Longlevens Junior School

Age group Published Reference no. Unique Reference Number 115496 LEA Gloucestershire

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Inspection number 274819 Inspection dates 17 - 18 May 2005 Reporting inspector David G Collard

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Inspection deemed to have been carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 according to section 12(3) of the same act.

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Type of School Junior School School address School category Community Age range of pupils 7 - 11 Church Road Longlevens Gloucester GL2 0AL Gender of pupils Mixed Telephone number (01452) 530 177 Number on roll 427 Fax number (01452) 530 182 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair of governors Mr Alan Warner Date of previous inspection 16 September 1999 Headteacher Mr David Smith Longlevens Junior School

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7 - 11 June 2005 274819 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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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. Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 1

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Introduction

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 Longlevens Junior School and of the local education authority.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

This larger-than-average junior school on the outskirts of Gloucester has 427 pupils on roll who are divided between 14 classes. The numbers of pupils with special educational needs and those with statements are at national average levels but the number entitled to free school meals is low. The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups is slightly higher than the national average, although they are all competent English speakers.

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Description of the school

Since the last inspection, many local, national and international initiatives have been established and the school has deservedly attained, amongst others, the gold Artsmark award and an Investors in People accreditation. These have all made a significant impact in raising the profile and reputation of the school. A major rebuilding programme to improve the school’s facilities is currently in progress.

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Key for inspection grades

Grade 1 Outstanding Grade 2 Good Grade 3 Satisfactory Grade 4 Inadequate Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 2

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Overall effectiveness of the school

Longlevens Junior School is highly effective, provides good value for money and makes excellent use of its resources. The school knows its strengths and weaknesses well. It recognises and celebrates outstanding practice as well as prioritising the correct areas for development. Consequently, pupils achieve well, academically and personally, and gain good standards in a high number of subjects. They are prepared well for their future endeavours.

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Overall effectiveness of the school

Teaching is excellent because all staff have a clear idea about how to provide exciting lessons and so pupils learn well. They are cared for in an environment where they feel extremely safe and confident. The pupils identify the many positive features of the school, and parents are highly supportive. The outstanding range of curricular opportunities and the creative approach the teachers take mean that all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, are highly motivated. This excellent provision will be further enhanced when the new buildings are completed. Exemplary practice is rightly shared with other schools through various training programmes and this is all helping to ensure that the opportunities given to pupils are of the highest order.

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Overall effectiveness of the school

The leadership and management of the school are outstanding because of the high quality strategic direction provided by the headteacher and senior staff. There is a drive to develop innovative practice and the highest quality of learning. The school is in an excellent position to continue the improvements made since the last inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that the many teaching and learning initiatives the school is involved in make a consistent contribution to the personal and academic development of learners. Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 3

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Achievement and standards

The inspection team agrees with the school that standards are above those expected for the learners’ ages. The achievements of all pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities, are good and have continued to improve since the last inspection.

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Achievement and standards

The 2004 test results were disappointing, particularly in English for the most able learners. The school used external moderation to check the achievement of this group and work scrutiny confirms that nearly half of the current Year 6 pupils are working above expectations for their age. Outstanding achievement is made in creative writing and artwork. The excellent range of opportunities also helps learners to excel in a number of modern foreign languages, information and communication technology (ICT), music and dance. All this enables the school to support the individual gifts and talents of learners whilst a key focus on making progress in the basic skills remains.

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Achievement and standards

There is a rigorous analysis of standards and of the progress learners make. This leads to the setting of challenging targets on an individual and group basis and is progressively improving achievement.

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Personal development and well-being

The school rightly feels that the personal development of pupils is outstanding. A striking and distinctive feature of the school is the quality and engrossed focus to the learning that leads to high attendance, exemplary behaviour and mature attitudes. Pupils make a positive contribution to school life through the School Council, members of which meet the governing body. Other strong features include a ‘peer mediation role’, providing friends for pupils with a problem, and an involvement in initiating the school rules. Pupils are highly involved in local fundraising and other activities.

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Personal development and well-being

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils have a very strong sense of right and wrong and are fully aware of procedures to follow in the rare event of a dispute. They are polite, open and honest. The pupils’ involvement in an immense range of after-school activities, including various languages, sports and an ecology club and accreditation of Active Mark, a national award for commitment to fitness and healthy lifestyles, is evidence of improving life opportunities. As computer skills continue to develop, so pupils will be able to understand the relevance of technology to their future well- being. Personal development is enriched by the pupils’ contacts with other Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 4

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Personal development and well-being

cultures, such as visiting African musicians and a backdrop of spiritually uplifting children’s works of art around the school.

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Personal development and well-being

The strong focus on basic skills provides pupils with a good grounding for adult life. Children’s self-confidence grows noticeably through the school and Year 6 children are always eager to talk about their school.

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Teaching and learning

The consistently good teaching and learning are characterised by appropriate first-hand experiences in an atmosphere that is clearly designed to foster the basics of literacy, numeracy and technology. Individual need is recognised well. The ‘jump-start’ programme provides practical solutions such as allowing pupils to visit local shops to learn about money. Planning thoroughly builds upon what has gone before and provides high levels of challenge for learners of all abilities. This results in teaching that is sometimes outstanding and where learning is fun but intensive, and where pupils concentrate very well, even when they are working independently. Support for all pupils, whatever their needs, revolves around an understanding about how well they are doing, what they have learnt and how they can improve. The overall plan of providing a creative curriculum allied to different learning styles has been embraced by all

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Teaching and learning

staff and enables pupils to think for themselves.

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Teaching and learning

Structured and formal assessments are properly evaluative, although some are still developing, such as those for ICT. Teaching improvements have been influenced by a detailed external comparison of test results in every year group and assessments made by teachers. This has enabled a better understanding of where improvements can be made and also closely links to teachers’ own professional development.

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Curriculum and other activities

Pupils receive an exceptional variety of curricular experiences that goes well beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum and for which the school has received numerous local and national awards. Activities are planned successfully to respond to the needs of all ages and abilities. An understanding of how to promote a safe and healthy lifestyle is made through work in science, personal, social and health education and physical education. Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 5

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Curriculum and other activities

Creativity and innovation have been strong in the last three years, adding a challenging dimension to learning. Studies with a strong international focus have strengthened cultural understanding significantly. Focus weeks, such as the ‘Science and Environment’ week, promote very effective links between subjects as well as enhancing pupils’ understanding of world issues.

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Curriculum and other activities

An exhaustive range of well-attended clubs and sporting activities, outside visits and visitors has added significantly to the pupils’ academic and personal achievement and increased their enjoyment of learning.

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Care, guidance and support

The care, guidance and support for children are outstanding and the needs of all learners are addressed successfully. Challenging and achievable targets are set and are understood by all. Regular meetings between teachers, support assistants and outside agencies contribute effectively to the review of progress, and intervention programmes are skilfully devised to respond to those with particular needs. Pupils are given the skills to become effective learners. There is a strong partnership between home and school that further supports the pupils’ learning.

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Care, guidance and support

Health and safety routines and risk assessments are fully in place, as are child protection procedures. Older pupils are engaged in many initiatives such as informal discussion sessions that help to ensure all the pupils feel safe and secure. The range of activities planned to encourage responsibility and independence and to promote personal development contributes effectively to developing life-skills.

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Leadership and management

An outstanding leadership team dedicated to school improvement has created this school’s exciting learning culture. This is a calm, safe school that works hard to meet all the needs of the pupils, with a strong focus on learning, enjoyment and success in which pupils can thrive. The reorganised management structure provides excellent support and the complementary range of leadership styles enables them to be very good role models.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher has a very accurate and realistic understanding of the school. Processes for monitoring achievement are highly detailed and used well in setting goals to lift standards and eliminate underachievement. The data provided and the lesson monitoring information link well to teacher Inspection Report: Longlevens Junior School , 17 - 18 May 2005 6

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Leadership and management

performance. The strong commitment to staff development is recognised in the Investors in People award. Parents and pupils are an integral part of this process. The many initiatives have moved the school forward very well but a time of reflection is now needed to consolidate all the hard work.

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Leadership and management

Resources are very carefully managed and monitored for the benefit of children, providing good value for money. Additional income is generated through many extra grants. There is a superb team of teachers and support staff with a united determination to do well for the pupils in their care. When the current building programme is complete, the accommodation will be a fitting backdrop for the high quality of education taking place.

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Leadership and management

The newly-developing team of governors is well led and fulfils statutory duties. Governors provide a good critical challenge to senior staff and have a good knowledge of the school. Their work has made a significant contribution to recent developments and continuing improvement.

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaining about HMI-led Ofsted inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Key to judgements: Grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate.

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1

How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners’ well-being?

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1

The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage N/A The effectiveness of the school’s self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Y Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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How well do learners achieve? 2

The standards reached by learners 2 How well learners’ make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners

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2

How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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1

The extent of learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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1

The behaviour of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community

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1

How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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1

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education

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1

How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self- review

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1

How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can

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1

How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money

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2

The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities

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2

The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy Yes/No/NA

Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are taught about sexual health risks Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe Yes/No/NA

Procedures for Child Protection meet the requirements of Working Together to Safeguard Children Yes

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe Yes/No/NA

Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them Yes

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How well learners enjoy and achieve Yes/No/NA

Support is given to learners with poor behaviour and attendance Yes Learners’ personal and academic development are monitored Yes

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution Yes/No/NA

Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, are consulted when key decisions affecting them have to be made and their views are listened to Yes

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution Yes/No/NA

Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes

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Yes/No/NA

There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop their enterprise and financial skills, and work in teams Yes

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Yes/No/NA

Education and training for all learners in 14-19 is co-ordinated to give experience of work based learning NA

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Annex B

Longlevens Junior School Church Road Longlevens Gloucester GL2 0AL

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Annex B

You probably remember that we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed our time with you and would like to thank you for all the help that you gave us during the two days. It was super to see such happy and smiling faces. We were very impressed with how well you behaved and how proud you are of your school.

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Annex B

No doubt you would like to know what we thought about the school, so here are some of our views.

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Annex B

• Your excellent school gives you many chances to learn new skills and ideas. • Your teachers are good at planning exciting lessons and helping you to work hard and do well. • There are so many different activities for you to do outside of lesson time that we can understand why you enjoy school so much. • The artwork around the school is very good and your international links are giving you a good idea about what it is like to live in other countries. • You are looked after very well by all the adults who work in your school. • Your headteacher is very good at knowing exactly what will help you make the best use of your talents, and everybody else helps him to make this happen. • The school is involved in many different projects, and we think it would be a good idea to keep a check on whether the school is sometimes trying to do too much.

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Annex B

David G Collard (Lead inspector) Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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