Harlescott Junior School

Inspection of Harlescott Junior School Featherbed Lane, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 4QN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wealth of experiences at Harlescott Junior School. They are excited to come to school and learn. Leaders have created a highly inclusive environment. All pupils are welcomed and well cared for. Pupils’ mental health and well-being are of high importance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The theme of ‘values, experience and inclusion’ is at the heart of the curriculum. This also prepares pupils well for life outside of school. They are taught how to respect the opinion of others. Pupils understand cultures that are different to their own. They know the importance of being a good and helpful citizen. Leaders have high expectations for most pupils. Most pupils achieve well as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour and attitudes of pupils are exemplary. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviours. They model these behaviours to pupils. Pupils are taught how to respect each other. They understand how their behaviour may impact on others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many pupils are given extra responsibilities. For example, members of the ‘safe squad’ wear a special lanyard. Pupils will approach them and ask for help at playtime. They have meetings to share views about their school. Pupils are safe and happy. They say they never want to leave their school.

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better?

Leaders have created an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. They have carefully planned experiences to support pupils’ learning. Staff know their pupils’ interests and plan activities to enhance them further. The curriculum starts in the infant school within the federation. As a result, key learning in all subjects builds on secure foundations. Transition between the two schools is highly effective. As a result, pupils’ key knowledge and vocabulary build over time from the very start. However, leaders have not yet identified the most important knowledge they want pupils with the most complex needs to know over time.

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better?

Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure across the curriculum. They present information clearly. The curriculum is very well resourced. For example, in design and technology (DT), pupils benefit from specialist rooms for designing, making and food production. They have access to tablet computers and laptops in lessons. In computing, pupils are taught how to edit digital images. They are taught about coding and programming. Pupils talk about what they know and remember using accurate subject-specific vocabulary.

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better?

Reading is prioritised across school. Leaders have invested in high-quality texts. Pupils are excited by books. They read widely and regularly. Leaders use creative ways to support parents and carers. They make videos to show parents how to support their child with reading. Staff are well trained to deliver phonics. Leaders use assessment well to identify gaps in pupils’ phonic knowledge. Pupils who need 4 and 5 May 2023

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help with their reading are supported from the very start. This helps them to catch up quickly.

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Systems for identifying pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are highly effective. Pupils’ individual SEND needs are regularly reviewed. Leaders have expert knowledge in supporting pupils’ additional needs. They work well with external agencies and specialist staff. As a result, pupils’ specific SEND needs are met very well. However, leaders are less clear how these pupils experience the planned subject curriculum coherently.

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Pupils behave very well during lessons. The curriculum gives pupils opportunities to build character through enrichment activities. Leaders help pupils to develop a wide range of interests and talents. All pupils regularly take part in sporting events and competitions. Leaders’ commitment to developing pupils’ personal development is exemplary.

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Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively. They provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders. Subject leaders are well skilled to lead their subject. Staff across the federation work closely and provide high-quality professional development to each other.

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Pupils have a wealth of extra-curricular activities to choose from. Pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils regularly access these opportunities. They include music, Spanish and sports.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding pupils is everyone’s business. Leaders have created highly effective safeguarding teams. There is a culture of high vigilance. All staff understand the importance of recording low-level concerns. They know how these can quickly build a picture about pupils’ safety. Staff are well trained to carry out their roles. They can identify pupils at risk of harm. Support for families is put in place quickly.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe online. Pupils share their concerns through the class worry boxes. These are followed up by staff quickly. Leaders complete effective checks when recruiting new staff.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not considered how coherent the curriculum offer is for pupils with the most complex needs. This means these pupils are not learning in a sequential way, so are not building their knowledge over time. Leaders need to clearly define the curriculum offer for pupils with the most complex needs. 4 and 5 May 2023

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 Leaders have not explicitly identified the key knowledge they want pupils with the most complex needs to learn over time. This limits the progress in knowledge these pupils make across the curriculum. Leaders need to explicitly identify the key knowledge they want pupils across all subjects.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 4 and 5 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256909 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Headteacher

Website www.haughmondfed.net Date of previous inspection 16 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Haughmond Federation, with one other school. The headteacher is the executive headteacher across both schools. The special educational needs coordinator works in both schools.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  There is an additional base within school with specialist staff. This is run by the school.  The school has a before- and after-school provision on site. This is operated by another provider. 4 and 5 May 2023

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Information about this inspection

The inspector(s) carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector met with the executive headteacher and the head of school. She met with members of the governing body, including the chair. The lead inspector also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors held meetings with a range of leaders to discuss safeguarding, provision for pupils with SEND, pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics, computing, DT and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils formally and informally about their learning and experiences at school. Two separate groups of pupils accompanied inspectors on learning walks around the school.  Safeguarding documents were reviewed, including the checks that leaders make on staff’s suitability to work with children. The inspectors examined how staff implement safeguarding policies and procedures effectively across the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and the free-text responses received during the inspection.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement priorities, school policies, curriculum documents, SEND records, behaviour records, attendance records, and minutes of meetings held by the governing body.

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Inspection team

Anna Vrahimi, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Janet Lewis Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 May 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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