Connaught Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly positive, enthusiastic and proud to be part of this exceptional school. Staff encourage everyone to be kind and pupils value this as it helps them to feel happy and safe.

Pupils use the 'friendship bench' and 'The Pupil Parliament' meetings to discuss and agree how to be resilient and show kindness.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent and contributes to a focused and determined learning culture in which they work hard and celebrate successes as a community. Bullying is extremely rare and staff are swift to resolve any worries.

Pupils are respectful and welcoming to others.

Leaders have very high expectations of the whole school community..., including every pupil. Pupils understand and live up to these expectations.

Leaders make sure that every child is included in all aspects of school life. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All staff are equally committed to inclusion.

They take time to make sure that everyone is able to learn and thrive. As a result, pupils learn very well across their curriculum and enjoy their learning.

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about what many describe as a 'happy' and 'nurturing' community that helps their children to succeed.

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

Leaders are determined for all pupils to benefit from a high-quality education and have designed an ambitious curriculum to realise this expectation. They have ensured that in every subject, there is coherent and thoughtfully sequenced planning that identifies the precise knowledge that pupils will learn. Staff follow this skilfully to ensure that pupils build secure knowledge and skills over time.

Leaders ensure that staff have excellent subject knowledge and explain new content clearly. Staff accurately and routinely assess pupils' understanding. This means that teachers have a very clear understanding of what pupils have learned.

They use this to adapt activities and make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, are able to confidently link new learning to what they have learned before. As a result of this, all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve very well across the whole curriculum.

Staff have an obvious passion for reading and books.

This permeates the school and pupils share the sense of joy and wonder in stories and different texts. Those pupils who arrive with gaps in their knowledge and fluency are helped to catch up quickly. Staff have real expertise here.

Their work is highly effective for these and all pupils. In particular, pupils develop a love of words. Their vocabulary is precise and considered when describing the books they are reading.

All around the school there is a buzz of calm determination and ambition. Pupils behave exceptionally well. Leaders set very high expectations of pupils' conduct and provide detailed training to staff.

This helps staff to be consistent which in turn helps pupils to precisely understand what is expected of them. Consequently, there is a shared understanding of how to interact and show respect as a community. In lessons, pupils strive to try their best and are resilient even when challenged in their learning.

Leaders are passionate about and dedicated to promoting the personal development of all pupils. Pupils relish the opportunities designed to engage and foster their interests. Staff check carefully which pupils are benefiting from this and encourage any who are reluctant to participate.

Pupil leadership is a strength of this wider provision and they are proud of their positions of responsibility. Pupils show enthusiasm and a sense of service to their school community. They demonstrate considerable care for each other's well-being.

They also learn about life beyond the school and so are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

Staff enjoy working here and believe that leaders genuinely care about their workload and well-being. Governors, school leaders and trust leaders work successfully together, so that pupils become 'caring, confident, committed' learners.

This contributes positively to making the school the best it can be for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a strength of the school.

Leaders are resolute in their determination to ensure that safeguarding procedures are robustly followed to help keep pupils safe from harm.

Leaders provide high-quality extensive training. This ensures that staff know how to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm or need help.

Pupils are taught about risks, how to keep themselves safe and how to get help.

Leaders are relentless in their pursuit of ensuring support for pupils who need it. They work swiftly to provide the required help through the school or in partnership with outside agencies.

Also at this postcode