Bradwell Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have not ensured that arrangements to keep pupils safe are effective. The systems in place to identify pupils at risk and protect them are weak.

The curriculum taught at Bradwell Junior School lacks ambition. Pupils do not receive the high-quality education they deserve. Their experience of some subjects is too narrow.

Writing is not taught effectively. Some pupils do not receive the help they need to learn to read.

Pupils behave well.

Pupils say that bullying can happen. They trust their teachers to resolve any specific bullying issues they may have. Nevertheless, leaders do not have sufficient oversight of the bullying that takes place in s...chool.

This limits their ability to quickly address any persistent misbehaviours.

Pupils receive many opportunities to extend their learning beyond the taught curriculum. They particularly enjoy growing their own food in the school garden.

Cooking and eating the food they grow are two of their favourite activities. Pupils really enjoy the wealth of sport they experience. They express pride in their role on the pupil council.

They value attending a small school, where everyone knows them well.

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

Leaders have not designed the curriculum carefully enough. It is poorly sequenced.

There has not been enough consideration of how to order learning, so that it builds upon pupils' prior learning. The curriculum in the foundation subjects and science is too narrow and does not meet the ambition of the national curriculum. Some pupils experience a curriculum of disconnected facts.

This makes learning confusing for them.

The opportunities pupils receive to develop their knowledge and skills in writing are limited. Pupils rarely produce extended pieces of writing.

The teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is weak. Pupils' achievement in writing is poor.

Teachers do not check closely enough that pupils are learning what is planned.

Pupils do not receive the help they need to address misconceptions or close any gaps in learning that may emerge.

Teachers do not adapt their teaching to meet the needs of pupils, particularly pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are quickly identified.

In lessons, they are given a great deal of help and support, particularly from teaching assistants. But too often, the support they are given does not meet their specific learning needs. This undermines their chances to achieve well.

The reading curriculum for early readers is poor. There is no phonics programme in place for those who need to access it. Some pupils do not learn to read competently for their age.

They are unable to access the curriculum in other subjects at the levels that they should because they cannot read well enough.

Leaders' approach to promoting a love of reading is not systematic. Leaders do not have an overview of the books that pupils read.

They are unaware of the amount of time pupils spend practising their reading with parents or with teachers. Teachers do not make sure that pupils are given appropriate books that are suitable for their reading level.

Leaders have rightly identified that some pupils do not attend school regularly enough.

Leaders have started to address this issue, however, too many pupils remain absent from school too often.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is not as well planned as it could be. For example, leaders have not considered well enough how best pupils can learn about healthy relationships.

Pupils have many opportunities to be involved within the local community. They enjoy school trips and residentials. All staff provide pupils with a great deal of pastoral care.

Parents are full of praise for the supportive and welcoming atmosphere of the school.

Leaders are not taking effective action to address the school's weaknesses. Leaders lack the knowledge and understanding of how to plan an appropriate and effective curriculum.

Governors do not have a good enough understanding of their role. They do not have close oversight of the impact of the use of external funding to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieve well. They have not ensured that the curriculum is ambitious enough.

They have not completed the necessary safeguarding training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

The systems in place to identify and record pupils who may be at risk from harm are poor.

Some pupils who are at risk of harm are not being identified. Leaders do not have sufficient oversight of safeguarding procedures to ensure that all pupils are kept safe. Leaders do not always ensure that the most vulnerable pupils get the specialist support they need.

It is not always clear what actions have been taken to protect pupils.

Leaders do not keep accurate records of pupils' attendance. This places pupils at risk, for instance, when pupils leave the building before the end of the typical school day.

Leaders cannot assure themselves of the whereabouts of pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Safeguarding is ineffective. Leaders do not fulfil their responsibilities to keep pupils safe.

Leaders should make sure that effective safeguarding systems are in place to swiftly identify and effectively support the most vulnerable pupils. This includes the keeping of accurate records of pupils' attendance. ? Some attendance records are inaccurate.

Some pupils do not attend regularly enough. Leaders must make sure that accurate attendance records are kept. Leaders should ensure that pupils and families receive the necessary support to attend regularly.

• The curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious. Leaders have not given enough thought to what they want pupils to learn. Pupils are not acquiring the knowledge and skills they need across a broad range of subjects, including in aspects of personal, social and health education (PHSE).

Leaders should make sure that the curriculum is set out clearly and is ambitious, so that pupils are able to develop a secure understanding across the full range of subjects. ? Leaders have not enabled pupils to become fluent and confident readers. Pupils who are at early stage of reading do not receive enough support.

Leaders should make sure that a structured, well-planned and sequenced reading curriculum is put in place and implemented effectively. ? Leaders do not have close enough oversight of pupils' reading. Some pupils do not read regularly enough.

Some pupils do not read books appropriate to their reading ability. Leaders should make sure that a comprehensive programme is in place that ensures that pupils read regularly, access a wide range of appropriate books, and develop a love of reading. ? The teaching of writing is weak.

The standard of pupils' writing is low. Leaders should make sure that pupils develop the knowledge that they need to write with confidence. ? Governors do not have a good enough understanding of their role.

They do not hold leaders to account effectively enough. Leaders must make sure that a knowledgeable and well-trained governing body is in place.

Leaders and those responsible for governance may not appoint early career teachers before the next monitoring inspection.