Wendover Church of England Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Wendover Church of England Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy studying a broad range of subjects.

They show interest and enthusiasm for their learning. Pupils work hard to achieve the high expectations that leaders and teachers have of them. They tackle new learning with concentration and a positive commitment to do well.

Pupils take a keen interest in their work and are not easily distracted from their tasks. They take great pride in their work.

The school's values of respect, reflection, responsibility and resilience are important to the pupils.

They strive to live by these values in their wo...rk and play. For example, pupils are respectful of one another, showing care and kindness. Pupils have no concerns about bullying.

They feel safe and looked after by adults in school. They say that any unkindness is rare, but when it does occur adults resolve it quickly.

Around the school, pupils conduct themselves well.

They move around safely and calmly, chatting to one another in a friendly manner. The school is a pleasant place to be.

Pupils are particularly proud of the work they do in the community.

For instance, they help out at the local 'dementia café', sing at the church and raise funds for a number of charities.

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

Leaders' ambition for all pupils is that they will flourish during their time at the school. They provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop curiosity, courage and compassion through the curriculum.

However, leaders have not communicated this vision effectively enough with parents and carers. A large number of parents do not feel that they are well informed about their child's learning or about the school's work. Parents are not always confident enough, therefore, about the work of the school.

Leaders have ensured a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum in most subjects. Pupils learn important knowledge and skills in a logical order. Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively.

They have strong subject knowledge and explain different concepts clearly. Teachers facilitate good discussions with pupils. They question pupils skilfully to explore their understanding and help deepen their thinking.

Consequently, pupils develop strong knowledge in most subjects. They are able to draw on their previous learning to help them tackle new and more complex work. They articulate their understanding of different concepts with confidence.

For instance, pupils in Year 6 were able to draw on a wide range of mathematical knowledge to help them solve algebraic equations. Pupils work hard and behave well during lessons.

However, leaders have not yet planned in enough detail what it is they want pupils to learn in some subjects such as art, and design and technology.

This means that sometimes teachers do not provide pupils with activities that build on what they know and can do already. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects.

Pupils develop a genuine love of reading.

They talk enthusiastically about the books they have enjoyed. This includes those read to them by their teachers. Teachers question pupils' understanding of their reading in depth, asking challenging questions.

As a result, pupils become confident readers. This also helps them to learn effectively in different subjects.

Leaders plan the extra support needed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) carefully.

They monitor and check that this support is working well. They make adaptations to their approaches where necessary. Leaders make sure that all staff receive appropriate training and are able to support these pupils effectively.

Leaders plan a range of opportunities that focus on promoting pupils' personal development. Pupils are taught to be compassionate for others. They are given opportunities to show this in action.

For example, pupils are actively involved in fundraising activities. They discuss and debate local and global issues. Pupils then take initiative to plan how they might help.

They are supported by their teachers effectively in this work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff have a strong understanding of their duty to keep all pupils safe.

All staff make the safety and well-being of pupils their number one priority. Leaders keep thorough records of their work to keep pupils safe.

Through the curriculum, leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe.

This includes sessions led by pupils from the e-safety club and the junior road safety officers. As a result, pupils are knowledgeable about protecting their own safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

While many improvements have been made to the curriculum in most subjects, the curriculum is not yet planned effectively in a handful of subjects.

Consequently, in these subjects teachers do not have a good enough understanding of what pupils have learnt previously to help them build on this. Leaders have identified this issue. Leaders need to ensure that the sequence of learning in subjects such as art and design and technology is planned coherently so that pupils learn and achieve the standards of which they are capable.

It is clear from leaders' actions that they are in the process of bringing this about. . Leaders have made a range of effective changes to the quality of education at the school.

However, too many parents feel that they are not informed well enough about the work of the school. School leaders should improve communication with parents so that parents are more knowledgeable and confident about what the school does for pupils.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Wendover Church of England Junior School to be good on 13–14 July 2016.

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