Kensington Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Kensington Junior Academy is a welcoming and friendly school.

Pupils live up to the school's values of 'inspire, believe and achieve'. They are confident learners who are proud to be part of the school community. Pupils feel happy and safe here.

The school has high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils behave well. They are polite and well mannered.

They strive to earn the class mascots for displaying their positive learning behaviours. Pupils are collaborative, resilient and curious learners.

Pupils are respectful and understanding of others.

One pupil, typical of many, said, 'We are all different and that should be celebrated.' The pas...toral support is a strength of the school. There is a strong sense of family at the school.

Pupils know that there is always a trusted adult to talk to if they need to.

Pupils enjoy a range of clubs on offer to them, such as badminton, gardening and music. Pupils are proud to be members of the junior leadership teams.

Older pupils are on hand to help younger pupils on the playground. The well-being team loves contributing to anti-bullying assemblies. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously.

They make a positive contribution to school life.

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

The school has great ambition for its pupils. It has developed a well-planned and ambitious curriculum, which links to three big questions.

This helps pupils to understand where they belong, what makes them unique and how they can make a difference. For each subject, the school has devised sequences of lessons that build up pupils' knowledge. In core subjects, such as reading and mathematics, teachers ensure that pupils recall and remember what they have learned in the past.

They also connect this to new learning. Pupils build their knowledge over time and achieve well. In a small number of subjects, pupils are less secure in their knowledge.

The links to prior learning are less well developed. This is because, in some subjects, it is too soon to see the full impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning.

Reading is central to the school's work.

Pupils understand the importance of reading. The school has a strong reading culture. The books that are provided for pupils to read are well matched to their reading ability.

This means that pupils develop a love of books and read widely and often. When necessary, pupils receive extra support to ensure that they catch up quickly. Pupils love receiving raffle tickets for reading often.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. Skilled staff provide support and adapt their teaching to cater for pupils' needs. The school ensures that pupils with SEND are quickly identified.

The school provides a wealth of support for pupils with social and/or emotional needs. For example, staff who are trained in providing emotional support help pupils to discuss their feelings and find strategies to cope.

Pupils are kind and considerate to each other.

They know the school rules and understand how important it is to behave well. Classrooms are calm environments, meaning that pupils can learn without distraction.

Pupils learn an effective programme of personal development.

The taught curriculum includes friendships, keeping healthy and how to celebrate each other's differences. Pupils talk confidently about British values, such as democracy and respect. While pupils learn about different faiths and cultures, their knowledge of these is fragile.

The school provides a variety of trips to enhance pupils' learning. These include trips to the Eden Project, National Justice Museum and the seaside. Pupils develop their talents, for example, in learning to play the violin and viola.

They have raised money for charities and help out in the local community.

Staff at the school feel valued. They know that school leaders consider their workload and well-being.

They are proud to work at the school. The trust, governors and school leaders work well together. The trust has played an integral part in securing improvements in the school.

The governors act as critical friends. The school works closely with parents and carers to ensure that the school remains at the heart of the community.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's strategies for helping pupils to retain knowledge over time are not yet sufficiently effective. As a result, some pupils cannot remember well enough what they have learned in the recent past and in previous years in some subjects. The school should ensure that the curriculum builds pupils' long-term memory so that they remember more of what they have learned and can better apply past knowledge to new learning.

• Some pupils do not have an accurate understanding of different religions and cultures. This limits how well pupils are prepared for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that the wider curriculum enables pupils to learn about different communities, faiths and beliefs so that they are fully prepared for life in modern Britain.