Pocklington Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Pocklington Junior School everyone works together to create a happy, safe and friendly place to learn. The school has improved over the past three years.

Respectful relationships and leaders' clear expectations mean that pupils behave exceptionally well. Pupils enjoy learning and do not want to miss a moment of time in school.

Teachers make learning interesting.

Pupils practise and remember what they have learned in a wide range of subjects in the classroom and in extra clubs. They enjoy and achieve well in mathematics. However, some pupils do not feel the same about reading and some find reading tricky.

Playtime is a special time of the day. Exci...ting activities provide further opportunities for learning. For example, pupils create recipes together in the mud kitchen, keep active on scooters, or use their imaginations to make their own games.

Pupils know exactly what bullying is. Pupils, staff, parents and carers agree that there are very few incidents and when there are, they are quickly sorted out.

Parents are delighted about the quality of education on offer.

Comments such as, 'I am thrilled at the direction the school is going in' and 'fantastic learning in class and at playtime that really brings out the best in children' are common place.

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

School leaders have worked with other schools in the trust and beyond to improve the curriculum. They have set out clearer expectations of what teachers will make sure that pupils know in each year group.

The curriculum extends beyond academic goals – it prepares pupils well for their lives ahead.

Pupils achieve well in mathematics. They use their mathematical knowledge to solve problems in other subjects.

Lots of practice at adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing helps pupils to gain confidence and speed when answering questions.

A new programme in science helps pupils to improve their knowledge. Pupils were keen to tell us everything they had learned about the effects of exercise and eating habits on their bodies and health.

Teachers know exactly what pupils can do because of the effective ways they check on pupils' learning.

Other areas of the curriculum are at varying stages of development. Pupils' knowledge in some subjects, such as music and computing, is not as strong.

Leaders are still improving the planning and resources in these subjects.

Leaders have identified that reading needs improvement. Teachers give pupils lots of practice at finding information in texts.

Pupils have got better at this. However, plans for exactly what pupils will learn and when are not as detailed in reading as they are in other subjects. This means that activities do not always build quickly enough on what pupils already know.

Some pupils start school unable to read well. The headteacher's daily one-to-one phonics sessions are exactly what the few lowest-attaining pupils need to get better at reading. Lessons use the same structure that has been introduced in the infant school.

However, there are a few pupils who do not have the same strong support that they need to catch up quickly. Leaders have identified that they need to have more staff trained to teach early reading.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given the right care and direction to help them achieve well.

Sessions in the 'Bloom Room' help pupils to practise and remember what they have learned in different subjects.

Pupils say behaviour is excellent and we agree. Pupils know they are valued and want to do their best.

They behave just as well at breaktimes as they do in lessons. They show great respect for each other and school resources. They move calmly and sensibly around school without reminders.

Pupils rarely miss a day at school.

The school values are very well understood by everyone. Pupils learn about the joys, opportunities and risks in the world.

They know about and value different relationships.

A well-informed and knowledgeable governing board works closely with school and trust leaders to check that pupils are safe and achieve well. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They feel valued, listened to and supported by leaders to do their job well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders take the safeguarding of pupils very seriously.

They have very thorough procedures in place to make sure that staff knowledge is up to date. They constantly look at ways to improve the systems they have in place. They know what the risks in the local area are.

They plan the curriculum carefully so that pupils understand these dangers. The needs of vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND are carefully considered. Leaders carry out regular surveys to check that everyone knows how to keep safe.

A recent survey has led to additional lessons to make sure that all pupils know how to keep safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

A few pupils do not read as well as they should. There is less clarity about the curriculum in reading than there is in other subjects.

Leaders should make sure that the curriculum for reading is amended to include more detail about expectations of what pupils will know throughout the year. Younger pupils in particular need plenty of opportunities to read aloud. Staff need further training in how to help pupils who are still learning to read.

More focus should be given to developing and sharing a love of reading. . The school's curriculum is not yet well sequenced in all subjects.

However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. They have identified that curriculum leaders will need training and support to carry out their roles effectively. Senior leaders need to ensure that curriculum leaders use secure knowledge of national and school curriculum expectations in their subject to check that pupils are achieving as well as intended.