Westfield Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Westfield Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Westfield Junior School is a happy and inclusive school.

The school values of 'community, aspiration, responsibility, and excellence' permeate school life. Pupils are polite, kind and respectful to each other and adults. They feel safe in school.

Bullying is rare. When it does happen, staff deal with it effectively.

Pupils enjoy coming to school to see their friends and to learn.

They say that teachers make learning fun. Staff have high expectations and pupils work hard to reach these. Pupils behave well.

In lessons, they listen carefully and settle quic...kly. On the playground, pupils play happily together.

Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of extra-curricular experiences.

These provide opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and talents. They also support pupils' learning in lessons. In history, for example, a trip to Ely helped pupils to develop their learning about Oliver Cromwell.

Pupils also take on many responsibilities which contribute to the school community.

Parents think highly of the school. They appreciate that their children feel happy and enjoy many after-school activities.

A typical comment was, 'My child loves the school, the lessons, the teachers, their friends, the clubs, and the variety of learning.'

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

Leaders have implemented a carefully considered and ambitious curriculum. This sets out the important knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in which they should learn it.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They work together to plan lessons that will help pupils to learn well. Teachers choose appropriate resources to support pupils' learning.

In mathematics, for example, pupils use practical resources and games. These help them to develop their mathematical understanding.

Teachers check how well pupils are learning regularly.

This allows them to identify and address any misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge. Curriculum leaders visit lessons and talk to pupils to check how well the planned curriculum is being delivered. They use this information to make the curriculum even better.

Leaders promote a love of reading across the school. Pupils enjoy 'book club' and lunchtime reading sessions in the library. Here they can choose from a wide and diverse range of both fiction and non-fiction books.

Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they have read. There is a structured approach to teaching reading. Leaders choose texts carefully to expose pupils to a range of different cultures and genres.

A structured, systematic phonics programme supports pupils at the early stages of learning to read. Pupils read books that match the sounds they are learning. This helps them to develop their confidence and fluency.

Any pupils falling behind receive extra support to help them catch up. A small number of staff are not yet fully trained in delivering the phonics programme. Consequently, some pupils may not be progressing as quickly as they could.

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early. Skilled teachers and other adults ensure that these pupils get the right support to access the planned curriculum. Where necessary, teachers adapt the curriculum for these pupils.

Pupils' personal development is well supported. They enjoy a variety of school clubs. These include music, art and sport.

Pupils take part in sports competitions, such as for football. These experiences help to develop pupils' resilience. Many pupils hold positions of responsibility.

These include being members of the school council or eco-council, school ambassadors and play leaders. Such opportunities help to develop pupils as responsible citizens. Pupils learn to appreciate differences.

They are respectful of these and show understanding and tolerance of each other.

Governors know the school very well. They challenge leaders, hold them to account, and fulfil their statutory duties.

Staff enjoy working at Westfield and are proud to do so. They appreciate that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture. There are clear systems in place for identifying and managing concerns. Staff know pupils and their families well.

Staff receive regular and relevant training. This ensures they know how to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm and how to report these. Leaders ensure that they respond appropriately and promptly to any concerns raised.

They work closely with external agencies when required. Leaders ensure that all the required checks on new staff are completed and recorded. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when working online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of staff are not fully trained in delivering the phonics programme. They are not yet experts in all aspects of teaching phonics. This means some pupils may not be progressing as quickly as they could.

Leaders should implement their plans to complete training for all staff who teach phonics. This will ensure that all staff have a secure understanding of the phonics programme and are able to give the best possible support to pupils at an early stage of learning to read.

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 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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 in November 2017.

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