Merrow Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Bushy Hill Junior School Sheeplands Avenue, Merrow, Guildford, Surrey GU1 2SG

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 September 2022

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Outcome

Bushy Hill Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that places pupils’ well-being at the heart of all that it does. Pastoral care is strong. As a result, pupils are safe, valued and well supported.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcomed, and the school is a happy community. Most pupils behave sensibly and respectfully. Staff provide effective support for any pupils who need help managing their behaviour and emotions. As a result, classes are calm, and pupils are able to learn without interruption.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying occasionally happens at Bushy Hill. When it does, staff take concerns very seriously. Leaders follow up on each concern with rigour and provide effective support. Anti-bullying ambassadors are valued members of the school community. They form part of a strong system which makes sure that pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders broadly succeed in their ambition for every pupil to be a confident, successful learner and to benefit from a well-rounded education. Pupils value the many opportunities to enrich their learning through visits and extra activities. They enjoy school. Pupils are keen to take on additional responsibilities. These include serving on the school council or the sports crew which helps to promote activity and health throughout the school.

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

Leaders’ commitment to promoting reading is palpable and exciting. Leaders have selected a rich range of texts for pupils to read. There are books from renowned authors and stories about pertinent issues, as well as books in different languages. Leaders consistently focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary and comprehension skills. Teachers check pupils’ reading skills carefully so that they understand their needs. They successfully encourage pupils to read regularly. Staff read with the weakest readers daily. Consequently, pupils become keen and enthusiastic readers. The phonics programme provides staff with a secure framework for teaching early reading. 27 and 28 September 2022

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Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have identified the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn in each subject. Teachers carefully check how much pupils remember so that pupils are well prepared to learn new information. Teachers present new information clearly. They help pupils to learn from their mistakes. Consequently, pupils have positive attitudes to learning. They take great pride in their achievements.

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In most foundation subjects, pupils achieve well. Leaders ensure that learning is well sequenced. This means that pupils build up their knowledge and understanding of the essential ideas as they move through the year groups. Staff ensure that pupils use technical vocabulary accurately to explain their ideas and to make links to what they have learned previously. Leaders work alongside school staff to identify any additional needs pupils may have. Staff skilfully adapt resources to support pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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In a few of the foundation subjects, pupils do not learn as much as they could. This is because leaders do not always make sure that staff have a deep enough knowledge of the curriculum content. As a result, teaching in a few subjects is not as good as it could be. Teachers do not always know whether pupils have fully met the aims of the curriculum.

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Leaders have carefully embedded British values into every area of the curriculum. Pupils have a strong moral compass and understand the importance of looking after each other. Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils regularly participate in projects where young and old perform Shakespeare plays together.

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Governors share leaders’ ambition and commitment for all pupils to succeed. Staff benefit from extensive professional development opportunities. These include participating in research and development projects. Leaders do what they can to ease workload. Parents and carers are equally appreciative of the school’s caring and welcoming ethos.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The culture of safeguarding is strong and evident throughout the school. Staff know pupils very well and are alert to the slightest concern. Leaders work in close partnership with safeguarding partners to support pupils and their families. They make sure that pupils get the help that they need. Record-keeping is thorough and systematic. Staff know the vital role they play in safeguarding pupils and fulfil their responsibilities very well. Leaders ensure that appropriate checks are undertaken when employing new staff. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe both offline and online. 27 and 28 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of the foundation subjects, staff do not implement the curriculum consistently well. As a result, pupils do not always achieve as well as they could. Leaders should provide training for staff so that they equip teachers with the knowledge and skills to teach every subject effectively.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 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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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. 27 and 28 September 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two alternative provisions.

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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 met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and other staff. The inspector spoke to a school improvement officer from the local authority.  The inspector spoke to parents at the school gate and groups of pupils in school and took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents, staff and pupils.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum information, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 27 and 28 September 2022

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 The inspector listened to pupils read and spoke to groups of pupils about reading.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and reviewed records. The inspector met with the school’s business manager to scrutinise the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. The inspector also spoke with staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Clare Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 September 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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