Fakenham Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Fakenham Junior School strive to 'be the best they can be'.

They learn well and are expected to work hard, and they love that adults try to put a smile on their faces every day. The playground is full of activity, with pupils of all ages getting on well.

The school is a happy, welcoming place.

Pupils know that everyone is different, and these differences are celebrated. This builds a culture of mutual respect and understanding between pupils.

Whether being part of the Fakenham duck race or singing at local events, pupils enjoy opportunities to involve themselves in the local community.

They attend a range of trips, clubs and sporti...ng events. The gardening club uses the extensive allotment area to grow produce to share with some families and the community. These opportunities allow pupils to make a difference to their school and local community.

Pupils feel safe in school. They trust that adults will help them if they have a problem. Pupils know how to stay safe, including when using the internet.

Younger pupils know not to share personal information online, while older pupils have a well-developed understanding of how to avoid scams.

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

The school's sharp focus on the quality of education pupils receive ensures that pupils learn an exciting and ambitious curriculum. Pupils learn well and, in many subjects, develop detailed knowledge.

The school, alongside the trust, has set about evolving and improving the curriculum in a careful and measured way. There remains work to do. In a small number of subjects, leaders have not yet precisely identified the important knowledge pupils need to know and remember to make sure new learning builds on what has come before.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils encounter a rich and varied diet of books as they move through the school. Adults read regularly to pupils, which opens their eyes to new and different types of stories.

Pupils who need more guidance to help them read receive effective support. Staff are expert in teaching phonics, which ensures that pupils are well supported to catch up. Pupils are well guided to develop the range of words they know and use, especially subject-specific vocabulary.

This vocabulary is carefully set out in the curriculum to build over time.

Teachers receive useful training and guidance. As a result, they have strong subject knowledge in the subjects they teach.

They can quickly see when a pupil does not understand a concept and provide precise help for them. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are generally well supported. Teachers and teaching assistants provide useful support to help these pupils access much of the curriculum.

There are times, however, when activities are not always well adapted to ensure that pupils with SEND learn well. Sometimes, their work is too hard or complicated. This means they do not always learn as well as they could.

Pupils are polite and courteous. They behave well, both in and out of class. Lessons are generally calm.

Where some pupils need additional help with their behaviour, they receive clear guidance from adults.

The well-considered personal development programme helps pupils to develop beyond the academic curriculum. Pupils have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships, and they know how to look after their mental health.

The school provides effective pastoral support for pupils, such as the 'choices' club for those pupils who find the hustle and bustle of lunchtimes tricky. This provides a calm and relaxing space for them to use.

The trust board and local governing board work together seamlessly.

The flow of information between the two ensures that they have a clear strategic oversight of the school. They hold leaders to account for the provision in school, balancing this with appropriate support.

Staff value the support provided by senior leaders, particularly in helping them to manage their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum has recently undergone change. While teachers are quickly getting to grips with teaching the curriculum in many subjects, in a small number of subjects, the school has not yet precisely identified the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember.

This means new learning does not always build on what pupils already know. The school should ensure that work started is completed so that teachers know exactly what pupils need to learn in each subject. ? There are times when pupils with SEND do not have activities carefully adapted to meet their needs.

Teachers do not always have the depth of information about pupils' prior knowledge to help them with these adaptations. This means these pupils do not always learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers receive the information and training they need to help them adapt activities more precisely to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.