work and progress at the optimum rate. Extra classes are provided for small groups of pupils where individual support is given. This has a significant

p.23

Commentary

effect on attainment and enhances pupils’ self-esteem and confidence that, in turn, increases knowledge and understanding.

p.25

Commentary

47. In Year 6, pupils have already covered a vast amount of work on number in the current academic year. Most higher-attaining pupils are working close to the national standards. They order and convert decimals and fractions, and confidently solve problems involving more than one mathematical operation. Average-attaining pupils express proportions of amounts as percentages, fractions and ratios, and name and classify quadrilaterals using side and angle properties. Lower-attaining pupils accurately add single- and two-digit numbers and confidently double and halve numbers. Overall, lower-attaining pupils make good progress and achieve as well as their peers although at times they need access to more practical resources to assist them in their learning.

p.25

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are good. All teachers plan lessons that are consistent with the nationally recommended good practice and, where appropriate, teaching assistants are briefed about which pupils to support. In the best lessons, such as a very good lesson in Year 6, enthusiastic and challenging teaching enables all pupils to achieve very well and make very good progress. Carefully phased questions pushed pupils to explain themselves and good use is made of pupils’ responses to help others learn and keep interest high. By contrast, where teaching is satisfactory, work is not always well matched to pupils’ levels of attainment and practical resources are not sufficiently used to help support learning. A major contributory factor to pupils’ good learning is their very good attitudes to work with most pupils persevering with set tasks or fully contributing to teacher-led discussions and learning

p.25

Commentary

49. Leadership is good and management is satisfactory. A wealth of statistical data about pupils’ performance is available and is used well to plan work and for setting realistic but challenging targets for individual pupils. Homework is used well to consolidate pupils’ learning and to provide opportunities for independent learning. Formal procedures for monitoring teaching and learning in order to identify precisely where support is required are not fully in place and rightly identified by the co-ordinator as an area for development. ICT is not used enough to support mathematics. Marking of pupils’ work does not regularly include comments that will help pupils know what they have to do to improve. Good improvements have been made to provision since the last inspection.

p.25

Mathematics across the curriculum

50. There are satisfactory opportunities for pupils to use their mathematics skills to support learning in other subjects. However, the school has not yet planned the use of pupils’ numeracy skills in a systematic way.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The teaching and learning are good. • Practical work is linked effectively to pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science. Minet Junior School - 26 • There are some good approaches to assessment although these are not yet used consistently across the school. • There is good subject leadership. Minet Junior School - 27

p.25

Commentary

51. The current Year 6 pupils are on track to match national averages by next summer. Since the last inspection, pupils’ standards in investigative science have improved and, for example, Year 6 pupils investigate different types of electrical circuit and Year 5 pupils investigate the movement of air in water. The Year 6 pupils explained their findings in terms of how electricity moves around a circuit, and the Year 5 pupils explained their findings by using their knowledge of the properties of liquids and gases. All pupils, including those with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, achieve very well because of their very positive attitudes to learning and the good teaching.

p.27

Commentary

52. Strengths of the teaching and learning in most classes included: • effective class management so that pupils were fully involved in the learning; • the use of questions to involve a wide range of pupils, to check their understanding and to encourage them to explain their findings; • a focus on the use of pupils’ literacy skills and the meaning of vocabulary, with many good opportunities for speaking and listening, especially when brisk, purposeful paired discussions were used; • clear step-by-step explanations that helped to ensure pupils had a good understanding of the topic being taught.

p.27

Commentary

53. Occasional weaknesses in a few lessons included: a slow pace to the teaching that resulted in the attention of a minority of pupils flagging; pupils classifying objects by name when they were not familiar with all of them; and insufficient challenge for more-able pupils during one task. The system for assessing pupils’ work is based on clear criteria from the National Curriculum and provides opportunities for pupils to judge their own progress. The pupils make satisfactory use of their numeracy and ICT skills in science.

p.27

Commentary

54. The subject leaders are aware of some strengths and weaknesses in provision and are committed to improvement. Good improvement has been made since the last inspection and the results of the national tests have risen. The subject leaders monitor learning resources and receive good evaluations of what has been taught by each year group. They have a sound action plan to improve science although the targets for improvement are not expressed explicitly in terms of raising standards and improving teaching. They have insufficient opportunities to monitor teaching and pupils’ work. A very good feature of some lesson planning is that it includes challenging activities for more-able pupils. Teachers in different classes do not always interpret consistently the guidance on which they base their lessons.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are good, and pupils achieve well. • Good links have been made between ICT and history. • Because of effective leadership, good improvements have been made since the last inspection.

p.27

Commentary

55. Year 6 pupils are on track to reach standards that match national expectations by next summer. For example, they use the Internet to research the Second World War and use PowerPoint to present the findings of their research into the Victorians. In mathematics, they use a program to control the movement of the cursor on the computer screen and create Minet Junior School - 28 relatively complex two-dimensional shapes, and use a spreadsheet to model the costs of a holiday and to calculate areas and perimeters. Pupils use the required range of software confidently. They learn new skills quickly, as in Year 5 lessons when pupils used a programme to devise sequences of instructions to control a lighthouse and a pedestrian crossing. The achievement of all pupils, including those with English as an additional language, is good because pupils are highly motivated by the subject, teaching is clear and linked to the pupils’

p.27

Commentary

own experiences, and the teachers and teaching assistants give effective support to pupils as they work in pairs at computers, especially those with special educational needs and English as an additional language.

p.28

Commentary

56. Strengths of the teaching and learning in most classes included: • clear, step-by-step teaching of skills and instructions using the data projector and large screen in the ICT suite so that, for example, all pupils quickly learn to edit text and to incorporate clip art and other pictures into a document; • all classes in the ICT suite are supported by a teaching assistant so that when pupils are working at computers there are at least two members of staff to support them in their learning and help them overcome any difficulties; • plenary sessions at the ends of lessons that use examples of pupils’ computer work to review what has been learnt against the lesson’s learning objectives, and teachers use questions to identify how the quality of the work could be further improved In the best lessons, there is specific planning for work to meet the learning needs of those pupils with special educational needs and those at an early stage of learning English. A

p.28

Commentary

thorough assessment system is being used and this includes good self-assessment by the pupils.

p.28

Commentary

57. Occasional weaknesses in a few lessons included: whole-class teaching that was too long so that some pupils lost concentration; a lack of clarity about the extension activity for the more- able pupils; and a concluding discussion about specific computer skills that did not make use of a screen display that all pupils could see easily.

p.28

Commentary

58. Since the last inspection, pupils’ standards have risen, teachers’ ICT skills have improved, and important improvements have been made to the computers and the software that they use. There is an ICT action plan that has appropriate targets for improvement. The subject leaders have a realistic view of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses. They receive good evaluations of what has been taught by each year group but have insufficient opportunities to monitor teaching and pupils’ work.

p.28

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

59. The use of ICT to improve pupils’ learning in other subjects is satisfactory. The use by some subjects is good, while the use in a few subjects, including mathematics, is not yet developed enough. In English, pupils use ICT to write in particular styles, for example, as they write newspaper articles about Boudicca, and create letters, posters and invitations for particular audiences. In science, they add labels to digital photographs of particular animals and use the Internet to research solids, liquids and gases.

p.28

HUMANITIES

60. In humanities, work was sampled in geography as it was only possible to see one lesson. Consequently, it was not possible to make an overall judgement about the school’s provision for this subject. The standard of the Year 5 pupils’ work on coasts matches national expectations as they describe coastal landforms and processes accurately. This work was linked to pupils’ work in art and design, and English as, for example, they wrote newspaper articles about the destruction of a coastal hotel by sea erosion. In the satisfactory lesson seen, pupils developed their mapping skills through a sound range of practical activities. The Minet Junior School - 29 work interested the pupils who were keen to learn. The instructions were rather long and complex, and there was a weakness in class management. There is a satisfactory programme of local fieldwork. There is not a whole-school system for recording assessments in

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well and are developing historical skills. • Good use is made of visits and visitors to the school. • Links with literacy, design technology and art are good.

p.29

Commentary

61. Year 6 pupils are on track to reach standards that are in line with those expected nationally by next summer. All pupils achieve well. In Year 6 they have a good understanding of life in Victorian times and skilled questioning on schooling helped them to develop their views. Opportunities for discussion and practical activities such as writing on slates focused on the differences between past and present. Pupils have written in some depth on a range of issues, demonstrating both factual knowledge and an awareness of the characteristics of Victorian society. The good subject knowledge of teachers in Year 5 led pupils towards good descriptive writing on the Battle of Bosworth and discussion on past events. Strategies such as matching problems and solutions, and role-play where one pupil assumed the role of Henry VIII encouraged enthusiastic dialogue. Pupils in Year 4 were helped towards skills of enquiry

p.29

Commentary

when they handled Roman artefacts, or imagined what it felt like to be a Roman soldier.

p.29

Commentary

62. Teaching and learning are good and teachers’ planning is effective, with a wide range of practical and written activities which stimulate pupils’ interest. Visits to places such as Hampton Court enhance the curriculum, as do workshops and productions by theatre groups which bring history alive. Leadership of the subject is good and the co-ordinator monitors pupils' work and teachers' evaluations, although she has not yet had the opportunity to monitor lessons. Assessment is undertaken, but does not have an agreed, consistent format Good links are made with literacy, especially speaking and listening and extended writing, and pupils use computers to research topics or to produce artwork such as “wanted” posters for Boudicca. Good examples of links with art and design and technology were seen in Celtic patterns and models of Victorian Toys. Good improvements have been made since the last inspection.

p.29

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory .

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A range of outside visits, together with visitors to the school, enhances the curriculum. • Pupils’ background knowledge and experience is used effectively to help learning. • The subject makes a strong contribution to racial harmony, and to the ethos of the school. • Systems of assessment and monitoring are only partly in place.

p.29

Commentary

Minet Junior School - 30 63. Since the last inspection, standards have remained the same, and Year 6 pupils are on track to achieve standards that match the expectations of the local agreed syllabus by next summer. Pupils’ achievement, including that of pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning to speak English as an additional language, is satisfactory. This satisfactory level of achievement is due to the pupils’ ability to remember what they have learned about the different themes and topics they have explored, and to recall this knowledge and understanding. 64. Pupils are introduced to a satisfactory range of world faiths, including Christianity, and are developing an appropriate understanding of the similarities and differences between them. They understand the religious significance of the events in the Christian calendar and they have a satisfactory grasp of the main elements, festivals and customs of other world faiths.

p.30

Commentary

The school’s ethos is supported and developed in religious education lessons, and racial harmony positively promoted.

p.30

Commentary

65. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall: examples of good and unsatisfactory lessons were observed. In a good Year 4 lesson, pupils worked in small groups to act out the story of Rama and Sita, using ‘freeze-frame’ scenes to highlight the most important parts. The teacher used pupils’ own knowledge and experience effectively, and one small group used song, and a mixture of Punjabi and English, to tell the story. In an unsatisfactory lesson, the story used was not matched appropriately to pupils’ own experiences, or to their language development. Lessons are suitably prepared and the way in which teachers explain different religious beliefs, festivals and ways of worship successfully captures pupils’ interest and attention. Teachers make good use of local centres of worship from other faiths to stimulate learning and the school has a good range of artefacts relating to different religions, which are used to good

p.30

Commentary

effect. Some visitors, such as a Sikh parent, offer first-hand experience of other religions.

p.30

Commentary

66. Overall, there is good leadership and satisfactory management of the subject. The co- ordinator is enthusiastic, energetic and committed. She works hard and has provided training and guidance for staff on the requirements of the syllabus. She has a good overview and grasp of the subject, and how it could be further improved. Assessment is currently being developed, but its use and the monitoring of teaching are under-developed. There is a good stock of resources, and they are used effectively. Use is made of assemblies to extend and broaden pupils’ understanding of different themes and topics.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

67. Only one lesson was seen in art and design and so there was insufficient evidence to make secure judgements about provision. Teachers’ planning shows that the requirements of the National Curriculum are covered, and that pupils experience a wide range of materials and activities. A strong feature of the subject is the undertaking of blocked units of work each term. This ensures that the initial enthusiasm of the pupils is captured and maintained, making learning relevant and exciting. Good links are made with ICT and other subjects. Art and design makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. There is no formal assessment in art and design, and this is recognised as an area for development. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable, but her overview of whole-school strengths and areas for development is limited by a lack of systematic monitoring.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

68. In design and technology, two lessons were seen and so it is not possible to evaluate overall provision. In addition to observing lessons, inspectors spoke to the co-ordinator about her work, and looked at the work in pupils’ folders, together with a study of a wall display. Pupils are gaining the experience of using a range of media and materials. In the lessons seen, teaching and learning were of a satisfactory standard. Pupils in Year 4 were designing money purses and thinking about how to translate their two-dimensional designs into three- dimensional items. In a good link to a history topic on the Victorians, a corridor display shows Minet Junior School - 31 that pupils in Year 6 have made copies of Victorian toys using cams. They drew plans and listed their requirements, constructed the models and then evaluated them.

p.30

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

69. During the inspection, only one music lesson was seen. Other evidence was taken from listening to pupils singing in assembly and song practices, and discussion with the music co- ordinator and pupils. Pupils sing tunefully, with good diction and regard for pitch, tempo and dynamics. They are guided well by the assistant headteachers and the music co-ordinator. The choir sing very well and frequently perform at events in the community. Recorder groups are very successful and violin lessons are provided by a peripatetic teacher. School performances take place on a regular basis and during Arts Week there are workshops and recitals from visiting musicians and orchestras. Pupils’ access to percussion instruments and provision for composition vary according to the confidence of individual teachers. The subject is well led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator who strives to raise the profile of music in the

p.31

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Provision in physical education is good.

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in dance are above expectations, due to some very good teaching. • The overall quality of teaching and learning is good. • Outdoor facilities for physical education are good. • Extra-curricular opportunities are good. • Assessment and monitoring are underdeveloped.

p.31

Commentary

70. Year 6 pupils are on track to reach overall standards in physical education (PE) that match national expectations by next summer. However, their standards in dance are above national expectations. Provision in the subject has improved since the last inspection. The achievement of all pupils is good, regardless of their prior ability, background or gender.

p.31

Commentary

71. The main reason for the good achievement is the effective teaching. In two of the dance lessons observed, the teaching was very good. This was because teachers inspired their pupils through their own energy and enthusiasm, and through their high expectations of pupils’ ability and creativity. Their relationships with pupils are very good and, consequently, pupils listen to instructions carefully, are mindful of each other in confined spaces and greatly enjoy their learning. Pupils in Year 6 gave a lively and enthusiastic performance of the dance routines they had created, dramatising a ‘secret agent’ scenario. Teaching and learning in one lesson were unsatisfactory. This was because the timing and pace of the lesson were lacklustre and there were low pupil expectations. Both the oldest and youngest pupils are proficient at putting out apparatus safely, quickly and quietly around the hall.

p.31

Commentary

72. The school gives opportunities for all of its pupils to learn to swim at the local leisure centre. With the exception of Year 3, all other year groups have one term’s tuition each year, and almost all pupils leaving the school are able to swim at least 25 metres. In addition to the usual PE games activities, pupils have further opportunities to improve their co-ordination skills through, for example, short tennis. Pupils also have good opportunities to join in extra- curricular clubs, such as soccer, cricket, rugby and netball. There are plenty of good opportunities for pupils to take part in competitive sport through fixtures and competitions, with much success. Minet Junior School - 32 73. The school has plenty of outdoor space with both tarmac and grass surfaces. Indoors the school hall, while not spacious, is used for gymnastics and dance and has a range of gymnastics equipment such as a climbing frame. Resources are good, and in a lesson of short

p.31

Commentary

tennis there were sufficient racquets and balls for every pupil.

p.32

Commentary

74. The subject is co-ordinated well by an experienced and well-qualified teacher who brings expertise and enthusiasm to the subject. The management of the subject is satisfactory. This is because there is currently little formalised assessment and monitoring of teaching or standards. Minet Junior School - 33

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

75. Although not a focus for the inspection, information gathered from talking to pupils and the personal, social and health education (PHSE) co-ordinator, the scrutiny of curriculum planning and the observation of two lessons indicate that provision continues to be a particular strength, as it was at the last inspection. There is a very good, well planned curriculum that includes education about the misuse of drugs, and sex and relationships education. Parents have been consulted about what is taught. Provision has been evaluated and improved in a systematic effective way for sexual health and relationships education, healthy eating, citizenship and the drugs awareness policy. The provision for these topics has been accredited by the local education authority. Weekly lessons are timetabled in each class. In an interesting lesson about what to do in an emergency, questions were used well to involve pupils who were interested in learning about the emergency services and made

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

thoughtful contribution. The teacher structured the work to help all pupils to learn. The school council meets regularly and provides an effective method for pupils to contribute to the running of the school. Minet Junior School - 34

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The overall effectiveness of the school 3

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

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

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

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The leadership and management of the school 3

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); Minet Junior School - 35 poor (6); very poor (7).

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