Bursledon Junior School(CA)

Age group Published Reference no. Inspection report Bursledon Junior School

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Unique Reference Number 116027 LEA Hampshire

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Inspection number 269366 Inspection dates 19 - 20 October 2004 Reporting inspector Michael Chisnall HMI

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Inspection carried out under section 10 of the school Inspectors Act 1996, and was deemed section 12(3) under the same act.

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Type of School Junior School address School category Maintained Age range of pupils 7 - 11 Long Lane Bursledon Southampton Hampshire SO31 8BZ Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number 023 8040 2738 Number on roll 284 Fax number 023 8040 7545 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Mrs D Czapran Date of previous inspection May 1999 Headteacher Mrs J Parker

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7 - 11 November 2004 269366 Introduction

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The inspection was a pilot of the new arrangements for inspection announced by Ofsted in its consultation paper of February 2004. It was carried out with the support and co-operation of the staff of Bursledon Junior School and of the local education authority.

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The inspection was carried out by three of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Bursledon is an average sized junior school situated on the edge of Southampton. There are 284 pupils on roll, 15 per cent of whom are eligible for free school meals. This is around the average. The proportion of pupils with a special educational need is above average at 24% per cent. There are no pupils for whom English is an additional language and very few pupils with a minority ethnic heritage. Pupils’ attainment on entry is broadly average, although the full range of ability is represented. The number on roll is falling.

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate

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2

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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2

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 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. Overall effectiveness of the school

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2

Bursledon provides its pupils with good quality education. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards overall. In English and science they make good progress but some boys make insufficient progress in mathematics. Standards of personal development are good, especially in social and moral skills. Teaching is good, and sometimes very good. Pupils undertake a wide range of interesting work enriched by extra activities beyond the school day. However, not enough opportunities are taken to allow pupils to apply and extend their literacy and numeracy skills through other subjects. Leadership and management are good. The school has accurately identified its strengths and the areas that need development, and has put the right strategies for improvement in place. However not enough emphasis is placed on gauging how much pupils have learned when judging the success of these strategies.

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2

This is a school which provides equality of opportunity and where individual pupils matter. As a result, pupils thrive and develop as confident learners. They are well cared for and their progress is checked very carefully, including those with an additional educational need. The school makes very efficient use of resources and provides good value for money.

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Improvement since the last inspection

There has been good improvement since the last inspection. All the key issues have been addressed well. Assessment practice is now good and information is used effectively to make adjustments to provision. The curriculum is now well balanced. Provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved. All statutory requirements are met, including a well established structure for managing the performance of staff. Standards in English and science are now higher than at the last inspection. The quality of teaching has been maintained. The governing body is now more effective and supports the leadership of the school well.

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Capacity to improve

The school is well placed to improve still further. It knows its strengths and weaknesses well. Good use is made of information about pupils’ progress to identify the right areas to work on. The headteacher and leadership team provide clear direction for developments; this is underpinned by consistently good teaching and a good work ethic among pupils.

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What the school should do to improve further

In order to build on its strengths and improve standards further, the school should:

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What the school should do to improve further

• continue to raise standards, particularly in mathematics • make better use of mathematics and writing beyond the subjects of English and mathematics • ensure that there is a relentless focus on how much pupils have learned when evaluating the success of planned improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

Overall, pupils are attaining average standards and academic achievement is satisfactory. In English and science, standards have risen since the previous inspection and are just above average. Pupils make good progress in these subjects. In mathematics, standards are below average because some boys are not doing as well as they might, particularly those capable of more advanced work. Girls do particularly well across all subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

The school has an accurate understanding of where achievement should be better and has put into place strategies to improve mathematics, such as in problem-solving. As a result, standards are rising but have further to go. The school quite rightly recognises that in English, pupils’ writing should be better. A range of approaches to help specific pupils, and to follow how well they are doing, is proving effective and writing is improving. In particular, the pupils understand what they are aiming to improve and get very clear feedback about how well they are doing. They are less clear about how to improve in mathematics. The school knows this and has a similar approach planned for mathematics as in English. The school sets itself challenging targets for both subjects.

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What the school should do to improve further

Pupils’ personal development is good and is a significant strength of the school. Pupils show good levels of self-esteem and are well-prepared for secondary school. During their time at the school, they develop increasingly good standards of behaviour, are able to work together co-operatively, and understand the relevance of rules and responsibilities. Pupils’ respect for the school as a community is high.

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What the school should do to improve further

Pupils are very proud of their work and show very positive attitudes to learning. They show interest and sensitivity towards the achievements of others when these are shared in lessons and assemblies. They accept and discharge responsibility well. They exercise good skills in being young citizens, contributing through class councils to the school council. In this forum they have demonstrated that they care about the school environment and have brought about improvements, such as better outdoor facilities and meals provision. They have a very strong awareness about how to live fit and healthy lives.

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What the school should do to improve further

The moral and social development of pupils are very strong features of the school. Pupils get along with each other very well and show very good understanding of the impact of their actions on others.

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4

Pupils’ cultural development is good, particularly that relating to music, and their understanding of other cultures in society is satisfactory. Spiritual development is satisfactory.

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4

Attendance has improved recently and is satisfactory. However, there are still a significant number of absences due to holidays taken in term time.

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Grade: 2

The quality of provision is good. Teaching is good, resulting in many pupils making good progress in the lessons sampled and in their strong personal development. Almost all pupils are well motivated to learn, want to do well and enjoy their lessons.

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Grade: 2

Teachers have a good, and sometimes excellent, knowledge of what they teach. They plan and deliver lessons well, using humour to engage pupils and help them learn. Most lessons provide pupils with a challenge, involve them in their learning and provide opportunities for assessing how well they are doing. Teachers regularly assess how much pupils have learned and use this information well when planning further work. Marking of pupils’ work gives clear advice to help them improve. Homework is set regularly and used well to extend pupils’ knowledge and learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils with additional educational needs are helped well; they are set clear learning or behavioural targets and their progress is checked carefully. Teaching assistants give particularly good support to individuals or to small groups. They are less effective when the whole class is being taught because the school’s guidance on the role of assistants is inconsistently implemented.

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Grade: 2

The pupils undertake a wide range of varied and interesting academic and practical work. This is well planned to build systematically on what has already been learnt. Pupils’ enjoyment and personal development is enhanced through a good range of out-of-class activities, such as lunchtime clubs and the planting of wild flowers in the woodland area.

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Grade: 2

The recent development of an ‘enrichment afternoon’ contributes much to pupils’ enjoyment and learning. Sports coaching sessions encourage pupils to be fit and active, and the music lessons taught by a specialist teacher ensure that all pupils in the school have an opportunity to appreciate music, and develop their musical skills well.

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Grade: 2

The school cares for its pupils well. Staff are vigilant and pupils feel safe in school. Very occasional incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly. Pupils are taught how to stay safe, both in and out of school, and to develop healthy lifestyles. The appointment of a behaviour support assistant has been inspirational. She provides very good support to improve the behaviour of individual pupils, liaises with teachers and parents, and contributes greatly to the very good climate for learning.

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5

Very good measures are in place to improve the attendance of pupils. The procedures for child protection are in place but not all staff have been briefed on the most recent guidance.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good overall. The headteacher provides clear leadership in all areas of the school’s work. This enables good teaching to flourish and creates an effective atmosphere in which pupils can learn. The leadership team ensure that the staff work as a team to improve the school. The school has identified key priorities for raising standards. These are well embedded in systems for managing the performance of staff, and in subject improvement plans. However, the ways in which the school judges the success of its plans are insufficiently focused on how well pupils do as a result.

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Grade: 2

Governance has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The governors provide effective support to the senior management in the school and ensure that all statutory requirements are met. They have evaluated their own performance very well and have started a programme of further development.

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Grade: 2

Staff are very well deployed and very good use is made of accommodation and resources. The extensive grounds are used well to enrich the curriculum and pupils are proud of the facilities offered. The recent investment in ICT is making a very positive impact on learning. Despite a reducing budget, the school successfully manages its resources to provide a very good learning environment.

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procedures set out in the leaflet 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections',

which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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