Manor Field Junior School

Manor Field Junior School Inspection report

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116015 Unique Reference Number Hampshire Local Authority 312148 Inspection number 20 °21 November 2007 Inspection dates Arnalena (Nina) Bee 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 197 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Kevin Cleaveland Chair Mrs Jan Cushing Headteacher 13 October 2003 Date of previous school inspection Haydn Road School address Brighton Hill Basingstoke RG22 4DH 01256 329826 Telephone number 01256 816221 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 20 °21 November 2007 Inspection dates 312148 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

Manor Field is a slightly smaller than the average size school. Most pupils are from white British backgrounds. A few pupils come from other ethnic groups. Very few pupils are learning to speak English. The proportion of pupils identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities is well above average. There is a Nurture group, which currently supports a few pupils, from Years 3 and 4, who have specific needs. The school has recently been accredited as a Rights Respecting school and has re-accreditations for Investors in People and Healthy Schools Advanced Status.

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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: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Manor Field is a satisfactory school that has a number of good features. The strong focus on pupils' personal development ensures that pupils develop respect for each other and the adults who help them learn. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. All pupils get on well with each other and learn to work effectively together in small groups, teams and independently. One parent wrote, 'I have seen my shy, lonely daughter transform into a confident little girl with a wide circle of friends.' Pupils enjoy coming to this school. This is reflected in their good attendance and their positive attitudes to learning. When asked what they liked best about school, pupils identified the lessons, raising money for other people and the teachers because they have a sense of humour. The good curriculum supports pupils' personal, social and health education (PSHE) well. Older pupils show a good understanding of safety in the home, school and outside. They speak

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Grade: 3

maturely for example, about not talking to strangers. The way the curriculum is enriched by visits out, including a residential trip, and visitors invited into school is very good. These not only reinforce skills and knowledge taught in lessons but also effectively promote pupils' personal and social skills. By the time they leave school, pupils' personal skills are well developed. Their academic skills are not as strong. Standards at the end of Year 6 are broadly average in English but below average in mathematics and science. Standards in English have improved since the school was last inspected. Teachers are now more confident about teaching literacy lessons and activities, in particular, those that promote writing are now more purposeful. As a result, more pupils achieve well in English than in mathematics and science. However, achievement is satisfactory overall but it is better in some parts of the school. Progress is

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Grade: 3

determined by the quality of teaching which ranges from satisfactory to outstanding. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall in English, mathematics and science. Pupils taught in the Nurture group learn well because everything they do is well matched to their specific needs, both personally and academically. The academic guidance that pupils are given is satisfactory but inconsistent. The best examples of teachers' marking give pupils clear improvement points. Pupils like these comments and say that they help them to get better. However, not all pupils receive consistently good marking. Good links are developed with other agencies to support pupils, in particular those with specific needs. All pupils receive good support to develop personally and the way they are cared for is outstanding. Parents and careers whole heartedly agree. The headteacher has a clear vision of the strengths of the school and what is needed to improve

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Grade: 3

it further. She has recently developed an impressive management structure that enables all staff to be involved in school improvement. Monitoring of teaching and learning is satisfactory and improving but is not rigorous enough and teaching is still too inconsistent. Improvement since the previous inspection is satisfactory. The provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved, as has the schools system for tracking pupils' progress, which is now good. As a result, teachers have a wealth of assessment information to use when they plan activities. However, they do not always use this information to plan lessons effectively to suit the needs and abilities of all pupils. This continues to be an issue that was identified in the previous inspection.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise standards in mathematics and science. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007 ■ Improve the quality of teaching so that in all classes work is matched accurately to pupils' abilities and their specific needs. ■ Ensure that teachers' marking enables all pupils to be absolutely sure that they know what they need to do to improve. A small proportion of schools whose overall effectiveness is judged as satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next Section 5.

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Grade: 3

National test results in 2007 indicate that standards at the end of Year 6, were average in English and below average in mathematics and science. Most pupils reach the level expected nationally for their ages. However, the number of pupils who reach the higher levels is too low, particularly in science. Pupils do better in English than in mathematics and science because English has been a recent whole school focus. As a result, school data shows that more pupils make good progress in English than in mathematics and science. Achievement is satisfactory overall in relation to pupils starting points. Achievement is closely linked to the quality of teaching and assessment, which is better in some classes than others. There are good procedures in place to ensure that teachers regularly check pupils' progress so that they do not fall behind. All classes have a target group for pupils whose progress is not as rapid as it should be. Additional

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Grade: 3

support is given to enable these pupils to get back on track. Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities generally make similar progress to their peers. However, when pupils are supported in the Nurture group they achieve well because the activities they are given accurately match their specific individual needs. The very few who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' personal development and well-being is good. Behaviour is good and makes a significant contribution to the warm, welcoming and calm atmosphere in the school. Pupils respond very positively to the emphasis the school places on their rights and responsibilities within school and the wider society. Pupils are given good opportunities to voice their opinions through for example, being involved in developing anti bullying policy. The thriving school council and Democracy Week also allow pupils to think seriously about issues and contribute to discussions. Pupils are proud of the role they play in school and the wider community. Attendance has made steady improvements over recent years and is now above average. Pupils have a satisfactory understanding of what constitutes a healthy life style and show enthusiasm for physical activities. However, their knowledge of a healthy diet is not always reflected in their choices, for example

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Grade: 2

when eating their packed lunches. Some say they place a higher priority on choosing to eat what they enjoy rather than whether it is healthy or not. Pupils' preparation for the next stage of their education and for their eventual employment is satisfactory. Personal and social skills are well developed and pupils develop good teamwork skills. Their achievement in acquiring academic skills relating to reading and writing, mathematics and science is satisfactory overall. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007

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Grade: 3

Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils. This gives pupils the confidence to participate effectively in lessons and show enjoyment in all that they do. During good lessons, pupils are given many opportunities to developing thinking, speaking and listening skills. In addition, teachers make effective links with other subjects or to previous lessons and as a result, pupils' learning is enhanced well. Teachers generally plan a good range of activities to engage pupils' interest and commitment to learning. However, despite teachers having information that clearly shows them the levels pupils are working at, they do not consistently plan activities to meet the needs of the wide range of abilities in their classes. As a result, work is at times too difficult for some or lacks challenge for others, which means that, in some lessons, not all pupils make the progress of which they are capable.

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Grade: 2

The curriculum has many strengths particularly in relation to the way it promotes pupils' personal and social skills. In addition, the provision for pupils in the Nurture group focuses very well on their personal and social skills as well as effectively developing their academic skills. As a result, pupils in this group are very proud of all of their achievements. Good links are established between all subjects, which reinforce and develop learning well. A good range of out of school activities are enjoyed by pupils. Pupils talk enthusiastically about learning to do exciting things like judo. These activities reinforce and develop skills and knowledge taught in many subjects. All National Curriculum subjects are taught as well as French. Provision for English has improved recently but overall provision for literacy and numeracy is satisfactory.

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Grade: 2

Pupils are cared for very well because all adults have their very best interests at heart. As a result, pupils feel very safe and secure in school. The care and support given to pupils and very often their families is outstanding. The school draws upon, and in some cases co-ordinates, the work of a wide range of external organisations in order to offer comprehensive support. Effective links, for example with the police and community wardens, have a positive impact on the pupils who know where to go when they need help both at school and away from it. The academic guidance given to pupils, although satisfactory, is not as strong as the care and personal support that pupils receive. There are too many inconsistencies related to matching activities accurately to pupils' abilities and making sure that teachers' marking shows pupils what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher and her senior leaders have a strong commitment to offering high quality support to pupils with personal difficulties and specific needs. Leaders and managers, some of whom are relatively new, have made a good start on focusing on further improvement. Middle 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007 managers, in their leadership teams, after previously focusing on English have now started to work on improving the provision for mathematics and science. Although they are concentrating on raising standards, for example by improving teachers' confidence when teaching mathematics, there is too little emphasis on specifically raising the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. The impact of this work has yet to be fully established as there remain inconsistencies in teaching. All staff are now aware of the importance of tracking pupils' progress more regularly

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Grade: 3

to make sure progress does not slow down. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are supportive and have a good idea of many of the school's strengths but are less aware of what is needed to improve, for example, achievement in the school. Most parents are very supportive of all that the school does. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007 .

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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: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 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? 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 3 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 3 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 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: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 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 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: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

3 December 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Manor Field Junior School,Basingstoke,RG22 4DH Thank you for making us feel so welcome when we came to visit you recently. We really liked talking to you and seeing what fun you have as you learn. We were so pleased to see how much you enjoyed coming to school. We think you go to a satisfactory school but some things are good. We are writing to let you know what we liked best about your school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You are all very well cared for and looked after and the people who look after you at home agree. ■ Your behaviour is good in lessons and during breaks and lunchtimes.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teaching is satisfactory but in some classes, it is good.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ We think you are all very kind to each other and work and play well together.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Teachers plan lots of visits out and invite many visitors into school to make your learning even more exciting and fun. We have asked your school to do three things to make it even better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that you do even better in mathematics and science.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that when teachers plan activities for you they are not too easy or too hard but just right, so that you all learn well. ■ Make sure that when teachers' mark your work they show you what you need to do to get even better. Keep working hard, smiling and having fun as you learn. Nina Bee Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Manor Field Junior School, 20 °21 November 2007

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