Dereham Church of England Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Dereham Church of England Junior Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, kind and inquisitive in this highly inclusive community. They behave and learn well because of their teachers' high expectations.

Pupils are safe. Pupils like their school because of its caring ethos. Pupils take care of each other.

They know they can always turn to an adult if they ever have a concern.

Pupils are ready to learn. They listen carefully and eagerly respond to their teachers' questions.

They discuss their learning with enthusiasm. They help each other to learn. They have gained knowledge of world religions.
.../>Pupils respect difference. They do not tolerate any prejudicial attitudes.

Pupils visit museums, castles and places of natural beauty, which enhance their cultural, historical and scientific knowledge.

They have residential experiences away from home. These help pupils to develop independence and responsibility. All pupils learn to play musical instruments.

Pupils appreciate the opportunities to contribute to the school and local community. Pupils learn important leadership skills. Eco-warriors raise awareness of environmental issues.

School councillors represent their friends' views and help fundraise for a range of charities. Pupils maintain the Good Shepherd Garden, where pupils can reflect and contemplate. Parents' and carers' perceptions of the school have improved considerably since the last inspection.

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

Leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum. They have precisely identified the knowledge pupils should learn. This knowledge links well to what pupils have learned before.

Pupils regularly revisit prior learning. This helps them to remember knowledge better.

Most teachers have strong subject knowledge as a result of the training they receive.

At their best, teachers prompt and develop pupils' thinking and knowledge through skilful questioning. They rigorously check how well pupils are learning. Most teachers carefully present new knowledge clearly and in small stages so that pupils understand.

In some areas of the curriculum, some teachers do not introduce new knowledge with the same clarity. As a result, some pupils do not grasp new knowledge and understanding as well as they might.

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading.

Pupils apply strategies which help them to understand increasingly sophisticated texts. They work out the meaning of unfamiliar words and build a rich vocabulary and understanding of grammar. They incorporate this knowledge accurately in their writing.

The books pupils read introduce them to different cultures from across the world. Pupils gain insight into more mature concepts, such as racism, the plight of refugees and the impact of war. As a result, pupils begin to empathise with those in challenging situations across the world.

Pupils who fall behind with their reading, and in other areas of the curriculum, receive immediate support and they catch up.

In mathematics, pupils calculate swiftly. They explain their working out with confidence.

However, pupils are not always supported to apply their knowledge to solve problems. Leaders are aware of this and are refining the curriculum.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

Leaders provide staff with precise guidance on how to adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND. Leaders meticulously check how well pupils with SEND are learning. They quickly refine support in response to these checks.

Inclusion resonates throughout the school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average. Leaders provide many of these pupils with additional help to access the curriculum.

Leaders ensure disadvantaged pupils build the cultural knowledge they need for the future. Leaders' actions ensure that pupils attend regularly and respond swiftly when pupils do not.

Pupils are open-minded and compassionate.

They understand how to nurture positive, healthy relationships. They respect the diverse nature of family. They know how their behaviours can affect how others feel.

They modify their behaviour because of this.

Staff find their workload manageable. They value the support they receive to help them hone their subject knowledge.

Leaders, governors and the trust astutely evaluate how well all areas of the school are performing. They know what they need to do to be even better. They are well equipped to make this happen.

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 areas of the curriculum, teachers do not present new knowledge clearly. Learning is not broken down into small chunks that pupils can understand.

As a result of this, some pupils do not learn new knowledge and grasp understanding as well as they might. Leaders need to provide some teachers with support to present new knowledge gradually so that pupils understand and learn better.

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 Dereham Church of England Junior Academy to be good in July 2018.

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