Leavesden JMI School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Leavesden JMI School are happy, safe and have a nurturing environment in which they thrive.

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They like the range of subjects and reading books on offer as well as the space they have within the school grounds. Pupils are supported by the kind and caring community of staff.

They understand that there are high expectations set for them to achieve well and learn how to behave appropriately. This ensures that pupils try their best and look after each other. Pupils describe their school as a community where there are lots of staff to help them.

Values such as respect, responsibility, kindness and resilience are a key focus i...n the school. Understanding them and having opportunities to use them in their day-to-day school life contribute towards the pupils learning to become responsible citizens in the future.

Pupils know who to report a concern to, feeling assured that staff listen to them to decide how best to help.

Bullying and discrimination are rare. Pupils treat each other with respect and kindness. They recognise differences in a positive way.

Pupils learn to keep safe, including online, and they learn how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils. Most subject plans detail the knowledge pupils need.

These have been carefully considered and aligned to the national curriculum. However, there are a few areas of the curriculum where this is not fully developed. As a result, where this is the case, some teachers are less clear about what to teach and when.

Leaders have made learning to read a priority. Appropriate training and support allows staff to teach the agreed phonics programme well. This includes regular practice of the sounds letters make to ensure pupils recognise, remember and can use them accurately when reading.

Timely checks on what pupils know mean that those pupils who struggle to learn to read receive the additional support they need to keep up. Books match the sounds pupils are learning. This helps pupils foster a love of reading, and, consequently, they learn to read confidently and fluently.

In English, mathematics and some foundation subjects, teachers effectively check what pupils know. The work set for pupils is carefully matched to their needs. This ensures pupils move successfully on in their learning.

In a few areas of the curriculum, assessment is in its early stages of being developed.

In early years, leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills younger children need to be prepared for the key stage 1 curriculum. Children are curious and happy; they are keen to engage with adults.

They access and use the activities provided with sustained concentration, and this enables them to use and apply new knowledge and skills in their learning.Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. The recent set up of a nurture provision provides some pupils with the additional support they need to support them to access the curriculum.

Leaders have trained staff well to use strategies that help pupils with SEND to focus and learn, completing work appropriate to their stage of learning. This ensures that pupils with SEND learn well across the curriculum and alongside their classmates.

Leaders closely check that the behaviour policy is implemented consistently by all staff.

Pupils have a secure understanding of how leaders expect them to behave. Pupils do their best to follow the rules. They know the consequences.

This contributes towards a positive, respectful environment with rarely any disruption to learning.

The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is based on the values leaders promote. It teaches pupils how to form safe, respectful relationships.

Pupils learn about British values through assemblies and PSHE lessons. Pupils are given the opportunity to share their thoughts about topical issues. Pupils have the chance to develop their leadership skills.

For example, they become play leaders. This supports them to develop their roles as responsible citizens. Leaders are working to widen these opportunities so that more pupils benefit from a range of roles within the school.

Staff speak highly of the support and training they receive. Leaders are mindful of staff workload.

Governors regularly visit the school.

This helps them to know more about the school, and governors check what they find out against what leaders have told them. Governors hold leaders to account well. Equally, they fulfil their statutory duties, for example those linked to safeguarding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a comprehensive system to identify pupils who need early help or are at risk of harm. Staff undergo sufficient, regular training.

It helps them to be confident and knowledgeable about how to report concerns that arise.

Leaders swiftly seek the help and support that pupils need using a range of external agencies. Leaders, including governors, oversee safer recruitment practices.

It ensures that adults in school are suitable to work with pupils.

Pupils learn about how to mitigate risk. The talk confidently about what is safe, respectful behaviour.

They instinctively identify trusted adults with whom they can share concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some areas of the curriculum, the knowledge that pupils need to learn before they move on in their learning is not as clearly set out as it is in other areas. Leaders should ensure that the full curriculum clearly outlines the content pupils need to be taught so they are well prepared for the next stages of their education in all areas of the curriculum.

• Assessment across the curriculum is developing and is in its early stages in some subjects. Leaders should ensure that the assessment for all subjects is implemented and understood so teachers can better assess the taught content. Doing so will ensure that pupils do not develop gaps in the knowledge leaders want them and need them to know.

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