Greasby Junior School

105026 Unique Reference Number Wirral LEA 277273 Inspection number 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr Philip Cole CfBT Lead Inspector Reporting inspector

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

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Mill Lane School address Primary Type of school Greasby Community School category Wirral, Merseyside CH49 3AR 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 0151 677 1837 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0151 677 1748 Fax number 281 Number on roll Mr Steve Creed Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr A Martin Headteacher 1 February 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277273 5 October 2005 - 7 to 11 6 October 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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

Greasby is an average size primary school that serves a relatively affluent community in the Wirral. Few pupils receive free school meals and the number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is lower than is the case in most other schools. The vast majority of pupils are from white British backgrounds and very few pupils speak English as an additional language. The school used to be a Beacon School and has achieved Activemark Gold Status. It is working towards the Silver Award for Eco Status schools and has recently started the process of becoming a Health Promoting School.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005

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Grade: 1

This is an outstanding school. This judgement is higher than the school's own evaluation of itself, which was modest. Pupils enter school with attainment that is significantly above average. Consistently good teaching and excellent curriculum enrichment and care ensure that pupils make good progress and leave the school with even higher attainment and their personal development is outstanding. Although pupils know about different cultures more could be done to help them understand that Britain is a multicultural society. Pupils understand the school motto 'Care, courtesy and consideration' and how it permeates the life of the school. Children enjoy what is taught because it is presented in an interesting way by a talented and committed staff. 'There are loads of clubs and they are really great!' said one Year 6 child and parents praise the high quality provision for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

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Grade: 1

and the inspection team endorses both these views. The school receives low levels of funding compared to many schools in the area. It uses the income very efficiently to enable children to achieve well and reach very high standards compared to schools nationally. Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher and management team together with all other staff take pride in what they do. Expectations are very high. Self-evaluation has a high priority and staff, parents, governors and children are all consulted in the process. Through this activity, and the prompt way it dealt with the minor issue from the last report, the school demonstrates that it is always looking to improve. Much has been done since to improve the school's environment and to enrich learning further, while maintaining very high standards. Overall good progress has been made since the last inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Enrich and enhance pupils' understanding of cultural diversity so they are well prepared to take their place in a multicultural society.

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Grade: 1

For many years pupils have achieved exceptionally and consistently high results in the Year 6 national tests. Standards on entry to Year 3 are significantly higher than the national average. However, because teaching is consistently good and sometimes even better, most pupils make more than the expected gains in the learning as they move through school to Year 6. As a result, a very large proportion reaches the higher level in the national tests by the time they leave for secondary school. This represents good achievement given their starting points in Year 3. A relative dip in the results in 2004 for mathematics and science has been tackled successfully by adjusting the grouping of pupils to ensure that all are appropriately challenged. The work seen in other subjects, for example, history and music was often of a very high standard. 2 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005

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Grade: 1

Parents are right to believe that pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are very well supported and make good and sometimes very good progress when they exceed the targets that are set for them. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve equally as well as other pupils. The 2005 results showed that although boys achieved well girls did even better. In many schools across the country girls do better than boys, however, this has not been noticeable in this school until the tests in 2005 and the staff are looking in to the causes of this so that they can close the gap again.

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Grade: 1

The school is exceptionally successful in promoting pupils' personal development and well-being. Pupils increasingly develop very good social skills, self-confidence and enthusiasm. They work hard in lessons, are very eager to please and standards of behaviour throughout the school are outstanding. There are excellent working relationships, for example when pupils are collaborating on tasks and between classes and their teachers. Bullying and racism are very rare, and pupils know that when there are disagreements teachers and other adults will deal with them fairly. The school makes outstanding provision for pupils' spiritual, moral and social education. While cultural development is good, more could be done to further develop pupils' understanding of different cultures. Pupils show initiative by organising activities such as raising money for charitable causes because they empathise with those in need,

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Grade: 1

such as the victims of the tsunami. The school council is proactive in giving voice to pupils' ideas, and is conducted along democratic and businesslike lines, giving pupils opportunities to make contributions to the school community. Healthy lifestyles and the need to keep safe are both effectively taught, and events such as the recent 'Walk to School Week' are encouraged. Pupils understand the importance of healthy eating, although some say they find it difficult to make the healthy choices. The pupils' attendance record is outstanding. The school is extremely successful in helping pupils to develop the skills and attitudes, and particularly the understanding needed to become effective citizens who should be able to make valuable social and economic contributions.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good across the school. Lessons are well planned and based on what pupils need to learn next. Teachers ensure that pupils have a good understanding of what they are expected to learn by the end of the lesson, which helps them to focus their efforts. Teachers successfully encourage pupils to assess how well they have achieved the lesson's objectives and they make helpful comments when they mark pupils' work. These strategies clearly help pupils to make their work better. Very good use is made 3 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 of the excellent information and communication technology (ICT) facilities, such as interactive whiteboards that are available in the school to support teaching and learning. It helps to enthuse pupils and often enhances the clarity of teachers' explanations. Questions are used well to encourage pupils to think and to check on how well they

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Grade: 2

have understood, so that further help can be given if this is necessary. In a few lessons, teachers could do more to ensure that all pupils are fully involved in question and answer sessions, although they skilfully manage pupils' behaviour and no time is wasted. The well-trained teaching assistants support very well both individuals and groups of pupils who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, although occasionally some could make a stronger contribution during class discussions. They show sensitivity and are successfully encouraging these pupils' self-esteem and independence.

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Grade: 1

The school's outstanding curriculum meets the needs of all pupils. The effectiveness of setting of pupils is clearly evident in boosting the higher levels achieved by pupils in the 2005 tests. The school is actively looking for ways of getting the most out of the curriculum by exploiting the links between subjects. Already it makes very good use of opportunities in subjects such as history to extend pupils' skills in writing. A particularly strong feature of the school's life is the enrichment of the basic curriculum through well planned use of interesting visits and visitors. There is an unusually rich and varied range of very well organised clubs. Not only is there a surprisingly wide range of sporting activities including fencing and judo, but also activities such as music, drama, science and gardening. These activities are very well supported (with many being provided at lunchtime) and pupils' enthusiasm is

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Grade: 1

reflected in the fact that they also set up and manage their own clubs, for example, the Dr Who Club. This outstanding provision makes a very valuable contribution to pupils' enjoyment of school and significantly enhances their social and personal skills. Gifted and talented pupils are given outstanding opportunities to develop especially through well established links with local specialist secondary schools. Pupils really appreciate the regular opportunities to work with the specialist resources that are available. The success of the school's programme for these pupils can be seen, for example, in the high quality videos and musical recordings that have been produced.

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Grade: 1

The care, guidance and support which all pupils are given is outstanding. Procedures to ensure health and safety are conscientiously carried out and much has been done to improve the safety of the school's site and the quality of the environment that pupils clearly enjoy. These successfully ensure that pupils feel safe and secure in school and also further promotes their positive attitudes to life in school. All members of staff know their pupils very well and are very good at both reassuring them while using assessments of their learning to challenge them so as to get the very best out of them. 4 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 There are good procedures in place for child protection and first aid and the school works very closely with outside agencies to obtain help when this is needed. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are very well cared for; their needs

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Grade: 1

are accurately assessed and as a result very good provision is made for them. They are actively encouraged to take their full part in the life of the school, for example, being play leaders, which successfully builds their self-esteem and confidence.

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Grade: 1

The headteacher and senior staff have extremely high expectations of the pupils and the school. They provide a very clear sense of direction that puts children's overall development and welfare firmly at the heart of the school. All staff play a full part in moving the school forward and willingly accept their responsibilities, discharging them with enthusiasm and pride. They are provided with appropriate time to plan and prepare for their teaching and use this time well. The school checks its work in detail and with rigour and makes considerable efforts to involve parents and pupils in this process. A very close eye is kept on the progress that pupils make. This ensures that the interests of all pupils are safeguarded. The governors support the school's endeavours well and are becoming increasingly involved in checking its performance and in identifying what it needs to do to become even better. The school makes exceptionally good use of its

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Grade: 1

budget and resources to meet the needs of pupils. Given the exceptional standards reached and good achievement of pupils it provides extremely good value for money. The school has demonstrated very well its capacity to improve by sustaining very high standards and by enhancing and enriching the curriculum provision and the quality of the school's environment. The excellent leadership and management places the school in a very strong position to become even better than it is. 5 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005 .

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

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Greasby Junior School, 5 October 2005 to 6 October 2005

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Overall

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

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learners?

NA 1 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 1 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

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 1 The behaviour of learners NA 1 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 1 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 1 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for welcoming us to your school and for being so friendly and polite. What we most liked about your school. - We are delighted that you enjoy school so much and are so excellently behaved. - You have lots of interesting and exciting things to do and we were particularly impressed with all the clubs you can go to. - The school council is very well organised and you are all so involved in helping the councillors to do their work. Your suggestions are making the school such a lovely place to be in. - We think you work very hard and do well in your lessons. The test results are excellent. - The school has good teachers and teaching assistants who work very hard so they can do their best for you. - We think that the headteacher together with governors and all the other staff do an excellent job to make this the best school they can. - Your parents are right to think that you go to an outstanding school and are very glad that

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you come here. What we have asked your school to do now. - Give you more opportunities to find out about the many people who live in our country who have come from different parts of the world. We really enjoyed talking to you and looking at what you were doing and wish you well in the future.

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