Lionwood Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Lionwood Junior School Wolfe Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 4HT

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Outcome

Lionwood Junior School continues to be a good school. However, inspectors have some concerns that standards may be declining, as set out below.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Standards at the school are improving, but are too low. Work in pupils’ current books does not reflect the quality of education to which leaders aspire. Too many pupils do not take pride in their work and teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can achieve.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are generally supported well at this inclusive school. They enjoy a wide and varied curriculum. Reading is prioritised. The curriculum is enhanced by extra-curricular clubs and activities such as choir, eco-club and mindfulness. Pupils enjoy coming to school. As a result, attendance has improved, and persistent absence has reduced.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in lessons and around the school is generally good. Those pupils needing support with their behaviour are managed appropriately. Learning is not disrupted. Pupils and parents say that any bullying is dealt with swiftly. Some parents raise concerns about pupils with additional needs disrupting learning. This is not the case.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for. Staff know pupils and their families well. Pupils enjoy positive and supportive relationships both with staff and each other. Leaders give pupils’ personal development and safety a high priority. Online safety awareness sessions are an example.

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

There is a recently appointed senior leadership team. Members are acting swiftly to address pupils’ historical low achievement. Trustees and leaders focus on improving the quality of education. Leaders are changing the curriculum to improve the way pupils gain knowledge. Leaders and trustees know the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have clear plans in place to address these. They have the right priorities in place, but it is too soon to see the impact of these improvements. After a period of staff changes, a 30–31 January 2020

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stable staffing structure is now in place. Morale is high and teachers enjoy working at the school.

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Pupils enjoy their learning. All national curriculum subjects are taught regularly, and links are made so that pupils can use what they know to help them in other subjects. For example, some pupils were using their design and technology skills, including sawing and gluing, to build a shelter for Antarctic conditions. This was linked to their work in history and geography based around Ernest Shackleton.

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally strong and their questioning clear and focused. Opportunities to develop pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural awareness are prioritised. Some pupils are supported by adults or by using simplified materials. Others are provided with extra challenges. Some pupils say that they would like further challenge. This will help them to achieve the higher standards.

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There has been a strong focus on reading this year and pupils demonstrate appropriate skills and a love of reading. Those who are struggling receive extra support. Targeted phonics interventions are organised daily for those who need this input. This ensures that any gaps in phonics knowledge are addressed.

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Most pupils are keen to learn and enjoy lessons. However, may pupils have gaps in their basic skills. This is holding them back. Leaders have put in place catch-up programmes, such as a times tables programme, to address these gaps. These interventions are having some impact. However, pupils’ gaps are more widespread and include letter formation, handwriting, the use of basic punctuation and spelling. Teachers do not always insist on these skills being demonstrated by pupils in their work. Neither do they focus on developing these skills. This results in common mistakes being repeated over time which pupils do not recognise or know how to improve.

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Pupils with SEND receive appropriate help. Parents appreciate this. These pupils are not doing well enough because of the low expectations common for all pupils. This is the same for disadvantaged pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff share a commitment to child protection and safety. A team of designated safeguarding leaders provides a duty rota system. All concerns are logged by staff using an online, secure system. This is monitored by safeguarding leaders. Records show a tenacious approach by leaders, involving other agencies. All staff know what to do if they have a concern. Regular training is undertaken by all staff. All parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey say that their children are kept safe. All the requirements for pre-employment checks are met. 30–31 January 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils have not been well prepared for the next stage of their education. Gaps in their knowledge, understanding and skills makes it difficult for them to make progress. Leaders should continue to improve the quality of education to ensure that standards rise, and pupils are well prepared for their move to secondary school. Teachers should ensure that the work set is appropriate for all and meets their needs, including those who require further depth of study.  Work produced by pupils is not often of a high quality. It does not reflect pupils’ capabilities. Teachers need to raise their expectations of what pupils can produce, both in the core subjects and the wider curriculum. This includes addressing the gaps that exist in pupils’ basic skills such as punctuation, grammar and spelling. Presentation, including handwriting and pupils’ pride in their work, also should be prioritised so that pupils’ work reflects their best effort.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ attendance has been low but has improved through the actions of leaders and other staff. Leaders should build on this effective work to continue to raise attendance and reduce persistent absence, particularly for vulnerable pupils.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good 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 the predecessor school, Lionwood Junior School to be good in October 2016.

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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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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 . 30–31 January 2020

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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. 30–31 January 2020

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form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Lionwood Junior School is part of the Inclusive Schools Trust, which it joined in April 2017.  The trust appointed an interim headteacher and interim deputy headteacher in September 2019. Both previously held roles elsewhere in the trust.  Since the previous inspection there has been significant staff turbulence, including at leadership level.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection I gathered a range of evidence through a number of inspection activities. These included discussions with senior and curriculum leaders, lesson visits, work scrutiny, and consideration of the school’s key documentation. 30–31 January 2020

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 I met trustees and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust. I held discussions with the school’s improvement adviser and trust data manager. Several pupils read to me. Teachers and support staff were involved in discussions about the curriculum, workload and safeguarding. Pupils’ and parents’ views were sought, as were the opinions of staff.  Thirty-one parents responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, along with 29 free-text responses. Thirty-two staff completed a paper copy of Ofsted’s staff survey. All survey results were considered. No pupils completed Ofsted’s pupil survey.  I carried out deep dives in reading, writing and mathematics. I also considered writing across subjects in the wider curriculum.

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Inspection team

Jacqueline Bell-Cook, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 30–31 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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