Squirrels Heath Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders are ambitious for the school. They have worked tirelessly to successfully drive improvements. As a result, outcomes and teaching have improved and are good.

The quality of teaching and learning has improved since the last inspection. Where teaching is strongest, pupils make very good progress from their starting points. However, due to recent changes in staffing, some variability remains.

Middle leaders, including subject leaders, are highly motivated and well informed. They understand pupils' strengths and weaknesses in their subject areas. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SE...ND) make strong progress.

Pupils are polite, articulate and show respect to each other and adults. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive.

Pupils are encouraged to be confident, enthusiastic learners. Pupils enjoy school and cooperate well. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively, ensuring that they are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

As a result, pupils have a strong understanding of how to be a good citizen. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders ensure that when concerns are raised, they are dealt with in a timely way, ensuring that pupils are kept safe.

Leaders have developed a deep, well-balanced curriculum. Pupils are offered a range of learning opportunities which deepen and enhance their knowledge and skills. Rates of attendance are above the national average, and persistent absence is below the national average.

However, the school's strategy for ensuring that some disadvantaged pupils attend more regularly is at an early stage and needs to be fully embedded. The proportion of pupils who achieve the expected and higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics has improved over time. Occasionally, most able pupils are not provided with suitably challenging work to ensure that they achieve their best.

Information about this school

Squirrels Heath Junior School is a larger-than-average sized primary school. Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with the largest group being White British. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The proportion of pupils with an EHC plan is below the national average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.

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