Westbury Church of England Junior School

Inspection Report Westbury Church of England Junior School

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126369 Unique Reference Number Wiltshire LEA 282100 Inspection number 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006 Inspection dates Janet Sinclair AI Reporting inspector

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

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Oldfield Park School address Primary Type of school Westbury Voluntary controlled School category Wiltshire BA13 3LY 3 to 11 Age range of pupils 01373 822695 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01373 822695 Fax number 285 Number on roll Mr Charlie Finbow Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Richard Hatt Headteacher 6 December 1999 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 282100 23 January 2006 - 3 to 11 24 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Westbury is an average-sized junior school. When pupils enter the school their attainment is below average, although the attainment on entry of the current Year 6 was average. The majority of pupils are from a White British background. A very small number of pupils come from minority ethnic groups. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties is above the national average. The school has recently been through a very turbulent period and there has been a high turnover of staff, including senior members 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: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006

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Grade: 4

In accordance with Section 13(3) of the Education Act 2005, HMCI is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to underachievement in English, mathematics and science. The school’s overall effectiveness is inadequate. Although staffing has now stabilised and a number of improvements have been made they are too recent to compensate for past underachievement. As a result, standards are lower than they should be in Years 4, 5 and 6. Achievement is inadequate. Value for money is unsatisfactory. There is, however, an improving picture. The new leadership team has already started to tackle areas of underachievement in English, mathematics and science. As a result, the progress of all pupils is improving in these subjects. These signs of improvements

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Grade: 4

indicate that the school has satisfactory capacity for making further improvement. The school takes sound care of its pupils and, as a result, they behave well, feel safe and enjoy coming to school. A wide range of additional activities adds to their enjoyment. Teaching and learning are satisfactory, but activities are not always challenging enough. Although some effective assessments are undertaken, there are weaknesses. Pupils do not always have well focused individual learning targets and teachers’ marking does not give pupils enough guidance on how to improve their work. The school’s evaluation of its own performance has weaknesses. The school does not analyse information about National Curriculum levels closely enough and so does not have a clear enough view of how well pupils achieve over time. Consequently, the school has a more positive view of its effectiveness than the inspection evidence found,

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Grade: 4

and judges its effectiveness to be satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that work in English, mathematics and science is matched closely to pupils’ abilities so they are always challenged to do their best. • Ensure pupils have sharply focused individual targets so that teachers can plan the next stage of their learning in order to move them on. • Analyse information about National Curriculum levels in more detail so that pupils’ progress can be monitored and the school has a better understanding of its effectiveness. • Give pupils more guidance and advice on how to improve their work.

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Grade: 4

Achievement is inadequate across the school. Improvements to the teaching of English, mathematics and science are starting to speed up pupils’ progress, but currently these are too recent to make up for past underachievement. Until recently, improvements to achievement and standards have been hampered by staff changes and weaknesses in the use of assessment information. The current Year 6 is relatively more able than 2 Inspection Report: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006 other year groups, having joined the school with broadly average attainment. Their progress has been unsatisfactory, to the extent that their attainment is now somewhat below average. Too many Year 6 pupils did not meet their targets in mathematics and science in the 2005 national tests. Standards in English, mathematics and science are also lower than they should be in Years 4 and 5 due to pupils having not made the

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Grade: 4

progress they should have in earlier years. The school has put a number of strategies in place to target areas where pupils have particular weaknesses. For example, in all classes a greater emphasis is placed on specific reading activities and written work is regularly assessed to identify what pupils need to do next. Teachers are focusing on multiplication to improve achievement in mathematics. An emphasis on investigative work is helping to extend pupils’ scientific knowledge and understanding. When pupils with learning difficulties are supported individually, or in small groups, their needs are often well met. However, where they work with the whole class, their achievement is similar to their peers, improving but not yet good enough.

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Grade: 3

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are satisfactory and some areas are good. Pupils enjoy school. They speak enthusiastically about what they do and work hard in lessons. For example, in a well taught science lesson pupils were keen to explain how they would carry out a fair test and eagerly tackled the task. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils feel safe at school and have a good understanding of how to stay healthy through whole school initiatives such as Health Week, fruit only tuck and the availability of drinking water in classrooms. Pupils make good progress in their social and moral development. They are friendly and caring towards each other and behave well. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness is satisfactory. Many have only a limited understanding of the different cultures and traditions represented in British society. The school and class councils enable pupils to have a say in school matters and understand what it is

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Grade: 3

to be part of a community. School prefects have been involved in interviewing new staff and Year 6 pupils run the school tuck shop. These experiences help pupils to develop valuable skills for use in adult life. Although pupils are not yet developing basic literacy and numeracy skills as rapidly as they should, their progress is increasing.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory, with examples of good teaching in all year groups. Pupils are benefiting from a more stable staff and a wide range of teaching strategies. These improvements are already having a positive influence on progress. However, there are still inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and shortcomings in assessment, which are constraining pupils’ progress. In the better lessons, teachers question pupils effectively. Challenging and stimulating tasks gain pupils’ interest and attention so they are keen to learn. Lessons are planned carefully so that good use is 3 Inspection Report: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006 made of resources. Pupils with learning difficulties are attentive and hard working when they are given close individual attention. However, in some lessons questions do not probe pupils’ thinking sufficiently and occasionally activities do not stimulate

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Grade: 3

their interest. For example, in one lesson pupils understandably found it difficult to write an interesting story based on a list of spellings. Work is not always matched well enough to pupils’ different needs and abilities, so they do not always make the progress of which they are capable. Pupils have individual targets to show them the next stage in their learning and they know what they are, but often these targets are too general to be helpful. Although teachers regularly mark pupils’ work, they do not give them enough guidance on how to improve. However, the school is trialling a form of marking that shows pupils what they do well and what they need to do to improve and pupils are responding positively to this.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and meets statutory requirements. Improvements to planning for English, mathematics and science are already influencing teaching and learning and are beginning to impact on achievement. The curriculum is still not fully effective because, in spite of pupils being grouped according to ability for English and mathematics, teachers are still not always taking enough account of their different needs. The school does not plan well enough for teaching its pupils about other cultures, so their understanding is too limited. Pupils have good opportunities to extend and enjoy their learning through taking part in a wide range of after-school clubs and visits. These experiences develop pupils’ self-confidence and social skills. Whole school events, such as Health Week, help pupils understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory with some good aspects. Pupils are encouraged to look after others through their duties as prefects. The school places a strong emphasis on respect for others through whole-school initiatives such as Respect Week. The impact of these initiatives is seen clearly in pupils’ courtesy and thoughtfulness towards others. Child protection procedures are thorough and arrangements for keeping pupils safe are reviewed regularly. The school works closely with other agencies to provide extra support for pupils who need it. For example, the specialist learning centre, based on the school’s site, works with small groups of pupils to nurture their learning and social skills. Pupils clearly benefit from the provision. As a result of patient but firm handling, they learn to control their behaviour and develop good attitudes towards others. The school gathers a lot of assessment information

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Grade: 3

about pupils’ work through testing. However, it is not analysing this information in sufficient detail or early enough to determine which pupils would benefit from additional support. Additionally, although teachers monitor pupils’ progress well in 4 Inspection Report: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 January 2006 the short term, they are not monitoring pupils’ progress as they move through the school. Consequently the school is unclear whether pupils achieve satisfactorily or not.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory, having been strengthened recently by the creation of a leadership team. Despite the many changes to staff, the school has a calm, welcoming atmosphere and pupils look forward to attending. However, although improvements are gathering momentum, pupils are not yet achieving as well as they should. Standards and achievement are evaluated in broad terms, but too little use is made of information about the school’s performance to form a detailed understanding of how well the school is doing. As a result, the school has too optimistic a view of its effectiveness. Senior staff are focused on improvement. They have already identified and are tackling the causes of underachievement within year groups and subjects. The actions they have taken have improved pupils’ achievement and indicate that the school is able to move forward satisfactorily and bring about further improvement.

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Grade: 3

Teaching is monitored regularly and areas needing improvement are dealt with. However, there are some teaching issues, such as improving planning to cater better for pupils’ different learning needs, that still need to be tackled. Governors have given the school good support during its difficult times. They are developing an understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. However, although they are monitoring systematically, they do not have enough detail to accurately track where the school is in terms of standards. Parents and carers are supportive of the school and their views are taken into account when making decisions about, for example, a home-school link book. 5 Inspection Report: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 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: Westbury Church of England Junior School, 23 January 2006 to 24 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 NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 4 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 4 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 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 4 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 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 3 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 3 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 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 4 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

Dear Pupils Thank you for welcoming us into your school and for being so friendly and helpful during the inspection. We all enjoyed talking to you. We were impressed by how well you behave in lessons and how keen you are to do your work well. It was good to talk to you about the opportunities you get to go on trips and the many after school clubs that you can attend. We know you enjoy these activities very much. You told us that you are happy in your school and find everyone friendly and helpful. Your school is doing some things well, especially taking care of you and giving you lots of opportunities to take on responsibilities around the school. However, many of you could be doing better and so we have asked the school to do some things to help you learn as well as you possibly can. What we have asked your school to do now: • make sure that all of you are always challenged to do your very best in English,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

mathematics and science • make sure that the targets you have are very clear so that you know what you need to do to improve your learning • look more closely at the information the school has about how well you are doing to make sure that you are moving forward as quickly as possible • make sure you have good advice on how to improve your work. Thank you once again for all your help. Yours sincerely Mrs Sinclair and the inspection team

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