Crofton Hammond Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has recently been through a period of significant turbulence. Parents are positive that recent developments have provided much-needed stability to help get things back on track. Most pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn.

However, there are variations in the quality of education that pupils receive. Pupils do not always develop a secure understanding of the knowledge they need to learn in all the subjects that they study.

Most pupils behave well.

However, in some lessons pupils lose focus and find it difficult to sustain concentration. This is often because they find the work they are set too hard or too easy. Pupils enjoy the differe...nt activities the school provides at playtimes.

Pupils usually play really well with each other outside. Occasionally, however, some pupils say or do hurtful or unkind things. Pupils are not always confident staff will deal with this effectively.

Many pupils make good use of the wider opportunities on offer, such as singing in the choir or participating in sports. The school supports pupils from service families and those who are young carers well. Pupils take on responsibilities in school with pride, such as being 'peer mentors', 'reading ambassadors' or head pupils.

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

The standards pupils have achieved in reading, writing and mathematics has declined more recently, after typically achieving high outcomes in the past. The standards pupils currently reach in wider subjects are also not high enough. Staff and governors have ambitions for what all pupils can achieve, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They want to see a return to the quality of provision that they know pupils deserve. While the school has rightly taken action to make improvements, for example through revising the curriculum, these ambitions are not yet fully realised in practice.

The implementation of the revised curriculum is inconsistent.

Teachers are more skilled at delivering some subjects than others. Pupils do not develop secure knowledge when the curriculum is not implemented effectively enough or monitored carefully to ensure pupils' learning is strong. Sometimes, units of work are changed or missed out, such as in art.

The reading curriculum is not as clearly sequenced as it should be. The texts teachers choose to use in class are not challenging enough. Pupils who are struggling to learn to read receive inconsistent support to help their early reading skills.

There are strengths in some subjects, however. For example, there is an effective approach to the teaching of mathematics and geography across the school. In these subjects, teachers typically think carefully about the order in which they teach new knowledge in these subjects.

Sometimes the adaptations made by teachers to support pupils with SEND are not matched to their needs precisely enough. As a result, pupils do not make as much progress as they should. The school is rightly focused on improving its strategies to support pupils with SEND, however.

While staff now have higher expectations of these pupils, they need further support and training to translate these into practice consistently effectively.

Some pupils find it hard to concentrate on their learning at times. This leads them to lose focus in lessons and become disengaged because the tasks set do not build on what they already know.

When this happens, pupils chat to friends or daydream. Some pupils distract others from their work. The school has simplified the behaviour management process so it is more effective, however.

Most pupils are polite and well mannered.

Pupils' preparation for life in modern Britain is not as effective as it should be. Pupils' learning in personal, social and health education (PSHE) is limited.

Some pupils do not appreciate diversity in modern Britain. They do not show an understanding of the importance of the protected characteristics. This means some pupils say unkind and derogatory comments.

Although the school is implementing a new PSHE programme this year, it is yet to have enough impact.

The governing body understands what the school needs to do to improve. It has worked with the local authority to increase the school's capacity to undertake this work.

Governors fulfil their statutory and safeguarding duties effectively. They monitor levels of pupils' attendance and support staff in the task of reducing unauthorised absence. Parents can see the recent changes the school has made.

They appreciate the staff's dedication to their children during the turbulent times.

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, including reading, teachers do not teach some of the essential knowledge set out in the curriculum.

As a result, pupils have gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that teachers have the training that they need to deliver the full curriculum as intended and monitor the impact of implementation carefully so it is as effective as possible. ? Some pupils with SEND, including those with the most complex needs, do not receive a sufficiently well-designed and adapted curriculum.

These pupils do not develop their knowledge as well as they should. The school must ensure that all pupils with SEND benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is well matched to their needs. ? The school has not checked that important elements of the PSHE curriculum are understood by pupils.

Some pupils do not have an age-appropriate understanding of protected characteristics. They are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be. The school should ensure that PSHE is taught consistently well so that all pupils develop an appropriate understanding and appreciation of diversity in society.

• Too many pupils are not engaged in their learning during lessons. This means these pupils are not learning the curriculum as effectively as they should. Staff need to implement the curriculum and apply the new behaviour policy and recommended strategies consistently effectively so that all pupils can engage with their learning and achieve more.

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