Grange Junior School

116170 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 290445 Inspection number 19 °20 June 2007 Inspection dates John Laver 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 Community School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 252 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Geoff Howells Chair Mr David Jones Headteacher 11 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection Franklin Road School address Rowner Gosport PO13 9TS

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02392 581172 Telephone number 02392 523714 Fax number

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7 °11 Age group 19 °20 June 2007 Inspection dates 290445 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 three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is slightly larger than average and is set in an area of considerable social and economic deprivation. The great majority of pupils come from a white British background, and an above average proportion have learning difficulties or disabilities. There is a high turnover of pupils, with many joining and leaving the school at different times. There is a small but increasing number of pupils learning English as an additional language.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007

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Grade: 2

Grange Junior provides a good standard of education. The school faces the challenge of a shifting school population, with a significant percentage of pupils joining or leaving the school intermittently. The school has successfully recruited a full complement of committed teachers and support staff, who ensure that all pupils feel valued, secure, and very enthusiastic about learning. As a result, personal development is rapid and outstanding. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a significant strength, along with their behaviour and enjoyment of school. This is reflected in good and improving attendance. Standards have risen in recent years, particularly in mathematics, which was an underperforming subject. Standards in English and mathematics are broadly average, and above average in science. The great majority of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and disabilities,

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Grade: 2

and those learning English as an additional language, achieve well. Teachers build upon excellent pupil attitudes, so that pupils respond very well to good teaching. Until recently, boys achieved better than girls, but the gap has closed significantly. Pupils make good progress in most lessons. However, some more able pupils do not achieve as well as they should, because they are not given consistently challenging work. Pupils receive good care, support and guidance overall. Personal support and guidance are strengths. Pupils feel comfortable about approaching adults and each other for help. They talk enthusiastically about initiatives like the buddy system, and are keen to help children in the adjoining infant school. Growing confidence is an important part of pupils' personal development. Pupils confidently participate in class or assemblies, responding to questions or volunteering opinions. Academic support and guidance are improving but are less well developed than

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Grade: 2

personal care. Some teachers use assessment information well to ensure a good match of activities to individual learning needs, but this is not consistent, and currently the targets have more meaning for some pupils than for others. Teaching and learning are good. Most teachers display very good classroom management, maintain pace and enthusiasm, and promote active learning. Lessons are notable for their pleasant, collaborative atmosphere, with pupils listening intently to each other and working productively. Children enjoy the good curriculum, particularly sport and the good range of enrichment activities such as 'reward time', and the frequent residential and day trips. Arts provision is outstanding. Notable successes include the gifted and talented art club which has led to pupils teaching lessons and exhibiting their work in Winchester Great Hall. Leadership and management are good. There is a clear focus on improvement. Evaluation is

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Grade: 2

accurate, and is based on systematic monitoring undertaken by subject coordinators and the leadership team. Governors are now more involved in both the daily life of the school and strategic leadership. They hold the school to account well. The head teacher has distributed responsibility widely, and all staff have responded positively, resulting in a happy school for both staff and pupils. Parents and pupils overwhelmingly endorse the school's successes. As one parent told the inspectors, 'I sincerely believe that the teachers and their helpers have put everything into making my son what he is today with his new found respect and passion for learning.' The successes, particularly in the personal development of pupils and the raising of standards and achievement, mean that the school has a good capacity to improve still further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that teachers use assessment consistently to set challenging targets and accelerate the progress of higher ability pupils. • Provide pupils with clear learning targets so that they better understand how to improve their work and learning.

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Grade: 2

Standards are average overall and achievement is good. Standards in science are above average. Most pupils join the school with below average standards in literacy and numeracy, and the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties has progressively increased in recent years. During the same period, since 2004, standards have risen faster than the national rate. Pupils in the current Year 6 are on track to meet or exceed their targets. This reflects the good quality of teaching and pupils' excellent attitudes towards learning. In recent years, with the exception of English, boys have achieved better than girls. This gap in achievement has narrowed as a result of the school's improvement strategies. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and the small number learning English as an additional language achieve well. Although higher ability pupils achieve at least satisfactorily, some do not achieve as well as they might when

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Grade: 2

there is insufficient challenge in the teaching.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Excellent assemblies provide good opportunities to develop pupils' ability to reflect on a range of issues. The positive ethos of the school and the quality of personal care and teaching encourage excellent behaviour and enjoyment of school. This is reflected in above average attendance, which has improved also because of procedures implemented by the school during the last two years. Pupils have a good understanding of what constitutes a healthy diet. They appreciate the excellent opportunities to take on responsibility in the community, including membership of the school council, and taking part in activities such as litter picking and acting as 'Grange Guardians'. The many pupils who join the school at various times greatly appreciate the help from other pupils in settling in. Pupils have an excellent understanding of how to keep safe and how to

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Grade: 1

act responsibly. Their excellent personal skills and good progress in core skills such as literacy and numeracy prepare them well for the next stage of their lives.

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Grade: 2

Teachers are enthusiastic and give clear explanations. As a result pupils focus very well on their learning and try hard in lessons, leading to good achievement. Relationships are excellent, and the classroom atmosphere is harmonious and productive. Pupils greatly enjoy lessons, especially where there is a range of activities. Lessons are briskly paced and teachers use interactive whiteboards well to support learning. Learning support assistants provide good support for pupils with additional learning needs. The most successful lessons provide good opportunities to develop speaking and listening skills, often the result of teachers posing challenging questions 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007 and encouraging discussion in groups and pairs. However, in some lessons tasks are not always sufficiently matched to pupils' needs and abilities, so that in particular, those of higher ability

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Grade: 2

do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum meets pupils' needs well. Pupils greatly enjoy the emphasis given to physical education, especially swimming, and also to the arts, which are a strength of the school. A very high proportion of pupils take part in extra activities such as sport or music tuition. The school is running a successful programme of Spanish teaching in collaboration with the local schools cluster, and also benefits from specialist sports coaching. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the wide range of trips and the residential visits, for example to the Isle of Wight, which have a very positive effect upon pupils' personal development. The school has recently adapted the curriculum for older pupils, to integrate core skills such as numeracy more closely with other subjects. This has had a marked effect on pupils' attitudes to learning, and as both pupils and parents report, they 'cannot wait to get to school.' This in turn has contributed significantly

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Grade: 2

to improved standards and achievement. Some more able pupils are not given consistently challenging work in lessons, although the school has recognised this as an area for development.

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Grade: 2

Highly committed staff create a thoroughly supportive environment for pupils, who greatly appreciate the high quality of personal care. Pupils feel happy, safe and secure, and are confident that once they are inside the school gates their interests will be safeguarded well. There are rigorous procedures in place for dealing with bullying and racism. Child protection procedures are robust and fully in place. Parents testify to the extensive provision to support those pupils who are particularly vulnerable. Also impressive is the way in which, for example, pupils look out for each other as buddies or 'Grange Guardians'. There is very good specialist support for those pupils learning English as an additional language. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are well served, particularly in the classroom, by skilled and active learning support assistants. Academic guidance is more developed in English than other subjects. Assessment

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Grade: 2

data is used increasingly to monitor progress and to set targets for pupils, but this is a relatively recent development and some teachers are using targets and marking inconsistently in helping pupils to make more progress in lessons. Some pupils are unclear about their targets.

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Grade: 2

The school has very successfully changed the structure of its senior leadership team. Its three members are excellent role models, leading the drive for improvement. They have a very clear understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development, and these are given due priority in the school's improvement planning. The monitoring and evaluation of the school's performance are accurate. The leadership is very well supported by an effective governing body that is increasingly holding the school to account. All staff, whatever their level of experience, are given leadership or management responsibilities and all have risen to the challenge. The result is a sense of purpose and genuine willingness to pull together throughout the school. The school has been very successful in managing resources and staffing. Financial management 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007

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Grade: 2

is sound. Partnerships are outstanding. For example, the school has very strong links with other local educational providers. The local schools' cluster provides excellent support for the sports and modern languages programmes. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 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. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 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? 3 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 2 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?

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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Grange Junior School,Gosport,PO13 9TS We would like to thank you for welcoming us so warmly into your school. We greatly enjoyed seeing you work in lessons and talking to you about your time here in school. We understand why you are so proud and enthusiastic about your school, because we agree that it has so much to offer. Your school gives you a good standard of education, and it does some things particularly well. We agree with what you told us about being very well looked after. We know that you feel safe and that you enjoy coming to school. We were particularly impressed with the way that you listen to each other in lessons, get on well with each other, take responsibility and represent your school excellently. We know that you love the fun activities such as reward time, sport and trips to places like the Isle of Wight. We also know that you behave very well most of the time. You are making good

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

progress in your work, and believe that this is due to the good teaching you receive and your desire to learn. Your teachers work really hard at getting the best out of you, and your school is very well led by the head teacher, supported by all other teachers and adults in the school. We are sure that this is a happy school. We have asked the school to give you even clearer targets and let you know in more detail how to improve your work. Once again, thank you for making our visit so enjoyable, and good luck for the future! John LaverLead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Grange Junior School, 19 °20 June 2007

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