Hunter's Bar Junior School

Inspection Report Hunter's Bar Junior School

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106994 Unique Reference Number Sheffield LEA 277677 Inspection number 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 Inspection dates Mrs Dee Brigstock 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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Sharrow Vale Road School address Primary Type of school Sheffield Community School category South Yorkshire S11 8ZG 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 0114 2660547 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0114 2660547 Fax number 369 Number on roll Mr M Rescorle Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Hallsworth Headteacher 4 July 2006 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277677 4 July 2006 - 7 to 11 5 July 2006 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

This is a large junior school situated in a broadly average socio-economic area of the city. Most pupils are of White British heritage but just over a third represent different ethnic groups from a very wide range of cultures. These include an above average proportion of pupils at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is below average but rising; the largest groups have specific or moderate learning problems, or emotional and behavioural difficulties. When most pupils start school their skills and knowledge are above average. Few pupils either leave or transfer into the school between Years 3 and 6. The school has been awarded Gold Artsmark for the second time. The school has been awarded Gold Artsmark for the second time.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006

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Grade: 2

This good school gives good value for money because pupils, including those at an early stage of learning English and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities achieve well. Pupils enjoy school and their personal development, well being, care and support are good. As a result, most pupils are well on their way to becoming mature, responsible young people. Good leadership from the headteacher has resulted in a restructured management team, which is poised to improve the school further. Standards in English are above average and in mathematics and science they are well above average because teachers' expectations of what pupils can achieve are high. Consequently, most pupils make good progress throughout the school. Some pupils' learning in Year 5 has been disrupted through having had more temporary teachers than usual. Their progress, behaviour and feelings about the school suffered as a result.

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Grade: 2

This situation is now resolved. Challenging targets for these pupils have been set and strategies are in place to enable them to make up any lost ground. However, a minority of parents feel ill-informed about the situation, despite governors' best efforts to respond to their disquiet. Teachers' relationships with pupils are good. They plan lessons that capture pupils' interest, and motivate good learning. Where the school's good marking policy is used well, pupils cooperate in setting their own targets and teachers write explicit comments on how pupils can improve further. Some marking, although diligent, does not inform pupils of their future targets so well. The curriculum is good. Coordinators make good links between different subjects and English so that pupils make meaningful connections in their learning. The school's evaluation of its performance is wholly accurate and clearly demonstrates its capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure all teachers use the marking policy consistently. • Develop clearly understood lines of communication between all members of the school community.

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Grade: 2

Well above average standards have been maintained in English, mathematics and science since the last inspection. In 2005 a group of lower achieving pupils did not do as well as they could in English, but the school's tracking system identified this and the intervention programmes that were put in place were successful this year, further raising standards in writing. From an above average attainment on entry, pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those at an early stage of learning English, make good progress. The school knows that some pupils' progress has been disrupted this year due to unavoidable changes in staffing but, using the detailed assessment system, has set challenging targets for these pupils to 2 Inspection Report: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 achieve in Year 6, where they will benefit from teaching by talented, permanent staff.

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Grade: 2

Pupils also achieve well in other areas of the curriculum, for example in the arts, because staff expertise is used well to catch their interest and motivate a love of learning.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school as shown by their above average attendance. They like lessons, get on well with teachers and generally feel happy and safe in the playground. One pupil commented, `I wish I could stay here forever'. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. It is enhanced, for example, by creative work in drama and writing. Pupils' responses are thoughtful when dealing with others and their respect for cultural and faith differences in school is strong. Although at times, behaviour is exemplary, pupils agree that it could be better in some lessons, where learning can be disrupted by a minority. Pupils say that a week long focus on the causes and effects of bullying was effective in making them more aware of the issues and in improving behaviour. The school council actively promotes a healthy diet and most pupils are keen to take part in the many sports activities on offer in order to

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Grade: 2

keep fit. Pupils prepare for their future well-being effectively by acquiring above average standards and essential life skills. They enjoy good links with the local and wider community, fundraising, organising clubs and working in teams to present their work to the school.

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Grade: 2

The quality of teaching and learning are good. Teachers' planning is clear and concise and the best lessons are pacy and involve pupils well in their learning. 'Now who has been keeping a low profile?' enquired a teacher during a question and answer session. Most pupils listen respectfully to others' contributions and support each other in their learning. Older pupils agree that they 'get a lot out of one day of teaching'. Teachers and teaching assistants effectively raise pupils' self-esteem and confidence. This is particularly noticeable for pupils at an early stage of acquiring English and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Permanent staff have a real feel for pupils' needs and manage occasional challenging behaviour from a minority of pupils well. Less experienced staff and temporary teachers are provided with information on important school policies. However, on occasion they do not reach the school's high

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Grade: 2

expectations of standards and behaviour from the outset. This has limited progress for some. The use of computer technology as a teaching and learning tool to support learning is good where interactive whiteboards are installed, and the school has correctly focused on extending this good practice. 3 Inspection Report: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 Assessment methods are detailed, allowing leaders and teachers to track the progress of pupils closely. As a result, any difficulties pupils are having are highlighted and the school intervenes quickly and effectively to address them.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is rich and varied and is becoming more creative and imaginative. Specialist staff visit the school to teach music and the school also provides specialist teaching in Physical Education and a modern foreign language. The school is rightly proud of its achievement in receiving the Gold Artsmark Award for the second time. This is reflected through the quality and variety of well presented art work. The focus on numeracy and literacy has contributed significantly in maintaining high standards with good monitoring of pupils' work and progress. This ensures that the planned work is matched to the needs of individuals. The curriculum is enriched by an extensive range of extra-curricular activities and school clubs which pupils value. In addition, local and residential visits provide an additional dimension to class work and good opportunities for first-hand learning, although the visits are not evenly balanced between year groups. The good personal,

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Grade: 2

social and health programme helps pupils develop self-awareness, an understanding of lifestyle choices and their implications. The school provides well for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those learning English, providing individual work programmes that are regularly reviewed and adjusted to meet their individual needs.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' pastoral care and support is good and for this the school has won the confidence of parents. All child protection procedures, essential safety procedures and risk assessments are undertaken effectively. The most vulnerable pupils benefit from being given opportunities to reflect on and discuss their particular difficulties with staff, enabling them to cope more easily in lessons. Their individual programmes of work provide clear guidance for their progress. Recently introduced systems to guide pupils more closely in assessing their own work have got off to a promising start but the quality and effectiveness of this is inconsistent across the school. Nevertheless, pupils are becoming more adept at identifying their successes and what they need to do next to improve further. Procedures for introducing pupils into school are very good and Year 6 pupils pronounced their preparation for their next school to be 'excellent',

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Grade: 2

saying that their teachers, 'really knew what they were talking about'.

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Grade: 2

The school is well led and managed. Since her appointment, the headteacher has instigated new systems of leadership, resulting in staff having more ownership of 4 Inspection Report: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 curriculum development. A particularly good example is their joint work in curriculum teams where teachers plan and evaluate new learning links between different subjects, for example between information and communication technology (ICT), history and drama. This has the potential, not only to maintain high standards in English, mathematics and science, but to raise achievement still further in the arts and in pupils' learning about the wider world. A new leadership team is being constructed and the school's plans for its role clearly focus on raising standards further and increasing staff skills. Monitoring of teaching and learning is thorough and the outcomes are fed

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Grade: 2

directly into managing the performance of staff, leading to improved progress for most pupils. Staff changes in school have slowed progress for some pupils in Year 5. The leadership, including governors, has dealt with this issue well and has attempted to discuss parental concerns in several ways. For example, they have been on the premises before and after-school and held an evening meeting. Despite this, a minority of parents are dissatisfied with the school's actions on this issue. However, the overwhelming majority of parents who answered the questionnaire were very satisfied with the school's provision and commended it highly, praising in particular its multi-faith nature. It has a deservedly good reputation in the local community. The school's evaluation of itself is wholly accurate and shows, through maintaining high standards with an increasingly diverse population, that it has good capacity for

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Grade: 2

further improvement. 5 Inspection Report: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006 .

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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: Hunter's Bar Junior School, 4 July 2006 to 5 July 2006

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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 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 2 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 2 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 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 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

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 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 No 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

First of all, thank you for being helpful to us during our visit. We enjoyed talking with you and seeing you learn. We think your school is good and these are the things we liked the most. - You listen to each other and to your teachers well during lessons. - You are doing well in English, mathematics and science. Well done! - Your art work and learning in music is impressive. - Most of you are very sensible and mature for your age. - The range of clubs you have is really good. - We believe that your headteacher is doing a very good job and that she and your governors know how to make your school even better. To improve even more, we have asked your school to: - make sure that you always know how to get that little bit better in your work. - find more ways of letting your parents know what is going on, but please remember to give them the newsletters!

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