Monkwray Junior School

Inspection Report Monkwray Junior School

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112170 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289190 Inspection number 1 °2 March 2007 Inspection dates Delia Hiscock 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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Monkwray Brow School address Junior Type of school Whitehaven, Cumbria Community School category CA28 9DT 7 °11 Age range of pupils 01946 852678 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01946 852679 Fax number 124 Number on roll (school) Mr Joe McAllister Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Pamela Telford Headteacher 1 May 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 289190 1 °2 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 an Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This school serves an area with a higher than average amount of socio-economic disadvantage. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is higher than average and a similarly above average proportion of pupils has learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Nearly all the pupils are of White British heritage. The school is smaller than average and is subject to falling rolls. It has gained Healthy School status and ActiveMark for sports. The school has had three headteachers in the past three years.

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Key for inspection grades

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

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Grade: 3

This satisfactory and improving school has a sound capacity to move forward in its work. The new headteacher’s enthusiasm, energy and determination to harness the school’s strengths to raise standards and aspirations are exciting features of her leadership. To bring about this vision, she uses external partners and services effectively to keep the pupils’ good personal development and well-being at the top of the school’s agenda. Staff contribute well to the pastoral care of pupils and the school provides very effective additional support for pupils and families who have stresses in their lives to contend with. This is one of the reasons why parents are very supportive of the school. Standards are average and the pupils’ achievement is broadly satisfactory. They make good progress in English but satisfactory progress in mathematics. Successful developments in writing throughout the school have raised standards to average in

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Grade: 3

English. In 2006, a high proportion of pupils achieved the higher level in national test results. This is because pupils are forging ahead in their literacy skills. The school’s results in the 2006 national tests in mathematics were well below average. Weaknesses in provision in mathematics have now largely been resolved and recent developments have ensured that pupils in Years 5 and 6 are currently working at the expected levels for their age. Despite the largely successful actions taken by the school, pupils’ progress is still hampered by tasks that do not match their learning needs precisely enough. This affects the more able pupils in particular. Pupils’ skills of literacy and information and communication technology (ICT) prepare them well for the world of work but their numeracy skills do so only satisfactorily. Many of the pupils have started to appraise each other’s work. This helps them to determine how well they are learning but is not

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Grade: 3

followed through consistently in marking to explain to pupils how they might improve their work. The leadership, management and governance of the school are satisfactory. The school’s current evaluation of its work is accurate in terms of progress and achievement and in its understanding of the school’s weaknesses. The leadership team is dedicated to raising standards and accelerating pupils’ progress. As a result of its actions, expectations have been raised and suitable strategies implemented to raise standards in mathematics. The outcomes of their monitoring of the quality of teaching are shared effectively with teachers who, in turn, are willing to make changes when they realise the need to do so. The school takes good account of what parents and pupils have to say. Their views inform the school council’s debates, which contribute to pupils’ understanding of how their voice can make a difference for the better. The school

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in mathematics. • Improve the match of activities to pupils’ learning needs for the more able pupils in mathematics in particular. • Ensure that pupils know clearly how to improve their work. 2 Inspection Report: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Standards are average overall. Pupils achieve satisfactorily including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. In both English and science, standards are average, but those in mathematics are well below average. On starting in Year 3, standards are broadly average, but vary each year between below and above average. The school recognises this and has a good grasp of the pupils’ varying learning needs and of any difficulties they have. This is the reason pupils make a good start in reading, writing and mathematics. This good rate of progress continues throughout each year in English so pupils achieve well. Progress in mathematics is satisfactory, because, until the implementation of actions to improve it, activities have tended to repeat earlier work rather than promote new learning. Improvements in teaching, a reorganisation of teaching groups with smaller numbers of pupils and higher expectations are having a marked effect on the progress of most pupils. The

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Grade: 3

exception is that of some more able pupils, because their work does not stretch them sufficiently. It is also one of the main reasons why the school did not meet its targets for performance in 2006.

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Grade: 2

Pupils’ personal development and well-being are good, as is their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils are well behaved; they form good relationships with their classmates and most of them see learning as important for their futures. Any personal difficulties pupils bring with them to school are sensitively managed. This boosts their self-esteem and helps them to deal with barriers to their learning, do their homework and make their own contribution to their development. This is why pupils say that they feel safe, well cared for and trusting of those who help them. They take on jobs around the school so they have a growing awareness of what it is to take responsibility. Most have a good knowledge of the importance of exercise and of what makes up a healthy diet. With this in mind, the active school council is negotiating the balance of choice between fresh fruit and pudding for school lunches. They intend

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Grade: 2

that take-up is informed and fair to pupils’ wishes. Attendance is good and the skills they gain in literacy and ICT equip them well for the future; their numeracy skills prepare them satisfactorily for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Teaching strengths include: good relationships, lively introductions to lessons, and plenty of conversation about what is to be learned. There is also a good pace of learning in many lessons. Increasing use 3 Inspection Report: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 2007 of ICT makes learning relevant and attractive. For pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and lower attaining pupils, this includes personalised programmes. In these lessons, pupils soak up learning, and the teaching assistants and the learning mentor provide support for those who have to deal with personal worries or problems. This helps them to overcome any barriers to learning. Learning is only satisfactory. This is mainly because the tasks in lessons do not always meet fully the pupils’ learning needs. This reduces the momentum of progress and makes learning tedious at times. One of the older pupils commented: ‘I like it,

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Grade: 3

(mathematics) because it’s dead easy.’ Most pupils say they enjoy some lessons. When there are lively investigations in mathematics and science, pupils make good headway in the development of thinking skills and independence.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory. There is good provision for personal, social and health education, and valuable links with other schools and outside services to provide wider support for pupils and their families. Equally there is a good range of activities, visits and clubs including plenty of sporting activities that extend and encourage participation. Enrichment and extension activities increase pupils’ understanding of local history and traditions, art and music from around the world. The breakfast club is a hit with the pupils who come along and do their ‘homework’. There is good provision to develop the skills of literacy and some good links between subjects through the use of ICT. Newly organised teaching groups are helping to improve provision in mathematics and meet learning needs more closely. However, lesson plans that do not always stretch the more able or tasks foster independent thinking skills.

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Grade: 2

The level of care, guidance and support provided for pupils is good. Effective teamwork between teachers, the learning mentor, teaching assistants and outside agencies ensure that pastoral care is good. Additional support for pupils who have personal worries is invaluable in developing confidence and self-esteem. Pupils feel safe and valued; most respond well as a result. Child protection procedures and the arrangements for safeguarding pupils are in place and include risk assessments. The school’s assessment information to track pupils' progress is now used effectively by school leaders to identify underachievement. Recent developments show pupils how to appraise the work of their classmates, but most do not know how to improve their own work because this is not explained to them. 4 Inspection Report: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 2007

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The leadership of the new headteacher is sharply focused on raising standards for all pupils. With the support of the staff, she has raised levels of expectations, led the rise in standards throughout the school in English, and implemented changes that are having a positive impact on standards in mathematics. The school’s improvement plan focuses sharply on the actions needed to raise standards in mathematics. Good use of external specialists broadens the range of skills the school can draw upon and helps members of the leadership team improve their skills in managing the implementation of improvements. In addition, external advice has ensured robust arrangements for health and safety, increased the support for pupils and is positively influencing school improvement procedures. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are central to the school’s work. Good relationships with

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Grade: 3

families and enjoyable workshops encourage parents to help with their children’s learning. This is why parents are overwhelmingly positive in their views about the school. Governance is competent and the governing body has recently revised its working committees better to serve the school. Improvements since the previous inspection have been satisfactory. 5 Inspection Report: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 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: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 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? 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?

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 3 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: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 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: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Monkwray Junior School Monkwray Brow Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 9DT 5 March 2007 Dear Pupils Do you remember my visit to your school recently? You were very kind and polite during our conversations. I was pleased to hear about all the activities you like and what you think about your school. I am writing this letter to tell you that I found your school to be a satisfactory one that is improving. I really enjoyed reading your writing and hearing about all the sports and activities you get involved in. It was good to hear that the school tries to make sure that you are well looked after, especially those of you who need a bit more help. I’m sure that you will be pleased to know that I found out that you behave well and that you work hard even though, at times, some of the work you do is not as interesting as you would like it to be. To help the school to improve and make things better for you, I have asked the staff to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• help you to achieve more in mathematics, especially those of you who can work faster • make the activities in some lessons a bit more exciting and more of a challenge • help you to improve some of your work yourselves. Keep up your hard work and look after each other. I do hope that you decide on a good, healthy balance of fruit and puddings for lunchtimes. Yours sincerely Mrs Delia Hiscock School Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Monkwray Junior School, 1 °2 March 2007

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