Roe Green Junior School

ROE GREEN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 – 29 September 2004

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ROE GREEN JUNIOR SCHOOL

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

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ROE GREEN JUNIOR SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Roe Green Junior School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 to 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 480

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Princes Avenue Kingsbury London Postcode: NW9 9JL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8204 5221 Fax number: 020 8905 0256

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mrs Panna Shah

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a large junior school. Pupils come from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, the largest being Asian Indian heritage. The attainment of pupils on entry to Year 3 is broadly average; the school’s socio-economic circumstances are average. The number of pupils for whom English is not their first language and who are at an early stage of English language acquisition is 27, but overall 87 per cent do not have English as the first language. There are 37 refugees and asylum seekers; one pupil is in public care. The proportion of pupils in receipt of a free school meal is 24.3 per cent, which is broadly in line with the national average. There are 88 pupils with special educational needs (this is broadly average at 18 per cent of the pupil population). Nine pupils have a Statement of Special Educational Need (which is 2.3 per cent of pupils) and 21 are at the higher level of support called School Action Plus. The type of special educational need includes severe learning

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

difficulty, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and physical disability. The school holds the Investor in People Award (2002) and there is community provision for creative arts and family literacy. The mobility of pupils in and out of the school is average (17 in the last year) but pupils are travelling longer distances to come to the school than was the case at the last inspection. The school has faced some difficulties in filling vacant posts, particularly at subject leadership level and above. Roe Green Junior School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 20575 David Law Lead inspector Science Music Physical education 9561 Husain Akhtar Lay inspector 22575 Martin Golds Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology (ICT) Religious education 32151 Jean Kendall Team inspector English Art Design and technology Personal, social and health education 16773 Raminder Arora Team Inspector English as an additional language Special educational needs Geography History

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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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 inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Roe Green Junior School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

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

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The school has a very positive ethos, providing a sound education within a warm and caring

environment . Pupils work and play very well together and relationships are very good. The school is efficiently managed and meets all statutory requirements. Teaching and learning are satisfactory and have a number of good features. Standards seen during the inspection were average overall, but not all pupils make the progress they should in English. The school provides satisfactory value for money and overall effectiveness is satisfactory.

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The school has a very positive ethos, providing a sound education within a warm and caring

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Pupils’ attitudes, values and behaviour are very good – they work hard and are eager to learn • Provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good • Not all pupils achieve as well as they should in English • Assessment information is not well used to promote learning • The school is a harmonious community; pupils learn to respect the feelings of others • Links with parents and the community are good • Pupils have good opportunity to take part in sport and the arts

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The school has a very positive ethos, providing a sound education within a warm and caring

The school has satisfactorily addressed all the key issues in the last inspection report (1998). Pupils now have appropriate opportunity to solve problems in, for example, science and mathematics. There is good provision for information and communication technology (ICT); pupils learn well in this subject and standards have improved. The quality of teaching is broadly similar. There has been a dip in English standards since the last inspection and not enough pupils make the progress they should. Overall, improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

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

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, the standard of work seen is satisfactory. Standards in the end of Year 6 tests were below the national average in 2003. Results improved in 2004, but are likely to remain below the national average (which is not yet published). Standards of work seen during the inspection show an improvement: reading and speaking and listening are now all in line with expectations for Year 6 pupils, standards in mathematics and science are satisfactory. Pupils are achieving well in ICT, music, physical education and religious education. Pupils with special educational needs achieve satisfactorily. Some pupils do not achieve as well as they should in English, for example boys in writing. The school has not met its targets in English and mathematics. Pupils with English as an additional language, and at an early stage of language acquisition, make patchy progress and underachieve; their needs require to be more carefully assessed.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils are happy in school and free from racism, bullying or harassment; they have very good attitudes to learning and want to do well. The school provides very well for pupils’ social and

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moral development; provision for cultural development is good and is sound for spiritual

development . Behaviour is very good. Attendance is satisfactory. Roe Green Junior School - 7

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall quality of education is satisfactory . Teaching is satisfactory with several notable strengths including the good relationships between pupils and teachers and the encouraging and positive atmosphere, which enables pupils to feel secure. As a result, pupils try their best and work very hard either independently or with others. Good teaching is seen in mathematics, science, ICT, PE and religious education; in music and personal, social and health education it is very good. Teaching is better in Years 5 and 6, where pupils learn well because there is good pace and challenge. The use of assessment to track pupils’ achievement, and to intervene to enable them to learn better, is unsatisfactory and because of this pupils do not make enough progress.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is satisfactory, being broad, balanced and with good enrichment, particularly in sport, music and art. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good; their achievement is satisfactory. Resources and accommodation are very good and are used effectively to create a purposeful and pleasant environment for learning, with stimulating displays of pupils’ work. The quality of provision for pupils’ care, welfare and health and safety is good. Partnerships with parents and the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall, but with some good features. The quality of governance is satisfactory; governors act corporately to set the overall direction for the school. The school runs efficiently and plans for improvement have relevant priorities, including a recently drafted plan to raise achievement in English, particularly for those pupils with English as an additional language who need significant support. Staff work well as a team and all those in leadership positions are committed to improving learning. A recently formed senior leadership team, capably led by the headteacher, together with effective subject co-ordinators, is addressing the need to raise achievement. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities and the management of their performance is good. Procedures for target setting and the monitoring of standards have been revised, but significant impact of this on pupils’ achievement is yet to be

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The vast majority of parents are highly satisfied with the school. In reply to the parents’ questionnaire, over 90 per cent feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions and nearly all say their children like school; a small minority (16 per cent) disagreed with the statement ‘my child is not bullied at school’ but inspectors saw no evidence of bullying and judged that the school has very effective procedures to deal with any such incidents. At the parents’ meeting, attended by 26 parents, many felt they did not get enough information about how well their children were progressing. Inspectors felt that this information could be improved to better inform parents about achievement in relation to national expectations.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise achievement in English, particularly in writing • Establish more effective systems for assessing pupils’ achievement and act on the information to ensure that all reach their capabilities • Include clear targets for raising achievement in the school improvement plan and regularly report progress against these targets to the governing body Roe Green Junior School - 8

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Standards achieved in subjects

Overall, the standard of work seen is satisfactory. Achievement is unsatisfactory in English for some groups of pupils: boys do less well than girls and pupils for whom English is not their first language, and who are at an early stage of language acquisition, do not do achieve their potential.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• In 2003, there was a decline in performance in the national tests, but results improved in 2004, particularly at the higher Level 5 in science and mathematics • Pupils achieve well in music, physical education, RE and ICT • Pupils with special educational needs are well provided for and show satisfactory achievement • Pupils do not achieve as well as they should in English

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Commentary

1. Between 2000 and 2002, the school performed at or above the national average in both mathematics and science and was well above average when compared to similar schools. Although English was below the national average, performance compared to similar schools was usually good. In 2003, there was a sharp decline in performance, which was below average in mathematics and well below in English and science.

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In 2004, national test results improved:

• In English, 72 per cent reach the expected level compared to 63 per cent in 2003 • In science 79 per cent achieve the expected level - an increase of 4 per cent - with a strong increase from 22 to 41 per cent of pupils at the higher level • In mathematics 72 per cent reach the expected level, an improvement of 5 per cent, and also an improvement at the higher level – 32 per cent compared to 26 per cent in 2003

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In 2004, national test results improved:

Despite these improvements: • Examination of what these pupils had attained when they were tested at seven years of age shows that too many did not make the gains they should have done. In 2004, this was particularly acute in relation to boys’ writing. In the end of Year 6 writing tests, 70 per cent of girls achieved the expected level, but only 40 per cent of boys did • The school did not reach its targets in 2003 or 2004 – whilst sufficiently challenging, they were achievable • Until recently, the school did not have satisfactory systems to track the performance of different pupils. This is now being done and the school is beginning to act on this to raise achievement by intervening early enough to provide support

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

• English - standards in the current Year 6 classes are in line with the national average in reading and speaking and listening, although they are below in writing. There is underachievement by able pupils in Years 3 and 4. Some pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) have difficulty understanding more complex language structures • Mathematics – standards are satisfactory throughout the school; pupils achieve well in mental and written calculations • Science – standards and achievement are satisfactory; in Year 6, pupils have a good understanding of the scientific process • Achievement is good in ICT and better than it was at the last inspection. Standards are in line with national expectations by the end of Year 6 Roe Green Junior School - 9 • Pupils also achieve well in music, PE and RE • There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement on standards in history and geography and in design and technology

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

• In art and design, standards are in line with expectations by the end of Year 6

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

2. Overall, pupils make the best progress in Years 4 to 6 and this accelerates in Year 6 where there is good teaching. Pupils do not do enough to fulfil their capabilities in Year 3. When pupils enter the school their attainment is in line with that expected; the school does not build well enough on this. The last inspection found standards in the core subjects to be average; ICT was satisfactory, RE and music good and other subjects satisfactory. This position has been broadly maintained in respect of standards seen during this inspection.

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

3. For 87 per cent of pupils English is an additional language; 6 per cent are at an early stage of language acquisition and specific support is provided for these pupils. The more competent users of English achieve standards in line with their peers. But, the achievement of most pupils who are new arrivals, and on initial stages of English language acquisition, is unsatisfactory.

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

4. There is no evidence to show that some minority ethnic groups do more or less well than others, but the school is now in a position to better track the performance of all pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress towards the targets set in their Individual Education Plans.

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

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improvement shown in the 2004 tests:

Standards in: School results National results English 24.8 (26.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 25.9 (27.4) 26.8 (26.7) science 26.6 (29.4) 28.6 (28.3) There were 116 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Pupils’ personal development is very good. Attendance is in line with the national average; there is no unauthorised absence. Exclusions are low, with only one fixed term exclusion in the previous academic year. The high standards of behaviour and positive relationships have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses:

• The school is well ordered and sets very good expectations for pupils’ conduct • Relationships between pupils and between adults and pupils are constructive and positive • Pupils are self-assured and they collaborate well in the activities the school provides • There are well-established systems for promoting responsibility in taking care of others and looking after the environment • In some lessons, teaching does not enable pupils to take an active part in their own learning

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Commentary

5. The school has established an atmosphere where pupils form constructive and supportive relationships with each other. Adults set very good examples, promoting respect for the values and beliefs of all pupils. In religious education lessons, for example, pupils enthusiastically talk about the laws and customs of their religion and others listen with interest. Pupils have a sense of belonging to the school and older pupils are keen to take responsibility Roe Green Junior School - 10 for looking after younger pupils and making sure that all are included and happy at playtimes. These systems help to promote the very harmonious relationships between the different cultures represented.

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Commentary

6. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is very good. They have a good understanding of a shared code of behaviour which promotes mutual respect and consideration for others. Behaviour at playtimes and when moving around the school is excellent. Playtimes are friendly and safe and pupils enjoy the wide range of facilities offered by the school. They use the available space sensibly and are friendly, polite and courteous to each other and to visitors to the school. They play together co-operatively in self-organised team games such as football, cricket and skipping and use more secluded areas for quiet activities such as reading and word games. Year 6 pupils were keen to show an inspector around the various garden areas and explain the rules of the playground. They are clearly proud of their school. No incidences of bullying or harassment were observed.

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Commentary

7. Attitudes to learning are very good. Pupils are highly motivated and eager to learn. They settle quickly to tasks at the start of the day when time is given for personal reading and writing activities. Most pupils are confident participants in lessons and respond well to teachers’ questioning. When given the opportunity, pupils work with independence and are able to think creatively. Some lessons constrain pupils’ use of initiative because there are insufficient opportunities for them to find things out for themselves and apply new skills they have learned. In lessons where pupils are able to plan collaboratively they show enterprise and very good organisational skills. This was observed in a very good Year 5 drama lesson where pupils planned a short presentation.

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Commentary

8. Spiritual development is satisfactory. In the playground there are areas where pupils can sit quietly and talk with their friends. Opportunities are given in religious education lessons for pupils to reflect on their own and others’ beliefs. In circle time they are given time to reflect on how their own beliefs shape the way they and others behave, for example in forming friendships.

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Commentary

9. Moral development is very good. Pupils understand the need for the class and school rules and adhere to them. Adults provide very good role models demonstrating consistently supportive and positive relationships. Respect for self and others is emphasised in all activities. Pupils are involved in drawing up the rules for their classroom and the school council makes an active contribution to the rules for behaviour across the school.

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Commentary

10. Social development is very good. Pupils collaborate well in lessons. In the playground they demonstrate very good relationships with each other. The ‘buddy system’ works well and pupils are keen to take responsibility for looking after others. The school council has been helpful in developing pupils’ understanding of democratic processes and pupils enjoy taking responsibility as class representatives. The school council is a strong feature of the school and effectively gives a voice to all pupils. Council representatives regularly report back to their class and all pupils are able to contribute their views or concerns. Pupils also assist in the day-to-day running of the school as monitors and buddies.

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Commentary

11. Cultural development is good. Teachers have a good understanding of the cultures represented in the school and pupils appreciate the diversity in cultural traditions and beliefs. There are opportunities for pupils to experience art and music from a range of cultural traditions, which are enhanced by visitors to the school. Roe Green Junior School - 11

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Attendance

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Attendance

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.1 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Exclusions

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Exclusions

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 14 0 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 6 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 6 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 7 1 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 211 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 50 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 83 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 18 0 0 Black or Black British – African 37 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 10 0 0 Any other ethnic group 21 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is satisfactory. Teaching and learning are satisfactory with some good features such as the positive relationships between pupils and teachers; a broad curriculum is supported by enrichment in sport and the arts; pupils are well cared for and parents have a high regard for the school.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Overall, this maintains the position at the last inspection. Teaching in Years 5 and 6 is stronger than in the rest of the school. The quality of assessment is unsatisfactory because information is not used well enough to improve learning. Roe Green Junior School - 12

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good management of the pupils’ behaviour • Positive relationships between adults and pupils • The encouragement and engagement of pupils • The unsatisfactory use of assessment information to move pupils to the next steps in their learning

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Commentary

12. Teaching is satisfactory or better in 95 per cent of the lessons and good or better in 53 per cent. The majority of teaching in English is satisfactory or better, but there is some underachievement by groups of pupils. The teaching of mathematics and science is good. The National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy have both been implemented successfully. In ICT, the new suite is being used to good effect and the teaching of the subject is good. Teaching is also good in PE and religious education; it is very good in music and PSHE. Teaching is satisfactory in history. In the other subjects of the curriculum there was insufficient evidence to make a judgement because not enough teaching was seen.

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Commentary

13. In almost all lessons, the pupils concentrate well and persevere with their work because the teachers manage them well and have good expectations of their work rate and behaviour. All staff form very good relationships with the pupils and value the contributions they make. This is particularly true in the teaching of religious education where lessons are planned to take account of pupils’ knowledge and expertise and pupils’ opinions are actively sought. As a consequence, Year 5 and 6 pupils have a good knowledge of the world’s leading faiths. In most lessons, the teachers give the pupils the time to answer and show that their contributions are valued. One-to-one and small group support, both in and out of the classroom, helps ensure that pupils move closer to achieving targets identified for them.

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Commentary

14. In most subjects, teachers plan from the nationally recommended schemes of work. Planning is satisfactory. It identifies clear learning objectives but does not always show how tasks will be adapted to build successfully on the pupils’ prior learning. When planning for mathematics, for example, there is an overdependence on the nationally produced plans. Teachers often break down the lesson objectives into smaller steps in learning, or modify their plans so that pupils can achieve as they should, but this is not recorded nor taken into account in the next day’s planning. In some planning there is insufficient detail as to how tasks will be adapted to meet the needs of pupils of different abilities.

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Commentary

15. In the vast majority of lessons, introductions are used well to recall and consolidate previous learning and the whole-class sessions at the end of lessons effectively reinforce what has been learned. However, a recurring weakness in teaching throughout the school is the insufficient use made of the teacher’s ongoing assessment to inform the next steps in learning required for pupils of differing levels of attainment.

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Commentary

16. Teachers have good subject knowledge and are helped by strong curriculum leadership by the subject co-ordinators.

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Commentary

17. Pupils’ work is regularly marked but often lacks direction as to how it might be improved. Not enough use is made of assessment in planning pupils’ work. Overall, the quality of assessment is unsatisfactory because the use of assessment is not effective. Homework is set regularly for English and mathematics and is followed up in class to ensure that the pupils are taking the appropriate steps themselves to consolidate their learning. Roe Green Junior School - 13 Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 39 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 6 (15%) 15 (38%) 16 (42%) 2 (5%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Commentary

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

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The curriculum

The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum that meets statutory requirements, including those of providing personal, social and health education, and sex education. The relevant locally agreed syllabus is used successfully to plan religious education, and very good resources and accommodation permit the National Curriculum to be taught effectively. Staffing levels and expertise in subjects is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision for PSHE is very good and complies with the requirements for drugs, sex and relationships education • SEN pupils benefit from the good provision that is well managed • Accommodation and resources are very good • Considerable improvements have been made in the provision for ICT • There are good opportunities to enrich pupils’ experiences • Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is not robust enough

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Commentary

18. The school has appropriate sex education and drug education policies in place. There is a well-established school council where pupils learn to make important decisions collectively. Lessons known as circle time make a positive contribution to pupils' personal development and contribute to good overall provision of this aspect that helps build relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults. The school is also part of the Healthy Schools initiative.

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Commentary

19. All subjects of the National Curriculum are provided for. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are in place, and there are a good number of catch-up programmes for pupils at risk of falling behind. This is having a positive impact on pupils' learning; for example, pupils' mental arithmetic skills have improved.

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Commentary

20. The impact of work done to improve standards in the core subjects of mathematics and science is having a measure of success in raising standards in these subjects. However, advances in achievements and standards in English are not so well marked.

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Commentary

21. The range of extra-curricular opportunities offered is good and includes various art, music and sporting activities. There are good enrichment links with the high school, especially for a range of sports that are well attended during after-school hours. Good use is made of the wider community to support teaching and learning. The use of visits and visitors enhances the curriculum in many fields. Good examples have been the visits to The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, St. Paul’s, the Tower of London and the African Embassy. There is a good range of out-of-school activities and all pupils have an opportunity to join a lunchtime or an after-school club, such as cello, flute, choir, recorder or Asian Bhangra. These are very well attended and greatly enjoyed. There are also museum and theatre visits that provide shared experiences.

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Commentary

22. The school provides different work to help different groups of pupils, including, for example, those who fall short of national standards for their age group. Additional help from trained adults is often given to enable them to understand ideas and to complete activities. This extra Roe Green Junior School - 14 help is frequently made available to pupils with special educational needs, who are identified and supported successfully. The curriculum is being adapted sufficiently by teachers to enable pupils with special educational needs to make sufficient progress.

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Commentary

23. There are weaknesses in the provision for pupils with English as an additional language (EAL). The school admits a significant number of refugees and asylum seekers during the school year. Pupils are not assessed well enough. For some pupils, tasks do not correctly match their needs and abilities. There is insufficient systematic intervention. The more competent users of English, particularly the older pupils, achieve standards in line with their peers. But, the achievement of most pupils who are new arrivals and on initial stages of English language acquisition, is unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

24. Pupils do not have specific EAL learning targets against which their individual achievements can be measured and recorded. Some class teachers give due regard to pupils’ levels of competency in speaking and listening, reading and writing, particularly those in the upper part of the school. They plan to ensure a language-rich environment and provide lots of visual clues to aid pupils’ understanding of spoken English, but not all teachers plan specifically with EAL pupils in mind. The school has drafted a plan to raise achievement for pupils with EAL. While the integration of pupils in the school is a good feature, the resourcing for language support is weak and pupils’ home languages do not feature well on displays around the school.

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Commentary

25. The school's accommodation has a number of strengths that allow the curriculum to be taught effectively. These include the fully networked information and communication technology suite, dedicated music room and good-sized halls. Accommodation is bright and attractive, and in a good state of repair and cleanliness. The school grounds are attractive and well used for sports and environmental learning. The library stocks a variety of books suitable for most pupils.

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Care, guidance and support

Personal care for pupils, as at the time of the last inspection, is good. Guidance and support for pupils to improve their work are satisfactory. The involvement of pupils through seeking, valuing and acting on their views is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The caring ethos of the school promotes a good learning environment • A good admission process effectively helps pupils to settle in quickly • Vulnerable pupils are warmly looked after • Pupils feel safe and secure

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Commentary

26. The commitment of staff to the welfare and happiness of all pupils creates a good learning atmosphere. This is reinforced through the buddy system and the work of an emotional support teacher. Parents are rightly confident that their children are fairly treated and well looked after. The school is vigilant about health and safety matters. Day-to-day care of the buildings ensures any perceived hazards are dealt with promptly. Arrangements to treat unwell pupils are good. Vulnerable pupils are warmly supported. The child protection liaison officer has good oversight of the procedures and she keeps others informed of issues. Supervision at breaktime and lunchtime is sufficient. The personal, health and social education is suitable to raise pupils’ awareness of relevant health and social matters, such as ills caused by drugs in society. Staff ensure that new entrants settle in happily and that they

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Commentary

and their parents quickly feel at home. Transfer to secondary schools is effectively supported. Roe Green Junior School - 15 27. The system to track individual pupil performance is now satisfactory, but the use of information is unsatisfactory. Pupils, particularly in Year 6, adequately know what they need to do to improve their work but not much with reference to National Curriculum levels. Exchange of pastoral information among staff, and logs of concerns and good efforts, provide effective means to monitor pupils’ personal development. This, along with the system of rewards and sanctions, promotes an atmosphere that is free of any oppressive behaviour such as bullying. Pastoral needs of vulnerable pupils are well supported and their progress is appropriately monitored.

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Commentary

28. The school council and informal chats with pupils provide effective means to gauge pupils’ views and involve them in shaping the work of the school. Pupils feel that they are listened to.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Parents’ confidence in the school is high. Partnership with them, as at the time of the last inspection, positively impacts on their children’s learning. The overall quality of information to parents is satisfactory. Links with the other schools on site successfully provide pastoral continuity but in terms of academic matters these links are only satisfactory. Links with the wider community helpfully extend pupils’ learning and experiences.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents think highly of the school and readily support their children’s learning • Links with the wider community are productive

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Commentary

29. The school prospectus and the governors’ annual report meet the reporting requirements. Frequent newsletters include the curriculum-related information but not all parents feel sufficiently informed about the work which their children do. Parents are invited to individual and collective consultations where the curriculum and pupils’ progress are discussed. Pupils’ annual progress reports inform what pupils have been doing in curriculum subjects. Annual reports are supplemented by the fact that parents have opportunities to discuss their children’s progress and become aware of their general targets for improvement. Some parents would appreciate better information about their children’s progress and more time to discuss their children at parents’ evenings.

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Commentary

30. The school can rely on parents’ cooperation in the education of their children. Homework is well supported. Parents’ attendance at meetings and activities is high. Educational trips and outside visits are well supported by parents. Parents are involved in the Individual Education Plan process. Parents helpfully support social and religious events. The Friends of Roe Green, the PTA, actively raises money for the school.

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Commentary

31. Good support has resulted through working with the community. Links with the on-site infants and secondary schools ensure smooth transition and give continuity of pastoral support. However, the links are less well developed in academic matters like assessing pupils and planning their learning. Visits and visitors helpfully support the curriculum and contribute towards pupils’ welfare and personal development. Pupils’ learning experiences are enriched through the local community involvement in curriculum weeks, volunteer reading project and environmental project. Roe Green Junior School - 16

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall, leadership and management are satisfactory. Leadership is satisfactory, management is good and governance is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good teamwork among staff; this has been sustained by the headteacher and deputy headteacher during a period of staff mobility and difficulties with recruitment to key posts • All leaders provide good role models for other staff and pupils • Financial management is efficient and directed to improving the quality of education for all pupils • There are good systems for the induction and professional development of all staff • Day-to-day organization is efficient; the school runs smoothly • Steps have recently been taken to improve the monitoring of pupils’ achievement to improve standards, but the impact of this is still to be realized

p.16

Commentary

32. The governing body ensures all statutory requirements are met. Governors are committed to the school and there are appropriately formed committees, which enable governors to set the overall direction of policy. Governors understand the individual character of the school. The governing body reviews performance and is involved in drafting the improvement plan. Governing body minutes show that there is a businesslike approach, particularly to financial management. Governors are supportive of the senior management team, but there is little evidence of them challenging performance in relation to the achievement of pupils, which has fallen since 2003.

p.16

Commentary

33. The headteacher provides clear leadership and is well established in the school. She has managed a period of significant change in the leadership team and in respect of subject co- ordination. Difficulties with recruitment have meant that key posts have been unfilled for some time. In addition, during 2002-2003, there were absences of key staff in Year 6, which the headteacher feels contributed to the fall in attainment in national tests. The leadership of the school is aware of what needs to improve, particularly the raising of achievement in English with support for those pupils who are struggling to become competent with English as an additional language. There is a sound plan in place to achieve this. The monitoring of performance against the actions in this plan will need to be reported to governors so success can be evaluated.

p.16

Commentary

34. The school’s senior leadership have taken appropriate action to raise standards in the core subjects since the decline in 2003 national test results. • An assistant headteacher post has been created with a responsibility for tracking the achievement of pupils; this is done in collaboration with the deputy headteacher • Support has been given for improved provision in ICT and this has led to better standards • Recently appointed co-ordinators have been installed in science and PE and are having a positive impact • The school has a high proportion of overseas trained teachers; there are good professional development systems for these members of staff • The school is working with the Local Education Authority to raise the achievement of pupils with EAL

p.16

Commentary

36. The school improvement plan is a sound document and has the correct key priorities for raising achievement. The focus on key groups of learners, such as pupils with EAL, is critically recognized. The criteria in the plan by which the school will know if it has been successful are broad and not measurable in terms of outcomes for pupils. The plan does not indicate how the success, or otherwise, of any actions will be reported to governors. All plans are based on appropriate audit; the school systematically monitors performance and this Roe Green Junior School - 17 includes evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning. The newly introduced pupil tracking system is intended to ensure the needs of all learners are met; previously this has not been sufficiently robust.

p.16

Commentary

37. The school is committed to inclusion. There is a positive climate for learning; all pupils are valued as individuals and there are clear policies for equalities. The leadership team is respected, has the capacity to effect improvement, and has recognized that there are weaknesses in the achievement of particular groups of pupils in English and is taking steps to address this.

p.17

Commentary

38. All staff are clear about their respective roles and responsibilities and have access to the support and training necessary to achieving their objectives. There is effective delegation; policies are reflected in the work of the school. Systems for target setting and the monitoring of achievement are not well established but there is now a strong management focus on this issue.

p.17

Commentary

39. The school makes good use of strategic resources. There is an effective approach to the recruitment and retention of staff and the induction of new staff is good. The leadership of the school recognizes this as a key issue that needs to be managed and they do this well. The school budget is efficiently managed; governors have long-term plans for improvements to the building. They are rightly proud of the many excellent facilities the school has. Since the last inspection, when leadership and management were judged to be very good, the school has had to contend with significant changes of staff, the pupil population has become more diverse and some key posts have remained vacant for significant periods.

p.17

Financial information

Financial information for the year April 2003 to March 2004

p.17

Financial information

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1,129,706 Balance from previous year 94,751 Total expenditure 1,085,018 Balance carried forward to the next 139,439 Expenditure per pupil 2,260 Roe Green Junior School - 18

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in the current Year 6 classes are in line with the national average in reading and speaking and listening and below in writing • Teaching is consistently good in Year 6 where pupils make good progress • Some groups of pupils are underachieving • The subject leader has a good knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in the school and has begun to implement a Raising Achievement Plan to address issues

p.18

Commentary

40. Attainment on entry to the school in Year 3 is generally in line with the national average. There was an upward trend in standards in English at the end of Year 6 from 1999 to 2002. In 2003, however, standards were well below the national average and results in the Year 6 tests indicated that a significant proportion of pupils underachieved. Staffing instability contributed to this and actions to improve teaching and learning in Year 6 are now having a positive impact. Early indications of this are shown by an improvement in standards in the 2004 Year 6 tests, though results will still be below the national average. Lesson observations and scrutiny of work during the inspection show that standards in the current Year 6 classes are broadly in line with the national average in reading and in speaking and listening, but below average in writing.

p.18

Commentary

41. Achievement in reading and writing is variable across the school and there are groups of pupils who do not achieve as well as they should. The school has recognised this underachievement and subject leaders have put systems in place to address it. A system to track the progress of pupils through National Curriculum levels has recently been introduced and this has helped to identify pupils who are underachieving. Interventions such as Additional Literacy Support and Further Literacy Support are both planned for and delivered well. The school has begun to moderate writing across all classes to ensure consistency in assessments and in expectations. Changes to the timetable have also provided additional time for independent writing and guided reading. The teaching methods deployed are beginning to have an impact, but the difference they are making to outcomes is not yet apparent.

p.18

Commentary

42. There is underachievement by able pupils in Year 3 and Year 4 due to inconsistencies in teachers’ expectation of what pupils can achieve. Pupils who achieved well in Year 2 English tests do not always achieve as well as might be expected in the tests at the end of Year 6. The school’s analysis of test results and evidence gathered in the inspection show that some pupils with English as an additional language have difficulty understanding more complex language structures, in particular in inferring information from text and understanding and using imagery in writing. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress to achieve targets set in their Individual Education Plans.

p.18

Commentary

43. In reading, most pupils in Year 6 are able to use a range of strategies to work out how to pronounce unfamiliar words, such as splitting words into syllables and by reading words around it. A few pupils have difficulty understanding imagery. For example, ‘a long splash of sunlight’ was interpreted as ‘sun on the water’. Some pupils read very quickly with little reflection and so miss some of the subtleties in a text. The highest attainers have an impressive vocabulary and are able to identify crucial features and themes from texts and bring together information from different sources. Roe Green Junior School - 19 44. Pupils’ written work is generally well presented and most have a fluent, joined handwriting style in Year 6. By Year 6, pupils are able to write in a range of forms and have a good understanding of the features of different text types. This is an improvement since the previous inspection, but still below average. For some pupils, limited vocabulary impedes

p.18

Commentary

progress at the higher levels and writing lacks the adventurous use of words and sentence structures that would enable pupils to achieve Level 5 in the tests.

p.19

Commentary

45. Listening skills are well developed across the curriculum and by Year 6 pupils listen attentively and are able to take account of others’ views. This was demonstrated well in a Year 5 lesson where pupils responded to and elaborated on the ideas of others to suggest ways of resolving conflicts in friendships. Pupils are generally confident in speaking aloud and are able to express themselves well.

p.19

Commentary

46. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Of 12 lessons seen, one was very good and one unsatisfactory; six were satisfactory and four good. The strongest teaching was observed in Year 6, where it was consistently good. Where teaching is good, it enables pupils to apply their knowledge and skills to interesting creative activities. In these lessons, speaking and listening skills are promoted through paired discussion and collaborative work and key skills are explicitly taught. For example, pupils in Year 6 were able to use their knowledge about features of report writing in order to compose their own report. In Year 5, pupils were explicitly taught how to infer speech and characters’ thoughts and feelings from a story in order to produce a playscript. Weaker lessons often start with a good explanation by the teacher but have bland follow-up activities which do not challenge pupils to think. In these

p.19

Commentary

lessons the pace of learning is too slow and progress is impeded.

p.19

Commentary

47. Assessment is used to good effect in Year 6, where lessons are planned around specific learning objectives from the National Literacy Strategy framework. Pupils’ work is marked according to these objectives and pupils have personal targets for improvement. Pupils were able to say what they needed to do to improve their work. In weaker lessons assessment is not used effectively to match work to pupils’ abilities. Learning objectives are too broad or are based on the expected written outcome. (For example: ‘to write a shape poem’; ‘to understand what we read’). Targets are unspecific and are not consistently followed up.

p.19

Commentary

48. At the last inspection, standards were judged to be in line with national expectations; they are now in line in respect of reading and speaking and listening. Overall, improvement since the last inspection is unsatisfactory.

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

49. Pupils have appropriate opportunities to develop their language and literacy skills across the curriculum. In history, reading skills are developed through shared reading. In religious education lessons and circle time, speaking and listening skills are promoted and developed effectively. However, more could be done to develop and enrich pupils’ vocabulary in all curriculum areas. Prompts and displays in the classroom are not used as effectively as they could be to enable pupils with English as an additional language to develop a wider vocabulary and to write using more complex sentences.

p.19

Language and literacy across the curriculum

50. The school is aware of the need to make changes to bring about improvement. The English co-ordinator and deputy headteacher are managing these changes well. The school has begun to implement a Raising Achievement Plan to improve the quality of teaching and learning for the large number of pupils with English as an additional language. There has been a significant amount of professional development for all staff and particularly for the overseas trained teachers to improve their knowledge of the curriculum. The co-ordinator has a good view of strengths and weaknesses across the school due to well-planned monitoring including lesson observations, sampling of work and planning. Roe Green Junior School - 20

p.19

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is good overall and the subject has made satisfactory improvement since the last inspection.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils respond positively to teaching, demonstrating very good attitudes to their learning • Pupils achieve well in mental and written calculations • Sharp and pacey games and activities at the start of the lesson in most classes to practise skills • Teachers should include more constructive comments and criticisms when marking pupils’ books in order to help them further improve their work • Teachers should match the work more closely to the pupils’ abilities

p.20

Commentary

51. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Standards are average and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory from their attainment on entry to school. The co- ordinator has recently returned from maternity leave and is making an effective analysis of national tests to strengthen the teaching of the subject.

p.20

Commentary

52. In 2003, results in the national tests at the end of Year 6 were below the national average and the average of similar schools. At the time of writing, national comparisons are not available for 2004, but the school’s results show a significant improvement in the number of pupils reaching the expected standards. The lower results in 2003 are explained in some measure by a high staff turnover with many of the new staff initially unfamiliar with the National Strategy for mathematics.

p.20

Commentary

53. In the current Year 6, standards are average and there are few gaps in pupils’ knowledge. There is good level of challenge in lessons and setting has helped ensure that pupils of all abilities are achieving well. The majority of pupils in Year 6 have some sound strategies for manipulating numbers mentally. They have a secure understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and the relationship between them. Most know multiplication tables to ten. Higher achieving pupils accurately multiply four-digit numbers by two-digit numbers, add and subtract decimals up to two decimal places and understand the process of long multiplication. For a significant minority of pupils, their ability to solve written mathematical problems is impeded by their ability to read and interpret questions independently.

p.20

Commentary

54. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and in one lesson was very good. Teachers encourage and motivate pupils by telling them what they are expected to learn by the end of the lesson. When teaching is very good, well directed questions challenge all pupils to explain their thinking and reasoning. This promotes learning, confidence and the use of mathematical vocabulary very well. Teachers use praise and rewards effectively. As a result, pupils demonstrate a keenness to learn and they work productively. In a good lesson the teacher successfully built on the pupils’ existing knowledge. Using skilful questioning, he was able to establish what they had understood and remind them of the key facts from a previous lesson. He then engaged the pupils by using a variety of learning styles incorporating listening, practical activities and pupils phrasing their own

p.20

Commentary

questions for each other. The lesson maintained pace and time flew by for the pupils who were disappointed when the lesson had to end.

p.20

Commentary

55. Throughout the school, teachers use and promote mathematical vocabulary very well. For example, Year 3 pupils used the terms doubling, halving, total and equals knowledgeably. Year 6 were able to talk about percentages and name most common 2D shapes. Most teachers teach enthusiastically. They promote pupils’ confidence well. As a result, pupils have very good attitudes to the subject and participate fully in lessons. They answer questions without fear of being wrong or ridiculed by others for giving wrong answers. Roe Green Junior School - 21 Marking is variable. Comments are often related to the quality of presentation and are usually encouraging. However, comments geared to promoting pupils’ thinking or mathematical improvement are infrequent. Regular homework across the school supports the work done in class.

p.20

Commentary

56. The subject is well led with a clear focus on pupils’ achievement. There is good use of booster lessons to raise standards for the less able pupils. The setting of pupils in Year 6 is leading to an improved match of work to pupils’ ability. Teachers do not yet make enough use of ICT in their teaching to stimulate reasoning and creative thinking, particularly for the more able.

p.21

Mathematics across the curriculum

57. There are good opportunities in science and the humanities for developing pupils’ skills. The application of ICT to enhance learning could be improved, but the new ICT suite and the new ICT co-ordinator’s plans mean that this should improve.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Effective strategies for teaching investigative work • Good leadership of the subject by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator • Pupils’ positive attitudes towards the subject and their very good behaviour during practical lessons enables them to co-operate and work together

p.21

Commentary

58. Standards seen during the inspection are in line with expectations for pupils of this age and they achieve satisfactorily. In Year 6, pupils have a good grasp of the scientific process and can explain their work with reference to such things as ensuring a test is fair. They are able to make careful observations – such as when investigating the properties of different soils under a microscope. They plan the conduct of an investigation, record observations and evaluate evidence, including making valid comparisons about difference and similarity. Pupils in Year 5 are able to make predictions about the amount of water absorbed by different soils and can measure this using simple equipment.

p.21

Commentary

59. National tests at the end of Year 6 in 2004 produced better results than in 2003 with nearly twice as many pupils (40 per cent) reaching the higher Level 5, but the proportion at the expected Level 4 and above was below average (79 per cent compared to 75 per cent in 2003). Pupils throughout the school are now reaching average standards and more able pupils develop their scientific thinking well because teachers plan carefully for this.

p.21

Commentary

60. Teaching is good and pupils learn well. The objectives for lessons are shared appropriately with pupils and key vocabulary is highlighted. Lessons are well planned and have a clear structure with opportunity for practical work and investigation. During group and whole-class discussion, the best teaching assesses what pupils understand and where they have misconceptions – this is particularly effective in Year 6. Lessons in Years 5 and 6 move at a brisk pace and pupils are expected to show high levels of application. They respond to this well and work carefully in pairs or small groups when undertaking practical tasks. Pupils show good observational skills and enjoy finding out about things. They are very well behaved, motivated to learn and achieve well, acquiring new knowledge and understanding at a good rate. Teachers show a good level of subject knowledge; they organize resources for learning

p.21

Commentary

effectively. All teachers provide pupils with a useful writing framework, which enables them to draft explanations of what they have seen during investigative work. Roe Green Junior School - 22 61. The science curriculum is well planned so pupils experience a balance of appropriate elements such as life processes and materials, but the most significant strength is the emphasis on prediction, investigation, and a range of ways to record findings. The science co-ordinator is recently appointed and has undertaken a thorough audit of teaching and learning in the subject. There is a very good action plan and training is provided to develop staff skills. The school provides opportunity for pupils to visit outdoor centres and the school garden is an excellent resource. Pupils have grown a range of things of which they are rightly proud – including sunflowers and carrots. Since the last inspection, there has been

p.21

Commentary

improvement in pupils’ ability to undertake investigative work and to collaborate when doing this. The quality of teaching has improved. Although standards in national tests fell in 2003, there is evidence that they are now improving and the school is acting robustly to build on this. Overall, improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

p.22

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards and provision have improved since the last inspection • There has been a recent improvement in staff expertise • Direct teaching of information and communication technology skills is good • The recent appointment of a co-ordinator for the subject is already enhancing provision

p.22

Commentary

62. Standards have improved since the last inspection, which found there was a lack of control technology. Standards are in line with national expectations. All pupils respond positively and enjoy their work. They make good progress and achieve well.

p.22

Commentary

63. Teaching is good and pupils learn well. Teachers’ planning, from the detailed scheme of work, is structured to ensure all pupils understand. The lesson objectives are shared with the pupils using clear, concise explanations that draw on the teachers’ good subject knowledge. Carefully planned questions allow consolidation of previous learning and extension of this knowledge. In all lessons immediate checking of the pupils’ understanding by the class teacher allows for rephrasing of questions or remodelling using the computer. The screen display of the teacher’s computer is shown on a large whiteboard, which can be seen by all pupils in the class. Pupils make good progress because they have sufficient time to work in mixed ability pairs, or occasionally individually on the computers. Paired discussion tasks allow the pupils to gain from each other's experience and knowledge. When the pupils are

p.22

Commentary

completing the set tasks on the computer the teacher supports them in their learning through clear direction and intervention. Management of pupils is very effective with clear expectations from the outset.

p.22

Commentary

64. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject and their behaviour in lessons are very good. They listen carefully and attentively to the teacher. They contribute well in class work. They are well motivated and so learn enthusiastically. They listen to each other when involved in paired discussion and make decisions co-operatively. They speak confidently about the subject and explain accurately why things happen. The ICT suite is a hive of activity during sessions with a purposeful feel to the room.

p.22

Commentary

65. Opportunities to use information and communication technology in other subjects are satisfactory. Pupils use the Internet or computer encyclopaedia to research other countries and find information to produce multimedia presentations. Work in the pupils’ folders from the previous academic year showed pupils had used an authoring program to organise, refine and present a set of linked multimedia pages which incorporated images, sound and text. Use of a modelling program has allowed Year 5 pupils to move, resize rotate and colour objects to Roe Green Junior School - 23 recreate art, for example, ‘The Snail’ by Matisse. Year 4 pupils use the paint tool to produce a picture in the style of Seurat. They had also used repeating patterns and ‘stamp tools’ to produce a piece of wrapping paper. Pupils can present their writing in a variety of ways to engage the reader. In mathematics they choose the most appropriate form of graph to

p.22

Commentary

represent data and use spreadsheets to total various amounts. In science, pupils have used a branching database to identify ‘minibeasts’.

p.23

Commentary

66. The leadership of the subject is good. The very recently appointed co-ordinator has made a good start in identifying how to improve the teaching of the subject. He has produced assessment record sheets which will be introduced this term. Training has ensured that staff have sufficient confidence in the subject to teach it well. All class teachers have been supplied with a laptop, which has also increased their skill and confidence in using computers. The co-ordinator has plans to monitor teaching, and has already monitored staff planning and analysed the work produced by the pupils. The school has good resources, which enable all areas of the ICT curriculum to be taught, although additional software to teach control and modelling has yet to be introduced.

p.23

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

67. Although all classrooms are equipped with a computer, during the inspection very little use was seen of information and communication technology outside direct teaching sessions in the computer suite. Pupils report that they use they use computers to consolidate numeracy skills in mathematics, for writing tasks in English, to record science investigations and to access the Internet for research. Examples in their work folders confirm this, but the routine use of computers to support subject teaching is not yet a regular and consistent feature of teaching.

p.23

HUMANITIES

68. Work was sampled in both history and geography . No lessons were seen in geography therefore, a firm judgement cannot be made on the overall provision, standards or the quality of teaching and learning.

p.23

HUMANITIES

69. There are detailed curriculum plans, indicating good opportunities to acquire knowledge and learn the required skills in both history and geography. A variety of tasks and activities are used to add interest and stimulation to teaching and learning in these subjects. The detailed time analysis reveals that an appropriate amount of time is allocated and coverage of the expected areas for study in both history and geography is fully ensured. Planning in both history and geography is informed by the national guidance. There are good resources such as books and artefacts to support learning. The consistent use of the assessment procedures to support planning and standards of pupils’ work is being developed.

p.23

HUMANITIES

70. Teaching in the history lessons observed in Years 3 and 5 was satisfactory. There was little work in pupils’ workbooks as this was the start of the new academic year. There is insufficient evidence to form judgement on standards by the end of Year 6.

p.23

HUMANITIES

71. In the lessons, pupils show positive attitudes to work, and demonstrate acquisition of good knowledge in the lessons observed. The Year 3 lessons were well planned but showed a lack of rigour and some teaching time was lost. In the Year 5 lesson, the teacher generated good energy and enthusiasm, and as result pupils gained new knowledge about Tudors, with ease and enjoyment.

p.23

HUMANITIES

72. In both history and geography, the analysis of planning indicates that topics are studied in appropriate depth with good emphasis on independent research work. Roe Green Junior School - 24 73. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable, and clearly has a keen interest in the subjects. He has produced very comprehensive guidance for all teachers and helps them with resources and is able to tap into connections with the community to borrow artefacts when the occasion arises. Ideas and information gained from different sources are effectively disseminated. The overall management of the subjects is good.

p.23

Religious Education

Provision in religious education is good and this has been maintained since the last inspection.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of artefacts from different faiths to promote greater understanding • Pupils are comfortable to discuss their spiritual beliefs and teachers create good opportunities to do so • Teachers draw on the pupils’ direct experiences and knowledge • Very good guidelines for the teaching of religious education have been produced by the subject co-ordinator

p.24

Commentary

74. Standards of attainment are above those expected by the locally agreed syllabus. In discussion with the older pupils they showed a good basic knowledge of the major world faiths. They talked with understanding and empathy of the Jewish Faith. In a lesson observed they reflected on part of a Jewish prayer and reflected on their own behaviour and actions.

p.24

Commentary

75. Teaching and learning are good. In a Year 6 lesson that was very good, pupils were studying prayer and worship and were learning about prayer in the major world faiths. The teacher used artefacts and a video to bring the lesson to life. The pupils had a sound understanding of how different religions celebrate festivals and significant events and that prayer fulfils a significant role in various faiths and that symbols are an important aspect of worship. In their work they use appropriate terminology to explain matters of religious belief and practice.

p.24

Commentary

76. Younger pupils develop a good understanding of the laws of Buddhism and in one good lesson observed were able to call on their own knowledge and beliefs to contribute to the class discussion. Pupils listened attentively to each other and the teacher and were keen to offer their contributions. This was carried out with empathy, tolerance and understanding. Pupils are expected to think for themselves and make connections between stories they hear and everyday life. For example, Year 3 pupils listened attentively to the story of Buddha’s early life. The teacher’s probing questions helped the pupils explore the consequences of their own actions on others. The pupils respond well to the teacher’s expectations on what they have been asked to do, work hard and learn as much as they can.

p.24

Commentary

77. Teachers follow the very good lesson outlines provided by the subject co-ordinator. Lessons are planned to take account of pupils’ knowledge and expertise. As a consequence, Year 5 and 6 pupils have a good knowledge of the world’s leading faiths. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in religious knowledge and understanding and work hard.

p.24

Commentary

78. Attitudes throughout the school are good. Pupils enjoy the subject. They listen attentively to the teachers.

p.24

Commentary

79. Subject co-ordination is very good. The co-ordinator has ensured that his planning corresponds to the locally agreed syllabus. He very effectively promotes religious education throughout the school. He supports teachers well. He carries out classroom monitoring as well as checking teachers’ planning. Roe Green Junior School - 25

p.24

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Only one lesson was observed in art and design so it is not possible to judge the quality of provision across the whole school. Judgements are based on scrutiny of planning, art portfolios and display and discussion with pupils and staff. Evidence from work sampling shows that standards are in line with expectations by the end of Year 6 in most aspects. Standards are above expectations in terms of knowledge and understanding in using colour, texture, line and tone to make close observational drawings.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. Full coverage of the national curriculum is in place, including work with textiles and in three- dimensional art. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. The range of work on display and in portfolios shows that pupils are developing a range of skills and techniques across the school. Discussion with pupils established that they are able to evaluate their work and suggest ways to improve their own work as well as give their views on the work of well known artists.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

82. The art lesson observed was very well planned with explicit skills teaching and opportunities for pupils to apply these skills to their own composition. The lesson is typical of those exemplified in the school’s scheme of work, which makes links to topics being taught in other subjects. The recently updated scheme of work is planned with clear skills progression. The subject is well managed by a knowledgeable co-ordinator. Provision is further enhanced through an annual ‘Big Arts’ week when the whole school focuses on three-dimensional work and visiting artists work with the pupils.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. Only one design and technology lesson was observed and there were no finished products to sample. There is insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on standards, teaching and learning or achievement. Discussions took place with the subject co-ordinator and pupils and photographic evidence was viewed.

p.25

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. The co-ordinator has produced a detailed scheme of work, which supports teachers well and provides for national curriculum coverage. In addition to key learning objectives and skills progression, the scheme provides hints and tips for teachers in diagrammatic form. The lesson observed was following the plan in the scheme of work and pupils achieved well. They were able to apply new skills creatively. Year 6 pupils are enthusiastic about design and technology, citing it as their favourite subject. They are able to discuss photographs of models they have made, and evaluate the success of them.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching by a subject specialist • Excellent resources, including a music room • Enthusiastic pupils who enjoy music

p.25

Commentary

85. Standards are good and pupils achieve well. Pupils listen very intently and can evaluate what they hear in terms of pitch, tempo and expression. They sing well in unison. Pupils’ knowledge is very good – they can confidently recognize a time signature and can read simple musical notation, for example. Pupils have the opportunity to sing, beat chime bars and other percussion instruments, listen to a range of musical styles, play the recorder, cello and flute. They take part in musical productions and undertake visits to listen to music at the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall. During Black History Week, pupils listen to a range of music from different cultural traditions. All this constitutes a rich musical provision, which contributes to pupils’ experience and achievement. Roe Green Junior School - 26 86. Teaching and learning are very good. A specialist music teacher takes 50 per cent of the

p.25

Commentary

timetable. During these lessons, there is good opportunity for other teachers to join in and learn how to improve their own skills. They then use this to teach music to their own classes. The strengths of the teaching are: • Excellent specialist knowledge that enthuses pupils • Brisk pace and high expectations • An insistence on high standards of behaviour and positive attitudes • Challenge that makes pupils think, explain and gain in understanding

p.26

Commentary

87. In lessons, pupils are productive, can explain clearly what they are doing and acquire knowledge and skills at a very good rate. They respond well when playing instruments, which they treat with care, and when collaboration is needed they work sensibly and with respect for each other.

p.26

Commentary

88. The music curriculum is well planned so all pupils have the opportunity to perform, compose, evaluate and gain in knowledge and skill. There are various groups, which learn recorder, flute and cello, and there is a school choir. The subject is very well led and the co-ordinator is a significant influence in creating the good standards. There has been good improvement since the last inspection, particularly in the quality of teaching and the provision of resources.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A broad and balanced curriculum with a range of opportunity for pupils to participate • Very good resources • Good teaching and pupils eager to learn

p.26

Commentary

89. Standards are good and pupils achieve well. Pupils reach a good standard in games. For example, pupils in Year 4 are able to catch and pass a ball well, use space effectively and have a good awareness of other players. They can turn and move and shoot at a given target. In gymnastics, Year 6 pupils can jump and land in various ways and with a good level of finesse and skill.

p.26

Commentary

90. Teaching is good and pupils learn well as a result. Lessons are well planned and organized with appropriate warm-up sessions. There is an expectation that pupils will work hard and energetically. Lessons have good pace and a variety of activities that ensure pupils remain motivated and attentive. Instructions are clearly given and pupils listen well. Behaviour is very good; pupils co-operate well with each other. New skills are taught in lessons but there is also opportunity to consolidate existing skills.

p.26

Commentary

91. The subject is well led by an enthusiastic and recently appointed co-ordinator. There is effective liaison with other schools to promote PE and sport, including joint training for subject leaders. Resources at the school are very good. The curriculum is planned well to achieve a balance and range of experience for pupils. Links are made with other subjects, as for example the Tudor Dance link with history. Pupils have games available at play and lunchtimes. The school uses coaches from outside to support pupils’ learning. Since the last inspection, the school has maintained PE as a strong feature of its provision. Roe Green Junior School - 27

p.26

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education is very good.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ personal and social development is very good • There are very good relationships between adults and pupils • Pupils have good opportunities to express their ideas and opinions in lessons

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Commentary

92. Provision for PSHE contributes strongly to the very good personal development of pupils. The constructive relationships between adults and pupils help to create a harmonious community.

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Commentary

93. Pupils have very positive attitudes to one another. This is well promoted through systems to encourage responsibility-taking such as the ‘buddy’ and monitor systems. They have well- developed interpersonal and social skills, showing kindness, tolerance and thoughtfulness to pupils with different beliefs and cultural traditions.

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Commentary

94. Teaching and learning are very good. During lessons called circle time, pupils listen well to each other, valuing and expanding on ideas presented. There are very good opportunities for all pupils to contribute and express their ideas and opinions. Teachers listen well and encourage pupils to develop their ideas. In religious education lessons, pupils are helped to explore the consequences of their own actions on others.

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Commentary

95. The school’s involvement in the ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative has helped pupils to be able to make informed decisions about how to look after their health. The school council has been helpful in developing pupils’ understanding of democratic processes. All pupils are able to contribute their ideas and opinions through their class representatives. Roe Green Junior School - 28

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 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 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out -of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 2 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 4 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 3 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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