Hillside Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Hillside Junior School feel happy and safe. They enjoy their school community, show respect for each other, and are kind.

Pupils get along well with their peers. They know how to raise any concerns they might have, such as by speaking to trusted adults or using their class 'worry boxes'. This helps to ensure pupils are kept safe at school.

Pupils benefit from the school's wider offer. They take part in a range of additional activities, including fencing, rock band and Spanish. Pupils develop their leadership skills by taking on additional responsibilities, such as school council members or well-being ambassadors.'

Team leaders' contribute to the run...ning of the school and take pride in these roles.

The curriculum pupils learn is ambitious. This enables many pupils to do well, including in national assessments where outcomes are in line with what is achieved nationally.

However, the school's ambitions for some pupils are not high enough. For example, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) or who are at the earlier stages of learning English are not sufficiently supported. As a result, some of these pupils are not securely prepared for the next stage of their education.

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

The curriculum matches the breadth and ambition of what is expected nationally. Across subjects, leaders have set out precisely what they expect pupils to learn. This is sequenced so that pupils revisit and embed their understanding over time.

For example, in geography, pupils learn simple map skills, before moving on to learn about environmental features. Older pupils draw on this knowledge to compare both local, European, and global contexts and how these have changed over time.

The curriculum is not consistently implemented.

Assessment is not used systematically to check that pupils understand key ideas and vocabulary before moving on. As a result, misconceptions are not routinely identified or swiftly addressed so that learning builds successfully. This means that some pupils, including those with SEND and who speak English as an additional language, do not develop sufficient knowledge and skills to achieve the aims of the curriculum and be well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils enjoy reading and read each day. Careful consideration has been given to how chosen texts enhance what is learned in the broader curriculum. The school has an established phonics curriculum for pupils at the early stages of reading.

Books are matched to the sounds they know. However, gaps in pupils' reading knowledge are not addressed quickly and effectively enough. This means that these pupils are not sufficiently supported to read accurately or fluently and are not fully prepared for their next stage in education.

The school has processes in place for identifying pupils with SEND. Staff are provided with information and guidance about pupils' needs. However, the expectations for pupils with SEND are not sufficiently high.

Staff are not adequately trained to ensure that teaching and resources are adapted appropriately. This means, at times, the support that pupils receive limits what they can achieve independently.

Pupils' wider personal development is well considered.

For example, pupils are taught to stay safe, including when online and learn about the importance of democracy in lessons and assemblies. Pupils visit culturally important landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament, to deepen their learning.

Pupils display respectful behaviour towards one another in lessons and during informal times.

Bullying is rare and pupils know that adults address it if it does occur. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and lessons are rarely disrupted. Weekly 'achievement assemblies' celebrate pupils who have demonstrated the school values.

Pupils attend well and arrive on time.

Staff feel supported by leaders and know that their well-being is considered. Parents and carers are supported with resources, in a range of home languages, to support their children with homework.

Governors review aspects of the school's work. However, leadership oversight has not been as strategic and precise in relation to the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning, including for pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils, including those with SEND, who speak English as an additional language, and those at the early stages of reading, are not sufficiently supported to achieve the aims of the intended curriculum. As result, they do not secure requisite knowledge or understanding and are not suitably prepared for the next stage of their education. The school, including those responsible for governance, should ensure their oversight of school effectiveness is more sharply focused on how well the curriculum is implemented and its impact on pupils' learning, especially for those who are more vulnerable.

• Assessment information is not used consistently to adapt teaching. As a result, the support given to some pupils is not sharply focused on addressing the misconceptions or gaps in knowledge they have. The school should ensure that assessment information is used consistently to help pupils to develop knowledge and skills across the curriculum.

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