Nether Green Junior School

Inspection Report Nether Green Junior School

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107004 Unique Reference Number Sheffield LEA 277680 Inspection number 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 Inspection dates Mr Roger Gill 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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Fulwood Road School address Primary Type of school Sheffield Community School category South Yorkshire S10 3QA 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 0114 230 2461 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0114 263 0189 Fax number 383 Number on roll Mr David Body Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Susan Jackson Headteacher 9 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277680 12 October 2005 - 7 to 11 13 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

This is a large junior school in an advantaged area of Sheffield. Most children are of white British heritage, but a few from other backgrounds are just beginning to learn English. An average amount of children have learning difficulties, but there is a large group with a statement of special education needs because the school has an Integrated Resource Unit for those with significant and complex learning needs. Children enter the school with above average capabilities. A new headteacher has been appointed since the last inspection.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with several outstanding features. Standards are high and children progress well overall because teaching is generally good. Achievement in science is superb as a result of some excellent teaching. The school is very popular with parents and pupils. The school's view of itself matches that of inspectors despite the school's original evaluation of outstanding. It knows that while it possesses outstanding features there are still areas to develop. The Integrated Resources Unit is not designed or equipped fully for the children it houses. These children achieve well, but their learning is constrained by the accommodation. The headteacher and staff create a safe place of learning in which academic rigour and personal development go hand-in-hand. The school is led well. The way that the headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior staff track children's progress and analyse test results to keep standards high is outstanding. Other subject leaders are fast

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Grade: 2

broadening their leadership skills. A first rate musical education is the cultural lifeblood of the school. Children have a thirst for knowledge and practical activity that is satisfied, particularly in science. The school provides good value for money; it knows what to do to consolidate success. Initiatives to make children more actively involved in lessons and to play a more prominent role in the assessment of their work are apt and progressing at a good pace in most classes.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Continue to make pupils more actively involved in their learning and its assessment. • Monitor and disseminate the outstanding aspects of teaching to ensure a greater consistency.

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Grade: 2

Children's attainment in Year 6 is exceptionally high. They achieve well fulfilling their teachers' ambitious expectations. Progress in science is outstanding. The school is in the top 5% of schools nationally for its achievement in this subject. Success in writing is not as good as reading, but each year a few more children reach above average levels in writing because the school is continually refining its teaching to facilitate this. A good rate of progress exists throughout the school irrespective of children's learning difficulties, gifts or talents. Those from minority ethnic heritages achieve well as do those who are learning English as an additional language. Standards are often above average across the curriculum, but there are differences between subjects. For example, progress is rapid in music and physical education, but in history all pupils tackle the same tasks, so higher attainers lack regular chances to research and present their

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Grade: 2

findings in original or more adventurous ways. 2 Inspection Report: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005

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Grade: 2

Children's good attitudes and behaviour are firmly founded in mutual respect and consideration. They demonstrate care for others when moving around the labyrinthine building. Spiritual, moral, and social development is strong. Most pupils are confident, courteous and have a positive view of themselves and their school community. They enjoy school and derive pleasure and satisfaction from their work. Sometimes children's spiritual development is first rate as manifested by the joy and pride that radiates from their faces when playing in the orchestra. The majority find lessons interesting and want to learn. Attendance is consequently much higher than average. Cultural development is substantial. Children benefit from the music, drama, and art provided in school, as well as from regular residential trips and excursions to galleries and museums. Their awareness at a local and national level is expressed through

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Grade: 2

stimulating role-play and their interest in historical projects. Race relations are harmonious, although pupils have too little formal experience of Britain's cultural diversity. Pupils know how to live safely and healthily. Their awareness ranges from good diet and exercise to dealing safely with strangers. Their care for the wider and world community is evident in assemblies and the fund raising for charity, which they enjoy.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is mostly good, with outstanding features. Pupils' good levels of concentration and collaboration match teachers' high expectations; for example, in a Year 5 lesson in which the class debated maturely the plight of the maid, in the traditional rhyme, who had her nose pecked off. In most cases, teachers know their subjects well so most children accept challenges and learn thoroughly. Lessons provide varied and stimulating activities that encourage independent learning and productive partnerships. There are open-ended tasks and enrichment activities in several subjects, which realise children's potential in an outstanding way, for example, in science. Work is adapted to suit children's different needs. Those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are included well; they make good progress in line with their peers. Teachers use a wide variety of resources, including computers and electronic whiteboards, which engage children's enthusiasm

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Grade: 2

and enable them to solve problems themselves. The assessment of children's progress is very precise and some well structured targets are given to children to help them improve their writing. However, there are inconsistencies across the school in the way children are actively involved in discussing their work in general, and how it could be improved. Moreover, in a minority of lessons, the pace slackens and children become restless until checked 3 Inspection Report: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005

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Grade: 2

The good curriculum meets statutory requirements and is enhanced by links with local schools. Planning for literacy and numeracy is effective and the use of information and communication technology adds scope to learning. Pupils discuss topical issues such as smoking and substance abuse, but the school is right to say that that the programme for personal development needs attention. Moreover, children feel restricted by religious education. They study three religions, but regret the absence of Hinduism and Buddhism, which are practised by several of their friends in school. An energetic curriculum for the performing arts results in stimulating assemblies and occasional school productions in a city centre theatre. A healthy range of sports and outdoor activities caters for many preferences. Various responsibilities, including school council membership, allow pupils to contribute to their immediate and wider community.

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Grade: 2

All children are taught to think about the world of work through good links with supermarkets and banks. Extra-curricular lessons, including Latin groups, enhance many pupils' learning; they all enjoy stimulating excursions or visits by artists and musicians.

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Grade: 2

An ethos of care runs through the school and pupils feel safe. Pupils' health and safety are assured by well developed systems. Furthermore, robust child protection procedures mean that vulnerable children are given good support. The school works well in partnership with outside agencies and makes best use of its own expertise in the Integrated Resource Unit to provide for the children who use it. Parents appreciate this work and the way they are involved. One parent commented about support for vulnerable children, 'home-school communication is excellent'. Expectation of pupils' behaviour is consistently high. Staff recognise success with rewards such as 'Pupil of the Week'. Children get off to a flying start in Year 3 due to the strong programme of induction. They say, after a very short time in school, 'It's good fun here'. Similarly, successful transfer arrangements are in place for Year 6 leavers. Pupils feel well guided and supported in lessons. One said with insight gained

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Grade: 2

from good teaching, 'It doesn't matter sometimes if you get something wrong, because that's the way you learn'.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, deputy headteacher and senior staff succeed in building on the school's strengths to improve it even more. They understand what makes learning successful and how to remedy any unexpected results. For example, in 2003, the proportion of children reaching the higher level in mathematics was slightly lower than anticipated, but this was rectified in 2004. The school's vision of academic prowess 4 Inspection Report: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 October 2005 balanced with personal fulfilment is realised in many respects. For example, leadership in science has produced outstanding results. There is a direct correspondence between the excellent lead give by the headteacher and her staff and the quality of daily life in school. Children try to emulate the concern for others promoted within the school. As one older child wrote, 'I comforted a Year 3 child today who was crying and I felt proud of myself'.

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Grade: 2

The school's self-evaluation is largely accurate. In practice, the headteacher and deputy headteacher know how good the school is; where the best practice lies and what still needs to be developed. The governors have a firm understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have a strong grasp of how well children are doing and know why the school is embarking on some initiatives to improve children's learning. In practice, some teachers are forging ahead with bright ideas, but the school lacks a method of checking how teaching influences children's learning and achievement so that the most effective results can be shared. Therefore, the governors are not yet in a position to judge the benefit of the initiatives related to learning. 5 Inspection Report: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 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: Nether Green Junior School, 12 October 2005 to 13 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 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 1 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 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

N/A Thank you for your help when we inspected your school this week. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit because everyone was so helpful and friendly. We would like to share with you our ideas. These are the things we thought were good. - You all seem so relaxed and confident in all that you do. - Many of you told us that lessons were fun and we agree. - The Year 6 children do very well in tests, particularly in science owing to all the practical work that you do over the years. - Teachers are beginning to make learning even more interesting by using things like Brain Gym and Mind Mapping. - The orchestra and choir are wonderful. We know everyone wants to do even better and we have suggested a couple of things that we think will help. - We want your teachers to continue to improve the way that you learn in class and involve you more in thinking about how well you have done and what you need to do to improve your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

work. - We also want your headteacher to find out which are the best bits in lessons and spread the news around school so that everyone can benefit. Best wishes and good luck in the future.

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