Furze Platt Junior SchoolOfsted inspection, 24 Nov 2005

Inspection Report Furze Platt Junior School

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109842 Unique Reference Number Windsor and Maidenhead LEA LEA 278289 Inspection number 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 Inspection dates Daniel Towl HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Oaken Grove School address Junior Type of school Maidenhead Community School category SL6 6HQ 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 01628 410099 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01628 410570 Fax number 320 Number on roll Dr P Spear Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr P J Jaques Headteacher 18 September 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 278289 23 November 2005 - 7 to 11 24 November 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 one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Furze Platt School is situated on the north east outskirts of Maidenhead. It has 320 boys and girls aged 7 - 11 years. Pupils enter the school with higher than average attainment. There is only a small movement of pupils to and from other schools. There is a lower than average proportion of pupils who have free school meals. The number of pupils from minority ethnic groups is slightly lower than average although more pupils than usual speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have statements of special educational needs is lower than average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The overall effectiveness of the school is satisfactory. The 2005 test results put the school within the top ten percent of all schools. While standards are high and pupils achieve well in mathematics and science, performance in writing is weaker because some pupils underachieve, especially the boys. A strength of the school is the way in which the headteacher and all staff create an ethos and environment in which pupils enjoy learning. However, the school's evaluation of its own performance is not adequate because the procedures and practices to measure the effectiveness of management, teaching and learning are not well established. As a result there is insufficient information on which to base the challenging targets necessary to improve performance further. The school is aware of this and knows what to do to improve but it has been slow to implement the changes necessary since the last inspection. The recent

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Grade: 3

reorganisation of the senior management team has given a new momentum and the capacity to improve. Parents are very supportive of the school. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Raise pupils' achievements in writing, especially that of the boys* Work quickly to improve the rigour with which the school collects and evaluates information at all levels about its performance, including the impact of leadership and management* Ensure that information from evaluation is used to improve performance against challenging targets.

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Grade: 3

Standards in English, mathematics and science are high. The most recent national tests for the combined achievements in English, mathematics and science put the school in the top ten percent of all schools. Achievement in mathematics was very high. However, there was a significant drop in overall achievement in English because performance in writing was much lower than in the previous year. A significant number of higher attaining pupils did not reach the levels of which they were capable. Overall, boys and girls have similar achievements, though boys did not achievement as well in writing in 2005. Most pupils enter the school with above average levels of attainment and make at least satisfactory and often good progress by the time they leave. However, not all pupils make the expected progress and some do not achieve as well as they might, especially in writing. Pupils' achievements in subjects other than English,

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Grade: 3

mathematics and science are satisfactory. Standards have broadly remained static for the last three years and although high, could be higher still. Analysis of assessment information, monitoring of progress and setting of challenging targets, although recently improved, is not well enough established and does not have enough impact on teaching, learning and pupils' progress and achievements. 2 Inspection Report: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 2

The school rightly judges that the pupils' moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils' spiritual development is satisfactory and this aspect of the schools' curriculum is already identified as an area for improvement. Assemblies contribute well to aspects of personal development, for example, in one assembly pupils were encouraged to reflect about others less fortunate than themselves. The pupils sang enthusiastically and with meaning.Pupils clearly enjoy school, a view supported by parents. Pupils usually work hard and participate well in lessons. They offer their ideas and opinions enthusiastically. They work well together when required to do so both in pairs and larger groups. They behave well around the school, especially in the playground where they feel safe. The incidents of bullying are dealt with effectively.The School Council enables pupils to be involved in decision making and make a positive

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Grade: 2

contribution to school life. For example, it selects charity funding projects and considered improvements to facilities at lunchtime and in the playground. Pupils make healthy choices in their eating and there are clear guidelines to help them make sensible decisions about a healthy lifestyle. Pupils ably advised an inspector how best to choose a healthy meal. Attendance is above average and punctuality is good. This contributes well to pupils' progress.

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Grade: 3

Although the school correctly identifies several aspects of teaching as good, the inspectors judge that overall teaching is satisfactory. This is because there are weaknesses in the way that writing is taught. The weaknesses in writing have a negative effect on pupils' achievements not only in English but in other subjects such as history and geography. Writing is often not well organised, poorly presented and lacking in length. The strengths of much of the teaching lie in the very good relationships that teachers have with their pupils who are managed well. This helps pupils to have good attitudes to their work. Good subject knowledge enables teachers to be confident and precise, for example in their use of subject specific vocabulary and in the questions they ask. Teaching assistants work effectively alongside teachers and are well informed about the pupils they work with. This contributes positively to the learning of pupils

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Grade: 3

who require extra help. There are some lessons where pupils work hard and get on willingly with their activities but the work they are expected to do is not challenging enough to extend learning by making them think harder and achieve more. One outstanding mathematics lesson exemplified what high attaining pupils could achieve. In this lesson pupils were rigorously challenged and succeeded in working at much higher than expected levels which are reflected in this year's high performance in mathematics tests. Teachers' questioning techniques effectively assess what pupils know and they keep satisfactory on-going assessment records. Pupils' work is regularly 3 Inspection Report: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005 marked but, although encouraging, the usefulness and quality of comments to make clear how the pupils should improve their work is inconsistent.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. The breadth and range of curriculum is good and offers a wide range of experiences which draw on local resources. Good links with other schools support transition from one stage of learning to the next. A school priority is to develop better links between subjects to bring greater relevance to pupils' learning. There is a good range of extra curricular activities which are well attended, particularly in sport and music. Pupils have opportunities to represent the school in matches against other schools and benefit from educational visits for example from theatrical and musical groups. A popular residential visit to North Wales was described by pupils as a chance 'to learn about interesting things in geography and history'. Another pupil talked enthusiastically about activity days describing how science and information and communication technology (ICT) enabled pupils to work with partners to explore light

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Grade: 3

and sound through practical learning. Pupils learn how to stay safe and keep healthy through links between personal, social and health education and science and physical education. Parents provide good support. For example they encourage pupils to complete homework which enables them to meet their targets and become independent learners, particularly in mathematics and science. There are weaknesses in the way that pupils' skills in writing are developed both in English and across the curriculum, which has a negative impact on achievement. The school has invested significantly in ICT resources which can be used to support learning, for example, in writing.

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Grade: 2

Inspection evidence supports the school's view that care, guidance and support are good. Health and safety and Child Protection arrangements are secure and all adults working in the school are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. The school provides a calm, colourful and orderly learning environment where pupils feel safe and valued.Teachers and teaching assistants are sensitive to the needs of all pupils. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are fully involved in school life. The support of teaching assistants is well organised. There are new systems in place to assess how pupils are progressing. However, the guidance and targets that result from this are not sharp enough. The school recognises this and knows what to do to improve. Increasing the involvement of pupils in understanding their own progress is an area for development.Parents are given clear information about the school and this is

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Grade: 2

enhanced by a new website. Parents support fund raising events, the running of school clubs and in assisting on school trips. 4 Inspection Report: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory although the school evaluates itself as good. The school's self-evaluation is over generous, but nonetheless it has identified appropriate key areas to improve. There are strengths in the way the leadership of the headteacher and the staff have created an ethos and environment in which pupils feel safe, cared for and enjoy coming to school. The day to day running of the school is calm and purposeful and relationships are very good, providing an effective environment for learning to which pupils respond well, many making good progress.There have been recent changes and re-organisation to the senior management team and new structures successfully clarify roles and responsibilities. New approaches to the collection of information to check pupils' performance and observations of the quality of teaching and learning are improved but they have not yet had enough time

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Grade: 3

to have impact on overall performance. Although new procedures are appropriate, the school has been slow to fully respond to the findings in the previous inspection report. There is not enough rigour in the way the school evaluates its performance. There is insufficient detail and coherence in the information gathered and how this links to the overall school performance targets and challenging targets for pupils. Subject managers, although knowledgeable and enthusiastic, do not have adequate opportunities to monitor and influence the way subjects are taught.The school is inclusive and care is taken to ensure that all pupils have access to the activities offered. The use of resources is satisfactory and ICT is increasingly being effectively used to support teaching and learning. 5 Inspection Report: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 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: Furze Platt Junior School, 23 November 2005 to 24 November 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 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

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Achievement and standards

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

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 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 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 4 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 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

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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 very much for helping us when we visited your school. We all enjoyed meeting and talking with you. We are pleased that you enjoy school and that you are well cared for and safe. All the adults in the school work hard to make this happen. Your behaviour is good and you work hard in your lessons. Well done! You learn about a lot of subjects and have good chances to take part in other activities that are not part of your normal lessons. We think that most of you are making good progress and when you leave the school you are doing well especially in mathematics and science. We would like you to do better with your writing. We have asked the headteacher and teachers to have a look at the way you are learning to write to see if they can help you to improve. We would like the teachers to help you to use your writing more in all your subjects not just English. We have also asked the headteacher to check up more often and more thoroughly on how well

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school is doing to help you learn, achieve well and reach your targets. We hope you all do well in the future. Daniel Towl, HMI Lead Inspector

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