Staveley Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staveley Junior School is a vibrant and inclusive school. The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well.

Pupils understand the school motto: 'Dream, Believe, Achieve'. Staff talk to pupils about what it means to have specific learning and life goals and keep trying to achieve them. Pupils say this helps them to know the meaning and importance of being resilient.

Pupils are respectful to each other. They talk with knowledge and understanding about difference and discrimination.

Pupils immerse themselves in play at breaktimes.

The school supports their independence with 'outdoor play and learning' (OPAL) activities. Pupils say they know the ru...les and how to be safe with equipment. They build dens, navigate large objects and organise their own games.

They say this makes breaktimes exciting and helps them be creative. Behaviour during social times is good because pupils are so engaged in play.

The school supports pupils to lead activities in school.

They have many roles such as anti-bullying ambassadors and sports leaders. Pupils thrive from these opportunities. They confidently describe how they help friendships and provide games for their friends.

Pupils are happy and proud to attend Staveley Junior School.

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

The school ensures pupils regularly read. It has implemented a scheme that supports pupils to acquire knowledge securely and develop their skills in phonics.

Also, the school uses digital reading programmes to good effect to help pupils read. Some of these are specific for pupils who have fallen behind the school's expectations for their age and stage of development. Staff check closely how well pupils are doing and use this information to address gaps in pupils' understanding.

The school's approach is enabling pupils to make rapid gains in their learning in reading, including those with special educational needs and/ or disabilities (SEND).

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum in a broad range of subjects. The school has sequenced it so that pupils have opportunities to revisit previous learning to help them to remember important knowledge.

Nevertheless, in some subjects the curriculum is less precise about the knowledge that the school wants pupils to learn. Sometimes pupils cannot always remember everything staff have taught them. The school is focusing on ways in which it can support pupils to connect key knowledge across different subjects.

This is so that pupils can deepen their understanding of concepts and knowledge across the curriculum much better.Pupils are positive about their life at the school and their lessons. They speak with enthusiasm about a range of subjects and how adults are helping them to learn and improve.

The school works closely with parents to try to ensure that pupils attend every day. Pupils' attendance is improving. The school works hard to be consistent about behaviour expectations.

Staff occasionally need to remind pupils to focus during lessons and move calmly around the school. Pupils respond well when these reminders happen.

Parents and pupils value the extensive support the school provides for them.

This includes pupils with SEND. Parents say this support is helping all pupils flourish. The school provides workshops that help parents to support their children's development on a range of topics, for example on aspects such as promoting positive behaviour at home and securing their children's health and well-being.

The school provides programmes of support to pupils who struggle with their confidence. Pupils feel able to speak to adults about their concerns.

The school promotes personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) well.

The school invites visitors in to talk about being safe at school and in the community. Pupils can talk about relationships and being healthy. They can describe ways to keep themselves safe, including when learning online.

The school ensures that pupils develop an understanding of different beliefs people have. They know the importance of respecting different cultures.

Staff appreciate the recognition leaders have for balancing their workload.

Staff value the professional development they received to help refine their teaching practice. This includes teachers early in their careers.

Governors understand their roles and responsibilities.

They check safeguarding is effective. They consider and act upon parents' and pupils' views about school. This helps the school prioritise strategies for improvement.

For example, this has helped to shape the support the school provides for pupils with SEND. The school has systems in place to check the impact of the improvements it is making.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not yet specified all aspects of the knowledge, unique to different subject disciplines, that pupils must learn. This means that in some subjects pupils are not learning and remembering important disciplinary knowledge. The school must ensure disciplinary knowledge is clear for each year group in each subject.