Heathfield Junior School

Heathfield Junior School Inspection report

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102890 Unique Reference Number Richmond Upon Thames Local Authority 286516 Inspection number 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates Nicola Davies Reporting inspector

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

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Junior Type of school Community School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 303 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr John Coombs Chair Ms Yvonne Beddoe (Interim Headteacher) Headteacher 2 July 2001 Date of previous school inspection Cobbett Road School address Twickenham TW2 6EN

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020 8894 3525 Telephone number 020 8893 4073 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 25 °26 June 2007 Inspection dates 286516 Inspection number .

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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

This is a large junior school. A higher than average proportion of pupils are eligible for free school meals. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage and around 40% are from a range of other ethnic heritages. A similar proportion are learning English as an additional language, but relatively few are at early stages. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is higher than the rate found nationally, as is the percentage of pupils with a statement of special educational needs. The school houses a specialist unit for 10 pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties. Most pupils transfer to the school from the adjoining infant school. An interim headteacher was appointed to lead the school from March to July 2007.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007

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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 significantly 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 standards and achievement, and leadership and management. Pupils' standards by the end of Year 6 in the last five years have been a little below average. In 2006, standards dipped sharply and were significantly below average in all subjects. The school has rightly recognised that achievement overall is unsatisfactory. At the beginning of the current academic year, the local authority provided the school with intensive support to improve achievement. With the support of the temporary head teacher and other consultants, senior staff have clarified the school's weaknesses. For example, they identified that teachers

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Grade: 4

were not clear enough about how much progress their pupils should make. As a result, teachers did not routinely set challenging targets to ensure that all pupils acquired new skills and knowledge at a fast enough rate. This has begun to change. For example, staff have improved their teaching and the tracking of pupils' progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The impact of this can be seen in the satisfactory progress of most pupils this year, although this is not yet fully consistent. These improvements mean that the school is providing an acceptable standard of education. Despite this, inspectors judge the school's overall effectiveness is unsatisfactory. Whilst teaching is satisfactory overall, there is not yet enough consistently good or better teaching based on challenging activities to enable all pupils to 'catch up' and overcome past underachievement. As a result, the standards which pupils reach are still too low when compared with their starting

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Grade: 4

points. This represents unsatisfactory improvement since the time of the last inspection. Although leadership and management are improving, they are unsatisfactory overall. The school has responded well to the support and challenges set by the local authority. The temporary headteacher and senior staff have worked closely together to monitor and improve teaching and planning. However, much of this work is relatively recent and so still limited in its scope. For example, the very careful tracking of pupils' progress is largely limited to reading, writing and mathematics. Similarly, the targets the school has set for improvement are not yet challenging enough to rapidly overcome previous weaknesses in pupils' progress. Pupils enjoy school and their lessons a good deal. Parents support the school and recognise the quality of care and support which the school provides. They also welcome changes which have made them more aware of their child's progress. The school has established useful

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Grade: 4

partnerships with the local authority, a range of specialist agencies and other schools to help meet the different needs of its pupils. Although some improvements are still at relatively early stages, the 'can do' attitude of staff at all levels across the school and the evident impact of improvements on the progress of current pupils mean that the school can continue to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise achievement and standards in English, mathematics and science across the school

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the proportion of good teaching by ensuring activities in lessons are always challenging 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007 ■ Strengthen the impact of leadership and management through extending systems for robust monitoring and evaluation across all aspects of the school's work

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Grade: 4

Standards at the end of Year 6 are below average. This represents unsatisfactory achievement from pupils' starting points in Year 3 which are generally at least average, and sometimes above. For past five years, the standards that pupils have attained in mathematics and science have been below average, and were well below average in 2006. Standards in English have been a little higher, but they too dipped sharply in 2006. The concentrated work that the school has undertaken this year means that the standards have risen, particularly for the pupils currently in Year 6. These pupils are on track to attain average standards in mathematics and science although their standards remain below average in English. Inspection evidence and the school's tracking indicate that, whilst most pupils have made satisfactory progress this year, this is not yet consistent and there is not yet enough good progress to fully overcome past

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Grade: 4

underachievement. There are no significant differences between the progress that groups of pupils make, for example those with learning difficulties and disabilities.

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Grade: 3

Pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory. The majority of pupils behave sensibly and safely. Although a small minority can show challenging behaviour, unacceptable behaviour is dealt with quickly and fairly. As a result, pupils feel safe. Most have positive attitudes to their work and want to do well. Relationships are good at every level. Pupils enjoy coming to school and so attendance is good, although a few families do not regard prompt and regular attendance as a priority. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. Pupils understand that what they do affects others and that each person is unique and special. Quiet moments of reflection in assembly allow them to explore their inner thoughts. Pupils learn about other faiths and ways of life. However, their understanding of the many cultures in the school community and local area is weak. Jobs and responsibilities are undertaken enthusiastically by

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Grade: 3

pupils. Those who serve on the school council, for example, are proud of the work they do for their school community. They are also proud to raise money for charities and to help others. Pupils develop sound skills to enable them to make a positive contribution in their adult life.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and some good lessons were observed during the inspection. Most teaching is well planned and organised so that pupils undertake interesting activities at a brisk pace. The use of the interactive white board adds an exciting dimension to lessons. The progress of pupils is improving as teachers cater increasingly well for their different needs, for example by grouping them by ability in English and mathematics lessons. Good support is provided for pupils learning English as an additional language. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are also well supported through the work of additional adults in the classroom or in small groups and through specialist teaching within the unit. On occasions, the 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007 activities set by class teachers do not challenge all pupils to achieve as well as possible. As a

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Grade: 3

result, not all remain attentive. Marking is regular and improving but it does not always tell pupils how well they have done or how to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory curriculum. The linking of different subjects through topic work is developing well through the school. For example, a topic on India allowed pupils to explore the geography of the Indus valley, write letters to a pen-friend and explore the history of the area. Pupils' needs, particularly in literacy and numeracy, are met increasingly well. Steady progress has been made in extending pupils' skills in information and communication technology (ICT) in timetabled lessons, although opportunities to use to ICT to support pupils' learning in other subjects are sometimes missed. Pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 make an early start on learning French. Good opportunities to learn about healthy living and how to keep safe are provided through the school's effective personal, social, health and citizenship programme. A good range of visits and visitors contributes to pupils' personal development and extends classroom studies.

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Grade: 3

For example, older pupils enjoyed making an ICT-based presentation about their stay on the Isle of Wight to interest visitors waiting in the school's reception area. Pupils take advantage of the satisfactory opportunities for sports and exercise, especially in extra-curricular clubs.

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Grade: 3

The care guidance and support provided for pupils is satisfactory with strengths in the high priority that staff assign to their pastoral role. Pupils feel safe and secure and able to confide in staff if they have problems. Good links with home are fostered and the school tries hard to keep all parents fully involved in their children's development. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, both within the school and the unit, is well planned and managed and parents and pupils develop confidence as a result. Links with a wide range of agencies extend the care provided in school. Child protection procedures are sound and routine safety checks and risk assessments are carried out. A strong focus of the school has been the increasingly careful tracking of pupils' progress. As a result, pupils and their parents are more aware of how well they are doing and what they must do to improve their work. This work is still at an early stage, so that not all pupils are

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Grade: 3

aware of how to improve their work in English, mathematics, science and ICT.

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Grade: 4

Leadership and management, whilst improving, are unsatisfactory overall. Until this year, senior staff and governors had not recognised weaknesses. As a result, it has taken too long for the school to make the necessary improvements to standards and achievement. Senior staff and governors have, however, responded well to the involvement of the local authority. They now have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and have made some progress in tackling them. For example, senior staff and year-group leaders have worked well with the temporary headteacher and other consultants to monitor and improve, in particular, 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007 the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, staff have a much clearer idea of the progress they should expect from their pupils, a greater range of strategies to secure

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Grade: 4

this and clear evidence by which to judge their progress. However, the short-term nature of the current leadership arrangements has limited the extent to which this approach has been consolidated and extended across all areas of the school's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007 .

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Grade: 4

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 4 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

4 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 4 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

3 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Heathfield Junior School,Twickenham,TW2 6EN You may remember that some inspectors visited your school recently. We very much enjoyed talking to you and seeing some of the work you were doing. Talking to you helped us to find out a lot about your school. We also talked to your teachers and collected information from your parents. We were pleased to hear that you and your parents like your school. We judged that your school is providing an acceptable standard of education because:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your teachers take care of you and support you to learn

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ your lessons are interesting and most of you work hard

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you learn about all sorts of interesting things

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ you develop your personal skills and qualities

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Your teachers are working very hard at the moment to make sure all of you do as well as you can. This is because they have recognised that not all of you made as much progress as you should have in the past. They have been talking to you about your targets and having been thinking of ways to help you with things you find difficult. This is working well and means that many of you have made better progress this year than before. We are pleased to see this and want to make sure that this continues. So, inspectors will visit your school again to make sure that you are all making better progress and reaching your targets through really challenging activities in your lessons. They will also want to be sure that the leaders and managers at your school are keeping a careful check on what needs to be improved. With best wishes for your futures, Nicola DaviesLead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Heathfield Junior School, 25 °26 June 2007

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