Field End Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • governors improve their knowledge and understanding of pupils’ outcomes and hold leaders rigorously to account to improve standards
  • the additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used well so that these pupils make strong progress and achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics
  • leaders at all levels improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently effective throughout the school
  • leaders monitor pupils’ outcomes closely to ensure that all groups of pupils achieve well
  • strategies to improve the teaching of reading and mathematics are fully embedded throughout the school.
• Improve pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching and learning in all subjects by ensuring that:
  • teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are consistently high
  • teachers use assessment information effectively to plan activities that are well matched to pupils’ needs and abilities
  • teachers provide pupils, particularly the most able pupils, with work that is sufficiently challenging
  • teachers use a range of strategies consistently well to deepen and extend pupils’ learning. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Standards have not improved significantly since the previous inspection. Leaders, including governors, have not ensured that teaching is consistently good throughout the school. Their actions have not secured good outcomes for pupils over time.
• Leaders have not ensured that the additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is well spent. Leaders’ and governors’ monitoring of this spending has not been rigorous enough. The plans for how these funds will be used for the current year lack the necessary detail to raise standards. They are not fully effective in helping leaders to evaluate the impact of different interventions.
• The school had commissioned an external review of the use of pupil premium funding at the time of the previous inspection. Governors and leaders are unable to show how this review has been used. Over time, leaders’ actions have not led to consistently good outcomes for these pupils.
• Leaders’ actions to improve the quality of teaching have not been fully effective so, throughout the school, inconsistencies remain. In some year groups, weaknesses identified at the start of the year continued to be an issue during this inspection. This means that pupils receive an uneven quality of education and make variable progress in their learning.
• This year, new strategies have been introduced to improve the teaching of reading and mathematics throughout the school, but these are not yet used consistently by staff. Similarly, new roles have been given to middle leaders. They are keen to do a good job and raise standards in their areas, but it is too soon to see the impact of their work on improving pupils’ outcomes.
• Since her arrival in September 2017, the new headteacher has made a difference. Staff, pupils, parents, carers and governors all say that the school is a much better place than it was previously. They can see that the headteacher’s work is beginning to improve the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Staff morale is high and the headteacher has the full support of the local authority, governors and staff. Although it is too soon to see the impact of the headteacher’s actions on pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stage 2, her work to improve procedures, routines and the organisation of the school is effective.
• The headteacher has introduced new systems to monitor the quality of teaching throughout the school. All leaders are involved in these, including year group leaders. Leaders can identify weaker aspects of teaching and plans are in place to support individual teachers to improve their practice.
• The provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is effective. Leaders make sure that these pupils are well supported and that their needs are met. Leaders use additional funding well and deploy teaching assistants, learning mentors and external professionals well to meet pupils’ needs.
• Leaders have made changes to the curriculum so that it is more purposeful for pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning across a range of subjects. Themes and topics are underpinned by high-quality texts. Pupils particularly appreciate the exciting theme days that staff plan to launch new topics. Leaders monitor pupils’ progress across a wide range of subjects and ensure that pupils have the opportunities to acquire new skills.
• The curriculum is enriched by a wide range of clubs and other activities. Teachers plan educational visits that are linked to pupils’ learning themes and invite visitors to the school to enhance pupils’ learning. Pupils take part in clubs, such as choir, gardening and cookery, as well as a variety of sports activities.
• Leaders have well-thought-out plans to use the primary sports funding. This has helped to increase pupils’ participation in sports, including competitive games. The funding is also being used to support the teaching of physical education throughout the school, including the introduction of a new scheme of work and the use of sports coaches to develop teachers’ skills.
• Leaders, staff and pupils are united in their view that discrimination of any kind is not tolerated at their school. The curriculum is used well to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Governance of the school

• Since the previous inspection, governors have not been effective in their strategic role. Over time, they have not held leaders to account effectively for pupils’ outcomes. As a result, standards have not improved sufficiently.
• Governors do not demonstrate a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, including pupils’ outcomes. Their views on the school’s effectiveness are too generous.
• Governors have not ensured that the pupil premium funding is well spent. They have not checked the impact of leaders’ actions to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils.
• Recent changes have had an immediate impact. The new chair of governors is fully committed to raising standards. Governor training has improved and governors are more involved in the life of the school than in previous years. Their visits to the school are more frequent and focused. They meet with leaders and teachers to discuss the quality of teaching and are increasingly aware of what constitutes effective teaching and learning. They have used the expertise of the headteacher and local authority representatives to help improve their understanding of pupils’ outcomes.
• The headteacher is working effectively with governors to help improve their skills. She provides information regularly on pupils’ outcomes and the quality of teaching. Governors appreciate this and are committed to enhancing their skills further still. They are ambitious for themselves and the school.
• Governors ensure that procedures are in place to keep pupils safe. They work with school leaders to audit safeguarding provision and have developed effective action plans in order to monitor the school’s work.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that staff have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding legislation and the school’s procedures. Documentation related to safeguarding is well organised. Leaders address concerns about pupils’ welfare appropriately and record-keeping is robust.
• Training is used well to ensure that staff are aware of potential risks to pupils and to help them identify and support pupils who may be at risk. Each week, for example, staff explore different safeguarding scenarios which test their knowledge and understanding of how to identify and address concerns about pupils’ welfare. These are well received by staff. Staff told inspectors that this keeps their knowledge up to date and the culture of safeguarding at the forefront of their work.
• Arrangements to support the most vulnerable pupils are effective. The school’s pastoral team, including safeguarding officers and learning mentors, ensures that pupils are well cared for.
• The curriculum is well planned to include different safeguarding topics. For example, the computing curriculum ensures that, as pupils move through the school, they learn different aspects of online safety. Leaders use assemblies and lessons, such as personal, social, health and economic education, to help pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in different situations.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching is inconsistent across year groups and in a range of subjects. Over time, teaching has not been effective at improving pupils’ outcomes, particularly those of disadvantaged pupils.
• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not high enough. Teachers do not make consistently effective use of assessment information to ensure that the work they provide is suitable for different pupils in their classes. The work in pupils’ books shows that teachers’ expectations for presentation and work quality are also too variable.
• Although staff have introduced a system for pupils to select their own ‘challenges’ within lessons, these are not always monitored effectively. Sometimes, even the most challenging activities do not extend the learning of the most able pupils. Some pupils choose tasks that are not suitably challenging and this goes unnoticed.
• Teachers’ checks on pupils’ learning in lessons are not fully effective and they do not adapt activities when pupils find work too easy. This occurs, for example, when pupils demonstrate a secure understanding of a concept but are held back by being asked to complete tasks that are too easy.
• In some classes, teachers do not make the most of opportunities to extend and deepen pupils’ learning through the questions they ask. For example, staff sometimes accept simple answers and do not probe further or encourage pupils to explain or justify their ideas.
• The headteacher knows what needs to improve and has already made a positive difference. Systems to monitor the quality of teaching have been overhauled and these are helping teachers to develop their practice well.
• At the start of the year, leaders identified that pupils’ knowledge and use of phonics, particularly in Year 3, were weak. Their actions to improve the teaching of phonics have had a positive effect on pupils’ outcomes. The teaching of phonics is effective and pupils use phonics well in their reading and writing.
• The teaching of reading is also improving. Leaders have changed the way reading is taught so that pupils have more opportunities to explore texts in greater depth. These strategies are new and need time to become embedded throughout the school.
• Staff are working effectively to improve pupils’ writing skills. They have increased opportunities for pupils to write at length and in different subjects across the curriculum. The impact of this work is evident and pupils enjoy writing for different purposes, linked to their topics and themes.
• Classrooms provide positive learning environments. Teachers use displays to promote pupils’ learning, particularly in English and mathematics. Relationships are positive. Teachers and teaching assistants are good role models for learning.
• Good practice can be found in the school in the areas of teaching identified as needing improvement. For example, teachers’ expectations are higher in Year 6, with greater clarity about what pupils need to learn. The teaching provides good opportunities for pupils to solve problems and justify their answers in mathematics, for example. In some classes, teachers use their good subject knowledge well to ask questions that identify pupils’ errors and misconceptions and extend their ideas.
• Overall, teaching assistants make a positive contribution to pupils’ learning, particularly for those pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. They work closely with teachers to lead interventions and support pupils in lessons. They evaluate pupils’ achievements diligently and plan for the next steps in their learning.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Staff share the headteacher’s commitment and determination to make sure that all pupils feel safe and are well cared for. Staff promote pupils’ personal well-being effectively. In lessons, staff praise pupils for their achievements and work effectively to raise their self-esteem.
• Pupils say that bullying is rare and that staff deal with any incidents effectively. Through the curriculum and assemblies, pupils are able to identify the different types of bullying and know that this and all types of discrimination are not tolerated at their school.
• Pupils say that the school has improved, particularly the opportunities for them to have a say in what happens in school. The school council is an effective means for pupils to share their ideas and give their opinions on school matters. This term, for example, pupils are working hard at creating a child-friendly anti-bullying policy and, in response to their friends’ feedback about the quality of handwriting pens, councillors have explored and sampled a range of pens from different suppliers in order to choose the best replacement.
• Leaders ensure that the curriculum incorporates well-planned opportunities for pupils to learn about the world around them, including different faiths. Pupils celebrate religious festivals and visit places of worship. Pupils routinely raise funds for charities and learn about the purpose of each charity. Furthermore, effective partnerships have been established with a local care home, with pupils writing to and receiving letters from residents.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils are proud of their school and comment positively about the changes the headteacher and staff are making. They say that behaviour has improved and is good.
• Pupils play sensibly with their friends at lunchtimes and breaktimes and the outdoor space is used effectively to promote their physical health and well-being. Pupils are glad that the headteacher has made changes to lunchtimes. Pupils enjoy eating their lunches outside and in different age groups. Those who have school dinners can eat with those who bring packed lunches and this small change has improved pupils’ behaviour and enjoyment of lunchtime.
• Pupils are keen to learn and impress their teachers. Where teachers’ expectations for pupils’ behaviour are higher, lessons are rarely interrupted. Occasionally, and usually when activities are not sufficiently well matched to pupils’ needs and interests, pupils lose focus and low-level disruption occurs.
• Leaders’ actions to improve pupils’ attendance have been effective. Absences are closely monitored and staff address any issues quickly. The range of incentives to raise attendance are well received by pupils. Attendance is now in line with the national average. However, although reducing, the proportion of pupils persistently absent from school remains above average.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2017, pupils’ progress by the end of Year 6 was significantly below average in mathematics and below average in reading and writing. For the two years before that, pupils’ progress was significantly below average in all three subjects. In 2017, pupils left the school with attainment that was broadly average in reading and writing when, from their starting points, it should have been much higher. Attainment in mathematics was below average.
• Over the last three years, disadvantaged pupils have not achieved well enough. Their attainment by the end of Year 6 was well below average in writing and mathematics last year and below average in reading. Disadvantaged pupils’ progress in writing has been in the lowest 10% of schools nationally for three years. Their progress in mathematics has been significantly below average for two years.
• Although pupils’ progress has started to improve since September, it is inconsistent throughout the school and across a range of subjects. The school’s assessment information and work in pupils’ books show that there are also differences between the progress made by different groups of pupils, including the most able and disadvantaged pupils.
• Assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils currently in the school are making inconsistent progress from their starting points. Throughout the school, differences remain between the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and others.
• Given the uneven and often weak progress made by current pupils in the past, they are not making the consistently strong progress necessary to reach the expected standards from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics. For example, less than a quarter of Year 5 disadvantaged pupils started this year at the levels expected for their age in writing and mathematics. Progress since then has not been rapid enough for these pupils to make up lost ground.
• Within an overall picture of underachievement, the school was encouraged by the proportion of pupils that attained the greater-depth standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 in 2017, which was in line with or above the national average. The strength of teaching in Year 6 in the current year suggests that this may continue.
• Since September, pupils’ outcomes have started to improve, with stronger progress, particularly in writing. The school’s focus on writing across the curriculum is enabling pupils to use and apply their skills in different contexts.
• Pupils use phonics skills well for reading and writing. Leaders’ focus on improving the quality of phonics teaching, particularly for the younger pupils, is having a positive effect on pupils’ reading and writing.
• Pupils who read with inspectors used phonics accurately. They read with fluency and accuracy and could talk about their books. They enjoy reading and are particularly impressed with the library and the new texts used in lessons. Strategies to improve pupils’ outcomes in reading, such as the new approaches to group reading, need time to become embedded. Teachers are positive that these approaches have already started to improve pupils’ outcomes.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress in their learning. Their needs are well understood and activities are used well to meet their different targets.
• Subject and year group leaders monitor the wider curriculum. They have planned a curriculum that builds on what pupils already know and can do in each subject. Over their time in the school, pupils develop knowledge, skills and understanding in a range of subjects. However, some of these changes are new and it is too early to see the impact on pupils’ outcomes. Inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, including in subjects other than English and mathematics, mean that some pupils are capable of achieving more.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102378 Hillingdon 10041965 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Junior School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 391 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Carole Paterson Audrey Wright 020 8866 8752 www.fieldend-jun.hillingdon.sch.uk/ enquiries@fieldend-jun.hillingdon.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 1–2 December 2015

Information about this school

• Since the previous inspection, there have been several staffing changes. The headteacher took up her post in September 2017.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for the attainment and progress of pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.
• The school is larger than the averaged-sized primary school. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited all classes at least once and in a range of subjects to observe pupils’ learning and behaviour. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher accompanied inspectors to some of these lessons.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, year group leaders and subject leaders and spoke informally with members of staff throughout the inspection. The lead inspector met a group of teaching assistants and an inspector spoke with the two newly qualified teachers.
• The lead inspector met the chair and vice-chair of governors and scrutinised a range of documents relating to governance. He held a meeting with the school improvement link from the local authority and had a telephone conversation with the head of school improvement for Hillingdon.
• Inspectors met with parents at the start of the inspection and reviewed the 198 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. Inspectors considered the free-text comments submitted by parents.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils during lessons and at lunchtime and breaktime. Inspectors held two formal meetings with groups of pupils. A small group of pupils accompanied a team inspector on a tour of the school to discuss their learning and the wider curriculum. Inspectors heard pupils read in Year 3 and Year 6.
• Inspectors looked at a range of school documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, school development plans and information related to safeguarding, governance and pupils’ progress and attainment. Inspectors also reviewed the school’s policies and procedures.
• During visits to lessons and in a focused meeting with leaders, inspectors reviewed pupils’ work in books across all year groups and in a range of subjects.
• Inspectors considered 22 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and 14 responses to the pupil survey.

Inspection team

Gary Rawlings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Karen Matthews

Jacqueline Treacy

Ofsted Inspector

Ofsted Inspector