Somerlea Park Junior School

Inspection of Somerlea Park Junior School Bank Street, Somercotes, Alfreton, Derbyshire DE55 4JE

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 18 and 19 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils are the most important people at this school. Pupils are well cared for. Staff know pupils well and know how to motivate and get the best out of them. Pupils enjoy school. They are well behaved and work hard.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy earning praise and recognition. They understand how the school’s ‘learners’ code’ helps them to make a positive contribution across the school. Pupils are proud of the roles and responsibilities that they earn through the school’s ‘band system’. They enjoy spending their points for positive behaviour in the ‘Brainsburys’ shop at the end of each week. Pupils are proud of their positive behaviour and conduct. They say that the behaviour policy is working well. Pupils understand the consequences of poor behaviour and take these seriously. They know that everyone should be treated equally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say that bullying is extremely rare. They are confident that leaders will deal with it should it occur. Pupils know who to talk to if they need help. They know that they can access support at any time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, parents and staff believe that pupils work hard, behave well and get the help they need. Inspectors agree with these views.

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better?

The majority of the school’s curriculum is well planned and sequenced. It sets out what pupils will learn at each point of their education. Content is ordered carefully and helps pupils to learn and remember more over time. However, in some subjects, the curriculum does not make clear enough the most important things that pupils are expected to learn.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has been improved systematically. However, a small number of subjects have yet to be planned and sequenced. Leaders are aware of this and have allocated time for these subjects to be improved.

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better?

Reading is prioritised. It is taught daily. Teachers help pupils to read and understand a wide variety of demanding texts. Pupils enjoy their book club lessons. They enjoy listening to teachers read to them in the daily ‘drop everything and read’ sessions.

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better?

Leaders ensure that all pupils acquire the phonics knowledge and skills that they need to help them read. Phonics is taught well. However, there are some minor inconsistencies in how older pupils are taught to tackle new and unfamiliar words. This is because some teachers have not been fully trained in how to teach phonics.

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better?

Pupils’ behaviour is good. The school’s behaviour policy is working well. It is applied consistently. Pupils who need help to follow the school’s rules are well supported. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Leaders make sure that these pupils’ needs are identified and managed appropriately.

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The school caters well for pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a well- sequenced programme of personal, social, relationships and health education. They experience a wide range of visits, sporting and musical activities. They know it is important to treat everyone equally, regardless of background, culture or belief. They do not tolerate any kind of racism.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get on well in their learning. The recently appointed special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) knows these pupils well. Pupils with SEND get the help that they need to learn the school’s curriculum. Teaching assistants provide effective support to pupils with SEND.

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Leaders know their school well. They have an accurate view of what is working well and what needs to improve. Leaders are determined that pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They have created a united and supportive staff team that shares their ambitions. Leaders consult pupils, parents and staff regularly. Everyone is well-informed about and included in the school’s improvement journey. The school works closely with the feeder infant school. This helps pupils to have a smooth transition between the two schools.

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The school’s pupil champions are well-informed about improvements. They understand their responsibilities. They work effectively with leaders to carry these out.

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Leaders benefit from regular challenge and support from the trust. The trust provides training and opportunities for staff to work with colleagues from other schools. Staff value this and it helps them to improve their practice.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff know pupils well. They are quick to recognise when pupils need help. Concerns are dealt with quickly. No concern goes unchallenged. Records are detailed and are fit for purpose. The school’s safeguarding procedures are understood by all staff.

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Safeguarding

The inclusion manager and family support worker provide a wide range of help and advice for pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work well with other agencies to make sure that pupils get the help they need. They challenge where things are not working as well as they should.

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 The school’s curriculum is not yet sufficiently planned and sequenced in a small number of subjects. However, it is clear that leaders are taking action to plan next year’s curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional statements have been applied.  The school’s curriculum sets out what pupils will learn at each point of their education. However, in some subjects, the most important content that pupils should know and remember is not clear enough. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum makes clear the most important content that pupils should know and remember in the long term.  Some staff have not been trained to teach phonics. This means there are some minor inconsistencies in the way that staff help pupils to read unfamiliar words. Leaders should ensure that all staff are trained in phonics and that they use this to help pupils read unfamiliar words consistently.

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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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10212014 Type of school Junior

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School details

Headteacher Helina Kirkup (executive headteacher) Daisy Rizo (head of school) Website www.learnerstrust.org/spj

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 This was the school’s first inspection since opening in September 2017.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school, curriculum leaders and the SENCo.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, history and music. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also looked at curriculum documentation in geography and art. 18 and 19 January 2022

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 The lead inspector met with the chair of the school’s champions. He also met with the chief executive officer of The Learners’ Trust and the chair of the board of trustees.  Inspectors took account of the 11 responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and six written comments from parents. They also considered the 16 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Inspectors met with safeguarding leaders. They reviewed school documents relating to safeguarding, attendance and surveys carried out by the school.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Slack Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 January 2022

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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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