William Reynolds Primary School

Inspection Report William Reynolds Junior School

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123433 Unique Reference Number Telford and Wrekin LEA 281475 Inspection number 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 Inspection dates Jacqueline Wordsworth HMI Reporting inspector

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

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Westbourne School address Junior Type of school Telford Community School category Shropshire TF7 5QW 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 01952 586707 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01952 583772 Fax number 202 Number on roll Mr C Plant Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs I Baxter Headteacher 22 November 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281475 23 May 2006 - 7 to 11 24 May 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

William Reynolds Junior School is an average size school. Just over half of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. A higher than average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and disabilities. Most pupils are of White British heritage and only a very small number come from minority ethnic backgrounds. No pupil is at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The school was awarded Beacon Status in 1999. There were several changes of headteacher in a short space of time with the school currently led by a seconded headteacher who will become the permanent headteacher in September 2006. At the time of the inspection, the school employed two temporary teachers to cover for long term absence of staff.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section 13 (3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to the pupils’ achievement and standards, and the quality of teaching and learning. The inspection team does not support the school’s view that its overall effectiveness is now satisfactory. Inspectors found that, despite recent improvements, teaching and the pupils’ achievement remain inadequate. Consequently, the school does not yet provide satisfactory value for money. Inspectors recognise the considerable improvements that have taken place since September. The headteacher’s outstanding leadership has begun to arrest the school’s downward spiral of declining standards and achievement and improve the quality of

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Grade: 4

teaching and learning. The effectiveness of the headteacher’s action demonstrates the school’s capacity to improve. However, there remain marked weaknesses in the quality of teaching which hamper the progress pupils make during lessons and over time. Often, the more able pupils are not provided with appropriate challenge and pupils’ first efforts are too readily accepted. Teaching is not based well enough on an assessment of the needs of the more able pupils and has not been used effectively to monitor their progress over time. When teaching is effective, the pupils enjoy their lessons and are keen to achieve. Parents and pupils report that behaviour has improved significantly. As one parent wrote, ‘the school is more organised, caring, much more calm, and a lot less of a threatening environment.’ As a result, relationships in most classrooms are now generally positive and older pupils in particular co-operate well

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Grade: 4

with each other. The programme for pupils’ personal development provides a firm foundation for pupils to develop a sense of self and what it means to be part of a community.

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What the school should do to improve further

Eliminate the unsatisfactory teaching and improve teaching generally by speeding up the pace of learning in lessons and raising teachers’ expectations of the standards all pupils are capable of attaining by ensuring that all pupils are challenged throughout the lesson. Improve teachers’ use of assessment in lessons so that they are able to challenge all pupils to do their best, particularly those who are more able.

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Grade: 4

In recent years, the pupils have underachieved significantly across the full range of their school work and are capable of making much greater progress than they do. Significant underachievement is evident among all groups of pupils no matter what 2 Inspection Report: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 their starting point or ability. When they leave the school, pupils’ standards in English, mathematics, and science are exceptionally low. Assessment data showing the pupils’ attainment on entry has been used ineffectively to monitor their progress and ensure that work is fully matched to their needs. The school has not kept a careful watch on the pupils’ progress and programmes to accelerate learning for small groups of underachieving pupils have been poorly managed. The recently appointed headteacher has recognised the weaknesses and has begun to halt the decline. Better use of assessment information now results in swift and

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Grade: 4

appropriate support to tackle underachievement. The individual tracking system not only records what pupils attain but is beginning to assist the teachers in identifying challenging but realistic targets for the pupils. The impact of these actions is that the pupils’ progress is improving and standards are beginning to rise. However, the pupils are still not making enough progress because of some marked weaknesses in the teaching.

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Grade: 3

The pupils are generally well behaved and show respect for each other. However, there are still incidents of misbehaviour when teaching is less secure, resulting in unnecessary restlessness and noise in some lessons that is not challenged and corrected assertively. This constrains learning. Here, the headteacher has worked with the staff to improve the pupils’ behaviour through structured lesson materials, which help pupils to know right from wrong, understand, and express their feelings. When teaching is effective, they enjoy their lessons and are keen to achieve. Pupils enjoy coming to school, attend regularly, feel safe, secure and fully understand what they should do in the event of bullying. As one pupil said ‘if somebody is upset, nobody laughs and people listen’. The older pupils are trained as mentors called ‘Yellow Hats’ to support other children and they carry out these responsibilities well. Most

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Grade: 3

children understand the importance of healthy eating and the benefits of regular exercise. Particularly the older pupils who have used their knowledge well to produce a book that gives useful advice on how to eat healthily. The school council has also discussed having healthy meals at lunchtime. The pupils make a useful contribution to their school and the local community through links with local industries with pupils involved in designing panel entrances to the housing area. However, pupils are not fully developing the skills needed for their future economic well-being because of the inadequate standards in literacy and numeracy and the lack of emphasis given to developing skills in information and communication technology (ICT). 3 Inspection Report: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006

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Grade: 4

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is inadequate despite some recent improvements since the appointment of the new headteacher. The improvements are not yet sufficiently secure to address fully the considerable weaknesses and inadequate achievement caused by widespread unsatisfactory teaching in the past. Where teaching is inadequate, it does not build well enough on what the pupils already know. Often, insufficient account is taken of the pupils’ individual learning needs, which results in misbehaviour. Work for the higher attaining pupils, especially, is too easy; they lose interest because the pace of learning is too slow. In the small minority of good lessons, teachers’ expectations are appropriately high, with the work pitched at the right level to build on the pupils’ understanding. The more effective teachers know what they want the children to learn and make this obvious by providing clear, exciting, and relevant experiences which capture the

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Grade: 4

children’s imagination. They explain how the pupils will know when they have succeeded and are beginning to enable them to evaluate their own learning. Teachers have begun to use assessment information to identify pupils who are making insufficient progress. Marking of children’s work is generally accurate, regular and focused on their individual targets. It provides them with information on how they can improve their work. Teaching assistants are capable, competent, and valued members of the team. They provide unobtrusive and sensitive support for children who have difficulties with aspects of their work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory overall, with some good elements to enrich pupils’ experiences, including residential visits. The strong emphasis on personal, social and moral development enables the children to value the opportunities the school provides. This is particularly evident in the whole-class discussions and within the ‘Sparklers’ group which targets support for individual children to enable them to develop their social skills. The school has improved its ICT provision but some areas of study, such as the use of control technology and the use of ICT, are underdeveloped and have been limited in supporting children with learning difficulties.

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Grade: 2

The care, guidance and support for pupils are good. As a result, pupils are well looked after and safe. Pupils are now developing strong and trusting relationships with adults. These support learning and personal development well. Bullying and oppressive behaviour have been extensively addressed over recent times so that parents and 4 Inspection Report: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 2006 pupils feel confident that any incidents are either prevented or well managed and this is making a significant contribution in enabling pupils to focus on their school work. Procedures for child protection are robust and the school takes health and safety issues seriously. The needs of the most vulnerable pupils are well met particularly through the work of the special needs coordinator. Their individual difficulties are identified and addressed by specific study supported by effective teaching assistants

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Grade: 2

both within lessons and in additional support groups. Progress is regularly reviewed through discussion with the children and parents.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The leadership of the newly appointed headteacher has been instrumental in turning around the school’s ability to provide an improved standard of education for all of its pupils. The impact of her leadership in such a short space of time has been outstanding and demonstrates the school’s capacity to continue to make the necessary improvements. A strong focus on raising attainment, mainly through partnership with the local authority and through the ‘intensifying support programme’, has begun to tackle the legacy of underachievement. The headteacher listens to and consults staff, governors, parents and children so that all feel involved in their school. As one parent commented, ‘Parents now feel more included in the school as before they felt very much on the outside.’ This approach has been key in securing the necessary motivation and will to improve the quality of

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Grade: 3

teaching and learning, behaviour and attendance. Furthermore, the headteacher is keen to develop the leadership potential of all the staff and gives them appropriate responsibilities to which they are beginning to respond. As a result, staff are well motivated and keen to acquire the necessary skills to improve their own practice and to move the school forward. The leaders of subjects have a reasonable grasp of what actions are needed to raise standards further at the end of Key Stage 2. However, there are some areas where curriculum leadership is weak, especially in ICT and mathematics, where leaders have an insufficient understanding of the impact of their actions on improving provision for their subject and in raising standards. The procedures for monitoring teaching are becoming more rigorous and robust and have had a direct impact on securing improvements. Although the school’s judgement of its effectiveness overstated the impact of the improvements, its evaluation of what

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Grade: 3

needs doing is direct, honest, and mostly accurate. In this way, it enables the governors to become increasingly involved in the school’s drive for improvement. 5 Inspection Report: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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: William Reynolds Junior School, 23 May 2006 to 24 May 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 3 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 No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 How well do learners achieve? NA 4 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 4 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 3 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 3 How well learners enjoy their education NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 4 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 3 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 4 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 the very polite and friendly welcome you gave to the inspection team when we came to visit your school. We enjoyed meeting you and listening to what you had to say. It was very interesting to watch you work and talk to your teachers about how you are getting on. We thought you would like to know what we have said about the school. Most of you behave well and are learning to be kind and considerate to each other. In many lessons, we think you listen carefully to what your teachers have to tell you and you try hard. The school council and the ‘Yellow Hats’ work hard for you. Together, you and your teachers are beginning to make the school a place of which you can be proud. We think that your teachers look after you well and listen to what you have to say. They work hard to help you learn, but we think that you would do better if everyone was given work of the right difficulty. Sometimes, the work is too easy so you don’t learn as much as you might.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We have said that the school should be inspected again to check that standards are continuing to improve. Thank you for making us feel very welcome and we wish you well in the future.

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