Higher Bebington Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend Higher Bebington Junior School. They value the nurture and care that the school provides for them. Pupils benefit from positive and supportive relationships with the adults in school.

Pupils take pride in the wide range of leadership roles that they hold, such as acting as hall helpers at lunchtimes. They want the school to be the best that it can be. For example, pupils told inspectors that they are keen to preserve the school as a happy and enjoyable place for everyone.

The school has high expectations for what pupils can achieve. Pupils develop the self-belief and determination that they need to reach these ambitious goals and achieve wel...l.

Pupils show respectful attitudes to each other.

Social times are a hive of activity as pupils engage enthusiastically with the selection of pursuits on offer. Pupils learn to take risks, to communicate and to resolve conflict. They behave well.

Pupils feel that staff will listen to their views and opinions. The school uses pupils' views to shape the support that pupils receive and to enhance the range of experiences that are available. The school makes sure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make the most of the opportunities provided.

These include extra-curricular clubs such as sports, chess and choir.

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

Pupils, including those with SEND, learn an appropriately ambitious curriculum. The school sets out clearly what it wants pupils to know and remember in each subject.

In most subjects, the school skilfully supports staff to design learning that captures pupils' interest and supports them to learn the intended curriculum well. However, in a small number of subjects, staff are not as well equipped to design learning for pupils. In these subjects, from time to time, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

The school ensures that teachers are adept at using assessment strategies to check on what pupils know, remember and can do. Teachers use assessment information to adapt future learning based on pupils' prior knowledge. The school ensures that teachers support those pupils with gaps in their knowledge to catch up quickly.

As a result, pupils deepen their understanding of concepts as they build their knowledge successfully over time.

The school has appropriate systems in place to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND swiftly and accurately. Staff skilfully adapt their delivery of the curriculum to meet these pupils' needs.

For example, teachers break learning down into small steps that enable pupils to learn with success. Pupils with SEND receive the support that they need to learn well alongside their peers. In addition, the school carefully considers how to best develop pupils' confidence and independence when designing support for them.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading and the opportunities to listen to books being read aloud by staff. Staff carefully choose books to reflect a range of different cultures and backgrounds.

Pupils benefit from having a broad selection of high-quality books to choose from in the well-stocked library.

The school quickly identifies those pupils who find it hard to read. These pupils receive the help that they need to catch up quickly.

Staff ensure that pupils read books that are carefully matched to their phonics knowledge. This helps pupils to develop their fluency and confidence in reading.

Pupils' wider personal development is a priority for the school.

Pupils' in-depth knowledge of fundamental British values prepares them well for their next steps. Pupils respect the views of others, even when they differ from their own. They said that the school rules, 'ready, respectful and safe', are reminders of how they should conduct themselves inside and out of school.

In the main, pupils focus well on their learning and classrooms are seldom disrupted. Nevertheless, on a small number of occasions, the school's expectations for some pupils' attitudes to learning are not as high as they should be. When this happens, these pupils do not learn as well they could.

The school shares useful information with parents and carers. For example, parents are kept up to date on their children's rates of attendance. This helps parents to understand the importance of regular attendance so that their children do not miss out on important learning.

Governors have the knowledge that they need to check on how the school's actions impact on the quality of education that pupils receive. Those responsible for governance support and challenge the school when necessary.

Staff said that they feel valued by leaders.

They appreciate the school's consideration of their well-being and workload when they make changes to the curriculum. Staff are positive about the support that they receive from leaders to carry out their roles 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 a small number of subjects, the school does not ensure that staff are suitably equipped to design learning consistently well. Where this is the case, pupils find it harder to build upon and deepen their learning over time. The school should ensure that staff receive the support that they need to deliver curriculums with confidence and expertise.

• On a small number of occasions, the school's expectations for some pupils' attitudes to learning are not high enough. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that the expectations for pupils' attitudes to learning are consistently high across the school.

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