Colebrook Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Colebrook Junior School Towcester Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 4AS

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Outcome

Colebrook Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that they love coming to school, and that they feel safe. They enjoy learning and are expected to work hard in lessons. They are happy and enthusiastic learners who realise that the school’s ‘STAR’ qualities make them better citizens. Teachers make sure that learning is engaging and interesting. Pupils and staff are proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told me how much they enjoy different subjects, such as mathematics and geography. They are positive about the number of trips that are on offer to them. For example, they recently visited a local renewable energy provider. They also appreciate the range of clubs, including ‘Zumba’ and ‘Dodgeball’, which are well attended.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They told me that they all get along with each other and that staff quickly sort out any poor behaviour. Instances of bullying are rare because of this. Pupils also value the trusting relationships they have with staff. They particularly value the extra help they receive in lessons to help them succeed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate the welcoming and caring atmosphere throughout the school. Staff have high aspirations for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

Leaders, under the guidance of the headteacher, have planned an ambitious and exciting curriculum. Most subjects are well organised to help pupils build their knowledge and skills as they progress through school. The mathematics curriculum, for example, is well led and designed. As a result, pupils build on their prior knowledge and skills and can tackle more challenging problems with confidence. The improvements that are being made to the curriculum are having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement.

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

Leaders know the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have high expectations of what pupils can achieve and of their behaviour. This allows pupils to learn without any disruption. 11–12 March 2020

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Leaders and teachers ensure that a love of reading permeates the school. Teachers ensure that pupils read a wide range of books and poetry by different authors. Pupils enjoy reading books about subjects they are studying in lessons. This helps them to deepen their understanding about topics such as World War II.

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Curriculum leaders have coherent plans in place to develop their subjects. However, they acknowledge that the content of some subjects is less well sequenced than it is in other subjects and enables pupils to learn more and remember more. In science, for example, the curriculum does not sequentially develop pupils’ skills and knowledge in order to enable them to conduct scientific investigations. Pupils struggle to build on what they already know and deepen their understanding as they move through the school. In geography, leaders have not yet had the opportunity to monitor how effectively staff deliver the curriculum. Consequently, they do not have a detailed understanding of how well pupils learn in geography.

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Teachers and teaching assistants work effectively together to share ideas and resources. Staff say that they feel trusted and appreciate leaders’ support in helping to reduce workload.

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Pupils with SEND have positive attitudes towards their learning, particularly in mathematics. The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is knowledgeable and has ensured that staff provide tailored support for such pupils. Leaders and staff know these pupils very well. Through the curriculum, they ensure that pupils develop strong social and emotional skills. Pupils are very well prepared for learning and achieve well in many areas of the curriculum.

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Pupils develop a wide range of personal and social skills. This is because of the experiences they are given that enrich the taught curriculum. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the importance of both physical and mental health. They also understand why it is important to look after the environment. Pupils take pride in the roles they have, for example the ‘Helping Hands’, who support other pupils at play times. These experiences help to develop caring, responsible and active pupils.

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Governors are good critical friends to leaders. They have a detailed view of the school’s strengths and use this to hold leaders to account well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture where the safety and welfare of children is a high priority. They have strong processes in place, which are monitored regularly, to ensure that systems are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are well trained and know how and when to report any concerns about a child’s welfare. As a result, any concerns are addressed swiftly and appropriately. 11–12 March 2020

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Leaders work with other agencies in a timely and constructive manner to support pupils and keep them safe, both in school and in the local area.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have yet to implement a coherent and sequential plan for the way in which scientific enquiry is taught. Pupils are unable to build on their prior knowledge and develop their scientific skills because of this. Teachers need to ensure that pupils develop, remember and use the necessary investigation skills and knowledge as they move up through the school.  Curriculum leaders in some subjects, such as geography, are not yet monitoring the quality of pupils’ learning in their subjects as effectively as they could be. They are not clear on the impact that the planned curriculum is having on pupils’ knowledge and skills. Leaders should evaluate precisely the impact of the actions they have taken. Following their evaluation, leaders should refine their curriculum design to help support all pupils to achieve well.

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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 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 where 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 school to be good on 15–16 December 2015.

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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 . 11–12 March 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. 11–12 March 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10058412 Type of school Junior

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governing body

Website www.colebrook-jun.swindon.sch.uk

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governing body

Date of previous inspection 15–16 December 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than the average-sized junior school.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, I met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, SENCo, subject leaders, teachers and governors.  I met with groups of pupils from across the school.  I reviewed documentation which included the school’s register of checks carried out on new employees and safeguarding records.  I observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and discussed behaviour and bullying with pupils, teachers and senior leaders.  I spoke to parents at the start of the school day and took account of 24 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and 24 free-text comments. I also considered 24 responses to the survey for staff. There were no responses on the pupils’ survey. 11–12 March 2020

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 I considered reading, mathematics and geography and sampled work in science as part of this inspection. For these subjects, I spoke with the headteacher, met with curriculum leaders, teachers and pupils, undertook an analysis of pupils’ work and visited lessons. I also heard pupils read.

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Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11–12 March 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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