Jerome Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Jerome Primary School Hussey Road, Norton Canes, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 9TP

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Outcome

Jerome Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a strong sense of teamwork at Jerome Primary school. Staff, pupils and parents are proud to be part of the ‘Jerome team’. Pupils work hard and are positive about the work they complete in different subjects. However, in some subjects, pupils find it hard to remember what they have learned. This means that they find it hard to link what they have previously learned to new knowledge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. Adults model positive relationships well and pupils reflect this in their own behaviour. Pupils feel happy and safe at school. They know that there are many adults they can turn to for help and that adults always help them. If bullying does occur, staff deal with incidents quickly and appropriately.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of opportunities offered to them. They appreciate the chance to represent their school in roles, such as head boy and girl or lunchtime monitors. Pupils wear their responsibility badges with pride. They enjoy attending after school clubs, such as football and choir.

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

Leaders prioritise reading. Recent staff training allows staff to expertly teach phonics. Right from the early years, pupils benefit from clear teaching with high-quality resources used well for support. Leaders use phonics assessments accurately to check the progress pupils make. Through these assessments, teachers identify pupils who need extra help. Skilled staff then provide well-planned support for these pupils. This support successfully helps them to develop the skills and knowledge they need to develop into confident and fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and talk excitedly about the books they read with adults.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum which is ambitious for all. They have identified the key skills and knowledge that they want pupils to learn and when. In some subjects, this is clearly set out and teachers check what pupils know and remember. However, this is 2 and 3 February 2023

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not the case across all subjects. While the key knowledge and skills have been set out, in some subjects leaders have not defined them precisely enough. Teachers plan activities which pupils remember completing, but they are not clear about what they have learned as a result of these activities. For example, pupils’ remember using maps to identify countries across the world, but do not recall what they learned from this task or why they were completing it.

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Staff identify pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly. This leads to well-planned support to meet their needs. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND receive a balance of support and opportunities to be independent. This helps them to access the curriculum and enables them to achieve well.

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In some subjects, teachers use assessment well to check what pupils have learned. However, in some subjects, teachers’ use of assessment is not as well developed. Leaders have not ensured that all teachers precisely check that pupils’ responses in these assessments link accurately to what pupils should learn. Consequently, teachers do not accurately identify gaps in pupils’ learning. This makes it harder for pupils to build successfully on their prior learning.

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Pupils behave well both in class and on the playground. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning in all subjects. They understand the importance of rules, both inside and outside of school. Leaders respond quickly to any reported incidents of behaviour and support pupils who need it. Pupils show kindness towards each other and adults. For example, class ambassadors warmly welcome any visitor to their classrooms. Positive relationships between children and adults start in the early years and continue throughout school.

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Leaders provide many opportunities for pupils to develop wider knowledge and understanding about the world through well-planned activities. For example, play leaders lead games and ‘Jerome buddies’ provide a kind smile and help to pupils out on the playground. Leaders ensure that pupils know the importance of working hard at school. Pupils know that subjects such as mathematics will help them in their chosen careers. For example, pupils know that using skills, such as calculating money, will help them when working in business.

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Leaders support staff well. Staff appreciate the training leaders provide to help them to become experts in what they teach. Leaders consider staff well-being and staff value this. Governors know the school well. They offer support and challenge to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that they know the risks that may face pupils in the community. Staff identify pupils in need of support or at risk of harm quickly and know how to report concerns. Leaders respond to concerns quickly and support pupils and families well. They carry out regular checks to see if support is working and adapt the support if it is not. Leaders carry out the necessary safeguarding checks on staff. 2 and 3 February 2023

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Leaders have designed a curriculum which helps pupils to know how to stay safe, including online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not defined the key knowledge and skills pupils should learn precisely enough. This means that pupils are unclear about the key knowledge that is being taught. Leaders should ensure that key knowledge and skills are clearly defined to enable teachers to plan lessons that focus clearly on the key knowledge pupils need to know and remember.  In some subjects, teachers do not check what pupils have previously learned precisely enough. This means that they do not identify and address gaps in pupils’ learning well enough. Leaders should ensure that they continue to support teachers to assess what pupils know and remember precisely and then address any gaps in their learning.

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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 18–19 January 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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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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. 2 and 3 February 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10211242 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 January 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does 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 lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and members of the governing body. Meetings were also held with other senior leaders, teachers and support staff.  Deep dives were carried out in early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the lead inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector also spoke with staff and pupils about other subjects taught, such as religious education. 2 and 3 February 2023

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 A range of documentation was also scrutinised, including minutes from governors’ meetings, leaders’ plans to improve the school and the school website.  When inspecting safeguarding, the lead inspector considered the school’s safeguarding policy and spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding. The lead inspector spoke with leaders and staff about how safeguarding concerns and incidents are reported.  The lead inspector took account of the parent comments and responses in Ofsted Parent View. Comments in pupil and staff surveys were also considered.

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Inspection team

Michelle Bishton, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 2 and 3 February 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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