Dinglewell Junior School

Dinglewell Junior School Inspection report

p.1

115495 Unique Reference Number Gloucestershire Local Authority 326205 Inspection number 3–4 December 2008 Inspection dates Stephen McShane HMI Reporting inspector

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Junior Type of school Community School category 7–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 352 School (total) The governing body Appropriate authority Nick Ford Chair William John Hayball Headteacher 9 November 2005 Date of previous school inspection Dinglewell School address Hucclecote Gloucester GL3 3HS 01452 617376 Telephone number 01452 617376 Fax number

p.1

7–11 Age group 3–4 December 2008 Inspection dates 326205 Inspection number .

p.1

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.

p.2

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: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.2

Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two of Her Majesty's Inspectors and an Additional Inspector.

p.3

Description of the school

Most pupils at this large junior school transfer from the infant school which is on the same site. The pupils are mainly White British, although the number of pupils from other ethnic backgrounds is increasing. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, the majority of whom have moderate learning difficulties. The school is popular with the local community and is usually oversubscribed. The school has gained a number of external accreditations including: Investors in People, Healthy Schools Status, Activemark, Artsmark, the Basic Skills Award, the FA Charter for Schools and an intermediate International Award.

p.3

Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.3

Grade: 2

The pupils at Dinglewell are proud of their school and enjoy their time there. They talk spontaneously with bubbling enthusiasm about all the good things they do and the good teaching and learning. They have a very accurate view. Dinglewell is a good school. It has made significant improvements since its last inspection, due to the headteacher's tireless dedication to raising standards and the governors' determination to hold the school to account. The staff are committed and work hard. All at the school are becoming increasingly confident in their ability to improve further and are not complacent. Standards have risen since the last inspection and are above average. Pupils have traditionally made good progress in English and science, and recent results, in-school assessments and observations of teaching confirm that this is now also the case in mathematics. Pupils' written work is of high quality and is well presented. Themes and projects encourage pupils to apply

p.4

Grade: 2

these high standards in writing to other areas of the good curriculum on offer and their work is well displayed to make an attractive learning environment. Personal development and well-being are good because of the good care, guidance and support pupils receive. 'Golden rules', clear routines, policies and procedures ensure pupils' behaviour is always good; at times, it is excellent. The children move sensibly around the school building with an awareness of their own and others' safety. Pupils trust the adults, and some parents commented on the professional and kind approach of teachers in dealing with their concerns. The children are very aware of the need to stay healthy. They participate in the many sporting activities on offer and are knowledgeable about healthy eating and drugs education. Teaching and learning are good overall. Improvements in teaching have been brought about through adopting consistent whole-school approaches to planning and assessment. Teaching

p.4

Grade: 2

has pace, includes a variety of interesting activities, is well matched to the needs of the pupils and includes ongoing assessment to check progress and understanding. Some teaching is outstanding and leads to the whole class enjoying their learning, grappling with complex ideas and being sensitively challenged to make excellent progress. School leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching, although the formal recording of this is not sufficiently focused. Tracking of the pupils' progress is rigorous at all levels in the school and the targets set are challenging. School leaders know the school well and have appropriately identified the need to improve the programme for monitoring and evaluation activities across the school. There are a wide range of extended activities on offer and a number of opportunities for the children to excel in sport or music, which they do superbly! Although the school has good links with sections of the local

p.4

Grade: 2

and wider community, a significant number of parents feel that it does not take account of their views. The school recognises the need to reach out to parents more and is implementing good plans to improve communication with parents, such as the teachers having a high profile at the end of the school day. The school has rightly recognised that links with the infant school, though satisfactory, do not maximise opportunities to ensure a smooth transition for pupils and parents.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve partnerships with parents to ensure all feel involved in the life of the school.

p.4

What the school should do to improve further

■ Strengthen links with the infant school and improve transition arrangements. 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008 ■ Develop a clear programme for monitoring and evaluation activities at all levels across the school and improve the records of formal lesson observations.

p.4

Grade: 2

Standards have been consistently above national averages in recent years, particularly in English and science. The school's unvalidated results for 2008 suggest that the school has made further improvements to the numbers of pupil reaching Level 4 and Level 5 at the end of Key Stage 2 in all subjects tested. Pupils make good progress and the school has good plans to further improve the number of pupils gaining the higher levels in mathematics. These include changes to the curriculum and the use of new and additional resources. Standards of speaking and listening and written work are good. Pupils, in Year 6 in particular, demonstrate a good grasp of complex mathematical language and use it confidently. The school ensures that any child or group vulnerable to underachievement, including those with learning difficulties and/ or disabilities, receives the right support and intervention and this leads to them making good

p.5

Grade: 2

The strong commitment exhibited by all the adults to the development of the whole child results in pupils believing that they can achieve. They enjoy school and feel they have a voice. Pupils arrive happily at school, chatting amiably with their friends, parents and carers, creating a pleasant ambience at the start of the day. They are delightful and refreshingly open in conversation, showing a well- developed sense of respect and care for others. They value the support and kindness they receive from the adults. Pupils play well together and the prefects and 'playground friends' take their responsibilities seriously. The sterling work of the school council to improve play resources has contributed to the harmonious atmosphere at lunchtimes. In lessons, when given the chance to do so, pupils cooperate well in paired discussions, role play activities and group tasks. Pupils' spiritual, social, moral and cultural development is good. They benefit from a range of

p.5

Grade: 2

opportunities designed to cultivate these aspects, for example the singing assemblies coupled with the weekly music lessons where pupils play instruments with great confidence and to a high standard. The many successes pupils achieve out of school such as winning the 'Gloucester in Bloom Schools Challenge' and being the runners-up in the 'National Schools Football' final are making a significant contribution to their self-esteem. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of eating healthily and participating in exercise. They feel very safe in school and know there is an adult to turn to if they are unhappy. Pupils are well prepared for the next school and later life, and have taken part in an excellent economic awareness project, designed to develop the pupils' application of mathematical skills within the home and workplace. 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.5

Grade: 2

Meticulous planning, coupled with strong relationships throughout the school, ensures that pupils are developing good attitudes to learning. They respond well to the good teaching they receive, work hard and make good progress. Work is appropriately matched to the pupils' abilities in most lessons and they in turn are clear about what they are learning. In the best lessons, pupils are given practical experiences to make learning meaningful, for instance the use of film, role play and props to stimulate imaginative writing about characters in 'The Wizard of Oz'. In some lessons, there are not enough opportunities for them to develop greater independence in their learning. The high quality of the work of teaching assistants makes a significant contribution to the pupils' achievements. A notable example of this was the excellent progress made by pupils writing about 'The Crocodile and the Mouse'.

p.6

Grade: 2

Many classrooms and learning environments are stimulating and exciting places where pupils want to learn. High emphasis is placed on developing pupils' basic skills, including information and communication technology. Pupils thoroughly enjoy their French lessons, taught throughout the school by a specialist teacher. These have a very positive impact on their social and cultural development, as well as greatly enhancing their self-esteem. Teachers are beginning to link work across subjects through theme weeks that help pupils make better sense of their learning. Pupils are very enthusiastic about these weeks and spoke very positively about the recent trip to the Corinium museum in Cirencester, as part of the Roman week. The quality of activities planned in the classroom, as part of theme weeks, is variable between year groups. Sometimes pupils are not fully challenged by the activities and do not make sufficient progress. The

p.6

Grade: 2

curriculum is enriched by very good provision for extra-curricular activities and clubs to enhance pupils' progress. Opportunities to gain additional experiences are wide, including gardening, science, and numerous sporting activities that positively extend pupils' skills and enjoyment for learning.

p.6

Grade: 2

The school provides a secure, positive and caring environment for all its pupils. Appropriate procedures to ensure the children's safety, welfare and protection are all in place. Pupils know the importance of adhering to the strict routines at the start and the end of the day in order to keep safe, and they do so commendably. Supervision of these times is diligent and there is a high staff presence at the end of the day. Pupils are clear about their targets for improvement and can articulate them quickly, as exemplified by a pupil who said, 'Don't use words over and over again, use a thesaurus to come to the rescue!' Academic monitoring, including the tracking for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, by both senior and subject leaders is rigorous. Marking and assessment are good in most classes, particularly in English, but on occasions pupils do not always receive feedback on how to improve their work.

p.6

Grade: 2

6 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.6

Grade: 2

There is a clear focus in the school on raising standards and ensuring that all pupils are making good progress. Targets are challenging and there are good tracking procedures in place to monitor the pupils' progress, which senior and middle leaders follow assiduously. The governors keep themselves well informed about life at the school through briefings and visits to classrooms, and they offer effective challenge and support. The headteacher knows the school well but has recognised that the programme for monitoring and evaluation activities at all levels across the school requires development. Although senior leaders have an accurate view of the quality of teaching in the school, records of formal lesson observations require some fine-tuning to highlight key strengths and areas for improvement. The school's development plans have been effective because of their tight focus on the raising of standards. The school's greater confidence

p.7

Grade: 2

and good capacity to improve further is reflected well in this year's plans. The school makes a satisfactory contribution to community cohesion. It has good links with many local groups, and develops pupils' understanding of the wider world well. However, links with parents and the infant school are not strong. The school has satisfactory arrangements for keeping in touch with parents, but a significant number do not feel that they are listened to. Links with the infant school are not exploited to ensure the best possible transfer. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008 .

p.7

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: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.8

Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

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: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.9

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 The extent to which 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

p.10

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?

p.10

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 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 3 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: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.10

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

5 December 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Dinglewell Junior School, Gloucester GL3 3 HS I am writing to say thank you very much for giving us such a warm welcome during our recent visit to your school. We were impressed with the way you greeted and helped us throughout our two days with you. We enjoyed talking with you about your work, listening to you sing in assembly and playing musical instruments so confidently. Your school is good in many ways. Here are some of the special things that it does very well indeed:

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your school looks after you well and the adults want to do their best for you.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Your behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. Pupils care for each other.

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ You make good progress in all classes and do well by the time you leave Year 6. Your work is well presented and neat. ■ Your teachers plan interesting activities for you that help you to enjoy school and develop a thirst for learning. ■ The school council, sports leaders and playground friends take their responsibilities seriously and make a difference to your school. ■ There are lots of clubs and visits which you participate in enthusiastically. You are very successful in a range of competitions. Well done! You are lucky to have such a hardworking headteacher, enthusiastic adults and supportive governors who are always looking for ways to make your school an even better place to be! We have asked them to make sure that all your parents feel involved in the life of the school and to work a little more closely with the infant school. We have also asked them to develop a clearer way to check the school's work on a regular basis, and write down the checks they have

p.11

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

made. It was a real privilege to visit Dinglewell Junior School. A lot of the success of your school is down to your hard work and your positive attitudes. I am confident that you will continue to play your part in the coming years to make sure your school goes from strength to strength. Best wishes for the future; we hope that you achieve great things! Yours sincerely, Mr Stephen McShane HMI Lead inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Dinglewell Junior School, 3–4 December 2008

p.11