IT IS onwards and upwards for a Hampshire school that says it prides itself on always strives to do better – despite already being rated as Outstanding.
Hiltingbury Junior School was given top marks back in 2008 and a recent maths subject inspection rated it outstanding again.
But headteacher Sam Hunter said this has not bred any sense of complacency and staff are continually looking for new ways to make learning more fun and inspiring, while listening to the ideas of their pupils.
“It’s about valuing each individual and inspiring them to achieve more than they thought possible,” she said.
“I think that ‘dare to fail’ is really key for us with our children.
“It’s about encouraging children to get out of their comfort zones, try something new, take a risk in their learning and see where they end up.”
An important aspect of the school, in Hiltingbury Road, Chandler’s Ford, is ensuring children have a voice.
When Mrs Hunter arrived at the school 18 months ago she increased the number of pupil groups as she felt it was important more children had a say in the way the school was run.
These pupil voice groups look at a variety of aspects of school life, including anti-bullying, the environment, digital leaders, the learning council, charities and librarians.
This emphasis on pupil voice was highlighted when the school, which has around 400 pupils aged 7 to 11, held an election of its own last month to coincide with the national General Election.
Every year group was divided into teams which came up with ideas, one of which was then put forward by each year group in the ‘election’ with a presentation from each group of their ideas.
These ideas went head to head and children and staff voted in the ballot as the country voted on the future Government.
But it was the idea of getting a school pet that came out on top.
One to keep her word, Mrs Hunter says the school will now be getting a pet.
She said: “That represents pupil voice in our school – that it really is taken seriously and we do take in what the children say."
The school community does not end at the school gate – for example pupils, parents and teachers all came together on a recent weekend for a forest walk and on another occasion dozens attended an Eastleigh Football Club match after being given tickets.
Mrs Hunter said: “We want to make it as much fun as we possibly can because if children are having fun and they see school as a positive place where great stuff happens then they’re more inclined to engage in their learning.
“For the school that is a key part of what we try to achieve.”
Check list
- Rated outstanding by Ofsted
- Government recognition for assessment scheme
- Highly Commended in Speakers Schools Council Awards
- Successful school sports clubs
HILTINGBURY Junior School has been leading the way with a scheme that has gone national.
The Learning Ladders assessment system works whereby every child has a ladders booklet for reading, writing and maths with various stages or ‘ladders’ of achievement or development which children progress through.
“It helps with target setting because a teacher can say which rung are we working on today,” said headteacher Sam Hunter.
“It gives them a sense of purpose, they know what comes next and they recognise which ladder to more concentrate on.”
This has earned the school a Government award for its innovative approach.
The school shared its scheme and thousands of schools have now downloaded the Learning Ladders tools, it has more than 10,000 followers on Twitter and the headteacher and assessment leader are regularly asked to speak at national conferences.
PUPILS are awarded for more than just their academic achievements at Hiltingbury Junior School.
The WE CARE (Working, Enthusiasm, Creativity, Ambition, Reflection and Enquiring) skills see pupils given certificates if they are judged by teachers to have achieved one of these key skills.
They also receive a badge. Headteacher Mrs Hunter, said : “Development of learning skills is valued as highly as academic understanding.
“Children could have the best teachers in the world delivering but if they don’t understand their role as a learner, it will just go over their head.”
THE junior school has felt the benefit of Government funding for sport as part of the London 2012 legacy to promote sport for young people.
This has been spent on additional equipment, additional clubs, a lunchtime play leader, a PE subject leader and making sure the school can attend tournaments.
The school’s football team, made up of Year 5s and Year 6s recently won the Premier League Schools Tournament out of 60 teams that entered.
This saw them represent Southampton Football Club at White Hart Lane in a tournament involving a representative team from each Premier League side.
PUPIL voice groups are really valued, designed to ensure children have a chance to shape the direction of the school.
These groups have increased since Mrs Hunter arrived at the school and include health and safety representatives, a green group and digital leaders.
This was so more pupils have a voice at the school but also to take the pressure off the existing pupil forum.
Children on the Learning Council ensure that it is the pupil themselves look at the quality of their fellow pupils’ learning.
The role involves observing lessons to see how well their fellow pupils are doing.
“Children are more open to take feedback from their peers than the teachers,” said Mrs Hunter.
The pupil forum group oversees the day to day decisions of the school, including the categories for the recent trophies which are awarded to pupils and even deciding on the colour of the school curtains for the hall.
THE school has a new library after a £6,000 refurbishment last summer.
This was paid for by fundraising through the Hiltingbury Schools Parent Teacher Association - a combination of Hiltingbury Junior and Infant schools’ parents as the infant school is on the same site.
This also funded a refurbished outside yard.
Headteacher Mrs Hunter says reading is an important aspect of the school so World Book Day is always a major event and the children are set holiday reading challenges by the English department.
But the school is also holding termly bedtime reading evenings, which started this academic year.
This is where children and their parents are invited or special night time reading sessions.
Last time the pupils read together with their parents and staff.
YEAR 5 pupils at Hiltingbury Junior School brought a flavour of Brazil to the classroom with their latest project.
Pupils’ work on the geography based topic culminated in a carnival presentation to parents .
The event included samba dance routines, samba music they had composed, Rio Carnival masks along with jungle themed textiles they had created.
Pupils also looked at Fair Trade issues around Brazilian coffee and visited a local supermarket to see how Fair Trade friendly they were.
They wrote to the store to persuade them to use more Fair Trade products and asked them to rethink how they promote different coffee brands.
As a result the manager will now be coming in to talk to the children and hear their opinions.
Mrs Hunter said the staff were always looking at ways to make the curriculum relevant to their pupils.
She said: “We strive to provide an outstanding curriculum with exciting hooks and real outcomes as essential elements.
“Year 5’s recent geography based topic on Brazil exemplifies this.”
Headteacher Sam Hunter, pictured above, says:
"Hiltingbury Junior School is a thriving learning community in Chandler's Ford.
"It is always over subscribed and has close links to the infant school that we share a site with.
"I took up post in September 2013 and since then the school has continued to go from strength to strength.
"We are a school family and value the part that the pupils, parents, staff and governors each play in making the school the success that it is.
"This reflected in the school motto, Learning, Caring and Achieving Together.
"I feel incredibly privileged to lead this school and enjoy coming to work each morning.
"Our staff are so positive and professional, the children make me smile every day and the parents are very supportive.
"Our children are actively involved in decision making around their own learning, from the choice of challenge that they take on in a lesson to their personal target for their next step.
"That's why I think we achieve so well because it's a school family, a school community and everybody contributes.
"We promote the idea of growth mind set with our children so that they do not have a fixed and limiting idea of what they are capable of.
"We celebrate risk taking and failing as an essential element of the learning process.
"I recently ran the London Marathon and shared with the children my successes, setbacks and challenges to make sure they understood that the learning journey applies to adults too."
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