Buxton Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Buxton Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Being 'ready, respectful and safe' runs through Buxton Junior School like words in seaside rock; they are consistent and at the heart of everything that happens. Pupils understand these expectations and do their best to live up to them every day.

Behaviour is positive. Pupils work collaboratively in lessons and get along well with each other when they play outside. They are eager to earn the many awards on offer, including star points, 'above and beyond' awards and 'V-squared' certificates.'

Hot chocolate Friday' with the headteacher is highly prized. Pupils understand what happens i...n the event of poor behaviour. They say that the 'warnings and cautions' system works well.

Pupils are proud of and enjoy the school's extensive and diverse outdoor space. They are eager to show visitors their outdoor learning areas, gardens and the octagon outdoor classroom. They talk with pride about the food that they grow, prepare in the school's kitchen and then eat.

The vegetable soup and potato salad are particular favourites.

Pupils are determined that their school will be 'the greenest in Buxton'. They talk knowledgably about the recently installed solar panels and air source heat pump.

They understand how these help to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

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

Leaders ensure that all pupils master phonics. As pupils join the school, any gaps in their knowledge and understanding of phonics are identified and addressed as a matter of urgency.

The school's phonics programme is taught consistently well. Pupils quickly become fluent readers. The reading ambassadors and librarians motivate their peers to read regularly and widely.

However, beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is not fully sequenced. It does not set out in detail which aspects of reading pupils are expected to master at each stage of their education. This means that leaders cannot be sure that content is being taught in the best order.

The majority of the curriculum is meticulously planned and sequenced. Although at an early stage of implementation, it is being delivered well. A significant proportion of pupils' learning takes place outdoors.

Pupils thrive on this. Leaders have thought carefully about how the outdoors is used to deliver and enrich the curriculum. In some subjects, including mathematics, science and modern foreign languages, pupils recall what they have learned with ease.

The school's 'I do, we do, you do' strategy helps pupils to think carefully about and remember what they have learned. However, a small number of subjects are not yet fully planned or implemented as well. This means that pupils do not yet receive the same quality of education across all subjects.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a wide range of help and support. This support is well tailored. In the vast majority of cases, pupils with SEND achieve well and keep up with their peers.

However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of plans that are in place for pupils with SEND. In some cases, the targets that are set for these pupils are not explicit enough. They do not make clear what pupils are expected to achieve.

Plans do not make clear what support will be put in place in order for pupils to achieve their targets.

Pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. They learn to be respectful and inclusive.

Pupils have a secure understanding of protected characteristics and what these mean in law. They learn about a wide range of religions, cultures and beliefs. They talk knowledgably about their visits to different places of worship.

They are proud of the many roles that they play, including anti-bullying ambassadors, anti-stigma ambassadors, I-vengers and eco-councillors. They take these roles seriously.

Senior leaders know their school well.

They are ambitious and hardworking. Any changes they make are well considered. They are supported by a highly cohesive team of staff, who are unanimously proud to work at the school.

Pupils, parents and carers share the same positive view.

Governors provide leaders with an effective balance of challenge and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's safeguarding policies and procedures are consistently understood and applied. Staff know the common safeguarding risks in the local area. They are alert to these.

Leaders take the actions needed to keep pupils safe. The school's pastoral support worker provides a wide range of help and support for pupils and their families all year round. There are effective links with the local infant school, which ensures continuity of support for pupils.

Leaders know their community well.

Pupils know how to stay safe in a wide range of situations, including when learning online, when they are near roads and from strangers. They know how to get help should they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is not fully sequenced. It does not set out in detail which aspects of reading pupils are expected to master at each stage of their education. This means that leaders cannot be sure that content is being taught in the best order.

Leaders should ensure that the reading curriculum is fully sequenced so that pupils can achieve more highly. ? A small number of subjects are not yet fully planned or implemented. This means that pupils do not receive the same quality of education across all subjects.

Leaders should ensure that all subjects are fully planned and implemented and result in pupils knowing and remembering the intended content. ? In some cases, the targets that are set for pupils with SEND are too broad. They do not make clear what pupils are expected to achieve.

Plans do not make clear what support will be put in place in order for pupils to achieve their targets. Leaders should ensure the plans for pupils with SEND make clear what pupils are expected to achieve and set out the support that will be put in place to achieve these.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.