Cavendish Close Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Cavendish Close Junior Academy, staff ensure that the needs of pupils always come first. They know pupils and families well. Pupils say that they are happy and safe at school.

They enjoy working and playing together. A typical comment from a pupil was, 'Teachers are supportive. They help us with hard work.'

Pupils feel that the school's 'harmony pledge' enables them to be ready to learn.

Behaviour in school is orderly and calm. Pupils are polite and well mannered.

In lessons pupils can concentrate and focus on their work. Pupils understand the school rules. They value the rewards and certificates they receive in assemblies for demonstrating the s...chool's 'character competencies'.

Pupils know what bullying is. They are confident that adults in school will sort out any incidents of behaviour or bullying quickly.

Pupils enjoy the range of sports clubs on offer.

They understand how to stay healthy and how to be safe online and offline. However, pupils are less confident in their understanding of different faiths and cultures.

Leaders want all pupils to be ready for their next stage in education.

However, some pupils do not attend school regularly enough to benefit fully from the school's curriculum.

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

Leaders have designed a new and ambitious curriculum around the principles of 'aspire, collaborate and experience'. In all subjects, leaders have ensured that the key knowledge is outlined.

Leaders have provided some training for teachers to help them to understand their intentions for the curriculum. The implementation of new curriculum planning is further ahead in some subjects than in others. In mathematics, teachers adapt the learning for pupils who have gaps in their knowledge, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This approach enables teachers to make the right choices in the activities needed to help all pupils, including those with SEND, to know more of the curriculum. This is not the case in all subjects. Leaders have started to address this, but this work is in the early stages.

Reading is prioritised for all pupils. For pupils who are learning to read, leaders have ensured that they receive a daily session to help them sound out words. Teachers make regular checks on the sounds that pupils have remembered.

Pupils receive books that reflect their stage of reading development. Pupils with SEND get extra help with reading.

Leaders have provided staff with training in the school's approach to the teaching of reading.

Teachers make regular checks to ensure that all pupils read at home and school. Most pupils enjoy reading because they say it helps to develop their imagination and vocabulary.

Pupils learn about healthy relationships.

Adults help pupils to understand key ideas such as consent and personal space. However, pupils are less confident in their understanding of diversity, religions and faiths.

Leaders make robust checks to ensure that all pupils attend school.

However, some pupils do not attend school well enough.

Leaders from the trust have supported and challenged leaders to ensure that the right improvements are in place. Most parents and carers acknowledge the changes that leaders have brought about.

In the words of one parent, 'This has become a really good school.' However, pupils with SEND do not consistently receive the most effective teaching to enable them to know more over time.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They feel valued and supported by school leaders. They understand the part they play in ensuring that the school continues to improve. Teachers new to the profession receive support to improve their understanding of effective teaching.

In discussion with school leaders, the inspection team agreed that further improvements in attendance, ensuring effective strategies are used to support all pupils with SEND, and improving pupils' understanding of other cultures and faiths may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular training around safeguarding.

Staff understand the different types of abuse and the signs to look for. Leaders ensure that all concerns for safeguarding are recorded accurately. When additional support is needed, leaders respond swiftly.

They ensure that attendance, behaviour and safeguarding information is used accurately to keep pupils safe. Leaders foster positive relationships with families. They understand the needs of the community.

For example, leaders have ensured that relevant information is sent to parents when any issues around social media occur in the school community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about.

Leaders need to complete the process of reviewing the curriculum in all subjects within their identified timescale. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Some curriculum plans are less well developed than others.

This means that these pupils, including those with SEND, do not remember enough of the school's curriculum to catch up over time. Some staff do not make the most effective pedagogical choices to help all pupils, including those with SEND, catch up. Leaders need to ensure that all curriculum planning is of the same high quality across all subjects and that all staff are supported to develop the knowledge and expertise to support all pupils, including those with SEND, to know more of the school's curriculum and be prepared for their next stage in education.

• Several pupils do not attend school regularly. The improvements to attendance seen prior to the pandemic have not been maintained. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

They need to rigorously address absenteeism to ensure all pupils attend school. ? Knowledge of other cultures and faiths is less well developed than other aspects of personal development. Leaders should ensure that the school's curriculum provides meaningful opportunities to know about other cultures and faiths, so pupils have an appreciation of diversity and difference in British society.