INSPECTION REPORT NORWOOD GREEN JUNIOR SCHOOL Southall LEA Area: Hounslow Unique Reference Number: 102495 Headteacher: Mrs R
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INSPECTION REPORT NORWOOD GREEN JUNIOR SCHOOL Southall LEA area: Hounslow Unique reference number: 102495 Headteacher: Mrs R Lamb Reporting inspector: Mrs J Richardson 6676 Dates of inspection: 27 - 28 November 2001 Inspection number: 193785 Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © Crown copyright 2002 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Junior School category: Community Age range of pupils: 7 - 11 Gender of pupils: Mixed School address: Thorncliffe Road Southall Middlesex Postcode: UB2 5RN Telephone number: 0208 574 1726 Fax number: 0208 813 9511 Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mrs J Hanspal Date of previous inspection: 6 - 9 May 1997 Norwood Green Junior School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Team members 6676 Joy Richardson Registered inspector 13807 Christine Haggerty Lay inspector 21037 Christopher Gray Team inspector 27791 Greg Crawford Team inspector The inspection contractor was: Cambridge Education Associates Ltd Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division The Office for Standards in Education Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Norwood Green Junior School - 4 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 - 9 Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school PART B: COMMENTARY WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10 - 14 WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 14 - 15 WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 15 PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16 - 19 Norwood Green Junior School - 5 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL The school has 300 pupils, aged from seven to eleven, in eleven classes. Eighty-three per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language. Fifty-four pupils, including eight who are at an early stage in learning English, are given help in school by the Hounslow Language Support team. Around half the school's pupils are from an Indian background, 16 per cent are white, mainly from the UK, and 13 per cent are of Pakistani origin. Twenty-six pupils are refugees, mostly from Afghanistan and Somalia. The school's ethnic diversity has increased in recent years. Most families live in rented houses or flats which are often overcrowded, and some are in temporary accommodation. There is a high level of mobility amongst pupils. Twenty-six per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals and this is above the national average. Thirty-four per cent of pupils are on the school's register of special educational needs. Eight pupils with statements of special educational need are supported by the school's Hearing Impaired Centre for pupils who are profoundly or severely deaf. Most pupils join the school from the infant school on the same site. Their attainment on entry is below the national average. The staff currently includes two teachers without a UK teaching qualification. Norwood Green has recently achieved Beacon School status. HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS This is an excellent school. Pupils achieve high standards by the time they leave because they are very well taught. The school's leadership is exceptionally effective in creating the conditions for all pupils to succeed. The school gives very good value for money. What the school does well · The school achieves high standards in English, mathematics and science. · Pupils are very skilfully taught so that they succeed in their learning. · The school's leadership brings the best out of staff and pupils. · Very careful attention is paid to pupils' personal and social development. · Additional support is very well matched to pupils' individual needs. · The school is very effective in evaluating its work and sharing good practice. What could be improved · The school has more to do in working to improve writing standards. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION The school was last inspected in May 1997. Since then it has built further on its strengths, to very good effect. Standards have risen and the quality of teaching has improved. Issues raised in the last inspection report have been successfully addressed. In particular, the school's expectations of pupils have risen and are now made more explicit to staff, pupils and parents. The school's increasing success in recent years has been recognised in national awards. These include a School Achievement Award for improved results, the Basic Skills Agency Quality Mark and the Investor in People award. Designated a Beacon School, from September 2001, the school is now developing a programme to share and extend good practice. The significant strength of its leadership and management means that the school is well placed to continue to move forward. Norwood Green Junior School - 6 STANDARDS The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests. compared with similar Performance in: all schools Key schools in the highest 5% of A* 1999 2000 2001 2001 schools well above average A English C A A A* above average B average C Mathematics C C B A below average D well below average E Science A A A A In the national tests for eleven-year-olds in 2001, results were well above average in English and science and above average in mathematics, when compared with all schools. In comparison with similar schools, results were in the highest 5 per cent in English, and well above average in mathematics and science. Eighty-six per cent of pupils reached Level 4, the standard expected at this age, in English and mathematics, exceeding the school target of 80 per cent in each subject. Many pupils achieved beyond this and in English and science half reached Level 5, the standard expected of thirteen-year olds. Standards have improved significantly in recent years from below the national average in 1998 to well above the national average in 2001, taking English, mathematics and science together. This improvement has been particularly marked among girls. The work seen during the inspection shows that high standards are being maintained. Pupils achieve very well by the time they leave the school in relation to their attainment on entry. Those with special educational needs, including pupils with hearing impairment, make very good progress. Pupils, including those for whom it is an additional language, achieve exceptionally well in English. The school places a strong emphasis on language and literacy and basic skills are taught very thoroughly. All pupils benefit from the school's expertise in providing structured teaching for those with specific language needs. Throughout the school, pupils enjoy reading and exploring the use of words. The school has been successful in raising standards in writing, although it has more to do. Pupils achieve well in mathematics and they are confident in working with numbers in their head. Their progress is accelerating as a result of the school's implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils achieve high standards in science because their knowledge is steadily extended, and their understanding is reinforced through practical investigation and discussion. They develop a good grasp of scientific principles and terminology. Pupils are making good progress in information and communication technology, particularly in word processing and in finding information. PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES Aspect Comment Attitudes to the school Pupils develop very positive attitudes to the school, and to their work, and this makes them successful learners. Behaviour, in and out of Pupils behave very well. They understand what is expected of them, and classrooms why, and generally live up to the school's high standards. They are polite and friendly and show respect for people and property. There have been no exclusions in the last two years. Norwood Green Junior School - 7 Personal development and Pupils take pride in belonging to the school community and in contributing relationships to it, for example through the work of the school council. Older pupils take their responsibilities seriously as prefects and playground friends. Relationships, including those between pupils of different ethnic backgrounds, are harmonious and pupils co-operate well in groups. Attendance The overall attendance rate, and the extent of unauthorised absence, are broadly in line with the national average. TEACHING AND LEARNING Teaching of pupils in: Years 3 – 6 Quality of teaching very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses. The quality of teaching is very good overall and this is a major strength of the school. Effective methods are used consistently by teachers throughout the school to promote successful learning and to meet the needs of all pupils.