Stoke Park Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stoke Park Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone gets to know the school's values of respect, inspire, safe and engage (RISE). Pupils try hard to demonstrate RISE in all that they do during the school day.

Pupils benefit from the school's high ambitions and expectations. Pupils enjoy learning new things and explaining to each other what they have been taught. They achieve well.

Pupils behave well. The school is a happy place to be. Pupils enjoy attending and want to learn.

They have warm, mutually respectful relationships with everyone in the school.... Staff help pupils to recognise their emotions so that they can manage them successfully. Pupils show consideration towards each other.

A sense of kindness and care permeates the school. Social times are harmonious because pupils take care of each other and their environment. They enjoy playtimes and help each other to use the equipment provided for them.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to take on responsibility and support each other. This helps them to develop empathy for others. For example, 'pupil road safety officers' educate other pupils on the importance of road safety.

Pupils enjoy giving back to the school community.

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

The school has taken effective action to further improve the curriculum. There is a clear ambition for pupils, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Across all subjects, the school now identifies the most important knowledge pupils need to know and remember. The school sequences this knowledge in a logical order from Year 3 to Year 6. The school works effectively with the infant school to make sure that when pupils move into Year 3, their learning builds well on what they already know.

Staff display strong subject knowledge. This helps them to explain and model ideas well to pupils. The key vocabulary discussed with pupils in lessons helps them to understand more about what is being taught.

In most subjects, teachers check that pupils have understood what is being taught. They support pupils to address any mistakes or misunderstandings they may have. However, in a few subjects, sometimes teachers do not routinely check that pupils have gained the specific knowledge that is set out in the curriculum.

This inhibits pupils' learning some of the intended knowledge in these subjects.

The school quickly identifies pupils' individual needs. Adaptations in lessons for pupils with SEND are precise in reading, writing and mathematics.

This means pupils with SEND achieve well in these subjects. Although, in some wider curriculum subjects where the curriculum is newer, adaptations are not as sharply focused. Therefore, pupils with SEND achieve less well in these subjects.

The school prioritises developing pupils' knowledge so that they can read and write fluently. Pupils read widely and often. Extra daily practice supports pupils who need it to become fluent readers.

Staff teach pupils well to write accurate sentences using their knowledge of the sounds and the vocabulary they have been taught. Pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, use their reading and writing skills well to successfully access the wider curriculum.

Pupils focus well on their learning.

Staff consistently apply the school routines and procedures, based around the school's values. The school works effectively with parents and external agencies to help pupils who need support to improve their behaviour. For example, pupils learn how to adapt their behaviour in different situations successfully.

The school's work has significantly reduced the number of suspensions for poor behaviour. The school has also been successful in improving pupils' attendance, particularly for those who speak English as an additional language.

The school carefully considers pupils personal development.

Well-considered activities in assemblies and lessons develop pupils' awareness of the world around them. Pupils are taught about role models and how to challenge stereotypes. For example, each year Paralympians visit the school.

These activities help pupils to understand difference and what anyone can go on to achieve. Pupils also have opportunities to develop their character in other ways, for example through participating in the many clubs that are on offer. These include choir, basketball and science clubs.

Leaders' decisive actions mean the school has maintained and continues to improve standards in all areas of its work. Staff are positive about the school and the journey of improvement. There is a strong culture of staff sharing and helping each other.

Everyone works well together to make sure that changes impact positively on pupils. Staff value the actions taken to help them to manage their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

• In a few subjects, where the curriculum is still being embedded, assessment does not support pupils' learning sufficiently well. This means that pupils develop gaps in their learning that have not been identified or addressed swiftly enough. The school should support staff to routinely check pupils' understanding of the key content and then use this information to inform future teaching so these gaps in learning are closed.

• In some subjects in the wider curriculum, learning is not adapted well enough to meet pupils' specific SEND. This means that these pupils are not achieving as well as they should. The school should develop the expertise of staff in being able to adapt their teaching to meet pupils' needs in these subjects.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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