Holtsmere End Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Holtsmere End Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and treat each other with respect. They enjoy engaging lessons. Pupils feel safe around school.

There is always a member of staff they feel comfortable talking to. Pupils trust staff to help them sort out any friendship issues.

Pupils rise to the high expectations teachers have of them.

They take pride in the work they produce. In most lessons, pupils have lots of opportunities to extend and deepen their learning. They receive helpful guidance when there is something they have not understood.

Those who find reading more difficult are supporte...d to improve.

Most pupils behave well. Any pupils who exhibit more challenging behaviour are supported to make positive choices.

This ensures that classrooms are calm environments where pupils' learning is rarely disturbed. Pupils are listened to, and they understand how their own behaviour can impact others. As a result, pupils do not have concerns about bullying.

Pupils enjoy a range of experiences that support their wider development. These include performing at The O2 arena and residential trips. Pupils develop leadership skills and learn about caring for the environment through clubs such as the eco-committee, where they get to feed the birds and plant new things.

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

Leaders have constructed an ambitious curriculum that covers a broad range of subjects. They have carefully considered what pupils already know and what they need to know to be well prepared for secondary school. For example, in art, pupils develop skills in shading that prepare them for observational drawing.

Leaders have planned the curriculum so that pupils can contextualise learning and connect important knowledge. For example, pupils learn about slavery from a historical perspective while also learning about Africa in geography.

Teachers provide clear explanations and use helpful examples.

They constantly check pupils' understanding. Teachers provide guidance if pupils are finding things difficult, or additional challenges to help pupils practise using new knowledge. Consequently, in most subjects, pupils achieve well and produce high-quality work.

In a few subjects, this is not done as effectively, so pupils' needs are not as well met. Teachers' subject knowledge is less developed, as subject leaders have had less time to provide guidance to staff and tailor the curriculum.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs precisely identified.

Leaders work with pupils and parents to plan the adaptations pupils need. Leaders regularly review how well these are working. Consequently, pupils with SEND are well supported by staff to successfully access the same learning and curriculum as others.

Most pupils read confidently and have developed a love of reading. They look forward to changing their books in the school library, and are inspired by trips to bookshops. However, some pupils who cannot read fluently have joined the school.

Leaders have addressed this by training staff and by ensuring they deliver a consistent approach to teaching phonics effectively. Pupils who need it receive well-targeted support and teaching to help them with their reading. This helps them to read with greater accuracy and understanding.

As pupils find lessons interesting, any incidences of disruption are rare. Leaders have carefully identified how best to support pupils who have more complex needs. Teachers use this information to support pupils to manage their emotions effectively and make positive choices, so that everyone can learn.

Leaders provide high-quality personal development opportunities. Pupils learn how to be accepting of differences. They get to visit different places of worship and learn about different faiths.

They learn about democracy and how to be leaders through the student council. Staff run interventions, such as 'Circle of Friends', to further support pupils' specific needs.

Leaders make decisions with staff's workload and well-being in mind.

Most staff are positive about recent changes to the assessment policy and feel well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff are regularly updated on topical safeguarding themes, and that staff receive regular training, so they can identify any concerns.

Leaders take effective follow-up action where concerns are raised, and record this so they can spot patterns. They further support pupils by working effectively with social workers and other external agencies when necessary.

Leaders ensure that recruitment processes follow the latest guidance to ensure that adults are suitable to work in schools.

Pupils are taught about risks, such as with regard to online safety. They have a range of staff they are comfortable reporting any worries to.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of foundation subjects are not as developed as others.

In these subjects, staff do not have the same level of subject expertise and are less able to tailor the curriculum to pupils' specific needs. Leaders need to ensure that staff have the subject knowledge and expertise to deliver the planned curriculum effectively in all subjects.Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2013.

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