Winklebury Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Winklebury Junior School Willoughby Way, Off Winklebury Way, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG23 8AF

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Outcome

Winklebury Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm and caring school where staff go out of their way to value pupils as individuals. Pupils say their teachers ‘really listen’ to them. They enjoy their lessons and their many friends. Pupils behave well and concentrate on their work. Leaders have high expectations and pupils rise to meet them. Teachers’ ambitions have ensured that Winklebury is a school where pupils enjoy learning, growing and achieving. Older pupils told the inspector that they appreciate their teachers’ work to ‘make us smart’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers many after-school clubs, events, performances and competitions. These help pupils to develop interests and talents. Visits and visitors enliven the curriculum and enrich pupils’ personal development. Pupils think about fairness and reflect on important world events. They enjoy helping others. For example, they readily support pupils who are new to learning English.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say they feel safe in school. If they meet a problem, they trust an adult to help sort it out. Pupils know about bullying and harassment. It is not tolerated by staff or pupils. They recognise the importance of reporting any incidents quickly. Leaders take steps to make sure incidents do not recur. Parents speak highly of their children’s happy experience at school.

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

Being a good reader is at the forefront of the school’s thoughtfully designed curriculum. Teachers make skilful use of assessment as soon as pupils enter the school. Staff are well trained to support phonics, and early readers make rapid progress. Teachers know exactly how to help pupils to become fluent. Pupils have daily practice. Teachers regularly read to their class. They support pupils to develop effective comprehension skills and a wide vocabulary. Pupils encounter a broad range of texts. They discuss authors’ approaches and use ideas in their own work. By Year 6, pupils can use their reading skills very well. For example, they put themselves in Lady Macbeth’s shoes in order to write a heartfelt letter to her husband. 5 and 6 July 2022

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Mathematics is one of pupils’ favourite lessons. They develop understanding by using practical materials to see how methods work. Teachers explain new concepts clearly and are quick to address any misconceptions. Pupils learn to work things out for themselves when solving problems. Cooperative classroom behaviour supports pupils to keep up with their class work. Those who fall behind respond positively to extra teaching that improves their basic skills.

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The school gives tailored support to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff deploy a wide range of strategies to meet needs. Pupils with SEND are fully included in their class and they make strong progress. Learning activities are well matched, so that pupils with SEND can work with independence. However, teachers do not consistently use their assessments of all pupils’ learning to ensure that they are suitably challenged. On occasion, learning activities do not build on what pupils already know, so that they might deepen the ideas and concepts that they learn.

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Many of the foundation subjects are taught through engaging topics. Interesting activities support pupils to remember the knowledge that teachers introduce. When learning about the Ancient Egyptians, pupils relished exploring artefacts. They considered how primary sources help historians to understand life during that period. In some topics, there is too much factual content for pupils to remember. Pupils develop some muddled ideas and do not manage to connect ideas from one topic to another.

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Pupils respect the school’s values. They treat each other kindly and with respect. Staff support pupils to think seriously about important issues. Through these opportunities, pupils develop personal views that are shaping their character. Year 6 pupils have strong views about the injustice of prejudice. They recognise that ordinary people contribute to change things for the better. They are well prepared to move on to secondary school.

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Leaders are mindful of the amount of work that teachers do. Staff feel valued by their approachable leaders. Teachers appreciate the importance that leaders attach to their well- being.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few of the foundation subject topics, there is too much content for pupils to remember. Leaders need to ensure that teachers are clear about the knowledge that is vital for pupils to learn and ensure that they are provided with rich opportunities to apply it. This will enable pupils to connect new knowledge to what they have previously learned so they deepen understanding.  Sometimes, learning activities do not build on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders need to provide support for teachers to use their assessments effectively so that pupils are suitably challenged through tasks that meet their needs. This will help pupils to grasp increasingly challenging concepts. 5 and 6 July 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, 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 in March 2017.

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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. 5 and 6 July 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227211 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 14 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is federated with Winklebury Infant School under the leadership of one governing body and headteacher.  Since the previous inspection, there has been a change of headteacher. The current headteacher took up her post in September 2018.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.  Since the start of the summer term 2022, the school has run a breakfast club. This is managed by the governing body and is open to pupils who attend the school.

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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 the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with school leaders and other members of staff. Meetings took place with four governors and with the local authority’s linked adviser. 5 and 6 July 2022

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 The inspector reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This involved looking at relevant documentation, staff recruitment checks and training. Discussion took place about how well adults in the school act on concerns about pupils’ welfare.  The inspector spoke with pupils, parents and staff to gather their views about the school. 24 responses to Ofsted Parent View, 40 replies to the pupils’ questionnaire and 23 replies to the staff survey were considered.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and history. This involved talking with subject leaders and class teachers about how these subjects are delivered, visiting lessons, talking to pupils about their learning and looking at their work.  The inspector listened to some pupils in Years 3 and 4 reading to a familiar adult and discussed the school’s provision for pupils with SEND.

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Inspection team

Linda Jacobs, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 July 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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