Clowne Junior School

112532 Unique Reference Number DERBYSHIRE Local Authority 289315 Inspection number 25 September 2006 Inspection date Mr. Glynn Storer 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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King Street School address Junior Type of school Clowne, Clowne Community School category Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 4BS 7 °11 Age range of pupils

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01246810416 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01246 813251 Fax number 323 Number on roll (school) Mr.Steve Law Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Martin Edge Headteacher 29 April 2002 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289315 25 September 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 an Additional Inspector over one day.

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Description of the school

Most pupils live in the immediate area of Clowne, where social and educational circumstances are generally favourable. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals has risen and is now slightly above the national average. Virtually all pupils are from White British backgrounds and all speak English fluently. Attainment on entry has improved recently and is currently above average. The number of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is about average, although the number with a statement of special educational need is quite high.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Clowne Junior School gives its pupils a good all-round education and some aspects of the provision are outstanding. As one parent commented, 'This school just gets better', because the headteacher is an inspirational leader who has the highest possible aspirations for the school and for the pupils. He has systematically built a staff that is totally committed to his vision for the school and who strive for excellence in all that they do. Standards and achievement are good. Standards have risen steadily in recent years. Most pupils make good progress and achieve well in relation to their attainment on entry to Year 3. Parents of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are particularly pleased with the progress that their children make and their views are born out by inspection evidence. The school's success lies in its flexible approach to meeting the needs of pupils with different capabilities. The school is organised as four

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Grade: 2

year-group teams. Within these teams, teaching groups change from day to day, subject to subject and lesson to lesson, but the team approach ensures a consistency of expectation, which results in a good overall quality of teaching and learning. This way of working ensures that virtually all pupils make good progress and enables many to attain above average standards. It does not yet result in systematic provision for those pupils who are gifted or who may have special talents to realise their potential even more fully. Standards of personal development and well-being are good. Pupils learn well because they enjoy school, behave extremely well and have positive attitudes. They are confident and keen to do their best. Levels of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are good and a carefully planned programme of personal, social, health education (PSHE) and citizenship ensures the pupils adopt healthy and safe

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Grade: 2

lifestyles and make a real contribution to the school and to the wider community. Improving standards of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology (ICT) lay firm foundations for their lives as young adults. The basic curriculum is good, and an excellent range of educational visits and visitors enhances teaching and promotes enjoyment in learning. Literacy and numeracy feature prominently and the school is, rightly, extending the use of ICT as an aid to pupils' learning. Though satisfactory overall, standards in science lag slightly behind those in other subjects, because the curriculum gives too little emphasis to developing pupils' investigative skills. However, the school is currently leading an exciting project aimed at bringing creative approaches to teaching and learning. This is appropriate because, whilst teaching is generally good, teachers still have a tendency to direct activities

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Grade: 2

very closely and, in doing so, restrict opportunities for initiative and for pupils to follow their own lines of enquiry in science and in other subjects. The quality of care, guidance and support is outstanding. Levels of pastoral care are excellent. The school's pastoral officer responds swiftly to the needs and concerns of pupils and their families. She provides highly effective support and guidance to all, but especially to the school's most vulnerable pupils. There are good arrangements for guiding pupils on their academic performance and the school's formal procedures for safeguarding pupils are robust and fully meet current requirements. Leadership and management are outstanding. The headteacher has extremely high expectations of all who work at the school. His enthusiasm builds staff morale and motivates them to get involved and to 2 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 2

make a difference. Central to his approach to school improvement is the creation of the leadership teams. These teams bring together staff at all levels to evaluate key areas of the school's work and to drive forward improvement. Whilst some initiatives have yet to impact fully on pupils' achievements, this approach gives the school an enormous capacity for continued improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

- Introduce a more systematic approach to identifying and meeting even more fully the needs of gifted or talented pupils. - Give pupils more opportunities to develop investigative skills in science and to show enterprise and initiative in their work in other subjects.

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Grade: 2

Standards have risen steadily in most of the last five years because the school sets challenging targets and so more and more pupils have attained or exceeded nationally expected standards, particularly in English and mathematics. Although pupils' achievement in science is satisfactory, it has lagged somewhat behind the other core subjects. In the 2006 national tests, standards were broadly average but this did not represent a decline in pupils' achievements. This year group came to the school with below average standards. As in previous years, almost all pupils, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities, achieved well in relation to their attainment on entry. Inspection evidence confirms the school's tracking data and points to good achievement and progress throughout the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils enjoy school and participate wholeheartedly. They relate extremely well to staff and fellow pupils; their behaviour in lessons and around school is exemplary. By the time that they leave school, most are very mature and confident. They show this in their conscientious working habits and by striving to succeed. Pupils have good insights into human emotions and act on a clear understanding of what is right. They are well-informed about safe and healthy lifestyles and this reflects in the choices that they make. In particular they take great advantage of activities such as an 'aerobics day' and eat healthy snacks from the tuck shop. They are well prepared for secondary education, the world of work and for life in a multi-cultural society. Attendance is improving and, but for holidays in term time, would be above the national average. 3 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good because experienced senior managers lead year-group teams, ensuring that teachers and support staff are all totally involved in planning the content of lessons and how best to group pupils and deploy staff, so as to cater effectively for the range of needs and abilities. This approach puts resources where they are most needed and is a key factor in the good progress that pupils make. Furthermore, rigorous procedures for tracking pupils' progress underpin the planning process and give staff the information necessary to structure pupils' learning effectively. Pupils generally benefit from the presence of the many adults who regularly support their learning. This is particularly the case for pupils with learning difficulties. There is, however, a tendency for adults to over-direct pupils' learning and, in doing so, to restrict opportunities for pupils to develop initiative and investigative skills that would

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Grade: 2

benefit their all round learning, and in particular their work in science.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a good curriculum and has been forward-looking by introducing French in Years 3 and 4. However, the strength in the curriculum lies in the quality of opportunities offered to pupils. Hardly a term goes by without some special event to bring learning to life and add to pupils' enthusiasm for school. Furthermore, this is a school that never stands still. Productive partnerships with neighbouring schools are bringing forward creative approaches to curriculum planning to add further to the quality of pupils' experience and to the professional development of staff. Staff modify the curriculum in order to meet the needs of pupils well, but systematic provision for gifted pupils is not built into current arrangements.

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Grade: 1

Care guidance and support are outstanding. The school has a highly effective system for monitoring pupils' welfare and responds swiftly to support vulnerable pupils. The school has its own pastoral officer who deals sensitively and effectively with matters as diverse as attendance and family crisis. Together with staff and outside agencies, she provides excellent support and guidance for pupils and their families. Guidance to pupils about their academic performance also works well. Pupils know their targets and how to achieve them. There are thorough arrangements for safeguarding pupils and regular training, for example in first aid, keeps staff up-to-date with current requirements. 4 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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Grade: 1

Leadership and management are extremely effective. The headteacher is an energetic leader, whose passion for the school 'rubs off' on all who work there. He motivates staff by giving them all a real part to play in school improvement by participation in leadership teams. These teams are at the heart of the quality in this school because they have maintained an impressive rate of improvement since the last inspection. They are also central to providing support for newly qualified staff. This ensures maximum efficiency in the use of staff within year teams and builds a consistency of expectation and approach that adds considerably to the overall quality of teaching and learning. Governors give good support to managers in school. They are well-informed and becoming increasingly effective in holding the school to account for what it achieves. In relation to the size of its budget, the school gives excellent

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Grade: 1

value for money. 5 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006 .

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Grade: 1

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 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? 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 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 1 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 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?

1 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: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 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: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

26 September 2006 Dear Children Clowne Junior School, King Street, Clowne, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S43 4BS You may remember that I visited your school a little while ago. Thank you for making my visit so enjoyable and for taking time to talk to me and to answer my questions. I thought that you would like to hear what I found out about your school. There are many good things happening in your school. - Almost all of you make the progress that you should in English, mathematics and science and standards keep on improving. - You enjoy school because teachers, visitors and special events make learning interesting. - You get on very well with one another and your behaviour is excellent. - Your teachers and other adults help you when you have problems, make sure that you are safe and give you good advice about your work. - Mr Edge, the staff, governors and pupils work hard to make the school a better place. There are

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

some things that could be even better. I have asked your teachers to plan even more carefully for those of you who have special talents or abilities. I have also asked them to give all of you more opportunities to be inventive in planning your own activities and following up your own ideas during lessons. I hope that you will all continue to work hard and do well. Yours sincerely Glynn Storer Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Clowne Junior School, 25 September 2006

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