Northfield Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Northfield Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Northfield Junior School is a 'warm and caring learning environment'. It is a place where pupils' needs are nurtured.

They relish the social times they share with their friends. As one parent commented: 'I love that my child is seen as an individual.'

Every pupil is known by all staff.

Pupils know that adults will listen to their ideas and opinions. They trust adults will take good care of them. Albie, the school therapy dog, is on hand to help pupils to talk about emotions and feelings.

The many roles and responsibilities pupils hold help them to understand an...d prepare for potential risks they may face. Pupil 'online safety champions' inform fellow pupils and parents and carers about how to stay safe online. The health ambassadors run mindfulness activities.

The school councillors proudly present badges to peers who have lived up to the school's values. Everyone has a role to make the school the best it can be.

Pupils enjoy the well-considered range of clubs and visits that the school offers.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) enjoy West End theatre visits and take part in residentials alongside their peers.

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

The school is ambitious for all its pupils, regardless of their starting points. Every pupil, including those with SEND, receives a broad and balanced curriculum that goes beyond just the academic.

Pupils typically achieve well.

The school's curriculum is logical, ambitious and well sequenced. It ensures that pupils can recall key knowledge in an ordered way.

Staff receive training to develop their expertise to deliver this curriculum. For example, after considering Ofsted's subject report for geography, staff received further training on the fieldwork aspect of the subject. Teachers use a variety of checks to help pupils to recall the school's curriculum.

Occasionally, some activities that pupils are asked to complete, or resources staff use, do not help pupils to recall the key knowledge that the school intends.

Every lesson starts with pupils remembering and recalling information and knowledge. It provides teachers the opportunity to check for any misconceptions.

This helps to ensure the foundations of learning are secure in readiness for the next lesson and beyond.

Reading is at the centre of the school's curriculum. Most lessons require pupils to read and infer meaning from the text.

The school ensures that pupils who are at the early stages of reading are provided with regular support to bridge any gaps in their reading development. For pupils with SEND, this key knowledge is broken down further into small, manageable steps. This enables them to overlearn key skills such as sounding out unknown words.

Most pupils receive reading books that are well matched to their level of development.

The school has worked hard to ensure that pupils develop a love of learning. This helps pupils to foster positive attitudes towards schooling and education.

Rates of attendance are high. The school strives to support families that may need help to get their child to school.

The school's culture for behaviour is built on its values.

It is an integral part of the curriculum. Lessons are calm and orderly. Pupils learn to take responsibility for their own behaviour.

The school's wider personal development provision is well considered. It includes, but extends beyond, sports and the arts. There is a strong focus on pupils' mental health.

Links established with local universities have presented the school with clubs that promote science and technology. Pupils enjoy writing letters to international schools in Bangladesh and Kenya. Visits and visitors are closely linked to the school's curriculum.

Occasionally, pupils do not demonstrate a clear understanding of language relating to a range of world faiths and religions.

Governors and staff are proud of their school. They feel that the school has a strong 'culture of support'.

Staff appreciate the opportunities they receive to develop their professional knowledge. Governors provide timely support and challenge for the school. The majority of parents who expressed a view through the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, would recommend the school to others.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, activities or resources teachers use do not help pupils to recall more of the subject. When this happens, it slows learning.

The school should ensure that the activities pupils are asked to complete help them to recall the essential key knowledge. ? Sometimes, pupils do not demonstrate a clear understanding of language relating to a range of world faiths and religions. This means they are not as well prepared for modern British society as they could be.

The school must continue its work to ensure that all pupils have a meaningful and secure understanding of different religions and faiths in modern Britain. The school must ensure that pupils are able to use accurate and appropriate language when talking about religion and faith.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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2015.