Belmont Junior School

102078 Unique Reference Number Haringey Local Authority 307894 Inspection number 10 °11 December 2007 Inspection dates Gordon Ewing 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 209 School The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Jean Neave Chair Ms Debbie Goodlad Headteacher 29 January 2001 Date of previous school inspection Rusper Road School address London N22 6RA 020 8888 8261 Telephone number 020 8365 8048 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 10 °11 December 2007 Inspection dates 307894 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Belmont Junior is a smaller than average primary school. It serves an area with a wide cultural diversity and some areas of high social deprivation. The number of pupils eligible for free school meals is high, as is the percentage of pupils from minority ethnic groups. Over three fifths of pupils have a first language that is believed not to be English. This is very high. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is well above average. The school has a long-established partnership with a local special school and currently fully integrates eight pupils with physical disabilities into mainstream education.

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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: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Grade: 1

Belmont Junior is a truly inclusive school that provides an outstanding education for all pupils. Pupils make outstanding progress in their academic and personal development because they have excellent attitudes to learning, have a very strong work ethic and are well taught by teachers and teaching assistants. Consequently, they clearly enjoy their lessons, display excellent behaviour and consistently achieve above average standards by the end of Year 6. Given pupils' below average starting points this represents excellent achievement. Outstanding leadership, a tremendous team spirit and a strong commitment to raising standards are at the heart of the school's actions. One parent commented, 'The staff are very committed and dedicated to the children'. As a result, pupils, regardless of their ability, gender or background, are able to achieve as well as they can. Pupils' progress is closely tracked from the

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Grade: 1

time they start junior school and lessons are planned well to meet their wide-ranging needs. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, and those for whom English is an additional language, achieve as well as their peers because teaching assistants are highly skilled in enhancing their learning and boosting the impact of the good teaching and curriculum. Within lessons pupils receive immediate feedback on their learning and know how to take the next step with confidence. Teachers' marking, however, is not sufficiently consistent in guiding pupils on how to improve their work. Some opportunities are, therefore, missed to develop pupils' independent learning skills. Pupils' personal development and well-being are outstanding. Behaviour is exemplary and pupils have excellent attitudes towards learning and clearly enjoy their work. They keenly assess their own progress in lessons and are cooperative and willing participants in their learning and

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Grade: 1

at play. They are very respectful of each other's views and their surroundings. Attendance is excellent and has significantly improved since the last inspection because punctuality and unauthorised absence are rigorously monitored. Pupils know how to stay healthy and safe and their excellent progress in basic skills means that they are very well prepared for their future economic well-being. The full integration of pupils with physical disabilities brings many benefits to the whole community and all pupils gain enormously from their inclusion. They support each other with great empathy, sensitivity and mutual respect. Care and support are outstanding and pupils receive good academic guidance. All staff are highly committed to promoting pupils' welfare and ensuring they get the best possible opportunities to learn in a very safe and caring environment. Relationships between pupils and staff are excellent and pupils say, 'All grown ups support us'. The vast majority of parents think

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Grade: 1

very highly of the school. As one parent wrote 'I am proud of my children's school'. The outstanding leadership of the headteacher has created a clear vision that generates a strong inclusive ethos which permeates all aspects of the school's work. Challenging targets are set to ensure that the school does not rest on its laurels and senior leaders and subject coordinators monitor very closely the impact of the school's actions on outcomes for pupils and consult them very effectively on how to improve lessons and resources further. Governors have an excellent understanding of their roles and the school's place in the community. The school has a very clear view of what it must do to maintain its consistently above average standards and the outstanding progress that pupils make. Given its track record the school is very well placed to improve further. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve the consistency of teachers' marking to help pupils to become more independent as learners.

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Grade: 1

Achievement is outstanding. Overall, attainment on entry is below average and by the time pupils leave Year 6 they achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science. At the time of the last inspection low standards in science were an area of concern. Since then there has been a significant and sustained improvement in all national test results over the last four years reflecting the school's very high priority towards developing key basic skills. Pupils of all abilities are thus highly motivated to learn and make exceptional progress because they are able to access the curriculum very effectively. Intervention support to pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and to those for whom English is an additional language is highly effective and has a significant impact on their rate of progress. This progress is regularly and very closely tracked to ensure that all pupils achieve as well as they can.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Through the comprehensive programme of assembly themes and focus weeks pupils have an excellent understanding of why bullying is unacceptable and how important it is to have positive friendships. They confidently express their feelings, are very good listeners and know how to stay safe. School councillors represent pupils' views conscientiously and are proud they have improved the toilet and playground facilities. Currently they are fund raising for 'Water Aid' in Gambia. As part of a Junior Citizens project pupils undertake regular visits to a lunch club for the elderly, which facilitates strong links and makes a very positive contribution to the community. Pupils appreciate the importance of a healthy lifestyle and the need for regular exercise. The salad bar enables them to seek healthy options at lunchtime and they enjoy the

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Grade: 1

physical activities they undertake. The Safe Travel Plan initiative has also heightened pupils' awareness of road and personal safety. Activities such as Inclusion Week ensure all pupils understand how disability affects lifestyles, the workplace and the implications for them as citizens. Pupils are extremely proud of their school and say, 'It is an amazing school with fantastic staff'.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good overall and has some outstanding features. Pupils' outstanding attitudes and behaviour to their learning and the excellent support of the highly skilled teaching assistants contribute significantly to the impact of teaching. For example, in an outstanding Year 6 science lesson, pupils were engaged in challenging tasks to develop their understanding of the forces that surround them every day. The teacher skilfully drew out their understanding and stretched their scientific vocabulary very effectively. Teaching assistants worked tirelessly to support pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those for whom English is an additional 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007 language. Consequently, pupils confidently talked about how to measure mass and to explain very effectively the forces acting upon a descending parachutist. Pupils' enjoyment and learning

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Grade: 2

were outstanding. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan lessons effectively. In all lessons, teachers use good questioning strategies to test pupils' understanding and check that they are working at an appropriate pace and level. A particular strength is how all adults in lessons provide immediate and very positive guidance on how to take the next step in learning through constant discussion and praise. However, teachers' marking is less consistent in providing effective guidance to pupils on how to improve their work and, as a result, some opportunities are missed to develop further pupils' independent learning skills. The school is aware of this and future plans to address this issue are in place.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is relevant, stimulating and effectively planned to meet the needs of all pupils. Literacy, numeracy and information communication technology (ICT) skills are integrated well into many lessons and pupils' own strong work ethic and eagerness to learn heighten the impact of the good curriculum. As a result they are very well prepared for their future adult lives and economic well-being. Good resources, including the ICT suite, are used effectively to enhance the curriculum. The teaching of instrumental music and Spanish to all pupils are notable strengths. Educational visits and visitors contribute significantly to the curriculum and pupils' wider understanding of the outside world. Special theme events such as Local Democracy Day and Science Week stimulate pupils' curiosity and extend their experience. The school works effectively with local community groups such as Tottenham Hotspur Football Club to provide

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Grade: 2

a variety of clubs to which a satisfactory number of pupils attend. Time spent on physical education within the school day does not yet meet the recommended level of two hours per week.

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Grade: 1

Arrangements to ensure health, safety and the safeguarding of pupils are thorough. Initiatives like 'Friends for Life' ensure the implications of issues such as stress, bullying and friendships are understood very well. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and those with learning difficulties and disabilities are identified promptly and the inclusion manager ensures that very good individual support enables them to make fast progress. Pupils' progress is regularly tracked and rigorously monitored with challenging targets for learning are set termly. Additionally, in every lesson teachers give pupils clear short term targets of what must, should and could be achieved and pupils confidently evaluate if they found their learning easy or hard.

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Grade: 1

The excellent leadership of the headteacher ensures a cohesive staff team totally focused on raising standards and meeting pupils' needs. Very high quality self-evaluation by all leaders means that the school has a precise understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and how to further improve. Challenging targets are set for each year group and pupils' progress towards 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007 these is tracked and monitored very effectively. Those identified as needing additional help are very well supported by able teaching assistants delivering quality 'catch-up' programmes. Teachers' performance is well managed and very good training for all staff is a major feature. This ensures staff have the right skills to support pupils' learning. Subject coordinators are very effective and knowledgeable and all staff regularly share good practice supporting each other

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Grade: 1

to develop further. When all these strategies are added to the pupils' excellent attitudes and 'thirst' for learning, the impact is that pupils' achievement from their starting points is excellent. Governors are proactive and fully engaged in supporting the school's work and they have a very secure understanding of their roles and the school's place in the community. Everyone works very hard to be seamlessly inclusive and it is impressive that pupils' understanding of this and the implications for the community are so well embedded in their values and behaviour. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007 .

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Grade: 1

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 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 1 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 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 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 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

19 December 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Belmont Junior School,London,N22 6RA You will remember that we visited your school recently for two days. I am writing, on behalf of the inspectors, to share our findings with you. Thank you for making us feel very welcome and for talking to us so positively about your school. We were really impressed with the comments you made and it is very clear that you think so highly of your school and that you enjoy your learning enormously. The things we think that are special about your school are:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The excellent progress you make through the school and the above average standards you achieve by the end of Year 6. ■ Your headteacher is outstanding and everyone at Belmont clearly works very hard to make your school so successful. ■ Your behaviour, attendance and attitudes to learning are outstanding.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school is really inclusive and you show great respect to each other and to your surroundings. ■ Belmont provides you with lots of very interesting and exciting things to do, including themed weeks, music activities, Spanish and visits. ■ We are so pleased that you feel happy and safe at school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We found the school delightful and your parents and carers speak very highly of it, too.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

To improve your school further we have asked the staff to:

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ mark your work carefully giving you regular tips on how to learn even more.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We are confident that you will continue to enjoy life in this outstanding school and that you will always help your teachers as much as you can. Yours sincerely Gordon Ewing Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Belmont Junior School, 10 °11 December 2007

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