Noremarsh Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have an over-generous view of the quality of education. They have brought about changes to the design of the curriculum in some subjects.

However, leaders have not identified the key knowledge they want pupils to know and remember across the curriculum. There are a number of subjects, including reading, that remain underdeveloped.

Many pupils behave well.

They are polite and respectful. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They know that adults will help them if they have any worries or concerns.

Pupils feel safe. At times, low-level disruption occurs when learning is not closely matched to pupils' needs. When this happens, pupils become disenga...ged and lose focus.

Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of pupils' conduct. Some pupils do not take pride in their work.

Leaders support pupils to develop as responsible citizens.

School ambassadors organise charity fundraising events so that they can support those in need. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They talk positively about the wider opportunities they receive, including the range of after-school clubs that are available for all pupils.

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

Leaders are passionate about developing a love of reading. There are a range of opportunities for pupils to read different genres and listen to stories. Leaders have recently adapted the approach to teaching reading.

They have delivered training to help staff understand the new approach. However, there is not an effective approach to teaching reading for older pupils. Pupils who struggle to read do not read books that match their needs well.

In guided reading, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, pupils do not progress as well as they should through the reading curriculum.

Leaders have developed a clear approach for teaching mathematics.

Pupils spoken to say that they enjoy the subject. Leaders have identified gaps in pupils' knowledge. Adaptations are made to learning in order to address these.

However, some pupils struggle to find equivalent fractions because they do not know their times-table facts well. Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding, and some pupils do not have the opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve problems. This hinders the progress pupils make through the mathematics curriculum.

Adults support pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs well. Some teachers are able to adapt learning for pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to enable them to access the curriculum alongside their peers. However, some pupils' individual learning needs, including supporting them to read, are not well met.

Targets for some pupils lack precision or do not match the provision that is in place.

Some leaders are new to their areas of responsibility. As a result, they have not yet carried out checks on the implementation of the subject they lead.

Their focus is to develop a well-sequenced curriculum. However, in some wider curriculum subjects, leaders have not identified the key knowledge they want pupils to know and remember. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge well over time.

In history, pupils have a limited understanding of chronology and how this relates to the periods of time they are studying. In geography, some pupils struggle to name the countries and capital cities of the United Kingdom. Leaders do not have an accurate understanding of what pupils have learned previously.

Leaders ensure the provision for pupil's wider development is carefully considered. Pupils learn about the importance of British values. Pupils respect each other for their individuality and uniqueness.

They have a secure understanding of different relationships. They say they would not tolerate any type of discrimination. Pupils enjoy the opportunities they get to develop as leaders, including ambassadors, librarians and sports leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that all adults in school are well trained so they can identify possible signs of abuse. There are clear procedures in place to record and report concerns.

Leaders act quickly to secure the support pupils and families need. They are relentless in their efforts.

Leaders ensure that the necessary checks are made to ensure that adults who work or volunteer in school are suitable.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. They say that there are adults in school who they trust to help them if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The reading curriculum is not well sequenced or ambitious.

Expectations of what pupils, including pupils with SEND, can achieve are not high enough. As a result, pupils do not build knowledge well or reach ambitious end points. Leaders need to ensure that there is a clearly sequenced reading curriculum so that all pupils can read well and fulfil their potential.

• In some subjects in the wider curriculum, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. This means that pupils do not build their knowledge well over time and there are gaps in what they know. Leaders need to identify the knowledge they want pupils to know and remember and then check their understanding.

• Teachers do not have consistently high expectations of pupils' attitudes to learning. Consequently, some pupils do not take pride in their work and lose focus. Teachers must have high ambitions so that all pupils can produce high-quality work and achieve well across the curriculum.

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