Sparrow Farm Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve teaching, learning and assessment so that pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, reach higher standards by ensuring that teachers:
  • provide work that consistently challenges and extends learning, particularly for the most able
  • embed the use of writing skills across the curriculum
  • provide more opportunities to develop pupils’ mathematical problem-solving and reasoning skills.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that middle leaders have a greater impact on improving teaching, learning and assessment in subjects other than English and mathematics.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher is ambitious for the school and is supported ably by the deputy headteacher. Together, they have shown considerable determination in raising the expectations of staff and pupils. The roles and responsibilities of senior and middle leaders have been identified clearly so there is good capacity for further improvement.
• Leaders at all levels have a precise understanding of the improvements needed and have a shared vision for pupils to ‘be the best that they can be’. Effective monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning have raised standards and accelerated pupils’ progress.
• Leaders provide good professional development opportunities, linked to the school’s key priorities. Staff receive the training they need to develop their skills. For example, the training staff received in teaching grammar and comprehension skills effectively has led to an improvement in the standards of writing.
• The school offers a rich curriculum to support pupils’ academic and emotional development. Leaders ensure that the curriculum provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to increase their experiences beyond their immediate environment. For example, pupils visit many places of interest, such as the theatre and museums, and take part in annual residential visits. These opportunities enhance pupils’ understanding of the topics they learn about in their lessons.
• The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. The school’s values, such as responsibility and community, underpin school life. Pupils know what these mean and how to demonstrate them in their everyday lives.
• Previous underachievement of disadvantaged pupils has helped to inform the way the pupil premium funding is now used. For example, the funding provides personal and emotional support, as well as additional help with schoolwork. The impact of the school’s work is reviewed on a regular basis. As a result, targeted support is now much more effective in enabling disadvantaged pupils to make rapid progress.
• The physical education and sport premium funding is used effectively to provide a good range of physical activities in and out of school, which encourages many pupils to participate. The funding is having a positive impact on pupils’ health and fitness.
• The special educational needs coordinator is effective in her role. She has overhauled policies and procedures and ensured that pupils’ needs are identified accurately and are known to staff. In this way, the funding is used well to match pupils’ needs with the right resources.
• Leaders have introduced a new strategy for teaching mathematics. This approach is having a positive impact on improving outcomes in mathematics. However, there are inconsistencies in teaching that result in some pupils not practising their reasoning skills routinely through problem-solving activities.
• Leaders have maintained a sharp focus on improving teaching, learning and assessment in English and mathematics. As a result, pupils’ outcomes are improving rapidly in all year groups. Some middle leaders are still developing their skills and have not yet had time to focus on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment in other subjects. Consequently, in these subjects, pupils’ outcomes are not as strong as they are in English and mathematics.

Governance of the school

• The governing body has improved its effectiveness by responding to recommendations and advice. It has recently been reorganised; for example, the curriculum and standards committee is now the teaching and learning committee, providing a sharper focus on the impact of teaching. Governors are now more skilful in cross-checking against pupils’ performance information when leaders provide them with evidence about the quality of teaching.
• Minutes of governing body meetings confirm that governors provide the right level of support and challenge to ensure that leaders continue to improve the school.
• Governors are increasingly effective in using information about pupils’ progress to ask the right questions of leaders. Previous underachievement of disadvantaged pupils rightly caused concern and governors sought external advice to help them understand the issues involved.
• Governors check that funding is spent wisely. For example, as a result of close attention to detail, governors know that the initiatives paid for by pupil premium funding have resulted in stronger outcomes for this group of pupils.
• Governors have strong links to the local community and understand the context of the school and the families it serves. This means that they are well placed to ensure that services meet pupils’ needs effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have shown vigilance in establishing a culture where pupils are kept safe. Relevant policies and procedures are up to date and are well understood. Staff know what to do should they have any concerns about pupils’ safety and welfare.
• The most vulnerable pupils are given a high priority. Record keeping is effective and the school works well with external agencies to ensure that any concerns are quickly followed up.
• There are regular safeguarding training updates for all staff and governors and those new to the school. Staff are aware of the key messages of government guidance on keeping pupils safe in school. Staff have a good understanding of e-safety and how to keep pupils safe from radicalisation and extremism.
• Almost all of the parents who completed the school’s own recent questionnaire agree that their children are safe and well cared for.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching builds effectively on what pupils already know. The activities that teachers plan help pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding.
• Teachers question pupils well to probe their understanding and to extend it. To help all pupils to think about key questions, teachers often give them time to discuss ideas in pairs, and pupils respond well to this.
• The teaching of reading is increasingly effective, leading to good outcomes in all year groups. Pupils use phonics successfully and work well together to build their skills and confidence in reading.
• Teachers have refined their approach to assessing pupils’ written work. This has improved the rate of progress made, as pupils are clear about the next steps to take their learning forward. However, pupils have fewer opportunities to practise their writing skills in other subjects, for example science, history and geography.
• The school has identified accurately the need to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in English and mathematics. A common approach to teaching across the school is having a positive impact upon most current pupils’ progress.
• Teaching for pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is effective. Teachers and other adults support these pupils well. Teachers and teaching assistants help them to learn alongside their peers and make good progress.
• Pupils with lower starting points get the support they need to complete tasks successfully. As a result, these pupils make good progress and achieve well.
• Strategies to support pupils who have gaps in their learning are effective. Pupils appreciate the additional focus they receive, which helps them to catch up quickly. Pupils who have recently joined the school and are new to learning English clearly benefit from this early support.
• The most able pupils in mathematics sometimes find work too easy, especially in the early part of lessons. Sometimes, teachers do not provide work that consistently challenges and extends pupils’ learning: this results in slower progress in some lessons. However, progress seen in pupils’ work since the start of this academic year is good.
• There are inconsistencies across the school in the use of reasoning and problem-solving in mathematics to deepen learning.
• In English and mathematics, teachers give pupils useful guidance on how to improve their work. Pupils take heed of this guidance, with clear impact on their progress. This is less effective in other subjects.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils show much consideration and respect for others. They are confident and articulate. Pupils wear their uniform smartly and take pride in being a member of their school community.
• Instances of bullying are rare. Pupils told the inspectors that staff deal with them swiftly if they do occur.
• Leaders address pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development through the taught curriculum and through a range of other enriching experiences. Leaders are effective in promoting British values, and pupils know how to be good citizens. During an assembly, pupils reflected on what it means to be responsible and resilient in the context of the school’s agreed values.
• Pupils have a good understanding about how to keep themselves safe. There is a comprehensive programme of personal, social and health education. Pupils learn how to improve their lifestyles, build effective relationships, and take good care of their health and well-being. Pupils take part enthusiastically in the many physical education activities available to them.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is an orderly environment. Owing to the consistent management of pupils’ behaviour by all staff, pupils conduct themselves well throughout the day, including at play.
• Pupils respond quickly to requests from staff, so lessons are rarely disrupted. Effective support for pupils who have particular behavioural needs results in clear improvement in their behaviour.
• The school’s records show that exclusions are extremely rare. This is mainly the result of the excellent care and support provided by staff.
• Sometimes pupils’ interest in learning wanes when teaching fails to stimulate their minds. On these occasions, some pupils’ concentration dips and learning slows down.
• The number of pupils who are persistently absent is reducing and pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 is rising. Pupils are receiving a good and improving education and so most are making rapid progress from their starting points, including the most able. This means a higher proportion of pupils now leave Sparrow Farm Junior School well prepared for the transfer to secondary school.
• In 2016, published assessment information showed that at the end of Year 6, not enough pupils made fast enough progress or reached the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics. However, assessment information for 2017 indicates that pupils’ achievements in English and mathematics are more positive. The information shows that many pupils made rapid progress and achieved standards that were close to the national average, particularly in mathematics.
• Many disadvantaged pupils underachieved in 2016 and some underachieved in 2017. Leaders recognise this and have tackled the decline successfully by identifying barriers to learning. Leaders use the pupil premium funding for a range of effective interventions. The strong emphasis on good teaching in English and mathematics supports this group to make good progress. As a result, the difference between disadvantaged pupils’ achievement and the achievement of other pupils nationally is reducing.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. Teachers and teaching assistants know the issues that slow down pupils’ learning. They ensure that the work set for these pupils will help them to overcome difficulties and to achieve well.
• The strong focus on vocabulary supports pupils who speak English as an additional language well. Those at an early stage of learning English make good progress because teachers give them additional resources to help them acquire key language skills quickly.
• The school’s own information about current pupils’ achievement shows that progress in reading, writing and mathematics is good. The work in pupils’ books so far this term, including that of the most able, confirms this. The pupils whom inspectors heard read aloud had clearly made good progress from their starting points.
• Progress in other subjects, for example history, geography and science, is not as rapid. This is because the impact of leaders’ work to improve those subjects has not yet been as effective as it has in English and mathematics.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 102508 Hounslow 10037682 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 Community 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 293 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Amy Croft Donna Ellis Telephone number 020 8890 7194 Website Email address www.sparrowfarmjuniors.co.uk office@sfj.hounslow.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 2–3 July 2014

Information about this school

• At the time of the previous inspection, a significant building programme was under way to accommodate the expansion to three forms of entry by 2017. This has been completed and the school is now similar to an average-sized junior school, with three classes in each year.
• The proportion of pupils who are supported through the pupil premium is higher than the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average. A high proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic heritages.
• Many pupils join and leave the school at various points other than at the usual times.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is higher than the national average.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in 22 lessons. Much of this learning was observed jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also looked at pupils’ work in lessons and jointly with senior leaders as a separate activity.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read and held discussions with groups of pupils. Inspectors also talked informally with pupils around the school and in the playground.
• Inspectors considered the 20 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff. Insufficient responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, were received. Responses to the school’s own recent survey of 122 parents were also taken into account.
• Meetings were held with two governors, and with a representative of the local authority. Meetings were also held with leaders responsible for mathematics, English, science, assessment and tracking, and provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Inspectors examined a range of documents. This included information about pupils’ attainment and progress, the school’s reviews of its own performance, checks on the quality of teaching and improvement plans. Inspectors also examined safeguarding documentation and various records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour.

Inspection team

Nasim Butt, lead inspector Shelley Davies Kanwaljit Singh

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector