Leesland Church of England Controlled Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • providing training for new subject leaders so that they can make a rapid impact on raising standards in their subject
  • ensuring that all pupils across the school have equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum.
• Strengthen the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by making sure that:
  • all teachers make effective use of assessment information to plan work that builds on what pupils already know and can do
  • teachers identify pupils’ misconceptions, particularly in mathematics, to secure their understanding
  • pupils consistently apply their basic spelling and punctuation skills when completing writing tasks.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders are ambitious and they have high expectations for staff and pupils. They addressed the actions for improvement from the previous inspection so that pupils now receive a good standard of education. Leaders use a range of performance information that gives them an accurate view of the school and so they know what precisely needs to be improved.
• The local authority has provided good support to the school since the previous inspection. Subject advisers supported both the English subject leader and the mathematics leader to develop their leadership skills. The school is highly responsive to this external guidance and support that have helped them to become a good school.
• There has been a considerable turnover of teaching staff this term. Despite this, the quality of teaching over time remains good. This is because new staff received effective induction arrangements and are provided with a mentor to help them to become familiar with the school’s routines and policies. New teaching staff were highly complimentary about the support they receive. However, some staff who are new to their leadership roles have not yet had training. Consequently, they do not have an overview of standards in their subjects or where improvements are needed.
• School leaders check the quality of teaching and they provide help and support to all staff to help them to develop their skills. Through a structured programme of coaching and training, staff learn from each other and share best practice. The staff survey revealed that teachers value the support and training that they receive. They have full confidence in the leadership and management of the school.
• Leaders ensure that all pupils have equal opportunities to achieve. They have ensured that the additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is used well. Some of the funding has been used to provide targeted support for disadvantaged pupils in classrooms. Funding is also used to subsidise educational visits and to enrich curriculum activities. This means that disadvantaged pupils have the same experiences as other pupils and this helps to develop their self-esteem and confidence.
• School leaders have carefully considered how best to use the primary sports funding. Some has been allocated to employ a specialist sports coach to help to develop staff expertise and confidence to teach a variety of sports, including team games. Funding has also been allocated to provide additional equipment and resources that pupils can use at break times as well as class time. As a result, pupils thoroughly enjoy their success in a wide range of sporting activities. The school has its own indoor swimming pool, and so pupils have regular swimming sessions. All pupils learn to swim and are aware of the importance of taking care near water.
• The curriculum is largely well planned with opportunities that promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively. There are some good examples of where pupils use their writing skills when learning other subjects, such as history. However, work in pupils’ books shows that they do not always study subjects other than English and mathematics to any great depth. This slows their progress in some subjects.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and they provide a good level of support and professional challenge to school leaders. Minutes of the governors’ meetings show that they are well organised and that they carry out their responsibilities diligently. Governors visit school formally as well as informally and so they see for themselves how the school runs on a day-to-day basis. They know that school leaders are not afraid to tackle weaker performance and they are aware of the additional pressures brought about by the recent high turnover of staff.
• Governors are reflective and seek to constantly improve their practice. They acted on the outcomes of a review recommended in the last inspection. They changed the committee structure and brought in new governors with specific skills to strengthen their work. They attend training so they can more effectively fulfil their roles. Governors carried out an audit of their skills and seek to appoint new governors who have the necessary abilities to strengthen their work.
• Governors check the school development plan regularly. There is a systematic approach to monitoring activities, and so governors know how well the school is performing. They carefully monitor spending, including the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils, to ensure that it has a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding pupils. Staff receive regular and up-to-date training so that they are well equipped to raise concerns should they believe that a pupil might be at risk. School leaders have very positive relationships with external agencies and so they ensure that pupils in need receive effective support in a timely way.
• Leaders thoroughly check the credentials of all prospective employees, governors and volunteers. They maintain detailed records that are regularly reviewed by the designated governor. All visitors to the school are carefully checked and made aware of the procedure to follow should a safeguarding issue arise.
• Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. Pupils learn about e-safety through their technology lessons as well as in their personal, social and health education. They know they should not share personal information when using the internet and they know it is wrong to make unkind comments about others when using technology.
• The large majority of parents who responded to the online survey, governors and staff believe that pupils are safe in the school and that the school provides a good quality of care for them.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Pupils’ outcomes have improved since the previous inspection, and this is largely down to improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment over time.
• Where stronger teaching is seen, teachers plan work that builds on what pupils already know and can do. Teachers challenge pupils by asking questions that make them think hard, and so they progress well. They provide time for pupils to talk about their work and explain their thinking. Some teachers are skilled at probing pupils’ misunderstandings and adjust their lessons accordingly.
• Teachers provide regular feedback to pupils. The school’s marking and feedback policy has recently been reviewed, so that all teachers know what is expected of them. As a result, most teachers provide verbal feedback to pupils in lessons so that they can correct their work immediately. However, there are times, particularly in mathematics lessons, when teachers fail to pick up and address pupils’ lack of understanding of mathematical concepts, and this slows pupils’ progress.
• Additional learning support assistants receive high-quality training and so they are able to provide effective support to pupils. Sometimes this is within the classroom while, at other times, pupils are presented with tailor-made programmes of work to help them to overcome specific problems they may have. This helps all pupils, including those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, to progress well.
• In many classes, teachers link different subjects together, and this helps pupils to gain a wider view of what they are learning. For example, in Year 4, pupils were learning about Roman gladiators by writing a series of sentences beginning with imperative verbs. They made good progress in learning about different types of verbs, as well as gaining an understanding of aspects of life in Roman times.
• Although the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has been strengthened in recent years, not all teachers use assessment information consistently and effectively to plan lessons that meet the needs of all pupils. This means that pupils do not always have work that is pitched at the right level.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. School leaders, teachers and governors are justifiably proud of the high quality of care they provide to pupils and their families. They gave great consideration to the appointment of key staff who work with those pupils and their families whose circumstances may make them more vulnerable.
• Pupils know that adults listen to them and take their concerns seriously. Staff know pupils well as individuals and so can keep a watchful eye on any who give cause for concern. Pupils say that bullying is rare but that adults respond quickly should a problem arise.
• Pupils feel safe in the school because the school environment, vision and values promote their confidence and self-esteem. They get on well together, regardless of background. Pupils are polite, friendly and helpful towards each other and adults. They enjoy school, and this is reflected in their good attendance.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. The school has implemented a new behaviour policy, and so all pupils understand teachers’ expectations. Most pupils behave well in lessons and when moving around the school. The playground is large and provides plenty of opportunities for physical activities as well as places where pupils can sit quietly and chat.
• The school has a small number of pupils who struggle to manage their behaviour in class. However, staff are well trained to manage the behaviour of these pupils effectively. As a result, there are few occasions when learning is disrupted for other pupils.
• Just occasionally, when the pace of learning slows and pupils are not challenged, they fidget and chat among themselves. Sometimes they take too long to settle as they move from one part of the lesson to another.
• The large majority of parents who responded to the online survey agreed that the school manages pupils’ behaviour well.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes for pupils have improved in recent years. In the 2018 national tests, pupils made good progress in writing, and their progress was close to the national average in reading and mathematics. Their attainment in reading and mathematics is improving year on year, and the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard has increased, especially in reading. Although girls still outperform boys, data recorded by school leaders shows that the gap is closing.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress, particularly in reading and writing This is because the special needs coordinator clearly identifies their specific learning difficulties. She works closely with class teachers to plan work that helps them to overcome their difficulties. They regularly receive effective support in class from skilled learning-support assistants, and this helps them to keep up with their classmates.
• The gap between disadvantaged and other pupils has closed rapidly over recent years. This is because teachers pinpoint the specific help and guidance disadvantaged pupils need to achieve as well as other pupils. Sometimes disadvantaged pupils receive extra help in class and, at other times, they are helped with the costs of school trips and other activities that give them the same opportunities as other pupils.
• The school has a very well-stocked school library, and this encourages pupils to read regularly, both for pleasure and to find information. Consequently, the majority of pupils have positive attitudes towards reading and make good progress in this aspect of English. However, not all teachers check on the books that pupils select for themselves. A very few older pupils choose unsuitable books, and this has an adverse impact on their enjoyment of reading.
• Over time, pupils make good progress in writing. This is because teachers provide them with opportunities to use their writing skills when learning in other subjects such as history. However, some pupils do not always apply the skills they have been taught, particularly in spelling and punctuation.
• Work in pupils’ books shows that they work hard in mathematics and, consequently, they make good progress. Teachers provide a range of challenges so that pupils can move on rapidly with their learning. However, not all teachers check that pupils have mastered and thoroughly understood what they are learning before moving them on. This results in gaps in their mathematical understanding.
• More pupils are reaching their potential than in previous years. Consequently, pupils are increasingly prepared well for their transfer to secondary school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 116334 Hampshire 10053024 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 Voluntary aided 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 337 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Peter Metcalf Claire Wilson 023 9258 0962 www.leeslandschools-fed.co.uk junioradminoffice@leeslandschools-fed.co.uk Date of previous inspection 24 May, 2016

Information about this school

• The school, with 337 pupils on the roll, is larger than most junior schools.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage, with few who speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding is broadly average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above average.
• The school has expanded in size to provide three forms in each year group.
• There have been significant changes to the teaching team since the previous inspection.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils working in 17 lessons or parts of lessons. Most observations were undertaken jointly with school leaders. Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books and they listened to pupils read.
• Inspectors spoke to two groups of pupils formally, as well as to other pupils in class and at breaktimes.
• Meetings were held with school leaders, governors and some new members of staff. The lead inspector also met with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors took into account 38 responses to the online survey Parent View and they spoke to parents informally at the start of the inspection. They also considered 29 free-text responses from parents.
• Inspectors considered 28 responses to the staff survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at breaktimes.
• Among the documents scrutinised were the school’s development plan, information about leaders’ monitoring of teaching and pupils’ progress, and minutes from governors’ meetings. Inspectors also reviewed a range of school policies and guidance relating to pupils’ behaviour and safety.

Inspection team

Joy Considine, lead inspector Jenny Boyd Debra Anderson

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector