Ibstock Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Ibstock Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ibstock Junior School enjoy their learning. Lessons are exciting and fun. Pupils like playing with their friends and work hard throughout the day.

Leaders are ambitious and have high expectations for every pupil. They support and coach all staff so that pupils learn well in a wide range of subjects. This helps pupils to get ready for the next stage in their education.

Pupils value the range of trips that they experience and the variety of clubs they can attend. The chance to sing at a large concert in Birmingham with several other schools has been a wonderful experience fo...r pupils, staff and parents.

Staff make sure that pupils are safe in the school.

Pupils say that they feel safe and are confident that adults will quickly resolve any bullying that happens.

Everyone expects pupils to behave well in lessons and around the school. The school is a calm and purposeful learning space.

Pupils are polite and respectful. They are proud of the 'ACE' school values (achieve, collaborate, enjoy). One parent summed up the views of others saying, 'The team at IJS is ACE.'



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

Leaders are determined to ensure that the pupils at Ibstock receive a high-quality, rounded education. The whole leadership team, including governors, share this vision. Staff value the support and training they receive.

Reading is given a high priority at Ibstock Junior School and pupils achieve well. Staff are well trained to help pupils become accurate, fluent and enthusiastic readers. When pupils are struggling with their reading, they are given extra time to practise with an adult.

Pupils enjoy the quiz they take when they have finished their book.

This helps them to choose books that they will be able to read by themselves. The library contains a wide range of books to encourage the pupils to develop a love of reading.

The mathematics curriculum is carefully planned so that pupils build on what they already know. Pupils concentrate well in lessons and can talk about what they are doing using the correct vocabulary. Teachers have good subject knowledge.

They use this to present new information and explain it clearly. They check that pupils remember what they have learned over time. Pupils' work is of a good standard.

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum. Teachers plan work to build on what pupils already know. Pupils are beginning to make connections in their learning.

For example, pupils used mathematics skills to measure heart rates and calculate gravity. Pupils can often remember information that they learned previously. In one science lesson, pupils used their knowledge of food chains when they discussed what would happen if part of the chain was removed.

However, this is not consistent across the curriculum. In some subjects, pupils are not always able to make links between what they learned before and what they are learning now.

Pupils learn from rich and varied experiences.

Artistic, cultural and sporting opportunities are available to all pupils. Pupils study different religions and cultures, and go on trips to broaden their horizons. Leaders make sure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, can take part.

Pupils learn about how to keep their minds and bodies healthy. They know what to do if they get stressed. They say, 'You need to keep calm, read a funny book or go outside and get some fresh air.'



During my visit I saw how pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included and actively involved in lessons. Teachers carefully follow individual plans. They know what each pupil with SEND needs to learn next.

The expertise of leaders helps them. Pupils with SEND are well supported by caring and knowledgeable support staff.

Governors carry out their roles effectively.

They are knowledgeable about the school. They support leaders well and hold them to account to ensure that the good quality of education continues.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a culture of vigilance at the school. All staff are appropriately trained and know that it is everyone's job to keep pupils safe. Leaders act swiftly on all referrals raised by staff about pupils' welfare.

Leaders make all the required checks to make sure that adults are safe to work with children. Pupils learn how to keep safe in a variety of situations and value their visit to the Warning Zone.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have not made sure that pupils always have the chance to build on what they have learned before.

In some subjects, pupils cannot clearly remember what they have previously studied. Leaders need to ensure that strategies to recall knowledge are embedded and consistently applied so that pupils remember what they have learned across the curriculum.

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 a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Ibstock Junior School to be good on 2–3 March 2016.

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