Thomas Harding Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Leaders, including governors, have brought about significant improvements in teaching and achievement during the last two years. Pupils are now making good and often faster progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Teaching is consistently good across the school and there is some that is excellent. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and great enthusiasm for teaching. They plan learning which challenges and fully engages pupils, enabling them to learn very well.

Pupils' behaviour is outstanding. They love coming to school and have excellent attitudes to learning and a great sense of pride in their work. Pupils feel very safe becau...se they are very well cared for.

They show great respect towards adults and each other. Leaders have galvanised the whole school community behind a vision that only the very best is good enough. School staff are continuously striving to improve and they value the opportunities the school gives them to develop their teaching.

The school's curriculum is well planned and gives pupils a wide range of exciting experiences. Pupils develop a thirst for learning as a result. Governors visit the school regularly and know the school well.

This enables them to effectively challenge school leaders and contribute well to school plans. The school's procedures to ensure pupils are safe and secure are outstanding. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The progress of pupils who are disadvantaged, although good, is sometimes not as fast as that of their classmates, especially in mathematics.

In subjects other than English and mathematics, teachers do not always plan well enough for the full range of ability. This slows down progress on occasions.

Information about this school

This is an average-sized primary school.

The school has grown in pupil numbers by a quarter during the last three years. Just under a third of pupils are supported by the pupil premium (additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who looked after). This is above average.

The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs is broadly average. Just over half of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. A large proportion of these are from Pakistani families.

Just over a third do not speak English as their first language. The school meets the government's floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The headteacher and her deputy give leadership support to local schools.

The English leader is a local authority moderator for writing. The special educational needs coordinator leads a local group of leaders of this provision. The current headteacher was appointed in September 2012.

In the last two years, there has been a large turnover of staff and changes in senior and middle leadership. Two teachers new to the profession were appointed in September 2013. There have also been changes to the governing body.

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