John Jamieson School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

John Jamieson School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending John Jamieson School.

Staff are very caring and supportive. Parents and carers appreciate the help staff give to them and their children. Staff understand and support pupils' individual needs well.

Pupils are safe and happy. One parent summed up the views of many when stating, 'Getting the provision just right for my daughter feels like a real partnership between us and school.'

Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive.

Pupils know staff will look after them and help them to learn. Leaders have high expectations for pupils to ...achieve well and be prepared for adult life.

Pupils behave well.

They are respectful of each other's needs and engage effectively with learning. They have very positive attitudes to education. Staff support pupils in managing their emotions so that they learn over time how to become more independent.

Bullying is rare. If there is any bullying, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by staff.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and meets the needs of all pupils well.

Leaders are clear about the skills and knowledge that pupils need by the time they leave school. Pupils follow different curriculum pathways based on their requirements.

Teachers break down learning into small steps to match the needs of pupils.

As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum in most subjects. However, in mathematics, it is not always clear how teachers break down knowledge into logical steps.

Staff know pupils well and can respond quickly if they become anxious.

Staff are respectful towards pupils and enable pupils to make choices. Staff use consistent and effective methods for communication, such as the use of symbols. Staff provide effective support so that pupils develop their language and communication skills well.

Teachers select curriculum content that reflects pupils' interests. As a result, pupils engage in learning well. Staff effectively model what pupils need to learn.

This allows pupils to see and hear correct performances for them to reproduce.

Staff teach reading well. Those pupils who are identified by staff as falling behind are supported well to catch up quickly.

All pupils access books at an appropriate level. The books chosen are relevant and interesting to pupils and match what they already know.

Staff regularly check pupils' progress and communicate this to parents.

Leaders ensure that targets on pupils' education, health and care (EHC) plans are known and understood by all staff. This ensures that pupils with EHC plans are supported well.

The school's personal development programme is comprehensive.

Pupils have an age- appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They enjoy the wide range of enrichment opportunities that the school offers. These include going to a gym and experiencing a variety of trips and visits.

Some pupils are involved in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Others enjoy gardening clubs and other outdoor activities on the school grounds. These opportunities have been more limited during the pandemic.

Older pupils benefit from a careers programme that prepares them well for the world of work and adult life. Work experience opportunities are readily available. Pupils develop important team-building skills and learn to look after themselves.

Careers provision for younger pupils is less well developed. Pupils are taught about different faiths, religions and cultures. However, pupils find it difficult to recall what they have been taught.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Staff value the support leaders give them. Staff appreciate the high-quality professional development that they receive.

Leaders consider staff's well-being and their workload. Governors challenge leaders to continually improve the quality of education for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff understand the important role that they play in keeping pupils safe. They understand how to report concerns to the school's designated safeguarding leader (DSL) when they have concerns about pupils' welfare.

Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate and regular safeguarding training. Leaders ensure that appropriate and timely actions are taken when there are concerns about pupils' safety. They work well with a range of external agencies to provide support to pupils and their families.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both off and online. Pupils are confident to speak to an adult in school if they have any worries or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In mathematics, it is unclear how teachers should break down learning into key components.

This is limiting pupils' understanding of mathematical methods. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders clearly identify the steps for learning in all subjects. ? Pupils find it difficult to remember what they have been taught about different religions, faiths and cultures.

This is because teachers do not effectively check that pupils understand the meaning and value of what has been taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers effectively check that pupils remember and understand what they have been taught in these aspects of the curriculum. ? Younger pupils do not have a sufficiently broad careers curriculum.

This limits their understanding of future choices in education, employment or training. Leaders should ensure consistent careers provision across the whole school.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 or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2017.