Freemans Endowed Church of England Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this school and attend well. The school makes sure that all pupils feel part of the 'big school family'.

Parents and carers think highly of the school. They typically comment on the school's high expectations, supportive staff and family values.

Parents especially value how well their child settles when they join in Year 3.

Since the nearby infant school came under the same leadership, there is a smoother transition. Pupils from both schools take part in joint events. Leaders have aligned the curriculums and the ways both schools work.

This helps pupils' learning to link coherently.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Pupil...s are incredibly focused in lessons.

They listen carefully and continually try their best. They persevere with complex challenges. Pupils take care with their work, and it is always presented well.

Pupils are incredibly polite and courteous. They demonstrate high levels of respect. Pupils say that everyone is accepted and treated with kindness and understanding in their school.

Pupils play well together at social times. They quickly put away the equipment and line up so no lesson time is lost.

The school is ambitious and is determined that all pupils receive the best possible education.

Pupils mostly achieve well.

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

The school works hard to provide an ambitious curriculum through highly effective teaching. Reading is a priority.

Pupils love reading and are read to every day. Literature is thoughtfully selected for reading lessons and story time. Teachers model expressive reading and ensure pupils understand newly encountered vocabulary.

Pupils have extra phonics teaching if needed. Pupils love reading and have a wide selection of engaging books to choose from. However, the school has not ensured that books are well matched for a few pupils who are still gaining fluency with reading.

Careful thought has been given to what pupils need to learn throughout the curriculum. The design of the curriculum supports pupils well to build a secure knowledge of the different subjects over time. It helps pupils connect knowledge to deepen their understanding.

For example, pupils linked learning about rainforests to the cutting down of local historic trees. The school recently revised a few subjects where pupils' knowledge was less strong. The impact of these revisions is already evident in strengthening pupils' learning.

Through extensive professional development, the school has devised a common approach for delivering the curriculum. This approach works well and is applied consistently in lessons. Teachers revisit previous learning and explain new concepts clearly.

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Well-designed lesson activities are appropriately adapted for these pupils.

The school has not ensured consistency in checking pupils' errors and misconceptions.

These are responded to effectively during lessons. However, the patterns of repeated errors are not always identified and addressed in pupils' work. This sometimes leaves insecurities in pupils' knowledge.

The school has made sure pupils understand the high expectations for their behaviour. These are underpinned by the school's values and are taught well. Pupils readily respond through the school's 'rainbow' level system.

They are always 'ready to learn' and strive for 'outstanding' behaviour every day. Pupils are proud when they 'clip off' their peg and when they are awarded a golden peg in assembly.

The school aspires to develop an inner moral code that pupils use outside school and later in life.

The provision for pupils' personal development supports this. Through assemblies, stories, events and the curriculum, pupils learn about diverse cultures and their changing local community. Pupils are developing a good understanding of different religions.

They talk about equality and explain how fundamental British values link with the school values.

The trust knows the school's strengths and has clear systems for ensuring the continued drive towards high standards. Staff are proud to be part of this.

They highly value the focus on their expertise and the extensive support they receive. At the same time, they say their workload and well-being are thoughtfully considered.

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 has not ensured that pupils' misconceptions and errors are addressed consistently well. This can sometimes cause insecurities or lead to emerging gaps in pupils' knowledge. The school should identify common or repeated mistakes and ensure that pupils' misconceptions and important errors are resolved effectively.

• For a few pupils still at the earlier stages of gaining fluency with reading, the school has not ensured that they practise reading with books at the right level of difficulty. Occasionally, reading books are too difficult for these pupils to read with enough accuracy to make sense of what they are reading. The school should ensure that reading books are appropriately matched to these pupils' phonics knowledge and fluency so they can become confident and fluent readers.