Limpsfield Junior School

Inspection of Limpsfield Junior School Jenkin Avenue, Brightside, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S9 1AN

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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 Requires improvement 22 and 23 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Supported by caring staff, leaders have created an ethos in the school where pupils thrive. They learn through a well-planned curriculum. Adults provide support and additional resources to remove any barriers to learning. This ensures all pupils develop their knowledge across a range of different subjects. What is more, pupils know that making mistakes is an important part of learning. Reflecting the views of others, one pupil remarked, ‘Teachers help us to stick with it.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well behaved, work hard in class and are eager to learn. A few pupils struggle to concentrate sometimes, but adults are quick to help them to refocus. Pupils can earn merit points which add up over time and lead to the presentation of certificates in award assemblies. Pupils appreciate these.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe. Bullying rarely happens. When it does, pupils know that adults will sort any problems out quickly. Pupils and staff have strong relationships and pupils know they can turn to an adult if they are concerned. Pupils understand the importance of being healthy and like to use the school running track to help them keep fit.

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better?

Reading has a high priority in school. Pupils have regular opportunities to develop their reading skills and use these across all subjects. Phonics is taught in small, incremental steps to any pupil in need of extra support. The headteacher has compiled a recommended selection of books, prominently displayed outside his office. Books are regularly added to this set. Pupils are eager to read these. Pupils discussed their favourite authors, which include Michael Morpurgo.

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better?

Since the last inspection, leaders have continued to develop the curriculum. They have thought carefully about what pupils learn in each subject. Teachers make good links between subjects. For example, Year 4 pupils were using their mathematical knowledge of the nets of shapes within the design and technology curriculum. A short time is set aside each morning, so teachers can go over any aspect of work which pupils may not have understood the previous day. Pupils both recall and use knowledge gained in previous years. For example, Year 6 pupils spoke to an inspector about aspects of food and hygiene they learned in Year 3. This knowledge is being built on in their current learning as they prepare a meal using typical ingredients, rationed in the 1940s.

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better?

Pupils visit a range of places to bring their learning alive. As part of a history topic, pupils visited Conisborough Castle. Pupils discussed how this made learning memorable. In English and mathematics, teachers check what pupils know effectively. In some foundation subjects this is less well established. 22 and 23 March 2022

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do well. Staff are trained to support pupils with SEND and, as a result, are very skilled in doing so. Teachers provide these pupils with additional and adapted resources and equip pupils with key words and concepts before lessons. Pupils can therefore access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils have the opportunity to take part in outdoor and adventurous activities which help to develop their resilience. Pupils take on responsibilities within the school, including the roles of play leader and school councillor. They have an understanding of how the country is governed. Pupils value democracy. They relate this to both the selection of the school council and those pupils responsible for distributing fruit at breaktimes.

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Senior leaders have worked hard to improve the school. They have a clear vision to enable pupils to be independent learners and to develop strong character traits. Staff value the training and support they receive. They appreciate that leaders are both considerate and supportive of their well-being and workload.

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Governors know the school well and have a detailed understanding of its strengths, areas to develop and the impact of various strategies, including the school’s COVID- 19 recovery plan. They have the knowledge to carry out their role effectively, including the information they need in order to hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All necessary checks are carried out on staff before they start work at the school. Leaders have developed a culture where safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Supported by regular training, staff are adept at identifying and reporting any concerns. Leaders use this information to get families the appropriate support. Staff know who to contact if they have any concerns about a colleague.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that safeguarding issues weave through the curriculum. This includes helping pupils to take responsibility for their own safety. For example, pupils are taught about online safety, the dangers associated with fake news and what to do if they feel something is not right.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, assessment systems are still in varying stages of development. In some subjects, leaders do not have a clear picture of what pupils do well and what they need to improve. Leaders need to ensure that teachers check what pupils have both remembered and understood in all subjects in order to identify gaps in learning and inform subsequent teaching. 22 and 23 March 2022

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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. 22 and 23 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211674 Type of school Junior School category Maintained

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 At the school’s previous section 5 inspection, overall effectiveness was judged to require improvement.  The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils receiving support for SEND is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below the national average.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 22 and 23 March 2022

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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.

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the assistant headteacher. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history and design and technology. 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. Inspectors visited a sample of lessons with the exception of history.  Inspectors also looked at further samples of pupils’ work in science and geography.  An inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to discuss the school’s safeguarding policies and procedures. Documentation was scrutinised and evidenced how the school identifies and supports pupils at risk of harm. Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils and staff to evaluate the school’s

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safeguarding culture.  An inspector checked the school’s single central record to make sure all staff had the appropriate checks to work with children.  The views of staff were considered from conversations and through responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke to parents during the inspection. In addition, a number of written responses were taken into account.

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Inspection team

Andy Taylor, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lesley Allwood Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 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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