Reinwood Community Junior School

Reinwood Junior School Inspection report

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107621 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 309448 Inspection number 10 °11 January 2008 Inspection dates Don Mason 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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Primary Type of school Community School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 363 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Howard Lockwood Chair Mr Graham Altoft Headteacher 28 June 2004 Date of previous school inspection Burfitts Road School address Oakes Huddersfield West Yorkshire HD3 4YL 01484 222207 Telephone number 01484 222283 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 10 °11 January 2008 Inspection dates 309448 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 pupils in this larger-than-average junior school come from a wide variety of social and economic backgrounds. Most are from White British families with about one third from minority ethnic backgrounds. Approximately 15 pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average. Five new class teachers have been appointed in the last three years. The school has received several awards, including the Eco School Award, Investors in People, Artsmark Silver, FA Chartermark and, most recently, the Healthy Schools Gold Award.

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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: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008

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Grade: 3

While it has several significant strengths, the overall effectiveness of the school is satisfactory. This is because the pupils make satisfactory progress, and standards at the end of Year 6 are average. This represents satisfactory achievement. A striking feature of the school is its welcoming ethos. Pupils' personal development is good overall. Their behaviour, attitudes, enjoyment of school and understanding of healthy lifestyles are exemplary. They are proud of their school and their attendance is good. Parents too are extremely supportive of the school making comments such as, 'My children love going to school and the teachers are all welcoming and approachable. I can't fault the school in any way.' Although achievement is satisfactory overall, Year 6 national test results have shown disappointing standards for a significant number of pupils for several years. In order to remedy this situation the school has worked hard to improve its teaching and assessment arrangements

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Grade: 3

and to provide more effective support for those pupils in danger of falling behind. The quality of teaching and learning seen during the inspection was good. It is satisfactory overall because it is not having enough impact on pupils' performance in end-of-year tests. There is evidence that progress is beginning to accelerate as a result of the improvement strategies which have been introduced. The procedures to check pupils' progress are much improved and teachers are now able to identify quickly individuals who require help and provide support for them. The curriculum is satisfactory, with good enrichment and after- school activities. Work to provide activities that make links between subjects and give pupils opportunities to work together, planning and making choices, is also beginning to improve pupils' progress in the basic skills. Pupils feel safe and secure because of the good care and general guidance they receive. The

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Grade: 3

quality of academic guidance they receive through the use of targets, and in marking, is inconsistent from class to class. It is satisfactory overall because pupils' understanding of their achievements and what they have to do to improve further is not always as well developed as it could be. Pupils make a good contribution to the school community through the very active school council and eco-committee, charity fundraising and the responsibilities they take on in school. The school has a wealth of information on the progress of individual pupils and senior leaders regularly review this with class teachers. However, the school has only recently introduced a summary record of attainment in key skills for each year group and class, and this is not yet embedded as a tool for checking the progress made by pupils towards achieving their challenging targets. Staff have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses and a clear plan to

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Grade: 3

raise achievement is in place. However, procedures to check the school's performance and the impact of actions taken to improve achievement are not rigorous enough. As a result, the school is sometimes too generous in its evaluation of its performance because it focuses too much on the provision it makes and underestimates the significance of achievement and standards in all aspects of pupils' development.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Monitor all aspects of school life with greater rigour to ensure that improvement measures have a measurable impact on pupils' achievement. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008 ■ Make use of a concise, summary record of attainment so that the impact of improvement measures, and the school's success in meeting its targets for improved pupil achievement, can be easily checked. ■ Improve the consistency of advice offered to pupils, through the use of targets and in marking, providing them with better advice about their achievements and what they need to do to reach the next level. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Following a period when significant numbers of pupils failed to reach their challenging targets at the end of Key Stage 2, inspection evidence demonstrates that the school's well conceived improvement strategies have been effective and standards are rising markedly. Because of improved teaching and assessment arrangements, most pupils are now making appropriate progress from their above-average starting points and pupils' achievement is now satisfactory. Improvements in the teaching of guided reading and phonics have already paid dividends in Year 3. In addition, the latest national results show an improvement in the percentage of pupils reaching the higher level in the English and mathematics tests and the evidence suggests that most pupils are on course to reach their challenging targets for 2008. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those at an early stage of learning English, make at least as

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Grade: 3

much, and often better, progress as their peers because of the good support they receive from conscientious, well trained teaching assistants.

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Grade: 2

Pupils talk enthusiastically about all that the school has to offer and say they are actively involved in their learning, which they find interesting and fun. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are polite, friendly and welcoming and relationships throughout the school are excellent. Events such as 'Asian Week' and 'Black History Month' promote pupils' good understanding of the cultural diversity of modern Britain. Pupils know how to stay safe and have a very good understanding of healthy lifestyles. The many sporting activities available to all pupils and the very healthy lunchtime choices contribute very well to this. The school council and eco-committee are involved in decision-making and are very proud of the improvements made to the indoor and outdoor environment. They are very excited about further developments for the outdoor area, which have involved them working with the infant

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Grade: 2

school and local residents. Pupils leave the school as mature, confident individuals with good personal skills and satisfactory academic skills; these prepare them satisfactorily for later life.

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Grade: 3

The quality of teaching and learning is improving and many good examples were observed during the inspection. The rate of pupils' progress is increasing with a corresponding improvement in standards. The pace of lessons is brisk. Teachers talk to the whole class in a 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008 lively manner, making good use of humour, praise, questioning, interactive whiteboards and strategies such as the 'ketchup clap' to enliven lessons and motivate the pupils. Pupils display very positive attitudes to their work and enjoy the frequent opportunities they have to discuss activities with their 'talking partner'. The purpose of lessons is always made clear to pupils, who are encouraged to evaluate their understanding of the objective through the 'traffic light' system. In writing, pupils are receiving better advice about how to improve their work. In mathematics, an emphasis on problem-solving and practical work is promoting pupils' interest

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Grade: 3

and motivation. As a result, pupils are making better progress in these subjects. In some lessons, pupils do not have enough time to work on activities at their ability level and this slows their progress. In some mathematics lessons, for example, teachers rely too much on the fact that the year group is organised into sets by ability, giving the whole set the same activity that does not fully meet the needs of all pupils.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum enables pupils to make satisfactory progress in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. The attractive displays around the school create a stimulating environment for pupils and demonstrate the interesting activities provided in the full range of subjects. Pupils develop good skills in information and communication technology but have few opportunities to use and extend these skills independently or in group activities. The curriculum is well enriched by a wide range of activities such as the regular theme weeks and after-school clubs, which make a good contribution to pupils' personal development and enjoyment of school life. Pupils are very appreciative of the wide range of extra-curricular opportunities, especially sporting events, open to them. The curriculum enables them to develop an outstanding understanding of healthy living, as acknowledged in the school's recent receipt of the Healthy Schools Gold Award.

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Grade: 2

A bilingual support worker provides invaluable assistance for pupils, and their parents or guardians, from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who are at an early stage of learning English. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities also receive very well organised support. As a result, these pupils, as well as their peers, feel safe and happy and grow in self-confidence. Procedures to ensure pupils' safety are in place, although the review of child protection training for all staff is overdue. The academic guidance provided for pupils is satisfactory and most pupils have targets in English and mathematics. Their use is most effective in writing where they often provide pupils with helpful information about their performance and what they need to do to reach the next level. However, the use of targets and marking to guide pupils in how to improve their work is inconsistent from class-to-class, with the result that their potential to assist pupils in their

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Grade: 3

The good day-to-day management of this inclusive school, and its calm, purposeful ethos is largely due to the tone set by the headteacher and his obvious care for the welfare of his pupils 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008 and staff. Senior staff have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and a clear plan of action is in place to bring about improvements. However, the school's systems for monitoring its performance, and ensuring that strategies for improvement have the desired impact, are not rigorous enough. This is particularly the case in the monitoring of teaching and learning, which does not make enough use of data on pupils' performance to inform judgements about the teaching of groups and classes. In addition, although the school has a great deal of assessment information about its pupils, the key information is not always readily accessible and this makes checking progress a time-consuming activity. Subject leaders

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Grade: 3

are developing their roles and becoming increasingly effective. Plans to coordinate their efforts more successfully with those of senior staff are about to be implemented. The school works well with parents and other agencies to promote pupils' development. Good links with the infant school are enhanced by joint curriculum theme weeks and current work to improve the transition from Year 2 to Year 3. Governors are highly supportive of the school and have a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. They have made some astute new appointments as part of their efforts to help the school improve pupils' achievement. The improvements in assessment and teaching and the accelerating rate of pupils' progress demonstrate the school's satisfactory capacity for further improvement. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008

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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? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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 2 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 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners 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?

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: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 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: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Inspection of Reinwood Junior School, Huddersfield, HD3 4YL We really enjoyed our visit to your school. Thank you for being so helpful and friendly. We particularly enjoyed visiting your classrooms, seeing the work you were doing and talking to you about your school. We find that your school provides you with a satisfactory standard of education. Things we found out about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make satisfactory progress in your work and standards at the end of Year 6 are average.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ As pupils, you are a credit to your school. Your behaviour, attitudes in class and enjoyment of school life are outstanding. ■ The teachers are making changes to the way they teach you and, as a result, you are beginning to make more rapid progress. ■ You are proud of your school and appreciative of the many after-school activities and special events that the teachers provide for you. ■ You get on very well with the adults in school and they take really good care of you.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ The headteacher and teachers are checking your progress more often and making sure that you get extra help if you need it. What we have asked your school to do now.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Look at everything that happens in school in more detail to ensure that the changes that are being made really do help you to make better progress in your work and personal development. ■ Produce a simpler summary of your progress so that senior staff can make sure that you get as much help as possible. ■ Tell you more about how you can do better in your work.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

You can help your teachers by continuing to behave extremely well, working hard and taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by school. We wish you very well for the future. 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Reinwood Junior School, 10 °11 January 2008

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