Three Trees CofE Junior Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

There are significant concerns at this school. Leaders do not have high enough expectations of pupils.

Pupils do not always behave well. There are many incidents of poor behaviour, particularly during lunchtimes. This leaves some pupils feeling unsafe.

Some staff do not feel well supported when managing pupils' behaviour. Leaders have not made sure that pupils are always safe and well supervised when playing outside. They have not done enough to safeguard pupils who are at risk of harm.

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are not achieving as well as they should. Pupils with SEND do not r...outinely receive the support they need.

Most pupils show respect to adults and have good relationships with their peers in lessons.

However, teachers do not consistently challenge instances of low-level disruption in some classes. Pupils say there is bullying and name calling. Leaders do not always deal with this effectively.

Pupils are aware of the behaviour rewards system. Many enjoy earning house points, which they record in their pupil passports. They gain these points by displaying the Christian values of the school.

However, not all pupils understand the importance of respecting other people, including those who are different to them.

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

The progress that leaders have made to improve the school since the previous inspection has been too slow. Leaders are not ambitious enough for all pupils.

They have not ensured that the curriculum identifies the knowledge pupils should learn and when in all subjects. Teachers do not check well enough what pupils do or do not know. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should across a range of subjects.

Where this is the case, they are not prepared for their next stage.

Reading is not taught effectively. There are too many pupils who cannot read fluently.

Pupils do not have the opportunity to read every day. Teachers are not trained to deliver the phonics programme well enough. Pupils' reading books are not routinely matched to the sounds they are learning.

Pupils at an early stage of reading do not always receive the support they need to become confident readers.

The planned curriculum for mathematics is stronger. In this subject, leaders carefully consider the order in which pupils learn mathematical concepts.

Teachers frequently check what pupils can remember. They identify gaps in pupils' mathematical knowledge and remedy these. Teachers address misconceptions well.

Pupils' achievement is stronger in this subject.

Teachers do not routinely consider the additional needs of pupils with SEND. They do not always adapt how they teach so that these pupils receive the support they need.

Most parents and carers who shared their views are concerned that the school does not meet their children's needs.

Leaders provide some opportunities to support pupils' personal development. Pupils have enjoyed taking part in 'young voices' and 'dance in the forest' performances.

Lunchtime clubs, such as cooking, computing and origami, enable pupils to develop their interests and talents.

Pupils learn to understand how others' views may differ from their own. Staff encourage pupils to develop resilience.

Pupils learn about healthy lifestyles and staying safe online. However, the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is not taught consistently well. Pupils do not have a good understanding of positive relationships, for example.

Not all pupils understand how they should treat each other respectfully. They do not routinely uphold the school's values of 'courage, creativity, joy, perseverance and respect' in how they behave.

Most staff say they are proud to work at the school.

However, the morale of some staff is low. Some do not feel supported with their well-being or workload, particularly concerning the behaviour of pupils.

Although governors know the school well, they do not fully understand their roles, nor do they fulfil their statutory responsibilities in relation to keeping pupils safe.

Leaders have begun to bring about improvements, including to the teaching of reading and the curriculum. They recognise, however, that there is still much to do to ensure that all aspects of the provision are sufficiently ambitious for their pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders do not always identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Some pupils say they do not always feel safe at school. They worry about frequent incidents of unsafe behaviour.

Some pupils do not feel confident to report incidents. Some, for example, do not tell staff if other pupils touch them inappropriately. They accept that 'it happens' here.

When pupils do report incidents, leaders do not always act effectively enough to keep pupils safe.

Some staff do not receive appropriate safeguarding training. Not all staff act correctly when they have a concern about pupils' welfare.

Leaders do not always record the actions they take in response to safeguarding concerns. They do not communicate with parents promptly about safeguarding concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The systems and procedures to safeguard pupils are not effective.

Leaders do not manage safeguarding concerns consistently well. This can leave pupils potentially at risk. Leaders should urgently ensure that all staff understand and fulfil their safeguarding responsibilities, so that pupils receive the right support to help keep them safe.

• The new curriculum for the teaching of phonics is not yet embedded. Not all pupils become confident readers quickly enough. Leaders should ensure that the teaching of reading is effective in enabling all pupils, including those at an early stage of reading, to read fluently.

• Across most subjects, leaders have not identified precisely what pupils need to learn and when. Where this is the case, pupils do not routinely achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that there is clarification about what should be taught and when in all subjects, and that teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills to support pupils to know and remember more.

• Leaders have not established rigorous systems to assess and provide support for the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should ensure that all pupils with SEND receive appropriate support so that they achieve well in all subjects.

• The approach to managing pupils' behaviour is inconsistent. Staff do not always respond effectively to incidents of bullying. There are too many instances of poor and inappropriate behaviour.

This leads to pupils feeling unsafe. Leaders should make sure that there is a consistent and effective approach to managing behaviour, to eliminate poor and inappropriate behaviour, so that pupils feel safe. ? The PSHE curriculum is not taught consistently well.

Not all pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that all pupils receive high-quality opportunities to learn how to be responsible and respectful citizens. ? Governors do not fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively in relation to safeguarding.

They do not hold leaders to account well enough. As a result, they do not ensure that all aspects of the school's provision are the best they can be. Leaders should make sure that governors have the necessary knowledge and skills to fulfil all aspects of their roles effectively.

• Not all parents feel that leaders listen and respond appropriately to their concerns. They are not confident that leaders will resolve their concerns, including those around the provision for pupils with SEND. Leaders should ensure that there is effective communication between school and home, to instil in all parents the confidence that that their children are receiving appropriate support to be safe and to achieve well.

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