St Paul’s and All Hallows CofE Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are kind and supportive here.

They encourage pupils to be compassionate, brave, friendly and wise. They also emphasise the importance of forgiveness. These are values which pupils know and discuss with confidence.

Leaders have created a curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils that attend the school, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders expect pupils to do their best, and they support pupils to do so.

Leaders have particularly high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

They support pupils to meet these expectations at all times. As a result, pupils are kind to each other, happy at school and co...nsistently polite. They interact with their peers and with adults with respect, courtesy and warmth.

Leaders organise many clubs and activities to expand pupils' interests and knowledge of the wider world. All pupils are taught to play competitive chess. Leaders run popular clubs, including vet, eco and football.

Pupils also contribute to decisions about the school. For example, leaders organised a new gymnastics club following a request from the pupils' parliament.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for pupils.

In most subjects, leaders know what they want pupils to learn and when pupils will learn it. They ensure that pupils learn and remember the curriculum in these subjects throughout their time at the school. For example, in mathematics, leaders have created and selected resources that enable pupils to build their mathematical knowledge over time.

In a few subjects, leaders are supporting subject leaders to refine their curriculum thinking further.

In most classes, teachers present information to pupils clearly and in a logical order. Teaching identifies what pupils need to know, and teachers provide pupils time to improve their work if necessary.

For example, in preparation for a concert, music teachers instructed pupils in Years 5 and 6 to play a musical scale on the guitar. Teachers identified the exact notes that pupils needed to practise further. Pupils practised these notes.

They were then well prepared to play a piece of music using the notes of this scale. In a small number of subjects, while subject leaders' curriculum thinking is clear, it is not consistently reflected in classroom teaching. Occasionally, this is because teachers' subject knowledge in these subjects is not as strong as it could be.

Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND work towards the same curriculum as their peers. They identify the needs of pupils with SEND well. They also guide and support teachers to adapt their curriculum successfully for these pupils.

Leaders identify all pupils who require additional support to read with increased fluency and confidence. They implement a well-organised phonics programme for all pupils who need it. This helps pupils to catch up with their peers.

Pupils' behaviour around the school and in classes is excellent. Leaders make their expectations of pupils very clear. Staff uphold these high expectations in ways that pupils find fair and consistent.

This leads to an environment where pupils can focus on learning in class without interruption.

Teachers provide pupils with regular opportunities to discuss topics such as growing up and making the right decisions. Teachers support pupils to explain their thoughts with increasing maturity and articulation.

Leaders also organise a wide set of extra-curricular opportunities for pupils. For example, pupils go on outings to museums and to the local area. All pupils learn to play the guitar.

Leaders show determination to continue developing all aspects of the school's work. Staff appreciate the training that they receive. They are supportive of leaders.

This is because leaders are mindful of staff's workload and respond to any concerns that staff raise. Those responsible for governance scrutinise leaders' work and provide challenge when necessary. For example, they ensure that staff treat all pupils equally.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have excellent professional relationships with pupils and their families. This means that parents and carers and their children readily turn to leaders if they require help or support.

Leaders ensure that all staff are appropriately trained to identify pupils that may be at risk of harm. For example, staff are aware of the specific local risks that pupils may face. Leaders provide mental health support and counselling services in school for pupils who need it.

Leaders work well with external agencies to provide support for pupils and families where necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders' curriculum thinking does not have sufficient clarity with regard to the body of essential knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn and the order in which they want pupils to learn it. In these subjects, pupils do not know and remember and cannot do as much as they could.

Leaders should ensure that all the specific knowledge and skills that pupils need are identified and clearly sequenced so that pupils successfully build their curriculum knowledge over time. ? In a few other subjects, teachers do not teach the curriculum in line with leaders' intentions. Sometimes teaching does not address pupils' misconceptions as frequently or as well as it should.

This leaves gaps in some pupils' knowledge and makes it difficult for them to build up their knowledge and understanding in a coherent way. Leaders should ensure that the intended curriculum in these subjects is taught in line with curriculum plans. They should also make sure that teachers have the appropriate subject knowledge to teach these subjects as effectively as possible.