Knaphill SchoolOfsted inspection, 19 Oct 2005

Inspection Report Knaphill Junior School

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125000 Unique Reference Number Surrey LEA LEA 281857 Inspection number 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005 Inspection dates Christopher Gray AI Reporting inspector

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

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High Street School address Junior Type of school Knaphill Community School category Woking, Surrey GU21 2QH 7 to 11 Age range of pupils 01483888899 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 00 Fax number 314 Number on roll Sandra Bedford Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr G R Oakley Headteacher 22 May 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 281857 18 October 2005 - 7 to 11 19 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

The school is a bit bigger than average. The percentage of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is average, with no significantly large group. Very few pupils are at the early stages of learning English. Most pupils come from homes whose socio-economic circumstances are more favourable than average. The proportion of pupils entitled to a free school meal is below average. The percentage of pupils on the special educational needs register is below average as is the proportion of those with statements. Children's attainment on entry to school in Year 3 is above average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Knaphill Junior School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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Grade: 2

This is a good school which gives its pupils a good standard of education and provides good value for money. This is also how the school sees itself and it is right to do so. Pupils' behaviour is outstanding and their personal development is good. The school is well led and managed and all adults give effective care and guidance to the pupils. Teaching is good with the result that pupils learn well.Pupils achieve well and reach standards in English, mathematics and science which are significantly above average. However, the school realises that pupils do not always reach the same high standards in writing as they do in reading. This is more common among boys than girls, and the school has this as its chief area for development this year.The school has made good improvement since the last inspection, as is shown by the continued high standards and the very good provision for information and communications technology (ICT).

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Grade: 2

Aspects of writing were an issue at the last inspection. These were dealt with at the time, but there is now other work to be done. There is a good capacity to make further improvements.

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What the school should do to improve further

* Give pupils a clearer idea of how to reach high standards in their written work and enough time to practice it

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Grade: 2

Overall standards by Year 6 are significantly above average in English, mathematics and science, showing that pupils are preparing well for later life, including their ICT skills. Pupils achieve well from their above average starting points in Year 3 and the value added by the school is good. The most recent national test results show that pupils achieve as well in all three subjects, though the writing aspect of English is not as strong as reading. Pupils do not have enough guidance or practice in how to write to a consistently high standard.The school sets challenging targets for the pupils and they generally reach them. There is no significant difference in the performance of any group, though the school is keen to ensure that boys do as well in writing as girls do. The fact is that the girls are keener on writing than the boys are, as was clear in a discussion with Year 6 pupils. The girls said they enjoyed extended writing, whereas

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Grade: 2

the boys complained that it made their wrists ache. Newly introduced extended writing books show a good range of writing in a variety of styles in subjects throughout the curriculum.

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Grade: 2

Pupils have very positive attitudes towards their work. Their attendance is above average and the vast majority love coming to school. Pupils find activities interesting, 2 Inspection Report: Knaphill Junior School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005 challenging and fun and are clear that school is about a lot more than just lessons. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Moral and social development are real strengths and as a result their behaviour is outstanding. Discussions with pupils confirm that any incidents of bullying or racism are very effectively dealt with. Though there is no school council, pupils are clear that they have a voice in the school and cite examples of what they have brought about, such as games equipment for lunch-times. Pupils describe how, in personal, health and social education (PHSE) lessons, they are learning to work in teams, and the effect of

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Grade: 2

this is seen in the good levels of collaboration in lessons. Pupils think about others less fortunate than themselves - for example, by raising money for national charities.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good. The school emphasises enjoyment and relevance in its lessons, as was seen in a Year 4 French lesson in the ICT suite. Pupils used computer games effectively to build up their knowledge of the French alphabet. Pupils learnt well because they developed these skills to play hangman in French with the names of countries in Europe, showing a good knowledge for their age of French, geography and ICT.Good support is given to pupils with learning difficulties, as in a Year 6 mathematics lesson when the teaching assistant took a small group out for the mental arithmetic session. Learning was good here because the assistant tailored the session to the pupils' understanding of fractions, using visual aids to explain equivalence.Teachers use interactive whiteboards well in their introductions to lessons. This effectively promotes pupils' enjoyment and facilitates their understanding, though

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Grade: 2

this sometimes takes too long and reduces the amount of time available for written work.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum fulfils statutory requirements and gives pupils an interesting and enjoyable basis for learning. Planning for literacy and numeracy is good and effectively includes those with learning difficulties and disabilities. An effective PHSE programme is taught to all pupils, ensuring that all are encouraged to adopt a safe and healthy lifestyle.Pupils use their literacy skills well in other subjects such as science, history and design and technology. An effective curriculum in ICT and a well-equipped computer suite enable pupils to develop very good skills. Pupils benefit from a good range of well-supported clubs and visits to places of interest, which bring added relevance to learning. Visitors come into the school to discuss topical issues or lead special days, such as that on Tudor history, whose impact can be seen in the many good pieces of extended writing. There are good initiatives to promote healthy

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Grade: 2

lifestyles, with an emphasis on fitness and competitive sports. 3 Inspection Report: Knaphill Junior School, 18 October 2005 to 19 October 2005

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Grade: 2

The school provides good levels of care and support for all pupils. Staff are proud of the caring atmosphere and parents and pupils speak well of it. Health and safety are taken very seriously by governors and the quality of risk assessments for outings has been commended by the local education authority. Statutory requirements for child protection are fulfilled and ensure that pupils feel safe and supported. Provision for pupils with special educational needs, those who speak English as an additional language and vulnerable pupils is effective and well managed. Teachers have copious records of pupils' personal and academic achievement and make good use of them in their planning. All staff know the pupils well and great care is taken to ensure that activities match the needs of pupils through the use of detailed assessments.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher has a very clear vision of a caring community in which every child is important. Together with the leadership team he has successfully created a first class climate for learning and brought about a drive for continual improvement. As a result pupils' personal development is very good and the very high academic standards have been maintained over a number of years. Standards and provision in ICT are very good.Strong and consistent leadership has ensured that very thorough systems are used for evaluating aspects of the work of the school, in which the views of parents and pupils are carefully considered. The school improvement plan clearly identifies the school's priorities and the quality of self-evaluation is good. The leadership team has a clear understanding of the future developments needed and has already identified boys' writing as a priority. Subject

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Grade: 2

leaders manage their areas effectively and this has also led to some good improvements, such as in ICT. The capacity to improve the school further is good.The governing body fulfils its statutory duties. Governors train regularly and are committed to the school. They oversee all aspects of the school's provision and make regular visits to keep in touch with how things are going. Their role in challenging the work of the school is satisfactory.The budget is used well to improve the school. Staffing levels are good although the school finds the recruitment of experienced teachers difficult. In response to this, the school has developed good systems to recruit and support newly qualified staff. The school makes good links with other providers of education and care. 4 Inspection Report: Knaphill Junior School, 18 October 2005 to 19 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. 5 Inspection Report: Knaphill Junior School, 18 October 2005 to 19 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 2 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 1 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 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 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

The Inspectors enjoyed visiting your school this week and want to thank you for the very friendly way you welcomed them and shared your work with them. One of the things they liked best was your excellent behaviour and the good manners you display to adults and your friends. You clearly enjoy your lessons and many of you said that practical subjects such as art and design and technology are your favourites. You obviously like ICT too, judging by the Year 3 lesson we saw, when you were designing class news sheets. Your teachers make your lessons interesting and help you to bring together many of the skills you have learnt. For example, Year 4 pupils used their knowledge of geography and computers when learning the French alphabet in the ICT suite. The headteacher runs the school well and all adults have your interests at heart. You do very well in English, mathematics and science tests. Your computer skills are good too.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Reading is a particularly strong subject, but not all of you reach such high standards in your written work. Your teachers have already begun to help you in this, with the extended writing books you have started this term. Not all of you are so keen on these. When an inspector spoke to a group of Year 6 pupils, the girls seemed fonder of writing than the boys did. You need more detailed help about how to reach high standards in writing and more time in some lessons to try out teachers' advice. Boys can help here by suggesting subjects they might like to write about, or discussing why they don't like other topics.

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