Charlton Kings Junior School

Charlton Kings Junior School Inspection report

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115736 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire Local Authority 290322 Inspection number 18 June 2007 Inspection date Geoff Burgess 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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Junior Type of school Foundation School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 355 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Andrew Wall Chair John Moore Headteacher 1 June 2002 Date of previous school inspection East End Road School address Charlton Kings Cheltenham GL53 8QE

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01242 526171 Telephone number 01242 250925 Fax number

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7 °11 Age group 18 June 2007 Inspection date 290322 Inspection number .

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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

In this large school, the percentage of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average. The attainment of pupils when they join the school is above average overall but includes the whole range of abilities.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school with a busy, positive ethos and outstanding features which has performed consistently well for many years. It is held in very high regard by its pupils, their parents and the wider community for the quality of the care and education it provides. It prepares pupils exceptionally well for the next stage in their education and their future lives. A parent comments, 'I feel the school offers everything parents and pupils alike could wish or ask for.' The school gives pupils' personal development and well-being the highest priority. Thanks to this and to the very high expectations built up over the years, pupils' personal development is outstanding. A parent of pupils fairly new to the school notes, 'a significant improvement in their confidence, sense of responsibility and level of maturity'. With all staff acting as first-rate role models and excellent relationships throughout the school community, pupils become self-assured and

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Grade: 2

sensible citizens. Behaviour is almost always exemplary. Rich and varied activities in class and out of school help to ensure that pupils thoroughly enjoy their time in school. Their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is excellent. Remarkably numerous international and community connections make an important contribution in all areas of pupils' personal development. All this has a positive impact on learning. Standards are above average, thanks to good teaching, motivating activities and the very high quality of the academic guidance and support provided for pupils of all abilities. As a consequence of this good quality provision, achievement is good with pupils making consistently good progress through the school. Very good provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities ensures that they make similar progress to their classmates and gain confidence in their ability to learn. However, although

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Grade: 2

targets agreed with pupils are appropriate, they lack the edge of challenge to enable pupils to fully achieve their potential. The quality of the care, support and guidance provided by the school is outstanding. Every care is taken to ensure that pupils are able to do their best in a secure and supportive environment. Parents and pupils are consulted regularly to make sure that their needs are being met. The school provides an outstanding curriculum, much enjoyed by pupils and admired by parents, one of whom comments, 'There is always something exciting happening.' The range and variety of extra activities in and out of school is extraordinary, with, for example, the Year 5 stay in France, the high take up of instrumental tuition and regular performances. Leadership and management are good. The effectiveness and efficiency of leadership and management over the years can be seen in the school's impressive reputation,

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Grade: 2

consistently good track record and in the way it has improved its accommodation, resources and overall provision over the years. Recent improvements to the way the school is run have seen this process accelerate. The impact of sharing responsibility across the staff team is showing very good signs of taking the school to another level. The school's sustained success and its further improvement show its very good capacity to build on already strong foundations.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards by setting even more challenging targets for individuals and the school.

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Grade: 2

Standards have been consistently above average in English, mathematics and science since the last inspection. Sometimes, especially in English, they are well above average. The school regularly sets and meets appropriate targets and all the evidence suggests it will continue this trend this year. Achievement is good. A significant number of pupils join the school with the 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007 highest levels attainable in the Year 2 tests. This limits the ability of the school to demonstrate statistically the good value it adds to pupils' learning. Despite this, good arrangements to stretch these higher attainers ensure that they make good progress. Pupils with learning difficulties benefit from very good provision and make very good progress. Analysis and observation during the inspection showed that all other pupils are making good progress in all four year groups, thanks to the consistently good quality of teaching, a stimulating curriculum

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Grade: 1

The school fosters an environment in which pupils feel valued and respected. They, in return, by their very mature behaviour, positive attitudes to work, and social awareness, make a very important contribution to the life of the school. Every effort is made to ensure that pupils know how to stay safe and do as well as they can. The wide experiences offered on residential and other visits make them well aware of dangers and risks outside school. Low absence levels reflect pupils' enjoyment of their education. Pupils are very clear about what it takes to stay fit and healthy and enjoy every opportunity to play their part in the school and wider community. Pupils of all ages influence the running of the school through the school council, where they have taken action on issues including, currently, the 'Meet and Greet Area'. Pupils leave the school with very good basic skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication

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Grade: 1

technology. Together with their well developed personal skills, they are very well prepared for the next stage in their education and for later life.

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Grade: 2

The school's track record of helping pupils to achieve high standards each year since the last inspection is a good indicator of the consistently good quality of teaching and learning. This is reinforced by pupils' love of learning and enthusiasm for all the varied activities provided. A particular feature of teaching is the way best use is made of the strengths and interests of individual teachers and teaching assistants to maximise learning. This is particularly so in the five job shares. A good example is in the five Year 6 mathematics groups where high fliers and low attainers work in different ways in smaller groups and the rest work together in groups of similar ability. Work is generally well matched to pupils' abilities but, for some pupils, individual targets are not sufficiently demanding to encourage them to achieve their full potential

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Grade: 1

The school's stimulating curriculum motivates pupils to want to learn and raises their expectations of what they can do. Displays around the school show the richness and originality of the activities provided for pupils in class and out of school. The range of visits and visitors pupils experience is remarkable, as are the special weeks and events organised regularly to bring life to pupils' learning. The take up of the very wide range of instrumental tuition on offer is remarkable. Extra-curricular activities are excellent. The inspector agrees with a parent who says that the school encourages pupils to 'break out of their comfort zone and try new and exciting things'. 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007

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Grade: 1

Pupils and parents greatly value the outstanding care, guidance and support provided by the school. A parent comments, 'I know what a difference a really good school can make.' Rigorous procedures for protecting and safeguarding children are in place and arrangements for health and safety are well established. Teachers know their pupils' needs very well and track their progress carefully. The systems used contribute strongly to them attaining high standards and pupils know what they need to do to improve. The school's current procedure for setting individual and school targets has promoted consistently good progress among most pupils. However, to raise standards, even more challenging targets will be needed.

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Grade: 2

This is a very well run school with a strong identity and a real sense of pride in what its pupils achieve in the widest sense. It has the confidence to innovate and do things differently and the expertise and management skills to see things through. Key to all this is the admirable way leaders and managers at all levels have taken the opportunities presented by national initiatives and staff reorganisation to develop their areas of responsibility. With everyone involved, the quality of the school's selfevaluation is now very good, as shown by the level of detail in the very positive and ambitious school improvement plan. A good example is in the way the global dimension of the school has mushroomed so that every pupil and teacher has an international connection. Another is in the way provision for pupils with learning difficulties has been transformed. The excellent contribution of the headteacher in promoting and encouraging this

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Grade: 2

process has been much enhanced by the active and very well informed support of the governing body. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 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?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

• 20 June 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Charlton Kings Junior School, Cheltenham, GL538QE I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to your school and wished I could have spent a bit more time sharing all the interesting things I saw you enjoying. Thank you for making me feel so welcome and teaching me to juggle. You are obviously very proud of your school and, like you, I think it is good. These are the good things we found: • You behave excellently, love learning, work hard and do your best. • You are good at lots of subjects. • I agree with you that your teachers and helpers are good at helping you learn. • The things you do in class are interesting and fun. • Your teachers arrange a fantastic range of extra activities for you to enjoy. • You know you are safe and that there is always someone to turn to. • I know you appreciate all the grown-ups do to make sure your time in school is as happy as possible. • Your headteacher is great at making it possible for everyone to do their best. To make things

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

even better, this is what we have asked your school to do now: • Set you targets which are a little bit harder each year so that by the time you leave you have made even better progress. You can help, too, by continuing to work hard and do your best. Again, thank you for all you do to make your school as good as it is. It was a pleasure for me to share it with you for a short time. Yours sincerely Geoff Burgess Lead inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Charlton Kings Junior School, 18 June 2007

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