Elmhurst Junior School

Inspection of Elmhurst Junior School Elmhurst Lane, Street, Somerset BA16 0HH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 15–16 January 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

The quality of education is not good. Leaders have not ensured that the curriculum builds well enough on what pupils know and understand already. As pupils move through the school, learning is not planned as well as it should be. This means that pupils do not learn the knowledge and skills they need in many subjects, including reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for pupils. Leaders and staff have made Elmhurst a safe and nurturing place for pupils to learn. Pupils quickly learn to appreciate others by showing respect and kindness. These behaviours model the ‘Elmhurst Etiquette’. Leaders do not tolerate bullying. Most pupils, staff, parents and carers agree that bullying is rare and staff deal with it quickly when it does happen. Most pupils behave well in lessons and at breaktimes. However, there are not always high expectations for what pupils can achieve in their lessons. This means that some pupils do not do as well as they could in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The high level of care, including the work of the parent and family support adviser and the emotional literacy support assistant, helps to support pupils well. Trained staff help pupils with their social, emotional and mental health needs.

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better?

The curriculum at Elmhurst is not developed well. Weaknesses remain in reading and writing. Leaders’ actions are beginning to make a difference. Pupils do not learn new knowledge well enough.

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better?

Pupils’ learning in English is particularly disjointed. Teachers do not use curriculum plans effectively. Leaders have not ensured that teachers are adapting their work to meet the abilities of the pupils they teach. This limits pupils’ learning, especially for the most able. Nevertheless, leaders are keen to develop reading for pleasure. The library is well resourced and welcoming. Teachers choose class books carefully. The literacy leader has reviewed plans for reading to show what pupils should learn and when.

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better?

The writing curriculum does not build on what pupils already know and can do. Therefore, pupils’ vocabulary and handwriting are often poor. Pupils try different styles of writing, such as reports and stories, but some teachers do not help pupils to write these effectively.

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better?

There is a similar picture in the wider curriculum. Leaders have not thought carefully about what pupils need to learn over time. Teachers are not guided well on what to teach and when. As a result, in some subjects, such as geography, the learning does not build on pupils’ knowledge. Pupils repeat the same curriculum in several year groups without any new knowledge added. 15–16 January 2020

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Mathematics is a rapidly improving subject. Leaders have planned the curriculum well. Consequently, pupils tackle new learning with increasing success. Teachers adapt the mathematics curriculum to ensure that it is relevant for pupils.

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Pupils are enthusiastic about some subjects in the curriculum. For example, they enjoy their learning in science as it helps them to develop a body of knowledge as they move through the school.

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. The SEND coordinator puts the right support in place. Additional sessions, led by trained assistants, help pupils who are falling behind to catch up.

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Pupils appreciate the many clubs that the school offers. They take their responsibilities as school councillors, sports ambassadors and ‘Elmhurst buddies’ seriously. They enjoy learning about different religions and cultures. Opportunities such as visits from authors and poets enrich pupils’ experiences beyond the classroom.

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Most pupils are keen to learn, and they come to school regularly. They behave well and concentrate in lessons. However, when some pupils are not able to learn effectively, they become distracted. Leaders make good use of teachers’ records of poor behaviour to provide effective support so that there are fewer incidents.

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There have been several changes to the governing body since the last inspection. Governors have a better understanding of their role. They know that they must hold leaders to account to ensure that pupils follow a well-planned curriculum and do well in their learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are well trained and act quickly to deal with any concerns. They work effectively with external partners to secure the support that pupils need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders carry out all the required checks to ensure that adults are safe to work with children. The designated leaders for safeguarding work closely with organisations to help families, including those who would benefit from mental health support. Governors check safeguarding regularly when they visit the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ work has led to improvements in the mathematics curriculum since the previous inspection. The order of what pupils need to know and remember is underway. However, in the foundation subjects, leaders have not planned a 15–16 January 2020

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curriculum that is demanding enough for pupils over time. Consequently, pupils are not learning at the depth they should. Leaders need to ensure that there is clear guidance for what teachers teach, when they teach it and how they teach it in every subject.  The writing curriculum is not helping pupils improve sufficiently. Currently, there is an inconsistent approach to writing, including handwriting. Leaders need to ensure that a clear writing curriculum is in place so that pupils gain the knowledge they need to help them become successful writers.  Teachers do not have a secure understanding of the school’s reading curriculum. As a result, the curriculum is not providing the challenge that the most able pupils need. Leaders must check the implementation of the curriculum to ensure that teachers plan learning so that all pupils achieve well in reading.

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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 are the school and you are 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. 15–16 January 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10122334 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chairs of governing body Andrew Shepherd and Claire Axten

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School details

Headteachers Tracy Edwards and Mike Lawrence

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12–13 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There have been significant changes to the governing body since the previous inspection, with the appointment of two new co-chairs of governance.

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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

 Discussions took place with the co-headteachers, members of the governing body, a representative from the local authority, school curriculum leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  We did a scrutiny of the school’s self-evaluation and safeguarding documents, curriculum plans, behaviour records and details of provision for pupils with SEND.  We spoke to parents and considered the 69 responses to the online survey, Parent View, free-text responses and responses to the pupil and staff surveys.  We did deep dives in: reading, writing, mathematics, science and geography. This included discussions with school leaders about their intentions for these subjects, discussions with curriculum leaders and lesson visits to check how well the 15–16 January 2020

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subjects were being taught. We met with pupils and talked with them about their workbooks.

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Inspection team

Sue Costello, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Julie Fox Ofsted Inspector 15–16 January 2020

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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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