World’s End Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

World's End Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at World's End Junior School are enthusiastic about their learning.

From learning about coding in computing lessons in Year 3 to solving ratio and proportion problems in Year 6, pupils enjoy relevant and interesting learning activities. This enjoyment is evident across the curriculum. For example, one pupil said, 'I love reading.

When I finish a book, it feels like I have lost a friend.'

Leaders have high ambition for all pupils. They ensure that adults uphold high expectations and aspirations.

This is supported by the school values of 'respect, readine...ss and resilience'. Pupils talk about these values and how they help them to do well.

Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from the school's nurturing approach.

Classrooms are calm and purposeful. This allows pupils to do their best in lessons. Pupils behave well when moving around school and at playtimes.

They are polite, friendly, well-mannered and hardworking.

Pupils can explain what bullying is. They confirm that it is not tolerated at school.

This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils take advantage of a variety of enrichment activities. They take part in music concerts and attend after-school events, including drama, choir and gardening club.

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

Leaders have established a curriculum that is broad and ambitious. It provides pupils with strong foundations in mathematics, reading and writing. Leaders have thought carefully about the wider curriculum so that it meets the needs of their pupils and is relevant to their backgrounds.

Leaders have identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn. They have carefully considered the order in which pupils learn this knowledge so that they can make sense of what comes next as they move through the school. This helps pupils to build their knowledge securely over time.

This approach is consistent across every subject.

Leaders ensure that staff benefit from high-quality professional development. Teachers have good subject knowledge.

They deliver curriculum content clearly.

Teachers know their pupils well. They ensure pupils regularly recap previous learning and check their understanding.

This helps most pupils to remember the important facts. However, some pupils struggle to talk about their learning. This means they do not develop their communication skills or deepen their subject knowledge and understanding as well as they could.

Leaders quickly identify and secure support and expert help to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. They provide teachers with information that supports them to adapt the delivery of the curriculum where needed. This ensures that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers, including those who are visually impaired.

As a result, most pupils achieve well.

Leaders have prioritised the development of pupils' reading. Pupils are knowledgeable about authors and the books they are reading.

Leaders have carefully selected the books that pupils read in class. These have been chosen to help pupils to develop a greater awareness of diversity, as well as building their reading knowledge. Some pupils struggle with early reading when they join the school in Year 3.

Leaders have implemented a phonics programme to support these pupils to catch up quickly with their peers. Adults are well trained in delivering the phonics programme. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they know.

This helps them to develop into confident and fluent readers.

Pupils settle and focus in lessons because they have the motivation to learn. If pupils need support to manage their emotions, they receive well-considered pastoral care.

Low-level disruption in lessons is very rare.

The school offers a very impressive range of opportunities to support pupils' broader development. Visits to school from the local theatre company and taking part in music concerts provide pupils with a wealth of experiences that help to develop their confidence.

Pupils gain skills in leadership through roles such as being part of the junior leadership team.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders consider the well-being and workload of all staff members.

Staff morale is high.

Governors fulfil their roles well. They visit the school regularly and ensure they are well informed.

They use this information to question leaders about the school's performance.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make the right checks when staff join the school.

Staff have the necessary and regular training to know when a child might be at risk from harm. They report their concerns appropriately. Detailed safeguarding records show a swift response to following up concerns raised.

Leaders work with a range of external agencies, when necessary, to protect pupils at risk of harm. They go to great lengths to provide support for families.

Leaders ensure that the curriculum makes pupils aware of the dangers they might encounter.

Pupils learn how to recognise unsafe situations. They learn how to protect themselves, including when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not have the skills needed to be able to communicate their knowledge and understanding well.

This means that they struggle to make links between their learning and therefore do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff receive appropriate training and support so that pupils can communicate well and be prepared for their next steps.

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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.

Also at this postcode