Picklenash Junior School

Inspection of Picklenash Junior School Ross Road, Newent, Gloucestershire GL18 1BG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement 9–10 October 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

Picklenash Junior School provides a calm and harmonious place for pupils to flourish. They learn well and build good relationships with others. Pupils learn the importance of friendship, trust and respect at the school. Throughout the school, pupils behave very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff help pupils to learn about the world. Through voting for the school council, they learn about democracy. The house system helps pupils learn how to be good citizens. For example, pupils told inspectors that taking part was more important than winning in inter-house competitions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to play music and a range of sports. Leaders and staff help pupils to learn about their place in the world. Pupils are very proud of their school and the town of Newent. Pupils visit the many landmarks such as the Tudor houses. Many pupils told inspectors about the ‘amazing’ birds of prey that visited the school from the nearby birds of prey centre.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff nurture pupils at Picklenash to be confident learners. Pupils told inspectors that bullying can happen, but that staff resolve issues quickly. They feel that staff listen to them and help when they have a problem. One pupil said that the school was like a ‘family’.

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better?

Leaders have thought carefully about most subjects that pupils learn at the school. Leaders, staff and governors share a clear vision about what and how pupils will learn as they pass through the school. Teachers build carefully on what pupils have learned before so that they achieve well in many subject areas. For example, in physical education, pupils learn different techniques in hockey which help them to be more skilful when playing the game. As a result, pupils play well and confidently.

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better?

The teaching of writing is a strength of the school. Through a very well-planned approach, teachers help pupils to think carefully about the vocabulary they use. Pupils learn how to craft their writing through editing their work. In many subjects, pupils are confident in expressing their knowledge and understanding through writing. For example, in Years 3 and 4, pupils write very well about the geography of Newent.

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading in all year groups. Leaders make sure that reading is well planned. They think carefully about where and when pupils should learn the skills and knowledge they need to develop their reading. Pupils learn to read fluently through regular practice. Pupils express their understanding of books such as ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ by Michael Morpurgo well. However, pupils do not have as many opportunities to write about their understanding of characters, themes and settings in depth. 9–10 October 2019

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Leaders ensure that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), access a meaningful curriculum. When needed, they receive additional support to help them to achieve well. For example, such pupils receive extra help with their reading to help them to do well in all subjects.

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The teaching of mathematics is strong. Through involvement in a national research project, leaders have designed a very effective curriculum. Teachers help pupils to learn about complex problems through regular practice. Pupils like the support that teachers provide and say that this helps them to improve. Teachers have good subject knowledge and explain complex ideas clearly. This enables pupils to learn well. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is not as well developed.

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Teaching assistants help pupils to achieve well. For example, they provide extra help for pupils who speak English as an additional language. This support enables these pupils to learn alongside other pupils in the class.

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Staff are very proud to work at Picklenash. Leaders consider their workload and their well-being. Staff feel very well supported by leaders. Governors are mindful of staff workload. They visit the school regularly and discuss the different subjects with leaders and staff. They ask challenging questions about what pupils are learning and how they are learning.

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Outside of lessons, pupils have many opportunities to enrich their knowledge and understanding. Pupils visit the seaside at Barry Island, Gloucester Museum and Bristol Zoo.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to keep pupils safe. They have regular safeguarding training to help them recognise possible concerns about pupils’ welfare. Leaders work closely with external agencies to make sure that pupils receive the right support. Leaders and staff know pupils and their families very well. They provide families with early help when they need it.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff recruitment procedures are robust. They only appoint staff who are suitable to work with children. Leaders record this information on the school’s single central record.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have reviewed the design of the curriculum for most subjects. However, a few subjects are not as well sequenced as others, thus not enabling pupils to know more and remember more over time. Leaders need to ensure a coherent 9–10 October 2019

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curriculum design for these subjects.  Although the curriculum for reading is strong, pupils do not consistently have opportunities to fully express their understanding when responding to questions with a written response. The questions asked of pupils do not routinely capitalise on pupils’ writing capabilities. Leaders need to ensure that reading and writing are more closely linked.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 9–10 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111466 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is in a federation with Glebe Infant School, which shares the same site.  The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support by the pupil premium funding is in line with the national average.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and curriculum leaders, governors and representatives from the local authority.  On the first day of the inspection, inspectors focused on reading, writing, mathematics and physical education. This meant that, in each subject, inspectors met with senior and curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with staff to consider their views. Inspectors also considered the responses of 15 staff to the confidential questionnaire. 9–10 October 2019

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 Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the views of 12 parents who responded to the confidential Ofsted parental questionnaire, including free-text messages.  Inspectors also considered the views of 19 pupils who responded to Ofsted’s online pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gareth Simons Ofsted Inspector 9–10 October 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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