Jessie Younghusband Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Jessie Younghusband Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is extremely ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabled (SEND).

There is an inclusive and positive culture that supports all pupils well. Trusting and warm relationships with staff mean that pupils feel safe and happy in school. Pupils know if they have any worries or concerns an adult is there to help them.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are polite, kind and well mannered. They know the school's values of 'aspire, respect, enjoy' and encompass these in their school life and beyond.

Pupils are kee...n to learn. They listen and concentrate well in lessons. These strong attitudes to learning start in Reception Year and continue across all years.

They achieve well overall.

There are many opportunities for older pupils to take on roles of responsibility such as house captains and digital and assembly leaders. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about school trips to the British Museum, whole-school trips to the cinema and their residentials.

They are eager to take part in the whole-school production of 'The Jungle Book'. Older pupils appreciate being able to learn Japanese. Pupils spoke proudly of the opportunity to earn badges for representing the school at a variety of different events.

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

The school has high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. They have constructed a curriculum that is broad, relevant and exciting. It is well sequenced and progressive and has clear expected outcomes for every year group.

From Reception onwards, particularly in reading, mathematics and science, pupils build securely on the knowledge that they have previously learned. Pupils in Year 4 are able to talk about their prior learning of data collection in Year 3. They can explain how that is helping them with their current work.

The school prioritises the learning of subject-specific vocabulary in all subjects. For example, through their study of art, pupils learn vocabulary such as primary, secondary and tertiary colours. Children in the Reception Year are able to explain their learning well.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They carefully check pupils' understanding, particularly in mathematics, science and English. Teachers recap pupils' prior learning to ensure there are no gaps.

In other subjects, teachers revisit current learning. However, this is not done consistently across the school. Consequently, in some wider curriculum subjects, learning does not routinely build on what pupils remember over time.

The school has high aspirations and prioritises reading to ensure that every pupil becomes a fluent reader. As soon as children start in the Reception Year, they start to learn phonics. Staff are experts in teaching phonics.

They regularly assess how pupils are progressing. This enables pupils to get the support they may need or to move on. Teachers ensure that pupils read books that match the phonics they know and remember.

As a result, pupils' outcomes in phonics, including those pupils with SEND, are exceptional. The school develops pupils' love for reading by making sure they listen to a wide variety of stories, through their book clubs and by taking part in the local book festival.

The school has high expectations for pupils with SEND.

They have put effective systems in place to identify any additional needs. Pupils' learning passports enable staff to skilfully adapt the curriculum when needed. Pupils with SEND are closely monitored and included in all parts of school life.

The school is a calm place to learn. All adults have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils do not let them down.

Pupils' lessons are rarely interrupted.

Pupils' personal development is at the heart of the school's work. Staff have strong relationships with parents and carers.

Pastoral support for pupils and families is a strength of the school. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum supports pupils from the early years to Year 6. Pupils learn about, for example, internet safety, well-being and relationships at an age-appropriate level.

This builds year on year and prepares pupils to deal with issues they may face in the wider world. In Year 6, for example, they hear from a banker about how to look after their money. The school builds on this visit to set Year 6 the challenge to organise an enterprise week and raise as much money as they can for their chosen charity.

The school is supported by knowledgeable governors who carry out their statutory duties effectively. They work well with leaders to ensure that pupils get a high-quality education. Staff appreciate the way that leaders help them maintain a reasonable workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• There are a few inconsistencies in the assessment of wider curriculum subjects. This means that on occasion, pupils are not always encouraged to remember and retrieve prior learning, knowledge and skills.

This results in gaps in pupils' learning. The school should ensure that in those subjects, staff are supported so that these aspects are addressed, and pupils consistently achieve well.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2019.

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