Gaddesden Row JMI School

117101 Unique Reference Number HERTFORDSHIRE LEA LEA 279986 Inspection number 25 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 Inspection dates Mr. John Paull LI Reporting inspector

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

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Gaddesden Row School address Primary Type of school HP2 6HG Community School category 4 to 11 Age range of pupils 01582 840376 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01582 840376 Fax number 49 Number on roll Mrs.Judith Pearson Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs. Lynette Demontoux Headteacher 1 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279986 25 January 2006 - 4 to 11 25 January 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

Gaddesden Row is spread along a long lane, with several clusters of houses, near Hemel Hempstead. The school's pupils are drawn from a wide area and from a broad range of social backgrounds, although nearly all of them are of white British heritage. Attainment on entry is broadly average. The school's documentation shows that a high proportion of pupils have learning difficulties or disabilities, though the new headteacher is currently revising the information.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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Grade: 3

The school's opinion that it provides its pupils with a satisfactory standard of education and achieves sound value for money is confirmed by the inspection findings. Its own identification of strengths and weaknesses is accurate and forms the basis of good improvement plans. Good features related to pupils' personal development, their care and support, and provision for children in the Foundation Stage are evident. Parents are very supportive of the headteacher. One parent commented, 'She's always outside when we arrive, ready to listen. We miss her if ever she can't be there'. Parents feel included in the significant improvements that are underway. The headteacher's good leadership is producing optimism, based on clearly communicated ideas for future developments. She is not satisfied with present broadly average standards. Weaknesses in management, including the monitoring of information about pupils' rates of progress,

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Grade: 3

are identified as a barrier, limiting the impact of otherwise satisfactory provision, including teaching and the curriculum. It also leads to difficulties in the organisation of Years 2 and 3, and ways in which pupils are taught, including pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Adaptations of the curriculum become harder to make, so skills do not always build on those previously acquired. Rigorous systems to monitor the effectiveness of teaching have been recently introduced to gather necessary information. At the moment, however, owing to their newness, these systems are not yet fully effective. Nevertheless, the school has improved sufficiently since the last inspection, good teamwork amongst the staff is beginning to pay off and so the capacity for further improvement is good.

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What the school should do to improve further

- As information builds up about pupils' progress and achievements, use it to improve the relevance and quality of what is taught, when and how it is taught, tailoring it better to the needs of individuals. - Ensure that all staff understand how to manage and use the systems for monitoring their work effectively.

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Grade: 3

Standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average by the end of Year 6. Good teaching in the Foundation Stage ensures that children in the Reception year are on course to meet the nationally expected goals, and a few may exceed them. Progress through the school is satisfactory overall, but it is uneven amongst groups of pupils. The headteacher and staff agree and much work is underway to eradicate these uneven patterns so that achievement is raised. For example, in the 2005 tests, pupils at the end of Year 6 achieved relatively better results than those in Year 2. This was partly because pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities in the younger age group made little progress when compared with those in Year 6, who did well. The headteacher has used her expertise to make several key changes already. Decisive action has addressed a number of errors in the identification of pupils with learning

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Grade: 3

2 Inspection Report: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 difficulties and a lack of precision in constructing targets for them. Although this process is not yet complete, it is already beginning to prove successful, and more rigorous systems for assessing the progress of all pupils are being introduced. These are used increasingly to provide good information on which to base challenging targets. Pupils of higher ability are included in this process so that adaptations to teaching can more effectively meet their learning needs and thereby raise standards even further.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good overall. Children in the Reception year are very pleased about being in school and are very willing to explain their reasons. Spiritual development has improved markedly since the last inspection. Pupils frequently respond joyfully to learning. They share their feelings very openly with each other and adults. They know right from wrong, referring closely to the school's 'Golden Rules'. These strengths contribute powerfully to pupils' excellent attitudes and behaviour that support learning very well. School councillors commented that 'children in our school behave well and if they do not, there is always a reason that can be sorted out'. This confidence about behaviour reflects a long - standing strength of the school, which was noted in the last report. Boys and girls of different ages often form mixed groups and work and play together without either self-consciousness or rancour. A

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Grade: 2

good emphasis on art contributes well to cultural development. However, a lesser emphasis on multi-cultural work prevents personal development from being outstanding overall and attendance is just satisfactory. Pupils understand the need to eat healthily and to exercise. Water is readily available and they respond sensibly, getting up only at well-chosen moments to drink. Pupils know basic principles for keeping safe. The recently formed school council allows them to contribute ideas about school improvement and to comment about what affects them. A suggestion box provides a useful alternative avenue. Literacy, numeracy and computer technology offer the skills to support pupils' future in the economic world of work.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, with good features. Good subject knowledge, sensitive dealings with pupils so that they feel involved and comfortable about their learning and concentrate well and good pace to learning are notable examples. Good teaching was observed in the youngest class. The headteacher's initial monitoring has established convincing reasons for the disparity between teaching and why better learning is not evident. For example, information about pupils' progress has not been used with sufficient emphasis. This has caused difficulty in adapting work and grouping pupils to the best advantage. It has also had a negative impact on the progress of different groups, such as pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Similarly, it has led to a lack of clarity about how best to deploy teaching assistants. 3 Inspection Report: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 2006

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Grade: 3

These weaknesses are being rectified, but the changes have yet to take effect. The organisation of pupils into a mixed-age class of Years 2 and 3 spans two different stages of the National Curriculum, thus increasing the demands on planning and making it difficult to ensure pupils' skills build on those previously acquired. From next September, a re-organisation of classes will take place to improve the situation.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is planned satisfactorily to take account of all subjects in the National Curriculum. Visits and visitors are often used well to increase the richness of what is taught and to increase pupils' interest. Children in the Reception year participate in all areas of learning and their needs are met well. Adaptations of the curriculum are beginning to provide work of suitable difficulty for different groups of pupils, although staff are aware that further developments are required. Good opportunities for pupils to enthuse about their learning are particular features of lessons that include a strong focus on pupils' personal, social and health education. Exciting plans to improve the curriculum have been drawn up, with the aim of expanding ways to increase pupils' factual knowledge and skills in sequence.

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Grade: 2

Parents are very complimentary about how the staff have their children's care, guidance and support as central to their work. The inspection findings confirm the good provision. Pupils are very confident that they will be listened to if they need adult intervention. One pupil said, 'Our teachers always help us and they even stop what they are doing if we need them'. Systems to ensure pupils' safety, including risk assessment, are good. Staff are trained systematically to maintain their knowledge of the procedures for child protection, and their skills are due to be updated again shortly. The arrangements for monitoring pupils' progress are helping staff to build up useful information, although this is currently at an early stage of development. Nevertheless, parents are given adequate details about their children's progress. Invitations to review meetings for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are sent out in plenty of time.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The leadership provided by the new headteacher is strong. Parents, staff, pupils and governors have united very quickly behind her ideas for the school's future. They have seen her decisiveness, which is tempered with sensitivity, and they approve of the changes that they see taking place. Everyone's interests are considered carefully and equality of opportunity is promoted well. The staff and governors appreciate the headteacher's willingness to communicate with them openly and involve them in planning for the future success of the school. The school's procedures for self-evaluation are satisfactory. However, the management 4 Inspection Report: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 2006 of the school is not yet fully established. New systems of monitoring and new patterns for the management of subjects are too recent to be fully effective. Nevertheless, the

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Grade: 3

signs are very promising. Evaluation of what the school currently provides has been quick and accurate, which shows a firm basis for improvement planning. Teamwork is strong, and the areas already tackled have been changed and improved smoothly with the co-operation of everyone involved. The management of the provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is building a similar head-steam of improvement. Provision for young children in their Reception year is good. All of this indicates that the capacity to improve is good. 5 Inspection Report: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 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: Gaddesden Row JMI, 25 January 2006 to 25 January 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 2 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 1 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 1 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 3 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 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 welcoming when I visited your school. I think that your work and progress are satisfactory. I was very pleased to see so many of you enjoying your schooldays. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with you and coming to your lessons. I was delighted when your parents told me that you get on well and like to go to school each morning. It was also very good to hear the school council say you all think Mrs Demontoux and your teachers have good ideas to improve your school. I agree with you completely about this. What is best about your school - The standard of your work is improving. - You behave very well indeed. - You are so very willing to share your excitement about what you are learning. - Your teachers help you to feel safe and sound. What I have asked your headteacher, the staff and governors to do next - As more information builds up about your work, use it to tailor what they teach you, so that

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

it suits you individually. - Ensure that all the staff know more about how to use and manage all the information that they are collecting about the school and your work. I hope that you will always be proud of your school and I wish you well in the future.

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