Church Crookham Junior School

Church Crookham Junior School Inspection report

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115976 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 312128 Inspection number 9–10 December 2008 Inspection dates John Earish 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 360 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Ms Karen McManus Chair Mrs Christine Dey Headteacher 27 September 2004 Date of previous school inspection Tweseldown Road School address Church Crookham Fleet GU52 8BN 01252 617664 Telephone number 01252 626736 Fax number

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7–11 Age group 9–10 December 2008 Inspection dates 312128 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This large junior school serves the village of Church Crookham near Fleet. About a quarter of the pupils are from service families. Most pupils are of White British heritage with a very small number from different minority ethnic groups. The number of pupils who enter or leave the school at other than the normal time is above average. This is mainly due to military postings. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties, mostly to do with reading and writing, is well below that found nationally. Four children have statements of educational need. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well below average. The school has a number of awards including Sport England Activemark, Geography Quality Mark and the Healthy Schools 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: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils achieve well. Pupils in all classes are very eager to learn, enjoy coming to school and behave exceptionally well. Parents agree and are overwhelmingly positive in their views of the school. One parent, representing the views of many, wrote that, 'The school cuts such an effective balance between meeting the heavy demand of the curriculum, encouraging children to do their very best and having so much fun in the process.' Standards are consistently high in all years. The school's performance in the national tests at the end of Year 6 is significantly above the national average and has been for a number of years. Throughout the school, most pupils make good progress and sustain high levels of performance. This occurs because they have challenging targets to achieve and their rates of progress in meeting these targets are regularly checked. Last year's results, as yet unconfirmed,

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Grade: 2

show that high standards overall have been maintained. Achievement is good because teaching and learning are of good quality. All groups of pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the higher attainers, are achieving well. This is because teachers are skilful at identifying precise learning objectives, grouping pupils carefully, varying activities, choosing the best teaching methods to use, and identifying how to assess what the pupils learn. However, they do not always show pupils precisely how to improve what they are doing or pinpoint the next steps in learning when marking their work. This means that pupils do not always learn as fast as they could. Another factor supporting the pupils' good achievement is the outstanding curriculum that captures their enthusiasm for learning and thirst for knowledge. Leaders at all levels are constantly looking for innovative ways of making links between subjects. A good example of

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Grade: 2

this was the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to record light levels around the school site. Pupils were then able to discover the best location for a solar panel to maximise the generation of electricity. The range of school clubs and activities is exceptional and adds much to the pupils' enjoyment of and enthusiasm for school. Care, guidance and support are good and the pastoral aspects are outstanding. The seamless teamwork between teachers and teaching assistants ensures very good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They are fully included in all aspects of the life of the school. Academic guidance and support are good overall. Target-setting is effective in English and helps pupils gain a better understanding of how well they are working and what they must do to improve. However, this is less well developed in other subjects and consequently pupils

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Grade: 2

have less guidance on the next steps in their learning. Personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils treat each other with great respect and willingly accept responsibility. Their enjoyment of school stems from their extremely positive attitudes to each other, their learning and their determination to succeed. One parent wrote, 'The school expects the very highest level of personal conduct from its pupils...and rights, responsibilities and respect are strongly upheld within the school and resonate between teachers, children and parents.' Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and is personally committed to building effective partnerships between the school, the home and the community. The promotion of equal opportunities is very strong. Each classroom is a friendly, stimulating and challenging environment in which individual interests, talents and differences

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008 are respected and celebrated. Good support for the few less experienced leaders means they are increasing their influence on the quality of learning across the school. The school's good track record at sustaining high standards and its success at including all learners and dismantling their barriers to learning means there is a good capacity for further improvement.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Ensure greater consistency in the quality of marking across the school.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Extend the good target-setting practice in English to other subjects so that pupils have a clearer understanding of how they can improve their work and confidently set their own targets.

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Grade: 2

Standards at age 11 were significantly above average in English, mathematics and science in 2007 and have been for a number of years. In addition, the numbers attaining the higher Level 5 in all three subjects were significantly higher than national figures. Unvalidated data for 2008 show that standards overall have been maintained. Pupils, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, are making good progress in lessons and are achieving well. Those pupils who arrive at the school at other than the usual time, mostly from military families, settle quickly into school routines and also achieve well. The most recent information on the tracking of pupils' progress across the school confirms that this picture of sustained good achievement continues for all groups of pupils.

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Grade: 1

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Pupils are able to reflect on who they are as individuals as well as celebrating their own and others' cultures. They attend very regularly and have excellent attitudes to work. Pupils listen very carefully to their teachers, concentrate exceptionally well and involve themselves fully in lessons. They show great pride in the accomplishment of tasks, and take full advantage of opportunities to work collaboratively and cooperatively. Pupils achieve this without the direct intervention of the teacher, and confidently share ideas with each other. Behaviour is excellent in all aspects of school life. Pupils are very polite and courteous towards each other and towards adults. They willingly take responsibility, for instance as play leaders and peer mediators, and as active participants in the school council, for duties that support the smooth running of the school. Pupils are fully aware

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Grade: 1

of the importance of healthy lifestyles and staying safe. They rapidly acquire literacy, numeracy and ICT skills that will equip them exceptionally well for later life and learning.

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good because teachers know pupils well, have high expectations of them and plan work that matches their individual needs and capabilities. The school is striving for the quality of teaching to be outstanding. This means they are tackling well the few occasions when 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008 teachers spend too long in explaining tasks so that pupils have insufficient opportunities to work together and learn from each other. Pupils benefit from imaginative and challenging tasks that capture their attention and they focus well on previous learning. Teachers encourage them to work independently, use their initiative and discover for themselves. Pupils say they enjoy working this way because it is demanding, enjoyable and remember more of what they have learned. Pupils work is thoroughly marked. However, there are inconsistencies. Teachers'

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Grade: 2

comments are congratulatory but do not always make it sufficiently clear how pupils can improve their work or what the next steps in learning might be. This means that pupils' progress is not always as rapid as it could be.

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Grade: 1

An impressive range of additional activities enriches the outstanding curriculum. Pupils enjoy these very much as it enhances their experience of school and captures their enthusiasm for learning. The curriculum meets pupils' needs exceptionally well and includes exemplary support programmes to boost the progress of pupils who need extra help. There are exceptionally good links between the different areas of learning so that skills learned in numeracy, literacy and ICT are developed very well in other lessons. Pupils' personal development is promoted exceptionally well through personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils of all ages rapidly acquire independent learning skills so they can confidently explore their own ideas and use their initiative across all subjects.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a very safe, secure environment in which pupils feel happy and well cared for. Pastoral care is outstanding and the school works exceptionally well with parents and outside agencies to ensure pupils' well-being and progress. Robust systems safeguard children and promote a high level of health and safety. As a result, pupils and parents have confidence in the staff and the school. Very good support for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities enables them to make good progress in achieving their challenging targets in their individual education plans. Academic guidance and support are good overall. The school has made a good start at helping pupils understand exactly what they need to do to improve their work by setting them individual targets and involving them in their own assessment. This is best in English but is not yet as effective in other subjects.

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Grade: 2

The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Several parents wrote commending her 'very strong and purposeful leadership' that provides the school with clear direction. Leaders at all levels are extremely good at promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination through raising the pupils' expectations of what they can achieve and providing interesting and challenging activities for them. Good quality assurance procedures for monitoring teaching and learning and tracking pupils' progress support these actions well. The result of this good leadership is that the school has maintained overall standards that are significantly higher than average for a number of years. The school is developing the skills of less experienced leaders well so they are increasingly influential in the quality of learning in their areas of responsibility. 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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Grade: 2

Governance is good. The Chair of Governors has a very good knowledge and understanding of the issues facing the school and provides very good leadership for the governing body. The governors are increasingly involved in the strategic management of the school. Community cohesion is of outstanding quality. The school has reached out well to the wider community in very many ways, for example, through working with the RAF and Army to support families with a mother or father on active duties abroad. This has an extremely positive impact on the children's schoolwork and the stability and well-being of families. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 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: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 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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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? 2 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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

05 January 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Church Crookham Junior School,Fleet,GU52 8BN Thank you for being so welcoming and helpful when we came to inspect your school. We think that you go to a good school and receive a good education. Here is a list of some of the many good things about it.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You work very hard at school and make good progress.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour is outstanding, and you told us that you really enjoy school and we could see that you do! ■ Your curriculum is outstanding and there is a splendid range of out-of-school clubs and activities that you all thoroughly enjoy. ■ You are taught well, and when you find work hard you are given the right sort of help.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are extremely knowledgeable about healthy eating and lifestyles. I hope you will continue to eat lots of fruit and vegetables and take lots of exercise! ■ You enjoy taking on responsibility such as being play leaders and peer mediators and representing your classmates on the school council. All of the adults in your school want it to be even better. To help them to do this we think that there are two things to do next.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your teachers are going to make certain that they explain clearly how you can improve your work when they mark your books. ■ They are also going to involve you in setting targets to achieve in all your subjects as you have in English. You said this helped you learn better. We are sure that you are ready for these challenges! Yours faithfully John Earish Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Church Crookham Junior School, 9–10 December 2008

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