Mount Stewart Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish in this nurturing and supportive school. They feel proud to be a member of the Mount Stewart 'family'.

Staff work in very close partnership with parents and carers and the community to deliver a positive experience for pupils.

The school develops pupils' knowledge and confidence through a broad and balanced curriculum. Pupils achieve well in their learning.

This is because the school has high expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils have exemplary attitudes to learning.

They listen attentively..., are highly motivated and show respect and kindness towards adults and each other. They feel safe and that there is always an adult to talk to if they need advice.

The school develops pupils' independence and character.

Leaders want pupils to be resilient and reflective. The school's motto of 'Inspire, Achieve, Learn' is central to this. All pupils are offered an extensive range of leadership responsibilities, for example by being on the student council or becoming a reading champion or subject ambassador.

Pupils also appreciate the many clubs they can choose to attend. These include chess, choir, robotics and football. Leaders ensure that all pupils can take part in these activities.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including pupils with SEND. Leaders have thought carefully about the subject content that they want pupils to learn. The curriculum is carefully sequenced so that pupils' knowledge builds up step by step, through the years.

For example, in Year 3 science, pupils start learning about the topic of electricity. By Year 6, they can talk confidently about more challenging aspects, such as 'areas of resistance'.

Pupils with additional needs are identified and supported well.

This means that they are able to access the same curriculum as their peers. For example, staff create resources that allow pupils to structure their writing more effectively. In addition, there is a strong focus on the teaching of specialist vocabulary in all subjects.

Pupils use words and definitions from well-designed glossaries to make their responses more detailed.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. This is because leaders have put in place effective training and guidance.

Teachers explain ideas clearly. They design activities that help pupils to remember and practise what they have learned. For example, in mathematics, older pupils can explain what they have studied previously, such as bar charts, and connect this to new learning.

Sometimes, however, checks on pupils' understanding do not identify pupils who have not fully grasped the knowledge being taught. Where this is the case, pupils do not consistently develop a deeper understanding and apply their learning in different contexts.

Leaders prioritise reading all the way through the school.

It is at the heart of the curriculum. The teaching of phonics is structured so that any pupils who may be struggling or who have arrived new to the country are able to read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they are learning. This means any gaps in their knowledge are rapidly addressed.

The school exposes all pupils to texts with a rich range of vocabulary, which they can then use in their own writing. Reading for pleasure is promoted across all year groups. Diversity is celebrated through a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts.

The school has established an age-appropriate and exceptional programme to support pupils' personal development. Teachers explain sensitive topics, such as body image and healthy relationships, with care. Pupils are taught how to keep safe, including online.

Staff encourage pupils to debate a wide range of topics and to consider other points of view. Leaders ensure that pupils can visit places that enrich their understanding of the curriculum. In older years, pupils get the opportunity to experience an exceptional residential programme with the opportunity to go to outdoor activity centres and France.

Leaders have robust systems for ensuring that pupils attend school regularly and on time. They work with families and other agencies to ensure that pupils' welfare is carefully monitored. As a result, pupils have high attendance.

Staff are exceptionally positive about working at Mount Stewart. They appreciate the many professional development opportunities on offer. Governors care deeply for the school and fulfil their statutory responsibilities well.

They hold leaders to account for the quality of education at the school but also consider staff welfare. Parents are very positive about their child's experiences at school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the implementation of the curriculum does not enable pupils to deepen their learning and secure their understanding as well as it could. This means that pupils' knowledge of important subject content is not as developed and embedded as it could be. The school should ensure that it builds on its current offer to ensure staff have the training and expertise required to deliver the ambitious curriculum consistently and effectively.

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