Stamshaw Junior School
School report Stamshaw Junior School Tipner Road, Portsmouth, PO2 8QH Inspection dates 24–25 February 2015 Previous inspection: Requires improvement 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Overall effectiveness Summary of key findings for parents and pupils This is a school that requires improvement. In the past, leaders and governors have been slow to address the decline in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement caused by staffing changes and extended absences. Strategies to improve weaknesses in teaching have not been totally effective. Over time pupils’ progress has been too slow and there are still gaps in older pupils’ writing and mathematics skills, which are below average. Teaching requires improvement because it is too variable. The school’s expectations for how pupils should be taught are not consistently applied. A few pupils find it difficult to control their behaviour and there is some low-level disruption in lessons. The school’s work to keep pupils safe and free from harm requires improvement, because until recently too little attention was given to updating policies and procedures. In the past governors have not held leaders rigorously to account. Information for parents and carers, especially about the proposed changes, has not always been detailed enough. The school has the following strengths: Over the past year, leaders and governors have ensured the quality of teaching has improved and pupils’ progress has speeded up. The school’s information indicates that since the beginning of this academic year the majority of pupils have made good progress. Interim headteachers have driven forward improvement well. Their expertise has ensured senior and middle leaders now effectively support and monitor the school’s work. Very effective staff training and coaching over the past year has resulted in an improvement in the quality of teaching. Inadequate teaching has now been eradicated. Most pupils in the younger year groups make good progress over time. The majority are on course to exceed the levels expected for their age by the end of the year. Behaviour has improved considerably and pupils’ attitudes to school are now good. They feel safe, exclusions have declined markedly and attendance levels are rising. Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 2 of 10 Information about this inspection The inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 11 lessons or parts of lessons of which six were jointly observed with senior leaders. In addition, the inspection team made a number of short visits to activities designed to help pupils to catch up after falling behind. They also heard pupils read, scrutinised a sample of pupils’ written work and visited some extra-curricular activities. Meetings were held with pupils, governors and staff, including senior and subject leaders. Conversations were held with a representative from the local authority and with the executive headteacher of Portswood Primary Academy Trust. There were too few responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, for meaningful analysis to be undertaken. Inspectors took account of parents’ and carers’ views from the school’s own recent questionnaire and also spoke to a small number of parents and carers bringing their children to school. Responses from the 25 staff questionnaires were also analysed. Inspectors observed the school’s work and scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s records on current pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance. They looked at documents related to planning and monitoring and safeguarding. Inspection team Diane Wilkinson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jacqueline Good Additional Inspector Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 3 of 10 Full report Information about this school Stamshaw is a smaller than average-sized junior school with two or three classes in each year group. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is slightly below the national average. A small number of pupils attend the off-site training at The Harbour Special School to support their behavioural and emotional needs. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average. Few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is well above the national average. This additional government funding is intended to provide extra support for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after. The school does not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. There have been a higher than normal number of changes in senior leadership since the previous inspection. A new deputy headteacher has been appointed. The substantive headteacher retired in April 2014 following a period of ill health. Since then, there have been three interim executive headteachers, the second of whom led the school for nearly a year. The school is due to become a sponsored academy school as part of Portswood Primary Academy Trust. The proposed date for this is 1 April 2015. The Academy Trust is also a designated teaching school and its headteacher is a National Leader of Education (NLE). The current interim executive headteacher at Stamshaw is a senior leader within the Academy Trust. There is an interim executive board of governors. The Chair of the Interim Executive Board is also an experienced Chair of the Governing Body at another local school. What does the school need to do to improve further? Improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress by ensuring teachers: design activities that engage pupils’ interest, discourage low level disruption or inappropriate behaviour, and encourage pupils to take pride in the presentation of their work help pupils develop their confidence to apply their skills in different contexts and attempt new challenges without relying on adults for support set tasks at the correct level and adjust them when necessary so that pupils meet their challenging targets mark pupils’ work so that it clearly indicates what they have achieved and how to improve. Speed up pupils’ progress and raise attainment, especially in writing and mathematics, by: ensuring an increasing proportion of pupils reach at least the levels expected for their age and that those pupils capable of reaching the higher levels in national tests do so improving pupils’ spelling and presentation of their work, and extending their use of vocabulary and features like metaphors to make their writing more interesting ensuring that pupils are confident in using their mathematical calculation skills in different contexts, including in solving problems. Strengthen leadership and management by: ensuring systems are in place for checking the school’s work so that improvement planning can be more precisely targeted at weaknesses providing parents and carers with clear information on how well their children achieve compared to national expectations and detailed information about important changes proposed for the school. Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 4 of 10 Inspection judgements The leadership and management requires improvement Lengthy absences and changes in senior leadership and governance delayed the school’s response to declining teaching and learning. Over the past year, with more secure senior leadership, improvement has been rapid. However, some weaknesses still remain. In the past leaders and governors were slow to address weaknesses; improvement planning did not target specific areas effectively enough and the school continued to decline. Although the interim headteachers have accurately pinpointed what needs to improve, improvement planning is new and some still lacks detail. The interim headteachers have gained the confidence and commitment of staff to address the weaknesses. However, staff are concerned about uncertainties regarding the school’s future. Previously, systems for checking the impact that teaching had on pupils’ progress were not comprehensive or rigorous enough. Senior leaders and leaders for English and mathematics now effectively analyse data and teaching quality so that training and support can be identified and given to strengthen teaching. However, leaders have not yet ironed out inconsistencies in practice. An effective staff training programme is now in place to improve staff skills in managing pupils’ behaviour. Requirements to promote equality of opportunity, foster good relationships and discourage discrimination are met. Better systems for monitoring and supporting teachers’ performance ensured the quality of teaching improved last year. However, formal arrangements for setting targets for staff have not been rigorously implemented because of the many changes in leadership and governance during the previous cycle. Planned activities engage pupils’ interest and support their learning appropriately although they have been less effective in the past. Suitable account is taken of new government requirements for learning in each year group. However, guidance does not always set out clearly enough how skills should be developed. Consequently there are some inconsistencies in classroom practice, for example in the way calculation is taught. To help pupils with significant behavioural needs prepare for their secondary education they spend a short time at The Harbour Special School. The school monitors their achievement, behaviour and safety well through regular reports. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is promoted effectively. The range of subjects ensures pupils are suitably prepared for life in modern Britain through their adoption of values such as tolerance and respect for the rights and beliefs of others. However, opportunities are missed to encourage cultural development by not capitalising on the different cultures and beliefs of pupils within the school and further afield. Safeguarding procedures meet current requirements, including in child protection and the vetting of staff. More regular monitoring of the effectiveness of policies and procedures is now in place. The achievement, behaviour, attendance and well-being of pupils attending the off-site training are monitored well. Until last year additional government funding for disadvantaged pupils was not used well and there was a wide gap between their attainment and that of other pupils nationally. Better use of funding this year to provide specialist support for these pupils’ academic and social needs is helping to close the gap. The sports funding is used well to ensure pupils participate in more physical activity, for example in gymnastics or karate. However, leaders’ checks do not show whether the use of the funding has improved pupils’ achievement or class teachers’ skills in teaching physical education. Parents and carers are satisfied with the school’s support for their children’s education and welfare. However, most of the small number of parents and carers spoken to by inspectors expressed concerns regarding the information provided about the school’s future. Written reports for parents and carers do not make it clear enough whether pupils’ attainment and progress are at the levels expected. Local authority officers provided considerable support to the school over the past year, helping to train leaders and teachers and providing very regular monitoring evidence to support the drive for improvement. Its officers have helped secure a more settled future for the school and have confidence that current school leaders will need less support in the future. The governance of the school: Governance requires improvement because in the past statutory duties have not been met, especially in holding leaders to account. This prevented the school from reversing the decline in pupils’ achievement quickly enough.Consequently, the school is not yet good. Lack of availability of governors led the local authority to set up an interim executive board of experienced governors from other schools. These Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 5 of 10 governors are swiftly addressing weaknesses in governance and statutory duties are now met. School leaders are properly held to account for pupils’ achievement and teaching quality and both are improving. Current governors have a good understanding of data, accurately comparing this school’s performance with others’ locally and nationally. Through their own monitoring and accurate information from current leaders, governors are well informed about the quality of teaching. This year more effective monitoring of additional government funding is helping to speed up pupils’ progress. In the past, governors’ monitoring of the arrangements for setting targets for teachers was limited due to the many changes in leadership and governance. However, this year, governors are well placed to ensure procedures are effectively carried out . The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement Behaviour The behaviour of pupils requires improvement because, in the past, low expectations of behaviour limited learning and some weaknesses remain. Behaviour in lessons is generally good. Pupils told inspectors they like their teachers and enjoy learning. However, when adults’ skills in behaviour management are weak, low-level disruption interrupts pupils’ learning. Pupils are usually polite and friendly towards adults and each other. They know the difference between right and wrong and respond well to the effective reward and sanction systems now in place. Pupils show respect for others; those from different ethnic or religious backgrounds get on well together. Over the past year, much has been done to improve the behaviour of pupils who find consistently good behaviour difficult. Pupils report that this has considerably decreased bullying incidents. The number of exclusions is falling rapidly as a result. Occasionally however, when not closely supervised by an adult, pupils are over-exuberant in their play or say unkind things to others. Pupils are proud of their school and keen to take on responsibility as school councillors. They have a secure understanding of the value of democracy and the rights of minorities. Parents and carers are well aware that behaviour is much improved and very few are concerned about any poor behaviour. Safety The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure requires improvement. While now being swiftly addressed, previous leaders and governors did not check the effectiveness of policies and procedures regularly enough nor revise them when necessary. Site security is given high priority, as is the monitoring of pupils’ safety in and around the school and on visits. However, policies do not provide clear enough advice as to what is expected from staff on all occasions. This has led to inconsistencies in the way that some procedures are followed; for example in the recording and following up of playtime incidents, which prevents a swift response. Pupils and their parents and carers agree that they are safe in school. They know that staff take any bullying very seriously and been successful in reducing the number of incidents. However, pupils are still concerned about name calling. Pupils are well informed about when they should or should not take risks, for example in the case of fire or when using social media sites on the internet. The quality of teaching requires improvement The quality of teaching over time has not included enough teaching that is good or better to ensure pupils make good progress in all classes. Currently, teaching in reading, writing and mathematicsis not yet consistently good in all classes. This limits pupils’ progress. Lesson planning has improved although teachers do not always take sufficient account of the expectations of pupils set out in the recently revised curriculum. Work does not always capture pupils’ interest and occasionally this results in low-level inappropriate behaviour. Some staff are skilled in checking pupils’ current understanding and adapting future planning well. Others are not so effective. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work does not always indicate how improvements can be made. Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 6 of 10 Over the past year, a much improved learning environment has been developed in all classes. Attractive classroom displays support pupils’ learning. However, some staff are less effective in providing extra ways to support learning for those pupils who are experiencing difficulty. Recent training for teaching assistants has developed their expertise well. On a few occasions, however, they give pupils too much advice rather than questioning pupils to help them come to the right answer for themselves. Pupils have not been taught sufficient skills to help them become resilient and confident learners, willing to take risks, try out different ways of approaching a task and evaluate and improve their work. This limits the extent of their learning. The achievement of pupils requires improvement Prior to September 2014, pupils’ progress and attainment were declining. In the last two years, attainment in the Year 6 national tests was significantly below the national average in writing and mathematics and last year declined in reading. As a result of variable teaching in the past, there were gaps in pupils’ writing and mathematics skills and not all pupils made the progress they should. Since September 2014, progress rates have increased so that the majority of pupils are now making good progress. However, pupils in the older year groups are making slightly slower progress than those in Years 3 and 4. An increasing proportion of pupils reach the levels expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics. Around two thirds of Year 6 pupils are on course to reach the expected Level 4 by the end of the year. Improvement is much more marked in the younger year groups. Attainment in Year 4 is above that expected at this age due to consistently good teaching and learning. Disadvantaged pupils eligible for support under the pupil premium make progress from their different starting points that is at least in line with that of their peers and sometimes better. In the 2014 national tests, the gap in disadvantaged pupils’ attainment compared with that of other pupils nationally and also their classmates was equivalent to about a year in writing and mathematics, and two terms in reading. This year, the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 and their classmates has closed, especially in reading where they are only a term behind. In writing and mathematics, they are two terms behind. The gap is closing much more quickly in other year groups due to improved teaching. In Years 4 and 5, they are only about half a term behind their peers in school. The school ensures that most pupils develop a good understanding of letters and the sounds they make. Pupils understand what they read, older pupils infer meaning from clues in the text. Progress in reading this year is goodand more pupils are exceeding the levels expected for their age. From the school’s information, pupils in Year 6 are on course to reach average levels in reading this year. Despite recent improvement, spelling is still weak in the older year groups although pupils are becoming more skilled at editing their work. Handwriting has improved, but variation in teachers’ expectations means it is not always legible and the presentation of written work is untidy in some classes. The large majority of Year 6 pupils are now better at organising their writing in paragraphs and using better vocabulary and features like metaphors to enliven their work. However around a third of older pupils still lack the writing skills they should have at this age. Over the past year, staff have made effective efforts to improve pupils’ calculation skills. By Year 6, the large majority calculate accurately using hundreds, tens and units and work confidently with measures. Pupils’ ability to apply these skills in new tasks has improved, but too many lack the confidence to do so and keep asking for adult support in lessons when they do not really need it. This slows their progress. Over the past year, changes in support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs have improved their achievement. Previously too dependent on adult support, they now acquire and apply skills more confidently. However, weaker progress in the past means their achievement still requires improvement. Those pupils with specific behavioural and emotional needs who attend the off-site training benefit from their improved attitudes to learning on their return to Stamshaw and achieve as well as their classmates. The progress of pupils from different ethnic backgrounds has improved well. Their achievement matches that of their classmates, with more reaching and occasionally exceeding the levels expected for their age. Over the past year, the most able pupils have been challenged more and, since the previous inspection, have made the progress they should. However, lack of high aspiration for other pupils in the past means too few exceeded the levels expected for their age in the 2014 Year 6 national tests. Pupils’ participation and their skills in a wider range of physical activities and sport have improved due to the effective allocation of sports grant funding. However, there is too little evidence to judge the extent to Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 which it has improved pupils’ achievement in physical education. 7 of 10 Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 8 of 10 What inspection judgements mean School Grade Judgement Description Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. Inspection report: Stamshaw Junior School, 24–25 February 2015 School details Unique reference number 116218 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 453538 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 7−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 250 Appropriate authority Interim executive board of governors Chair Guy Cordran Interim Executive Headteacher Jane Waddup Date of previous school inspection 27–28 February 2013 Telephone number 02392 661045 Fax number 02392 655598 Email address [email protected] 9 of 10 Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email [email protected]. You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection. You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. 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