Belvedere Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Belvedere Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The executive headteacher of the school is Louise Lynch, who is responsible for this school and the infants. This school is part of The Pioneer Academy, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lee Mason-Ellis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jo Bouwens.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this nurturing school. Pupils build strong and trusting relationships with their teachers. Staff have high expectations for pupils..../>
Pupils rise to these expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. This is reflected in the improving outcomes at the end of key stage 2.

The school's approach to behaviour is built on values that thread through the school ethos, such as kindness and fairness. Staff consistently have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. The school is calm and orderly.

Pupils know and follow the rules and routines. This is leading to a speedy reduction in the number of suspensions.

Pupils benefit from a well-designed and highly coordinated approach to enriching pupils' broader experiences.

The school's 'global citizenship' programme threads through the values, curriculum and personal development provision. This prepares pupils well for the future. They build their awareness and aspirations of the many opportunities that are available to them beyond the school.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the lengths the school goes to in building strong community links. Parental engagement is high.

Many rightly agree that the school is led with love and compassion.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Those responsible for governance know and understand the context of the school well. Staff take brave and bold actions that are in the best interests of all pupils and the wider community.

This is the driving force behind the school's high expectations and passion for doing whatever it takes to ensure that all pupils succeed. Staff morale is extremely high. Staff feel empowered.

They value the teamwork that is developing because of the increased working relationships and partnership with the infant school.

The school is carrying out an extensive review of the ambitious curriculum to ensure that the content is customised to represent the school's diversity and locality. Teachers model what is being taught well.

Pupils build their knowledge of subject-specific content, knowledge and skills as they move through the school. For example, pupils learn to plan scientific experiments with increasing complexity. Pupils in Year 5 use pictures of historical objects to make assumptions about how ancient civilisations lived.

Staff routinely revisit important content that pupils have learned in the past.

The school swiftly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders take appropriate measures to address and overcome pupils' barriers to learning.

This supports pupils with SEND to access learning alongside their peers. Staff have created an attractive and stimulating learning environment. They use resources skilfully to aid pupils' deeper understanding.

For example, pupils in Year 4 used mathematical equipment appropriately when exploring square numbers. On some occasions, teachers do not carefully check what pupils know and can do. When this happens, teaching is not suitably adapted to meet pupils' needs or build on learning effectively.

Promoting a love of reading is central to the curriculum. Adults introduce pupils to a range of challenging texts. Staff are well trained and deliver the school's reading programme with consistency.

Pupils who need additional practice learning sounds receive the help they need to read with fluency and accuracy. Pupils apply their knowledge of spellings and grammar to the many opportunities given to writing across the different subjects.

The school has a rigorous focus on improving absence and reducing persistent absence.

Staff ensure that pupils attend school regularly. The school often goes above and beyond in offering guidance, support and care to pupils and families in need of help. The school provides high-quality pastoral support.

The school places great importance on providing pupils with opportunities to learn about themselves and their community. Pupils are aware of how they can contribute to society and the world around them. They understand the importance of accepting and celebrating differences, including other cultures, religions and beliefs.

Pupils are taught to be tolerant, curious and inquisitive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On some occasions, teachers do not carefully check what pupils know and can do.

When this happens, teaching is not suitably adapted to meet pupils' needs or build on what pupils know and can do effectively. This leads to some pupils not deepening their understanding securely. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils' understanding carefully and make the appropriate adaptations to teaching so that pupils are fully prepared for future learning.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2015.

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