Carrington Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Carrington Junior School is rightly proud of its welcoming and caring ethos.

Staff do their utmost for all children to succeed. Pupils' academic achievement and well-being have equal priority. Since the last inspection, the school has strengthened the curriculum.

This is helping pupils to reach higher expectations.

Pupils know the importance of meeting the high standards for behaviour that the school expects of them. Pupils recognise and respect that some of their classmates need different types of support to help them behave well.

Unkind behaviour and bullying are rare. When they do happen, adults are quick to take action to make sure this behaviour... is not repeated. Pupils are happy and feel safe.

Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of cultural experiences such as setting up a French market. They benefit from events such as singing in exciting concerts and representing their school in a wide range of sporting activities. They learn about the importance of sustainability.

Pupils, including the school's eco-warriors, enjoy helping in their local community by picking up litter.

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

The school ensures that the conditions are just right for pupils to 'believe, achieve and succeed'. The school's curriculum is broad and ambitious.

Across the subjects, there are well-structured subject curriculums that help pupils to learn and remember more over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils incrementally build on previous learning in a careful and considered way. However, in a small number of subjects, the important knowledge that pupils need to retain from year to year has not been identified precisely enough.

A few pupils do not always learn as well as they could because they do not have the building blocks of knowledge firmly in place.

The 'Carrington Way' guidance for staff makes it clear how pupils' knowledge and skills in each subject should develop over time. This supports teachers with the implementation of the curriculum.

This guidance helps with their workload and well-being. Teachers provide carefully chosen resources and materials to help pupils learn. In most lessons, teachers check what pupils remember and use this information to plan their next steps.

The school has responded to the changing and increasingly complex levels of need presented by some pupils at the school. Pupils' barriers to learning are identified quickly and supportive plans are put in place to reduce these. The school has provided training to ensure that staff can meet the needs of all pupils.

Wherever possible, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same content as their peers. This includes pupils from the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND, who integrate with their peers in the main classes. Adults make sure that pupils get appropriate support when needed.

As a result, disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

Staff teach pupils to read with expertise and confidence. Teachers check any gaps or weaknesses in pupils' reading ability meticulously.

Any pupil who needs more support in phonics, reading fluency or accuracy receives well-tailored provision. Pupils are helped to become confident in their reading skills. However, the school does not yet consistently inspire pupils to become enthusiastic and confident readers.

A few pupils do not enjoy reading and they do not read widely.

The school provides pupils with a strong moral compass. Pupils understand clearly the difference between right and wrong.

Pupils understand the school's values, confidently explaining the importance of resilience, kindness and respect. They are knowledgeable about online safety and physical health.

Pupils enjoy school and the vast majority attend regularly.

For those who do not, the school is working closely with families and other agencies to increase the time pupils are attending school. As a result, the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent is improving.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the important subject-specific end points are not identified precisely enough. Therefore, teachers do not have enough clarity on what knowledge pupils must secure before moving on to their next steps. The school needs to refine the subject-specific knowledge that pupils must know and remember over time.

• There are some inconsistencies in the school's work to promote pupils' confidence and enjoyment in reading. A few pupils do not enjoy reading and they do not read widely. The school should ensure that pupils are inspired to read widely and for pleasure.

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