Raysfield Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Develop the skills of subject leaders so that they make a fuller contribution to the monitoring and developing of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility so that improvements are secure.
• Strengthen communication with parents to provide them with a better understanding of the work of the school and the progress their children are making.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since the previous inspection, governors have taken positive steps to secure effective leadership by forming a partnership with the local infant school. The executive headteacher and the acting headteacher have set a clear direction for the school and instilled a strong sense of ambition. The pace of improvement has increased considerably. Their systematic approach to increasing the school’s effectiveness has ensured that improvements are secure and sustainable.
• Leaders, including governors, have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They use the expertise available from the local authority to validate their judgements. Consequently, development plans are sharply focused on the correct priorities and have the capacity to bring about further improvements.
• A key improvement has been the precise way in which leaders give teachers regular and helpful feedback to develop the quality of teaching. The performance of staff is linked clearly to the school’s priorities and governors set very challenging targets for the executive headteacher.
• Leaders have introduced some effective strategies to improve teaching, especially in English and mathematics. They check teaching regularly, following up their checks swiftly with effective support and training. The impact of their work is evident in the recent improvements in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ progress.
• Leaders of other subjects have not yet had sufficient opportunities to check on the quality of the provision in their areas of responsibility. This limits their effectiveness in improving teaching and pupils’ outcomes in these subjects.
• The curriculum is being tailored increasingly well to reflect the needs and interests of pupils, particularly those of boys. New topics, such as ‘The Bloodhound’ investigation, motivate pupils and inspire them to achieve well. The wide range of extra-curricular activities, such as the ‘Noyzy Boyz Crew’ (a boys’ choir) and drama club, further increases pupils’ engagement and enjoyment of school.
• The school promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well, for example through the way pupils organise charity events to raise money for others less fortunate than themselves. Pupils’ understanding of British values is developed effectively through activities such as electing the school council, where pupils learn about democracy.
• The school promotes equality of opportunity well and tackles discrimination of all kinds effectively. The school tailors its support for disadvantaged pupils precisely, using additional funding to improve the progress these pupils make through one-to-one support or supporting the work in small groups.
• The leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities has transformed the school’s provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Well-thought-out strategies and good use of external expertise help pupils overcome their difficulties. Leaders’ close monitoring shows that pupils are making good progress.
• The sport premium is used to good effect. Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of sports and after-school clubs which are especially motivating for boys. Staff work alongside specialist coaches to improve their teaching skills.
• Leaders have made good use of support from local authority advisers to develop their skills in monitoring and evaluating the school’s work more accurately. Collaborative working with other schools locally has supported the successful implementation of new teaching strategies.
• Most parents are positive about the work of the school and welcome recent initiatives to involve them more in their children’s learning. However, some parents have concerns about the experiences they have with the school. Inspection evidence shows that while the school tackles issues raised by parents, the actions it takes are not communicated sufficiently well.

Governance of the school

• Governors have taken decisive steps to improve their effectiveness since the previous inspection. With the help of local authority advisers, they have developed the necessary knowledge and skills to carry out their responsibilities and provide effective challenge to leaders about the school’s performance. They are well informed about the achievement of the different groups of pupils in the school, enabling them to judge the school’s performance compared with national figures. Their checks on the school’s work, alongside leaders, give them a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and how the performance of staff is managed.
• Governors monitor the school budget closely and manage funds well to support improvements to the school’s provision. They ensure that additional funds are spent appropriately to improve outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils and to develop sport in school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have created a culture where safety and support for pupils’ well-being are of high priority. They check that policies are kept up to date and that policy guidelines are adhered to. They ensure that staff are well trained and fully informed about the latest guidance for ensuring pupils’ safety in areas such as child protection. Leaders, including governors, respond promptly to concerns raised by pupils. Most parents agree that their children are safe in school and well looked after by the adults.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching, learning and assessment have improved considerably over the past year as teachers receive clear and consistent guidance from leaders about how to promote effective learning for all groups of pupils. The impact that this improved teaching has had is evident in the standards of pupils’ work in books and assessment information on their current progress. The reports from the local authority agree with leaders’ judgements.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ achievement and their behaviour in lessons. Pupils work hard in lessons and they can describe the good improvements that they have made in their learning since the start of the year. They like the regular opportunities to discuss their thinking together, which is developing their confidence and understanding.
• Teachers use the information from the recently introduced assessment system to devise tasks that will increase progress rates for pupils. They make sure that, for most of the time and for most pupils, the work is both challenging and enjoyable. For example, in mathematics, Year 6 pupils spoke knowledgeably about how to divide fractions. They discuss their methods with confidence and work in their books shows an in-depth understanding of mathematical concepts.
• As a result of effective teaching in mathematics, pupils are able to grasp new concepts quickly and develop competence in their calculation skills. They are demonstrating their ability increasingly to reason and apply their thinking to tackling difficult problems.
• Teachers and teaching assistants are skilled in providing precise support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff are proficient in helping pupils to manage their feelings or physical difficulties so that they make good progress and integrate successfully with their classmates.
• Disadvantaged pupils benefit from carefully targeted support that helps them to be as successful in their work as other pupils nationally. Teachers ensure that the most able pupils in this group are challenged to achieve as well as others of high ability.
• Reading is taught well and comprehension skills are developed systematically. Teachers ensure that pupils study a wide range of literature that interests and engages them in their learning.
• The newly introduced strategy for teaching writing is having a positive impact and standards are rising across the school. Pupils are able to extend their skills by writing at length across other subjects, such as history and science.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.

• The relationships between adults and pupils are strong, which contributes to pupils’ enjoyment of school. Pupils say that their teachers are very kind and always take time to help and explain any difficulties in their learning. They undertake a variety of roles within school, such as play ambassadors, which they carry out very responsibly and with obvious pride.
• Pupils are confident that they are safe in school. Parents who completed the online questionnaire, Parent View, and those who spoke to inspectors agree that their children are happy and secure.
• Pupils understand about the different types of bullying, including racist name-calling and aggressive language. Pupils say that there is very little bullying and school records support this view. They say that any ‘falling out’ between pupils is sorted out very quickly by the adults.
• Online safety is given a high priority. Pupils are taught how to stay safe on the internet, taking care not to reveal personal details and to report cyber-bullying if it occurs.
• Staff are skilled in addressing pupils’ personal and emotional needs. They know pupils well and respond sensitively and appropriately to support pupils’ specific needs, especially those pupils who are considered vulnerable.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.

• Pupils move around the school building sensibly and are prompt to lessons. Typically, they are polite, friendly and keen to talk about their work to visitors to the school. They demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and maintain good levels of concentration in lessons.
• Pupils respond well to the teachers’ high expectations of learning and behaviour. They like the challenging tasks teachers set and find the targets for improving their work useful. They work well together when cooperating in small groups and listen to each other respectfully.
• Pupils say that behaviour is managed effectively. They are very clear about the new rewards and sanctions that leaders have introduced. In particular, they value the ‘golden book’ where achievements relating to the school’s values are acknowledged.
• Pupils who have behavioural needs are well supported to ensure that their behaviour does not hamper their learning or distract others. The lunchtime ‘crash club’ initiative helps pupils who have emotional needs to learn how to cooperate and play well together.
• However, pupils say that very occasionally, a few pupils lose concentration and become inattentive, which slows down their progress in lessons.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their high attendance rates and good punctuality over recent years.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Over the past year, pupils have made faster progress and attainment has risen across the school. However, this is not yet reflected in published data.
• From the school’s own assessment information, the learning observed in lessons and the work in pupils’ books, pupils’ progress is strong. By the end of key stage 2, more pupils than previously are on track to achieve the expected standard for their age or better. This prepares them well for the next stage in their education.
• Attainment in reading was above national figures in 2016 for all pupils and for disadvantaged pupils. Pupils enjoy reading across the wide range of fiction and non-fiction books available in school. Pupils demonstrate good levels of understanding. The most able readers are challenged to read at a greater pace than previously. Pupils, including those who are low attaining, demonstrate good phonic knowledge and use this effectively to read unknown words.
• Standards of presentation in pupils’ writing are much improved and pupils take great pride in their handwriting in order to earn their ‘pen licence’. Pupils write to good standards across subjects. They demonstrate their ability to use their grammar, punctuation and spelling skills well when writing for a variety of different purposes.
• Pupils develop effective calculation skills and a deeper understanding in all aspects of mathematics. They recall multiplication facts quickly and accurately as a result of recent ‘times tables’ challenges. They talk adeptly about their methods for solving problems and explain their ideas intelligently.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve at least as well as others nationally from similar starting points because of the carefully tailored support they receive. Pupils appreciate the homework club, where they get extra help if they need it. They benefit from the quiet atmosphere in which they work.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress as staff provide effective support both individually in class and in small-group work. Extra help supports their emotional and social development. This improves their self-esteem, which is successful in speeding up their academic progress.
• The most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make good progress as their work is consistently challenging. Pupils say how much they enjoy discussing their ideas because they feel that it helps to stretch and extend their thinking.

School details

Unique reference number 109052 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 10019444 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 Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 222 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Executive headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Ian Sanders Alison Wood 01454 866795

www.raysfieldjuniorschool.org.uk office@raysfieldjuniorschool.org.uk

Date of previous inspection 18 October 2011

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Raysfield Junior School is broadly average in size. It became part of a federation with Raysfield Infant School in September 2015. The schools share an executive headteacher. The acting headteacher has responsibility for the day-to-day management of the school.
• Most pupils are of White British heritage.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below the national average.
• An above-average proportion of pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Pupils are organised in eight single-age classes, two for each year group.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• This inspection took place over two days. Inspectors observed teaching and learning across the school, most in conjunction with the executive headteacher and the acting headteacher. In addition, they made visits to classrooms, the dining hall and the playground, as well as attending an assembly.
• Meetings were held with pupils, governors and school leaders. The lead inspector met with two advisers from the local authority who support the school.
• Inspectors took account of the 53 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and written comments, as well as consulting informally with parents at the start of the school day. In addition, they took account of the 19 responses to the Ofsted staff questionnaire and the 49 responses by pupils.
• Inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plans. They examined information on current pupils’ progress, minutes of governing body meetings, safeguarding procedures and the use of the sport premium.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read, talked to them in classrooms and evaluated samples of their work.

Inspection team

Sandra Woodman, lead inspector Peta Dyke Inge Fey

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector