Lister Junior School

104554 Unique Reference Number Liverpool LEA 277179 Inspection number 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 Inspection dates Mr Mark Madeley CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

p.1

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

p.1

Green Lane School address Primary Type of school Liverpool Community School category Merseyside L13 7DT 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 228 4196 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 221 0838 Fax number 253 Number on roll Mrs A Butler Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr J Cain Headteacher 1 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277179 7 December 2005 - 7 to 11 8 December 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by a team of three additional inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is an average sized school serving an area of mixed housing to the north of Liverpool. The percentage of children from minority ethnic groups is average. There are above average percentages of children eligible for free school meals and of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The school is a member of the Local Area Network, has achieved the Basic Skills Quality Mark and a Healthy Schools Award and is a centre of excellence for the teaching of French.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

p.3

Grade: 3

The school is held in high regard by its parents and their children because it strives for high academic standards and is a place where children are kept safe and can learn. Parents feel that the school educates the 'whole child' very well. The inspection team acknowledges these good aspects of the school's work but judges its effectiveness as satisfactory, thus disagreeing with the school's view that it is good. Children make satisfactory, rather than good, progress because some teaching lacks pace, challenge and child involvement. Management has identified these factors but has not yet done enough to improve the satisfactory teaching so that children in all year groups can make good progress. In all aspects the school has evaluated itself one grade higher than the inspection team finds. The school achieved its highest standards ever in 2005 but this represents satisfactory progress because standards on entry to Year 3 have also risen. Children behave well

p.4

Grade: 3

and are keen to learn, though the attention of a few wanders when teachers dominate discussions. They like their school, especially the clubs and residential visits. Levels of care are outstanding. The headteacher and his senior managers are a strong team and provide principled leadership. The school has established effective links with local schools, colleges and agencies, which benefit the children. Finances are used prudently. The school provides satisfactory value for money. Senior management has improved standards and identified most of the weaknesses mentioned in this report. It understands how to eradicate them and has the ability to improve the school further.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

Improve the progress children make in lessons and over time by: • management taking a more effective lead in improving the quality of teaching and learning • everyone raising their expectations of what progress children can make • teachers improving the quality of children's learning in each lesson by injecting more pace and challenge and involving children more.

p.4

Grade: 3

The school has raised standards significantly since the last inspection and they are now above average in English and science and average in mathematics. Children have the basic skills to get the most out of the next stage in their learning. However, these high standards represent satisfactory progress because on entry to Year 3 children's standards were above average. Progress is uneven through the school because of variations in teaching, with children making better progress in Year 6. Children make satisfactory progress overall because some teaching lacks pace and challenge. There is little measurable difference in the rate of progress between the various groups of 2 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 children. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress in most areas of learning. They make good progress in reading because the school has

p.4

Grade: 3

made this a special area of focus. The school exceeded its annual targets but they are not sufficiently challenging for children who enter school with above average standards already. An indication of children's potential is the very good progress they make in French. Children start with no knowledge of the language or culture and quickly learn vocabulary because lessons are taught almost entirely in French. For instance, children respond with good understanding when the headteacher talks to them in French in the corridor or at assembly.

p.5

Grade: 2

Children thoroughly enjoy life at school. In lessons, they are keen to learn, but the enthusiasm of some can wane when the teaching lacks pace. They relish the wide range of activities, such as residential trips, which are '.great because we do exciting things.' Children behave well. Very good relationships between children and with teachers nurture personal skills. As one child said, 'There are children from different religions and places but we are all friends together.' Children make good progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. A wide range of experiences develops children' understanding of themselves and their place in the wider world. Although improving, attendance is below average. Children have a strong sense of their own well-being. They make healthy choices in the food they eat and the exercise they take. They know the benefit of fruit and vegetable snacks introduced following a School Council suggestion. Children feel safe

p.5

Grade: 2

at school and are aware of dangers out of school. They have important responsibilities in the school community. For example, children paired with governors write to invite them into school. Children take their responsibilities very seriously. Through charity fund raising, children learn to make a contribution to the wider community. Their positive attitudes and good basic skills prepare them well for the next stage in their learning.

p.5

Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Where learning is good, teachers involve children effectively in whole-class sessions using a range of strategies, as seen when children in Year 5 were finding out about brackets in calculations. Lessons move at a brisk pace, which ensures children are kept on their toes. Year 6 higher attaining children worked hard at calculating mobile phone charges because it was an interesting problem which challenged their thinking. Where teaching is satisfactory, but has weaknesses, whole-class sessions lack pace, last too long and do not involve children sufficiently, 3 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 so that they lose motivation. Too little time is allowed for children to work independently, and tasks are sometimes too easy, particularly for the more able. Teaching assistants frequently provide good support, particularly for less able children

p.5

Grade: 3

but in some lessons their skills are not used fully. The school has satisfactory systems for assessing children's attainment and tracking their progress. This information has been used to raise standards in subjects, for example in science, but it is not used rigorously enough to improve children's rate of progress. Teachers' assessment of children's learning leads to the setting of individual targets, but these are not always linked clearly to learning in lessons. As yet, involving the children in evaluating their own understanding and progress is not a strong feature of lessons. Careful assessment of children who have learning difficulties leads to targets for improvement that support their steady progress.

p.6

Grade: 3

The curriculum meets statutory requirements. It largely meets the needs of all groups of children. Focussing on one subject for a week motivates children to complete tasks, as in design and technology. The school still has some way to go to promote fully children's literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. The curriculum meets the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and there is some good provision for those identified as gifted in literacy, numeracy and science who attend extension lessons at the weekend. The curriculum is enriched effectively by specialist provision in subjects such as French and dance. An outstanding feature is the residential visit for all age groups, which the children particularly enjoy. Children learn a lot about being healthy and staying safe through the good personal, social and emotional development programme. The curriculum very effectively promotes the development of the children's self-confidence

p.6

Grade: 3

and communication skills. Good use is made of community links. For example, through the 'Sports Linx' programme, children in Year 5 enjoy fruit tasting, fitness testing and sports' activities.

p.6

Grade: 2

Levels of care are outstanding. The staff are meticulous in ensuring that each child is safe, happy and ready to learn. Children say they feel cared for because 'Everyone is friendly, no-one feels left out and the teachers help you a lot'. This feeling of confidence makes a very strong contribution to their personal development. Children care for each other, such as the 'buddies' who look after younger children. Staff implement effectively the good procedures for first aid and child protection and are vigilant about health and safety checks. Support and guidance for children' learning are satisfactory. Staff are generally aware of each child's needs, but an over-emphasis on whole-class teaching results in less time to guide individuals. The best marking of children's work tells them how they can 4 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 improve, but this is inconsistent. Support for children with learning difficulties is

p.6

Grade: 2

effective, but more able children are not always challenged sufficiently. New systems for setting learning targets are understood well by children, but their impact cannot yet be judged.

p.7

Grade: 3

Purposeful and principled leadership by the headteacher and senior managers has raised standards and created a very positive atmosphere in the school in which any and every child is welcomed, valued and can learn. Strong curriculum and pastoral links that benefit the children have been forged with parents and partner institutions. Senior managers monitor the work of the school reasonably thoroughly but have not acted swiftly enough to improve teaching and learning after lesson observations over a period of two years found common weaknesses in some lessons. This has resulted in children's current progress being satisfactory rather than good. Some subject coordinators have effectively raised standards by tackling subject specific issues, like the planning of practical work in science. In this context they have evaluated data well but they have had little impact on the quality of teaching. The development

p.7

Grade: 3

plan is a well written one-year document but does not help staff see where the school is heading in the longer term. The provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is managed well. Finances are used well to support the improvements in the school development plan. They are monitored thoroughly by the management. The governing body is fully supportive of the school. Governors are attached to classes and some have visited the school to understand how it works. It holds the school to account over financial matters but rarely questions the management on children's progress. The school has a very good track record of improving standards. The management team has the skills to improve the school further. 5 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005 .

p.7

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Lister Junior School, 7 December 2005 to 8 December 2005

p.8

Overall

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

p.9

learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

p.9

Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

p.9

learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 4 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 2 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

p.9

and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

p.10

The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

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

p.10

The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

p.10

The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

p.10

The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We really enjoyed our recent visit to your school. We found that you usually worked hard in lessons and behaved well. We were very impressed with the way that you willingly take on responsibilities, like house captains, and with your confidence when speaking to us. It is also good to see that you know how to stay safe and to remain fit and healthy. We recognise that you and your parents think that your school is really good and we agree in many ways. For instance, all staff really care about you and recently your school achieved its best ever examination results. However, in order to be a really good school we feel that management and teachers need to help you improve further. In order to do this we have asked Mr Cain and his staff to help you make more progress. We have asked them to do three things. First, we would like the senior staff to help all teachers build on the effective work that they are already doing, second, we hope that staff will encourage

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you to try for the highest possible standards and third we would like teachers to give you tasks more frequently which really challenge your thinking. You said that you really liked the residential visits and we think that they are great and appreciate the time that your teachers give up to take you on them. We liked the way that you learn French and feel that the specialist teaching of gymnastics and dance is helping you become more confident. We saw photographs and talked to you about the plays and were impressed with what the school does. Finally, we feel that Mr Cain and his staff deserve congratulations for both the very happy atmosphere in the school, which values each and every one of you; and for improving the examination results by so much since the last inspection. We would like to thank you and your teachers for your warm welcome and for being so helpful to us during our visit. We wish you well for the future.

p.11