South View Junior School

South View Junior School Inspection report

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115860 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 312077 Inspection number 19 °20 March 2008 Inspection dates Graham Stephens 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 221 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Norman McNeill Chair Mrs Sheila Pape Headteacher 19 January 2004 Date of previous school inspection Shooters Way School address Basingstoke RG21 5LL 01256 321928 Telephone number 01256 350048 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 19 °20 March 2008 Inspection dates 312077 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

Pupils come from a variety of backgrounds. The majority are of white British heritage with about one in five from minority ethnic backgrounds of which half are learning English as an additional language. More pupils enter and leave at times other than expected during the school year. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The school has a specialist unit for pupils who have specific speech, language and communication needs. The number of pupils who either find aspects of English and mathematics challenging or that have emotional and behavioural needs is above the national average. The school has been awarded the enhanced Healthy Schools Award and the Activemark.

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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: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008

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Grade: 2

This rapidly improving school provides a good education for all its pupils. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive. 'I am pleased with my child's progress at school. He looks forward to going and enjoys everything that is offered,' said one. Pupils' personal development has improved since the last inspection. Behaviour, both in classes and around the school is good. Consequently, the school is a harmonious and hard working community with a clear focus on improving achievement and raising standards. Pupils enter in Year 3 with standards that are below average. The curriculum successfully engages pupils and helps them enjoy lessons, strongly supporting positive attitudes to their work. They work well with both one another and adults and enjoy sharing their experiences with visitors. Pupils' achievement has improved every year over the past three years. It is now accelerating rapidly and pupils achieve well. This is because of good teaching throughout the school and

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Grade: 2

good systems of support and guidance that ensure that pupils flourish. Pupils' progress is tracked effectively and teachers use this information to set challenging targets. By the end of Year 6, standards are now broadly in line with national averages but staff are determined to improve them further and have made this a priority. The results of national tests are analysed carefully and immediate remedial action taken. This rigorous approach contributes much to the rapidly accelerating progress. The excellent Language Support Unit provides targeted support for pupils with specific language difficulties. Staff work very well as a team and pupils achieve well. The number of pupils with English as an additional language is increasing. Many join at times other than the beginning of the year. They are introduced into the school well and quickly settle and make good progress. Many pupils find aspects of either English or mathematics challenging. They are assessed

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Grade: 2

carefully and their needs identified. They are very well supported in lessons by work well matched to needs and by the good support of learning support assistants. They make good progress. Pupils with emotional and behavioural needs are well supported by systems within the school and regular visits from the school counsellor. Links with outside agencies are very strong and advice offered is valued and acted upon promptly. Pupils enjoy school. They treat each other and adults with respect and cooperate well in lessons. They relish the opportunities to visit places of interest such as the Science Museum in London and look forward to the residential visit to Stubbington in Year 6. The visit of the author Chris Powling, to open the new library, caused great excitement and as the librarian said, 'his books are now flying off the shelves.' This new resource is another example of how quickly the school responds to raise standards, as it highlights the importance and pleasure of reading to pupils

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Grade: 2

throughout the school. Pupils are keen to talk about their levels of fitness and know what constitutes a healthy lifestyle. Older pupils regularly visit the infant school to support and play with pupils at lunchtimes and they speak with enthusiasm about singing carols in the town centre and sharing their experiences of school with elderly residents in the Oakridge Centre. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher, well supported by her deputy, leads the school well. She has successfully led the school, with very good support from all staff and the Local Authority, through a period of change that has resulted in the provision of a rich learning environment in which pupils thrive. The headteacher acknowledges that the membership of the senior leadership team needs to be further reviewed to take advantage of the considerable range of skills that staff have to offer and to involve them more in managing school

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008 improvement. Governors support the school satisfactorily. They are beginning to hold it more rigorously to account for the standards achieved. The school has a good capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in English, especially reading, mathematics and science.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Complete the review of the senior management team structure to fully engage all experienced staff in supporting school development.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enter the school with standards below average. Good achievement ensures that they are broadly average by the end of Year 6. Achievement has improved year on year since 2005. It is now good. This is because systems to track and monitor pupils' progress are effective and teachers are well informed about what pupils need to do in order to improve. Since the last inspection, staffing has stabilised and behaviour has improved greatly. Pupils have taken great strides in their personal development and the school has an ethos conducive to learning. The Local Authority has given intensive support with a view to improving achievement. Pupils, including those in the language unit, those with English as an additional language and some who find aspects of English and mathematics challenging, are now achieving well because of the targeted support they receive. Results of national assessments are carefully analysed.

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Grade: 2

Consequently, teachers have recently focussed on the need to improve pupils' ability to carry out calculations in mathematics accurately and to raise standards in reading.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development is good. This is reflected in their enjoyment, positive attitudes and good behaviour. One pupil commented, 'Everyone is kind to each other.' Attendance is satisfactory and has improved because of action the school has taken to encourage pupils and parents. There are many opportunities for pupils to take responsibility within the school and the school council has made suggestions that have been acted upon, for example, the establishment of the 'Friendship Stop' in the playground. Pupils know about healthy lifestyles and enjoy the range of activities offered in physical education lessons and the extra-curricular sports clubs and teams. Awareness of healthy eating is supported by the nutritious lunches provided by the school. In 2006 the school received an enhanced Healthy Schools Award in recognition of their achievement. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is

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Grade: 2

good. They have a sound understanding of their own culture and their awareness of other cultures is developing through sharing the knowledge and experiences of the different cultures represented in the school. Pupils feel safe from bullying and racial abuse and know that there are adults with whom they can share concerns.

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Grade: 2

Improvements in teaching are making a very positive impact on achievement and standards. Learning objectives are explicit. Pupils are offered practical experiences, such as using information and communication technology (ICT) to write and publish a newspaper. This makes 5 of 11 Inspection Report: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008 learning more interesting. Opportunities are provided for them to reflect on what they have learned. This consistency of approach, coupled with very good support from skilled and enthusiastic learning support assistants, has seen progress accelerate rapidly. It also supports the good behaviour observed in all lessons and the very positive attitudes to learning. Lesson planning takes account of the differing needs of pupils. Those who find aspects of English and mathematics challenging are supported well, often in small groups, where they receive the individual attention they need. Pupils with English as an additional language are supported by

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Grade: 2

a good range of resources and make good progress. The pace in most lessons is good and the best challenge pupils of all abilities to reflect, explain and justify their thinking in response to searching questions. In some lessons, opportunities to extend and challenge more-able pupils are not systematically exploited.

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Grade: 2

The school is working towards an integrated curriculum and many links are made between subjects. The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of the pupils. Hence the emphasis on drama to encourage speaking and listening as a precursor to writing and the provision of a new food technology area to involve all pupils in the practical aspects of food preparation. Provision for Literacy and Numeracy has improved and pupils say that they enjoy these lessons. ICT is used well to support learning across the curriculum which is further enhanced by many visits and visitors to the school. The new library has encouraged pupils to read more books and to write their own stories. Themed events such as Book weeks, food fortnight and maths and science days inspire pupils and help them to develop their self-esteem and self-confidence. Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities. They take part in school productions

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Grade: 2

and sometimes perform for older residents, sharing songs and dances with them from their differing cultures.

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Grade: 2

The school provides good care, guidance and support. Pupils feel safe in a secure, supportive environment and their teachers know them well. Policies and procedures to protect pupils and ensure their health and safety are made clear to all staff and are carefully implemented. The school works very effectively with a wide range of outside agencies and involves parents in helping pupils to achieve their potential. One parent commented on the help a child has received and said, 'We are proud to have been a part of such a fantastic school'. Vulnerable pupils and those with learning difficulties or disabilities are identified at an early stage, and good measures are undertaken to meet their needs. This means that they achieve as well as the other pupils. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are well supported, initially by the ethnic minority achievement support team and then by class teachers and learning support assistants.

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Grade: 2

Pupils in the language unit are given excellent support and follow a programme of focused work in the unit as well as integration into mainstream classes. Pupils' work is monitored on a regular basis and individual targets are set. Most pupils know their targets and teachers' good marking shows them the next steps which they need to take in order to improve. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008

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Grade: 2

The headteacher, well supported by her deputy head, provides good leadership. She focuses all staff on the need to raise standards and is determined to accelerate progress. The very good links with external agencies are nurtured and advice that is offered is used effectively to promote pupils' well being and progress. The drive to improve personal development has been successful and this has impacted positively on achievement, attitudes and behaviour. Tracking of pupil progress gives senior teachers a clear indication of what needs to be done to raise standards further. Recent moves to empower managers at all levels have been successful and they can give clear account of standards and progress in their subjects. The make-up of the senior management team is currently under review to involve more staff in school management. The special educational needs coordinator has established effective systems that support staff in

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Grade: 2

meeting the needs of pupils who find aspects of learning challenging. The manager of the Language Unit and her staff are very successful in supporting these pupils with specific needs and they make good progress. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008 .

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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: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 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? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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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?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 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: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 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: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

01 April 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of South View Junior School,Basingstoke,RG21 5LL Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we came to visit your school recently. We enjoyed meeting you, looking at your work and listening to all the exciting things that you do. We think you go to a good school and this is why.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are always very clear about what they expect you to learn in lessons.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ They plan exciting things for you to do.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You know your targets and how to achieve them.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You behave very well and are courteous and polite.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Those of you who work in the Language Unit, or who need extra help with your work, or are learning to speak English for the first time, are making good progress. ■ Your school is well led and managed.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

All schools, even yours, could improve. These are the things we think could be better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We have asked your headteacher, staff and governors to help you do even better in English, mathematics and science. ■ We have asked your headteacher to review the make up of her senior management team, so that she gets even more help in running the school. With very best wishes for your future success Graham Stephens Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: South View Junior School, 19 °20 March 2008

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