Ofsted
OfSTED Inspection Report May 2009
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/130904
Evaluation of the school
St James Independent Junior School (North West) is a good school with outstanding features. It has improved considerably since its last inspection. It has laudable ambitions for development and a very good capacity to improve further. Standards are high and pupils make good progress. Teaching of the broad and balanced curriculum is rigorous. The staff are very effective in encouraging pupils to think considerately and independently, and reflect on their learning. Pupils enjoy school a great deal and develop well in their time here, not least as a result of the outstanding provision the school makes for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and their welfare. Parental satisfaction is high. The effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. The school meets all of the requirements for registration.
Quality of education
The curriculum is good and has been carefully designed to reflect educational principles, which focus on pupils' spiritual, emotional, intellectual, physical and character development. The National Curriculum is covered and the curriculum is strengthened further by the teaching of Sanskrit, philosophy and French, and by a wide range of activities which broaden pupils' experiences and promote their personal development. The curriculum is broad, balanced, and well attuned to
interest and stretch the pupils. Lessons and other activities regularly begin with brief sessions to promote calmness and this supports the school's efforts to stimulate reflection and concentration among pupils. Each subject of the curriculum has a wellconstructed policy and plan which reflects, where appropriate, National Curriculum requirements and links them to the school's overall curricular and spiritual aims. Lesson planning is good. Time is used with great care and every minute of the teaching day is made to count. Personal, social and health education, and citizenship teaching, formed a point for improvement in the last inspection. They are now supported by a comprehensive policy and a well-structured scheme of teaching in various parts of the curriculum throughout the age range. The scheme draws well on published and authoritative teaching materials. The school pays good attention to the teaching of how pupils might eat healthily and keep fit, although the latter is not well supported by provision for outside sporting activities.
Teaching and assessment are good throughout the school and a significant proportion is outstanding. Staff have appropriately high expectations and lessons proceed with academic rigour. Teachers go to some lengths to help pupils to approach their work in a calm and reflective way. This mirrors the school's aim to help pupils consider in depth how school learning relates to broader purposes in life. All teaching staff have received, and have taken up, good opportunities to attend internal and external in-service training courses. This is reflected well, for example, in the quality of the curriculum, teaching and assessment, and in the clear way in which these meet the principles on which the school is founded. Staff have excellent subject expertise throughout most of the curriculum. However, although the planning overall for information and communication technology (ICT), and its teaching in some classes, has improved since the last inspection, the skills of staff and pupils in ICT are not sufficiently strong.
Pupils make good progress throughout the school. Staff have a clear idea of how well pupils are making progress. Assessment of pupils is regular and frequent. This is strongly supported by mid-termly reviews of the progress made by each child in each subject. These involve rigorous assessments and give staff detailed information which they use to plan future teaching. Staff have been trained in and have adopted effective practice based upon national developments in the use of assessment to strengthen learning. This has supported staff in their efforts to improve the helpfulness of marking to pupils and of making them clearer about the aims of each lesson. The headteacher has a detailed understanding of how well pupils' progress is being assessed from his own monitoring of the school's assessment procedures and teaching performance.
Pupils throughout the school are enthusiastic learners. They reach the high standards of which they are capable in most subjects. They reflect thoughtfully on their work as a result of the efforts staff make to help them to think calmly and clearly. This is obvious from a wide range of evidence, including lessons and assessments of pupils' work. Teachers give detailed attention to individuals in the small classes. This enables them to refine their ideas, and to improve their progress, not just in English and mathematics, but throughout most of the school's broad and balanced curriculum. This attention in lessons, activities and assemblies, makes a significant contribution to the pupils' excellent personal development.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils
The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils is outstanding
throughout the school. This reflects the school's distinctive educational philosophy and its conversion of this into an excellent ethos and a carefully planned curriculum. Pupils have ample opportunities to reflect on spiritual matters. These are presented by staff in a variety of stimulating ways. Pupils respond eagerly to this provision and develop into thoughtful and questioning individuals. They are taught to distinguish right from wrong and consider the views of others. In this, the school has the full backing of parents. Behaviour is good both in and out of lessons and pupils are very considerate to each other and to the adults in the school. This is clearly demonstrated as they work very cooperatively with each other, often in mixed age groups, in this well ordered and humane school. Pupils respond well to the school's very good range of cultural and social experiences, taking part in them enthusiastically. A wide range of activities, visits from outside speakers, and trips contributes to their excellent understanding of other cultures and regions. The school provides ample opportunities for pupils to assume responsibility and to participate fully in the life of the school. Pupils thrive in their time here and benefit considerably from the social contact with other pupils and adults in the small classes. They develop into confident individuals who use their initiative and are well prepared for the next phase of their education.
Safeguarding pupils' welfare, health and safety
The provision for the welfare, health and safety of pupils is outstanding, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. The pupils at this school feel safe and secure. The management ensures that all policies and procedures are reviewed, up to date and are consistently implemented. Safeguarding is given high priority and all checks are made and the required staff training is carried out. There is a very good ratio of staff to pupils, and pupils are very well supervised at all times. This promotes their health and safety very well. Pupils are encouraged to be mindful of health issues and the school works effectively with parents to ensure that their children eat healthy packed lunches during the civilised and sociable lunchtime. There are high expectations for attendance, arrival times and appropriate dress, all of which are excellent. The school complies with the Disability Discrimination Act 2002 and has reviewed the progress it has made in achieving the targets on its Disability Discrimination Plan.
Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage
The quality of the provision for the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. The school works hard to provide an appropriately balanced curriculum and set of experiences for these children within the constraints of the present accommodation. Great emphasis is placed on children attaining good communication, language and literacy Inspection Report: St James Independent Junior School (North West), 19 May 2009 6 skills, as well as number. However, there is insufficient emphasis on promoting skills in ICT. Good teaching and assessment ensures that they make at least good progress in all areas of learning. Children make excellent progress in their personal development. This is supported by high expectations for independent learning, being self sufficient and developing reflective spiritual awareness. Children learn quickly from the older children and staff and, as a result, behaviour, attitudes to learning and relationships are excellent. The children show great enjoyment. Although the
school has a lack of play space, it gives particular attention to providing opportunities for physical development, and it makes good use of local facilities.