Chester Park Junior School

Inspection Report Chester Park Junior School

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108920 Unique Reference Number Bristol, City of Local Authority 288224 Inspection number 13 °14 February 2007 Inspection dates Colin Lee 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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Ridgeway Road School address Primary Type of school Fishponds Community School category Bristol BS16 3SY 7 °11 Age range of pupils 0117 3773365 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0117 3773362 Fax number 239 Number on roll (school) Ella Beard Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Tony Phillips Headteacher 14 October 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288224 13 °14 February 2007 7°11 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

This is an average-size school. The pupils' attainment on entry to Year 3 is below average. 30% of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds and half of these are at an early stage of learning English. There is an average proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities. The school is currently led by an acting headteacher.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Grade: 3

The school provides a satisfactory education. It is an improving school and pupils' achievement is now satisfactory whereas it has been inadequate in some areas in the past. Whilst achievement is improving for most pupils, the more able pupils are not always making the progress of which they are capable because teachers' expectations are not high enough. The inconsistency in teachers' provision of work that is suitably challenging for the more able is one of the reasons why teaching and learning are satisfactory and not better. Teachers work cooperatively in year groups, planning together and checking periodically on pupils' progress. They show good levels of concern for pupils' welfare. The pupils' personal development and well-being are satisfactory. There is a real strength in their cultural development. This is seen not only in their good knowledge and understanding of different cultures and faiths but most importantly in the racial

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Grade: 3

harmony that is a significant feature of the school community. The curriculum is satisfactory, as are the care, guidance and support given to pupils. Whilst pastoral care is good, the educational guidance given to pupils is too variable. This is due to inconsistencies in how pupils' work is marked, in the day-to-day assessments of pupils' work and in their use of this information to set targets. Consequently, not all pupils are given enough advice on how they can improve their work. Leadership and management are satisfactory. A wide range of initiatives to improve teaching and learning has been introduced in a very short period of time in order to address past weaknesses. At the moment, senior management's checking of the quality of teaching is providing an overview of what is happening in classrooms. It is not sufficiently focused on ensuring consistency across the school in key areas such as assessment and target setting. The school's self-evaluation is accurate and generally

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Grade: 3

shows a sound awareness of strengths and areas for development. The better strategy for tracking pupils' progress is one of several improvements since the last inspection and indicates a satisfactory capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Improve the quality of teaching and learning by ensuring greater consistency in procedures for assessment and target setting. • Improve the achievement of more able pupils by consistently providing them with sufficiently challenging work.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress, although the rate of progress is greater in Years 5 and 6 than in Years 3 and 4. The Year 6 national test results have fluctuated annually but have usually been below the national averages. Results in mathematics and science 2 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007 improved in 2006 while English results fell, primarily because of comparatively low achievement of boys in reading. Improvement in mathematics and science is being maintained and, in addition, there is a noticeable improvement in writing throughout the school. Boys' achievement in reading is also being raised by the increased emphasis on comprehension for all pupils. Standards in English, mathematics and science are close to the levels expected in each age group. The achievement of the more able pupils in all subjects is not as high as it could be because they are not given sufficient

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Grade: 3

work to extend their learning. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities make satisfactory progress. Achievement by pupils with English as an additional language has been inadequate in the past but the school's additional provision is successfully tackling this and achievement is now satisfactory.

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Grade: 3

Good emphasis is placed on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Whilst this is satisfactory overall, pupils' cultural development is a strength. Pupils' good knowledge and understanding of other cultures and faiths prepares them well for life in a culturally diverse society. Pupils' attitudes to school, their behaviour and their enjoyment of school are satisfactory. Attendance is also satisfactory. Pupils say they feel safe in school. Pupils have good knowledge of safe practices and are proud of the school's work in helping them learn about first aid. They have good knowledge of healthy lifestyles and understand the importance of eating healthy food and having plenty of exercise. The school council is actively involved in decision making and pupils are very proud of their part in securing improvements in facilities and equipment. Pupils have a range of responsibilities that satisfactorily develop their understanding

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Grade: 3

of how they can contribute to both the school and the wider community. The support that Year 5 pupils give to infants in the adjacent school at lunchtimes is enjoyed by all and additionally contributes to the smooth transition between the two schools. Pupils' improving basic literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills mean they are satisfactorily prepared for future education and eventual economic well-being.

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Grade: 3

Teachers' subject knowledge is secure. They know what they expect pupils to learn and their explanations are generally clear. As a consequence, pupils are usually confident about tackling their work. Occasionally the pace of lessons slows because teachers talk for too long, leaving too little time for pupils to complete written tasks. Lessons are not always pitched at the right level, which means some pupils are left struggling to complete tasks satisfactorily whilst others are insufficiently challenged. The quality of marking is inconsistent. In pupils' assessment books it is often good, 3 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007 giving clear guidance as to how pupils can improve. However, this guidance is not always evident on a day-to-day basis. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities learn satisfactorily because they receive sound support in the classroom and in small

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Grade: 3

groups. Those pupils who are learning English as an additional language benefit from extra support from a specialist teacher. This helps them to progress quickly in learning English and achieve satisfactorily overall.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and generally well balanced. Sound provision is made for pupils' personal development through a recently introduced programme. There is an appropriate emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy skills. Useful links are being established between English and other subjects that are helping to raise achievement in literacy. Although the school has themed days from time to time, such as the Victorian day in Year 5, there are limited, stimulating learning opportunities for pupils on a day-to-day basis. The range of visits, visitors and clubs enriches the curriculum and is popular with the pupils. The activities of the school's choir have been of particular benefit to pupils' learning experiences.

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Grade: 3

The arrangements for the care, guidance and support of pupils are sound. Procedures to ensure that pupils are kept safe and secure, including those relating to child protection, are well established and staff are familiar with them. Pupils are confident that adults look after them and support them well. The school monitors pupils' personal development well. Pupils' academic progress is carefully monitored and the information used to identify pupils needing additional support, and to set targets. However, not all pupils know their targets and some do not understand them because they are not always phrased in child-friendly language. Sound support and guidance is provided for pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities, although the monitoring of their progress is not always as rigorous as it should be. The school works closely with a range of outside agencies to ensure pupils receive appropriate help.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. A key development during the acting headteacher's leadership of the school has been his work to ensure that all teachers use data to check on pupils' performance and progress. Teachers are effectively working well together on identifying which pupils are in danger of not making expected progress. This leads to a range of strategies being put in place to boost pupils' achievement and to make sure they do not fall behind. 4 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007 Subject leaders have benefited from recent training and are undertaking a range of activities which are enabling them to get a clear view of achievement, standards and quality of provision across the whole school. They are also accurately identifying areas for development. At present, the greatest impact is occurring in literacy where the outstanding leadership is raising pupils' achievement significantly.

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Grade: 3

The governing body fulfils its duties satisfactorily. Governors are fully informed about all aspects of school life through the programme that they have established for receiving reports from the staff. These, plus the meetings that individuals hold with teachers, mean that they monitor the school's work satisfactorily. They are not currently using their own evaluations of school effectiveness sufficiently to inform school improvement planning. They do not become involved in this process early enough and, despite having the expertise, they are not having sufficient influence on decisions about school improvement priorities. 5 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007 .

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Grade: 3

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 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? 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 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 3 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 3 The attendance of learners 3 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. 7 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 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? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for making us welcome in your school and for talking with us so willingly. We thoroughly enjoyed joining you in lessons and seeing you at work. We think your school is doing a satisfactory job in helping you to learn. The school does some things well but could improve in places. The things we particularly appreciated are: • Your school is a friendly, pleasant place to be and you show respect for other peoples' faiths and cultures. • Your teachers work well together at planning your lessons and this is helping you to improve, particularly in reading and writing. • You understand well about healthy eating, the importance of exercise and about what are safe things to do at school and home. • The school council is working hard to achieve the things that you suggest can be improved in the school. • We think your school could be even better if: • Those of you who find the work too easy had more challenging work to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• The ways that your work is checked and targets are set for you were similar in each class and that you all got the information you need about how to improve your work. We hope you will carry on enjoying learning and helping your teachers to make Chester Park Junior School a good school to be at. 9 Inspection Report: Chester Park Junior School, 13 °14 February 2007

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