Thelwall Community Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Thelwall Community Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school where pupils can be themselves and let their character shine through. Pupils here embody the 'Our Thelwall' key responsibilities. For example, they are honest and respectful towards each other and they are proud of their work and their school.

Pupils are warmly greeted by staff at the school gates every morning. They are happy.

The school sets high aspirations for pupils' achievement.

Most pupils meet these expectations well. The high-quality support that pupils receive, including pupil...s with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), gives them the very best chance to succeed.

From Year 3 to Year 6, pupils engage fully in their lessons.

Their positive attitudes mean that there is rarely any disruption to their learning. Pupils rightly trust adults to deal quickly with any concerns that arise.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to access a variety of clubs and other activities that further extend their talents and interests.

They talked enthusiastically about attending hockey, coding and choir clubs. Pupils in every year proudly perform in their much-coveted end of year show at a local concert hall. Visitors to school and carefully planned trips bring learning to life and broaden pupils' horizons.

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

Since the new headteacher was appointed, there have been many changes to the curriculum. Staff throughout the school have embraced these changes and speak highly of the consideration shown to them by the school with regard to their workload and well-being.The school has refined the wider curriculum so that it is crystal clear about the knowledge that should be delivered and in what order.

The curriculum is ambitious for all, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Staff are well trained to deliver lessons in a clear and fun way that engages and supports pupils' learning. This includes careful adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can learn alongside their peers.

In English and mathematics, staff have built recall sessions into their lessons to ensure that pupils remember what they have learned in the past. However, in some foundation subjects, pupils are not supported as effectively to make connections with their prior learning. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge, and new learning does not consistently build on what they already know and remember.

During lessons, staff make careful checks of pupils' understanding. In most subjects this means that they can identify and address pupils' misconceptions effectively as they arise. However, in a minority of foundation subjects these checks are not as purposeful as they could be.

This means that staff do not always know how well pupils are learning and understanding the intended curriculum.

The phonics programme is taught well. Staff are alert to any children who may need extra help to learn sounds and the letters that they represent.

Staff act swiftly to ensure that pupils receive well-tailored and effective support. As a result, most pupils develop into fluent and confident readers.

The additional needs of pupils with SEND are recognised swiftly.

The school's positive relationship with the infant feeder school means that there are effective systems in place to share essential information. This means that pupils' additional needs can be well met from the very start of their time in the school.

Recent changes to the behaviour policy have raised the school's expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Pupils fulfil these expectations. They move around the school sensibly and safely. They are friendly, courteous and confident to engage in lively discussion.

The school prioritises maintaining high attendance. It takes rigorous actions to address any dips in pupils' attendance.

Pupils benefit from a very well-thought-out offer for personal development.

They know about different faiths and cultures and are highly respectful towards others. Their awareness about local and global events is developed through a weekly news focus.Pupils are encouraged to develop their leadership skills through taking on roles such as school councillors, mini police or head boy and girl.

As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Governors are well equipped to oversee the school. They offer appropriate challenge and support to help the school continue on its journey of improvement.

All stakeholders have been keen to prioritise the relationship with the feeder infant school. This helps to create smoother transition and greater consistency in learning for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, teachers do not support pupils to recall and build on their prior learning sufficiently well. On occasion, this prevents some pupils from having sufficiently secure foundations on which to build new learning. In these remaining curriculum areas, the school should develop strategies to ensure that pupils embed knowledge successfully into their long-term memory.

• In some foundation subjects, the school's systems for checking how well the curriculum is being implemented are underdeveloped. As a result, staff do not have a sufficiently secure understanding of how well pupils are learning new knowledge and information. The school should ensure that it establishes systems that show the impact of the curriculum on pupils' learning 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2015.