Widcombe CofE Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Achievement is outstanding. Pupils enthusiastically follow the school's vision of 'being the best you can'.

They receive excellent support and guidance to enable them to achieve this goal. All pupils make rapid progress from their varying starting points. The standards reached by pupils at the end of Key Stage 2 exceed national averages and are continuing to improve still further.

Teaching is outstanding. Teachers are highly skilled and form very positive relationships with pupils. Pupils are very enthusiastic to learn and concentrate well in lessons.

Teaching assistants support learning very effectively. Activities with... individuals or small groups are very well planned and work well to increase the progress of pupils who find some aspects of their learning difficult. Pupils are given excellent guidance from adults so that they know clearly how to improve their work.

In a small number of classes pupils would benefit from more time to act upon the very useful advice that teachers give them. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Her relentless drive for excellence has ensured that the school has become even more effective than at the last inspection.

The headteacher is well supported by other senior leaders who have a very clear vision for continued improvement. Middle leaders, some of whom are new to their role, work effectively to improve the quality of teaching through very focused guidance to less experienced teachers. Behaviour is outstanding.

Pupils are keen to come to school and to learn. They get on well with each other and with the adults in school. Pupils are polite, well mannered and sensible.

Pupils are very safe in school because of the outstanding care and guidance they receive. Bullying is very rare and pupils know what to do if they are concerned or worried. The school provides a very broad and stimulating curriculum.

The school has acted on the suggestion made in the last inspection report and now has a very well organised programme of spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance, respect and global diversity and are very well prepared for the next stage in their education. The headteacher and senior leaders have developed a very effective system for monitoring pupils' progress, identifying areas for improvement and then providing excellent professional development for all staff as it is required.

Governors are highly effective at providing both challenge and support for the school. They know the school well and ask well-informed questions. This probing of the school's provision supports the capacity for sustained improvement.

Parents are very pleased with the school. A very large majority of parents would recommend this school to others. Almost all say their children are happy, kept safe and are well behaved at school.

Information about this school

This is an average-sized junior school. The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for children in the care of the local authority and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals) is much lower than the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs on the school roll is about 9%.

A similar proportion have more severe needs or have a statement of special educational needs. This is lower than that found in most schools. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The school meets the government's floor standards, which set minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics in Year 6. Two pupils attend Three Ways Special School in Bath on a part-time basis for one or two days each week. Another child attends L'Ecole Française de Bristol for one day each week.

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