St. Margaret's CofE Junior School

Inspection of a good school: St. Margaret’s CofE Junior School Coppice Road, Whitnash, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 2JF

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Outcome

St. Margaret’s CofE Junior School continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

St. Margaret’s CofE Junior School is an aspirational school. Leaders want the very best for every child. Pupils are happy and safe. They enjoy coming to school. Pupils live the school vision of ‘flourish as a family, love to learn, make memories and shine.’ Bullying is not tolerated at the school. Teachers act swiftly to resolve any issues or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have designed a highly ambitious curriculum so that every pupil can succeed academically and personally. Pupils enjoy reading. They develop their talents and interests through a wide range of activities and experiences. For example, during STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) week, pupils learn about the careers of a visiting civil engineer and scientist. Pupils in Year 5 recently enjoyed an overnight camping experience at Boughton Woods.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well. Pupils meet these expectations. They work hard and concentrate in lessons. On rare occasions when pupils do not behave well, teachers help them to understand how they can improve. This helps pupils reflect on how their behaviour affects others. Leaders continue to work with parents so that all can see the benefit of this approach. 16–17 March 2022

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

Teachers expect all pupils to do their best. Leaders have created a well-structured curriculum that sets high expectations for all pupils. They have identified the important knowledge and vocabulary that pupils need to know and remember. This is carefully sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge over time. For example, in history lessons pupils compare and contrast monarchs such as Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Leaders ensure that teachers receive the training they need to deliver the curriculum well. In lessons, teachers check pupils’ learning regularly and provide the right support to pupils who need it. They encourage pupils to reflect on their learning and apply it to different contexts. As a result, pupils achieve very well.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils are supported well. They access the same curriculum as other pupils in school. Pupils with SEND achieve very well. Parents are positive about the care and support their children receive.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Staff are highly skilled and receive regular training in reading. Pupils enjoy reading a range of books in school and at home. They learn about and experience an array of different authors and genres. This helps them to develop a love of reading. Phonics lessons for those pupils who need them are well taught. As a result, pupils who have fallen behind in their reading catch up quickly.

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

Leaders provide a rich set of varied experiences to promote pupils’ personal development. They are reinstating all of the activities, trips, visits and clubs following the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils value these. They particularly enjoy the forest school and gardening club. Pupils in Year 6 are excited about their planned summer residential to Wales.

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

The school rules help pupils to understand right and wrong and how to keep themselves and others safe. Staff help pupils to know and understand these rules. Staff effectively support pupils to improve their behaviour when needed, which means that pupils benefit from a calm and orderly learning environment. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders have not communicated the school’s behaviour policies and procedures well enough to parents. Consequently, some parents do not have a clear understanding of how the school’s approach to managing behaviour improves pupils’ behaviour. Pupils recognise and respect others’ differences. Pastoral staff provide help and support to pupils and their families who need it. This allows pupils to focus on their learning.

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

Governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. They effectively challenge and hold leaders to account. Leaders are well skilled in monitoring the impact of their work. Teachers respond positively to feedback and are eager to further develop their knowledge and skills. Staff say that they are well supported by leaders to manage their workload effectively. Recent changes to assessments have significantly reduced teacher workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16–17 March 2022

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Leaders prioritise pupils’ welfare. They ensure staff attend regular safeguarding training. Staff understand their role in keeping children safe. They report concerns promptly and are alert to issues such as child sexual harassment and neglect. Leaders know their school community well. They secure help for pupils who need it in partnership with external agencies.

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Pupils learn about online safety, healthy relationships and fire safety. They know that there are trusted adults in school who they can talk to if they have a concern.

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Leaders ensure the necessary safeguarding checks are undertaken before staff are appointed.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some parents do not understand the new approach to managing behaviour. Leaders have not yet communicated the changes to the behaviour policies and systems to parents as effectively as they would have liked due to the pandemic. There is not a common understanding between school and home of how the behaviour processes help pupils to learn how to behave well. Leaders should ensure that they communicate changes to policies and procedures clearly to parents, so that they know the school processes for raising and dealing with concerns effectively.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good/outstanding, 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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 26 February 2013.

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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. 16–17 March 2022

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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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. 16–17 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211294 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.briarhillstmargarets.co.uk/topic/st- margarets-c-of-e-junior-school Date of previous inspection 26 January 2017

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Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.  The school was judged to be outstanding at the most recent inspection of denominational education, and the content of the school’s collective worship, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005. The school’s last section 48 inspection took place on 24 September 2015. Section 48 inspections were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They restarted in September 2021. The next inspection will be within eight years of the last section 48 inspection.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector carried out this inspection under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector carried out deep dives in mathematics, reading and history. This included visiting lessons, looking at pupils’ work, examining curriculum documents 16–17 March 2022

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and talking with pupils and staff. The inspector considered a sample of pupils’ work from other subjects, as well as information on the school’s website.  The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included examining the single central record of employment checks on school staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in class and at other times during the day.  During the inspection, the inspector had formal meetings with the executive headteacher, assistant headteacher, subject leaders, the special education needs co-ordinator, the designated safeguarding leader, governors, a representative from the local authority and a representative from the Diocese of Coventry.  The inspector took account of responses to the online parent survey, Ofsted Parent View, the pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Lorraine Lord, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 16–17 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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