Hunter’s Bar Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hunter's Bar Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to Hunter's Bar Junior School. They live up to the high expectations set by staff. Pupils' high levels of attendance and positive attitudes to learning are exemplary.

The school's mission of 'learning for life' begins when pupils join the school. Parents and carers, staff and pupils hold the school in high regard.

The school is ambitious for pupils' achievement.

Leaders at all levels provide a high-quality academic and pastoral curriculum. Pupils achieve well. The school's values of being '...respectful, responsible and resilient' foster a true sense of belonging.

Pupils are keen to earn a certificate in assembly or a team gemstone for demonstrating the school values. They feel safe. Pupils learn about how the brain regulates emotions.

They know a range of strategies to help them manage their different feelings.

The school helps pupils to develop their talents and interests. There is an exceptional number of clubs, including cricket, crochet and running.

Pupils participate regularly in high-quality personal development opportunities, such as working with local charities. Pupils also have the chance to create and run their own clubs. Pupils look forward to performing the annual production in a local theatre.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious and well thought through. It has clearly defined what pupils should learn from Year 3 to the end of Year 6. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), progress through the curriculum very well.

It is constantly adapted and refined to meet the needs of pupils. Pupils achieve consistently high standards. Many exceed the expected standard for their age in national tests.

National outcomes for writing are not as strong as other results. The school has recognised this and taken prompt and decisive action. The school quickly changed its approach to teaching writing to give pupils more opportunities to write independently at length.

Consequently, these actions are enabling pupils to write at a high standard across a range of subjects.

The curriculum sets out the key knowledge that pupils will learn. It is enhanced with a range of visits and visitors to the school to give pupils first-hand experiences, such as visits by astronomers or visiting the Leicester Space Centre.

Staff ask precise questions to check pupils' understanding and address any misconceptions. Teachers are adept at re-shaping learning so that pupils achieve success. This approach to teaching allows pupils to complete work independently and effectively.

Teachers use a range of strategies to ensure pupils learn and remember new vocabulary. In Year 3 history, pupils learn the word monument using a range of local and international images. This approach helps all pupils to achieve well.

The school has prioritised promoting pupils' love of reading. Pupils access a wide variety of high-quality books throughout the school. Staff use stories to enhance the curriculum.

For example, Year 6 pupils recall the breadcrumbs in 'Hansel and Gretel' to help their understanding of navigational pathways in computing. The school has introduced a phonics scheme to support the weakest readers. Weaker readers receive effective additional support.

Pupils catch up quickly on the knowledge and skills they need to be fluent readers.

Pupils' attendance has remained high. The school knows families well.

This strong partnership with parents means families receive precise support. As a result, pupils' attendance continues to increase.

The personal development programme is well planned to meet the needs of pupils.

They are taught a range of well-being and calming techniques. Pupil mental health leaders share these resources with every class. Pupils say that these help them to feel better in themselves.

Each year group has a community focus. In Year 5, pupils learn about refugees and link up with a local support agency. Pupils value others from different faiths and cultures.

The school's value of being respectful spreads through all areas of school life. Pupils are keen to take on extra responsibilities, such as being a school or sports councillor.

The school provides an extensive range of professional development opportunities for all staff.

Those responsible for governance provide support and professional challenge. Staff value the time leaders give them to focus on developing the curriculum. As a result, teachers have strong subject knowledge in all areas.

Staff are proud to work at the school. A member of staff, reflecting the views of many, said that the school helps them to become 'innovators' so they can help all children achieve their very best.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in October 2018.

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