Sandwich Junior School

Inspection of an outstanding school: Sandwich Junior School St Bart’s Road, Sandwich, Kent CT13 0AS

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Outcome

Sandwich Junior School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, staff, parents and governors are extremely proud of their excellent school. It is a happy school where pupils feel very safe. Pupils love coming to school and are exceptionally enthusiastic about all that they do. One parent said, ‘The glee with which we see our child run into school is a joy to behold.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to develop curious and enquiring minds and they thoroughly enjoy their learning. Pupils meet teachers’ high expectations for them to succeed in their academic and personal development. One parent said, ‘My child has grown in confidence with all aspects of learning and personal development since being at the school and it is lovely to see he is being challenged, but in a positive, supportive and encouraging way.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand and live up to the school’s values and principles of community, diversity and resilience, represented in the school by the wolf, the eagle, the salmon and the dolphin. The school’s values are very successfully threaded through the curriculum, extra activities, assemblies and social times.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They cannot recall any incidents of bullying. They are confident about talking to staff and say that any concerns are dealt with promptly and fairly.

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

Leaders, governors and staff provide an exceptional quality of education for all pupils. The headteacher’s highly effective leadership motivates and inspires staff. Subject leaders are particularly knowledgeable and passionate about their responsibilities. Their guidance and expertise are appreciated by teachers. There is an extraordinary spirit of teamwork. Senior leaders are mindful of teachers’ workload and well-being. Governors are highly skilled and experienced. They are extremely well informed. Governors have high expectations of senior leaders and keep a watchful eye on their welfare. 23 and 24 March 2022

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The school’s curriculum is ambitious, inspiring and highly engaging. Pupils’ learning is broad and deep, and they achieve exceptionally well. Staff have equally ambitious expectations for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who benefit from the same rich curriculum as their peers. Leaders provide exactly the right support to ensure that pupils with SEND achieve as well as they can.

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Teachers set great store in providing pupils with opportunities to discuss and debate their thoughts and opinions. Pupils listen intently to different points of view, including when they do not agree. They have an excellent grasp of subject-specific vocabulary. Themed events, such as science week, multicultural week and British history week, provide highly memorable and enjoyable learning experiences.

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There is an unwavering commitment and determination that all pupils will become fluent, confident and passionate readers. Pupils are inspired by teachers’ enthusiasm. One pupil said, ‘The books they read really get you into reading and I’ll carry on reading for the rest of my life.’ The library is a hive of activity at lunchtimes with the Year 6 librarians providing help and advice, and reading to younger pupils.

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Leaders make sure that pupils experience a broad range of interesting and challenging texts. These make a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of wider issues, such as diversity and equality. Teachers and leaders have a precise understanding of the needs of the least fluent readers. They keep a very careful check on their progress to ensure that they catch up quickly. Phonics skills are taught very well for the few pupils who are at the very early stages of learning to read. The books pupils read are suitably matched to their ability.

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Pupils’ notable personal attributes and skills, combined with their academic achievements, mean they are extremely well prepared for later life. They become exceptionally well- rounded, confident individuals. Pupils are respectful of each other and of adults, who are excellent role models. Pupils are extremely proud of their leadership roles, such as science ambassadors and play leaders. They relish the opportunity to make a difference in their community. Pupils take their responsibilities very seriously and execute them with great skill. They take part in the school’s extensive range of clubs and extra activities, including mathematics and science competitions.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils’ welfare and safety are priorities for everyone in the school. Leaders, staff and governors are all fully trained in safeguarding matters and understand their responsibilities. Staff know pupils very well and can quickly identify signs that a child may be at risk of harm. They know the procedures to follow if they have a concern and take swift action when necessary. Leaders seek advice from specialist services where appropriate. Leaders and teachers make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. The appropriate checks are carried out on adults who work at the school. 23 and 24 March 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 outstanding in June 2016.

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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.

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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. 23 and 24 March 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.sandwich-junior.kent.sch.uk/ Date of previous inspection 21 and 22 June 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was previously the deputy headteacher at the school. He became the acting headteacher in October 2021 and was appointed substantive headteacher in February 2022.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with the headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special education needs coordinator and governors. She also held a telephone conversation with the local authority school improvement adviser.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, science and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. 23 and 24 March 2022

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 The inspector also looked at other subject documents, had a discussion with the mathematics leader and observed some pupils reading to staff. Pupils were observed at lunchtime, in the playground and in assemblies. The inspector spoke informally to groups of pupils.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead, looked at the single central record of recruitment checks and safeguarding records and talked informally to pupils and staff.  The inspector considered the views expressed by parents, pupils and staff in response to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Margaret Coussins, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 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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