Janet Duke Primary School

Inspection of Janet Duke Primary School Markhams Chase, Laindon, Basildon, Essex SS15 5LS

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Janet Duke School is a friendly and supportive learning environment for pupils. Pupils enjoy attending school because they feel safe. They know there is always help available. Pupils are proud of their school. Pupils describe their school as having a good atmosphere. They work well together and say they are a ‘good team’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning because lessons are interesting. They strive to achieve their best and meet the high expectations that teachers set. Pupils are proud of their achievements and are eager to show their work to visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is good. Pupils show respect for one another and adults. They behave well in lessons and listen attentively to teachers. Pupils say teachers help them when they find the work difficult.

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What is it like to attend this school?

At playtime, pupils play well together. They say one of the best things about the school is that ‘everyone is so polite’. Disagreements do happen and adults support pupils to solve the issues. Pupils are confident that if bullying happened, adults will deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of after-school clubs and sporting activities available. Pupils have the opportunity to show leadership in roles such as ‘form ambassadors’ and ‘eco-captains’.

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better?

Leaders have developed an interesting and ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, the important knowledge and skills pupils need to learn is clearly set out. Activities are designed to build upon pupils’ previous learning so they develop a strong base of knowledge. Staff make sure pupils revisit and recap knowledge previously taught, so they remember it with ease. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not set out the precise knowledge or skills to be learned. As a result, pupils may miss out on key facts and skills needed to be successful in the next stage of their learning.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons. Teachers modify teaching to ensure that all pupils have grasped the key knowledge and skills before moving on to the next unit of work.

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better?

High priority is given to the teaching of reading and the development of pupils’ vocabulary. From the moment pupils enter Reception they are taught to read. Staff follow a consistent approach to teaching phonics. Children learn their sounds swiftly and accurately. Staff check that pupils know the sounds they need to read. Any pupil who is struggling quickly receives extra help. Most pupils in key stage 1 read accurately and fluently. Older pupils enjoy reading a range of interesting books and understand why reading is important. 21 and 22 June 2022

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the help they need in order to learn alongside their peers. Staff know the pupils with SEND well and understand the support they need to be successful. As a result, learning activities are adapted and pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as others and achieve well.

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Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ conduct There are clear systems in place to support pupils to manage their own behaviour. These are understood well by staff and pupils. Pupils who have difficulty managing their behaviour are given effective, targeted support. Personalised programmes help pupils to understand their emotions and how to manage them positively. As a result, lessons are rarely disrupted.

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Leaders’ focus on pupils’ personal development results in pupils having a secure understanding of values such as honesty and tolerance. They understand that it is important to treat everyone equally. They say that ‘everyone is welcome in the school’. Pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. After-school sports clubs are popular and help pupils to keep fit and develop teamworking skills. Pupils enjoy the trips and visits on offer.

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In early years, children get off to a reliable start in their reading, writing and mathematics. This is because for these areas of learning leaders have clearly set out what children need to learn and by when. However, this is not the case in other areas of the curriculum. There is not enough guidance to ensure that children learn what they need to and secure important knowledge so they achieve well throughout the curriculum. As a result, some children have gaps in what they know and can do. While this is the case, leaders have identified the issue and have plans in place to address it.

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Governors have high expectations for pupils. Their individual expertise is used effectively. Governors provide a balance of challenge and support to leaders. Governors are considerate of the well-being and workload of leaders and staff.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding has the highest priority at the school. Leaders have ensured that all staff are trained in how to keep pupils safe. Staff are extremely vigilant in noticing any signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk. Staff report every concern, no matter how small. Leaders follow these up straight away.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have developed an open culture where pupils are willing to share their concerns. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. The safeguarding team works closely with families. When appropriate, they involve other agencies to work with pupils and their families. 21 and 22 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, the learning programmes do not identify the most important knowledge pupils need to learn and recall. Some pupils are not developing the secure knowledge they need to achieve their best. Leaders need to ensure that there is clarity in all their curriculum intent to make sure that all pupils are provided with lessons that help them learn, practice and remember the most important knowledge they need for future success.  While children in early years learn to read, write and use their mathematics skills well, other areas of the curriculum are not as well thought through and delivered. As a result, there are gaps in what children know and remember. Leaders need to ensure that the early years curriculum provides children with a broad and balanced curriculum experience, so children develop the secure foundation of knowledge across all areas of learning they need to be successful in Year 1.

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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. 21 and 22 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227582 Type of school Primary

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School details

School category Academy special sponsor-led

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Janet Duke Primary School uses one alterative provider.  The chair of governors was appointed September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English including early reading, mathematics, science, computing and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work where this was available.  Inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, other staff and pupils. 21 and 22 June 2022

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 Inspectors met with a number of school leaders to discuss behaviour, attendance and SEND support. The headteacher and lead inspector discussed the school’s self-evaluation.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including curriculum plans.  Inspectors spoke with three school governors, including the chair of governors. They met with two trustees, including the chair of the trust.  Inspectors also met with parents informally as they collected children from school.  Inspectors considered 27 parental responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View. They also considered the 12 free-text comments.  Inspectors reviewed 68 responses from the staff survey. To gather pupils’ views about the school, inspectors held discussions with pupils during the school day, including at playtime.

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Inspection team

Caroline Pardy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ania Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 June 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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