The Godolphin Junior Academy

The Godolphin Junior Academy Oatlands Drive, The Godolphin Junior Academy, Slough SL1 3HS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Senior leaders have set high expectations of pupils and staff. They have taken effective action to secure significant improvements across the school.  The Park Federation Academy Trust provides a good balance of carefully targeted support and robust challenge for school leaders.  Governors know the school very well. They routinely monitor the impact of leaders’ initiatives and the spending of additional funding on outcomes for pupils.  Leaders have developed a curriculum that ignites pupils’ interest and enables them to make good progress.  There is some variability in the effectiveness of subject leadership. Some subjects have been developed carefully and they are monitored and evaluated rigorously. The progression of skills and knowledge in some other subjects, however, are less well developed.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They give clear

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

explanations of concepts and model skills well.  Teaching focuses sharply on the development of pupils’ language. Over time, pupils become confident to use increasingly interesting and sophisticated vocabulary when articulating their learning and in their writing.  As a result of strong teaching, pupils make good progress across the curriculum. They make particularly strong progress in writing and mathematics, using and applying their skills in a range of subjects.  The leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is particularly strong. Effective interventions and support ensure that these pupils make strong progress from their starting points, including those pupils attending the specially resourced provision.  Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They work with high levels of concentration and enthusiasm. Pupils take great pride in the presentation of their work.  Leaders have established a wide range of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

strategies and initiatives to support pupils’ personal development and welfare. Pupils value the support they receive from adults in school. They feel safe and enjoy coming to school.  Pupils’ behaviour and conduct during lessons, breaktimes and lunchtimes are good. Pupils are friendly and welcoming.  Leaders have developed a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. This ensures that pupils’ welfare remains paramount and they are kept safe from harm.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further enhance the curriculum by refining the progression of skills and knowledge across all subjects so that pupils make even greater progress.  Continue to develop the role of subject leaders in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning across all areas of the curriculum.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The principal has an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is focused sharply on school improvement. Ably supported by her senior leadership team, she has taken effective action to secure significant improvements across the school since her appointment in September 2018. As one parent said, ‘The school has come along in leaps and bounds.’  Leaders from the Park Federation Academy Trust have set high expectations of what staff and pupils can achieve. They routinely check on the work of the school, providing leaders with a careful balance of robust challenge and effective support. Federation leaders draw on a wide range of expertise and experience from across the federation to provide carefully targeted training and professional development opportunities for leaders, teachers and support staff.  The leadership of mathematics and English is strong. Leaders make careful checks on

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

the quality of teaching and learning in these subjects. They have swiftly tackled any areas for improvement, implementing effective teaching and learning strategies and providing teachers and teaching assistants with appropriate training and development.  Leaders have developed an interesting, engaging curriculum that immerses the children in their learning. Topics are planned around a high-quality text and are enriched with a variety of visits and workshops. Pupils particularly enjoy the opportunities that they are given to showcase their learning. For instance, in their annual celebration of learning, pupils in Year 3 shared a range of dance and musical performances and delivered carefully prepared speeches to a wide audience.  While the school’s curriculum is planned well and enables pupils to make good progress, there is some variability in the strength of subject leadership. Some subjects, such as science, computing and Physical Education (PE) are led well. Leaders have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

carefully monitored and developed these subjects so that teaching and learning in these areas are strong. The progression of skills and knowledge in some other subjects, however, for example in the humanities, are less well developed. Subject leaders have begun to develop these areas, working closely with colleagues across the federation. They have not yet, however, monitored the quality of teaching and learning to ensure that pupils are making the progress of which they are capable and they are applying their literacy and numeracy skills effectively.  The leadership of special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), including of the specially resourced provision, is strong. Leaders have developed robust systems to monitor and track the progress of pupils with SEND. They ensure that this information is used to plan effective support and interventions to meet the needs of these pupils and to enable them to make good progress. Leaders draw on a wide range of expertise

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

from across the federation, and from external agencies, to ensure that pupils’ needs are met and that teachers and support staff are well trained.  Pupil premium funding is used well to provide disadvantaged pupils with the support that they need to make good progress. Leaders ensure that a range of interventions and enrichment opportunities are provided for these pupils. As a result, disadvantaged pupils make good progress, their attainment is improving, and they are well-prepared for the next stage of their education.  Leaders make effective use of the PE and sports premium to enable pupils to take part in a wide range of sporting events and tournaments. Furthermore, leaders have established a strong focus on ensuring that pupils are physically active throughout the school day. For example, sports coaches organise a variety of sporting activities for pupils to take part in during playtimes and lunchtimes, supported by a team of pupil

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

‘sport leaders’.  The school’s ethos and curriculum support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of fundamental British values well. Through religious education (RE), pupils learn about a range of different religions and cultures and have the opportunity to visit different places of worship. Weekly lessons that focus on pupils’ relationships and social skills allow pupils to reflect on and celebrate people’s differences. They also take part in thoughtful discussions that challenge stereotypes. Pupils particularly enjoy these lessons.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have a thorough knowledge of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. This is because the principal provides them with detailed information about the school’s performance and they are involved in rigorous monitoring.  Alongside the federation leaders, governors challenge school leaders about the impact of their work. They monitor the impact of any new initiatives and carefully check on the spending of additional funding, including the pupil premium grant.  Governors’ visits to the school are sharply focused on specific aspects of the school’s provision. For example, governors routinely check on the school’s work to keep pupils safe, meeting with the school’s designated safeguarding lead to monitor and review their work. Visits are carefully recorded and reported to the full academy council.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders are committed to ensuring that the welfare of pupils remains paramount so that pupils are kept safe from harm. Systems and procedures are effective and record-keeping is thorough and well organised. This is monitored rigorously by federation leaders and governors.  The designated safeguarding lead ensures that all staff receive comprehensive safeguarding training. As a result, staff have a good understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities and know how to report any concerns they may have about pupils’ welfare.  Thorough systems are in place to ensure that all appropriate pre-employment checks are made on adults working in the school. The records of these checks are carefully maintained.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Leaders have developed a consistent, effective approach to teaching, learning and assessment across the school and in the specially resourced provision. This has successfully engaged pupils’ interest and enthusiasm for learning. Consequently, most of the time, pupils enjoy learning and work with high levels of concentration.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They give pupils clear, accurate explanations and model learning effectively. Teachers use a wide range of resources to support pupils’ understanding and they plan activities that sustain pupils’ interest.  Through skilful questioning, teachers explore pupils’ understanding and extend their thinking well. Pupils engage well in discussions, exploring their ideas and explaining their understanding articulately.  Across a wide range of subjects, teaching is focused sharply on pupils’ language development. Teachers promote the use of a wide, rich vocabulary, including the use

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

of subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils are developing an increasingly sophisticated vocabulary and are confident to use this in their explanations and their written work.  Leaders have successfully raised the profile of reading across the school. Teachers expose pupils to a wide range of high-quality texts, making effective links between pupils’ reading and their writing. The teaching of reading is strong because staff explore pupils’ comprehension of their reading well. They encourage pupils to reflect on characters’ actions and feelings in the texts that they have read and to incorporate this into their writing.  The teaching of writing is strong. Pupils are given a wide variety of opportunities to write across the curriculum, applying their widening vocabulary in their written work. For example, pupils have written persuasive letters about the effects of deforestation in geography and detailed accounts of their investigative work and findings in science.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

Pupils take responsibility for improving their own writing by correcting and editing their work.  Leaders have established an effective approach to the teaching of mathematics. Teachers ensure that pupils develop a secure understanding of number and a range of mathematical strategies in order to solve problems and to reason. Teachers and teaching assistants make careful use of assessment to quickly identify and address pupils’ misconceptions.  The support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND is strong. A wide range of carefully tailored interventions are used to meet pupils’ learning needs and to overcome any barriers to learning.  Overall teaching is good, but on occasion, teachers’ questioning, and the tasks planned, do not maintain pupils’ interest. As a result, some pupils’ attention drifts and they become distracted from their learning. Furthermore, for a small number of lower- attaining pupils, mistakes in spelling and grammar are not addressed consistently well.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. The school is a thriving learning community and is very welcoming and friendly. Pupils are incredibly polite and respectful and they have developed very positive attitudes to learning. Consequently, pupils enjoy coming to school. They work with enthusiasm and concentration and present their work with great care.  Leaders have developed a wide range of strategies to support effectively pupils’ personal development and welfare, including those pupils attending the specially resourced provision. For instance, weekly lessons on relationships and social skills provide an opportunity for pupils to learn and practise key social skills and good manners. Furthermore, ‘talk time’ offers support for pupils who have worries and anxieties or who are upset. During ‘talk time’ pupils are given guidance and support from one of the trained ‘mental health champions’. Pupils value these opportunities.

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Personal development and welfare

 Strong personal, social and health education ensures that pupils have a very good understanding of how to stay safe and keep healthy. For example, pupils have a clear understanding of healthy eating and they know how to keep themselves safe when online.  Pupils spoken to during the inspection said that bullying is very rare but, when it does occur, the adults in school deal with it quickly and effectively. They said that they are confident and able to speak to adults about their concerns. They feel that they are given helpful advice and support to help them move forward and resolve any issues. Some pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, however, did not feel that bullying was dealt with consistently well.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders have set high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and have established clear, consistent rules and routines. Pupils have a good understanding of the school rules and what they mean, for example the importance of showing respect to one another and being polite.  The school’s reward system successfully encourages pupils to make the right choices about their behaviour and to try their very best. As a result, behaviour during lessons is good. While some pupils drift off task on occasion, most pupils work hard and concentrate on their learning.  During breaktimes and lunchtimes, sports coaches and support staff provide effective supervision and offer a wide range of well-organised activities and games. Consequently, pupils behave well, eating and playing together kindly and sensibly.  Leaders have developed a range of strategies and rewards to encourage good attendance. Furthermore, leaders closely track and monitor pupils’ attendance, taking

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Behaviour

action to both support and challenge parents when their child’s attendance becomes a cause for concern. The overall attendance of all groups of pupils is broadly in line with the national average for primary schools.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of key stage 2 have improved over the past two years. In 2018, the proportion of pupils who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined improved so that it was above the national average. Furthermore, the proportion of pupils who attained a high standard was above the national average. The progress that pupils made in writing and mathematics was above the national averages.  Pupils currently in the school are making good rates of progress from their starting points across the curriculum. Disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEND, including the pupils who attend the specially resourced provision, also make good progress because of effective support and provision.  Pupils develop positive attitudes to reading and engage enthusiastically with the quality, whole-class texts. Furthermore, strong teaching and effective questioning

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Outcomes for pupils Good

enable pupils to deepen their reading comprehension. Pupils articulately explain their understanding of the texts that they have read, providing evidence for their reasoning by referring to the text. Pupils make good progress in reading.  Pupils make strong progress from their starting points in writing. Pupils employ a range of sentence structures and punctuate their work accurately. They apply ambitious vocabulary choices and over time develop an increasingly mature style of writing. By the time they get to Year 6, pupils have developed stamina for writing and their writing is engaging for the reader.  The most able writers make particularly good progress. The quality of their writing is of a high standard. These pupils have a secure grasp of complex punctuation and vocabulary, using it accurately and to good effect in their writing.  Most pupils develop a secure knowledge and understanding of common spelling rules

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Outcomes for pupils Good

and patterns. They apply this knowledge confidently to accurately spell unknown words of increasing complexity. A small number of lower-attaining pupils, however, do not develop these skills well enough.  In mathematics, pupils make strong progress. Pupils develop a secure understanding of number and calculation. They apply these skills confidently to solve problems and to think and reason mathematically.  In different subjects across the curriculum, such as in science and RE, pupils make good progress and produce work of a high standard. For example, pupils have written accurate, detailed descriptions and explanations about their learning of different beliefs and religions, using the appropriate subject-specific vocabulary. Furthermore, pupils have produced good-quality technical drawings and graphs in science to record their scientific understanding.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Website https://www.thegodolphin- jun.academy/index.html Email address kdhindsa@theparkfederation.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The Godolphin Junior Academy is larger than the average-sized primary school. The school joined the Park Federation Academy Trust in September 2016. The new principal was appointed in September 2018.  The school is governed by an academy council. School leaders and the academy council are held accountable for their work by the Park Federation Academy Trust Board.  The school has a specially resourced provision offering 8 places for pupils with complex learning difficulties. There are currently 7 pupils attending the provision. Pupils are educated in the provision on a part-time basis, joining mainstream classes for some of the school day.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. However, the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is significantly above the national average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is significantly above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in all year groups and classes and in the specially resourced provision, across a range of subjects. Most sessions were observed jointly with school leaders. Inspectors looked at the quality of pupils’ work during lessons and through a focused scrutiny of work in books.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders from the Park Federation, the principal, and other school leaders and staff. They also met with members of the academy council and the school’s designated safeguarding lead.  A wide range of documentation was reviewed, including information on pupils’ attainment and progress, attendance and behaviour. Information about governance, including the minutes of the academy council’s meetings, was examined. The school’s self-evaluation summary, development plan and supporting evidence were scrutinised, together with information on the school’s website.  The 21 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including 9 free-text

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Information about this inspection

comments were considered. Inspectors also met with parents at the beginning of the school day.  Inspectors considered the views of 39 staff who completed Ofsted’s confidential online survey.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and talked with pupils in lessons and around the school to gather their views. They also met formally with a group of pupils and took account of the views of the 144 children who responded to Ofsted’s online pupils’ survey.  Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons, around the school, and during breaktimes and lunchtime.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s safeguarding records and the single central record of recruitment checks on adults working with pupils.

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Inspection team

Leah Goulding, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Francois Walker Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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