Brimington Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Brimington Junior School Springvale Road, Brimington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 1HF

p.1

Outcome

Brimington Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They like their lessons and the many enrichment opportunities on offer. Younger pupils visit the Stone Centre to learn about rocks and soils. Older pupils visit Liverpool to learn more about the history of slavery. The on-site forest school gives pupils exciting opportunities to learn more about the outdoors. Pupils enjoy playing a wide variety of sports. All pupils in Year 3 can learn to play a type of trombone.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel well cared for and safe. They say that bullying is rare but that sometimes friends fall out. Pupils are confident that staff will act quickly to sort out any concerns. Pupils’ behaviour is a strength of this school. Some pupils receive effective additional help to manage their emotions and behaviour. They listen carefully to their teachers and to each other. Pupils are kind to each other and to animals. The ‘Egg Heads’ look after the school’s chickens and other pupils groom the school dog, Flossie.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well at this school, particularly in reading. Parents and carers are very happy with the school. They value the high expectations that staff have of pupils. One said, ‘My daughter goes to school with a massive smile on her face.’

p.1

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

The school provides an interesting curriculum. This motivates and inspires pupils to learn. In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the skills, knowledge and understanding that pupils need in order to achieve well. For example, science is taught well because teachers are clear about what pupils need to learn to make progress. During the inspection, Year 3 pupils were learning about rocks and soils. They talked enthusiastically about their experiment and were fascinated to find worms in their soil samples.

p.1

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

Leaders aim for pupils to learn new things based on what they already know and can do. Some subjects, such as geography and history, are taught as part of topics. In these 27–28 November 2019

p.1

2

subjects, leaders do not plan carefully enough what pupils need to know and the order they need to learn it in. This means that pupils do not have the knowledge and skills they need for future learning.

p.2

2

Leaders have made sure that reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Teachers and teaching assistants enable all pupils to understand what they read. Pupils read regularly and enjoy a wide range of books. Pupils who arrive at the school needing to catch up are identified straight away. They receive high-quality support. As a result, pupils progress quickly.

p.2

2

The mathematics curriculum is well planned and taught effectively. Teachers expect pupils to think hard and to find the best ways to solve problems using what they have learned before. Pupils often discuss their work. This helps them to build their mathematical knowledge.

p.2

2

Teachers understand how to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn more. They adapt their plans well. Skilled and well-trained teaching assistants make a big difference to the achievement of this group of pupils. Pupils with social and emotional needs benefit from the sensitive support provided in nurture groups.

p.2

2

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils. The school’s motto is to ‘Go Further’ and pupils have many opportunities for learning within school and beyond the school gates. Leaders want pupils to ‘make the world a better place’. Pupils raise money for charities and help others in the community. They hold many responsibilities in school, such as anti- bullying ambassadors. ‘Mini techies’ help other pupils and staff with technology. One pupil said, ‘My job is to make people happy.’ Pupils are confident and friendly. They behave well and concentrate on their learning in class. Clubs and visits help to develop their social skills and independence.

p.2

2

Staff appreciate the actions that leaders have taken to reduce their workload. Leaders from the Learners’ Trust know the school well. They provide effective challenge and support to the headteacher and other leaders. This ensures that the school continues to improve.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Leaders make sure that all staff receive regular training. Staff know what to look out for if pupils are at risk and they log all concerns. Leaders work closely with outside agencies to ensure that pupils and their families get the help they need.

p.2

Safeguarding

Pupils know who to talk to if they have any concerns. They learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they know how to use the internet safely because this is part of the curriculum. Pupils say that they feel safe in the school and their parents agree. 27–28 November 2019

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced in some subjects. However, it is clear from the actions that leaders have already taken that they are in the process of bringing this about. The changes that leaders have made to the curriculum in some foundation subjects are recent and are not yet fully embedded. Leaders need to develop the curriculum for other subjects, such as geography and history, so that they are planned and taught to the same high standard, and in the same logical manner, as reading, mathematics and science.  Subject leaders for some subjects, such as geography and history, are new to their posts. They have not yet had sufficient opportunities to review the planning for their subjects to ensure that it is as precise as that seen in other subjects. Senior leaders must provide subject leaders who are new to post with the support and training they

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

need to be able to fulfil their responsibilities in developing the curriculum fully.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since Brimington Junior School became an academy.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 27–28 November 2019

p.3

4

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. 27–28 November 2019

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10110113 Type of school Junior

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 Brimington Junior School converted to become an academy on 1 December 2016. When its predecessor school was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged as good.  The school is part of the Learners’ Trust.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 I met with the headteacher and the trust partner. I also met with the coordinator for the provision for pupils with SEND.  I met with the chair of the school champions (the local governing body). I also spoke with the chair of the multi-academy trust by telephone.  I looked in detail at three subjects: reading, mathematics and science. For each subject, I met with subject leaders, visited lessons, met with pupils and looked at pupils’ workbooks. I also listened to pupils reading.  I spoke with pupils and observed their behaviour around school.  I reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ plans for improvement, an evaluation of the school’s effectiveness and information relating to behaviour and attendance. 27–28 November 2019

p.5

6

 I looked at the school’s single central record, its safeguarding policy and staff training records. I spoke with leaders and staff about safeguarding. I also checked pupils’ safeguarding records.  I spoke with parents at the end of the day and considered responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View. I also considered responses to the staff’s and pupils’ surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27–28 November 2019

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7