St Augustine's CofE (Voluntary Aided) Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching to raise standards in reading, writing and particularly in mathematics by:
  • improving opportunities for pupils to develop their mathematical reasoning skills and apply them in real-life contexts in other subjects
  • providing more opportunities for pupils to apply their literacy skills across the curriculum, especially the younger pupils
  • ensuring that pupils use their knowledge of spelling, punctuation and grammar to support improvements in their writing
  • ensuring that there is sufficient challenge for the most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, to accelerate progress so that a greater proportion reach the higher standards, especially in writing.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, there has been a change in the senior leadership team of the school. The headteacher is a dedicated and ambitious leader. Since taking on the role of headteacher, she has effectively developed the skills of other leaders and built a cohesive senior leadership team that shares her passion and drive for improvement. This team, together with governors, analysed carefully the decline in outcomes for Year 6 pupils in 2016 and produced a robust action plan to improve standards. Thorough monitoring of swift actions has ensured rapid improvement in teaching and learning and pupils’ outcomes this academic year. Additionally, reorganisation of classes in Years 5 and 6 has supported more precise teaching and learning in the upper school. This successful reorganisation will be carried out in the lower school from September. Leaders are well equipped to improve the school further.
• Leaders provide pupils with a rich, stimulating learning environment. The school’s caring and inclusive atmosphere fosters good relationships with pupils and their parents. Most of the parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, wrote letters or spoke to inspectors were supportive of the school’s work.
• Systems for checking the performance of staff are thorough and effective. The school’s training programme is well targeted to support teachers and teaching assistants to improve teaching and learning. Recently appointed staff and those new to their career are supported well. Leaders and teachers are held to account for the progress pupils make. Leaders have high expectations of pupils and staff, and ensure that staff work collaboratively to meet the needs and interests of all pupils.
• New leaders have been swift to analyse pupils’ underperformance in 2016. Thorough analysis identified that there were gaps in some pupils’ learning, such as reasoning skills in mathematics and fluency and understanding in reading. New teaching and learning approaches were quickly put in place to reverse this dip in performance. Consequently, provisional results for 2017 show significant improvements in pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leaders have ensured that the school’s assessment system is fit for purpose and shows clearly pupils’ attainment and progress across each year group for reading, writing and mathematics. Regular, thorough monitoring and robust pupil progress meetings have ensured that all groups of pupils across the school are making good progress from their various starting points. This evidence is confirmed by pupils’ work in their books.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development threads through the school’s exciting curriculum. A wide range of interesting activities and enhanced learning opportunities are provided for all pupils, including tasks about British values. The school’s vision of ‘wisdom, challenge, strive and enjoy’ encourages pupils to work hard to succeed. The pupils, who have 26 home languages between them, show tolerance and deep respect for their friends’ different backgrounds, faiths and beliefs.
• The school has many new arrivals throughout the school year, which can impact on end-of-year results. However, staff support all new pupils well, including those newly arrived to England. All pupils settle into school life quickly and confidently.
• Leaders use the pupil premium funding to support disadvantaged pupils effectively. These pupils make good and better progress across the school. Differences in attainment are diminishing quickly. The few most able disadvantaged pupils are making good progress but, due to previous underachievement, they are not yet reaching the higher standards.
• Leaders ensure that the special educational needs funding is spent effectively. Pupils’ needs are identified early and appropriate support is put in place quickly, including where there are attendance issues. Consequently, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress from their starting points. Where pupils have an education, health and care plan, the special educational needs coordinator ensures high-quality teaching, safety and care. A specially adapted room, the ‘Shakespeare room’, has staff trained to support pupils with complex needs. Staff work effectively with outside agencies to improve the school’s provision for these pupils.
• Leaders use the primary physical education and sport premium well to promote sport and physical education within school and through extra-curricular activities. The school also uses the funding to develop staff expertise and to support the sustainability of high-quality teaching and learning in physical education.
• The local authority and the school’s leaders and governors have worked well together this academic year to ensure rapid improvement in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment and pupils’ outcomes.

Governance of the school

• Governors are proud of the school and recognise that they are better informed than in the past. They work closely with the new senior leadership team. They know the school well because they visit often, talk with staff and discuss and evaluate all aspects of the school regularly. Governors, together with senior leaders, quickly responded to the local authority’s warning letter about the low standards of Year 6 pupils in 2016. They produced a robust action plan that set out how they would rectify the decline. This plan is reviewed regularly and has contributed to the significant improvements in teaching and learning and pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors ensure that additional funding is spent appropriately and targeted to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. These pupils are now making good progress from their various starting points. The spending of the physical education and sport premium is reviewed regularly and changes are made if the physical education and sporting opportunities are not ensuring good progress for pupils.
• Governors ensure that the arrangements for managing teachers’ performance are effective and that leaders and teachers are accountable for the progress pupils make.
• Governors understand their responsibilities with regard to the safeguarding of pupils within the school and have received appropriate training in child protection.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• High-quality procedures ensure that pupils, including the most vulnerable, are kept safe. Staff are well trained and are quick to report any concerns they have about pupils in the school. Leaders ensure that these concerns are acted upon swiftly and appropriate referrals are made to the relevant agencies. Working relationships with support agencies are well established. The designated safeguarding team meets weekly to discuss any safeguarding issues and the minutes are recorded meticulously.
• Governors ensure that all the necessary checks are made when recruiting adults to work with children. The school’s central register is kept up to date and is regularly checked.
• Risk assessments are continually reviewed. For example, the school is in the process of improving the exit procedures from the school site. School visits are appropriately assessed for risks to keep pupils safe, such as the recent trip to the local lido for swimming.
• Pupils are taught how to stay safe when using the internet. They told inspectors that they feel safe in school. Parents were positive about the support their children receive in school and felt confident that they were happy and safe.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are enabling current pupils to make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics across the school. Inspection evidence, including the school’s assessment records and work in pupils’ books, confirms this.
• During the inspection, the whole school took part in transition days, where pupils worked with their teachers for September for the first time. Pupils settled into their new classes well, listening carefully to their new teachers, and lost no time getting down to work. All classes were calm, positive learning environments, even where teachers were new to the school. Everyone settled into school routines swiftly and confidently. Future effective working relationships were being formed.
• Pupils’ books show that they complete appropriate tasks for their chronological age and ability in reading, writing and mathematics. These tasks are interesting and most pupils produce work of a good quality and standard. The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are making good progress this year but, due to previous underachievement, they have not yet reached the higher standards, especially in writing.
• High-quality training has improved teachers’ and teaching assistants’ subject knowledge. This is improving planning and teaching of subjects across the curriculum, for all groups of pupils. Effective interventions are provided for pupils who require consolidation of their learning skills. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities have targeted support from trained staff to meet their individual needs. This is enabling these pupils to make good progress from their starting points.
• A specially trained teaching assistant supports disadvantaged pupils regularly with their learning. He builds up pupils’ self-esteem and confidence, so that they are ready to learn and want to succeed. He provides a good role model for pupils.
• The teaching of reading across the school is good and staff are raising the profile of reading. Leaders and teachers have reorganised how they teach reading. There is now a greater focus on improving pupils’ fluency in reading and understanding of the meaning of challenging texts. Topics are now built around these texts. The Year 6 and Year 4 pupils who read to inspectors showed enjoyment in their reading, and the older pupils read with greater fluency and understanding.
• Pupils write regularly and books show good-quality writing in a range of styles. Writing in Year 6 is purposeful and, at times, at greater depth. However, pupils in the lower school have too few opportunities to write at length and to develop their writing skills across the curriculum. Where pupils have these opportunities, the standard of writing improves. Pupils are encouraged and proud to receive their pen licence, which is not just for good-quality handwriting, but for using basic punctuation and grammar skills in their writing. However, some pupils do not use their knowledge of these skills to support their writing.
• The mathematics leader is ensuring that teachers focus on developing pupils’ reasoning skills. Books show opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking through a learning question. Additionally, pupils focus on multiplication tables and mental recall regularly to enable them to work out calculations more swiftly. Where required, pupils use practical resources to support their learning. However, pupils’ books show few opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning skills by applying them in real-life contexts to deepen their understanding further.
• Teaching staff have benefited from training in supporting pupils who speak English as an additional language. After arrival, a thorough assessment is made of these pupils’ skills and targeted support is provided. This often includes a focus on phonics, high-frequency words and mathematical vocabulary to enable these pupils to access the school’s curriculum.
• Pupils are very proud of their topic ‘learning journeys’, which include work from a variety of subjects. These are carefully presented and include high-quality homework. When pupils’ work from these books is published in hardback form, they see themselves as published authors. This is a compelling incentive for pupils to produce their very best work. Pupils’ religious education books and displays show pupils’ deep respect for and knowledge of the similarities and differences between religions. For example, pupils have produced thoughtful prayers for peace in Syria.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school’s Christian ethos promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding well. There is a strong ethos of respect and care from everyone within the school. The many new arrivals throughout the school settle quickly and confidently. Pupils show empathy and tolerance to their new classmates.
• Pupils say that the school is a safe, friendly place to be. They know who to speak to if they have any concerns. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in school and within the wider community.
• Very strong transition programmes are in place, both from the infants to the juniors and from the juniors to secondary schools. Inspectors saw the Year 2 pupils enjoying their transition days throughout the inspection. Year 4 pupils worked with these new pupils and discussed their hopes and fears about joining a new school.
• Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the positions of responsibility that are provided. For example, the ‘Praise Pals’ enjoy planning and leading collective worship. Pupils, with their parents and staff, are enthusiastically fundraising for a ‘Book Bus’ to replace the former library. These activities are raising the profile of pupils’ reading for enjoyment.
• Vulnerable pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for and given every opportunity to participate in lessons. Provision in the ‘Shakespeare room’ meets the social, behavioural and academic needs of the few pupils who require additional support.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Inspectors found pupils to be respectful, courteous and polite in lessons and around the school. Pupils show good attitudes to learning and they take pride in their work.
• Children play well together at breaktimes, making use of the play equipment or the quiet reflective areas. The few pupils who occasionally show poor behaviour are encouraged to reflect on their actions so that it does not happen again. Exclusions are extremely rare.
• Attendance overall remains above the national average. This is because pupils enjoy coming to school and staff follow up pupils’ absences. Persistent absence, including that of different groups of pupils, is declining.
• The school’s records show that bullying and racist incidents are rare and they are dealt with effectively. Pupils who have difficulty managing their own behaviour are supported well.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Standards at the end of Year 6 in 2015 for reading, writing and mathematics were broadly in line with national averages. However, results declined in 2016, with reading and mathematics being in the lowest 10% nationally. Leaders’ careful analysis of the causes of the decline and a robust action plan have helped to bring about rapid improvements in the quality of teaching and learning and pupils’ outcomes this year.
• Attainment in reading and writing has improved and is now broadly in line with the provisional 2017 national averages. The improving results for mathematics still remain below national standards. The school’s provisional 2017 results indicate that, in reading, the proportion of Year 6 pupils reaching the expected standard has risen by 40%, in writing and mathematics, it has risen by 19% and in English grammar, punctuation and spelling, it has risen by 38%. Work in books shows that pupils in all year groups are now making good and better progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their September starting points, including the Year 6 pupils.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are now making good and better progress from their starting points, across the school. Provisional results for them at the end of key stage 2 have risen considerably in all subjects. Differences in attainment between disadvantaged pupils and others are diminishing in English and mathematics across the school. The pupil premium funding is used wisely to provide effective individual and small-group work for disadvantaged pupils.
• Through targeted support within classrooms and effective interventions, pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are making good progress from their various starting points. The evidence of this good progress can be seen in pupils’ books.
• Recent training for teachers is ensuring that pupils who are in the early stages of learning English also make good progress from their various starting points.
• More challenging learning activities have enabled a greater proportion of the most able pupils to reach the higher standard in reading and mathematics at the end of Year 6 this year. Even though there has been an increase in the proportion of pupils reaching greater depth in writing, this could be improved further. This is because the most able pupils across the school, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, are not consistently challenged to accelerate their progress so that a greater proportion reach greater depth.
• Improvements in the standards for reading, writing and mathematics are ensuring that pupils in Year 6 are better prepared for starting secondary education.

School details

Unique reference number 110853 Local authority Peterborough Inspection number 10031606 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Junior School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 7 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 234 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair James Fordham Headteacher Nicola Pierce Telephone number 01733 563 566 Website www.staugustinesjuniorschool.co.uk Email address office@st-augustines.peterborough.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 3–4 July 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is smaller than average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is below the national average and the number of pupils who have education, health and care plans is the same as the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is above average.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language are above average.
• Many pupils join and leave the school outside normal times.
• There have been a number of new appointments to teaching and leadership posts since the previous inspection.
• The school did not meet the government’s floor standards for 2016. These are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes. Some of these observations were carried out jointly with members of the senior leadership team.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, governors and a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at documentation, including teachers’ planning, the school’s analysis of its strengths and weaknesses, information on pupils’ attainment and progress, records of behaviour and safety, the monitoring of teaching and management of teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding documents.
• A discussion was held with a group of pupils, as well as informal conversations with pupils during lessons and at breaktimes. The inspectors listened to pupils read and talked to them about books they enjoy.
• Inspectors considered 12 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as the free-text comments and two letters. Views of parents were also informally sought at the beginning of the school day. Inspectors also took account of the views of 31 pupils and 10 staff who responded to their online surveys.

Inspection team

Julie Harrison, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Sean Powell Ofsted Inspector Mandy Short Ofsted Inspector