Stanley Park Junior School

STANLEY PARK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 27 th – 29 th June 2005

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STANLEY PARK JUNIOR SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Stanley Park 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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STANLEY PARK 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. Stanley Park Junior School - 4 Stanley Park Junior School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior school School category: Foundation Age range of pupils: 7 – 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 362

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stanley Park Road Carshalton Surrey Postcode: SM5 3JL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0208 647 7497 Fax number: 0208 773 8590

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr E Crowley

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Stanley Park Junior School shares a site with the adjacent infant school. It prides itself on being a welcoming and friendly community and living up to its motto, ‘A Sense of Pride’. It is a popular school, which has Investors in People status, the Basic Skills Quality Mark and has just been awarded the Silver Artsmark. There are currently 362 boys and girls on roll between the ages of seven and eleven, making it larger than average. Pupils come from a wide range of social and cultural backgrounds, with around 20 per cent coming from minority ethnic backgrounds. An increasing number of pupils learning English as an additional language, roughly 8 per cent, are joining the school, although the percentage who are at early stages of language acquisition, at less than one per cent, is low. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average, at just over 8 per cent, and pupils join the school with above average levels of attainment. Eighteen per cent

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

of pupils are identified as having special educational needs, which is broadly average, with five pupils having Statements of Special Educational Need. The proportion of pupils who join or leave the school other than at normal times is Stanley Park Junior School - 6 significantly lower than the national picture, with 90 per cent of pupils who start in Year 3 completing their education in the school. Stanley Park Junior School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 21079 Mrs L Woods Lead inspector Science Information and communication technology 32768 Mrs J Manfield Lay inspector 2866 Mr B Battey Team inspector English Geography History Physical education 21372 Mr K Hobday Team inspector Special educational needs English as an additional language Mathematics Music 24137 Mrs G Robertson Team inspector Religious education Art and design Design and technology Personal, social and health education and citizenship

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Altecq Inspections 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). Stanley Park Junior School - 8

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in subjects Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school. Most pupils join the school from the next-door infant school with above average levels of attainment. They achieve well and make good progress during their time in the school, because of the richness and depth of the education they receive. Standards are above average by the time they leave, and well above average in English. This is the result of overall good teaching and learning, which is frequently very good, and instils in pupils a love of learning and enables them to develop mature and sensible attitudes. Leadership and management are very good, and governors provide very good support for the school. The school provides very good value for money.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

• The very good ethos and equality of opportunity provided mean the school is very highly regarded by all involved. • Standards and achievement overall are good, and particularly high in all aspects of English. • The school needs to maintain efforts to improve science standards and provision for less able mathematicians. • Excellent teamwork and good overall teaching and learning, with very good features lead to very good attitudes from the pupils, and very good behaviour. • The very good curriculum is enriched very well, and provides very well for pupils’ personal, social, cultural and health education, and equally well for gifted and talented pupils and for those with special educational needs. • Homework is not always set consistently. • Ventilation in the ICT suite is inadequate. • Very good care and support for pupils enables them to grow very well in confidence and self-esteem. • Very good leadership and management, supported by very good governance,

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

make excellent use of information and data to monitor the work of the school and drive forward improvement.

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The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

The school has made good progress in improving provision since its last inspection in 1999, and addressed fully the key issues identified at that time. In particular, provision for ICT has improved significantly.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

All boys and girls, whatever their abilities, achieve well because of the wide range of stimulating and exciting opportunities provided. The increasing proportion of pupils learning English as an additional language achieve very well, because of the effective support they receive, and their own determination to make very good Stanley Park Junior School - 11 progress. In lessons and work seen, pupils make good progress and reach above average standards overall, and very good standards in all aspects of English. Stanley Park Junior School - 12 Year 6 Results

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2002 2003 2004 2004

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English A B A B Mathematics A B A B Science A C C 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

The table shows consistently good standards in the national tests in English and mathematics, both compared with the national picture and with similar schools. Results from the 2005 tests continue the same positive picture. National comparisons are not yet available, but standards are likely to be well above average again, although the school did not quite reach its targets in mathematics. In science the picture is more variable, and the school has responded by making the subject a major focus for development. In 2004, the comparison with similar schools appears to present a negative picture. This is largely the result of teachers’ high assessment of standards in science in the infant school in that year, which resulted from a major focus on science at that time. Work in pupils’ books is clearly of a good standard and pupils achieve well and make good progress. The school is justifiably pleased with

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

improvement in the 2005 national tests in science, where almost all pupils have reached the expected Level 4, and 60 per cent of pupils have attained the higher Level 5, doubling the 2004 percentage at this level. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) meet expectations, and in religious education are above expectations in the locally agreed syllabus.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Pupils have very good attitudes to their work, and behave very well, because they appreciate all the opportunities provided so much. Their personal development is very good as a result of very good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Attendance is good and pupils are punctual in the mornings.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are consistently good , and frequently very good or excellent, because of the very close teamwork, very good level of expertise and shared very high expectations between all staff. The curriculum is very good; lively, stimulating and with very good links between subjects, making learning relevant and fun. Very good provision for extra- curricular and enrichment activities are much appreciated by pupils and have resulted in the award of the coveted Silver Artsmark. The school cares very well for its pupils and provides them with very good support and advice, based on good assessment and very good monitoring. Partnership with parents is very good and makes a significant contribution. Links with other schools and the community are good.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Stanley Park Junior School - 13 The leadership and management of the school are very good . The headteacher provides confident, caring and very effective leadership, with highly competent and dedicated support from his deputy. Staff all make a highly significant contribution to ensuring the smooth running of the school. Governance is very good. Governors fulfil all their statutory responsibilities very well and provide very good support and challenge for the school.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very supportive of the school and delighted with the education it provides for their children. Pupils are fiercely proud of their school and fully appreciate all it does for them.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

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

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Ensure planned improvements to provision in mathematics and science are fully implemented. • Ensure homework is set consistently in classes where pupils are of the same age. • As a matter of urgency, address the inadequate ventilation in the ICT suite. Stanley Park Junior School - 14

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Standards achieved in subjects

Achievement is good . Standards are above average throughout the school, and well above average in English.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils learning English as an additional language achieve very well in their acquisition of English. • Well above average standards in English result from the very good provision in this subject. • Science standards have improved in the 2005 national tests.

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Commentary

1. Pupils join the school with above average attainment, as measured in the national tests for seven-year-olds in the adjacent infant school, from which most pupils transfer. They continue making good progress in the rich and stimulating learning environment in the junior school, to reach standards above expectations as an overall picture by the time they leave Year 6. Throughout the school and across all areas of the curriculum, boys and girls of all abilities achieve well, because of good and frequently very good teaching, which makes learning relevant, interesting and fun. This generates very good attitudes to work, and pupils are keen to do their best and to make good progress. Provision is equally good for gifted and talented pupils and for those with special educational needs. Standards in English are well above average, because of the very high emphasis placed on the core skills of speaking and

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Commentary

listening, reading and writing, which subsequently impact very positively on work across all subjects. Standards in mathematics and science are above average. In religious education, standards exceed expectations in the locally agreed syllabus, and meet expectations in information and communication technology (ICT). This represents an improvement across the board since the last inspection.

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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 28.8 (27.6) 26.9 (26.8) Mathematics 29.3 (28.1) 27.0 (26.8) Science 29.0 (29.0) 28.6 (28.6) There were 96 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Results in the 2004 national tests for eleven-year-olds show standards to be well above average in English and mathematics, and average in science. This Stanley Park Junior School - 15 is because in English and mathematics, the percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 5 was well above the national picture. In science, the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 4 and the higher Level 5 was similar to the national picture, generating overall average standards. Compared with standards attained in the 2000 national tests for pupils in Year 2, progress has been better than that seen nationally in English and mathematics, but in science, progress in the junior years appears to have been well below average. This is largely the result of teachers’ high assessment of standards in science in the infant school in that year, which resulted from a major focus on science at that time. The work in pupils’ books by no means supports this impression,

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Commentary

with pupils reaching above average standards in all year groups. The school is justifiably pleased with the improvement in science standards in the provisional test results from 2005, where 60 per cent of pupils have reached the higher Level 5, doubling the percentage found in 2004, and generating a point score of 30.2. Although national comparisons are not yet available, standards in English are better in the 2005 tests with a point score of 29.1, although slightly down in mathematics at 28.4. The school has met its targets in English, but not in mathematics.

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Commentary

3. The school is experiencing a steady increase in the number of pupils learning English as an additional language, and is managing this well. These pupils receive very effective and sympathetic support, both from teaching assistants and from class teachers. As a result of this, and their own deep determination to learn, they make very rapid progress and achieve very well in developing a knowledge and understanding of English.

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4. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress when their starting points and capabilities are taken into account. This is because their needs are carefully assessed, clear plans for their work are written and good use is made of teaching and support staff to carry out these plans. As a result, many pupils reach the expected level at age eleven, particularly in English, where most of the identified needs lie.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes and their behaviour are very good . Attendance and punctuality are good. Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils are very eager to learn and have very positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. • The school is a very happy and successful community. • Relationships are very good at all levels and everyone is fully included in all activities, and supported very well. • Pupils are very confident and have a high level of self-esteem. • The school succeeds very well in developing pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural qualities. Stanley Park Junior School - 16

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Commentary

5. This is a very happy school, which pupils are proud to attend. All pupils continue to have the very good attitudes to their work noted at the last inspection, and collaborate very well together. They listen attentively, undertake tasks enthusiastically and are keen to answer questions. This is particularly noticeable when teachers plan lessons that pupils find interesting and set challenging tasks that ensure pupils of all levels of ability have the opportunity to achieve well. Pupils enjoy school and play a full part in school life and the very good range of activities offered.

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Commentary

6. Behaviour in class and around the school is very good because pupils follow and fully support its codes of behaviour, which they themselves have helped to formulate. The very caring ethos of the school results in pupils knowing right from wrong and having a very high level of consideration for others. Exclusion is very rare. During the inspection no bad behaviour or bullying was seen or reported to the inspection team. This finding is confirmed by pupils’ and parents’ feedback to the inspection team.

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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

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Exclusions

White – British 289 2 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 4 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 8 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 6 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 13 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 3 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 12 0 0

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Exclusions

Black or Black British – Caribbean 1 0 0 Black or Black British – African 7 0 0 Chinese 3 0 0 Any other ethnic group 4 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Exclusions

7. All pupils contribute very well to school life. They are encouraged to become independent, and all willingly take on a range of responsibilities, appropriate for their age. These include acting as prefects and playground friends and being members of the school council. They co-operate very well when raising funds Stanley Park Junior School - 17 for others less fortunate than themselves and take their responsibilities of living in a community seriously. They are pleased to have some influence on the improvement of their school and its smooth running. They work happily together and show increasing maturity and self-awareness as they progress through the school.

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Exclusions

8. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development has improved since the last inspection and is now very good. All pupils are very well aware of right and wrong. This is because staff give a very positive lead in engendering very good relationships by, for example, the skilful management of behaviour and by giving praise and encouragement at every opportunity. Understanding of how to live in and contribute to a mutually supportive community is very good. Moral issues are discussed very effectively in assemblies, in personal, social cultural and health education, and in religious education. Well-attended extra-curricular activities very effectively enable pupils to develop their social skills. Pair and group activities in lessons allow pupils to learn how to negotiate and manage people, and the residential / activity week for Year 6 pupils enables them to learn about working and living closely with others. Pupils have a very good

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Exclusions

appreciation of cultural diversity. The school promotes an appreciation of, and great respect for, the world around them. It enthusiastically celebrates all the cultures represented in its population, and is actively involved in events such as Black History Week and Arts Week. Pupils’ spiritual development is fostered very well through an enthusiasm for learning, acts of worship and the very interesting curriculum provided. The school ensures all pupils are included very effectively in activities and so they make very good progress in their personal development.

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Exclusions

9. Attendance and punctuality are good . The latest published figures are above the national average and most pupils attend school regularly and arrive on time. The school has good procedures for promoting and monitoring attendance and punctuality. These are well supported by parents and unauthorised absence is very low. In cases of persistent absence or lateness the school works effectively with the local education welfare officer.

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Exclusions

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Exclusions

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.8 School data: 0.1 National data: 5.1 National data: 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a very good quality of education. Teaching and learning are good , with a significant percentage being very good . The very good curriculum is rich and diverse, with very good opportunities for enrichment. Assessment is good , and the school cares very well for its pupils, giving them very good support and advice. The school maintains very good links with parents. Stanley Park Junior School - 18

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good . Assessment is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The excellent teamwork between all staff ensures all pupils have similar exciting opportunities, with staff expertise shared to the benefit of all. • Pupils respond very well to teachers’ very high expectations, and work very hard as a result. • There is some inconsistency in the amount of homework received in different classes in the same year group.

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Commentary

10. The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. No unsatisfactory lessons were seen during the inspection, and nearly two-fifths of observations were very good or better. This is all credit to the staff; teachers and assistants, who work very closely together as a highly effective team to make learning exciting, stimulating and fun.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 52 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 2 (4%) 18 (35%) 21 (40%) 11 (21%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

11. Teachers have a very good knowledge and understanding of the subjects they teach, which is one highly significant factor in the high proportion of lessons judged to be very good, and in two excellent, inspirational lessons in English. This expertise is shared willingly and effectively for the benefit of colleagues and pupils alike, and motivates adults to improve their own practice very well. Planning in year groups is very thorough, facilitated by the provision of invaluable time, through the generous staffing structure, which enables year group teams to meet on a weekly basis. As a result, all classes with pupils of the same age receive similar curriculum experiences, and the excellent teamwork ensures that lesson successes or development points are shared very effectively with the whole team, to the benefit of all pupils.

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Commentary

12. Teachers work hard to make lessons stimulating and interesting, making very good use of resources. Their very high expectations of good behaviour and serious application are amply rewarded by their pupils. Pupils are very keen to learn and work very hard, being very well motivated to achieve of their best. They co-operate and collaborate well, and achieve well as a result. Very good relationships, humour and shared expectations permeate the work of the school. In this, teachers are well supported by teaching assistants, who play an invaluable role in supporting individuals and groups in class, in the library, in Stanley Park Junior School - 19 specific support programmes and with ICT. In the latter, their knowledge and expertise enables them to complement the class lesson very effectively by continuing the objectives of the lesson using the library computers, or supporting the teacher in the ICT suite. Additionally, teaching assistants are

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Commentary

highly instrumental in enabling the increasing population of pupils learning English as an additional language to make rapid progress and achieve very well in their acquisition of English, through daily focused sessions.

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Commentary

13. Teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is good. Most of these pupils have problems in language and literacy. Their individual education plans, written by the co-ordinator, address their needs well. Very good arrangements to share information enable teaching assistants and visiting teachers to use plans effectively. Increasing use is being made of ICT. For example, pupils make use of an ‘electronic library’, listening to a text through earphones, then printing the extract to read either at home or in school. Relatively few pupils have social or behavioural needs, but these needs are equally well addressed in individual education plans, which also cover literacy and numeracy where necessary. By making progress on several fronts, pupils gain confidence and self-esteem.

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Commentary

14. The school uses a good range of assessment procedures to measure pupils’ progress. In English and mathematics, regular use is made of commercially produced as well as statutory and optional national tests to record pupils’ attainment. This information is analysed very thoroughly and used very effectively to set targets for the next term, which are then discussed with parents. Pupils know their targets and are aware of what they need to do to achieve them. However, the system lacks flexibility because there is no mechanism to set new targets if existing ones are met quickly. Assessment in other subjects is carried out termly and is satisfactory. Good plans are in place to develop assessment through more regular tasks specifically designed for this purpose. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are used well as working documents. They are clearly annotated to show pupils’ progress and targets are adjusted as necessary. Sometimes these plans

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Commentary

remain the same for successive terms, however, because targets are somewhat ambitious.

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Commentary

15. Most teachers use the everyday assessment of pupils’ work, including marking, well. They adjust their future lessons sensibly to reflect what pupils have, or have not, learnt. Marking is positive, encouraging and informative, giving pupils good information about what they have learnt. Homework is set regularly and reading homework is done well. However, it was noted that there is some disparity between the level and frequency set in different classes in the same year group. The school needs to review its policy and practice, and monitor these, to ensure parity of experience for all pupils of the same age.

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The curriculum

The school provides a very good curriculum. The range and quality of activities provided to enrich this curriculum are very good. The overall quality of resources and accommodation is good . Stanley Park Junior School - 20

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a very broad, interesting and well-balanced programme with very good links between subjects. • Pupils benefit from an impressive programme of extra activities, visits and visitors. • Very effective use is made of generous staffing levels to provide time for teachers to plan and prepare for pupils’ learning. • There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • The programme in personal, social and health education is very good. • The school makes good use of its limited accommodation, but ventilation in the computer suite is inadequate. • The school has very good resources and equipment for information and communication technology (ICT), science and English.

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Commentary

16. The curriculum has improved since the last inspection. An excellent timetable gives due prominence to English and mathematics, but provides sufficient time for all other subjects. In individual subjects, programmes are very well balanced. Time is used very flexibly, with a very strong feature of the school’s programme being the way in which subjects are interlinked. Areas such as environmental awareness enter into a range of subjects, often providing very good opportunities for writing. Work in art is carefully planned to support that in many other subjects as pupils develop their skills and understanding. The very good programme in personal, social and health education is supplemented and enhanced by attention to these areas in physical education lessons. These links between subjects make learning interesting and highly relevant to pupils. Very effective use is made of specialist teachers. Part-time teachers provide

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Commentary

lessons in drama and personal, social and health education to all classes and the music specialist teaches all older pupils. This use of specialist and other part-time teachers enables class teachers to be released from class responsibilities in order to plan and prepare as a team in each year group. This has a very good impact on pupils’ learning by providing quality and consistency in lessons.

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Commentary

17. The school provides a very good range of activities to enrich pupils’ experiences. There is a very good programme of visits to places of interest, visiting specialists and themed days or weeks. Staff work hard to provide an extensive programme of clubs during the lunch break and after school. Most of these are open to all interested pupils and are very well supported. The needs of pupils with particular gifts or talents are met very well through musical and sporting activities, a Latin Club and extra mathematical opportunities provided in association with two local secondary schools. An innovative feature is the effective use of lessons in stringed instruments to teach music to all pupils in Year 4, using the expertise of visiting teachers, provided through the Wider Opportunities Initiative. Stanley Park Junior School - 21 18. The flexibility provided by the timetable and generous staffing levels enable the

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Commentary

school to make very good provision for pupils with special educational needs, and for those learning English as an additional language. Problems reported at the last inspection concerning parts of the curriculum being missed by pupils have been successfully overcome.

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Commentary

19. Accommodation is well organised and thoughtfully used, although constrained by the physical size and shape of the school building. Premises are safe, clean and well maintained. School staff and governors work effectively to prioritise and plan refurbishment works. The recently completed ‘Centenary Hall’ has provided improved facilities for pupils and the wider community. The inclusion of a ramp access has also improved accessibility for pupils with disabilities. The playground area includes new climbing apparatus, partially funded by the parent teacher association, which is very popular and used well by pupils. There is also an area for quiet play, and a well-fenced pond area which is used to enhance pupils’ experience of curriculum subjects. The playground surface, however, is very uneven, which inhibits sporting and play activities. This is scheduled for re-surfacing during the school summer holiday this year.

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Commentary

20. Overall, the school’s resources to meet the demands of the curriculum are good and support all aspects of pupils’ learning well. In science, English and ICT resources are very good. For example, there are interactive whiteboards and computers in each classroom, in addition to the computers in the library and the ICT suite. However, this area lacks sufficient ventilation for the current level of use, so that it becomes uncomfortably hot during the course of the day.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good. Guidance and support for pupils are very good and their involvement in the school’s work and development is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good procedures ensure pupils work in a healthy and safe environment. • Pupils have very good relationships with teachers and other staff. • Arrangements for pupils’ induction to school are very good. • The school is very effective in building pupils’ self-esteem and confidence.

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Commentary

21. The caring ethos of the school is a major strength, with the safety and well- being of all pupils an important focus for all members of staff. The very good quality of pastoral care is evident in all the relationships in the school, in staff knowledge of pupils’ needs and in the way the school promotes the best interests of all pupils. This shows an improvement over the high standards identified at the last inspection, and reflects parents’ positive views on the support given to their children. An ample number of staff are trained to administer first aid and all staff receive training in child protection procedures. School buildings and grounds are clean and well maintained. The governors’ Stanley Park Junior School - 22 premises committee is fully involved in ensuring risk assessments and safety procedures are well implemented.

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Commentary

22. Teachers and other staff know their pupils very well. Relationships between them make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning and well-being. Pupils who expressed their views during the inspection were confident that they can talk to a member of staff if they have any problems or concerns. Throughout the school, effective assessment procedures are used to provide pupils with high quality academic and personal guidance. Pupils know and understand their targets, which are reviewed and shared with parents each term. In addition to formal assessment, the school operates a system of ‘merit awards’, given for academic and personal achievement. This provides an informal and enjoyable opportunity to monitor pupils’ progress. At the end of each year, pupils are involved in evaluating their own performance and setting future targets. This involvement of pupils, together with the very good guidance they receive,

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Commentary

provides very strong support for their learning. It also helps pupils to mature and develop personally as they move through the school.

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Commentary

23. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported. Their needs are carefully recorded in ‘focus folders’. When extra practice is required to ensure pupils have grasped a new concept, teaching assistants use these folders to provide an appropriate programme of activities. The school has developed an effective partnership with external agencies, resulting in weekly visits by a number of visiting support teachers who provide expert assistance to small groups of pupils. Although most extra support is in literacy, the school makes very good use of some complex timetabling arrangements to free teachers to provide ‘booster’ groups in mathematics.

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Commentary

24. Pupils starting school are supported by a very good induction programme. Most pupils transfer from the adjacent infant school. During the summer term, Year 2 and Year 3 pupils participate in joint exchange visits. These are good opportunities for older pupils to share their experiences and provide information, and for younger pupils to become familiar with the junior school environment. In discussion with inspectors, pupils expressed very positive views about the move to junior school and the way they had settled into Year 3.

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Commentary

25. Pupils throughout the school know that their views matter and this is an important factor in building their self-esteem. The school council has been in place for just over a year and has already provided pupils with a valuable and well-used forum to influence school life. A good example of the council’s work is the new playground equipment, and the rules for its use. Each year, pupils contribute to their own class codes of behaviour, which are a good indication of their consideration for people and things around them. Pupils’ views are also sought in an annual survey, which pupils know will be taken seriously and contribute to school life.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents. Links with other schools and the local community are good . Stanley Park Junior School - 23

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are very supportive and many are actively involved in the school. • The school provides very good information to parents about their child’s progress, but there is some inconsistency in the way homework is set. • There are very good arrangements to prepare pupils for the move to secondary school.

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Commentary

26. Parents’ views expressed through the pre-inspection questionnaire and meeting were very positive. They feel that their child settles well, likes school and is making good progress. Parents are very supportive in a number of ways and this is highly valued by the school. Many parents volunteer to help in class, and contribute their time and expertise willingly to a variety of school events and activities. The parent teacher association is a very active support group, which raises substantial funds for additional school resources, such as the new playground equipment. Inspection findings support parents’ views that the school continues to maintain a very good partnership with parents.

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Commentary

27. The school’s prospectus and governors’ annual report provide very good summary information to parents, about the school’s ethos, curriculum, standards and development. This information is supplemented throughout the year with regular written communication, such as newsletters, and a range of events to help parents support their child’s learning. Pupils’ targets, for example, are shared with parents at termly consultations, and annual reports provide parents with good information about their child’s academic progress, and personal and social development. Most parents feel that appropriate homework is given, although a minority of parents expressed concerns about the inconsistency of homework across year groups. Inspectors agree that there is some variation in the way homework is recorded in the home/school books and monitoring and planning need to ensure consistency. However, inspection evidence supports the school’s view that regular homework is set, and that

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Commentary

parents and teachers work well together to support pupils in this work.

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Commentary

28. The majority of parents feel that the school is approachable and that their suggestions and concerns are taken into account. An annual questionnaire seeks parents’ views and the school’s ‘open door’ policy ensures that queries or concerns are dealt with effectively. A good example of the way the school responds to parents’ views is the recent changes to pupils’ annual reports, which were agreed after consultation with parent representatives. Most parents of pupils with special educational needs are eager to be fully involved in helping to meet their children’s needs. They readily help them at home on areas the school identifies and attend meetings with staff to review their children’s progress.

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Commentary

29. A good range of links with other schools and the community, and very effective links with the adjacent infant school, benefit both pupils and staff. Local resources are used effectively to enhance pupils’ learning. This includes visitors Stanley Park Junior School - 24 to school and a variety of trips, such as those to Hampton Court and Windsor Castle, which support pupils’ curriculum work. Pupils have many opportunities to participate in joint sporting and arts events. Teachers attend joint training with other schools, making a valuable contribution to increasing their knowledge and sharing expertise and best practice. Arrangements for ensuring the many different schools and colleges to which Year 6 pupils transfer have good information and that pupils are prepared for the move are very effective. The majority of secondary schools visit to exchange information and talk to Year 6 pupils. During the summer term, all Year 6 pupils participate in

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Commentary

preparatory modules of work, and additional support is provided for pupils who may find the change difficult.

p.24

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The quality of leadership and management is very good overall. The headteacher provides very good leadership. Governance is very good. Management is very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The excellent teamwork amongst all staff in the school is a significant factor in its very good ethos. • Monitoring of the school’s performance, and its subsequent ability to bring about improvement is excellent. • The leadership of key staff in the school is very good. • The school’s finances are deployed very effectively in supporting standards and key priorities. • The governing body provides a high level of challenge and support to senior managers and is very well involved in the day-to-day running of the school.

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Commentary

30. From all involved in the school, the quality of leadership and management continues to be very good, as reported at the last inspection. Many key staff have continued in post since that time, and have ensured that the school has moved from strength to strength. This is due to the imaginative and relevant development the headteacher, deputy headteacher, staff and governors have brought to the school. Systems and structures in the school are very effective. The excellent teamwork amongst all staff supports very well the day-to-day working and development of these systems. They are all focused on improving standards and the overall quality of education. Here the school is very successful. Staff new to the school praise highly the very good support they receive and how quickly they become part of the excellent team. Performance management and continuing professional development of all staff are very

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Commentary

good. Staff morale is very high and all have a very high commitment to the school. This supports pupils very well to achieve high levels of success and enjoyment through working in such a positive forward-thinking school. Stanley Park Junior School - 25 31. The governing body has developed a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and needs for development. Governors work very effectively through a clear committee structure and take very well thought out decisions to improve the quality of education for all pupils. They work very closely with the headteacher and staff, and are very actively involved in developing the very relevant and detailed school improvement plan. This provides a very good, accurate analysis of the school’s priorities and has clear success criteria related to the raising of standards, and supports the school in bringing about sustained improvements very well on a wide front. All statutory requirements are met and

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Commentary

the governors are active in bringing about developments for the benefit of the school, for example, the conversion of a previous swimming pool to the ‘Centenary Hall’. This has enhanced the provision the school makes for drama, dance and other activities very well.

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Commentary

32. Very good management systems established across the school have done much to lead to the highly effective recruitment, retention, deployment and work load of staff. The school’s own self-evaluation and its use are very good. The headteacher and deputy provide very good curriculum leadership. The deputy headteacher, as curriculum co-ordinator, works very effectively with subject co- ordinators to enable them to fulfil their respective roles very well in a relevant and innovative way. For example, the school is in the process of developing its own scheme of work based on its very effective evaluation of the National Literacy Strategy and how it can better meet the increasing standards of its pupils.

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Commentary

33. The school provides generously from its financial resources to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs, spending considerably more than is provided in grants for this part of its work. The deputy headteacher’s role includes the task of co-ordinating this provision. She displays very good leadership in this area by taking a prominent role in providing support. At the time of the inspection, for example, she spent two afternoons each week helping Year 4 and 5 pupils during geography lessons. She ensures that the school meets all its statutory requirements and skilfully organises the whole range of support for groups and individual pupils. She recognises the need to increase the level of monitoring she carries out, to ensure pupils’ needs are met as effectively as possible. The governor who oversees special educational needs makes very good contact with the school and visits frequently to discuss

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Commentary

and observe provision. Provision for the increasing number of pupils learning English as an additional language joining the school is led and managed well. The co-ordinator has a good overview and is actively seeking additional support and funding from the Local Education Authority to ensure the very good progress these pupils make continues in the future.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2004 to March 2005

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1 208 734 Balance from previous year 26 398 Total expenditure 1 190 888 Balance carried forward to the next 44 244 Stanley Park Junior School - 26 Expenditure per pupil 4 983

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Commentary

34. Finances are very well targeted to support the discerned priorities and deployed very well to meet the developing circumstances of the school. Financial records are kept up-to-date and their management by the school’s financial officer and senior management team are very good. The chair of the governors’ finance committee and several members of the governing body regularly visit the school to evaluate the impact of their spending decisions. The governing body takes a very good account of best value, frequently discussing with staff and parents its decisions and is continuing to discuss with pupils through the good school council and its representatives. Stanley Park Junior School - 27

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in English, resulting in well above average standards. • The excellent encouragement and engagement of pupils by teachers and the excellent insistence on high standards of behaviour support the very good progress pupils make in all aspects of English. • There are excellent procedures to monitor and analyse how all pupils achieve. • Setting of homework is not always consistent.

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Commentary

35. Standards in English are well above average overall and achievement is very good. In 2004, the national tests showed that pupils’ standards by the end of Year 6 were well above average and well above the average found in similar schools. Provisional results for 2005 show there has been a further improvement in the numbers of pupils attaining the higher Level 5. Pupils are now well above average and within reach of attaining very high standards.

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Commentary

36. Very good achievement in all year groups, from boys and girls of all abilities, results in the high standards observed. Standards in speaking and listening are well above average. As lessons progress pupils have very good opportunities to discuss their findings co-operatively and to answer progressively developed questions. This they do with great thought, expressing themselves with confidence very clearly. Drama plays a very important part, and does much to develop the very high level of confidence pupils show, through their role-play, and when talking to each other and to adults. Pupils with English as an additional language very quickly gain competence in expressing themselves clearly. The very good support given by support staff for these pupils, and those with special educational needs enables them to articulate what they want to say and write.

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Commentary

37. Pupils’ reading skills are of a very high standard. A very good range of opportunities is given for pupils to develop their reading skills across the school. Pupils enjoy books and the stories they have read. An excellent lesson in Year 6 illustrates this strong commitment to reading, where pupils showed a very high level of understanding of texts previously read. The teacher asked a comprehensive range of searching questions about a book, ‘The Suitcase Kid’, and pupils demonstrated their very highly developed speaking and listening skills when they adapted their answers to the various contexts with supreme confidence. Stanley Park Junior School - 28 38. The school gives a great deal of importance to the development and use of writing. Every opportunity is given for pupils to write in different forms. Pupils show very good styles in both their writing of poetry and prose. They take great care with their handwriting, which throughout the school is joined, fluent and

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Commentary

very well formed. Spelling is usually accurate and pupils use ICT resources for spell checks, and dictionaries and thesauruses with high levels of confidence, developing very well a style of writing which captures and maintains the readers’ interest. The use of ICT for word processing is good.

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Commentary

39. Teaching in English is very good with excellent features and these promote very good learning. In most lessons seen, teaching was very good and in two lessons it was excellent. Teachers plan lessons very well and provide very good resources and texts to aid the pupils learning across the ability range. Questioning and involvement of pupils in discussion with each other and with the staff working with them are strong features of every lesson. Excellent encouragement and support are given to all pupils. Support staff and volunteers such as parents and governors are used very well, particularly to guide pupils with special educational needs. All pupils are very quickly engaged in lessons, working with high levels of understanding, enthusiasm and motivation. They work independently and collaboratively very well indeed. Homework is frequently set but not always consistently across all classes in a year group.

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Commentary

Assessment is used very thoroughly to respond to individual needs, indicating to pupils how they can further progress their work. Marking is used constructively and indicates to pupils what they need to do to improve. There are occasions, however, when the pupils do not follow up the teachers’ comments to further improve their work.

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Commentary

40. Leadership and management are very good. The co-ordinator is very skilled; provision is monitored very thoroughly and carefully, and there is excellent monitoring of results. Performance targets are shared very well with the pupils and the co-ordinator is very closely involved with staff to see what needs to be done to improve standards further. The rising high standards illustrate the success of this very effective monitoring and evaluation. The library is used well by pupils, and the librarian plays a very important role in developing lessons regarding its use, and in the support she gives for pupils to develop successfully a very keen interest in books and the use of ICT for researching information. There has been a very good improvement since the last inspection where teaching and learning have much improved, standards have continued to rise and progress is a lot more even across the school.

p.28

Language and literacy across the curriculum

41. Literacy skills are used very well in other subjects. Amongst very many examples, in history there is a wealth of very well constructed writing describing pupils’ explorations of life over the last century, as part of the school’s centenary celebrations. In geography, pupils conduct an extensive range of investigations and report these very well with words chosen imaginatively and used with precision. Reading skills are used very well to research information on a wide variety of topics across the different subjects, both from books and using the Internet. Stanley Park Junior School - 29

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average throughout the school. • Teaching is good and a substantial proportion is very good. • Test results are analysed carefully and good action is taken to improve the areas of weakness that are identified. • Most pupils are given challenging tasks that advance their learning well, but in lower ability sets, tasks do not always match the wide range of ability.

p.29

Commentary

42. Standards in Year 6 are above average, as they were at the last inspection. Results of national tests since 2001 have alternated between above average and well above average. In 2004, results were well above average. About nine out of every ten pupils reached the expected level with half reaching a higher level. Unconfirmed results of 2005 tests indicate standards lower than in 2004, but still above average.

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Commentary

43. Pupils are mostly taught in groups called sets, based on their previous levels of attainment. Those in the middle and upper sets in each year group make good progress and most reach the higher Level 5 by the end of Year 6. This is good achievement when compared with their attainment on entry to the school. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls within these sets, and pupils learning English as an additional language achieve as well as their peers, being fully included in the set which matches their abilities in mathematics. Overall, those in lower sets do not achieve quite as well, although some reach the expected level. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, there is a wider range of ability in the lower sets but the pace of learning and tasks provided are not adjusted sufficiently to reflect this. The result is that some pupils in these sets learn at a slower pace than they might,

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Commentary

especially in aspects such as space and shape. The school has also identified a second possible factor, noting that some pupils find it difficult to learn a range of strategies, for example to subtract numbers. Sensible action has been taken to limit the number of strategies they are taught, but it is too early to assess the impact of this change. In Year 6, pupils are taught investigational skills in a weekly lesson in their ordinary class. This is very successful and there is scope to extend this to other year groups and some other aspects of the subject.

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Commentary

44. Teaching and learning are good, and about half the lessons observed were very good. A strong feature of most lessons is the good level of challenge provided. This shows a marked improvement from the findings of the last inspection. Pupils rise to this challenge, find their lessons stimulating and behave very well, so that interruptions to learning are very rare. In the best lessons, teachers with very good subject expertise have established excellent relationships with their pupils. They use interesting resources, including the Stanley Park Junior School - 30 interactive whiteboards, very well. They provide well planned lessons based on their previous assessment of pupils’ achievements. Above all, they make learning fun and their own enthusiasm for the subject is transmitted to the pupils. There are few weak features of teaching. Occasionally there is insufficient rapidly paced mental mathematics to enable pupils to practise

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Commentary

aspects requiring attention. Marking provides pupils with good encouragement but only rarely indicates what a pupil needs to learn next.

p.30

Commentary

45. The school’s consistently good standards in mathematics owe much to good leadership and management by the co-ordinator and to effective monitoring by the senior management team. At the time of the inspection the co-ordinator was on maternity leave and the deputy head teacher had temporary responsibility for the subject. She has a very good idea of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses through monitoring of teaching, planning and pupils’ completed work.

p.30

Mathematics across the curriculum

46. There is good use of mathematical skills in other subjects, although there are no formal arrangements to ensure mathematics is incorporated into a wide range of subjects. Some good links with ICT and with science were noted, such as the use of computers to produce graphs to show the frequency of pupils’ heights, and pupils fully appreciate the value of illustrating data in tabular form. Work on graphs and the use of co-ordinates in geography also develops pupils’ mathematical skills and understanding well.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are rising, following a dip for a couple of years, and are above average across the year groups. • The focus on developing investigative and experimental work, led very effectively by the co-ordinator, is having a positive impact on improving pupils’ achievement and standards. • The co-ordinator does not currently monitor teaching and learning and pupils’ work sufficiently.

p.30

Commentary

47. Whilst standards in science appear to have declined since the last inspection, the school is working hard to reverse the trend, with science being a major focus for development in the school improvement plan. The success of this focus is clearly apparent in the work in pupils’ books in Years 3 to 5, and in the provisional results for the 2005 national tests at the end of Year 6. In these tests, 93 per cent of pupils reached the expected Level 4 and above, as in 2004. However, the percentage reaching the higher Level 5, at 60 per cent, Stanley Park Junior School - 31 doubles the 2004 figure. The school is justifiably very pleased with these results, which exceed teachers’ expectations. It is clear that the focus on improving pupils’ understanding in experimental and investigative work is being successful, and boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional language, are achieving well and making good progress.

p.30

Commentary

Standards in science are again above average, following a dip in the past two years. All aspects of the subject are covered fully, with a well-designed curriculum which re-visits topics at sensible intervals. Discussion with Year 6 pupils shows that whilst recent work up to the tests has focused on revision, in the past they have thoroughly enjoyed practical, interesting science covering all aspects of the curriculum.

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Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are good, and often very good in exciting, practical lessons. This was seen, for example, in Year 5, where pupils worked enthusiastically and co-operatively to separate materials by a variety of means. This lesson was very good because the teacher provided an interesting challenge and allowed pupils to design their own solution to this. Effective support enabled less able pupils to take a full part in experimentation, and more able pupils to investigate the efficiency of different methods. Whilst the results were not always successful, the valuable discussion following the practical session enabled pupils to evaluate why this was so, and great fun was had by all. Good, practical science was also seen in Years 3 and 4. In the former, pupils fully understood the need to make their tests fair as they investigated the best material to make curtains, which were hard-wearing and did not let light

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Commentary

through. Whilst this provided a good level of challenge, the teacher agreed that the use of data-logging equipment would very effectively stretch the more able pupils. In Year 4, pupils closely observed the ‘choices’ made by woodlice in selecting their preferred habitat. Pupils fully understood the need for careful recording of results, but some were a little over-enthusiastic in checking the location of the woodlice at too regular intervals. Very good resources are used very well, although some classrooms are small and present a challenge when undertaking practical work.

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Commentary

49. The subject is led well by an enthusiastic co-ordinator, who provides a good role model for her colleagues and has a very clear vision for development. At present, management is satisfactory, and the co-ordinator agrees that extending monitoring of the actual outcomes of pupils’ work and observing colleagues’ teaching will secure the promising improvements already evident.

p.31

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

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

p.31

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good resources are used to the maximum, ensuring pupils achieve well and make good progress. • The ventilation in the ICT suite is inadequate for its current level of use. Stanley Park Junior School - 32 • Very good leadership and management enthuse and support teaching and non- teaching staff.

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Commentary

50. The school has addressed fully the key issue from the last report, to ensure classroom computers are used to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding, and has improved provision significantly. Standards meet expectations, which represents continuing improvement, since expectations have changed since the last inspection. Boys and girls of all abilities achieve well and make good progress, because they are very well motivated and keen to use ICT skills in their learning. Pupils of all abilities have a good understanding of the value of ICT to support their work across the curriculum and use these skills well, learning from each other and effectively sharing discoveries and knowledge to the benefit of all. All aspects of the curriculum are covered fully, and the very good resources ensure all pupils have equal opportunities to improve and develop their skills.

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Commentary

51. Teaching and learning are almost always good, and frequently very good. Teachers have enthusiastically taken on the challenge of using interactive whiteboards, which are found in each classroom, and these are used very well to support lessons across the curriculum. Pupils are equally adept at using this technology and, with networked computers in both the suite and classrooms, work continues smoothly, such as Internet research to support history and geography topics. Lessons in the computer suite are almost always good and often very good. They are mostly planned well to allow more able pupils to develop their skills through increasing levels of challenge, and provide appropriate support for slower and less able pupils. Teaching assistants play an invaluable role in this support, both in the suite and taking small groups to the library where the same activities can be conducted in a calm atmosphere. This

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Commentary

also relieves pressure on the suite itself, which is somewhat cramped, and in serious need of improvement to the ventilation, which is inadequate for the current level of use which it enjoys. In a very good session taught by the co- ordinator, Year 4 pupils accurately constructed branching tree databases relating to mini-beasts, very effectively linked to their science work. The teacher in the suite and assistant in the library both ensured that the level of challenge was constantly increased as pupils successfully completed each objective in the lesson, so that exciting leaning and good achievement was assured. Year 5 pupils very competently completed control sequences of increasing complexity, effectively challenged by the teacher and supported by the assistant. Whilst this is not currently linked to science or design and technology work, teacher and pupils could see the possibilities! In another very good session, Year 6 pupils

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Commentary

competently created Power Point presentations linked to their recent activity week and residential visit to the Isle of Wight, and took great delight in demonstrating their skill and expertise in using the different functions of the program.

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Commentary

52. The subject is led and managed very well by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator, who inspires and supports his colleagues very well, with ideas, advice and technical support. The school appreciates the Stanley Park Junior School - 33 additional technical support provided once a week, and has invaluable additional available expertise in some enthusiastic and experienced teaching assistants.

p.32

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

53. ICT is used well across the curriculum, although there is scope to develop this further, by strengthening links with, for example, art and design and design and technology. Internet research is used extensively to support all subjects, such as the Year 5 current project on rainforests, which is linking geography, history, science, art and design as well as ICT, and includes the use of desktop publishing to publish results. ICT is used satisfactorily to support provision for pupils with special educational needs, although this currently largely focuses on developing and improving their literacy skills.

p.33

Religious education

Provision in religious education is good .

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Religious education makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • Good teaching and leadership ensure all pupils achieve well. • Very good use is made of pupils’ own knowledge about religion. • Visits to places of worship are Christian only.

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Commentary

54. By the end of Year 6, attainment is better than expected according to the Locally Agreed Syllabus and all boys and girls, including those with English as an additional language and those who find learning difficult, are achieving well. This is a significant improvement from the last inspection when pupils’ attainment was only in line with the Agreed Syllabus.

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Commentary

55. Discussion with pupils in Year 6 revealed that they have a good knowledge of the major Christian festivals and collectively piece together the events of Jesus’ life. They understand the significance of the parables and miracle stories and recount examples with accuracy. Muslim pupils gave good, interesting accounts of their beliefs and religious practice to which the others listened carefully and respectfully. This year’s written work is wide ranging and making a good contribution to pupils’ literacy development. A good feature of their writing is their response to the attainment target ‘learning from religion’. Pupils in Year 5 recalled clearly what had tempted them, comparing themselves with Jesus in the wilderness. They also wrote thoughtfully about what they should have done. There is also comprehensive evidence of pupils’ consideration of moral issues such as the injustice of the third world poverty and starvation.

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Commentary

Stanley Park Junior School - 34 56. Teaching and learning in the lessons observed were good. In the question and answer sessions in a Year 6 class, pupils showed a genuine interest in religious ideas. In another, very good, lesson, Year 6 pupils debated rules and laws, they had a mature view and gave extremely well thought out reasons; for example, one said ‘libraries needed rules such as ‘do not smoke and please be quiet’ - these are rules not laws but parking on the school signs is a law’. They went on to discuss laws in religion and had great respect for each other’s beliefs. The lesson was steered very well by the teacher who gave pupils much guidance and praise. Throughout the school, pupils are anxious to contribute in discussions. Leadership and management are good. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are good and are underpinned by a good scheme of work drawn up by the co-ordinator. Teachers use background music to support an

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Commentary

atmosphere of learning and reflection. All lessons were well managed, had a practical base and drew from the pupils’ thoughtful insights and responses. The curriculum is supported and enriched by visitors and visits, although these are heavily biased towards Christianity.

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Encouragement and support for pupils to learn are very good. • Teachers insist on, and get, high standards of behaviour from their pupils. • Very good teamwork amongst staff is supported by the good leadership and management of the subject. • There are good links with other subjects.

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Commentary

57. Standards are above expectation by the end of Year 6, and achievement is good in all year groups, improving on the provision found at the last inspection. Boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional language achieve well because teachers provide a very good range of opportunities for pupils to use and apply their very well developing writing skills. A good range of work in all years covers local and national geography very well, with good opportunities for first hand observations and recording. Mathematical work on graphs and the use of co-ordinates is well applied, together with the very good application of the pupils’ very good speaking and listening, reading and writing skills. A good balance occurs between teacher input and opportunities for pupils to research and learn together co-operatively and independently.

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Commentary

58. Teaching and learning are at least good across all year groups. Very good encouragement and engagement of pupils and insistence on high standards of behaviour exist, and pupils respond very well. Planning is very thorough. The subject is brought to life with the many good examples of the practical implications of the human, physical and environmental features the pupils are Stanley Park Junior School - 35 studying supported by relevant visits, for example a recent visit to the Isle of Wight, and the good use of ICT resources. Assessment is satisfactory.

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Commentary

59. The subject is well led and managed. The newly appointed co-ordinator, in her second year of teaching, has been very well supported by the previous co- ordinator and the senior staff of the school to develop her role. There is a relevant, very good improvement plan for the subject and there is a good vision for the further development of the subject.

p.35

History

60. History was sampled during the week of inspection. Too few lessons were seen to make an overall judgement of the quality of provision or teaching, or on improvement since the last inspection. Scrutiny of teachers’ planning and analysis of pupils’ work, discussions with teachers and inspection of assessment records show there is good coverage of the subject and that history is used very well to further the writing competences of the pupils. In the one lesson seen in Year 4, teaching and learning were good and there was a high level of challenge and expectation. Pupils showed very good attitudes as they researched life in Anglo Saxon times and contrasted this with their own. Samples of work showed pupils attaining levels above expectations. Of particular note is a whole school project to celebrate the centenary year of the school, each class and year group having a decade to research. Pupils across

p.35

History

the school have completed an exciting, very well researched and displayed project of the lives of people across the last century. Here, there is an excellent range of very well applied opportunities for pupils to research and gather artefacts across the century to illustrate their very well presented written and pictorial findings.

p.35

Art and Design

Provision in art and design is very good .

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are now above expectations, with a wide-ranging, relevant and meaningful curriculum. • Good leadership and management promote the cross-curricular use of art and design very well. • Pupils have very good attitudes towards art and design.

p.35

Commentary

61. Standards in art and design are much improved since the last inspection and are now above expectations by the end of Year 6. This is due to the significant improvements made to the curriculum and teaching, and to the high profile that art is given. All elements of the art and design curriculum, including printing, Stanley Park Junior School - 36 three dimensional work and textiles are covered and skills are built on systematically as pupils move through the school. Visits, special events and opportunities to work with artists, regularly take place and very significantly enrich pupils’ learning. Pupils love art and design, and their work is extensively displayed throughout the school. The subject contributes very well to pupils’ attitudes and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school has recently gained the prestigious Silver Artsmark. 62. Boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional

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Commentary

language, achieve well because the good curriculum celebrates the multicultural nature of the community and promotes the work of artists from different cultures. The curriculum is very inclusive and consequently there is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls. The focus on teaching related vocabulary as part of each unit of work and the consistent use of discussion helps all pupils to achieve well. Gifted and talented pupils also achieve well because of the additional learning opportunities provided by the after school club run by the talented subject leader. Behaviour management is also very effective and means teachers can concentrate on teaching and learning in lessons.

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Commentary

63. All teaching is now at least good, because of improvements made in teachers’ subject knowledge, teaching methods and resources. Planning is effective and thorough, with very meaningful links made between different subjects, including ICT. Work builds effectively over a number of weeks so pupils have time to develop their ideas, learn new skills and produce a final piece of work to be proud of. This results in good learning overall. Specialist teaching from an artist in residence produced work of a very high quality.

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Commentary

64. The enthusiastic and talented subject co-ordinator leads and manages very well. She inspires and supports other teachers in planning and developing their subject knowledge. She has a clear understanding of the strengths within the subject and has identified the next steps for development from monitoring work.

p.36

Design and technology

Provision in design technology is good .

p.36

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils thoroughly enjoy their design technology lessons. • A good range of activities is planned and taught well. • Pupils do not always label their designs or make lists of materials and techniques to be used.

p.36

Commentary

65. Pupils reach good standards in design and technology, and boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional language, achieve well. This is a good improvement since the previous inspection. Stanley Park Junior School - 37 66. Pupils have good opportunities to develop planning skills, although not all plans are labelled and outlined for equipment and materials needed. Pupils make and evaluate their work through focused tasks and mini projects; as a result, the pupils now make good progress. Planning shows that good links are made between design and technology, ICT and science, and that good opportunities are provided for pupils to use their writing skills; for example, in the evaluation process. Throughout the school, pupils undertake extensive work in planning a healthy diet, identifying the ingredients and utensils needed, together with detailed and sometimes amusing evaluations of the outcome. They use many

p.36

Commentary

different techniques to make their models and show good cutting and sticking skills, for example, in making a pop up card. Pupils in Year 5 evaluate a collection of marble run puzzles before making their own puzzle. In this good lesson, the teacher was skilful in questioning pupils to make them think and focus on the important factors for both designing and making. 67. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers show confidence and enthusiasm and are able to impart their enthusiasm for the subject to the pupils, making learning exciting and fun. Teachers are always mindful of the health and safety requirements. The co-ordinator is giving a good lead to the subject, and manages it well, and this is having a positive impact on standards.

p.37

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards of singing are good throughout the school. • Teaching is consistently good. • Visiting teachers teach pupils to play a very good range of instruments. • Some innovative methods are used to teach the subject, but some subsequent practice sessions are too short. • Resources are good and the limited accommodation is used well.

p.37

Commentary

68. Boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional language achieve well, because of the lively and stimulating musical curriculum which the school provides. Pupils’ skills in singing are above expectations by the end of Year 6. They sing with accurate pitch and rhythm, articulating words clearly. In assemblies, pupils from all age groups sing pleasantly, tunefully and with great enjoyment, with most confidently and competently sustaining their own vocal line when singing in four parts. They listen carefully and this enables them to begin their own part at the correct point. It was not possible from the lessons observed in Year 6 to make judgements about other aspects of music, such as composition and performing with instruments, but observations in Years 4 and 5 indicate standards in these aspects are also above expectations.

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Commentary

69. Pupils in Year 4 benefit very greatly from a very successful pilot project to teach music via tuition in stringed instruments. Lessons include learning technical aspects such as note names and musical elements such as pitch and rhythm, Stanley Park Junior School - 38 learning to sing well and learning to play the violin, viola or ‘cello. A visiting specialist teacher gives a weekly lesson of very high quality. Class teachers are present, improving their own knowledge and understanding, and enabling them to follow-up later in the week by leading practice sessions. These begin with warm-up exercises and singing, then half the class practises on instruments, in pairs, whilst the other half works on written exercises, exchanging roles at the mid-point of the lesson. This is not as effective as it might be, however, as the time is too short, allowing pupils only about four minutes on their instrument.

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Commentary

The school could consider lengthening these lessons to give pupils better practice.

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Commentary

70. Teaching and learning are good. The co-ordinator, who teaches a Year 4 class, also teaches Years 5 and 6, and consequently provides very good continuity as she is aware of the levels pupils have reached and so moves them on successfully to the next stage of learning. Most teachers have good subject knowledge and expertise, notably in knowing how to improve singing through correct posture and breathing, and this contributes well to pupils’ good standards. Lessons proceed at a lively pace so that almost all pupils participate enthusiastically. Teachers make good use of limited facilities. The temporary classroom serving as a music room is rather cramped, especially with stringed instruments and the school’s good, varied collection of percussion taking up much of the space.

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Commentary

71. A very good range of extra activities adds significantly to pupils’ musical experiences. Visiting teachers provide tuition in violin, guitar, flute, clarinet, brass and percussion. Two teachers teach the recorder to Year 3 pupils and there is a recorder club meeting at lunchtime for older pupils who wish to continue learning the instrument. Singing skills are further developed through the choir. Music and drama are combined in regular, exciting productions, giving pupils very good opportunities to perform. The school’s good quality provision in these areas was recognised recently through gaining the Artsmark Silver award. The subject co-ordinator joined the school relatively recently but is already having a considerable impact, leading the subject very well and managing it well. She is determined to maintain the high profile and good standards in the subject. However, she has not yet had the opportunity to

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Commentary

monitor the quality of teaching and learning in the Year 3 classes.

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Physical education

72. Physical education was sampled during the week of inspection. Too few lessons were seen to make an overall judgement across the school on the quality of provision. A scrutiny of teachers’ planning and discussions with teachers shows there is good coverage of the subject and a very good range of opportunities for pupils to participate in sport and extra curricular activities. Three lessons were seen, two were games lessons and one a dance lesson. These showed pupils achieving standards above expectations. Supported by good teaching, pupils learnt well and worked very hard with a high level of motivation at their tasks. The physical education programme is very ambitious and introduces pupils very well to a wide range of sports and activities such as learning traditional and modern dances, tennis and basketball. Extra curricular Stanley Park Junior School - 39 provision is very good and is supported by wide range of staff and volunteers

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Physical education

taking an imaginative and stimulating range of activities. A large number of pupils attend the activities, working very well under the very good guidance of the persons taking the classes. Pupils are encouraged to partake in competitive sports and here their recent successes in football are celebrated by a good display in school, which the pupils discuss with pride. Through a wide range of outside visits pupils are introduced to skills such as climbing, orienteering and horse riding. Very good attention is given to the pupils’ health and safety. Pupils have regular opportunities for swimming and by the end of Year 6 only fourteen of the present pupils cannot yet swim 25 metres, with some swimming 600 metres or more.

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Physical education

73. Leadership and management are very good, with a very detailed improvement plan addressing the subject very well. Resources are good. However, due to the wide-ranging nature of the subject there are a few occasions when the school over stretches itself. For example, it introduces pupils to tennis yet it has only one tennis net and an uneven court, although governors are in the process of addressing this issue. This means that too few pupils can practise putting the ball across a net and cannot effectively play a proper game. Basketball is played and yet the school has no proper basketball net and backboard. Stanley Park Junior School - 40

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social, cultural and health education, which includes citizenship, is very good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Provision is very well planned, very successfully enabling pupils to become mature, independent and responsible. • Pupils have great confidence to talk comfortably about a wide range of topics and to express their feelings about issues. • There is a very good council.

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Commentary

74. There is a very high emphasis throughout the school on pupils’ personal development, and as a result boys and girls of all abilities, including those learning English as an additional language achieve very well. All adults provide really positive role models, which help to promote the very good relationships that pervade the school. Very strong emphasis within the whole curriculum helps pupils understand the importance of their role as citizens very well. It teaches important concepts such as human rights, responsibility and decision making through all lessons, and every day life in the school to support these messages. The Year 5 project on recycling shows how keen pupils are to help the world to think sensibly about eco issues. All pupils are expected to be responsible and mature in the way in which they conduct themselves in lessons and around the school. Pupils develop very high self-esteem and confidence,

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Commentary

because they are trusted and respected by peers and adults. Teaching and learning are at least good, because this all-pervading element includes social and moral principles across the whole curriculum very well.

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Commentary

75. The school also expects every pupil to take some responsibility for its smooth running, whether this is through being a member of the very good school council, helping another pupil or helping in the classroom. The school council takes a very active role in decision making, and takes its responsibilities very seriously. Every pupil is keen to take responsibility and the result is a very happy caring school.

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Commentary

76. The co-ordinator feels passionately about the subject, leading and managing very well by example and through her support for colleagues. She has designed a relevant curriculum and teaches the subject well to all classes. Stanley Park Junior School - 41

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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

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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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