Churchdown Village Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Churchdown Village Junior School is an inclusive school where positivity, acceptance and friendship shine through.

Pupils enjoy all that the school offers and are keen to attend. They appreciate the care and nurture they receive. The school has high expectations of behaviour, and pupils behave well.

They know what is expected of them and fully understand the 'zones of regulation'. Pupils always strive to behave well in class and during social times.

Pupils are positive about their school work and are keen to learn and do well.

Typically, pupils gain the knowledge and skills they need in order to achieve all they can. However, in some subjects, this i...s less secure. Also, pupils in the early stages of reading do not get sufficient time to develop reading accuracy and fluency.

Provision for pupils' personal development is a strength of the school. Pupils take pleasure in the numerous and varied opportunities on offer. They develop into confident young people with high self-esteem who can contribute positively to society.

Parents and carers are thrilled with the school. They recognise how the school is pivotal to the community. Parents appreciate the way in which staff support both pupils and families, which contributes to their children's happiness.

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils to receive a high-quality education. It strives to ensure that pupils experience a rich and varied curriculum. This ambition instils in pupils a love of learning.

The school has rightly focused on improving the curriculum further. For example, the mathematics curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced to ensure that pupils gain the knowledge they need. This helps them to solve complex calculations.

In English, the school was quick to analyse why recent outcomes for pupils in their writing in Year 6 were not as strong as expected. As a result, prompt action is being taken, and there is evidence of pupils' writing improving rapidly. However, in some subjects, the school is not sufficiently clear about the knowledge it wants pupils to remember.

This means that pupils do not get the depth of knowledge they need across all subjects.

The school ensures that pupils at the early stages of reading have regular phonics teaching. School staff deliver the phonics programme with accuracy.

They ensure that books precisely match the phonics knowledge of the pupils. However, pupils do not practise the sounds they are learning often enough. This limits their reading fluency.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality provision. The school identifies pupils' needs swiftly. Staff make adaptations to support pupils to learn effectively.

This enables pupils with SEND to learn successfully and achieve well. The school works closely with other agencies, such as health and social care, to make sure that pupils receive the support they need.

Pupils' behaviour is good.

They are polite and well mannered. Pupils understand the importance of equality and respect. They go out of their way to look after each other and are accepting of diversity and difference.

This creates a warm and welcoming place to learn, which is reflected in pupils' regular attendance.

Pupils experience a wealth of enrichment activities through clubs, visits and trips. Forest school is a firm favourite with pupils.

The school uses this space to complement the curriculum. For example, pupils make charcoal in the firepit to link to their history work. The beehive and the gardening club ignite pupils' love of the environment and their understanding of the importance of looking after it.

The school is proud of its engagement in the National Garden Scheme, where members of the community can visit the school grounds. In addition, pupils have the opportunity to develop their talents in other areas, such as music, sport and art.

Pupils relish the additional responsibilities afforded to them.

They are clear that the school listens to their views and will act, for example by making changes to playtimes and introducing play leaders. Play leaders take their roles seriously to ensure that playtimes are enjoyable and harmonious and pupils can socialise and play happily together.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school is not clear enough about the knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember. This means that pupils do not gain the depth of knowledge to help them make links with new learning. The school must ensure that all components needed to build and deepen pupils' knowledge and skills over time are clearly identified.

• Pupils at the early stages of reading do not get enough practice in reading books. This holds them back them from becoming fluent readers. The school must ensure that these pupils practise their reading often enough to enable them to develop their fluency and confidence.