John Jamieson School

Inspection of a good school: John Jamieson School Hollin Hill Drive, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS8 2PW

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Outcome

John Jamieson School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending John Jamieson School. Staff are very caring and supportive. Parents and carers appreciate the help staff give to them and their children. Staff understand and support pupils’ individual needs well. Pupils are safe and happy. One parent summed up the views of many when stating, ‘Getting the provision just right for my daughter feels like a real partnership between us and school.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are very positive. Pupils know staff will look after them and help them to learn. Leaders have high expectations for pupils to achieve well and be prepared for adult life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are respectful of each other’s needs and engage effectively with learning. They have very positive attitudes to education. Staff support pupils in managing their emotions so that they learn over time how to become more independent. Bullying is rare. If there is any bullying, it is dealt with quickly and effectively by staff.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and meets the needs of all pupils well. Leaders are clear about the skills and knowledge that pupils need by the time they leave school. Pupils follow different curriculum pathways based on their requirements.

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

Teachers break down learning into small steps to match the needs of pupils. As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum in most subjects. However, in mathematics, it is not always clear how teachers break down knowledge into logical steps.

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

Staff know pupils well and can respond quickly if they become anxious. Staff are respectful towards pupils and enable pupils to make choices. Staff use consistent and effective methods for communication, such as the use of symbols. Staff provide effective support so that pupils develop their language and communication skills well. 2 and 3 March 2022

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Teachers select curriculum content that reflects pupils’ interests. As a result, pupils engage in learning well. Staff effectively model what pupils need to learn. This allows pupils to see and hear correct performances for them to reproduce.

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Staff teach reading well. Those pupils who are identified by staff as falling behind are supported well to catch up quickly. All pupils access books at an appropriate level. The books chosen are relevant and interesting to pupils and match what they already know.

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Staff regularly check pupils’ progress and communicate this to parents. Leaders ensure that targets on pupils’ education, health and care (EHC) plans are known and understood by all staff. This ensures that pupils with EHC plans are supported well.

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The school’s personal development programme is comprehensive. Pupils have an age- appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. They enjoy the wide range of enrichment opportunities that the school offers. These include going to a gym and experiencing a variety of trips and visits. Some pupils are involved in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Others enjoy gardening clubs and other outdoor activities on the school grounds. These opportunities have been more limited during the pandemic.

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Older pupils benefit from a careers programme that prepares them well for the world of work and adult life. Work experience opportunities are readily available. Pupils develop important team-building skills and learn to look after themselves. Careers provision for younger pupils is less well developed. Pupils are taught about different faiths, religions and cultures. However, pupils find it difficult to recall what they have been taught.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. Staff value the support leaders give them. Staff appreciate the high-quality professional development that they receive. Leaders consider staff’s well-being and their workload. Governors challenge leaders to continually improve the quality of education for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff understand the important role that they play in keeping pupils safe. They understand how to report concerns to the school’s designated safeguarding leader (DSL) when they have concerns about pupils’ welfare. Leaders ensure that staff receive appropriate and regular safeguarding training. Leaders ensure that appropriate and timely actions are taken when there are concerns about pupils’ safety. They work well with a range of external agencies to provide support to pupils and their families. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both off and online. Pupils are confident to speak to an adult in school if they have any worries or concerns. 2 and 3 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In mathematics, it is unclear how teachers should break down learning into key components. This is limiting pupils’ understanding of mathematical methods. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders clearly identify the steps for learning in all subjects.  Pupils find it difficult to remember what they have been taught about different religions, faiths and cultures. This is because teachers do not effectively check that pupils understand the meaning and value of what has been taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers effectively check that pupils remember and understand what they have been taught in these aspects of the curriculum.  Younger pupils do not have a sufficiently broad careers curriculum. This limits their understanding of future choices in education, employment or training. Leaders should ensure consistent careers provision across the whole school.

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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 outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, 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 deem the section 8 inspection as 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 in February 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 2 and 3 March 2022

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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. 2 and 3 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211481 Type of school Special

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection 22–23 February 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has expanded in the last two years and includes a number of sites across Leeds. There are three main school sites: John Jamieson, Roger Cannon and Jack Clark.  The school also has satellite sites with partnership schools. The partnership schools are: Whitkirk Primary School, Temple Moor High School and Brigshaw School.  Leaders also oversee the Medical Needs Teaching Service for pupils across Leeds whose long or short-term health needs mean they are unable to attend their home schools. The service is commissioned by the governing body for Leeds local authority. The pupils accessing this service remain on the roll of their home school.  All pupils have, or are being assessed for, EHC plans or have a statement of special educational needs.  The school does not make use of any alternative education provision. 2 and 3 March 2022

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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 of the school.  Inspectors visited the school’s three main sites: John Jamieson, Roger Cannon and Jack Clark.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English (including reading and communication), mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about careers and preparation for adulthood.  Inspectors heard children in different year groups reading.  Inspectors met with representatives of the school’s governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered a wide variety of school documentation, including the school’s improvement plan.  Inspectors considered the views of 28 staff who responded to Ofsted’s survey. Inspectors also considered the responses from 18 parents or carers to Ofsted’s parent survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered email correspondence from parents.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from different year groups and a group of girls.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation relating to the school’s work to safeguard pupils. This included reviewing relevant safeguarding polices and scrutiny of the school’s single central record and safer recruitment procedures. An inspector also met with the school’s DSL.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Pauline Rowland, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Graham Findlay Her Majesty’s Inspector 2 and 3 March 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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