Harefield Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the close-knit community at Harefield Junior. Pupils are kept safe and included here.

The school's values of happiness, compassion, respect and teamwork underpin all activities at the school. Pupils enjoy celebrating events from around the world such as Anzac Day, World Culture Day and Black History Month.

Staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour that are consistently applied.

Pupils understand and follow routines. This ensures learning is not disrupted and movement around the building is calm and safe. Pupils trust their teachers to listen to them.

At breaktimes, pupils are sensible and sociable. They are happy and confident an...d engage well with each other, members of staff and visitors.

Pupils are expected to do their best and achieve well.

They work hard and produce work of good quality in different subjects. Pupils are confident in lessons and understand that making mistakes are good learning opportunities. Pupils appreciate the regular enriching cultural experiences they access such as visits to the theatre, museums and galleries.

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

The curriculum matches the scope and content of what is expected nationally. In most subjects, leaders have identified what pupils need to learn and when. Important subject content is structured in a logical order, so pupils learn key concepts that enable them to understand more complex knowledge that follows.

For example, in science, pupils sort everyday objects such as buttons according to similarities such as colours and number of sides. Older pupils apply this approach to classify different animals into their groups such as mammals, insects or birds based on their features.

There are some areas of the curriculum that are less well designed.

In these instances, the skills, vocabulary and knowledge leaders expect pupils to learn have not been clearly identified. Staff do not consistently focus on the important ideas in these areas. As a result, pupils do not develop a secure body of knowledge in these subjects and are less well placed to learn new knowledge.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. In most subjects, staff make appropriate adaptations to tasks and activities. This supports pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum.

However, this is not consistent. On some occasions, the adaptations made do not reflect pupils' needs. In these instances, pupils are less well supported to learn and remember more of the planned curriculum.

Reading is prioritised. Staff check pupils' reading. This ensures any those who need additional support and practice are swiftly identified.

Highly trained staff offer well-targeted support. As a result, these pupils often make rapid improvements in their reading. Across the school, pupils develop as confident and fluent readers who are well placed to access the curriculum in different subjects.

Behaviour across the school is calm and orderly. Pupils listen respectfully to each other and their teachers. This is because leaders have developed a strong and consistent approach to managing behaviour.

Pupils are taught about feelings and can readily describe how they influence their behaviour. This helps them to regulate their emotions and calm down when they need to. Pastoral care is a strength of the school.

There has rightly been a strong focus on supporting and improving pupil attendance.

The school's work to enhance the development of pupils' character is exceptional. Through the curriculum, assemblies and educational visits, pupils are helped to develop their understanding and appreciation of spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of life.

For example, pupils learn to understand differences in the world because of the wide experiences provided by the school. These include visits to different places of worship.

The school provides extensive opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests.

For example, a significant number of pupils represent their school in sporting events and competitions. Sports coaches supervise sports at lunchtimes and ensure access for all. Every pupil learns a musical instrument and performs at the annual whole-school concert.

Those responsible for governance have an accurate understanding of the strengths and priorities of the school. Leaders provide ongoing training and support. As a result, staff feel well supported to implement the curriculum and to manage behaviour.

This means staff work efficiently and effectively.

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, the important knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to learn have not been precisely identified.

This means in these areas, staff do not consistently focus on the most important ideas. As a result, some pupils do not secure the foundational knowledge they need to access more complex learning. The school should identify the key knowledge they want pupils to know and remember across the curriculum.

• The adaptations to tasks and activities made for pupils with SEND are not always effective. This means pupils are not consistently supported to know and remember more of the curriculum over time. The school must ensure that any adaptations reflect pupils' needs and starting points.