Leys Junior School

112492 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE Local Authority 289297 Inspection number 4 °5 December 2006 Inspection dates Susan Aldridge 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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Flowery Leys Lane School address Junior Type of school Alfreton Community School category Derbyshire DE55 7HA 7 °11 Age range of pupils 01773 832895 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils Fax number 184 Number on roll (school) Mrs Jane Coleman Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Chris Hartley Headteacher 18 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 289297 4 °5 December 2006 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 Leys is a smaller than average junior school. Attainment on entry has been below average in the recent past but is now average. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above average and so is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, although only two have statements of special educational need. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. A very small number are in public care. The school is involved in a local Sports Partnership and its work in recognised by the Active Sportsmark Award.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

The school's effectiveness is satisfactory; it sees itself as good and it is certainly moving in that direction. The school is particularly successful at promoting pupils' personal development, which is good. Pupils' behaviour is good. The headteacher sets the tone for the school, which is a caring community, valued by parents and pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school, where they feel safe and secure. They are justifiably proud of their many sporting achievements, and the provision for sport is a good feature of the curriculum, which is otherwise satisfactory. Parents particularly value the atmosphere in the school; relationships among all members of the school community are good and this helps pupils to learn and staff to work together as a team. Pupils and staff work hard in a building that is not fit for purpose. Two classrooms have been added recently so that the hall no longer serves as a classroom, but several

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Grade: 3

teaching spaces are cramped and act as thoroughfares. As a result, teachers are limited in the variety of approaches that they can use in teaching, and noise from adjacent areas in the open-plan design interferes with pupils' concentration in lessons. Access to staff washrooms is through a classroom. The quality of teaching, which is satisfactory with good features, is improving steadily, and so are standards. Some lessons are better than others. Improvement is being brought about by monitoring and support for teachers, careful tracking of pupils' progress in English and mathematics, and good involvement of older pupils in their learning. Pupils enter the school with the knowledge and skills expected at their age and when they leave, standards are average. Their achievement is satisfactory. In 2006, Year 6 pupils' attainment was in line with national expectations but attainment in writing was not as high as that in reading and too few pupils reached the higher level

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Grade: 3

in science. Leadership and management are satisfactory. There is a clear focus on raising standards and a strong commitment to working in partnership with others to widen opportunities for pupils and secure good care, guidance and support. However, many of the school's policies are well out of date and there is not a clear vision for the school's future development stated in the school improvement plan. This plan covers a one-year period only and does not show how developments are linked to the school's aims. As a result, staff are not clear about where the school is heading in the long term, although they are clear about their roles in the short-term developments. Despite its shortcomings, the improvement plan contains most of the right priorities and it is successful in driving development. There has been satisfactory improvement since the last inspection and the capacity for further improvement is satisfactory. The school provides sound value

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards in science for higher attainers and in writing for all pupils. • Work to improve the accommodation further to address the weaknesses identified in this report. 2 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006 • Ensure that all teaching is good. • Provide a clear direction for the school's work through up-to-date policies and an improvement plan that covers a longer period.

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Grade: 3

Standards and pupils' achievement are satisfactory. There are no differences in the achievement of boys and girls, and pupils with learning difficulties achieve as well as others. Attainment on entry is rising and so are standards. Targets set to raise pupils' achievement are fairly challenging; they are revised as tracking shows that pupils have reached their predicted level. In the 2006 national tests in English, a higher proportion of pupils in Year 6 reached Level 4 in English than pupils nationally, but the proportion reaching Level 5 was below the national average. This was because pupils did not do as well in writing as they did in reading. Improving writing is a focus in the current improvement plan. In mathematics, standards are in line with expectations. The proportion of girls reaching Level 5 in 2006 was below the national average, but tracking information shows that this is not a trend. The current Year 6 are set to reach or exceed the predictions made.

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Grade: 3

In the 2006 national tests in science, all pupils in Year 6 reached Level 4, but the proportion reaching Level 5 was below the national average. Tracking of pupils' achievement is being developed in science, so it is not yet clear whether standards are set to improve this year.

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Grade: 2

Pupils really like school as it is a safe place to be, where they enjoy work and play. They are developing a good understanding of safe and healthy lifestyles. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 say that lessons are often exciting and fun. Across the school pupils relate well to each other; they like the staff and act with confidence, patience and politeness. Their self-confidence and independence develop well over time. These contribute to a sound preparation for the future. While spiritual and cultural development are satisfactory, pupils' moral and social development are good. Pupils behave well and the few pupils who have had difficulty with consistently behaving well quickly improve. Pupils have no concerns about bullying and know that, if it happens, it will be dealt with swiftly. They are playing an important part in investigating bullying and looking at ways of dealing with it. Pupils also contribute to school through

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Grade: 2

the work of the school council and, to a reasonable extent, in the community by, for example, giving musical performances. Pupils have come up with ideas on recycling waste and their 'Eco Committee' maintains the wildlife garden. 3 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory with good features. Teaching is steadily improving as a result of the monitoring and support provided. Teaching by subject specialists is good. Assessment in literacy and numeracy is used well to group pupils for teaching purposes and to set targets; older pupils know these well and are keen to reach or exceed predicted levels. In other subjects, assessment is satisfactory. Relationships between staff and pupils are good, so that pupils are confident, know that they are valued and contribute well in lessons. Most staff manage pupils well, and teaching assistants give good support to those who need this. Pupils' good behaviour and attitudes help them to learn. Learning is good when the lesson has a brisk pace, clear objectives and interesting tasks. When there are long periods of whole-class teaching, the pace slows and pupils' interest wanes. The accommodation restricts teaching and learning alike. For instance, cramped

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Grade: 3

teaching areas mean that there is little flexibility in seating arrangements, which reduces opportunities for group work. Noise from adjacent classes and from people moving through classes that are thoroughfares occasionally distracts pupils.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum provides a satisfactory range of work and activities. There is continual revision of the curriculum, although much of this is done more informally than as a result of a clearly articulated strategy. Pupils' personal development is promoted well by the curriculum, particularly through the strong programme of physical education and the good range of extra-curricular sporting activities. A good amount of time is given to literacy and numeracy. There are suitable arrangements for boosting standards before pupils take the national tests. Placing pupils in ability groups for the main subjects helps teachers to match work more closely to pupils' capabilities, but some of the benefits of this are lost because of the inadequacies of accommodation. The provision of additional activities to enrich pupils' experience is adequate. Sports options are good, the arts are promoted reasonably well through music and the annual

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Grade: 3

arts week. However, there are limited opportunities for learning beyond the school gates and little enrichment for pupils with particular gifts or talents.

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Grade: 2

These aspects of the school are good. Pupils' well-being is carefully nurtured through the close attention to their personal needs and the good relationships formed with staff and each other. Pupils are kept safe and the procedures in place for their 4 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006 protection are adequate. Pupils who have behaviour difficulties, or who are not making expected progress in English and mathematics are identified early and well supported. Classroom assistants give effective support to pupils with learning difficulties. Pupils are given good guidance on improving the standard of their work. Teachers set them targets and they play a part in agreeing these. In Years 5 and 6, pupils really appreciate the incentives their targets give to making progress. Here, pupils are clear about the level they are attaining in subjects and what they need to do to improve their attainment. As a result they are sharply focused on achieving as much as they

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and his deputy both lead well by example. They provide good role models as teachers and as subject leaders of mathematics and literacy. Other subject leaders monitor provision in their subjects but rigorous monitoring of standards in these subjects is quite limited. The provision of strategic direction is satisfactory. There are clear aims for the school. However, the school improvement plan and out-of-date policies do not show how these aims are to be achieved. Nonetheless, staff work towards common goals and are clear about the school's short-term priorities. Self-evaluation is satisfactory. The school knows what it does well and what it needs to do to improve. It consults parents, pupils and staff, and acts on what is said. For instance, arrangements for homework have been improved since parents were consulted. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are most supportive, but are not involved enough

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Grade: 3

in the process of school improvement planning or school evaluation. 5 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006 .

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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: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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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 3 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?

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: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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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: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

6 December 2006 Dear Pupils The Leys Junior School, Flowery Leys Lane, Alfreton, Derbyshire, DE55 7HA Thank you for talking to us about your school when we visited recently. We came to see how well you are all getting on and whether there are any ways in which the school could improve. We found that you are all getting on well enough with your work, and that you are developing well as young people. We were pleased to see how well you behave and that everyone gets on together at school. This helps you to learn and makes the school a pleasant place to be. You and the staff all work hard. Your parents are pleased with the school and the work that it does. You told us that you feel safe in the school and we found that the staff care for you well and give you the support that you need. We were impressed with how well Year 5 and 6 pupils know their targets for literacy and numeracy, the levels they have reached and those they are aiming

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

for. This is helping them to learn. We were also impressed with the number of trophies you have won in lots of sports competitions - you deserve to be proud of this! We found that you know how to keep safe, and you make healthy choices through exercise and in your diet. Your school council is giving you a way of making decisions about the school, which will help you become active citizens in the future. There are four main areas for improvement. Standards in writing need to be higher and more Year 6 pupils need to reach Level 5 in science. It would help everyone if the building could be improved so that there is more space in some teaching areas, lessons are not disturbed, and staff can get to washrooms without going into a class first. Your teachers are going to continue to work towards their target of making every lesson a good one. The headteacher and staff are going to make sure that they have a plan for improving the school over a period of several

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

years and up-to-date written guidance on how the school's work should be carried out. You can help by keeping up the good work and reaching your own targets. Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year. Mrs S Aldridge Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Leys Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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