Pound Hill Junior School, Crawley

POUND HILL JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 29 th November – 2 nd December 2004

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POUND HILL JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection number: 267511 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Pound Hill 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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POUND HILL 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 Pound Hill Junior School - 4 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. Pound Hill Junior School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Maintained Age range of pupils: 7-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 365

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Crawley Lane Pound Hill Crawley West Sussex Postcode: RH10 7EB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01293 447000 Fax number: 01293 447002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Robert Cole

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 th March 1999

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Pound Hill Junior School has 365 pupils on roll, aged 7 to 11 and about five percent of pupils either joined or left the school other than at the normal time of admission or transfer last year. The school has recently been part of the local authority’s reorganisation programme and as a result, the age range of the pupils has now been changed from 8-12 to 7-11 years of age. These changes have resulted in 50 percent of the pupils being new to the school at the start of this academic year and significant changes to staffing arrangements being made. Pupils are also now admitted to the school from a wider catchment area and the attainment of pupils starting at the school in Year 3 is now average. The school is situated in a residential area of Crawley, West Sussex. The home backgrounds of most pupils are average. The number who are in receipt of a free school meal is below the national average. The original school was built in 1954 and shares a site with an adjacent infant

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

school. The school is surrounded by playgrounds, a sports field and a wildlife area. The school has identified 79 pupils as having special educational needs; about a Pound Hill Junior School - 6 third of these receive support from outside agencies. Currently there are five pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Need. The numbers of pupils with special educational needs is average. About ten percent of pupils are from ethnic minority groups and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average. Pound Hill Junior School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector Science, Information and communication technology, Design and technology, Physical education, 9468 John Arscott Lay inspector 32106 John Zealander Team inspector English, Religious education 32142 Beryl Richmond Team inspector Mathematics, Geography, History 7420 Ann Simpson Team inspector Special educational needs, English as an additional language, Art, Music

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections Limited 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the 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). Pound Hill Junior School - 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS 32

Pound Hill Junior School - 9 Pound Hill Junior School - 10

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a newly formed school that has been effectively led by the head teacher through a difficult period of transition and change. It is a satisfactory school with a number of very good features and good capacity for improvement. Above average standards are being attained in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and in several other subjects. This is an inclusive school where very high levels of care are shown for all pupils within a very positive and caring atmosphere for learning. Although there are some variations, the quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. The head teacher leads the school well and management overall is effective. Taking everything into consideration, the overall value for money is good.

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The school's main strengths and weaknesses are:

• Standards in science are well above average and achievement is good. • Standards are above average in English and mathematics, although there is some underachievement for more able pupils. • The school makes high quality provision for the teaching of French. • Pupils respond very well to the very good provision made for their moral and social development. • Insufficient use is made of assessment information by some teachers to match work effectively to the needs of all pupils. • The monitoring of teaching and learning is insufficiently rigorous. • The provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is not yet effectively co-ordinated. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress. • The range of learning opportunities planned for pupils is good and a wealth of activities is provided for pupils both in and outside of lessons. • The care and welfare of pupils are very good with an outstanding counselling

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The school's main strengths and weaknesses are:

service for pupils. • The school has established a very good partnership with its parents and the local community. • The head teacher has very effectively maintained a very positive, caring and inclusive ethos during this difficult period of change.

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The school's main strengths and weaknesses are:

Improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory. Standards in information and communication technology are now good. The pupils’ attitudes to learning and behaviour are very good. However, not all teachers are using assessment effectively and the monitoring of standards is still underdeveloped. Standards in music are now satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Results in National all schools similar schools Pound Hill Junior School - 11 Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English C A* C E mathematics C A B D science B A B D Key: A* - very high; 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. Achievement is satisfactory overall. In the past the attainment of pupils starting school has been judged to be above average. It is now average for pupils entering the school at the age of seven because of the change in school circumstances. The results in the 2004 national tests indicate that standards are average in English and above average in mathematics and science. When these 2004 results are compared with schools of similar prior attainment at the age of seven, standards are well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. This fall in standards is mainly attributable to the overall lower attainment of this particular

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

group of pupils and the degree of uncertainty thrust upon the school by the local authority reorganisation plans throughout the 2003-4 academic year. Inspection evidence confirms that standards in English are now above average for eleven year olds.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

However, although the current standards for eleven year olds in English and mathematics are above average there are elements of underachievement and in particular for more able pupils overall and girls in mathematics. Achievement in science is good and standards are well above average for eleven year olds. It is also good in information and communication technology, French, art and design and religious education. The good levels of achievement in these subjects make an effective contribution to the pupils’ personal development and creative skills. Pupils with special educational needs make good gains in their learning and their achievement is good in relation to their prior attainment. Those pupils identified as either being gifted or talented in a particular subject or discipline, respond well to the good provision in place for them, and achieve well. The achievement of pupils with English as an additional language is only satisfactory because support is not

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

always effectively targeted to the needs of all of these pupils.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils' attitudes to the school, on the whole, are very good, and pupils behave very well. Provision for pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is good overall and is very good for their moral and social development. The level of attendance is well above average and punctuality to school and for lessons is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Overall, the quality of education is satisfactory overall with some very good features. Teaching is satisfactory overall with some good or better teaching evident throughout the school. It is consistently good or better for the youngest pupils. Teachers display good subject knowledge overall. Resources are used effectively to support learning in the majority of lessons and relationships with pupils Pound Hill Junior School - 12 are very positive. In general, learning across most classes is good. The marking of pupils’ work is generally of good quality. However, assessment information is not used effectively to match work to the needs of more able pupils. The curriculum has good breadth and balance, and the school provides a very good range of extra- curricular activities to enrich the pupils’ learning experiences. The needs of pupils with special educational needs are catered for very well. The accommodation and

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

resources are adequate to support the current demands made by the school. Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is less effective but satisfactory overall. The school tries very hard to include pupils’ views at all times in its planning for further improvement. Arrangements for child protection, care, safety and welfare are very effective, and the overall educational and personal support and guidance for pupils is good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The leadership of the head teacher is good and the recent school changes have been managed very effectively. He is well supported by a good deputy and they work together as a strong team. Day-to-day management is good. However, procedures for the robust monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning are underdeveloped. Governance of the school is good. The governing body has been successful in acting as a 'critical friend' to the school. Performance management procedures are an integral and important part of the school's work. Staff teams have been created and team leaders are fulfilling their roles effectively. Good financial planning helps the school to meet its targets, and significant emphasis is placed on applying principles of 'best value' when spending decisions are made.

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PARENTS' AND PUPILS' VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Almost without exception, parents believe their children are expected to work hard. They also think that their children have settled in well and like the school. This reflects the school’s efforts to accommodate the needs of all pupils during this difficult period of transition and change.

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PARENTS' AND PUPILS' VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

In this school there is a clear message that every child matters so it is no surprise that the most popular response from pupils is that there is always an adult that they can turn to for support. In general pupils also endorse their parents perceptions that they are expected to work hard, learn new things and are trusted to do things on their own.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Monitor the quality of teaching and learning more effectively to further raise standards and especially those in writing and mathematics. • Use assessment information effectively to match work accurately to the needs of pupils and in particular those who are more able. • Effectively organise the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Pound Hill Junior School - 13 Pound Hill Junior School - 14

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall across the school. By the age of 11 pupils attain above average standards in English and mathematics; standards in science are well above average . All pupils achieve well in information and communication technology to reach above average standards by the age of 11. Above average standards are also being attained in French, religious education and art and design.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in science are well above average and achievement is good. • There is some underachievement in English and mathematics. • All pupils make good progress in information and communication technology and art. • Pupils’ achievement in French and religious education is good. • The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good • The most able pupils identified as being either gifted or talented achieve well.

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Commentary

1. The overall attainment of pupils when they start school at the age of seven is average because the school now takes pupils from a more diverse catchment area as a result of the local authority reorganisation of schools. This judgement is at variance with that of the previous inspection when attainment on entry to the school was judged to be above average.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 27.1 (30.3) 26.9 (26.8) mathematics 27.9 (28.4) 27.0 (26.8) science 29.6 (31.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 104 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. The 2004 national test results indicate that standards have fallen from the very high levels attained in English, mathematics and science in the previous year to those that are average in English and above average in mathematics and science. When these 2004 results are compared with schools of similar prior attainment at the age of seven, standards are well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. This fall in standards is mainly attributable to the overall lower attainment of this particular group of pupils and the degree of uncertainty thrust upon the school by the local authority’s reorganisation plans throughout the 2003-4 academic year. However, when the previous three years’ results are considered the overall trend of improvement Pound Hill Junior School - 15 has been similar to that nationally. Overall, boys perform better than those nationally in all three subjects and better than girls within the school in

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Commentary

mathematics. This trend has been recognised by the school and an action plan has been put in place to improve the overall attainment of girls and especially those working at the higher Level 5. There are no significant differences within the school between the performance of girls and boys in English and science.

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Commentary

3. Inspection evidence indicates that standards in English and mathematics are above average for eleven year olds and achievement in these subjects is satisfactory overall. Even though work of high quality is evident around the school there is some underachievement in both subjects. For instance, many pupils, and especially the more able, are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their writing skills to the full through drafting or the development of story writing at length. Higher attaining pupils in some mathematics sets are not always sufficiently challenged because they are working at the same level as the rest of the set, when they are capable of more challenging work. Although extension tasks are sometimes provided, these pupils are not given more challenging starting points to ensure good progress is made in lessons. Although the school has already identified the under-performance of girls as an

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Commentary

area for development, girls’ achievement is not yet in line with boys’ achievement, particularly at the higher levels.

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Commentary

4. Achievement in science is good and standards are well above average by the age of eleven. Teachers place a good emphasis on practical work and investigation. The high standards seen at the previous inspection have been maintained. This is primarily because the good subject knowledge of teachers ensures that lessons are sufficiently challenging for each age group. The quality of the pupils’ work is good and good links are made with other subjects such as information and communication technology.

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Commentary

5. Pupils make good progress in information and communication technology across the school. Standards are above average by the age of eleven and overall achievement is good in this subject. This represents good improvement compared with the findings of the previous inspection when standards were judged to be below average. The school places a high emphasis on the development of the pupils’ information and communication technology skills and the laptop project for some pupils in Year 5 supports this. Teachers make good use of information and communication technology to support the teaching of art where standards are also above average. The standards and variety of pupils’ artwork around the school, in their sketchbooks and portfolios, confirm that the subject makes a strong contribution to pupils’ creative development.

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Commentary

6. The specialist teaching of French is a strength of the school and standards are above those normally expected of similar aged pupils. Standards in religious education for eleven year olds are above the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus for eleven year olds. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their knowledge of religions and their understanding of why religion is Pound Hill Junior School - 16 important to people. This is effectively supported in lessons where pupils discuss ideas freely with their peers and with good support from teachers.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress during their time at the school. The support provided enables them to achieve in all areas of the curriculum and they develop good attitudes to learning. Those pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need achieve well in relation to the targets set in their individual education plans.

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Commentary

8. The achievement of pupils who speak English as an additional language is satisfactory. The few who are beginner learners of English make good progress in acquiring functional language. Those pupils who are at the later stages of learning English make satisfactory progress despite a lack of targeted support due to delegation by the local education authority of this responsibility to the school at the start of this academic year.

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Commentary

9. The school has effectively identified a number of pupils to be either gifted or talented in various disciplines. The progress of these pupils is tracked effectively and good provision is made for these pupils to receive extra tuition and support through in school activity or local authority courses. As a result many of these pupils attain very high standards in particular aspects of learning such as writing, science and sport and their achievement is good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attendance at this school is consistently very good . On the whole, pupils have very good attitudes and they exhibit very good behaviour. The ethos and atmosphere at this school make a significant contribution to the very good moral and social development of pupils. The spiritual and cultural development of pupils is also good . The school meets the statutory requirements with respect to the daily act of collective worship.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents respond responsibly to the school’s very effective pupil attendance procedures. • The pupils’ attitudes towards the school are very good because the school tries hard to stimulate the desire to learn • High standards of behaviour and self-discipline are maintained. • A very good climate for learning has been established where relationships between pupils and adults are very positive.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

10. The levels of both authorised and unauthorised absences are considerably better than the national average. The credit for the very good attendance figures must be shared between the way the school persistently promotes and Pound Hill Junior School - 17 monitors good attendance, and the parents themselves for the responsible way they respond. Teachers manage daily registration well. Lateness to school is monitored well and punctuality is judged to be good although it is still recovering from the change to an earlier start in the school day. Because of this very good provision there have been no exclusions in the last reported year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.6 School data: 0.1 National data: 6.0 National data: 0.3 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

11. Pupils' attitudes to the school have been maintained since the previous inspection and continue to be very good. These pupils enjoy coming to, and being at school, and there is an extremely keen interest and involvement in activities. Pupils play a full part in class discussions and many can articulate their views with confidence. They concentrate very well and maintain their attention for long periods. Pupils have a profound understanding of the impact of their actions on others and exercise considerable self discipline at all times. This is clearly evident at assemblies where the whole school is packed into a small hall with no adult intervention. The school provides very many stimulating learning opportunities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

12. The behaviour of pupils, overall, is very good and has improved since the last inspection. The school creates a climate, which helps promote good behaviour, and this has a positive impact on pupils' achievements. Their response to school rules is naturally very positive because they had a hand in devising them through the school council. Pupils are polite, courteous and respectful without being prompted. The school has mastered the art of promoting good behaviour so successfully that it has been able to absorb over a period of time and without any difficulty a significant number of pupils who have been excluded from other schools.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

13. The ethos and atmosphere throughout the school promote moral and social awareness very well. Pupils clearly understand the difference between right and wrong. The values of honesty, fairness and justice are very well understood and guide pupils attitudes towards helping others and charity work. Adults at the school provide good role models for pupils, and together with the very strong ethos, this provides pupils with a very good framework for their social development. School and classroom rules are developed with the co- operation of pupils. Pupils' social development is further enhanced by well- structured residential visits. Spiritual and cultural development, are both good. The school has pupils from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. All pupils are encouraged to know and understand their own cultural traditions, and through Pound Hill Junior School - 18 daily contact, pupils learn to appreciate the cultural diversity of British society.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

There are frequent opportunities for pupils to appreciate art, literature and music, and visits from artists, poets and theatre groups are regular features of school life.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

Overall, the quality of education is satisfactory with some very good features. Teaching is satisfactory overall. A very positive ethos for learning has been maintained throughout the change of school status. The school places a very high priority in providing an extensive range of stimulating learning experiences for all pupils both in and out of lessons. The level of care is of a very high standard and a strong partnership has been established with parents and the local community.

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Teaching and learning

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

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is affected by the inconsistent quality of teaching across the school. • Learning intentions for lessons are not always fully explicit. • Assessment information is not always used well to ensure that tasks are effectively matched to the needs of all pupils. • Teachers plan good opportunities for the development of literacy and numeracy skills in science and information and communication technology. • Enhanced opportunities for speaking and listening are not always provided for pupils who speak English as an additional language. • The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. • Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well and classroom relationships are very positive.

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Commentary

14. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall with some good features. Teaching is good or better in just over half of lessons. There are some examples of very good and excellent practice within the school. However, some teaching is only satisfactory and often mundane. Often there is only limited amounts of new learning observed and sometimes teaching is unsatisfactory. These findings are similar to those of the previous inspection.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 29 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 1 4 13 10 1 0 0 Pound Hill Junior School - 19 The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Commentary

15. Teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge overall, particularly in the teaching of French and science. As a result, the level of challenge for pupils is high in these subjects and achievement is good. However, some teachers are new to the age group they are teaching. This is partly due to the change in age range for the school at the start of the academic year and their own levels of expertise and experience. School management effectively identified this issue as an area of possible concern during the setting up of the new school. For example, comprehensive support and training for the teachers of pupils in Year 3 has been provided. The consistently good teaching observed in this year group during inspection is testament to the success of this good school management. However, the quality of teaching is more variable in other year groups. A rigorous programme of monitoring teaching and learning to improve

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Commentary

standards of teaching in other year groups is yet to be fully implemented.

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Commentary

16. Planning is satisfactory overall. Planning for each term is well structured and overseen effectively by year group leaders. However, in some lessons, learning intentions are not always fully explicit and shared effectively with pupils. In these lessons, pupils are not always clear about what is expected of them and progress in lessons is slow. When they are carefully thought through and shared with pupils, progress is good. Many teachers plan good opportunities for the development of literacy and numeracy skills in science and information and communication technology. Achievement in writing and number work is effectively consolidated through the writing of their investigations in science, word-processing and the interrogation of databases.

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Commentary

17. There are good examples in the school where assessment is used effectively as part of teaching. In some classes, skilful questioning enables teachers to judge a pupil’s progress and achievement. Some marking, and some feedback to pupils are well focused and lead to improvement. In information and communication technology there is a developing approach to pupil self assessment. This good practice is not consistent across the school and assessment for learning is unsatisfactory overall. There is a lack of co- ordination and guidance which leaves teachers unsupported. Few teachers use well-founded and detailed assessment judgements to inform their planning on a regular basis. Targets are set for pupils’ attainment in English and maths. The targets are shared with parents but are not routinely referred to in lessons and are not used effectively to improve performance. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is good, but the assessment of pupils with

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Commentary

English as an additional language in order to improve their progress has not been developed and is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

18. The teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is satisfactory overall. The school provides some support for pupils at the early stages of learning English, and has been creative in using parental expertise for a new pupil. There is a lack of specialist expertise, which would enable all pupils to Pound Hill Junior School - 20 make good progress and ensure that the needs of bilingual learners were recognised in lesson planning. Teachers are aware of the needs of these pupils, and often take time and care to ensure that they understand the lessons but they do not always provide enhanced opportunities for speaking and listening, particularly for the more advanced learners of English.

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Commentary

19. All teachers and support staff are aware of the range of needs presented by those pupils who have special educational needs. They are committed to ensuring that these pupils are fully involved in the class activities and receive the support and encouragement which will enable them to make progress. Individual education plans (IEPs) are well written with clear targets for learning. Teaching is generally good when it focuses on the achievement of these targets. Short term planning does not always specify the role and contribution of the support staff, and this could be improved.

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Commentary

20. Behaviour is managed very well and very positive relationships have been established in all classes. This is because most teachers employ a good range of methods to engage pupils in their learning. In the best lessons, teachers use questions very effectively to probe the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Good use is made of information and communication technology to support learning and this is particularly so in the use of laptops in a class of Year 5 pupils. Resources such as overhead projectors are also used well in lessons to illustrate key teaching points.

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The curriculum

The overall quality of the curriculum is good , with strengths in extra-curricular activities. Overall the accommodation and resources are satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Extra-curricular provision enriches the curriculum very well. • The provision for science and French is very good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. • There is equality of access and opportunity for all pupils. • There is a good match of support staff to the curriculum. • Pupils are prepared very well for later stages of education. • Provision for pupils who are learning English as an additional language is underdeveloped but satisfactory overall.

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Commentary

21. The overall quality of the planned learning experiences is good and the level of improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory. The national strategies for English and mathematics are satisfactorily covered although guided reading sessions are not always effective. The science curriculum is very good, particularly its emphasis on scientific enquiry. The French curriculum is also very good and is enriched very well with visitors and visits. Pound Hill Junior School - 21 The school is actively revising its curriculum to improve the use of literacy, mathematical, including data handling, and information and communication technology skills and to make meaningful cross curricular links. The curriculum provides a broad range of worthwhile activities and experiences, which meet well the needs of pupils, and meets all statutory requirements such as the requirement for a daily act or worship, religious education, sex and

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Commentary

relationships education and drugs education.

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Commentary

22. Pupils benefit from a curriculum that is very effectively enriched by visits and visitors. For example, members of the local community, like nurses and the police, support the teaching of personal, social and health education and visits to places like Preston Manor support the history curriculum well and to Le Portel in France support the French curriculum very well. There is a very good range of extra-curricular clubs for sporting, artistic and musical activities; opportunities for instrumental tuition and all pupils have very good opportunities to take part in residential visits in each year group.

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Commentary

23. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated into all aspects of the curriculum and are able to develop their skills and talents across a broad range. From time to time they are withdrawn from lessons for short periods to have focused teaching in literacy. This is not always effective as they miss out certain important aspects of the mainstream lesson.

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Commentary

24. The staff work hard to ensure that all pupils have equality of access and opportunity and provision is good overall. However, sometimes there is insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils and the laptop project for pupils in Year 5 presents some difficulties for the school regarding the equitability of learning experiences for all pupils in this year group. Where pupils need some extra help, staff identify their needs early and arrange for the correct provision for them. If pupils have specific needs the school ensures that the necessary resources are available. Teaching assistants are very often deployed to work with individual pupils to enable them to catch up with literacy skills. However, this means that pupils sometimes miss important parts of lessons like the main teaching input at the beginning of the lesson. Consequently, they then need to catch up when they return to class.

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Commentary

25. Pupils are prepared well for subsequent stages of learning. There is a strong emphasis on personal development so that pupils become responsible individuals and keen learners. There are good procedures to ensure that pupils move successfully to their next class and the school works very closely with the local secondary schools to ensure a smooth transition for the pupils. For example, there are curriculum meetings for staff, ‘taster days’ for pupils and close liaison between schools to ensure that this process is successful. The secondary and infant schools know the pupils in this school very well because there is a member of their staff on the governing body. Pupils are prepared well through homework activities, although some parents complained of a lack of consistency in homework provision, and study skills for their work in secondary school. Inspectors judge that this provision is good overall.

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Commentary

Pound Hill Junior School - 22 26. There are sufficient classroom teachers with the necessary skills and knowledge of different subjects to deliver the curriculum effectively and to co- ordinate subjects satisfactorily. They are assisted by a satisfactory allocation of teaching assistants who make a good contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Commentary

27. Provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language is satisfactory overall. However, the school does not always recognise that use of pupils’ first language will enhance understanding and support the development of English. There is little evidence that other languages are valued in the displays around the walls. Bilingual texts are not on show. The range and variety of visits and visitors organised by the school provide a very good context for bilingual learners to make sense of their language learning.

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Commentary

28. The quality of accommodation is satisfactory. Pupil numbers and classroom capacity are matched closely, and the buildings are fully suited to the needs of the age-range of pupils. The school has been reasonably successful in providing a stimulating learning environment. Overall, the standard of cleaning and day-to-day maintenance is good. The grounds are satisfactorily managed. Recently the school regained its playing field from the ravages of the building contractors.

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Commentary

29. Overall, the resources are good in terms of the quality and quantities of books and equipment provided for pupils. Overall, there is a good range of books in the library, and they are of good quality. Resources for information and communication technology are also good, in particular the provision and accessibility of laptops.

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Care, guidance and support

The pastoral care and welfare of pupils is very good . Health and safety provision and practice in the school are both very good . The school has good monitoring procedures that provide the basis of good support, advice and guidance. The school is very good at listening to the concerns and aspirations expressed by its pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The procedures for care, safety and welfare of pupils are very good. • The provision for counselling pupils is outstanding. • The school monitors pupils on the child protection register very effectively. • The good relationships between pupils and staff effectively promote a good climate for learning. • The pupils’ wishes and opinions are always valued and the induction arrangements for new pupils are of highest quality.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Commentary Pound Hill Junior School - 23 30. This very good provision is a significant step forward since the previous inspection. The school provides very good pastoral care for its pupils. Teachers know their pupils very well and this enables them to make informed judgements about the support and guidance that each child needs. What makes the provision of counselling so outstanding is that it is confidential, properly structured, well organised and it is staffed by sincere and totally dedicated staff. Most importantly it works because every individual child matters to the counsellor and the pupils know this. The ethos of care reaches out across the whole school and is one of the contributing factors that allows the school to successfully absorb so many pupils who have been excluded from other schools.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The procedures for recognising child protection issues, and monitoring pupils on the child protection register are very good. The school works closely with the police and fire service to teach children how to protect themselves and others. Day to day health and safety practice is good. A rigorous health and safety risk assessment is undertaken at regular intervals and involves senior staff and governors and the local education authority. The school monitors and reviews safe working procedures regularly and arrangements for dealing with accidents are clearly set out. The provision for first aid and supervision at mealtimes is good. 32. The caring, friendly atmosphere in the school encourages pupils to trust and respect the staff. In turn, the school makes it very clear that it cares about pupils’ views and what they think, and reacts very quickly to pupils’ views when they are expressed. Pupils appreciate the way the school council can help them

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

to make their views known, and pupils are confident about voicing their opinions. Teachers are fully aware of, and sensitive to, the personal and home circumstances of each pupil and how this impacts on their learning and progress. The headteacher monitors the work of a target class each week. Teachers also keep moderated examples of pupils’ work and these are used to determine improvement targets.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

33. The principle of publicly celebrating achievement at assemblies is well established and extends beyond the academic to all school activities, including attendance. The caring atmosphere also extends to the excellent and comprehensive induction arrangements for pupils joining the school.

p.23

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys very good links with parents and with the local community and other schools in the area.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are kept very well informed about standards and progress. • The school tries very hard to guide parents on ways to help their children at home. • The school has developed very good links with local secondary schools Pound Hill Junior School - 24 • Very good transfer procedures from the school have been developed.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

34. Parents' involvement has a very considerable impact on the work of the school, and continues to be a strength of the school since the last inspection. The school has successfully built up a good reputation and enjoys a very good relationship with parents. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. For example, pupils' termly reports show that teachers have a very good knowledge of each child's learning, and include detailed targets for pupils' improvement. The school allows weekly access to teachers by parents. The overall perception by parents that this is a very happy school where pupils are expected to work hard, is fully justified. Most of the parents are comfortable about what they understand is being taught at school.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

35. The school responds very well to parents’ suggestions and concerns. For example, the school recently changed its starting time in response to parents wishes because both parents work in a large proportion of families. Pupils and parents generate considerable funds which are used to provide additional resources. A number of parents volunteer to help inside the school, and even more find time to help on school trips.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

36. Links with the general community are very good. The school approaches charity work in a very practical way with some hugely successful projects to their credit. The pupils prefer to participate in these events rather than just make donations. The school also works hard to encourage visits from representatives of other cultures and religions, as well as visits from the world of art, music and the theatre. Pupils' personal development and sense of citizenship is enhanced as a result of these links with the community.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

37. The school has developed very strong links with other schools, such as the local secondary school. For a number of years the school has used the secondary school’s specialist facilities and the playing fields belonging to the local leisure centre. The school also makes comprehensive arrangements to prepare pupils for a smooth transition to this secondary school, including a ‘taster’ day.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher, in partnership with the effective deputy headteacher, provides good leadership. School management overall is satisfactory. Governors carry out their roles well and governance is good overall.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides good leadership and has managed the school transition very effectively. Pound Hill Junior School - 25 • Procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning are insufficiently rigorous. • Provision for special educational needs is led and managed well. • Leadership and management of provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language are unsatisfactory. • Governors play a key role in shaping the direction of the school and challenge and support senior managers effectively. • Good teachers are used effectively to influence others.

p.24

Commentary

38. Overall, the quality of leadership by the headteacher is good and he has been very effective in maintaining a very positive ethos for learning within the school during a very difficult period of transition and change. He is ably supported by a capable deputy headteacher. Together they are quite clear about the direction to be taken by the new school and their expectations of what can be achieved by staff and pupils are very high. The capacity for school improvement is now good. Their vision for continuous improvement is effectively shared with the staff, who work hard for the benefit of the pupils. Those with leadership responsibility are good role models and are effective at motivating other members of staff. The aims and values of the school are well reflected in its work. The headteacher has been reasonably successful in leading the development of teaching and the curriculum with some exciting

p.25

Commentary

innovations, particularly in information and communication technology. The ways in which targets for improvement are to be met are quite clear but the recent changes in the school mean that these have not yet been firmly established.

p.25

Commentary

39. Overall, the quality of leadership by senior staff is satisfactory. Their expectations of what can be achieved by staff and pupils are a strength and the school is good at making sure that all staff are aware of the need to raise standards. The commitment to continually improving pupils' attainment is generally evident. Members of staff work well as a team and relationships between them are a strength. Priorities for the future development of the school are good. Key staff have been reasonably successful in supporting the development of teaching and the curriculum.

p.25

Commentary

40. The management of the school is satisfactory. The monitoring and evaluation of the school's performance are satisfactory. Performance management procedures are an integral part of the school's work, and teachers' targets for improvement are effectively matched to the school's overall targets. The quality of monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons is less robust but the headteacher and deputy have identified ways to improve upon this. However, inconsistencies in the quality of teaching are evident across the school and there are no pre-determined links between any current monitoring and the raising of pupils’ achievement and school improvement. Staff relationships are good and they provide a good model for pupils. The way the school plans to meet its targets is satisfactorily executed, and the school has been reasonably Pound Hill Junior School - 26 successful in demonstrating its capacity to succeed in its plans for

p.25

Commentary

41. There are satisfactory systems in place for the collection and analysis of data about pupils. As a result, senior leaders and governors have access to a range of data, which they can use to inform their strategic planning. There is however, little analysis of the performance of different ethnic groups within the school and there is a lack of data on the performance of pupils with English as an additional language. However, the performance of girls and boys has been analysed and action taken to improve the performance of girls but as yet this is not having a sufficient impact on pupils’ standards.

p.26

Commentary

42. The leadership and management of special educational needs are good. There is a very strong commitment to educating all pupils whatever their disability, which is reflected in the planning and organisation of the provision. Resources are very good, especially for those pupils who have visual or hearing impairments. Support staff are well deployed and receive good, well focused training on a regular basis. The transition of pupils from the feeder schools into the junior school is very well managed and enables new pupils’ to settle in quickly and for their needs to be identified and planned for.

p.26

Commentary

43. The school has recently been given the responsibility for managing the learning of pupils with English as an additional language by the local education authority. Consequently, the co-ordination of this aspect of the school’s work is in the early stages of development and is currently unsatisfactory. There is not a clear enough distinction between the needs of those pupils with special educational needs and those who are language learners. Strategic planning for the needs of bilingual learners has not yet been effective in providing a sound system for tracking achievement and monitoring progress. Resources are minimal and although the school is committed to improving this provision, there is still much to do. However, the newly appointed co-ordinator displays a clear vision of what needs to be done next and has already attended training sessions to further his own level of expertise.

p.26

Commentary

44. Governance is good, and this is demonstrated in its effective influence in the direction to be taken by the school. In general, the governors are very supportive, but they are still prepared to challenge the senior managers when necessary. Satisfactory progress has been made in responding to issues for improvement highlighted as a result of the school's last inspection. They fulfil all their statutory duties and have a clear working knowledge of the principles of best value. Their strategic vision is demonstrated well in their financial planning for the transition from middle school status and the development of the junior school. Pound Hill Junior School - 27 Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.26

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1 016 421 Balance from previous year 32 814 Total expenditure 1 033 310 Balance carried forward to the next 15 925

p.27

Commentary

Expenditure per pupil 2 616 Pound Hill Junior School - 28

p.27

French

45. High quality provision has been very well established for teaching French. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 benefit from a very good curriculum and very good teaching and learning. They attain good standards for their ages. The curriculum is based on nationally recommended units of work for junior pupils and the local education authority‘s scheme of work. In the very good lessons seen, it was clear that pupils enjoy this subject and are achieving very well. They pronounce words clearly and correctly and enjoy the wide range of games and activities that are planned for them. There are regular opportunities for reading and writing. Occasionally, there are missed opportunities for role- play or paired work that would give all the pupils the opportunity to formulate sentences or questions and responses.

p.28

French

46. Leadership and management of the subject are very good. The knowledgeable co-ordinator actively evaluates provision and has recently updated the pupils’ own record books in response to information provided from the pupil preference survey. She has good links with other schools and pupils profit from their input on suitable activities and resources. There are very well established links with a French University and pupils benefit from the opportunity to converse and work with a French student teacher in the summer term. There is a very well established school trip to Le Portel, which the majority of pupils participate in. The school has very recently established links with a French primary school so that pupils will be able to email pen friends. Parents are particularly pleased with the provision in this subject.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Speaking and listening skills are developed well. • All pupils have very positive attitudes to reading. • Assessment is not consistently well used to inform planning for the whole range of abilities. • Opportunities for writing in other subjects are used well. • The length and structure of some lessons are not always well planned.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

Commentary Pound Hill Junior School - 29 47. Standards on entry to the school are now at national levels in speaking and listening and reading but below average in writing. This is because there are few pupils who are working within the higher Level 3 and the school now draws its pupils from a much wider and more diverse catchment area. This represents a change in the attainment on entry from that of the pupils currently in Year 6, whose attainment on entry to the school was above average. Approximately four-fifths of these Year 6 pupils will attain the national expectations in all aspects of English by the age of 11 and about a quarter of these will attain the higher Level 5. This represents satisfactory achievement overall for this group of pupils. The progress of the youngest junior pupils is good where teaching is consistently good for this year group.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

48. The results of the 2004 national tests show that most pupils attained the level expected for all pupils nationally at the end of Year 6. However, a below average number of pupils attained the higher Level 5 in these tests. Consequently standards fell below those of the previous year when the pupils in Year 6 were assessed by the school to be an exceptional year group who had received considerable input from a writing project. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are now rising again and the current Year 6 pupils are well placed to attain standards above the national average by the end of the year. There are no significant differences in the performance of boys and girls. Pupils who speak English as an additional language respond well to satisfactory levels of support and provision.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

49. Pupils have good speaking and listening skills. They are eager to answer the teachers’ questions and are confident and articulate in their responses. Informally they reason well and chat with adults at a mature level. This is developed well in lessons where teachers encourage pupils to offer opinions and answers, expressing their ideas through use of extended sentences. Pupils are given insufficient opportunities to develop their skills in collaborative writing. Handwriting is taught consistently throughout the school and pupils develop a good style, which is used well when pupils write in other subjects and it supports good standards of presentation in work seen. This promotes their learning and achievement well and enables them to take a pride in their work, raising pupils’ self-esteem.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

50. All pupils have good opportunities to develop their knowledge and use of books. The library is well organised and pupils readily use the resources to support their learning. The school has a good range and quantity of books, which ensure that all pupils read books from a range of authors and styles. Pupils talk about the different genres that they have experienced and can explain their preferences. Good links are made between fiction and non-fiction, together with reading information from other sources such as charts and notices. Pupils read confidently with understanding and expression and they use this to develop and enrich their writing well.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

51. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in their literacy skills because they are effectively supported by learning assistants. However, the Pound Hill Junior School - 30 practice of withdrawing these pupils from lessons in other subjects for targeted IEP support reduces their overall achievement because they sometimes miss important parts of lessons.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

52. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers mark pupils’ completed work in exercise books, but too often the marking does not support the pupils’ understanding of how well they have done and what they need to do to improve further. Targets for learning are set but they are not explicit enough at all times to ensure that pupils consider them when doing their work. Furthermore, assessment records are not used effectively by all teachers to monitor the individual pupil achievement, or plan learning activities matched effectively to their differing needs.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

53. Pupils, especially the more able, are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their extended writing. The organisation of the timetable does not support the secure development of drafting and improving writing or the development of story writing at length. However, information and communication technology is used effectively by some pupils to draft and improve their writing in English. Opportunities to promote pupils’ learning and achievement more fully are missed because these aspects of writing are not developed well.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

54. The subject is led and managed well by a teacher who, in the short time in post, has identified the areas of weakness and has begun to address them. All teachers have a secure knowledge of the curriculum and the planning of content across the school is based on national guidelines. However, guided reading sessions are not always used effectively to raise reading standards. On the other hand, the quality of some teaching has been effectively monitored and samples of pupils’ work have been analysed to ensure a consistency in arriving at judgements on standards. The subject co-ordinator has brought in advisory support from the local education authority to support teachers with their planning and to model some teaching. Priorities for future development are clear and overall improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory.

p.30

Language and literacy across the curriculum

55. Pupils use their language skills well across the curriculum, as the same approach to discussion and co-operative research is used consistently in all subjects. Opportunities for pupils to develop their writing skills in other subjects are good and the quality of English work seen in other subjects shows that pupils develop their understanding and practice of writing in a wide range of styles for a variety of purposes.

p.30

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is satisfactory. Pound Hill Junior School - 31 Main strengths and weaknesses

p.30

MATHEMATICS

• There is some underachievement, mainly of higher attaining girls. • The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, although there are examples of good practice. • Lesson planning is not always precise enough to ensure that all pupils make good progress. • Teachers do not set precise enough targets for pupils to ensure standards improve rapidly. • Monitoring of provision is not rigorous enough. • Test results and other data are analysed well. • Pupils’ attitudes are very good.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

56. In 2004, test results for Year 6 pupils were above the national average for all schools but below the national average for pupils from similar schools. Results from the previous three years indicate a trend of improvement when compared to the national picture. Standards have remained average when compared to similar schools based on pupils’ prior attainment at seven. However, there was a dip in results in 2004. This was mainly attributable to the overall lower level of attainment in this year group and the school going through a period of uncertainty and change. The standard of work seen during the inspection for the current Year 6 pupils is above average overall, with a good proportion of higher attaining pupils achieving at level 5 in some aspects of mathematics. Pupils start in Year 3 with above average attainment. Consequently pupils’ achievement over time is satisfactory but there is some underachievement,

p.31

MATHEMATICS

usually of higher attaining pupils, particularly girls. This issue has been recognised by the school and strategies are being put in place to raise the attainment of girls. Overall, the level of improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory. 57. Pupils are taught in ability groups for mathematics throughout the school. However, higher attaining pupils in some teaching groups are not always sufficiently challenged because they are working at the same level as the rest of the group, when they are capable of more challenging work. Although extension tasks are sometimes provided, these pupils are not given challenging enough starting points. Boys usually outperform girls in Year 6 National Curriculum tests, particularly at level 5. Although the school has identified this as an area for development, girls’ achievement is not yet in line with boys’ achievement, particularly at the higher levels. Pupils with special educational

p.31

MATHEMATICS

needs are achieving satisfactorily because they receive good support from teaching assistants. However, in some lessons they are not progressing sufficiently well because they are unsure of the meaning of some mathematical language and consequently do not know which calculation to carry out. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is not good enough because there is no specific provision in lessons for these pupils. Pound Hill Junior School - 32 58. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, with some good lessons and one very good lesson seen. There was no unsatisfactory teaching and learning. Relationships are always at least good and pupils’ attitudes are positive towards the subject. In most classes, teachers explain clearly, demonstrate well and question their pupils effectively to assess their learning and to ensure good pace. In the good lessons, teaching is enthusiastic, activities are

p.31

MATHEMATICS

interesting and challenging and ongoing assessment is used well to ensure pupils are building up their understanding of concepts. In one good lesson, the session at the end of the lesson was used very effectively to assess whether pupils had any misconceptions in their understanding of fractions. However, some teachers do not use assessment effectively enough to ensure that all pupils achieve well. Some lesson plans lack precise learning objectives for what pupils are to learn in the lesson and there is a lack of consistency in the quality of planning overall. The school has put into place a more rigorous tracking system but pupils do not have their own targets for improvement so that they do not know specifically what they need to focus on. The school identifies pupils who need some extra help to catch up and makes the necessary arrangements to effectively meet their needs.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

59. The quality of leadership and management is satisfactory. The co-ordinator effectively analyses national and non-statutory test results and shares the information well with staff to enable them to plan work. Members of the senior management team and local education authority staff have monitored teaching and learning in lessons but this aspect of the co-ordinator’s work is at an early stage of development. The co-ordinator’s monitoring has focussed mainly on planning and scrutinising pupils’ work but very little observation of teaching and learning has taken place. Since the last inspection, there has been a satisfactory improvement in provision, bearing in mind the period of uncertainty and change that the school has recently been through. Standards in 2003 improved well but this improvement was not sustained in 2004.

p.32

Mathematics across the curriculum

60. Pupils use their mathematical skills well in science. This includes their number and measuring skills but particularly their data handling skills. There is some very good use of mathematical skills to create and interrogate spreadsheets but the use of mathematical skills in information and communication technology is an area for development across the school. There are other good opportunities, for example, in history and geography and the school is actively working to improve cross-curricular links. Pound Hill Junior School - 33

p.32

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A strong emphasis is given to developing pupils’ investigative skills. • The subject knowledge of teachers is good. • Environmental study is used effectively to further enrich pupils’ learning. • Information and communication technology is not used effectively to monitor pupils’ achievement. • The quality of the accommodation and resources is very good.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

61. Inspection evidence confirms that current standards are well above average for eleven year olds with over a half on target to attain the higher Level 5 in this year’s national tests. This judgement is an improvement on the results of the 2004 national tests when standards were above average. When these results are compared with schools of similar prior attainment at aged seven, they are below average. However, due to the significant changes made to the intake this year such comparisons should be treated with some caution. When the results of the last three years are considered, the good standards identified at the time of the previous inspection have been sustained.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

62. Achievement is good. Pupils’ attainment at the start of Year 3 is generally above average. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers demonstrate good levels of expertise and explanations of new concepts are effective. Questions fully probe pupils’ understanding and subject specific vocabulary is used with confidence. A strong emphasis is placed on developing the pupils’ investigative skills through practical activity. These investigations provide good opportunities for co-operative activity and this effectively supports pupils’ personal and social development. As a result of these factors, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

63. Teachers make effective use of local excursions, residential trips and the school pond to enrich the pupils’ learning. Laptops are used outside to record results and monitor the environment using sensors. These activities make learning relevant and fun. As a result, pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. Assessment is satisfactory overall. The quality of teachers’ marking is good. Much of it is detailed and provides useful advice for pupils in how to improve their work. However, the procedures for recording the pupils’ achievement in science are not effectively linked to National Curriculum levels. This means that this data cannot be entered into information and communication technology based systems to monitor pupils’ achievement effectively. Pound Hill Junior School - 34 65. The quality of the accommodation and resources is very good. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. Currently there is no specific co-ordinator and senior management are overseeing the subject until a newly qualified teacher takes on the post next year. The monitoring of standards is at an early stage of development. Pound Hill Junior School - 35

p.33

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good .

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ achievement is good. • Teachers make very good use of information and communication technology to support learning in several other subjects. • The laptop project facilitates learning of the highest quality but generates issues of individual entitlement for other pupils in the same year group. • The subject is being led well. • The quality of accommodation and resources is very good.

p.35

Commentary

66. Standards are above average for 11 year olds and pupils’ achievement is good across the school. Most of these pupils display good levels of competence in a wide range of skills. These include, producing lengthy pieces of word- processed text merged with pictures, multimedia presentations and the use of formulae within spreadsheet cells to making simple calculations. These findings represent good levels of improvement on those of the previous inspection when standards were judged to be unsatisfactory.

p.35

Commentary

67. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Lesson planning is detailed and resources in the computer suite are used effectively to demonstrate new skills. The subject knowledge of teachers is good and good levels of support are provided for pupils with special educational needs by teaching assistants. The scrutiny of pupils’ work stored on the network confirms that teachers make very good use of information and communication technology to support learning in several other subjects. The school is in the fifth year of a project to promote the use of laptops in the classroom. This is focussed in one Year 5 class and part of another class in this year group. Inspection evidence confirms that this laptop experience enables very high quality learning experiences to take place. All pupils use their own laptop effectively to write with and to gather data in science investigations. These pupils make rapid progress in

p.35

Commentary

these skills and display high levels of personal development, such as when working with a partner to gather scientific data. Such activities facilitate learning of the highest quality. The school ensures that no pupil is excluded from this project because of financial difficulties. However, other pupils in Year 5 do not experience the same very high quality learning opportunities in their lessons. This presents some problems of individual entitlement and inclusion, which still need to be resolved.

p.35

Commentary

68. The leadership and management of the subject are good overall. The headteacher has recently become the co-ordinator. He demonstrates a clear vision for the further improvement of the subject. An effective self-assessment system for pupils has been implemented recently and standards of work are Pound Hill Junior School - 36 monitored closely via the network. However, the laptop project having been in place for several years has not yet been effectively evaluated for its impact and issues related to equal opportunities.

p.35

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

69. Teachers make very good use of information and communication technology to support learning in several other subjects. Graphics programs are used effectively to develop the pupils’ artistic skills. Laptops record data from science investigations both indoors and outside. Word processing provides very good opportunities for pupils to write at length to produce stories of the highest quality. Spreadsheets are used to gather data in mathematics lessons to produce graphs. Research skills are effectively developed through access to Internet.

p.36

Geography and History

70. Insufficient evidence was available to support overall judgements on provision in history and geography. One lesson was seen in history and none in geography. Discussions took place with the co-ordinator for history and geography. Work on display and pupils’ books were examined as well. The school bases its schemes of work for these subjects, which are taught separately, on nationally approved units of work which have been adapted to meet the needs of pupils. The co-ordinator reviews the planning regularly in order to make effective cross-curricular links. This work is more advanced with history than geography at the present time. Indications are that standards are at least in line with national expectations throughout the school.

p.36

Geography and History

71. In history , no overall judgement can be made on the quality of teaching and learning, but in the one lesson seen in Year 3, it was good. In this lesson, the teacher challenged the pupils well to explain the key differences between the lives of Victorian children and their own lives. Pupils drew effectively on what they had learnt in earlier lessons and during a Victorian day in school in order to explain these differences well. In the near future, they will have the opportunity to visit Preston Manor to enrich their learning further. Pupils in Year 6 study World War II and there good links with other subjects, particularly writing, information and communication technology and French.

p.36

Geography and History

72. No overall judgement can be made on the quality of teaching and learning in geography as no lessons were seen. Pupils have a good opportunity to learn about the countries of Africa as one of their teachers is currently travelling around that continent and emailing back details of his route and journey to the school. There is a very effective display in the entrance to the school, which shows all the relevant information well. Pound Hill Junior School - 37 73. Both subjects are co-ordinated by a member of staff who is well informed and who has a good overview of these subjects. She is currently working on improving the organisation of resources. Leadership and management are good.

p.36

Geography and History

Provision in religious education is good .

p.37

Geography and History

• Pupils are encouraged to express ideas in a supportive atmosphere. • Good teaching enlivens the subject.

p.37

Commentary

74. By the end of Year 6, standards in religious education are above those expected nationally. This shows improvement since the last inspection when they were judged to be in line. Achievement is also good. Pupils recall key facts about some of the world’s main faiths such as Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism and their factual knowledge of some of the key events of Christianity is also secure.

p.37

Commentary

75. Teaching and learning are good. In lessons seen pupils were encouraged to use and extend their skills in speaking and listening. Teachers showed good understanding of the subject and planning and preparation that enabled them to make teaching interesting for all. Good links are made to work in personal, social and health education where pupils are encouraged to think about how ideas developed can be applied in practical ways. Attitudes to the subject are good and this is reflected in the work where pupils use their writing skills well.

p.37

Commentary

76. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop their knowledge of religions and their understanding of why religion is important to people. This is supported well in lessons where pupils discuss ideas, free from any ridicule by others and with good support from teachers. This was perfectly illustrated in a lesson on Buddhism when pupils explored and expressed thoughts and feelings on the teachings of the Buddha and in a lesson on Hinduism, which ended with two pupils showing their classmates a dance that they had prepared for a Hindu festival. The other pupils watched with fascination and asked intelligent questions to further their understanding.

p.37

Commentary

77. The leadership and management of religious education have just been taken over by a newly qualified member of staff and are satisfactory. However, the work she has already done in a short time and the plans she has to improve the quality still further are good. A good range of resources support both teaching and learning in religious education and these include opportunities to Pound Hill Junior School - 38 use the expertise of speakers from the community and visits to significant places such as non-Christian places of worship.

p.37

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. No teaching was seen in art and design and no overall judgement can be made about provision. However, from the work available and from discussion with staff and children, it is clear that pupils achieve good standards and experience a range of techniques. The standards and variety of pupils’ work around the school and in sketchbooks and portfolios show that the subject makes a strong contribution to pupils’ creative development. Painting in the style of famous artists has helped pupils to understand the techniques of the impressionists and to appreciate their use of colour. Work with visiting artists in sculpture and in textiles has enhanced the provision within the school and enabled pupils to work at a high standard. Planning is sound and links well with other curriculum areas to enhance pupils’ learning. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory but there has been very little monitoring of teaching and learning.

p.38

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. Lessons in physical education were sampled and therefore no overall judgement can be made on provision. Judgements are based on the observation of one good games lesson for a class of Year 5 pupils and the observation of some short excerpts from gymnastics and dance lessons. From this limited evidence it can be seen that teachers place a good emphasis on the teaching of skills within a range of sports and physical activities. In general standards meet the national expectations for each age group and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Provision for swimming is satisfactory and most pupils are able to swim 25 metres by the age of 11.

p.38

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. No overall judgement can be made on the overall quality of teaching and learning. However, all teachers observed placed a strong focus on skill development. In particular, the games lesson for Year 5 pupils was taught well and all pupils demonstrated very good levels of personal and social development as they played small-sided games of hockey in the playground. Talented pupils are effectively identified by teachers in their plans and extra challenge is provided in lessons. 81. Teaching is effectively supported by a good scheme of work. A very extensive range of extra activities, competitive games and residential visits enrich the quality of pupils’ learning experiences. Leadership and management are satisfactory. However, the newly appointed co-ordinator demonstrates a clear vision for how the subject can be improved and has already identified the need to implement an effective system to record the achievements of pupils. The

p.38

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

quality and range of resources are good.

p.38

Design and technology

Pound Hill Junior School - 39 Provision in design and technology is satisfactory.

p.39

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching and learning are of variable quality across the school. • All aspects of the subject are covered by effective termly planning. • There is no effective system for recording the achievements of pupils. • The quality of resources are very good.

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Commentary

82. Achievement is satisfactory overall and by the age of 11 most pupils are working at the expected level. These findings represent satisfactory levels of improvement compared to those of the previous inspection when pupils’ standards were judged to be average. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall but varies from very good to unsatisfactory. In the very good lesson for pupils in Year 3, the teacher concentrated on developing the pupils’ evaluation skills as part of a project to make a Victorian picture frame. A strong emphasis was placed on skill development and making decisions for themselves. As a result, these pupils made clear gains in their learning. In contrast, the unsatisfactory lesson for pupils in Year 6 provided little new challenge, aspects of planning were not effectively encouraged, resources were not readily available and activities too teacher directed.

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Commentary

83. Long-term planning for work to be covered in each year group is effective and based on national guidance. Photographs of pupils’ work and projects, confirm that all aspects of the subject are covered in depth and a good emphasis is placed on the promotion of good skill development. However, there is no assessment system in place to record the achievements of pupils and this is a weakness. The school has built up a very good bank of resources to support teaching and learning, including equipment to support control technology work.

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Commentary

84. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory overall. The co- ordinator effectively supports the work of colleagues and has made a satisfactory start in building up a photographic record of the pupils’ past achievements. However, there has been very little monitoring of teaching and learning to raise standards further and this is a weakness. Pound Hill Junior School - 40

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is enthusiastic and knowledgeable leadership in the subject. • Progress is satisfactory which is an improvement since the last inspection. • The music curriculum is broad and creative.

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Commentary

85. Since the last inspection the school has made effective changes to its provision for music and standards are improving. The music co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge and provides good leadership and management. She is providing good support for non-specialist class teachers, as well as making use of the particular expertise of some. All aspects of the music curriculum are covered, and by the end of Key Stage 2, pupils are achieving standards in line with those expected nationally. The standard of singing is satisfactory and opportunities are made to sing together in assemblies or within the community. Pupils listen to music eagerly and are able to discuss its features and apply them to their own work. Older pupils compose songs and lyrics with great enthusiasm. They are able to perform their own compositions and appraise each others’. They handle a range of pitched and unpitched instruments

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Commentary

86. Pupils’ attitudes to music are very positive. They look forward to their lessons and take part with enthusiasm. Some pupils with special educational needs gain particular enjoyment from the lessons and are able to take part on an equal footing with their peers. Teaching in music is generally satisfactory with some excellent teaching in evidence Teachers plan effectively for their music lessons. Some teachers lack the confidence to extend their pupils as far as possible but other teachers use their good subject knowledge to provide demanding activities and are able to provide good role models for performance.

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Commentary

87. Music is used well to link with and support other areas of the curriculum. Songs and instruments from various parts of the world are introduced to supplement learning in geography and history. Literature and art are used as stimuli for composition and discussion. This ensures that pupils understand the significance of music in their lives and enhances achievement in other areas.

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Commentary

88. The school provides opportunities for pupils to have instrumental tuition, but only a limited number take this up. Some music clubs have been run to provide an extended musical curriculum but the school could do more to enhance this extended provision and to give pupils the chance to sing and play together at a higher standard. Pound Hill Junior School - 41

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

89. Although only one lesson was seen in this area of the school’s work, provision is very good. This is because the school places a very high emphasis on pupils’ personal development and consequently pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good. In addition to the school’s own scheme of work, which is currently being revised to focus even more effectively on skills development, all the work of the school enables pupils to develop into confident, healthy and motivated individuals who want to learn and succeed.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

90. Good leadership and management ensure that pupils benefit from an enriched curriculum that gives them many opportunities for learning beyond the school in terms of clubs, visits and visitors. They take responsibility for fund raising events and are conscious of the needs of others. There is a strong emphasis on eating a healthy diet. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The consequences of this provision are seen throughout the school, where the pupils work and play together in harmony. Programmes for sex and relationship education and drug education are in place. There are regular and ad hoc circle time sessions 1 , which give opportunities to pupils to discuss and think through issues that are relevant to their lives. The school council is working well. All pupils have good opportunities to contribute their views in class to their representatives and

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

changes have taken place in school as a result of the pupils’ suggestions. Pupils take responsibility for roles in meetings and meetings are minuted. Some pupils have taken part in the selection procedures for key staff and their views are taken into account.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

1Circle Time During Circle Time pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and therefore pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference of interruption from other children. Pound Hill Junior School - 42

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 4 The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 2 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 4 Pound Hill Junior School - 43 Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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