Carrington Junior School

Inspection Report Carrington Junior School

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110274 Unique Reference Number Buckinghamshire Local Authority 288615 Inspection number 5 °6 March 2007 Inspection dates Pritiben Patel 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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4 Chapel Road School address Junior Type of school Flackwell Heath Community School category High Wycombe HP10 9AA 7 °11 Age range of pupils 01628 521457 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01628 532515 Fax number 229 Number on roll (school) Mrs S Gregory Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs E J Plaskitt Headteacher 1 July 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 288615 5 °6 March 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The vast majority of pupils are of White British origin. Both the proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and of those whose first language is not believed to be English is low. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is also low. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is above average but the proportion with a statement of educational need is average. The school has a Social Communications Difficulties Department. The school has achieved the Quality Mark, Active Mark and Healthy Schools Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Carrington Junior is a good school and the vast majority of parents agree. One parent commented, 'My son has spent four very happy years at Carrington, where he's literally blossomed under the care of his teachers, managed so well by the headteacher'. This is a school where both pupils and staff feel valued and work well together. The head and deputy provide good leadership and pupils achieve well. Pupils reach above average standards and make good progress in English, mathematics and science. As a result, they have good basic skills and are prepared effectively for their future economic well-being. Staff and governors place a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. A governor explained, 'Every child matters here'. Consequently, pupils feel safe, contribute well to the school and have a good understanding about how to adopt healthy lifestyles. Attendance is good. The school provides good care, guidance and support for all its pupils. The school's

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Grade: 2

Social Communications Difficulties Department (SCDD) provides good support for pupils within the autistic spectrum. Inspectors observed some outstanding as well as satisfactory lessons. They were highly effective when work was matched well to pupils' abilities and there was good promotion of pupils' talk. However, pupils' individual targets are not a prominent feature of lessons. As a result, not all of them are clear about how to improve their work because they are unsure what their individual targets are and how to achieve them. The curriculum is good and cross-curricular links make teaching and learning more meaningful for pupils, consequently pupils enjoy their lessons. Leadership and management are good. Assessments are carried out regularly and performance is monitored well. However, information is not always shared so that subject leaders have a clear understanding and overview of progress in their subject

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Grade: 2

areas. Capacity to make further improvement is good as demonstrated by the English results in 2006, the increase in pupils' achievement and the school's successful work to raise boys' achievement.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that subject leaders have a clear overview of pupil progress in their areas. • Make individual targets a more prominent feature of teaching and learning so that all pupils know what they must do to improve.

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Grade: 2

The school's detailed tracking of pupils' progress shows that they are achieving well and some are making better than expected progress. Test results at the end of Year 6 in 2006 show pupils' attainment in English, mathematics and science to be above 2 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007 the national average. The percentage of pupils attaining the higher levels in English increased significantly on the previous year because the school have put in specific strategies to improve the achievement of more able pupils. For example, secondary school students help the more able pupils to extend their understanding of mathematics. The 2006 results showed that boys' attainment was not as good as the girls'. One of the reasons for this was the above average number of boys with learning difficulties or disabilities in that year group. The school has used a variety of strategies to address boys' achievement. These appear to have been successful as the school's

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Grade: 2

assessment information shows the boys to be improving.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good because of the good care pupils receive. Pupils enjoy school very much and are keen to learn. They behave well and have good attitudes to learning. Pupils' feel safe and secure and state that 'school is a friendly place'. They contribute positively to school and community life through the active school council and the 'Eco-Committee' who monitor energy usage including the school's wind turbine. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Through assemblies and in lessons pupils gain appropriate values and begin to understand the benefits and responsibilities of living in a diverse community. They know about the benefits of healthy food and exercise and enjoy joining in physical activities. Pupils' good grasp of basic skills and their ability to work co-operatively means they are well prepared for life beyond school.

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Grade: 2

Good teaching and learning ensure that pupils achieve well. Some teaching is outstanding and in a minority of lessons teaching is satisfactory. Significant strengths of good teaching are activities that are well matched to pupils' needs and good use of 'talk' to exchange ideas and promote learning and achievement. Teacher assessments are thorough and accurate and the information is used to set individual targets for improvement. However, these are not often referred to and many pupils forget them. Consequently, pupils are unclear about how to improve their work and move onto the next stages of learning. Teachers provide a safe and stimulating environment and good classroom management ensures that pupils behave well and work hard. Support from teaching assistants ensures pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are able to participate fully in lessons. Similarly, suitably challenging tasks for the most able pupils

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Grade: 2

allow them to achieve as well as possible. 3 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and cross-curricular links are made where appropriate to make teaching and learning meaningful for pupils. For example, inspectors observed a lesson where pupils' numeracy skills were being developed through work on fitness and exercise. The school also teaches French to pupils from Year 3 onwards, which is new and exciting. Many pupils take part in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs such as Lego, football and table tennis. The curriculum develops pupils' cultural awareness as demonstrated by their work on Chembakoli and visits to different places of worship. Pupils' information and communication technology (ICT) skills are developed well across the curriculum and through individual lessons. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are met through additional support programmes. There is good systematic development of pupils' basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy. However, not all pupils are aware of their curricular

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Grade: 2

targets and therefore they do not benefit fully from the curriculum.

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Grade: 2

The good level of care guidance and support that is provided for pupils is central to the school's work. Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities, including those from the SCDD, are very well nurtured and supported. Work is adapted where necessary so that their needs are addressed successfully. Pupils' personal and academic development is assessed regularly to check that they are making sufficient progress and achieving as well as possible. However, not all pupils know their targets or how to achieve them. Health and safety procedures are reviewed regularly and arrangements for child protection are secure. Pupils are taught how to take care of themselves and others and they talk about the trust they have in the adults in school. Inspectors fully agree with a comment made by a parent, 'The school is open, friendly and always happy to discuss children's welfare'.

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Grade: 2

The leadership of the headteacher and deputy is strong. They provide good direction for the school and set challenging targets. Subject leaders are highly supportive of each other and share the same vision. They monitor effectively the areas they lead and explain that The Primary Leadership Programme has had a positive impact in helping them to understand strengths as well as areas that require further development. Subject leaders have had a positive impact on the achievement of boys. However, not all of them have a clear understanding and overview of pupil progress in the areas they lead. Governors have a good understanding of the school. They work hard and contribute well to its development. They are pro-active and have designed the school's website 4 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007 and reviewed policies. Governors also play an active role in the school's evaluation process.

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Grade: 2

5 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 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? 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 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

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 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 2 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?

2 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: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 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: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

On behalf of the inspectors I would like to thank you very much for being helpful when we came to visit your school. We really enjoyed meeting you, talking to you and looking at all your work. We think that you go to a good school and this is because: • you get on very well with each other • you all make good progress because you are taught well by your teachers and you have good relationships with them, your attendance is good and you enjoy your lessons • there are lots of extra things for you to do that help to make your learning more interesting • all of the adults in your school make sure that you are safe, happy and well looked after • your headteacher, deputy and governors work hard on your behalf. Even in a good school like yours there are always things that can be better. We think your subject leaders' work very hard but they need to know more precisely how much progress you are all making. Your teachers teach you well but we think that they should discuss your individual

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

targets more with you in lessons, so that you are all clear about what your targets are and how you can improve your work. With best wishes for your future success, Pritiben Patel (Lead Inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Carrington Junior School, 5 °6 March 2007

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