Greengate Junior School

Inspection of Greengate Junior School Greengate Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 1BG

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 November 2021

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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 10 and 11 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are surrounded by a team of dedicated staff and governors. These adults have high expectations for the pupils’ well-being, their aspirations and achievement. Pupils feel safe and well cared for. They grow in confidence and blossom as they move through the school. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum. By the end of Year 6, they are ready to embrace all that their next schools have to offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils play happily together in the playground. They enjoy the many activities on offer. Adults support pupils to get the most from playtimes, for example through modelling sporting behaviour. Pupils recognise that disagreements may happen, but that there is always someone to turn to for help. This includes spending time with the school therapy dog, Ted. Pupils said that bullying of any kind is ‘not tolerated’. If bullying happens, it is quickly resolved.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful to each other and to adults. They behave well in lessons and when moving around school. Pupils are polite and thoughtful. They readily offer help to visitors and are keen to share their learning. Pupils help make the school a welcoming community. They are proud to play their part in making sure that ‘every voice counts’.

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better?

Leaders have designed a well-thought-out curriculum that is rooted in the school’s locality. The curriculum builds vocabulary across all subjects and broadens pupils’ experiences. Leaders have ensured that all pupils benefit from this ambitious curriculum. They ensure that pupils achieve well.

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better?

In most subjects, leaders’ plans identify the key knowledge that teachers should emphasise and revisit over time. Leaders provide teachers with clear guidance on how to check exactly what their pupils know and remember. Teachers make effective use of this information to plan what pupils need to know next. This helps pupils to build their knowledge well over time. The disruption caused by COVID-19 has meant that not all curriculum plans have been developed to the same extent. In addition, teachers’ checks on what pupils know and can remember are not as effective in all subjects as a result.

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better?

COVID-19 has disrupted pupils’ learning. Younger pupils have some gaps in their phonic knowledge. This affects their ability to read fluently. Leaders have taken effective action to address these gaps. Pupils who need help to catch up are taught by well-trained staff. Pupils benefit from good-quality phonics resources. These include books that match the sounds that pupils are learning. This supports pupils to catch up.

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better?

Leaders strive to fully include all pupils, including those with complex special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), in all aspects of school life. They 10 and 11 November 2021

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ensure that teachers support pupils to behave well. This means that pupils get the most out of their lessons. Leaders also ensure that staff know how to identify and meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Well-trained staff provide highly effective emotional support to those pupils with more complex needs. Teachers adapt the curriculum well for these pupils. This enables them to learn alongside their classmates and to access the same curriculum.

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Leaders have carefully considered how best to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils are taught to respectfully debate moral issues. They think deeply about their own beliefs, as well as those of others. Pupils understand what makes a healthy relationship. They spoke positively and with sensitivity about different types of family.

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Pupils are keen to play their part in the school community. They take on extra responsibilities with enthusiasm. Older pupils enjoy their roles as school prefects and ‘eco champions’. They act as positive role models to younger pupils.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They recognise that leaders do all they can to support their workload. Teachers who start their career at the school feel well supported. They benefit from the expertise of the school’s mentor and curriculum leaders.

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Governors bring an array of experience and skills to their roles. They are well equipped to offer leaders informed challenge and support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff are suitably trained to identify when a pupil may be at risk of harm. Leaders are tenacious in following up any concerns. Detailed records are kept. Leaders work closely with a range of external partners to ensure that pupils and their families get any additional support, when needed.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. They know how to manage online risks, as well as risks they may face when out and about in their community. This includes the risks associated with being around open water.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment well. In these subjects, teachers do not always plan carefully what pupils need to learn next. Leaders should ensure that the effective assessment systems used in some subjects are replicated in others. This will help to ensure that pupils’ learning consistently builds on what they already know. 10 and 11 November 2021

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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. 10 and 11 November 2021

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

11 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Leaders make use of alternative provision run by Cowran Estate.  The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND. Pupils’ primary need in this specially resourced provision is social, emotional and mental health.

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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 had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff. An inspector spoke to representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and met with a representative of the local authority. 10 and 11 November 2021

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 Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers shared through Parent View. Inspectors also considered the views of staff and pupils, through the staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around school, in lessons and at lunchtime. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They reviewed documentation and spoke to leaders and staff. Inspectors also spoke to pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, art and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector observed pupils reading to a trusted adult.  Inspectors also looked at other subjects on the school’s curriculum. They visited

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lessons, looked at plans and talked to subject leaders and pupils.

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Inspection team

Jackie Stillings, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Edmondson Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 November 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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