St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Inspection of St Andrew's Church of England Voluntary Controlled Junior School Dunstan Road, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 1ER

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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 Good School 11 and 12 May 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

At the heart of this school, there are warm, trusting relationships between staff and pupils. Staff know pupils and their families well. Pupils feel safe and they are keen to talk about the things they do at school. One pupil summed this up by saying, ‘Everything is good about this school. In fact, just being part of this school is amazing because we have lots of new opportunities’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new headteacher has successfully addressed behaviour in the school. At the start of each day, staff check how pupils are feeling. Pupils who need support to manage their emotions get the help they need. As a result, pupils are ready for learning. Pupils say bullying hardly ever happens. They know staff will deal promptly with any misbehaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In classrooms, pupils behave well. They listen carefully to teachers and there is a focus on learning. Staff have high expectations of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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better?

Leaders have developed a new reading curriculum. Pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read have regular phonics sessions. Staff ensure that pupils use their phonic knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words. Pupils read books that help them practise the letter sounds they are learning. As a result, their reading is improving.

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better?

Where the new curriculum is in place, teachers follow a well-planned, consistent approach to teaching reading. This helps pupils to develop the reading skills needed for future learning. However, the implementation of the reading curriculum stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the approach to teaching reading is not yet consistent. This means that, in some classes, pupils do not deepen their reading skills. Leaders have clear plans in place to implement the reading curriculum across the school.

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better?

In other subjects, leaders have set out an ambitious curriculum. Subject leaders have identified key knowledge and skills which pupils should learn. Teachers plan pupils' learning in a logical order. Teachers check on pupils' understanding regularly and take action to ensure their learning is secure. For example, in music, teachers adapt the curriculum for older pupils whose learning has been disrupted due to COVID-19. This ensures that pupils have a secure understanding before moving on to new content.

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better?

In the personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils learn to respect peoples' differences. They understand that people hold different beliefs and have other characteristics and lifestyles. This helps pupils to understand that it is alright to be different and that everyone is unique. School 11 and 12 May 2022

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Pupils with SEND take part in all aspects of school life. Leaders have put in place robust procedures to identify pupils who may need extra support. As a result, pupils receive effective support with their learning from well-trained staff. The transition process for pupils with SEND newly arriving at the school is effective and, consequently, they settle quickly.

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Staff manage pupils' behaviour effectively. As a result, disruption to lessons from poor behaviour is rare. Pupils demonstrate confidence and resilience in their approach to their learning and work. Pupils who need extra help with their emotional well-being or behaviour receive high-quality support. This ensures that these pupils are ready and able to learn.

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Leaders engage well with staff and consider staff workload. In addition, leaders provide regular training and effective support for staff well-being. Consequently, staff are positive about the school's leaders.

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Governors know the school well. They understand the school's strengths and areas that require further development. Governors have a strong commitment to the school and its pupils. They share the new headteacher's vision for the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding training is up to date. Staff know how to spot signs that something might be amiss with a pupil. Staff know how to raise and report a concern. Leaders seek the right support for vulnerable pupils, including support from external agencies. Careful record-keeping enables leaders to keep track of concerns raised and actions taken.

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Safeguarding

Leaders undertake appropriate pre-employment checks on staff before their appointment. Pupils learn about safety at home and in the local community. They also learn how to maintain healthy relationships and keep safe when online.

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Safeguarding

Governors regularly check the school’s safeguarding procedures.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching of reading is not planned well enough in all years. This means that pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to deepen their reading skills in some year groups. Leaders need to implement the revised reading curriculum across the school, so that all pupils benefit from a well-sequenced reading programme. School 11 and 12 May 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. School 11 and 12 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227976 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 and 2 February 2017

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this inspection under section 5 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. 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 headteacher, deputy headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and the school improvement partner. An inspector heldd a telephone conversation with a representative from the diocese.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, School 11 and 12 May 2022

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spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s information on behaviour, bullying and attendance. Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records and spoke with leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding arrangements.  Pupils were observed at lunch and in the playground. Inspectors also spoke informally to different groups of pupils.  Inspectors considered the provision for personal, social health and economic education, relationships and sex education, health education and religious education.  Inspectors considered the 35 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the 34 free-text comments. Inspectors also considered the 31 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Mark Burgess, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Wendy Hanrahan Ofsted Inspector School 11 and 12 May 2022

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