Causton Junior School

124580 Unique Reference Number SUFFOLK Local Authority 293041 Inspection number 20 °21 September 2006 Inspection dates Mr. Godfrey Bancroft Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Maidstone Road School address Junior Type of school Felixstowe Community School category Suffolk IP11 9ED 7 °11 Age range of pupils 01394283374 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01394286867 Fax number 282 Number on roll (school) Mrs.Barbara Bayley Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr. Paul Rooney Headteacher 4 June 2001 Date of previous school inspection

p.1

Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 293041 20 °21 September 2006 7°11 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by a team of three Additional Inspectors.

p.3

Description of the school

This is a larger than average junior school in Felixstowe, Suffolk. The community faces some social and economic challenges. Attainment on entry is below average. The number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and the number who speak English as an additional language are very low. The percentage of pupils who have additional learning needs or disabilities is well above average. The school has a Specialist Support Centre for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.3

Grade: 2

This is a good school and the inspection agrees with the school's evaluation of its own performance. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well. The headteacher sets the tone for a very inclusive school in which pupils and adults feel valued and able to thrive and do their best. As a result, pupils in Causton Junior typically learn with a smile. By the time they leave pupils attain standards that are broadly average. Pupils who are part of the school's Specialist Centre for moderate learning difficulties and complex needs are supported well and make particularly good progress. Good teaching and a well-developed understanding of the needs of pupils who have learning difficulties are the main reasons why achievement is good. The school works very effectively to raise pupils' self-esteem and improve their confidence as learners. However, whilst pupils behave very well and sustain their effort, many have yet to

p.4

Grade: 2

acquire the skills that will enable them to become independent learners. For instance, the speaking skills of many are at a low level and they often experience difficulties when attempting to put their thoughts into words. Pupils are also not involved sufficiently in the assessment of their own progress or in understanding fully what they need to do to improve. Teaching meets the learning needs of pupils' well. Teachers provide activities that capture pupils' interest and pupils respond by applying themselves well during lessons. Teachers assess pupils' attainment and progress accurately, using the information they gain from assessments effectively to plan the next stages of pupils learning. However, the use of assessment information to track and analyse pupils' progress over longer periods is at an embryonic stage and the information kept by the school is not easily accessible for all teachers. Leadership and

p.4

Grade: 2

management are good. Thoughtful planning is resulting in many improvements, such as the rising standards in writing. The school has successfully addressed all the areas of weakness identified by the last inspection and improvement since that time is good. It is well placed to maintain this pattern of improvement in the future and provides good value for money.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

- Introduce measures to improve the quality of pupils' speaking and listening. - Refine the use of the procedures for tracking and analysing pupils' progress and make these easily accessible for all teachers. - Help pupils to become independent learners and enable them to have a greater understanding of the progress they are making.

p.4

Grade: 2

Attainment on entry is below average. Pupils, including those who have learning difficulties and disabilities and those from minority ethnic backgrounds, achieve well. Those who attend the attached Specialist Support Centre for pupils with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs make particularly good progress. Standards have improved steadily over recent years because the school sets appropriately 2 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006 challenging targets for raising attainment and is usually successful in meeting them. Consequently, by the end of Year 6, pupils' standards in English, mathematics and science are broadly average. This represents good progress from their below average starting points in Year 3. The school has been particularly successful at raising standards in writing. However, despite an upward trend in overall standards, standards in speaking and listening are below average, particularly, in Years 3 and 4.

p.4

Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Pupils really enjoy coming to school as indicated by their high levels of attendance. They say 'Causton is fun' because lessons are interesting and there are many out of school clubs and activities. Pupils readily accept responsibilities and are proud to be school councillors and playground 'buddies'. Pupils' behaviour is very good because the behaviour policy is applied consistently by all staff. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop the skills needed for adult life in a multi-cultural society, because spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Assemblies, in which singing is good, contribute very well to pupils' spiritual development and to the school's strong sense of community. Pupils also support charities and play a positive role in the wider community. They show their understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles by choosing the

p.5

Grade: 2

school healthy lunches that the school provides and by participating enthusiastically in lunchtime sports activities and in sporting events organised for local schools.

p.5

Grade: 2

The quality of teaching is good. Teachers are quick to identify those pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities and adopt an effective range of methods to ensure that these pupils and also those who speak English as an Additional Language make good progress. Pupils invariably adopt a positive approach to learning during their lessons. Several Year 6 pupils said, 'We enjoy our maths lessons because the teachers make them interesting'. Teachers have a good understanding of the levels pupils have reached and assess their progress accurately. However, they do not focus sufficiently on developing pupils' speaking and listening skills. There are examples of good marking which leads to pupils' better understanding of what they have to do to improve, but the quality of marking is not consistently high throughout the school. Teachers do not always provide sufficient opportunities for pupils to discuss the progress they have

p.5

Grade: 2

made during lessons or towards the targets that are set for their learning. Teaching assistants provide very effective support when working with individuals or small groups, but are not always involved fully with pupils at the start and end of lessons. 3 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.5

Grade: 3

The curriculum is satisfactory and is enhanced effectively by a wide range of clubs, educational visits and visitors to the school. There are strengths in history, art, music and physical education. The curriculum is well matched to the needs of the pupils, particularly pupils who have learning difficulties and disabilities. Basic literacy, numeracy and ICT skills are being reinforced through other subjects, but this is not consistent throughout the school. Teachers' use of ICT to improve pupils' learning is developing satisfactorily as teachers become more confident with the use of resources such as interactive whiteboards. The current weakness in the curriculum is that insufficient attention is given to developing pupils' speaking and listening skills. Though good practice is developing, time is not always used to best effect in sessions at the start of the morning and afternoon to promote these important skills.

p.6

Grade: 2

Standards of care, guidance and support are good. Procedures to ensure that pupils are safe meet requirements fully and the school is totally committed to their care and protection. Pupils who find learning hard are supported well, as are the few pupils who find difficulty in behaving appropriately. Opportunities for pupils to gain regular insights into how well they are making progress and what they need to do to improve their work further are not yet fully established. The use of assessment information to track and analyse pupils' progress over longer periods is also at an early stage of development. Teachers are not yet able to make best use of such information because not easily accessible to them.

p.6

Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The work of the headteacher is highly regarded within the school and by the community. The school's evaluation of its own performance is accurate. The leadership provided by members of staff who have additional responsibilities, including that of the deputy-headteacher and special educational needs co-ordinator who is in charge of the Special Centre for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, is good. Procedures for subject leaders to check on and make arrangements to improve the quality of provision in their subjects, although recently introduced, are proving to be effective. Governance is satisfactory. The chair of the governing body provides strong and dynamic leadership. Governors are great advocates for the work school. The governing body has well-structured policy arrangements for evaluating the quality of provision. However, these arrangements are a recent

p.6

Grade: 2

introduction and are not yet fully embedded in the work of the governing body. Parents and carers have very positive views of the school and feel it provides their children with a good education. Financial management is good. The school obtains good value 4 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006 from resources and services because the school bursar does an outstanding job of ensuring that the governing body and staff fully understand spending patterns in the sections of the budget for which they are responsible. 5 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006 .

p.6

Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The attendance of learners 1 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

p.9

and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

p.9

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: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.9

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: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

21 September 2006 Dear Pupils, Causton Junior School, Maidstone Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9ED Thank you for making the inspection team feel very welcome and for telling us all about your school. I know that you and your parents and carers think your school is good and we agree. Your teachers and teaching assistants are good at giving you all the help that you need and at making your lessons enjoyable and interesting. They provide very good help for those of you who sometimes find learning difficult and for those who you who are part of the Special Learning Centre. For your part, it is good that you all work hard and do your best. Your behaviour is very good and this is helping you to become good learners. Your headteacher and other staff are very good at taking care of you and making sure you are safe. Your school governors and your headteacher do a good job in making sure that everything works well and

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

that you have all you need to help you to learn successfully. As a result of the inspection and to help you to become even better learners your school will be - - Helping you to become better speakers and listeners. - Improving the ways in which the adults keep track of how well you are making progress over long periods of time. - Helping you to become better at learning on your own and to have a greater understanding of the progress you are making. Well done. Keep on working hard, behaving well and doing your very best. Yours sincerely, Godfrey Bancroft Lead inspector 9 Inspection Report: Causton Junior School, 20 °21 September 2006

p.11