Bishop Wood Church of England Junior School, Tring

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are enthusiastic and polite young people.

They enjoy learning in a safe and caring environment. Staff look after them well, ensuring their safety and well-being. Pupils become confident and increasingly independent over their time at the school.

They take their roles as eco warriors, school councillors and active travel ambassadors very seriously. Through these roles, they gain valuable insights into democracy and responsibility.

The school strives for all pupils to achieve well, both academically and in their personal development.

Pupils achieve well and develop into confident learners.

Pupils listen carefully to their... teachers. Most pupils behave well.

The lunch hall is a sociable and calm place. Pupils appreciate being able to choose from a range of indoor and outdoor activities. This helps them to have a 'Happy Lunchtime'.

The school ensures that pupils have opportunities to celebrate their achievements and interests, whether in or out of school, in assemblies.

Pupils develop a sense of justice. They celebrate and respect differences and recognise the importance of equality.

They demonstrate empathy for those less fortunate than themselves. This shapes them into good citizens ready for their next stage of education.

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

The school's recent actions to improve the curriculum are well underway in most subjects.

Leaders have planned what pupils should learn and when. They have considered the relevance of the content to the needs of their pupils. Teachers help pupils make connections across the curriculum.

This helps pupils to deepen their learning in subjects such as geography and history, for example.

In reading and mathematics, the curriculum is firmly established. This is leading to strong pupil achievement.

Across a range of subjects, pupils complete work well. While there are many strong examples of pupils' written work, some pupils are not always given opportunities to achieve as well as they can. This is because teachers do not always identify errors in pupils' learning so that they can be addressed promptly.

As a result, some pupils continue to make the same errors over time. In addition, leaders do not have a clear overview of how well pupils are achieving in a few curriculum subjects.

Most pupils enjoy school and attend well.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported well to attend school and reach their targets. Teachers adapt learning appropriately for pupils with SEND so that they can achieve as well as they can.

The reading curriculum is well constructed.

It is consistently taught well across the school. Pupils who need to catch up receive extra, targeted, support. They learn to read with increased confidence.

Staff are adept at modelling the skills that pupils need to become proficient and fluent readers. Most pupils reach a high standard in reading by the time they leave.

Leaders have carefully set out what needs to be taught in their respective subjects.

Staff are clear about what to teach pupils. However, leaders have not identified weaknesses in some subjects, such as those observed in pupils' writing.

The school has made great strides in improving pupils' behaviour.

Both staff and pupils acknowledge the clear and consistent approach to ensure pupils are meeting high expectations of behaviour. In lessons, there are minimal disruptions to pupils' learning. They participate in learning enthusiastically.

Breaktimes are enjoyable and fun. Pupils appreciate the presence of 'lunchtime leaders', who address any issues that arise.

Pupils' personal development is becoming ingrained within the fabric of the school community.

Pupils learn about different cultures and religions. Themes such as diversity and global issues are woven into the curriculum. Pupils learn about the harmful effects of deforestation and fossil fuels, for example.

This supports a holistic understanding of the world. Pupils take part eagerly in discussions about influential figures, such as Emmeline Pankhurst and Martin Luther King. They draw inspiration from their courage and resilience.

This cultivates pupils' empathy and global awareness.

Governors, leaders and staff have taken decisive action to make some significant improvements quickly. However, in a few subjects, leaders have not checked the quality of pupils' learning well enough.

Therefore, they lack a precise understanding of pupils' achievement. Consequently, some weaknesses in pupils' learning remain undetected, resulting in pupils not achieving as well as they should.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not always check whether pupils have mastered important knowledge and skills in some subjects, or in their writing. Consequently, some pupils have not attained basic skills needed before moving on to more complex tasks. The school must ensure that pupils can develop and practise using essential knowledge and skills before tackling more complex tasks.

• Leaders do not check the quality of the curriculum in some subjects well enough. Consequently, they lack comprehensive insight into pupils' achievements and areas needing improvement. The school should check how well pupils are achieving in all subjects so that any weaknesses in learning are promptly identified and addressed.

Also at this postcode