Jarvis Brook Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Jarvis Brook Primary School Hadlow Down Road, Crowborough, East Sussex TN6 3RG

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Outcome

Jarvis Brook Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy their time at school. They talk about what it is like to be at Jarvis Brook with real enthusiasm and pride. Pupils feel very happy and safe. They value the many experiences staff give them to widen their learning, for instance trips to Hampton Court, Herstmonceux and an outdoor activity centre. They describe the school as ‘brilliant’ and ‘inspiring’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to learn. They work hard to improve what they remember and what they know. Staff have high hopes for their pupils. They give them well-planned and inspiring activities to help them learn. This approach encourages pupils to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils also behave very well. They treat each other with kindness and respect. Older children will often look after the younger ones. Pupils know that the adults in the school will sort out any bullying if it happens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At the heart of the school is the belief that all pupils can learn well. Staff work together to give every pupil what they need to succeed. Pupils know that their teachers want the best for them. As a result, they try extra hard to show what they can do.

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

Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. They want all pupils to gain from the breadth and depth of the curriculum they have designed. Teachers have focused their efforts on developing an exciting and interesting curriculum.

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

They have also made sure that pupils are retaining what they learn. Teachers create a wide variety of ways for pupils to strengthen their knowledge. By doing this, pupils can remember more for longer. In history, pupils eagerly and accurately test their knowledge of chronology. In mathematics, pupils can explain what they are doing to improve their speed and accuracy with calculation. These are typical examples of pupils showing how determined they are to learn. They also show how well pupils embed their learning so 8–9 October 2019

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Leaders’ work to strengthen the teaching across the whole curriculum is well underway. They have a clear sense of the purpose and direction of subjects across each year group. Leaders recognise that there is still more to do. They have already begun a systematic improvement plan for each subject that is taught. They understand that staff need to receive specific training to become expert in what they are teaching.

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Reading is a top priority at the school. Teachers look for every opportunity to offer stimulating books for pupils to read. Pupils read frequently. They take a pleasure in recounting what they have learned and understood. The books that pupils read in class capture their imagination and interest. They enjoy the lively way in which their teachers read to them. When pupils read aloud, they too add expression and feeling. Even pupils who find reading difficult still read with real zest. They are determined to become fluent readers.

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Firm foundations in reading start in Nursery. Here, children thoroughly enjoy the many rhymes they learn as well as the story books adults read to them. In Reception, the teaching of phonics (letters and the sounds they represent) is well organised and effective. If a pupil begins to fall behind, they are swiftly spotted and given extra help.

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Leaders are committed to every child succeeding. This means that they have high expectations for all pupils, especially for those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These pupils achieve well because of the skilled support they receive.

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Pupils work hard and listen well in class. They take their learning seriously. They treat each other with respect outside of class. They love taking on roles of responsibility such as becoming a play leader. Teachers ensure that there are many special events that go on through the school year which widen pupils’ experiences further. Along with the frequent trips on offer, the school often invites guest speakers in.

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Leaders at the school show commitment and determination in their drive to deliver a high quality of education to their pupils. One member of staff explained that they do not want pockets of good practice. They want a ‘whole garment’.

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At the same time, leaders are careful to avoid adding to teachers’ workload. Staff well- being matters to leaders. Staff appreciate their efforts to look after them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture within the school. All staff are alert to any risk to a child. They are well trained and act on their concerns quickly and according to policy. Children know who they can go to in the school if they need help. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure that children receive the right support. Governors monitor safeguarding procedures and ensure that the school keeps detailed 8–9 October 2019

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records of the suitability of staff to work in the school. These records are up to date and meet requirements.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders ensure that there is breadth as well as depth in what pupils learn. They have improved a range of subjects such as history. They know that the implementation of their curriculum vision has yet to be completed. To do this, they need to develop further teachers’ expertise so that they have the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver all subjects.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Jarvis Brook Primary School to be good.

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How can I feed back my views?

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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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. 8–9 October 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10111425 Type of school Primary

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provision

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Jarvis Brook is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The school became an academy with the Tenax Schools Trust in March 2017  This is the first Section 8 inspection since the Section 5 inspection of the predecessor school on 3-4 November 2015.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, subject leaders, the chair of governors and the chief executive officer of Tenax Schools Trust.  On the first day of the inspection, the inspector focused her activities on history and mathematics. In each subject, the inspector met with subject leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ work. On the second day, she focused on reading in the school.  The inspector met with a group of staff as well as reviewed the responses of 19 staff to the confidential questionnaire. She also met formally and informally with a range of 8–9 October 2019

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staff.  The inspector reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff.  The inspector considered the views of 38 parents who responded to the Ofsted parental questionnaire, including 27 free-text responses. The inspector also spoke with parents at the start of the first day of the inspection.  The pupil survey was not completed but the inspector spoke with a range of pupils throughout the inspection to gather their views.

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Inspection team

Yasmin Maskatiya, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 8–9 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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