Ibstock Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ibstock Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff agree that everyone is welcome at this community school. People are treated as individuals and staff take the time to get to know each pupil.

Pupils say, 'Everyone is encouraged to be themselves here; we don't allow discrimination.' Pupils love coming to school, and many attend every day. Attendance is a priority for the school.

The majority of parents and carers confirm that their children enjoy school, that they are happy and that they are challenged by the interesting lessons.

The school is det...ermined that all pupils will achieve well. Staff take the time to understand the individual needs of each pupil.

They have made sure that learning is interesting and fun and that all pupils are engaged. Overall, most pupils achieve well. When achievement dips, the school is quick to put support in place.

Pupils behave well. They listen carefully and love to join in with the many rhymes and chants that they learn to help them remember important knowledge. The school has taken the time to teach pupils about the difference between bullying and falling out.

Pupils learn how to play together to fix friendship problems. They know that they can tell adults if they have any worries at all.

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

The curriculum has been planned carefully to include the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn.

Lessons are designed to make sure that this is revisited often. Pupils summarise their learning at the end of each lesson, which helps them to recall what is important. Key vocabulary is taught, chanted, displayed and revisited to make sure that it is remembered and understood.

Across the curriculum, staff use appropriate resources to help pupils understand new concepts. For example, in mathematics, pupils use different objects to help them understand fractions. They learn the correct mathematical vocabulary, such as numerator and denominator.

Teachers notice when pupils make errors in lessons and use these opportunities to help pupils learn from their mistakes.

The school prioritises reading. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read get focused support with phonics.

Staff teach pupils the skills they need to be fluent readers. They make sure that every pupil has the opportunity to practise their reading.

Pupils talk confidently about the skills they have been taught in some subjects, and how practising these helps them to be successful.

For example, they learn how to use speech marks correctly before including them in a longer piece of writing. However, in some areas of the curriculum, pupils are not taught the necessary skills before being expected to use them. For example, in art and design, pupils sometimes need to apply painting techniques that they have not yet mastered fully.

The school quickly identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers make sure that adaptations support all pupils to access the curriculum, for example by providing pupils with structured support for writing tasks.

Pupils appreciate the many enrichment opportunities that the school provides.

They are proud to be subject ambassadors and to be voted in as representatives on the pupil parliament. Older pupils enjoy acting as role models on the playground, leading games for younger pupils. Pupils have a good understanding of the protected characteristics and know that people have a right to be who they want to be.

Pupils particularly enjoy welcoming representatives from a variety of faiths to their school. They appreciate the many school visits, including the trip to a forest and the botanical gardens. They enjoy taking part in many clubs and sporting activities, such as hockey and multi-sports.

Governors know the school well. They visit the school to meet with subject leaders and find out about challenges and achievements. Governors make sure that pupils are at the centre of any decision-making.

Staff trust leaders and know they take their well-being into consideration. Staff appreciate being part of a team and know that their views count.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of the curriculum, such as art and design, and design and technology, pupils are sometimes not taught the necessary skills or given time to practise these before being expected to apply them. This means that, in these subjects, pupils do not always have the necessary skills and knowledge to carry out more complex tasks. The school should ensure that teaching introduces and builds key skills and knowledge before pupils need to complete more complicated activities.

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 to be good 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2016.

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