Lound Junior School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that all teaching, learning and assessment are consistently good or better in the school, and result in at least good progress, in all subjects, across all years, by:
  • meeting the needs of some disadvantaged pupils better, with more challenging work
  • checking regularly the learning and progress of pupils in lessons, especially boys, and revising work and the timing of activities so that they learn well.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher has high expectations of pupils and staff. She is ambitious for all pupils and relentlessly focuses on improving their outcomes. As a result, the quality of teaching is now of a consistently good standard, and pupils’ outcomes have improved since the previous inspection.
• Senior leaders have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and areas for ongoing development. They regularly check the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• As a result, incisive actions taken by leaders have increased pupils’ rates of progress, particularly the disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Senior leaders recognise that, on occasions, not all teaching is as effective as it should be. They are taking steps to eradicate these inconsistencies.
• Middle leaders are equally effective. They have high expectations about the quality of teaching across the school. Their support and monitoring has been effective in increasing levels of challenge for pupils, and ensuring that more reach the highest levels of attainment by the time they leave the school.
• Systems for managing the performance of staff are well organised. These systems ensure that all teachers are held to account for developing the quality of their teaching, and for making sure that the pupils they teach make good and better progress. Senior leaders recognise that some teachers’ individual targets could be sharper.
• The pupil premium funding is used efficiently. Funding is reviewed regularly by senior leaders and governors to ensure that it is helping pupils to achieve their full potential. As a result, overall differences between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally are diminishing.
• Leaders have also used the additional sports funding to increase the range of sports that pupils can participate in, and to purchase specialist equipment. Professional coaching enhances staff’s confidence in planning for, and delivering, meaningful physical education experiences. Pupils participate in a wide range of activities and competitions, including Zumba, swimming and indoor hockey. Skating and curling experiences provide particular success for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• The discrete funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is checked carefully for impact. Bespoke learning arrangements in and out of lessons are regularly confirmed to ensure that these individual pupils make good progress.
• The well-planned curriculum engages pupils’ interests and fosters their curiosity. Teachers work hard to ensure that pupils enjoy their learning and that they broaden their knowledge of life beyond their own community. For example, in Year 6, pupils are invited to reflect on the life and times of Antoni Gaudi; in Year 5, pupils consider whether we will ever send another human to the moon; Year 4 pupils enjoy a residential at ‘The Deep,’ to develop their appreciation of habitats; while in Year 3, pupils learn about the ‘Glorious Greeks’ and the ‘Epic Egyptians’.
• Displays and photographs around the school celebrate pupils’ artistic, musical and performing skills. Displays promote key school and British values such as respect and tolerance for family differences and the concepts of freedom and equality that underpin the British political and legal systems.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Opportunities to learn about different religions deepen pupils’ spiritual and cultural awareness. Pupils develop an understanding of democracy through assembly themes, and in the annual election of school councillors and house captains.
• Pupils’ adherence to the school’s ‘5Cs’, and eagerness to take on roles as librarians and play leaders, epitomise the school’s motto of ‘Children at the heart of everything we do.’ Pupils’ participation in sporting activities and residential visits enhances their social skills. These opportunities help them to become aware of the importance of encouraging one another to be their ‘very best’.
• The local authority provides the school with good support. It has an accurate view of the school’s strengths. School leaders have established links with a number of schools locally, to source bespoke professional development and training, to continue to improve the quality of the school’s work.

Governance of the school

• Governors have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the school, and the priorities for continued improvement.
• Governors are ambitious for all pupils and families, and are determined to provide high-quality teaching and learning experiences for all.
• Governors are increasingly regular visitors to school. They are keen to find out how well the school is doing for themselves. They compare their findings with the information they receive from the school’s leaders, local authority personnel, and specialist practitioners in other schools.
• Governors are confident in holding school leaders and managers to account, and achieve an appropriate balance of challenge and support.
• Governors place a high priority on keeping pupils safe, and ensure that staff training is up to date and relevant.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff training is constantly updated. For example, staff have a thorough understanding of the implications of the latest version of ‘Keeping children safe in education’. They use the advice and information they receive to constantly guide their work.
• Leaders follow rigorously the school’s safeguarding procedures, and liaise closely with the relevant external organisations, including the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
• Leaders ensure a safe environment for pupils through regular risk assessments. Staff are vigilant in keeping pupils safe.
• The school’s links with individual families, where pupils live in particularly vulnerable circumstances, are well established. Staff are dedicated to minimise the degree of risk associated with these situations. They make themselves available throughout the school day, and beyond, to ensure that all pupils and families receive the support they need.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching is good, not only in English and mathematics, but also across the curriculum. Teachers and support staff plan learning that enthuses pupils and increasingly develops their resilience.
• For example, in Years 5 and 6 inspectors saw pupils solving some challenging mathematics problems. Year 4 pupils talked animatedly about how they had enjoyed learning about what ‘puts the steel in Sheffield’, while Year 3 pupils said how much they had had to think deeply about whether ‘the Flintstones’ could survive today. Displays around the school evidence high-quality teaching of science and music.
• In the vast majority of lessons teachers show a good understanding of pupils’ needs and interests. Teachers plan activities that ensure that learning is relevant and thought-provoking. They expect pupils to apply their learning in different contexts. Teachers use probing questions skilfully to elicit pupils’ understanding and extend their thinking.
• The teaching of mathematics across the school is good. Teachers use a range of successful strategies to encourage pupils to explain approaches to solving problems and to reason why they succeed and sometimes fail. Opportunities for pupils to apply their mathematical skills are well developed alongside the basic skills work.
• The teaching of writing is equally successful. It has improved significantly since the previous inspection. In many classes, pupils write confidently in a range of formal and informal contexts, and for different audiences and purposes. Teachers encourage pupils to work on tasks that require care and attention, an ability to write in detail, and with an eye for punctuation and vocabulary that makes a real impact on the reader.
• Reading is taught well and many pupils enjoy reading for pleasure. Younger pupils are taught effectively to continue to use their phonics knowledge to read unfamiliar words accurately. Older pupils appreciate the importance of reading and read regularly in school and at home. The school library, at the centre of the school, is a vibrant and stimulating place where pupils of all ages enjoy listening to audio texts, and reading for pleasure.
• Teaching assistants provide pupils with effective support which heightens their learning from their different starting points. The teaching of small groups, out of lessons, is particularly effective.
• The school’s website contains a range of suggestions, and links, for home learning opportunities. Pupils say that they use these often to practise and develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics, as well as in other subjects.
• Staff are keen to share effective practice in school and to visit other schools to learn from colleagues with specific expertise.
• Good relationships exist between teachers and pupils. This fosters positive attitudes to learning and encourages pupils to try their best.
• On occasions, some teachers’ expectations are not high enough. This results in some pupils losing concentration, especially boys, and completing work in a superficial manner that does not reflect their true abilities. Not all teachers set tasks for some disadvantaged pupils that consistently challenge them. Senior and middle leaders are taking action to address these shortfalls.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils’ welfare is a major priority of the school. Leaders work successfully with other agencies, including the local authority and social care, when they identify any pupils that may be at risk.
• Many lessons, and the range of educational visits, residentials and extra-curricular experiences, stimulate pupils to think about the world around them. As a result, pupils develop a good appreciation of the beliefs of people from different backgrounds, faiths and cultures, as an essential part of their preparation for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils have a good awareness of the concepts of freedom and democracy and of Britain’s parliamentary system. They talk enthusiastically about their responsibilities as play leaders, librarians and sports journalists, and indicate how these opportunities enable them to contribute to the life of school.
• The school operates as a cohesive community. Pupils and adults mix happily with each other and enjoy each other’s company. Pupils are well mannered and welcoming of visitors.
• Pupils feel safe in the school and well cared for. They have confidence in staff to help them with any problems that may arise, and say that there is ‘always someone close-by to lend a helping hand’.
• Pupils are confident in their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. They are clear about the importance of keeping safe online, the precautions to take when using a mobile phone, and being vigilant of people they don’t know beyond the school’s gates.
• Pupils understand about different types of bullying, know that bullying is something that is repeated regularly, and try to prevent it from happening. Pupils say that when rare incidents of bullying occur, they are dealt with quickly and successfully by staff.
• The school’s personal, social and health programmes underpin the school’s motto: ‘Children at the heart of everything we do.’ Pupils have regular opportunities to reflect about personal and school issues. Timely visits from local community workers, including ‘Jeremy’ the school’s pet, inspire pupils to consider their actions and those of others, and to understand the importance of a calm and composed lifestyle.
• The school’s records show that a small minority of pupils show signs of challenging emotional and behavioural traits at times. These are well dealt with by the school’s pastoral arrangements.
• Pupils in all years benefit from well-organised opportunities to meet their new teacher, visit their new classroom and learn about their new learning experiences, as they move through the school. Transition arrangements for Year 6 pupils into secondary school are also effective.
• The school site is well kept. Pupils respect the learning environment which is clean, bright and inviting.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of the vast majority of pupils is good. Pupils show a good awareness of the expectations that leaders and their peers have of their behaviour. This was seen consistently in all years, as pupils were keen to explain the importance of upholding the school’s ‘5Cs’, as the basis for a calm and orderly community.
• Pupils show positive attitudes to learning and work cooperatively in most lessons. They listen to each other’s points of view, and help one another with their learning.
• Older pupils are keen to be role models for their peers. They are extremely proud when they are nominated as school council representatives and house captains. They understand what an important role they play in ensuring that all pupils’ views are valued, and that all pupils are included in all of the school’s work.
• Leaders have established a robust system of attendance and follow-up. Absence is followed up on day one, and the school engages with a range of agencies where there are concerns about pupils’ attendance. As a result, attendance is above average and the vast majority of pupils attend regularly.
• On occasions, particularly where teachers’ expectations are not high enough, some pupils, especially boys, lose concentration. On these occasions, some pupils do not make the most of their learning opportunities.
• Overall parents, pupils and staff responses to school questionnaires, and to the Ofsted online questionnaires, indicate that the school operates as an orderly and cohesive community. Inspectors agree.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils’ achievement is good. This is because the vast majority of teaching makes consistent demands of pupils’ levels of concentration, perseverance and commitment.
• As a result, key stage 2 attainment has risen since the previous inspection and is now overall above average. It is well above average in writing. Unvalidated 2017 outcomes appear to have sustained, and built upon, the gains made in 2015 and 2016. These outcomes represent good progress over time.
• Pupils’ reading skills are well developed. From different starting points, pupils read fluently and with understanding to inspectors. When reading to inspectors, they used acquired phonics skills to pronounce unfamiliar words accurately. Many pupils could answer questions confidently about key characters, and how storylines might develop.
• Pupils’ mathematical skills are equally well honed. In most classes they willingly practise their basic mathematical skills, and are keen to use them to investigate and solve mathematical problems. Increasingly, pupils are quick to explain how they have worked out specific calculations, and why they have chosen specific approaches to solving problems.
• By the end of Year 6, pupils’ writing is a strength. The vast majority of pupils develop confidence in writing at length for different purposes and audiences. Pupils are increasingly adept in using a range of language and punctuation for effect. They sequence their ideas skilfully in well-constructed sentences and paragraphs. Many spell accurately and use grammar correctly.
• Pupils’ progress accelerates across the years, and is particularly strong in Years 5 and 6. The school’s own assessment information confirms this and it is also evident in pupils’ books, not only in writing and mathematics, but across the wider curriculum.
• Pupils develop increasingly above average skills and understanding in science, history and geography. Opportunities to design and make artefacts as part of enterprise projects, and work on the Second World War, for example, contribute successfully to pupils’ effective technological and artistic awareness. Pupils develop strong musical appreciation through playing a range of instruments, listening regularly to music from different world cultures and enjoying regular singing opportunities. Good-quality physical education experiences develop levels of teamwork, stamina and physical agility.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress. This progress is the result of well-planned support and well-targeted activities, both in and out of the classroom.
• Overall, the progress made by pupils eligible for support funded by the pupil premium, is good. Since the previous inspection, differences in the attainment of disadvantaged pupils and others nationally have diminished in all subjects. School information shows that the vast majority of current disadvantaged pupils, including the most able, are also making good progress. In some classes they are outperforming other pupils. This is because the school is aware of their needs and generally ensures that support for them is effective.
• The most able pupils also make good progress. This is because the daily activities challenge them to think for themselves, apply their skills to solve problems, find solutions and deepen their understanding.
• In some classes, some pupils do not make consistently the progress of which they are capable. This is particularly the case for some disadvantaged pupils and some boys. This is because some teachers’ expectations are not consistently high enough. Work is not pitched at a high enough level to sustain pupils’ interest levels and consistently develop their skills and understanding.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139863 Sheffield 10031989 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy converter 7 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 242 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Alison Roy Emma Bellamy 01142 462181

www.loundacademy.co.uk

enquiries@lound-jun.sheffield,sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 January 2015

Information about this school

• The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish on websites.
• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British. A small proportion are from minority ethnic backgrounds. Very few pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is slightly below the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a wide range of lessons across the school, looking extensively at pupils’ work in all lessons. Additionally, two visits to lessons were made with the headteacher.
• Alongside school leaders, inspectors reviewed pupils’ progress data and pupils’ work in books, information about the performance of teachers, documents pertaining to safety and behaviour, and information pertaining to safeguarding.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils in lessons and at breaktimes and met with groups of pupils separately.
• Meetings were held with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders and governors. A telephone conversation was also held with a representative from the local authority.
• Inspectors took account of the 29 replies from staff, and the 48 replies from parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaires. No pupil completed the Ofsted questionnaire. Inspectors also considered recent school surveys of the views of parents and pupils of the work of the school.

Inspection team

Andy Swallow, lead inspector James Reid

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector