Brookland Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Brookland Junior School is a happy, nurturing, and welcoming school. Pupils receive a good quality of education. They are charming and lively learners.

Brookland is a school where everyone is included. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy school and achieve well. Pupils participate in a wide range of lunchtime and after school activities and clubs.

Pupils are thoughtful and express their views with maturity. Pupils behave well in and out of lessons. They respect differences.

Pupils learn about different faiths and understand that there are different kinds of relationships. They can explain what bullying is ...and say that it rarely happens.

Pupils feel safe and say that they have several adults in school they can speak with should they have concerns.

They are taught the importance of positive mental health and can explain strategies to help them achieve this. Parents commented warmly on recent school improvements. They are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and school staff.

One parent's response, 'Nothing is too much trouble' is echoed by many.

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

Since the beginning of the year, there have been significant staff changes. The headteacher took up the post in September.

She has shared a clear plan for ongoing improvement with staff and governors.

Leaders have prioritised their work around the quality of education. Curriculum plans are ambitious and make clear what pupils will learn.

Teachers deliver almost all of the curriculum well and with a high degree of consistency across the school. This is particularly the case for reading, writing and mathematics.

Where there are new leaders in a few subjects, they are receiving high-quality support to help teachers ensure that they teach the most important knowledge that builds on pupils' previous learning.

The planning and delivery of these subjects is not yet as well embedded as the remainder of the curriculum.

The English curriculum is designed to engage pupils in reading with quality texts. Pupils speak openly about their love of books and how reading has helped them to improve the quality of their writing.

Books are chosen carefully to link to other areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils in Year 6 have gained an in-depth knowledge about the Victorians through their study of 'Street Child' in English. This knowledge is supporting their understanding of associated topics they are studying in history.

The teaching of spelling is embedded throughout the school. Pupils are able to explain how knowing the root of a word helps them understand the meaning of new words. Pupils take pride in how they present their work.

Pupils who at times need extra help to access the curriculum, including pupils with SEND, receive skilled adult support to help them to confidently access the learning in class. Consequently, pupils are supported to become confident and fluent readers.

On occasion, teachers are not identifying pupils quickly enough, who are ready to move on or to apply their knowledge to more complex tasks.

This means that pupils can find some tasks too easy.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. The school has achieved gold for the UNICEF Rights Respecting School award.

The school values, 'Be Kind', 'Be Respectful' and 'Be the Best you can be' are understood and important to staff and pupils. Pupils respect each other. They learn about different faiths and cultures, and appreciate the importance of the different beliefs and lifestyles in society.

Staff know pupils well and make sure that pupils' emotional needs are met. Adults forge strong and positive relationships with the pupils in the school. Staff proactively contribute to the school community in any way that they can, including a significant involvement in after-school clubs.

The impact of leaders' actions is apparent in many aspects of the school's work.Their plans make clear the improvement priorities. Governors know the school well and are passionate about the school community.

They have the skills and knowledge to provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. Staff training is appropriate to help meet the needs of the pupils. Staff feel valued and, without exception, say that the new leadership has brought about positive changes.

Curriculum leaders are working closely with local authority partners to improve the quality of subject leadership. Leaders have developed strong partnerships with the local infant's school. This is helping to strengthen transition.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's 'open door' policy is highly valued by pupils and their families. Leaders are vigilant and ensure they receive and identify any concerns about pupils when they arrive at school.

Staff know and understand the latest safeguarding updates. They know who to report concerns to and how to record information accurately on the school's system. Leaders promptly follow up concerns they have about pupils.

Staff carry out all necessary safeguarding checks on all adults who visit and work at the school. Teachers make sure that pupils are taught age-appropriate content about how to keep themselves safe online and have an understanding about peer-on-peer abuse. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, and to go to staff if they have any worries.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, where subject leadership is new, some curriculum plans do not support teachers fully to reinforce the most important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Where this occurs, teachers lack confidence to deliver the curriculum as effectively as they do elsewhere. Subject leaders need to develop their subject curriculums further, so that they provide teachers with the support and guidance to teach the most important content that deepens pupils' learning over time.

• On occasion, teachers are not identifying pupils who are ready to move on, or to apply their knowledge in more complex ways. This means that pupils can find some tasks too easy. Leaders need to make sure that teachers use the information they have available, to identify pupils who are ready to move on, and adapt lessons, so that these pupils can make the progress of which they are capable.

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