Hartford Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Hartford is a school that is on its way up.

It is more than ten years since the predecessor school was last judged to be good. After a series of 'requires improvement' judgements, the school is now good once again. This is as a result of the effective leadership provided by the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and other leaders.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils, staff and of themselves. They want every pupil to do as well as possible during their time at Hartford. Leaders make sure that pupils get the support they need to be successful.

This is particularly true for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school has in...vested in two additional teaching groups, which are known as 'hubs'. The hubs provide well for the specific individual needs of pupils with SEND.

Pupils like coming to school. They enjoy the range of subjects that they learn about and the tasks that they are given to do. Pupils are not worried about bullying because it does not happen very often.

They know they should tell a member of staff if someone bullies them. Pupils are confident that staff can sort things out quickly, if necessary.

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

Leaders have done a great deal to improve the school's curriculum.

Suitable plans are now in place in almost all subjects. It is clear what pupils will learn, and when, in most subjects. There is work still to do in computing, design technology and music.

In these subjects, it is not completely clear when specific skills and knowledge will be taught.French is at an earlier stage of development. Teachers' subject knowledge is not as strong in French as in the rest of the curriculum.

This limits their ability to teach the subject effectively. The school is working with the trust's languages leader to improve provision in this subject.The school introduced its 'apprenticeships' programme a couple of years ago.

Every pupil is a member of an apprenticeship group, focused on an area of work, that meets every three weeks. Staff arrange visits and visitors to teach pupils about the jobs in each area of work. For example, pupils in the 'law and justice' group go on a visit to a court and work with a local police officer.

Pupils start learning to read in their infant schools. This school carries that learning on well. By the time they leave the school, most pupils are able to read fluently and with good understanding.

Teachers share a range of high-quality books with pupils, including some classics and some that are more modern.Teaching has improved in many ways. For example, teachers now notice straightaway when pupils have not understood something.

They explain things again, or give pupils alternative help, so that they get the hang of things as quickly as possible.

Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are similar to other schools across the country. Pupils with SEND make good progress from their own starting points.

Pupils also learn about a full range of other subjects. Teachers return to this learning regularly to ensure that pupils remember what has gone before as they move on to something new.

Pupils behave well and follow the instructions they are given.

Pupils are keen to learn, and they listen carefully during lessons. Pupils are able to concentrate and are rarely disturbed by the behaviour of others.

Pupils are taught to treat other people equally and fairly.

This is a day-to-day part of how the school works. Staff take opportunities to reinforce messages about equality whenever they can. For example, during an assembly about classical composers, the headteacher asked, 'What about all this makes me uncomfortable?' Pupils throughout the hall were keen to answer.

One spoke for all by saying, 'They're all men and you don't like that. It's sexist'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school has a strong system to ensure that only suitable people are allowed to work with pupils. All necessary pre-appointment checks are carried out promptly and systematically. Leaders ensure that staff get the regular safeguarding training they need.

As a result, staff know the possible signs of abuse and neglect to be alert for. They know how to report any concerns and do so promptly. The school's designated safeguarding leads understand their role well.

They take appropriate action, when necessary, to protect children. Pupils feel safe at school and they say that the staff look after them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects.

However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken to plan next year's curriculum and train staff in how to deliver it that they are in the process of bringing this about. . Progression of skills and knowledge is not as clear in computing, design technology and music as it is in other subjects.

Curriculum documents for these subjects show what will be taught in general terms. However, they do not show what specific skills and knowledge will be taught, when they will be taught, and how they will be built on. .

Although work has been started to improve French, and it is now taught regularly in all classes, this is a weaker area for the school. Teachers do not have the subject knowledge they need to teach French well. Planning for French is now in place, but this is under review and is not yet fully developed.

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