Blue Gate Fields Junior School

Blue Gate Fields Junior School Inspection report

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100895 Unique Reference Number Tower Hamlets Local Authority 276415 Inspection number 27 °28 June 2006 Inspection dates Keith Sadler Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Junior Type of school Community School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Robert Oakley Chair Mrs Kathy Halpenny Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection King David Lane School address London E1 0EH

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020 7790 3616 Telephone number 020 7423 9682 Fax number

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7 °11 Age group 27 °28 June 2006 Inspection dates 276415 Inspection number .

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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 Education Act 2005, 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average junior school serving a community of high deprivation. All, except six pupils, come from Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi backgrounds. All pupils speak English as an additional language. Of these 100 are at an early stage of learning English. Pupils come from well below average economic backgrounds and the proportion entitled to free school meals is very high. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 7 Inspection Report: Blue Gate Fields Junior School, 27 °28 June 2006

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What the school should do to improve further

• Significantly strengthen the leadership role of the governing body.

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Grade:

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding and during the inspection the large majority of lessons seen were excellent. Teachers plan their lessons exceptionally well taking account of different levels of ability, any special needs and the pupils' competence in English. They ensure that pupils are clear about what they are expected to learn. Lessons are well structured and move at a brisk pace. Expectations are very high and the excellent relationships between teachers and pupils, and between the pupils themselves, contribute hugely to the enjoyable learning environment. Teachers routinely make very effective use of assessment data to set challenging targets and to make learning tasks match pupils' needs closely. Many pupils still have poor command of English when they enter the school. Because of the very strong support they receive both from their teachers and the outstanding support staff, they too make rapid

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Grade:

progress. Marking is regular and consistent and gives excellent guidance to pupils for improvement. Pupils are increasingly being expected to evaluate their own and others' work. The school has become a focus for good practice in teaching and learning and the high level of expertise has improved the skills of less experienced teachers. This in turn has contributed to the very high standards and achievement of the learners.

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Grade:

The school has an outstanding curriculum. It has adapted national guidelines exceptionally well to meet the needs of its pupils. For example, as all the pupils in the school speak English as an additional language and teachers' plans place a strong emphasis on developing the pupils' vocabulary when studying topics in all subjects. In addition excellent adaptations are made to ensure that pupils who find learning hard are enabled to be included in all activities. There is very strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy and ICT and these are extremely well integrated into the other subjects. The school has comprehensive programmes for personal, health and social education and for citizenship which have been carefully crafted to meet the pupils' cultural needs. The school has added considerable breadth and expertise to the curriculum by engaging outside agencies such as Young Shakespeare and the Children's Music Workshop. As

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Grade:

a consequence the performing arts have become a strength. Pupils' learning and personal development are well supported by an exceptionally wide range of visits and visiting experts. 4 of 7 Inspection Report: Blue Gate Fields Junior School, 27 °28 June 2006

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Grade:

Pastoral care and guidance are outstanding. All the adults working in the school show high levels of care and a thorough understanding of pupils' needs. As a result the pupils thrive in their learning. Health and safety, robust child protection and staff vetting procedures are all in place. Teachers know their pupils very well and monitor them carefully as they move through the school. The learning mentor plays a key role in providing very good support for those pupils who find school difficult. Pupils' well-being is also very well supported by visiting specialists and through the initiatives like the police community challenge. The monitoring of pupils' progress and guidance on how to improve are excellent. Pupils who find learning hard or are at an early stage of learning English receive warm and effective support from adults and make as excellent progress as others.

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Grade:

5 of 7 Inspection Report: Blue Gate Fields Junior School, 27 °28 June 2006 .

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Grade:

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 7 Inspection Report: Blue Gate Fields Junior School, 27 °28 June 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Pupils We had a wonderful time when we visited your school. We can understand why you love going to school. We all enjoyed talking with you and your teachers and watching your learning. We checked out many things about your school and this is what we found:* Your school is outstanding in almost every way.* Your head teacher is excellent and she makes sure that you learn well, everyone is safe and the staff work really well together. * Blue Gate Fields is an exciting and happy place to be. You like school because your lessons are exciting and challenging.* Your behaviour is excellent and you work together very well. This means that the teachers do not have to waste time dealing with problems.* We think that all the adults in the school do an excellent job. Your teachers are very talented and work very hard to make sure that the teaching is excellent. They make sure that you do your best.* All the other adults in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school do really well to make sure that the school is so good.* There is a very wide range of interesting and exciting activities for you to do in school, and before and after school. This helps to make school life more interesting for you. There is one thing that we have asked your school to do. We have asked the governors to become more involved in making decisions about the school. With very best wishes for your future Keith Sadler Lead Inspector 7 of 7 Inspection Report: Blue Gate Fields Junior School, 27 °28 June 2006

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