Bakewell Methodist Junior School

Inspection of Bakewell Methodist Junior School Stoney Close, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1FR

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2021

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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 14 and 15 September 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school feel happy and safe. Many told inspectors that they ‘love their school’ and that their teachers ‘know them well and care about them’. They trust their teachers to take any worries they have seriously and say that bullying, if it did occur, would be dealt with quickly. They are proud of their school and describe it as a ‘safe place for all, whatever their age, race or gender’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They understand the school rules and think they are fair. They like that their teachers help them to redeem themselves should their behaviour not meet the high standards set. They appreciate the rewards they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are many opportunities to get involved in the local community. Recently, for example, pupils visited a local care home. They provided gifts to residents who had to spend Christmas alone and performed a nativity. Leaders want to help broaden pupils’ knowledge and experiences outside of the curriculum and beyond Bakewell.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is not well planned in all subjects. Pupils do not gain the rich knowledge and skills that they should across the full range of subjects.

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better?

Leaders have begun to review the curriculum. They have started to identify what pupils need to learn in different subjects. This work has been too slow to start. Recently, leaders have started to work with specialists from other schools. This joint work has made a significant difference in a short amount of time. Very recently, leaders have started to improve the curriculum in some areas such as reading and history.

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better?

Leaders have introduced a new phonics programme and have trained staff to deliver it. The books which pupils read as part of this programme are well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils in Year 3 said that they ‘enjoy reading in the big school’.

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better?

Each day, all pupils are involved in story time. Pupils enjoy listening to their teachers read. Leaders have purchased books for each classroom to spark pupils’ interests. The ‘Bakewell brilliant books’ have encouraged pupils to read different authors and genres and to develop a love of reading.

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better?

Some older pupils continue to struggle with reading. The reading curriculum, although improving, is not designed well enough to ensure that these pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to be confident readers.

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better?

The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. Parents are full of praise for the work that teachers do. Teachers have high 14 and 15 September 2021

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expectations of what pupils with SEND can achieve. Pupils receive appropriate support.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are keen to learn. They behave extremely well and are courteous to their peers and teachers. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, attend well.

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The school encourages pupils to develop respect for others. Pupils have visited different places of worship. They learn about how democracy works, for example through a visit from the local member of parliament. They enjoy getting involved in the Pupil Council. They know why equal opportunities are important and celebrate diversity.

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Until recently, leaders have not taken the opportunities offered to work with others, share good practice or develop the skills of senior and subject leaders. New governors have helped to develop the skills and expertise of the governing body. Governors now have a strong vision for the school’s further development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and teachers know pupils well and there are well-understood systems in place to identify pupils who may need help. Leaders work with external professionals so that pupils and their families receive the support they need. When they need to do so, leaders escalate their concerns.

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Safeguarding

Some safeguarding records are not sufficiently detailed. Some policies are currently difficult for parents to access.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Curriculum planning has been insufficiently focused on the key knowledge that pupils need to acquire. There is little clarity about the end points that pupils should learn. This means that pupils do not gain the knowledge and skills they need in all subjects. Leaders need to build on the start they have made to ensure that an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum is in place that meets the needs of all pupils and enables them to succeed.  Assessment does not enable teachers to routinely or consistently check how well pupils are learning the curriculum. The curriculum is not addressing some pupils’ learning gaps. Too much intervention means that some pupils risk falling further behind. Leaders must ensure that all teachers assess how well pupils learn the curriculum and address any gaps in their learning, enabling all pupils to succeed.  The reading programme is not well planned across the school. Some pupils do not

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

catch up quickly enough in reading and are not well prepared for the next stage 14 and 15 September 2021

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in their learning. Leaders should build on what they have already started in implementing the new phonics programme. They should ensure that pupils have the required reading knowledge to access the full range of subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 14 and 15 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200158 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Mr Hugo Reynolds

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School details

Website www.bakewelljun.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 March 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new chair of the governors has taken up post. A representative of the Methodist Academies and Schools Trust has joined the governing body.  Recently, leaders have received support from the Epworth Education Trust to improve the quality of the school curriculum planning and sequencing.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors focused on reading, mathematics, history and art. This included lesson visits. Inspectors also talked with pupils about their school and looked at examples of pupils’ work in these subjects. 14 and 15 September 2021

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 Meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and subject leaders. Inspectors also met with teachers and teaching assistants. The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the governing body and one other governor. She met with a representative of the Epworth Education Trust and spoke with the chief executive officer of this trust by telephone. She spoke with the local authority school improvement adviser.  The inspectors spoke with parents informally and considered 21 responses to the online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and four responses to the survey for staff.  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including that related to safeguarding, behaviour and attendance. They also looked at leaders’ evaluation of the schools performance and their planning documentation. They reviewed the information on the school website.

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Inspection team

Jayne Ashman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

George Huthart Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 2021

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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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