Padnell Junior School

115964 Unique Reference Number Hampshire LEA LEA 279712 Inspection number 14 November 2005 to 15 November 2005 Inspection dates George Rayner AI Reporting inspector

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

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Padnell Road School address Junior Type of school Cowplain Community School category Waterlooville PO8 8EA 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 02392252752 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02392232084 Fax number 353 Number on roll Mr David Clannachan Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Sandra Lawlor Headteacher 26 June 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279712 14 November 2005 - 7 to 11 15 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 three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

Padnell is larger than most primary schools. It is located in a generally advantaged suburban area. Far fewer than average pupils are entitled to free school meals. The proportion of pupils from ethnic minority groups, or whose first language is not English, is also much lower. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties has risen, but is still well below average, as is the proportion of pupils requiring statements of special educational need. The school has had three headteachers 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: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The school has had problems in the past, but the steps taken have enabled it to improve so that its effectiveness is satisfactory. There has been significant improvement in standards in mathematics and writing. Progress now is mostly satisfactory, although some pupils are not achieving highly enough. Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. They enjoy learning and have mature and responsible attitudes. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Teachers are promoting active learning, and pupils respond particularly well in lessons where they can be involved in practical activities, for example, in science. Monitoring of teaching is bringing about improvements, but teachers do not always use assessment sufficiently to match tasks and resources to all the varying needs in their classes. The curriculum is satisfactory, with strengths in the range of extra-curricular activities and visits. The school cares

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Grade: 3

well for its pupils. It provides a safe, healthy and attractive environment and there is a genuine commitment to the principle that every child matters. Leadership and management are satisfactory, with a developing focus on improving the teaching skills of staff and the achievement of pupils. Recent developments demonstrate that the school now has the capacity to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Continue to raise standards and achievement, especially in English, mathematics, science and information technology.* Further improve the quality and consistency of teaching and learning.* Make fuller use of assessment to make sure that tasks and resources meet the needs of all.

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Grade: 3

Standards on entry to the school were above average for the older pupils, but the current Year 3 pupils entered with average standards. Following recent improvements in teaching and learning, most pupils now achieve satisfactorily. Year 6 pupils are working at expected levels. That their standards are not higher is due to previous weaknesses in teaching and learning. The impact of the recent improvements is seen in most lessons, in which progress is mainly satisfactory. It is also demonstrated by the end of Year 6 test results in 2005. These were significantly improved, after several years of decline. The best improvement was in mathematics and the results also show strong improvement in writing standards. Both of these have been areas on which the school has focused in improving teaching and learning. Improvements have been aimed at for example, helping pupils to become better at applying their mathematics to

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Grade: 3

solving problems in real life situations and in understanding the qualities that a piece of writing needs to possess to be good. The school is using the information about pupils' performance satisfactorily to set appropriately demanding targets. Throughout the school, pupils with learning difficulties make satisfactory progress. 2 Inspection Report: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 November 2005

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Grade: 2

This is good. Most pupils enjoy their learning. Pupils are well motivated and this is shown by their good attendance. They enjoy school and many take part in extra-curricular activities. Pupils are polite and sensible in classrooms and around the school. Social and cultural development is good and pupils show a strong moral awareness in their support for charities.. Pupils are aware of issues related to bullying and in a personal, social and health education lesson Year 4 showed mature attitudes to the issue and suggested useful strategies to deal with it.The school council is very active and is taking its opportunity to help improve the ambience in the dining hall very seriously. Year 6 pupils act as buddies to help younger ones. Others take responsibility for the sound system and overhead projector in the hall. The school council has been involved in a wide range of community-based activities. These include

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Grade: 2

providing hospitality and entertainment for senior citizens and in working on a project with a local garden centre. Awareness about health issues is good and most pupils are adopting a healthy lifestyle by choosing sensibly from a range of foods and physical activities. They can work as individuals or as part of a team. They understand how to use computers and other equipment safely. The work done to improve standards in literacy and numeracy is proving beneficial to pupils' economic well-being.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. The school is aware that there are some inconsistencies in teaching and is developing strategies to overcome this, including staff sharing their good practice. Most teachers plan lessons appropriately and use a variety of strategies and resources to ensure that all pupils enjoy their lessons and work willingly. In the most successful lessons pace and challenge are good and learners concentrate well. Teachers often give pupils the opportunity to learn independently. Pupils participate well in discussions and brainstorming sessions and they enjoy working in groups. Science lessons are particularly successful when practical activities take place. Pupils and teachers enjoy these and pupils show confidence in carrying out their investigations. The use of assessment to improve learning is proving beneficial. In many mathematics lessons, teachers use assessment effectively to plan for meeting

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Grade: 3

the various needs of pupils. This has been a recent focus for improvement that is beginning to show results. However, in some lessons, teachers are not always planning work that meets the needs of the full range of pupils. Work is usually carefully marked with helpful comments and suggestions to help pupils to improve. 3 Inspection Report: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 November 2005

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory range of activities for its pupils. It is working appropriately to further improve its curriculum. Links are made between subjects, which draw on a range of pupils' skills, making learning more interesting, purposeful and creative. The use of computers to enhance learning in all subjects has been hampered by the unreliability of ageing equipment. Plans to replace these are at an advanced stage. Personal, social and health education is well established and takes good account of health and safety issues. Pupils say they enjoy the extra-curricular activities. The school is widening the range of these, so that provision is now becoming good. Active sports links are fostering an increasing range of activities, contributing well to pupils' physical well-being. An extensive range of trips and visitors to the school provides effective first-hand experiences that bring learning to life. Pupils particularly

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Grade: 3

enjoyed an outdoor activities residential stay on the Isle of Wight. More able pupils can pursue their particular talents through inter-school challenges, out of school extension activities and summer school events.

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Grade: 2

These are good and pupils benefit from learning in a safe and attractive environment. Effective health and safety procedures and child protection are in place and the monitoring of behaviour and attendance is good. Pupils' understanding of safety benefited greatly from their recent participation in a 'Junior Citizen' activity. Links with partner schools and outside agencies are used well to identify and meet the various needs of pupils. They say that teachers help them to learn by marking their work carefully and by encouraging and rewarding effort. Pupils have targets and they understand how to improve their work because they discuss this in class. Staffing changes have hindered continuity in learning for some pupils, especially in Year 3. The school has responded to parental concerns by appointing additional support staff to meet pupils' needs more effectively.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The headteacher, who has been in post for just under two years, has a clear awareness of the areas in which improvement is needed and is providing effective leadership in pursuit of this. Leaders at other levels are providing sound support. The school is making very good use of local authority advisory services to help drive improvements in planning and teaching. The leader of a major subject, in which significant improvement is being secured, said that the turning point for her was in being helped to see the difference between managing the subject and leading it. This has been of great value in helping her to improve the teaching of both herself and of colleagues. Procedures for monitoring teaching and learning have improved significantly and are now good. The school is introducing improved procedures 4 Inspection Report: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 November 2005

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Grade: 3

for teachers to evaluate and account for the performance of their pupils. This provides both effective monitoring and good guidance to staff on how they might improve teaching and achievement. Governors give satisfactory support. They have a sound understanding of the areas in which the school needs to improve. Governors are aware that they could be even more effective. For example, there is a need to improve the extent to which they make regular visits to monitor and support teaching and learning. Overall, self evaluation processes in the school are satisfactory.Finances are soundly managed and the school is making satisfactory use of its resources. 5 Inspection Report: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 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: Padnell Junior School, 14 November 2005 to 15 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 3 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 3 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 3 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 2 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

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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 being so friendly and helpful when we visited your school on 14 and15 November. We really enjoyed spending time with you. On our visit, we found out that in the past, many pupils have not done as well as they could have. This has been because some of the teaching was not as good as it should have been and some pupils did not work as hard as they could have done. We saw that things are now starting to be much better. The headteacher and the staff have worked very hard to improve teaching. On our visit we were able to see that this is having a good effect on your work. We were very impressed by the higher marks that you now get in mathematics. We saw that your writing is also much better now. Because some of the computers have not worked very well, you have had fewer chances than you should to use them in lessons. We know that the school is going to buy some new ones soon. That will help you to do even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We think that you are sensible in class and in other parts of the school and very polite to each other and to grown-ups. Your very good behaviour and hard work are important reasons why you are now doing much better. We admired the way you care so much about people in other parts of the world, who are not as lucky as yourselves. It was great to see so many boys and girls helping to knit blankets for the earthquake survivors. We also heard that you look after the older people and give them a really good time when they visit the school. The grown ups make sure you are all safe and well looked after in school.The headteacher and staff know the school can be even better and are working to make it so. They are going to plan work for you that will help you to work harder and learn even more. We know that you are going to continue to help. Well done to you all and good luck for the future. Best Wishes George Rayner

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