Tredworth Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Tredworth Junior School Tredworth Road, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL1 4QG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2023

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Outcome

Tredworth Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Tredworth Junior School lies at the heart of the local community. It serves its pupils well, providing them with an inclusive learning environment. Pupils feel well cared for. There are strong relationships between the pupils and adults. Staff go over and above to support pupils’ well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils enjoy their learning and take pride in their work. They demonstrate strong attitudes to learning and most pupils in school are learning well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are respectful, courteous and a credit to the school. They conduct themselves well when moving around the school and in lessons. Staff manage behaviour well. They have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils report that there is little or no bullying in their school. They know who they can talk to if they do have any worries or concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a school where every pupil is equal and has access to the same opportunities. These include a range of visits and trips which help to enrich the curriculum. These experiences increase pupils’ independence and resilience. They are eager to be part of the school council or eco committee to help make their school even better.

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

Leaders have worked successfully to design a curriculum that meets the needs of the pupils. Leaders use studies of the local area and beyond to develop the pupils’ learning in different subjects. However, they acknowledge that in the very recent past, pupils have not learned as well as they could have. Leaders and teachers have used more effective checks to find out the gaps in the knowledge of pupils currently in the school. Clear strategies are now in place to address these gaps and a good difference is being made. 11 and 12 January 2023

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In some subjects, there is a clear sequence of learning. Generally, leaders and teachers use core objectives to sequence learning that is appropriate to the needs of pupils. However, this is not always the case in mathematics and music. In some year groups, learning is not broken down into small steps well enough. As a result, pupils are not secure in their knowledge and understanding in these subjects.

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Pupils thoroughly enjoy reading. They believe that reading takes them to imaginary places and helps them learn. Pupils read a wide variety of books and know different authors. Leaders promote the love of reading among all pupils. Leaders have focused on developing pupils’ reading fluency and carefully considered the support for those who are less confident readers or are new to English. Staff use prompts and questions well when they listen to pupils read. They provide suitable reading books to help pupils read with increasing accuracy.

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Leaders and teachers have prioritised pupils learning new vocabulary. This helps pupils to increase their knowledge of words. Pupils are beginning to be able to explain their understanding of these words in other subjects. Pupils know musical terms such as tempo, dynamics and rhythm. Despite this, some pupils are not able to explain their meaning. Pupils also struggle to explain their mathematical thinking when trying to solve problems.

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Pupils with SEND or who speak English as an additional language are supported well. Leaders identify their needs and use checks effectively to make sure learning is appropriate for these pupils. Teachers provide pupils with what they need to help them learn successfully. Leaders ensure staff receive training to be able to support these pupils.

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Some pupils do not learn as well as they could because they do not attend school often enough. Leaders are aware of this and have started to take action to resolve this matter. However, their actions have not always been timely or yet had an impact.

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Pupil well-being is at the centre of leaders’ thoughts and actions. Pupils enjoy the opportunities to extend their learning outside of school. They appreciate the visits to local secondary schools, visits to museums and being able to perform at the nearby theatre. This prepares them well for their next steps. Staff feel valued and appreciate leaders’ support in helping to reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there is a culture of vigilance among all staff to enable them to keep pupils safe. All adults in school have a clear understanding of their responsibilities. They make timely records of any concerns they may have about pupils. Leaders ensure that they work with appropriate agencies when necessary.

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Safeguarding

Leaders identify quickly any families in need of additional support. Leaders in school and outside professionals work together effectively to ensure pupils stay safe. 11 and 12 January 2023

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Robust systems for safer recruitment of staff are in place. Governors make regular checks of these systems.

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Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in the community, including online. This is because leaders make sure they have meaningful learning to enable them to stay safe.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum subjects, learning is not sequenced effectively. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge well enough. Leaders need to ensure that the content of all subjects is well considered and carefully sequenced so that end points are clearly identified. Leaders should also ensure that there are strategies in place to check that pupils remember what they have learned.  Pupils struggle to explain their understanding and use of strategies that support their learning, particularly in mathematics. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders acknowledge that for some pupils, use of the appropriate vocabulary is weak. Leaders should ensure that all pupils have the language they need to be able to explain their mathematical thinking and reasoning.  Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Consequently, they miss learning important knowledge. Leaders have monitoring systems in place. However,

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

actions to address poor attendance are not as timely as they could be. Leaders should act swiftly to make certain that all pupils attend school regularly.

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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 December 2016.

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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 11 and 12 January 2023

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when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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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. 11 and 12 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a junior school. Leaders work with partner infant schools within the local area to support the transition into school.  The school has a high proportion of disadvantaged pupils and those who speak English as an additional language.  Leaders do not use alternative provision.

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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 associate headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, a group of staff and representatives of the governing body.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and music. The inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ 11 and 12 January 2023

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work .  The inspector looked at curriculum planning and samples of pupils’ written work in a range of subjects.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including leaders’ self-evaluation of the school and those relating to safeguarding and behaviour.  The inspector reviewed the 13 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector also spoke to parents at the school. The inspector took into account the 27 responses from the pupil survey and 34 responses from the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Smith, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 January 2023

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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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