Stillness Junior School

Inspection of Stillness Junior School Brockley Rise, Forest Hill, London SE23 1NH

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 4–5 February 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Older pupils told us that they take very seriously their responsibilities as physical education monitors, mentors, ambassadors, mediators and junior first aiders. Pupils said that they feel safe at school and that bullying is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. Pupils do well in school. Several parents and carers also told us how well they thought teachers had prepared their children for secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons and in the playground. They follow teachers’ instructions well. Pupils work hard and learning time is rarely disrupted.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talked about the Anti-Bullying Week work they had done in class and how they understand that they should look after one another. If pupils do have a problem, they said that they can tell their teacher, but that not all adults listen as well. Pupils told us that they knew which adults would quickly sort out any issues they raised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoyed telling us about the sports events that happen in the school. They were especially proud of having been awarded the ‘respect award’ during a recent London-wide athletics competition.

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better?

Teachers waste no time in finding out what pupils already know and can do when they join the school. Pupils who need additional support with reading, particularly phonics, are identified and appropriate support is put in place. Leaders make sure that pupils in every year group read high-quality texts. Pupils develop an understanding of each of these texts through well-planned reading lessons. Pupils are able to develop a clear understanding of the book through the questions that teachers ask. Pupils work collaboratively to discuss their ideas. Teachers are able to assess pupils’ understanding of the text, providing support where needed. Leaders have developed the school’s library and pupils told us that they were excited about the ‘grand opening’ later in the term.

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better?

Writing has been a priority for leaders since the previous inspection. All staff have high expectations that pupils will become independent writers. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Pupils told us how the extra help they get with spelling has helped them with their written work. The writing programme of study is well planned and sequenced using quality books as the basis for teaching.

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better?

Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Leaders have adopted a scheme of work and are adapting this to meet pupils’ needs. Teachers use a range of well-planned resources 4–5 February 2020

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to support their teaching. Pupils with SEND are well supported to understand what is expected of them. Teachers assess pupils’ learning and identify any gaps. They plan intervention sessions to address these gaps. These sessions usually take place during the lessons. However, there are times when interventions take place when pupils are studying other subjects and not mathematics. Leaders have thought carefully about how these pupils access the whole programme of learning, and are continually looking for ways to ensure that all pupils access the whole curriculum.

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Some subjects are not as well planned and sequenced as mathematics and English. Staff do not assess pupils’ needs in the wider curriculum well enough to find out what they know and can do. Leaders and staff are reviewing the assessment and planning in these subjects.

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Staff told us that they feel well supported by school leaders and that the training they have received is having an impact on their teaching. Leaders are aware that there is more work to do to develop the skills and expertise of some subject leaders.

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Leaders have made efforts to improve how they communicate with families. Some parents told us that they would like clearer communication from leaders about the improvements that had been made. Other parents who spoke with us during the inspection said that they were able to see the impact of changes leaders had made. The governing body has taken recommendations raised in the previous inspection and acted on these swiftly. Governors have ensured that leaders receive ongoing support and challenge.

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There is a systematic approach to the teaching of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Pupils said that they discuss a range of topics in their classes: two examples of current affairs topics given were about recent flooding and access for people with disabilities. Pupils also explore British values. Pupils held an election where pupils presented their ideas and these were voted on.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils said that they feel safe and happy in school. Leaders act on any safeguarding concerns quickly.

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Safeguarding

Pupils told us that there are people they can talk to if they feel worried. Leaders have thought carefully about how to support pupils’ emotional well-being and they do this effectively.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are in the process of adapting the school’s PSHE programme to include opportunities for pupils to learn about the dangers of gang affiliation and knife crime. Older pupils have worked with Childline and were able to discuss the ways they can keep themselves safe. 4–5 February 2020

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Reading, writing and mathematics are well planned. Plans in the other subjects are new and staff know that they need to adapt and adjust these to meet the needs of all pupils. These aspects of the curriculum are not yet sufficiently coherently planned and sequenced. However, leaders have sought support to improve these. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum in subjects other than English and mathematics is as well planned to enable pupils to acquire secure knowledge and skills as they move through the school.  Leaders have focused developments on English and mathematics. Leaders now need to develop subject leaders more fully. This will enable subject leaders to help staff assess pupils’ needs and plan activities to help pupils improve their knowledge and skills across all subjects.  Pupils commented that not all adults in school help them to resolve any concerns they have. Leaders need to ensure that all staff respond appropriately to pupils’

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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. 4–5 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10110369 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 13 December 2018

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Information about this school

 Stillness Junior School is a smaller-than-average-sized school in the London Borough of Lewisham.

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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

 We met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and members of staff. We also met with members of the local authority and the governing body.  We did deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history, music and writing. For each of these subjects we held discussions with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work.  We spoke with parents and considered the 92 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses from parents and parents’ correspondence with the lead inspector.  We spoke with pupils and staff about the school’s work to keep pupils safe. We also considered safeguarding records, documentation and the school’s single central record of staff suitability checks. 4–5 February 2020

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Inspection team

Adam Vincent, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lynn Martin Ofsted Inspector 4–5 February 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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