Eastborough Junior Infant and Nursery School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Tracy Mahmood Headteacher Eastborough Junior Infant and Nursery School Rockley Street Dewsbury West Yorkshire WF13 1NS

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Nursery School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection of your school that took place on 12 January 2023, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous graded (section 5) inspections.

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Nursery School

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other senior and middle leaders and governors the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. I also spoke to officers from the local authority, including colleagues offering support for school improvement, as organised by the local authority. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also spoke to members of staff individually, groups of pupils, visited lessons (including phonics), and spoke to curriculum leaders. I considered the support offered to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). I spoke to pupils at breaktime. I spoke with you about strategies in place to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and often. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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improvement. Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more

work is necessary for the school to become good.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, you and your team have focused on developing the curriculum. You have been developing curriculum plans in subjects other than English and mathematics. You have carefully considered what you want pupils to know in different subjects and at what point. For example, in French and music, your curriculum leaders have decided what key knowledge they want pupils to retain. You have also been further developing your language strategy. Here, you have identified subject-specific vocabulary that will help pupils’ understanding in different subject areas. Your teachers highlight this vocabulary in lessons. For example, key words in geography and science were visible around classrooms during the inspection. You are now working on ensuring that teachers check what pupils know in the foundation subjects effectively so that they can adapt their teaching accordingly. Your work on developing the curriculum is having a positive impact.

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Main findings

You have also been refining the phonics curriculum since the previous inspection. You have been working to ensure that all teaching staff are well trained in your chosen phonics programme. You are aware that some pupils need extra support to help them learn to read and you are providing this. You continue to work to help pupils who speak English as an additional language. The quality of phonics provision continues to improve.

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Main findings

Since the previous inspection, you have continued to work with families to promote attendance. You have also further developed strategies to support pupils with SEND. The ‘achievement book’ is used well to this end.

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Main findings

You provide calm and focused leadership to your team. Your improvement plans are sensible. They focus on developments that will have the greatest impact on the pupils in your care. Your focus on supporting members of staff to develop their skills stands out. Staff appreciate this.

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Main findings

You have received a range of support from different people and agencies since the previous inspection. You feel that this has had a positive impact. Of note, however, is the way in which you now shape this support to ensure that it is even more precisely aligned to your planned improvements. You appreciate the support from the local authority and the support they broker for you. For example, you have confidence in the headteacher who now works with you to ensure that improvements continue at a pace.

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Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Kirklees. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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