Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School

Inspection Report Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School

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116164 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290441 Inspection number 4 °5 December 2006 Inspection dates Peter Thrussell 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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Salisbury Terrace School address Junior Type of school Lee-on-the-Solent Community School category PO13 9DL 7 °11 Age range of pupils 02392550551 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 02392553811 Fax number 333 Number on roll (school) Mr Steve Peach Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Mary Charlton Headteacher 3 December 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 290441 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This is a larger than average junior school. There is an increasing roll, with a higher proportion of pupils than expected joining part way through their schooling. There is little deprivation, with a small proportion known to be eligible for free school meals. Almost all pupils have White British heritage. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is below average.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School provides a satisfactory quality of education for its pupils. It has several strengths. Pupils' positive attitudes and good behaviour make them keen to learn. They particularly enjoy the improved provision for information and communication technology and the good enrichment opportunities and range of after school clubs offered within the curriculum. Parents recognise that 'the school organises lots of extra activities and trips that are much appreciated'. Residential trips help them to gain in confidence and develop good social skills. They are keen to have their say about the school through the school council, and take an active part in local projects. Consequently, pupils contribute well to school life and to the wider community. Good opportunities for sport and physical activity help to promote healthy lifestyles. The school provides a satisfactory level of care for its pupils that ensures their safety

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Grade: 3

and well-being. A home school link worker provides good support for the few pupils with emotional and behavioural needs, establishing good relationships with their families and ensuring that these pupils are well settled in school. By Year 6, standards in English and science are just above average, but in mathematics they are below average. Given their starting points, achievement overall is satisfactory, although much weaker in mathematics. In recent years, pupils have not achieved as well as could be expected in science. A close analysis of test results identified areas that the school needed to focus on and an emphasis was placed on investigative work to develop pupils' understanding. This helped to raise achievement and standards. Recent improvements in English have been brought about through more opportunities for pupils to talk about and plan their writing. They also have targets to aim for. The

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Grade: 3

school recognises that it is not doing well enough in mathematics and action is being taken to address this, although not yet showing significant signs of improvement. It is starting to look at teaching and learning in mathematics, and how to construct lessons that result in pupils making better progress. At the moment, assessment information is not always used well enough to plan what each pupil needs to learn next so that all make the best progress possible. Overall the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory but monitoring is not sufficiently rigorous to bring about a sustained improvement. The school is sufficiently accurate in its self-evaluation, identifying the appropriate areas for improvement. Satisfactory improvement has been made since the last inspection. Pupils' spiritual and cultural development is now good, although there remain inconsistencies in the rates of learning in lessons. The school has a satisfactory

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise achievement and standards in mathematics for all pupils, through a fuller and more consistent use of assessment information to plan the next steps in their learning • Ensure teaching and learning, particularly in mathematics, are rigorously monitored, and result in the improvements needed to raise achievement and standards 2 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Grade: 3

Standards overall are average. Overall, pupils achieve satisfactorily. From average starting points in English and science, pupils make satisfactory progress. Action taken in recent years has helped to raise achievement in these subjects. From a similar starting point in mathematics, pupils do not achieve well enough, and by Year 6, standards are below average. The school has identified this as a priority for improvement, and is working closely with its attached inspector and consultants to help to ensure the success of its planned actions.

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Grade: 2

Personal development and well-being are good. Pupils enjoy school and their attendance is above the national average. Behaviour in classes and around the school is good, with effective support for pupils with challenging behaviour. Assemblies are important opportunities for shared reflection. Older pupils adopt responsible attitudes. Pupils are gaining knowledge of other cultures through learning French, and show a growing awareness of the cultural diversity within society. These experiences, combined with an effective personal, social, health education programme, contribute to pupils' good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils know how to stay healthy. Many participate in extra physical activities within school and enjoy the healthy meals at lunchtime. Pupils' lunchboxes show that the vast majority follow the school's useful advice on healthy eating. Pupils have a good understanding of how to stay safe and

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Grade: 2

know that there is an adult in school they can go to if they have any concerns. The school council is proud of its achievements. Its members feel that their views are valued, such as their ideas for improving playtimes by providing play equipment. Pupils also make a good contribution to the local community, raising money for charity or participating in local environmental projects. They have a sound grasp of basic skills and work well together. This prepares them satisfactorily for the next stage in their education.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory although ranging in quality throughout the school. This results in pupils making overall satisfactory yet inconsistent progress. Behaviour is managed well in lessons, generally drawing on the good relationships that teachers have established with pupils. Consequently, pupils settle well to activities so that little time is wasted, particularly where activities are well planned to meet the needs of different learners. Questioning in some lessons is thorough and helps pupils to develop their understanding; in other lessons it does not fully include all pupils nor 3 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006 extend their thinking sufficiently. It is not always used well enough at the end of lessons to involve pupils themselves in an evaluation of their learning. For example, opportunities are missed to discuss how well they have done and what they have found

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Grade: 3

difficult. The quality of marking is variable. The best practice shows constructive comments, which not only tell pupils how well they have done, but also how they could further improve their work. Other marking is irregular and shows that teachers do not always have high enough expectations of the quality and quantity of pupils' work.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and adequately meets the learning needs of all pupils. It is broad and contains some valuable curriculum links which contribute to pupil's interest and enjoyment. An example of this is a Year 5 project on the locality, which combined history and information technology well. Music is a strength, with many pupils learning to play an instrument and performing in school productions such as 'Joseph'. The curriculum is enriched well through visits, visitors and special days and makes good provision for pupils' personal development. They developed their understanding of healthy food well when they looked at and made packed lunches with a national supermarket's food adviser. Their knowledge and understanding of safety issues is well developed through visits from road safety officers and the police and an ongoing programme for cycling proficiency.

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Grade: 3

Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. The school is a calm, positive place in which to learn. Procedures governing the safety and protection of pupils are effective. Events such as the Friendship week add to pupils' confidence that unkind behaviour will be dealt with promptly and effectively. There is satisfactory provision and support for pupils with learning difficulties, allowing them to make the same progress as their classmates. Systems for keeping track of pupils' progress and evaluating how well they are doing are developing. Teachers are making sound use of this information to set targets for pupils and to help them to understand what they need to do to improve in English. Pupils do not have as clear guidance in mathematics, nor a sufficient understanding of what they need to do to improve their work.

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Grade: 3

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Senior leaders set a clear direction for the school and have developed a common purpose among staff. Teaching staff and other adults work closely as a team. The headteacher promotes a caring ethos within which pupils' personal skills are well developed. Parents particularly appreciate this aspect of the school's work. The school's strategic planning shows that leaders have set the right priorities for improvement, recognising the insufficient progress made 4 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006 by pupils in mathematics. Although actions to be taken and outcomes for pupils are clear, these are not linked closely enough to measurable targets against which the school can judge the success of its actions. Teaching is monitored regularly by senior leaders and subject managers. They are aware that the process has not been rigorous

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Grade: 3

enough to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching and learning, particularly in mathematics. Areas for improvement are not always followed up sufficiently. More rigorous systems are now in place but their impact on standards and on improving the quality of teaching have yet to be seen on results. Governors are supportive and show sound knowledge of where the school needs to improve. Their role in monitoring and evaluating the school's work is developing. They recognise that they need to provide more challenge to the school over the progress made by pupils, particularly in mathematics. 5 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent 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: Lee-on-the-Solent 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 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?

3 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: Lee-on-the-Solent 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: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

I am writing to let you know what we found when we visited your school. Thank you for taking part in the inspection. We spoke to some of you during our visit and you were interesting to talk to and helpful. You spoke enthusiastically about enjoying school and all of the things you take part in. We decided that Lee-on-the-Solent is a satisfactory school, which has a number of strengths. • You enjoy school, especially the after school clubs and musical productions. • You understand the importance of taking plenty of exercise and eating the right things. • You behave well and want to do your best in lessons. • The school listens to you when you suggest how things could be better and you value being given responsibilities. To improve further, we have asked the school to : • carefully plan what each of you needs to learn next in mathematics, so that the work is challenging but just right for you • make sure that you all do as well as you can in lessons, particularly mathematics.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you again. Yours sincerely, Peter Thrussell Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School, 4 °5 December 2006

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